Keyboard incorporating game player

• US 5,699,059 A
• Filed: 06/28/1996
• Issued: 12/16/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Jeffrey H. Hiller
• Original Assignee: Jeffrey H. Hiller
• Inventors: Hiller, Jeffrey H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffery
• Assistant Examiner(s): WONG, ALBERT KANG
• Application Number:
  US08/671,648
• Time in Patent Office: 536 Days
• Field of Search: 341/22, 341/20, 341/23, 361/680, 200/6 A, 400/489, 400/487, 345/168, 345/169, 364/708.1, 273/148 B
• US Class Current: 341/72
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/2145 the surface being also a display device, e.g. touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/23 for interfacing with the game device, e.g. specific interfaces between game controller and console
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/95 Storage media specially adapted for storing game information, e.g. video game cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1025 details of the interface with the game device, e.g. USB version detection
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1075 using a touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/206 Game information storage, e.g. cartridges, CD ROM's, DVD's, smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/021 Arrangements integrating additional peripherals in a keyboard, e.g. card or barcode reader, optical scanner
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0219 Special purpose keyboards

Abstract

A game player is incorporated into a computer keyboard. Circuitry is provided for reading game code from a record-bearing medium. The medium may be a CD, DVD or other optical disk, in which case a CD, DVD or other optical disk drive is provided. The medium may be a game cartridge, in which case a game cartridge socket is provided. The game player may be connected to the computer display through a separate cable in addition to the normal keyboard cable, either directly using a Y-type connector or through a video input port of the computer.

Claims

1. A computer keyboard comprising:

a keyboard housing;

a key mechanism coupled to keyboard logic for capturing keystroke information;

a communications port coupled to the keyboard logic for communicating keystroke information to an exterior of the keyboard housing; and

a game player;

wherein the keyboard logic and the game player are both housed within the keyboard housing.

2. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein said game player comprises a data storage device.

3. The keyboard of claim 2, wherein said data storage device is a disk drive.

4. The keyboard of claim 3, wherein said game player comprises circuitry for producing a video signal for display on a computer monitor.

5. The keyboard of claim 4, wherein said keyboard comprises a video port for receiving said video signal and conveying said video signal for display on a computer monitor.

6. The keyboard of claim 2, wherein said data storage device is an optical storage device.

7. The keyboard of claim 4, wherein said optical storage device is a CD ROM drive.

8. The keyboard of claim 5, wherein said game player further comprises a headphone jack.

9. The keyboard of claim 5, further comprising a touch panel mounted within the keyboard housing with a touch surface exposed to the exterior of the keyboard housing, the touch panel being coupled to the game player to control operation of the game player.

10. The board of claim 7, wherein said touch panel is part of an LCD touchscreen display, said game player further comprising means for displaying touch areas on said LCD touchscreen display.

11. The keyboard of claim 8, wherein in one mode of operation, said touch areas correspond to keys of a numeric keypad.

12. The keyboard of claim 4, wherein said optical storage device is a DVD drive.

13. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein said keyboard comprises a game cartridge socket coupled to said game player.

14. The keyboard of claim 13, wherein said game player comprises circuitry for producing a video signal for display on a computer monitor.

15. The keyboard of claim 14, wherein said keyboard comprises a video port for receiving said video signal and conveying said video signal for display on a computer monitor.