Keyboard

• US 6,847,310 B1
• Filed: 06/21/2002
• Issued: 01/25/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gellyfish Technology Of Texas, L.L.C.
• Original Assignee: BSQUARE Corporation
• Inventors: Yang, Joseph W., Gill, Christopher Francis
• Primary Examiner(s): EDWARDS JR, TIMOTHY
• Application Number:
  US10/177,255
• Time in Patent Office: 949 Days
• Field of Search: 341/22, 345/169, 379/93.27, 455/90, 455/575
• US Class Current: 341/22
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1624 with sliding enclosures, e.g. sliding keyboard or display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1662 Details related to the integrated keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0202 Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0219 Special purpose keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: H03M 11/18 wherein the shift keys are operated before the operation of the multifunction keys
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/23 Construction or mounting of dials or of equivalent devices; Means for facilitating the use thereof by improving visibility H04M1/22

Abstract

A keyboard (1) for use on an electronic device allowing input of both alphabetic and numerical information adapted for use with a minimal number of keys (2-73) and space. The keyboard includes numerical keys (39-41, 51-53, 63-65) arranged in the format used in telephones and a qwerty arrangement of alphabetic keys (32-42, 44-54, 56-65). Multiple function keys (67-69, 71) allow use to create all functions of a computer keyboard for use in a small device.

Claims

1. A keyboard for use in a portable device comprising:

a alphabetic keyboard with at least one key for each English letter arranged in a qwerty pattern for producing an output recognizable as letters,

a numerical keyboard having at least ten keys arranged in a pattern identical to that of a standard telephone keypad with a first row including 1, 2, and 3 keys at the top and coincident with the right half of the top row of the alphabetic keyboard, a middle row including 4, 5, and 6 keys below the first row,

and the second middle row including 7, 8, and 9 keys and an ultimate row below the second middle row including a 0 key, and

a shifting means for shifting the function of keys between that of a alphabetic and numerical keyboards and keypads.

2. A keyboard for use in a portable device as in claim 1, further comprising means for generating international characters.

3. A keyboard for use in a portable device as in claim 1, wherein said international characters generated by said further comprising means include accents ({grave over ( )}, ’

), tildes (˜

), and carets (^).

4. A keyboard for use in a portable device as in claim 2, further comprising at least one specialized computer operating key.

5. A keyboard for use in a portable device as in claim 4, wherein said specialized computer operating keys include Ctrl, Alt, Del, Home, End, Esc and Tab keys.

6. A keyboard for use in a portable device as in claim 5, wherein said specialized computer operating keys include Right arrow, Left arrow, Up arrow and Down arrow keys.