Environmentally safe touch typing keyboard

• US 5,378,069 A
• Filed: 12/15/1993
• Issued: 01/03/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Product Engineering & Manufacturing Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Product Engineering & Manufacturing Incorporated
• Inventors: Bowen, James H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wiecking, David A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): KELLEY, STEVEN SHAUN
• Application Number:
  US08/166,906
• Time in Patent Office: 384 Days
• Field of Search: 400/477, 400/485, 400/486, 341/23, 341/31, 345/175, 345/179, 364/709.11, 364/709.12, 364/709.13
• US Class Current: 400/477
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 5/10 Arrangements of keyboards , e.g. key button disposition
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/32 Means for saving power
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3271 Power saving in keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04809 Textured surface identifying touch areas, e.g. overlay structure for a virtual keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0213 Arrangements providing an integrated pointing device in a keyboard, e.g. trackball, mini-joystick for pointing devices integrated in a laptop computer G06F1/169; joysticks G05G9/047; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0219 Special purpose keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0421 by interrupting or reflecting a light beam, e.g. optical touch-screen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0489 using dedicated keyboard keys or combinations thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 13/00 Teaching typing
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 13/04 Devices used in association with a real typewriter, teleprinter, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

A keyboard that has two adjacent rows of emitters opposed by two adjacent rows of detectors that is environmentally sealed and has no moving parts. This said keyboard has a field changeable coded indicia so a scan pattern, ambient reference level or other application specific variables can be changed without breaking the environmental seal or powering down the keyboard. Further, the different said scan patterns can include scanning the finger position by multiple emitter detector pairs at angles other than ninety degrees to give a cross check on detection. These said scan patterns can be further optimized to scan angled sets of keys and to adjust to different ambient light conditions so errors can be detected by the emitter detector pair closest to detection of a finger. Also another said scan pattern can include, that both emitter detector pairs before and after the detected finger position must show a no finger detection condition to be a valid finger detection. This said keyboard can also use one value of feedback gain to check ambient light and a different value to detect a finger by the same detectors scanning the keyboard.

Claims

1. A keyboard for data entry that the positional detection of an operators fingers are made prior to said operators fingers contacting said keyboard, the keyboard further comprising in combination:

a planar surface forming a substantially flat bottom of an unilocular area;

a removable overlay with opaque indicia thereon, disposed on said planar surface;

said opaque indicia being at a plurality of discrete locations disposed in a pattern for indicating key text at each of said plurality of discrete locations;

a plurality of light emitters and a plurality of light detectors disposed in a pattern about a border surrounding said plurality of discrete locations and above said planar surface;

said plurality of light emitters are paired with said plurality of light detectors;

an electronic circuit that illuminates said light emitters to emit light in a path substantially straight to said light detectors, and to scan said pair of light emitters and light detectors in an unimpeded path above and substantially parallel to and coextensive with said planar surface;

a printed circuit board disposed adjacent to and below said planer surface, connecting said electronic circuit to said plurality of light emitters and said plurality of light detectors; and

means for scanning said pair of light emitters and light detectors to detect said operators fingers that break said path of said pair of light emitters and light detectors before said operators finger contacts said planar surface at each of said plurality of discrete locations.

2. A keyboard as claimed in claim 1, wherein

a plurality of different said removable overlays with different indicia patterns can be differentiated by light detectors that are disposed in a plane perpendicular and below said planar surface for sensing the presents of light through said planar surface by coding with a plurality of different masks affixed to said removable overlays that expose or block light to said light detectors.

3. A keyboard as claimed in claim 2, wherein

a scanning pattern can be altered to detect at least said operators fingers over said different indicia patterns with said plurality of different masks on said plurality of different said removable overlays.

4. A keyboard as claimed in claim 3, wherein

said different scanning patterns can pair said light emitters with a plurality of different said light detectors to scan said opaque indicia at different angular alignments to coincide with said different indicia patterns.

5. A keyboard as claimed in claim 1, wherein

said removable overlay has a plurality of domes extruded in a vertical direction from the surface of said removable overlay with said opaque indicia atop each of said plurality of domes;

and

said removable overlay is sufficiently thin and pliable to allow said operators fingers to depress said domes to give tactile feedback to said keyboard operator.

6. A keyboard as claimed in claim 2, wherein

said light detectors are scanned periodically to detect different said removable overlays to enable said removable overlays no be changed without powering down said keyboard.

7. A keyboard as claimed in claim 1, further including

adjustable gain amplifiers to receive the output of said light detectors so the gain for said adjustable gain amplifiers for detecting ambient light intensities can be different from said gain from said adjustable gain amplifiers for detecting said operators finger.

