Data manipulation operation keypad for use with a pointing device

• US 5,414,422 A
• Filed: 04/13/1994
• Issued: 05/09/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Compaq Computer Corporation (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Allen, Donald M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Peng, John K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MULLEN, THOMAS J
• Application Number:
  US08/227,099
• Time in Patent Office: 391 Days
• Field of Search: 341/22, 345/157, 345/163, 345/167, 345/168, 400/489
• US Class Current: 341/22
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 5/10 Arrangements of keyboards , e.g. key button disposition
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/023 Arrangements for converting discrete items of information into a coded form, e.g. arrangements for interpreting keyboard generated codes as alphanumeric codes, operand codes or instruction codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry

Abstract

A computer system includes a pointing device and a data manipulation keypad on opposite sides of a keyboard. The data manipulation keypad may be either a stand alone unit or attached to the keyboard. A user operates the pointing device with one hand to designate data on a display, and then presses keys with the other hand on the data manipulation keypad to expediently perform data manipulation operations, such COPY or DELETE, on the designated data. Each of the keys on the data manipulation keypad generates keyboard equivalent signals for different data manipulation operations.

Claims

1. A computer system operated by a user'"'"'s hands, comprising

a computer for receiving data and commands,

a monitor having a display electrically coupled to said computer;

a pointing device sized to conform to and operated by one of the user'"'"'s hands, said pointing device electrically coupled to said computer for designating on said display data to be manipulated,

a keyboard coupled to said computer for entering keyboard sequences representing data and commands, and

a keypad operated by the other of the user'"'"'s hands having a housing, said keypad including respective pairs of predefined multiple key sequence keys dedicated to each of the user'"'"'s four fingers and a predefined multiple key sequence key dedicated to the user'"'"'s thumb, said keypad being electrically coupled to said computer to provide a predefined multiple key sequence upon depression of any one of said predefined multiple key sequence keys..whereby said keys are sized and are positioned on said keypad so that the user uses said other hand to operate the keypad to perform manipulations on the data designated by said pointing device without being required to look away from said display.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said keys on said keypad may be arranged for a right-handed user or a left-handed user.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said keys are positioned in an arc so as to be accessible to each of the user'"'"'s fingers.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said keypad includes a microprocessor and a read only memory wherein each predefined multiple key sequence key is controlled by said microprocessor and said read-only memory stores reconfiguration programs.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein said computer includes a permanent memory, wherein each predefined multiple key sequence key is configurable, and wherein said key configuration is preserved in said computer permanent memory and restored to the keypad when the system is power cycled.

6. The system of claim 1, said keyboard coupled to said computer for entering keyboard sequences representing data and commands having CONTROL and DELETE keys and said keypad having a CUT function key, wherein a predefined multiple key sequence associated with said CUT function key on said keypad is equivalent to the sequence created by the depression of the CONTROL and DELETE keys of the keyboard.

7. The system of claim 1, said keyboard coupled to said computer for entering keyboard sequences representing data and commands having SHIFT and INSERT keys and said keypad having an INSERT function key, wherein a predefined multiple key sequence associated with said INSERT function key on said keypad is equivalent to the sequence created by the depression of the SHIFT and INSERT keys of the keyboard.

8. The system of claim 1, said keyboard coupled to said computer for entering keyboard sequences representing data and commands having CONTROL and INSERT keys and said keypad having a COPY function key, wherein a predefined multiple key sequence associated with said COPY function key on said keypad is equivalent to the sequence created by the depression of the CONTROL and INSERT keys of the keyboard.

9. The system of claim 1, said keyboard coupled to said computer for entering keyboard sequences representing data and commands having SHIFT, ALT and CONTROL function keys, and said keypad having single sequence keys.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein when one of said single sequence keys on said keypad is actuated with one of said predefined multiple key sequence keys on said keypad, a second predefined multiple key sequence indicative of a second data manipulation operation is provided.

11. System of claim 1 wherein said keypad is electrically coupled to said keyboard and said keyboard is electrically coupled to said computer.

