Keyboard with a two-dimensional actuator for generating direction signals

• US 5,973,622 A
• Filed: 09/12/1997
• Issued: 10/26/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Qisda Corporation
• Original Assignee: Acer America Incorporated (Acer, Inc.)
• Inventors: Chiang, Tzu-Pang
• Primary Examiner(s): Zimmerman, Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): WONG, ALBERT KANG
• Application Number:
  US08/928,912
• Time in Patent Office: 774 Days
• Field of Search: 341/22, 341/20, 200/6 A, 345/168, 345/161, 345/158, 345/160, 345/163, 345/164, 345/167, 74/471 XY
• US Class Current: 341/22
• 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 3/03549 Trackballs G06F3/03541 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04892 Arrangements for controlling cursor position based on codes indicative of cursor displacements from one discrete location to another, e.g. using cursor control keys associated to different directions or using the tab key arrangements for controlling cursor position based on coordinate signals G06F3/038
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20201 Control moves in two planes

Abstract

The present invention relates to a keyboard with a two-dimensional actuator for generating direction signals which can be used to move a cursor shown on a screen to a target position. The keyboard comprises an encoding circuit, a plurality of text keys connected to the encoding circuit each for generating a corresponding text signal, four direction keys connected to the encoding circuit each for generating a corresponding direction signal, and a two-dimensional actuator connected to the encoding circuit which can be actuated at least toward four predefined directions which are the same as the four predefined directions of the four direction keys. When the actuator is actuated toward any of the four predefined directions, the encoding circuit will generate the direction signals which are the same as the direction signals generated by the corresponding direction key.

Claims

1. A keyboard for converting inputs entered by a user into corresponding signals comprising:

an encoding circuit;

a plurality of text keys connected to the encoding circuit each for generating a corresponding text signal;

four direction keys connected to the encoding circuit each for generating a corresponding direction signal, each of the four direction keys being associated with a predefined direction and the four predefined directions of the four direction keys being different to each other; and

a two-dimensional actuator directly and electrically connected to the encoding circuit which can be actuated at least toward four directions which are the same as the four predefined directions of the four direction keys;

wherein when the actuator is actuated toward any of the four directions, the encoding circuit will generate the direction signal which is the same as the direction signal generated by the direction key of the corresponding predefined direction.

2. The keyboard of claim 1 further comprising a page-up key and a page-down key separately connected to the encoding circuit for generating corresponding page-up and page-down signals, and a switch connected to the encoding circuit which is installed under the actuator and can be triggered by the actuator when the actuator is being pressed downward, two of the four predefined directions of the actuator being selected for generating the page-up and page-down signals when the switch is triggered by the actuator, wherein when the actuator is actuated toward one of the two selected directions and the switch is also triggered by pressing the actuator downward, the encoding circuit will generate the corresponding page-up or page-down signals.

3. The keyboard of claim 1 further comprising a home key and an end key separately connected to the encoding circuit for generating corresponding home and end signals, and a switch connected to the encoding circuit which is installed under the actuator and can be triggered by the actuator when the actuator is being pressed downward, two of the four predefined directions of the actuator being selected for generating the home and end signals when the switch is triggered by the actuator, wherein when the actuator is actuated toward one of the two selected directions and the switch is also triggered by pressing the actuator downward, the encoding circuit will generate the corresponding home or end signals.

4. The keyboard of claim 1 wherein the actuator is a track ball which can be rotated at least toward four predefined directions.

5. The keyboard of claim 1 wherein the actuator is installed in the keyboard in a position where the actuator can be actuated by using a thumb and the other four fingers can work with the text keys in the same time.

6. A keyboard for converting inputs entered by a user into corresponding signals comprising:

an encoding circuit;

a plurality of text keys connected to the encoding circuit each for generating a corresponding text signal;

four direction keys connected to the encoding circuit each for generating a corresponding direction signal, each of the four direction keys being associated with a different predefined direction and the four predefined directions of the four direction keys being perpendicular or parallel to each other; and

a one-dimensional actuator directly and electrically connected to the encoding circuit which can be actuated toward two opposite directions which are the same as two opposite predefined directions of the four direction keys;

wherein when the actuator is actuated toward any of the two opposite directions, the encoding circuit will generate a direction signal which is the same as the direction signal generated by the direction key of the corresponding predefined direction.

7. The keyboard of claim 6 further comprising a page-up key and a page-down key separately connected to the encoding circuit for generating corresponding page-up and page-down signals, and a switch connected to the encoding circuit which is installed under the actuator and can be triggered by the actuator when the actuator is being pressed downward, the two predefined directions of the actuator being used for generating the page-up and page-down signals when the switch is triggered by the actuator, wherein when the actuator is actuated toward any of the two directions and the switch is also triggered by pressing the actuator downward, the encoding circuit will generate the corresponding page-up or page-down signals.

8. The keyboard of claim 6 wherein the actuator is a wheel which can be rotated toward any of the two opposite directions.

9. The keyboard of claim 6 wherein the actuator is installed in the keyboard in a position where the actuator can be actuated by using a thumb and the other four fingers can work with the text keys at the same time.