8. A keyboard as claimed in claim 1, further including

variable frequency drive circuits for said light emitters to change the on and off time of said light emitters so different intensities of light emissions from said light emitters can be emitted.

9. A keyboard as claimed in claim 1, wherein

a scanning pattern that when a detection is made of an object, said operators finger or ambient light interference, said scanning pattern scans said pairs of light emitters and light detectors for a valid light path immediately before and after said pair of light emitter and light detector that made said detection;

a said valid light path being when said light emitter is illuminated and that emitted light is detected by a predetermined said light detector; and

if said valid light path is present immediately before and after said pair of the light emitter and light detector that made said detection, a valid detection of an object is recorded.

10. A keyboard as claimed in claim 1, further including

an upper and lower housing to enclose the electronic circuits with a plurality of environmental seals disposed about the periphery at the connection of said upper and lower housing to seal said keyboard from environmental contaminants.

11. A keyboard as claimed in claim 1, further including

a speaker for generating an audible feedback to said operator for at least said operators finger detection.

12. A keyboard as claimed in claim 1, further including

adjustable gain amplifiers to receive the output of said light detectors so the gain for said adjustable gain amplifiers for detecting ambient light intensities can be varied, wherein each said light detector that is being scanned to detect at least said operators finger corrects for ambient light intensities prior to scanning for said operators finger;

and

whereby the said light emitter is illuminated and said electronic circuit tests a predetermined said light detectors said adjustable gain amplifier for predetermined output limits, if the output is less than said predetermined output limits the gain of the said adjustable gain amplifier is increased and retested, and if the output is higher than said predetermined output limits the gain of the said adjustable gain amplifier is decreased and retested.

13. A keyboard as claimed in claim 1, further including

variable frequency drive circuits for said light emitters to change the on and off time of said light emitters so different intensities of light emissions from said light emitters can be emitted;

adjustable gain amplifiers to receive the output of said light detectors so the gain for said adjustable gain amplifiers for detecting ambient light intensities can be varied, wherein each said light detector that is being scanned to detect at least said operators finger, corrects for ambient light intensities prior to scanning for said operators finger;

whereby the said light emitter is illuminated and said electronic circuit tests said light detectors said adjustable gain amplifier for predetermined output limits, if the output is higher than said predetermined output limits the gain of the said adjustable gain amplifier is decreased and retested, this cycle continues if the said adjustable gain amplifiers output can not reach the said predetermined output limits until the said adjustable gain amplifiers gain is at the lowest setting, at that time said on and off time of the said variable frequency drive circuit is made less on to decrease the emissions from said light emitter and a test is made to see if the said adjustable gain amplifier is in said predetermined limits, this cycle continues until either the said variable frequency drive circuit is at its lowest intensity and the said adjustable gain amplifiers output can not reach said predetermined output limits, in which an error is recorded, or the said adjustable gain amplifier is in said predetermined output limits, in which said electronic circuit then scans for said operators finger; and

if said adjustable gain amplifiers output is lower than said predetermined output limits the gain of the said adjustable gain amplifier is increased and retested, if the output from said adjustable gain amplifiers is still not in limits the said on and off time of the said variable frequency drive circuit is made more on to increase the emissions from the said light emitter and a test is made to see if the said adjustable gain amplifier is in said predetermined limits, this cycle continues until either the said adjustable gain amplifier is in said predetermined limits in which said electronic circuit then scans for said operators finger, or if the said light emitter has been turned on to the highest intensity and the said adjustable gain amplifier is not to said predetermined limits, an error is recorded.

14. A keyboard as claimed in claim 1, further including

means for generating, and means for transmitting and receiving data by radio frequency signals responsive to said keyboard operators data entry.

15. A keyboard as claimed in claim 1, wherein

said keyboard reduces stresses in said operators fingers by removing the impact between said operators fingers and said keyboard;

whereby said operators fingers can touch said keyboard although data entry is made prior to contact therebetween.

16. A keyboard for data entry that the positional detection of an operators fingers are made prior to said operators fingers contacting said keyboard, the keyboard further comprising in combination:

a planar surface forming a substantially flat bottom of an unilocular area with indicia on said planar surface at a plurality of discrete locations disposed in a pattern for indicating key text at each of said plurality of discrete locations;

a plurality of light emitters and a plurality of light detectors disposed in a pattern about a border surrounding said plurality of discrete locations and above said planar surface;

said plurality of light emitters are paired with said plurality of light detectors;

an electronic circuit that illuminates said light emitters to emit light in a path substantially straight to said light detectors, and to scan said pair of light emitters and light detectors in an unimpeded path above and substantially parallel to and coextensive with said planar surface;

a printed circuit board disposed adjacent to and below said planer surface, connecting said electronic circuit to said plurality of light emitters and said plurality of light detectors; and

means for scanning said pair of light emitters and light detectors to detect said operators fingers that break said path of said pair of light emitters and light detectors before said operators finger contacts said planar surface at each of said plurality of discrete locations.

