Combined keyboard and mouse employing conventional typing keys

• US 5,936,555 A
• Filed: 01/23/1998
• Issued: 08/10/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Combimouse Pty Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Ari Zagnoev
• Inventors: Zagnoev, Ari
• Primary Examiner(s): Horabik, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): WONG, ALBERT KANG
• Application Number:
  US09/012,839
• Time in Patent Office: 564 Days
• Field of Search: 341/20, 341/21, 341/22, 345/163, 345/168, 345/167, 345/165, 345/160, 400/489
• US Class Current: 341/22
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/02 Input arrangements using manually operated switches, e.g. using keyboards or dials

Abstract

A combined keyboard and pointing system for use with a computer is disclosed. The system comprises a keyboard consisting of at least two keyboard parts for generating keying commands wherein substantially all keys of a standard QWERTY or DVORAK keyboard are located on the keyboard, equally distributed with about half the keys being on a first keyboard part and the other half of the keys on a second keyboard part. At least one of the first and second keyboard parts are adapted to be gripped by one hand of a user and be moved on support surface as a mobile keyboard part to generate pointing movement commands to cause movement of a pointing member on the computer. A transducer is used to detect relative movement or positioning of the mobile keyboard part relative to the support surface and a communication mens is provided for the first and second keyboard parts to send the pointing movement commands and the keying commands to the computer.

Claims

1. A combined keyboard and pointing system for use with a computer, said system comprising a keyboard consisting of at least two keyboard parts having keys for generating keying commands wherein substantially all keys of a standard QWERTY or DVORAK keyboard are located on said keyboard, with about half the keys being on a first keyboard part and the other half of the keys on a second keyboard part, the first keyboard part being adapted to be gripped by one had of the user and be moved on a support surface as a mobile keyboard part to generate pointing movement commands to cause movement of a pointing member on said computer associated therewith, at least one transducer to detect relative movement or positioning of the mobile keyboard part relative to the support surface, and a communication means for said first and second keyboard parts to send said pointing movement commands and said keying commands to said computer.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the second keyboard part is adapted to be gripped by a hand of the user as a mobile keyboard part, said first keyboard part being adapted to be operated by the right hand of the user and said second keyboard part being operable by the left hand of the user.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the mobile keyboard part further includes gripping surfaces for cooperation with the user'"'"'s thumb and small finger and a resting surface for cooperation with the user'"'"'s palm.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the mobile keyboard part further includes a sensor device arranged on one of the gripping surfaces provided for cooperation with the user'"'"'s thumb and small or ring finger to switch between a pointing mode where the pointing movement commands are sent to said computer and a keying mode where the keying commands are sent to said computer.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the sensor device is adapted to be activated with said pointing movement mode being activated when said sensor device is activated.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein when the mobile keyboard part is in the pointing movement mode, the J, K and L keys of QWERTY keyboard are adapted to be used as switches for pointing click commands.