12. A computer system operated by a user'"'"'s hands, comprising:

a computer for receiving data and commands,

a monitor having a display electrically coupled to said computer,

a pointing device sized to conform to and operated by one of the user'"'"'s hands, said pointing device electrically coupled to said computer for designating on said display data to be manipulated,

a keyboard coupled to said computer for entering keyboard sequences representing data and commands, and

a keypad electrically coupled to said computer and having five predefined multiple key sequence keys, each of said keys dedicated to a different one of the user'"'"'s five fingers on the user'"'"'s other hand, said keypad providing a predefined multiple key sequence upon depression of any one of said predefined multiple key sequence keys, each individual predefined multiple key sequence key being sized and positioned on said keypad so that the user uses said other hand to operate the keypad to perform manipulations on the data designated by said pointing device without being required to look away from said display.

13. A keypad for use with a computer system operated by a user'"'"'s hands, the computer system including a computer having a display and a keyboard electrically coupled to said computer for entering keyboard sequences representing data and commands and a pointing device sized to conform to and operated by one of the user'"'"'s hands and electrically coupled to said computer for designating on said display data to be manipulated, said keypad comprising:

a housing having a keypad including respective pairs of predefined multiple key sequence keys dedicated to three of the user'"'"'s five fingers on said user'"'"'s other hand and four other predefined multiple key sequence keys on said keypad dedicated to one of said user'"'"'s two remaining fingers on said user'"'"'s other hand, said keypad being electrically coupled to said computer to provide a predefined multiple key sequence upon depression of any one of said predefined multiple key sequence keys whereby said keys are sized and are positioned on said keypad so that the user uses said other hand to operate the keypad to perform manipulations on the data designated by said pointing device without being required to look away from said display.

14. The keypad of claim 13 wherein said keys are positioned in an arc so as to be accessible to each of the user'"'"'s fingers.

15. The keypad of claim 13 wherein said keypad includes a microprocessor and a read only memory wherein each keypad key is controlled by said microprocessor in the keypad housing.

16. The keypad of claim 13 wherein the keyboard electrically coupled to said computer for entering keyboard sequence representing data and commands has CONTROL and DELETE keys and wherein said keypad has a CUT function key, wherein said predefined multiple key sequence associated with said CUT function key on said keypad is equivalent to the sequence created by the depression of the CONTROL and DELETE sequence keys of the keyboard.

17. The keypad of claim 13 wherein the keyboard electrically coupled to said computer for entering keyboard sequences representing data and commands has SHIFT and INSERT keys and wherein said keypad has an INSERT function key, wherein said predefined multiple key sequence associated with said INSERT function key on said keypad is equivalent to the sequence created by the depression of the SHIFT and INSERT sequence keys of the keyboard.

18. The keypad of claim 13 wherein the keyboard electrically coupled to said computer for entering keyboard sequences representing data and commands has CONTROL and INSERT keys and wherein said keypad has a COPY function key, wherein said predefined multiple key sequence associated with said COPY function key on said keypad is equivalent to the sequence created by the depression of the CONTROL and INSERT sequence keys of the keyboard.

19. The keypad of claim 13 wherein the keyboard electrically coupled to said computer for entering keyboard sequences representing data and commands has SHIFT, ALT and CONTROL function keys and wherein said keypad has single sequence keys.

20. The keypad of claim 19 wherein when one of said single sequence keys on said keypad is actuated with one of said predefined multiple key sequence keys on said keypad, a second predefined multiple keypad sequence indicative of a second data manipulation operation is provided.

21. A computer system operated by a user'"'"'s hands, comprising

a computer for receiving data and commands,

a monitor having a display electrically coupled to said computer;

a pointing device sized to conform to and operated by one of the user'"'"'s hands, said pointing device electrically coupled to said computer for designating on said display data to be manipulated,

a keyboard coupled to said computer for entering keyboard sequences representing data and commands, and

a keypad operated by the other of the user'"'"'s hands having a housing, said keypad including a different predefined multiple key sequence key for each of the user'"'"'s five fingers on the user'"'"'s other hand, said keypad being electrically coupled to said computer to provide a predefined multiple key sequence upon depression of any one of said predefined multiple key sequence keys whereby said keys are sized and are positioned on said keypad so that the user uses said other hand to operate the keypad to perform manipulations on the data designated by said pointing device without being required to look away from said display.