17. A keyboard as claimed in claim 16, further including

adjustable gain amplifiers to receive the output of said light detectors so the gain for said adjustable gain amplifiers for detecting ambient light intensities can be different from said gain from said adjustable gain amplifiers for detecting said operators finger.

18. A keyboard as claimed in claim 16, further including

variable frequency drive circuits for said light emitters to change the on and off time of said light emitters so different intensities of light emissions from said light emitters can be emitted.

19. A keyboard as claimed in claim 16, wherein

a scanning pattern that when a detection is made of an object, said operators finger or ambient light interference, said scanning pattern scans said pairs of light emitters and light detectors for a valid light path immediately before and after said pair of light emitter and light detector that made said detection;

a said valid light path being when said light emitter is illuminated and that emitted light is detected by a predetermined said light detector; and

if said valid light path is present immediately before and after said pair of the light emitter and light detector that made said detection, a valid detection of an object is recorded.

20. A keyboard as claimed in claim 16, further including

an upper and lower housing to enclose the electronic circuits with a plurality of environmental seals disposed about the periphery at the connection of said upper and lower housing to seal said keyboard from environmental contaminants.

21. A keyboard as claimed in claim 16, further including

a speaker for generating an audible feedback to said operator for at lease said operators finger detection.

22. A keyboard as claimed in claim 16, further including

adjustable gain amplifiers to receive the output of said light detectors so the gain for said adjustable gain amplifiers for detecting ambient light intensities can be varied, wherein each said light detector that is being scanned to detect at least said operators finger corrects for ambient light intensities prior to scanning for said operators finger;

and

whereby the said light emitter is illuminated and said electronic circuit tests a predetermined said light detectors said adjustable gain amplifier for predetermined output limits, if the output is less than said predetermined output limits the gain of the said adjustable gain amplifier is increased and retested, and if the output is higher than said predetermined output limits the gain of the said adjustable gain amplifier is decreased and retested.

23. A keyboard as claimed in claim 16, further including

variable frequency drive circuits for said light emitters to change the on and off time of said light emitters so different intensities of light emissions from said light emitters can be emitted;

adjustable gain amplifiers to receive the output of said light detectors so the gain for said adjustable gain amplifiers for detecting ambient light intensities can be varied, wherein each said light detector that is being scanned to detect at least said operators finger, corrects for ambient light intensities prior to scanning for said operators finger;

whereby the said light emitter is illuminated and said electronic circuit tests said light detectors said adjustable gain amplifier for predetermined output limits, if the output is higher than said predetermined output limits the gain of the said adjustable gain amplifier is decreased end retested, this cycle continues if the said adjustable gain amplifiers output can not reach the said predetermined output limits until the said adjustable gain amplifiers gain is at the lowest setting, at that time said on and off time of the said variable frequency drive circuit is made less on to decrease the emissions from said light emitter and a test is made to see if the said adjustable gain amplifier is in said predetermined limits, this cycle continues until either the said variable frequency drive circuit is at its lowest intensity and the said adjustable gain amplifiers output can not reach said predetermined output limits, in which an error is recorded, or the said adjustable gain amplifier is in said predetermined output limits, in which said electronic circuit then scans for said operators finger; and

if said adjustable gain amplifiers output is lower than said predetermined output limits the gain of the said adjustable gain amplifier is increased and retested, if the output from said adjustable gain amplifiers is still not in limits the said on and off time of the said variable frequency drive circuit is made more on to increase the emissions from the said light emitter and a test is made to see if the said adjustable gain amplifier is in said predetermined limits, this cycle continues until either the said adjustable gain amplifier is in said predetermined limits in which said electronic circuit then scans for said operators finger, or if the said light emitter has been turned on no the highest intensity and the said adjustable gain amplifier is not to said predetermined limits, an error is recorded.

24. A keyboard as claimed in claim 16, further including

means for generating, and means for transmitting and receiving data by radio frequency signals responsive to said keyboard operators data entry.

25. A keyboard as claimed in claim 16, wherein

said keyboard reduces stresses in said operators fingers by removing the impact between said operators fingers and said keyboard;

whereby said operators fingers can touch said keyboard although data entry is made prior to contact therebetween.