Keyboard as a computer pointing device for disabled users

• US 6,603,461 B2
• Filed: 10/07/1999
• Issued: 08/05/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Rodriguez, Herman, Smith, Newton James Jr., Bowman, James Patrick
• Primary Examiner(s): Shalwala, Bipin
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEWIS, DAVID LEE
• Application Number:
  US09/414,343
• Publication Number:
  US 20020175898A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,398 Days
• Field of Search: 341/20-27, 345/168, 345/156, 345/163, 345/164, 345/184, 345/157, 345/172
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0238 Programmable keyboards key guide holders G06F3/0224
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0338 with detection of limited linear or angular displacement of an operating part of the device from a neutral position, e.g. isotonic or isometric joysticks
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03543 Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence

Abstract

A keyboard that may be utilized as a pointing device for disabled users is presented. The keyboard has one or more large buttons that allows the keyboard to be toggled between two different states. The first state corresponds to using the keyboard as a pointing device. A movement sensor is activated that may detect movement of the keyboard. The detected movement of the keyboard is then used by a computer system to control the movement of a cursor about a display screen. Additionally, one or more keys on the keyboard are grouped together to form compound keys that correspond to the pointing device buttons. The second state of the keyboard corresponds to that of standard keyboard operation in which a user may utilize the keyboard to type in letters, numbers, and commands in the typical fashion.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a keyboard, wherein the keyboard comprises a plurality of keys, and wherein the plurality of keys comprises a separate key for each alphabet letter;

a movement sensor coupled to the keyboard;

a button located on the keyboard and adapted for either allowing or preventing movement of the keyboard; and

a user programmable means for grouping the plurality of keys into one or more compound keys that enable the keyboard to function as a pointing device when movement of the keyboard is allowed.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the movement sensor comprises:

a means for coming into contact with a surface below the keyboard; and

a movement transducer coupled to the means for coming into contact with the surface, wherein the movement transducer is located within a lower portion of the keyboard.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising:

a first set of legs attached to a lower surface of the keyboard, wherein the first set of legs is adapted to allow the keyboard to move freely about the surface upon which the keyboard is placed; and

a second set of legs attached to a lower surface of the keyboard, wherein the second set of legs is adapted to prevent movement of the keyboard about the surface.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the operation of the button positions either the first set of legs and the means for coming into contact with the surface or the second set of legs in contact with the surface.

25. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the keyboard comprises a first grouping of keys and a second grouping of keys, and wherein actuation of any one of the first grouping of keys effectuates a left-hand pointing device, and wherein actuation of any one of the second grouping of keys effectuates a right-hand pointing device.

26. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the button is adapted during use to indicate a cursor positioned on a display screen or a key actuation data at the cursor position.

5. A system, comprising:

a computer system;

a keyboard coupled to the computer system, wherein the keyboard comprises a plurality of keys, and wherein the plurality of keys comprises a separate key for each alphabet letter;

a movement sensor coupled to the keyboard;

a button located on the keyboard, wherein the button has a first state that allows movement of the keyboard, and wherein the button has a second state that prevents movement of the keyboard; and

a program, adapted for execution on the computer system, to;

process movement data from the movement sensor when the button is in the first state;

group the plurality of keys into a specific command that corresponds to a pointing device button operation when the button is in the first state, wherein the keys that are grouped into the specific command are adjustable by a user of the system; and

process normal key actuation data from the keyboard when the button is in the second state.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the movement sensor comprises:

a means for coming into contact with a surface extending below the keyboard; and

a movement transducer coupled to the means for coming into contact with the surface, wherein the movement transducer is located within a lower portion of the keyboard.

7. The system of claim 6, further comprising:

a first set of legs attached to a lower surface of the keyboard, wherein the first set of legs is adapted to allow the keyboard to move freely about the surface upon which the keyboard is placed; and

a second set of legs attached to a lower surface of the keyboard, wherein the second set of legs is adapted to prevent movement of the keyboard about the desktop.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the first set of legs and the means for coming into contact with the surface is in contact with the surface when the button is in the first state, and wherein the second set of legs is in contact with the surface when the button is in the second state.

