Keyboard with transverse thumb activated cursor control

• US 5,626,427 A
• Filed: 09/13/1994
• Issued: 05/06/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Keyboard Advancements, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Keyboard Advancements, Inc.
• Inventors: Hathaway, Steven W., Klauber, Robert D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Burr, Edgar S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Anthony H.
• Application Number:
  US08/305,097
• Time in Patent Office: 966 Days
• Field of Search: 400/485, 400/488, 400/489, 400/486, 400/473, 400/472, 400/697, 400/697.1, 400/310, 400/312, 341/20, 341/21, 341/22, 341/23, 341/34
• US Class Current: 400/486
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0202 Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device
• 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 3/0338 with detection of limited linear or angular displacement of an operating part of the device from a neutral position, e.g. isotonic or isometric joysticks
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/84 characterised by ergonomic functions, e.g. for miniature keyboards; characterised by operational sensory functions, e.g. sound feedback legends H01H13/83
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 25/002 having an operating member rectilinearly slidable in different directions

Abstract

The invention comprises an ergonomic means for activation of cursor control keys on a computer or electronic typewriter keyboard by utilizing transverse pressure on the cursor control keys applied via the thumbs. The cursor control keys (26, 28, 60, 62) are positioned within comfortable reach of the thumbs such that activation may be done by a touch typist without looking at the keyboard, without uncomfortable stretching, and without moving an entire hand.

Claims

1. A keyboard for a computer, electronic typewriter, word processor, and the like comprising:

a plurality of alphanumeric keys comprising at least twenty-six alphanumeric keys and ten numeric keys arranged corresponding to touch typing position each of which alphanumeric keys automatically types a different alphanumeric character in response to downward actuation thereof,

four cursor control actuators actuable transversely, each cursor control actuator having means for automatically effecting cursor movement in a direction different from each other cursor control actuator in response to actuation in a direction other than downward,

the first of said cursor control actuators being within reach and located left of the left thumb of a touch typist having hands and fingers in touch typing position,

the second of said cursor control actuators being located within reach of the left thumb of the touch typist having hands and fingers in touch typing position,

the third of said cursor control actuators being located within reach of the right thumb of the touch typist having hands and fingers in touch typing position, and

the fourth of said cursor control actuators being within reach and located right of the right thumb of the touch typist having hands and fingers in touch typing position,

each of said four cursor control actuators comprising a separate key of said keyboard.

2. The keyboard of claim 1 wherein

at least one of the second and third cursor control actuators comprises an elongated key,

said at least one second and third cursor control actuators is located at least in part underneath at least one thumb of the touch typist, and

said at least one second and third cursor control actuators comprises a means for automatically providing a space in response to downward depression thereof.

3. The keyboard of claim 1 wherein

at least one of the second and third cursor control actuators comprises an elongated key,

said at least one second and third cursor control actuators is located at least in part underneath at least one thumb of the touch typist, and

said at least one second and third cursor control actuators comprises a means for automatically backspacing and erasing a character in response to downward depression thereof.

4. The keyboard of claim 1 wherein

the second cursor control actuator comprises an elongated key,

said second cursor control actuator further comprises means for automatically backspacing and erasing a character in response to downward depression thereof,

the third cursor control actuator comprises an elongated key, and

said third cursor control actuator further comprises means for automatically providing a space in response to downward depression thereof.

5. The keyboard of claim 4 wherein

the second cursor control actuator is located, at least in part, underneath at least part of one thumb of the typist having hands and fingers in touch typing position, and

the third cursor control actuator is located, at least in part, underneath the other thumb.

6. The keyboard of claim 4 wherein

the first cursor control actuator comprises a means for automatically moving a cursor leftward in response to transverse actuation of said actuator thereof, and

the fourth cursor control actuator comprises a means for automatically moving the cursor rightward in response to transverse actuation of said actuator thereof.

7. The keyboard of claim 4 wherein

the first cursor control actuator comprises a means for automatically moving a cursor leftward in response to leftward transverse actuation of said actuator thereof, and

the fourth cursor control actuator comprises a means for automatically moving the cursor rightward in response to rightward transverse actuation of said actuator thereof.

8. The keyboard of claim 7 wherein

at least one of the first and fourth cursor control actuators further comprises means for effecting an alt function in response to downward depression thereof.

9. The keyboard of claim 7 wherein

at least one of the first and fourth cursor control actuators has greater height than the spacebar.

10. The keyboard of claim 1 further comprising

a region devoid of any key located between the second cursor control actuator and the first cursor control actuator wherein the distance between the second cursor control actuator and the first cursor control actuator is at least half of an inch.

11. The keyboard of claim 1 wherein

at least one of the second and third cursor control actuators comprises an elongated key,

said at least one of the second and third cursor control actuators is located at least in part underneath at least one thumb of the touch typist, and

said at least one of the second and third cursor control actuators comprises means to provide a space in response to downward depression thereof, and wherein

one of the second and third cursor control actuators comprises means to move the cursor up in response to forward direction pressure away from the touch typist on a front side of said actuator thereof, and

the other of the second and third cursor control actuators comprises means to move the cursor down in response to forward direction pressure away from the touch typist on a front side of said actuator thereof.

12. The keyboard of claim 11 wherein

the first cursor control actuator comprises a means for moving the cursor leftward in response to leftward pressure on said first actuator thereof, and

the fourth cursor control actuator comprises means for moving the cursor rightward in response to rightward pressure on said fourth actuator thereof.

13. The keyboard of claim 1 wherein

the alphanumeric keys are arranged according to ISO standards row and column designations and each of the four transversely actuable cursor control actuators is located, at least in part, in row A.

14. The keyboard of claim 1 wherein

the alphanumeric keys are arranged according to ISO standards row and column designations,

each of the four transversely actuable cursor control actuators is located, at least in part, in row A,

the first said actuator is located, at least in part, in one of columns 01, 02 and 03,

the second said actuator is located, at least in part, in one of columns 03, 04 and 05,

the third said actuator is located, at least in part, in one of columns 05, 06, 07, and 08, and

the fourth said actuator is located, at least in part, in one of columns 07, 08, 09 and 10.

15. The keyboard of claim 1 wherein

at least one of the first and fourth cursor control actuators further comprises means for automatically effecting an alt function in response to actuation thereof, and

at least one of the second and third cursor control actuators further comprises means for automatically providing a space in response to actuation thereof.