Touch-sensitive keyboard/mouse and computing device using the same
First Claim
1. A method of inputting, information to an electronic device comprising the steps delineating on a single continuous surface a plurality of areas in keypad arrangement each of which is activated when pressed or touched by a digit of the user'"'"'s hand each area bearing one or more images;
- a user causing a contacting a portion of a first digit of the user'"'"'s hand to touch a first area and a contacting a portion of a second digit of the user'"'"'s hand to simultaneously touch a second area, forming a first touch pattern, so as to input a first piece of information; and
thereafter, the user causing substantial relative rotation between the contacting portions of the first digit and the second digit, and causing the contacting portions to simultaneously touch respective areas, forming a second touch pattern, so as to input a second piece of information.
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Abstract
The present invention, generally speakng, provides for a computing device in which the functions of both a keyboard and a mouse are realized compactly using a touch-sensitive pad. The function of a mouse may be realized in similar manner as known "track pads." The function of a keyboard may be realized using "chord keying," i.e., forming different touch patterns on the touch-sensitive pad corresponding to different characters. In one embodiment, the chord patterns are gready simplified as compared to known chord-keying arrangements. In particular, most characters may be input by forming a chord with the thumb and forefinger or thumb and middle finger only. A cross-hair pattern identifies nine separate touch areas, such that 36 unique two-touch (thumb and forefinger or middle finger) touch patterns may be formed. Additional sets of 36 characters each may be designated by specifying touch patterns to shift between characters sets. A computing device using the touch-sensitive keyboard/mouse may be made very small while still employing a familiar point-and-click mode of user interaction that further includes keying. Text may be input to the computing device quickly and easily. In another embodiment, a virtual keypad like that of a telephone is represented, with typically three letters assigned to each key. The familiar point-and-click operation of the computing device may be furthered by providing the computing device with two removable-media storage devices of a known type. In this way, the previous requirement of sub-notebook computers that the operating system, application programs and files all be small, may be loosened. In one embodiment, the computing device employs two color flat panel displays each mounted on different halves of a hinged housing. The housing may be closed, opened flat such that the two flat panel displays appear as one large display, or manipulated such that only one flat panel is visible and the device may be held comfortably in one hand.
435 Citations
54 Claims
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1. A method of inputting, information to an electronic device comprising the steps delineating on a single continuous surface a plurality of areas in keypad arrangement each of which is activated when pressed or touched by a digit of the user'"'"'s hand each area bearing one or more images;
a user causing a contacting a portion of a first digit of the user'"'"'s hand to touch a first area and a contacting a portion of a second digit of the user'"'"'s hand to simultaneously touch a second area, forming a first touch pattern, so as to input a first piece of information; and
thereafter, the user causing substantial relative rotation between the contacting portions of the first digit and the second digit, and causing the contacting portions to simultaneously touch respective areas, forming a second touch pattern, so as to input a second piece of information.- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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23. An electronic input devise, comprising:
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a plurality of areas delineated on a single continuous surface in keypad arrangement each of which is activated when pressed or touched by a digit of a user'"'"'s hand, each area bearing one or more images; means for detecting activation patterns in which multiple areas are simultaneously activated, including at least a first activation pattern and a second activation pattern; and means for inputting information to the electronic device in accordance with the activation patterns; wherein the first and second activation patterns are such that substantial relative rotation occurs between contacting portions of a first digit of the user'"'"'s hand and a second digit of the user'"'"'s hand when the user forms the second activation pattern following the first activation, pattern using the same first and second digits. - View Dependent Claims (24, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
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41. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein said means for detecting further detects lateral movement of the finger, within at least one of said plurality of areas, and means for inputting further inputs positional information to the computer in accordance with detected movement of the finger.
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51. A method of inputting information to an electronic device including a touch-sensitive input device placed in registration with a display, comprising the steps of:
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froming on the display an image of a plurality of areas each of which is activated when touched by a digit of a user'"'"'s hand, each area bearing images; inputting information by using multiple digits of the hand to simultaneously activate multiple respective areas. - View Dependent Claims (52)
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53. An electronic input device comprising:
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a touch-sensitive input device and, placed in registration therewith; a display; means for forming on the display an image of a plurality or areas each of which is activated when touched by a digit of a user'"'"'s hand, each area bearing images; means for detecting an activation pattern in which multiple areas are simultaneously activated; and means for inputting information to the electronic device in accordance with the activation pattern. - View Dependent Claims (54)
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Specification