9. The system of claim 5, wherein the program comprises a device driver.

10. The system of claim 5, further comprising a display screen coupled to the computer system, wherein the program is adapted to control a position of a cursor on the display screen depending on the movement data when the button is in the first state.

11. The system of claim 5, wherein the keys on the keyboard are grouped to form two specific commands corresponding to operation of a left-hand button on a pointing device and operation of a right-hand button on the pointing device.

12. The system of claim 5, wherein the program comprises de-bounce logic to disregard any successive key actuation that occurs within an adjustable time interval after an initial key actuation.

27. The system as recited in claim 5, wherein the program is adapted to indicate a cursor positioned on a display screen during the first state and process the key actuation data at the cursor position during the second state.

13. A computer-readable storage medium, comprising:

a first instruction that is adapted to process movement data from movement of a QWERTY keyboard containing a movement sensor; and

a second instruction that is adapted to process key actuation data from the keyboard, wherein the second instruction groups one or more keys into a specific command comprising a pointing device button operation, and wherein the second instruction can be modified by a user to adjust which keys are grouped into the specific command.

14. The storage medium of claim 13, wherein the storage medium comprises a hard disk, a floppy disk, a read-only memory, and/or a random-access memory.

15. The storage medium of claim 13, wherein the first instruction is further adapted to control a position of a cursor on a display screen depending on the movement data.

16. The storage medium of claim 13, wherein the pointing device button operation effectuates a left-hand pointing device button or a right-hand pointing device button.

17. The storage medium of claim 13, wherein the first instruction and the second instruction are operable when the keyboard is in a first state.

18. The storage medium of claim 17, further comprising a third instruction that is adapted to process key actuation data from the keyboard in a normal fashion when the keyboard is in a second state.

19. The storage medium of claim 18, further comprising a fourth instruction that is adapted to determine the state of the keyboard depending on actuation of a button located on the keyboard.

20. An apparatus, comprising:

a keyboard, wherein the keyboard comprises a plurality of keys, and wherein the plurality of keys comprises a separate key for each alphabet letter;

a first means for stationarily positioning the keyboard relative to a surface;

a second means for enabling movement of the keyboard relative to the surface;

a third means for generating pointing device signals corresponding to the movement of the keyboard;

a fourth means for grouping the plurality of keys into one or more specific pointing device button operations, wherein the grouping of the plurality of keys is changeable by a user of the apparatus; and

means for selecting between the first and second means.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, further comprising sensing means for detecting movement of the keyboard relative to the surface.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the apparatus functions as a keyboard when the first means are selected and as a pointing device when the second means are selected.

23. An apparatus, comprising:

a keyboard, wherein the keyboard comprises a plurality of keys, and wherein the plurality of keys comprises a separate key for each alphabet letter;

means adapted for selecting between allowing or preventing movement of the keyboard relative to a surface;

means for enabling the keyboard to function as a pointing device if movement of the keyboard is selected; and

means for grouping one or more of the plurality of keys into a specific command, wherein the specific command comprises a specific pointing device button operation, and wherein the grouping of the one or more plurality of keys is changeable by a user of the apparatus.

24. A method for use in a data processing system having a processor, memory, keyboard, and display, comprising:

receiving keyboard input for display when the keyboard is in a first mode, wherein the keyboard comprises a plurality of keys, and wherein the plurality of keys comprises a separate key for each alphabet letter;

sensing movement of the keyboard when the keyboard is in a second mode;

effectuating movement of a pointer on the display in response to the sensed movement of the keyboard; and

selecting a location of the pointer on the display, wherein selecting comprises receiving an actuation of one or more of the plurality of keys, wherein the one or more keys are adapted to provide a specific pointing device command, and wherein the one or more keys are programmed by a user to provide the specific pointing device command.