Color-coded tactile data-entry devices
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A tactile data-entry device comprising:
- manually operable input means arranged in a plurality of zones for operation by corresponding fingers of a user, means for color coding at least a portion of the plurality of zones of said input means, to provide a visual contrast and separation between each of the portion of the plurality of said zones, wherein said color coding is arranged such that each of the portion of the plurality of zones is assigned a color that is distinguishable from an adjacent other of the portion of the plurality of zones, and wherein successive ones of the portion of the plurality of zones display colors that form a spectrum-ordered color pattern in which said colors are arranged in order of successively increasing wavelengths such that each of the zones in the portion of plurality of zones bordered by at least two adjacent zones in the portion of plurality of zones has an associated color having a wavelength higher than one adjacent zone and lower than another adjacent zone.
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Abstract
A data-entry device having manually operable input means arranged in zones for operation by corresponding fingers of a user. The device includes means for color coding such that each zone is assigned a color and successive zones display colors ordered according to their relative positions within a spectrum-ordered color pattern. In one embodiment the device includes a keyboard, such as for a computer or typewriter, wherein the keys of the keyboard are color-coded according to a spectrum-ordered color pattern. The invention also provides a method of color coding a data-entry device.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A tactile data-entry device comprising:
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manually operable input means arranged in a plurality of zones for operation by corresponding fingers of a user, means for color coding at least a portion of the plurality of zones of said input means, to provide a visual contrast and separation between each of the portion of the plurality of said zones, wherein said color coding is arranged such that each of the portion of the plurality of zones is assigned a color that is distinguishable from an adjacent other of the portion of the plurality of zones, and wherein successive ones of the portion of the plurality of zones display colors that form a spectrum-ordered color pattern in which said colors are arranged in order of successively increasing wavelengths such that each of the zones in the portion of plurality of zones bordered by at least two adjacent zones in the portion of plurality of zones has an associated color having a wavelength higher than one adjacent zone and lower than another adjacent zone. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 25)
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24. A color-coded template for a tactile data-entry device having a plurality of manually operable input means arranged in a plurality of zones for operation by corresponding fingers of a user, the template comprising:
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means for color coding at least a portion of the plurality of zones of said input means, to provide a visual contrast and separation between each of the portion of the plurality of said zones, wherein said color coding is arranged such that each of the portion of the plurality of zones is assigned a color that is distinguishable from an adjacent other of the portion of the plurality of zones, and wherein successive ones of the portion of the plurality of zones display colors that form a spectrum-ordered color pattern in which said colors are arranged in order of successively increasing wavelengths such that each of the zones in the portion of plurality of zones bordered by at least two adjacent zones in the portion of plurality of zones has an associated color having a wavelength higher than one adjacent zone and lower than another adjacent zone.
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26. A color-coded membrane for overlaying a tactile data-entry device having a plurality of manually operable input means arranged in a plurality of zones for operation by corresponding fingers of a user, the membrane comprising:
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means for color coding at least a portion of the plurality of zones of said input means, to provide a visual contrast and separation between each of the portion of the plurality of said zones, wherein said color coding is arranged such that each of the portion of the plurality of zones is assigned a color that is distinguishable from an adjacent other of the portion of the plurality of zones, and wherein successive ones of the portion of the plurality of zones display colors that form a spectrum-ordered color pattern in which said colors are arranged in order of successively increasing wavelengths such that each of the zones in the portion of plurality of zones bordered by at least two adjacent zones in the portion of plurality of zones has an associated color having a wavelength higher than one adjacent zone and lower than another adjacent zone. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30)
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27. A method of color coding a tactile data-entry device having a plurality of manually operable input means, the method comprising the steps of:
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arranging the input means in a plurality of zones for operation by corresponding fingers of a user;
color coding at least a portion of the plurality of zones of the input means, to provide a visual contrast and separation between each of the portion of the plurality of the zones, wherein the color coding is arranged such that each of the portion of the plurality of zones is assigned a color that is distinguishable from an adjacent other of the portion of the plurality of zones, and wherein successive ones of the portion of the plurality of zones display colors that form a spectrum-ordered color pattern in which the colors are arranged in order of successively increasing wavelengths such that each of the zones in the portion of plurality of zones bordered by at least two adjacent zones in the portion of plurality of zones has an associated color having a wavelength higher than one adjacent zone and lower than another adjacent zone; and
assigning to each operating finger of the user the color of the corresponding zone such that successive fingers are assigned colors which are ordered according to their relative positions within the spectrum-ordered color pattern.
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Specification