Method for operating an ergonomic keyboard

• US 6,549,191 B2
• Filed: 07/24/2001
• Issued: 04/15/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Leman, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Hjerpe, Richard
• Assistant Examiner(s): Eisen, Alexander
• Application Number:
  US09/912,243
• Publication Number:
  US 20020021285A1
• Time in Patent Office: 630 Days
• Field of Search: 345/168-172, 345/161, 345/167, 345/158, 341/20-22, 463/36-39, D14/391-398, D14/412-416
• US Class Current: 345/168
• 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

Abstract

A method for operating an ergonomic computer keyboard. The keyboard may include a housing with a removable first input device in an upper surface of the housing and a second input device in a lower surface of the housing. Users may generate first and second input signals by manipulating the first and second input devices, respectively. The users may support the keyboard by grasping a projection projecting away from the lower surface of the keyboard housing. The users may also pivot end portions of the keyboard relative to a central portion of the keyboard while manipulating the first and second input devices.

Claims

1. A method for transmitting signals from a computer keyboard to a computer, the keyboard having a housing with an upper surface and a lower surface, the method comprising:

generating a first signal by manipulating a first input device proximate to the upper surface of the keyboard housing with a first human digit of a first hand of a user;

grasping a first projection extending downwardly from a first portion of the lower surface of the keyboard with a plurality of second digits of the first hand of the user, the first projection being recessed beneath the keyboard;

grasping a second projection extending downwardly from a second portion of the lower surface of the keyboard with a plurality of second digits of a second hand of the user, the second projection being recessed beneath the keyboard;

generating a second signal by manipulating a second input device housed in at least one of the first and second projections with one of the second digits of the user; and

transmitting the first and second signals to the computer.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising manipulating the first input device with a thumb of the first hand of the user, grasping the first projection with four fingers of the first hand of the user and manipulating the second input device with one of the four fingers.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising exerting a force on the first and second projections that is generally in the plane of the lower surface of the housing, and exerting an upward force on the lower surface of the housing.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein grasping the projection includes supporting the lower surface of the housing.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first and second input devices includes a pointing device and manipulating the input device includes manipulating the pointing device.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein manipulating the pointing device includes touching a touch-sensitive surface of the pointing device.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the pointing device includes a sphere rotatable relative to the housing and manipulating the pointing device includes rotating the sphere relative to the housing.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein the pointing device includes a joystick movable relative to the housing and manipulating the pointing device includes moving the joystick relative to the housing.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein transmitting the first and second signals includes transmitting the signals over a cable between the keyboard and the computer.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein transmitting the first and second signals comprises transmitting an infrared signal.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein transmitting the first and second signals includes transmitting a radio frequency signal.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the keyboard is elongated along a first axis and includes a first portion and a second portion coupled to the first portion and pivotable relative to the first portion about a second axis generally parallel to the first axis, further comprising rotating the second portion of the keyboard about the second axis relative to the first portion of the keyboard.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein manipulating the first input device occurs after rotating the second portion of the keyboard relative to the first portion of the keyboard.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein manipulating the first input device occurs simultaneously with manipulating the second input device.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the computer comprises a display, at least one of the first and second input devices includes a pointing device, and manipulating the input device includes manipulating the pointing device to move an image on the display.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the computer comprises a display and manipulating the first input device includes changing a first characteristic of an image on the display.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein manipulating the second input device includes changing a second characteristic of the image on the display.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein changing the first characteristic includes changing first and second orthogonal coordinates of the image and changing the second characteristic includes changing a third coordinate of the image that is orthogonal to the first and second coordinates.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein the first input device may be attached to the keyboard in either of a first location and a second location, further comprising moving the first input device from the first location to the second location.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising removably receiving the first input device in a first aperture of the keyboard and removably receiving an aperture cover in a second aperture of the keyboard configured to removably receive the first input device.

21. The method of claim 1 wherein manipulating the first input device includes positioning a human thumb at least proximate to the upper surface of the keyboard.

22. The method of claim 1 wherein manipulating the second input device includes positioning a human index finger at least proximate to the lower surface of the keyboard.

23. A method for transmitting signals from a computer keyboard to a computer, the keyboard having a housing with an upper surface and a lower surface opposite the upper surface, the method comprising:

grasping a first end of the keyboard with a first hand of a user and simultaneously grasping a second end of the keyboard with a second hand of the user, the keyboard having upper and lower surfaces, the lower surface facing the opposite direction as the upper surface;

supporting the keyboard by grasping a projection projecting away from and recessed beneath the lower surface of the keyboard housing with a plurality of human digits;

generating a first signal by manipulating a first input device proximate to the upper surface of the keyboard housing with a first human digit of the first hand of the user;

generating a second signal by manipulating a second input device housed in the projection with a second human digit of the second hand of the user; and

transmitting the first and second signals to the computer.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein grasping the projection includes grasping the projection with the second human digit, further comprising engaging the upper surface of the housing with the first human digit.

25. The method of claim 23 wherein grasping the projection includes clamping the computer keyboard between the first and second human digits.

26. The method of claim 23 wherein at least one of the first and second input devices includes a pointing device and manipulating the first input device and/or manipulating the second input device includes manipulating the pointing device.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein manipulating the pointing device comprises touching a touch-sensitive surface of the one input device.

28. The method of claim 26 wherein the pointing device includes a sphere rotatable relative to the housing and manipulating the pointing device comprises rotating the sphere relative to the housing.

29. The method of claim 23 wherein transmitting the first and second signals includes transmitting the signals over a cable between the keyboard and the computer.

30. The method of claim 23 wherein transmitting the first and second signals comprises transmitting the signals with an infrared transducer.

31. The method of claim 23 wherein the projection is a first projection located toward a first end of the keyboard and extending away from the lower surface of the keyboard, and wherein grasping the projection includes grasping the first projection with digits of the first hand of the user, and wherein the method further comprises grasping with digits of the second hand of the user a second projection located toward a second end of the keyboard and extending away from the lower surface of the keyboard.

32. The method of claim 23 wherein the second human digit is one of a plurality of second human digits and wherein the method further comprises wrapping the plurality of second human digits around the projection.

33. A method for transmitting signals from a computer keyboard to a computer, the keyboard having a housing with an upper surface, a lower surface, and a forward peripheral edge between the upper and lower surfaces, the method comprising:

generating a first signal by manipulating a first input device proximate to the upper surface of the keyboard housing with a first human digit of a first hand of a user;

grasping a first projection extending downwardly from a first portion of the lower surface of the keyboard housing with a plurality of second digits of the first hand of the user, the first projection extending away from the lower surface of the keyboard housing and being recessed rearwardly from the forward peripheral edge of the keyboard housing;

grasping a second projection extending downwardly from a second portion of the lower surface of the keyboard housing with a plurality of second digits of a second hand of the user, the second projection extending away from the lower surface of the keyboard housing and being recessed rearwardly from the forward peripheral edge of the keyboard housing;

supporting at least a portion of the keyboard housing by exerting an upward force on the lower surface of the keyboard housing forward of at least one of the projections and rearward of the forward peripheral edge of the keyboard housing;

generating a second signal by manipulating a second input device with one of the second digits of the user, the second input device being carried by at least one of the projections of the keyboard housing; and

transmitting the first and second signals to the computer.