Raised keys on a miniature keyboard

• US 6,940,490 B1
• Filed: 08/27/2001
• Issued: 09/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Palm, Inc. (TCL Technology Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Kim, Anthony, Kim, Suen
• Primary Examiner(s): Mengistu, Amare
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shapiro, Leonid
• Application Number:
  US09/940,325
• Time in Patent Office: 1,471 Days
• Field of Search: 345/169, 345/168, 345700-701, 345/864, 345/866, 379/430, 379/434, 379/368, 361/680, 341 21- 23, 341/27, 400/488, 400/489, D14/320, D14/396
• US Class Current: 345/168
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1664 Arrangements for ergonomically adjusting the disposition of keys of the integrated keyboard

Abstract

A miniature keyboard wherein the keys are arranged in a way to improve data entry and decrease the chance of depressing multiple keys at a time. Accordingly, the height of the keys are patterned to decrease the chance of multiple key depressions thus increasing the accuracy of data input into the personal digital assistant. In one embodiment, the height of the keys is alternated down the individual rows of keys. In another embodiment, the height of the keys is alternated across individual columns of keys. Similarly, in another embodiment, the heights of the keys are arranged in a checkered pattern on the keyboard. In addition, another embodiment staggers the heights of the keys and incorporates embodiments mentioned above. By incorporating different key arrangements and alternating the height of the keys, key differentiation, key navigation, and data input accuracy is greatly improved due to the improved tactile feedback provided by the miniature keyboard.

Claims

1. A miniature keyboard comprising:

a plurality of equally spaced keys on a single keypad for inputting data to a portable electronic device;

wherein said keys of said plurality of equally spaced keys are individually sized such that multiple ones can be depressed by a single finger tip depression and wherein adjacent keys differ in height; and

wherein said keys comprise at least one set of keys that are raised for providing key differentiation and to facilitate single key selection and wherein said keys are substantially checkered pattern on said miniature keyboard.

2. A miniature keyboard as recited in claim 1 wherein said set of keys is of different shapes.

3. A miniature keyboard as recited in claim 1 wherein said plurality of keys is arranged in substantially a QWERTY keyboard fashion.

4. A miniature keyboard as recited in claim 1 wherein said portable electronic device is a personal digital assistant.

5. A portable electronic device comprising:

a processor coupled to a bus;

a memory coupled to said bus;

a display screen coupled to said bus; and

an input mechanism comprising a plurality of equally spaced keys on a single keypad that are individually sized, such that each individual key surface is substantially smaller than a surface of a single finger depression and wherein said keys comprise alternating key diagonals of differing heights with respect to adjacent key diagonals.