Dual navigation control computer keyboard

• US 6,986,614 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2003
• Issued: 01/17/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: McLoone, Hugh E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hirshfeld, Andrew H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Culler, Jill E.
• Application Number:
  US10/631,013
• Publication Number:
  US 20050025549A1
• Time in Patent Office: 901 Days
• Field of Search: 400/472, 400/485, 400/486, 400/488, 400/489, 341/22, 345/157, 345/168, 345/184, 361/680, 361/683, 361/686
• US Class Current: 400/472
• 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 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry

Abstract

A computer keyboard may include an assembly for scrolling and navigating an image in multiple directions relative to a display screen. A computer keyboard may include an assembly for control of a graphical object, insertion point or mouse cursor in multiple directions relative to objects on a display screen. Two control devices are provided onto each side of a computer keyboard. The devices are configured such that both control a graphical cursor. One device controls a graphical cursor and the other device controls view scrolling of an image. In yet another aspect, the functionality of the devices for cursor control or view scrolling is selectable.

Claims

1. A computer keyboard configured for navigation of a graphical user interface of a host computer, comprising:

a first navigation section including a first input device configured to receive manual movement according to a first user-selectable mode and responsive thereto configured for scrolling content items of a display screen relative to the display screen along a first axis so as to change the direction of scrolling to movement of said content items along a second axis when scrolling along said second axis exceeds a predetermined elapsed time, said second axis being perpendicular to said first axis, and a second user-selectable mode for freeform moving a graphical pointer relative to the perpendicular axes;

a second navigation section including a second input device configured to receive manual movement and responsive thereto configured for moving a graphical pointer relative to the perpendicular axes; and

an alphanumeric section being laterally disposed between the first navigation section and the second navigation section.

2. The computer keyboard according to claim 1, wherein the first input device includes a trackball assembly including a spherical member being rotatably configured to receive the manual movement;

and a scrolling sensing system that determines when said spherical member is rotated for scrolling along one of the first or second axes.

3. The computer keyboard according to claim 1, wherein the first input device includes a trackball assembly including a spherical member being rotatably configured to receive the manual movement;

and a scrolling sensing system being configured to sense a transition state of the spherical member when the member is rotated for a first directional scrolling along the first axis and responsive to the transition state change to a second directional scrolling along the second axis.

4. The computer keyboard according to claim 1, wherein the first input device includes a trackball assembly including a spherical member being rotatably configured to receive the manual movement;

and a scrolling sensing system being configured to sense a transition state of the spherical member when the member is rotated for scrolling along one of the first or second axes.

5. The computer keyboard according to claim 1, wherein the first input device includes a trackball assembly including a spherical member being rotatably configured to receive the manual movement;

and a scrolling sensing system that determines when said spherical member is rotated for directional scrolling along one of the first or second axes to a threshold level after a transition state of the directional scrolling so as to maintain said scrolling.

6. The computer keyboard according to claim 1, wherein said first input device and the second input device each comprises a trackball device.

7. The computer keyboard according to claim 6, wherein said first input device comprises a scroll wheel assembly.

8. The computer keyboard according to claim 1, wherein said first input device comprises a touchpad.

9. The computer keyboard according to claim 1, wherein said first input device comprises a touchpad and the second input device comprises a trackball device.

10. The computer keyboard according to claim 1, wherein said first input device comprises a trackball device and the second input device comprises a touchpad.

11. The computer keyboard according to claim 1, wherein the first and second user-selectable mode are responsive to voice input.

12. The computer keyboard according to claim 1, wherein the first input device is configured to adjusting a size scale of a said content item of a display screen.

13. A computer keyboard configured for navigation of a graphical user interface of a host computer, comprising:

a keyboard housing;

a trackball device disposed with the keyboard housing having an opening, said trackball device having a movable ball within said opening and said movable ball being configured to receive manual movement according to a first user-selectable mode and responsive thereto configured for scrolling content items of a display screen relative to the display screen in one of a vertical direction and a horizontal direction so as to change the direction of scrolling to movement of said content items along the other of one of the vertical and horizontal direction when scrolling alone the other of one of the vertical and horizontal directions exceeds a predetermined elapsed time, and a second user-selectable mode for freeform moving a graphical pointer relative to two dimensions of the image display screen;

a second input device configured to receive manual movement and responsive thereto configured for moving a graphical pointer relative to two dimensions of the image display screen; and

an alphanumeric section being disposed between the trackball device and the second input device.

14. The computer keyboard according to claim 13, wherein the trackball device further includes a scrolling sensing system that determines when said movable ball is rotated for the vertical scrolling and the horizontal scrolling.

15. The computer keyboard according to claim 13, wherein the trackball device further includes a scrolling sensing system being configured to sense a transition state of the movable ball when the ball is rotated for vertical scrolling and responsive to the transition state change to horizontal scrolling.

16. The computer keyboard according to claim 13, wherein the trackball device further includes a scrolling sensing system being configured to sense a transition state of the movable ball when the ball is rotated for horizontal scrolling, and responsive to a change in the transition state, changing said horizontal scrolling to vertical scrolling.

17. The computer keyboard according to claim 13, wherein the trackball device further includes a scrolling sensing system that determines when the movable ball is rotated for vertical scrolling to a threshold parameter after a transition state of the horizontal scrolling so as to maintain said vertical scrolling.

18. The computer keyboard according to claim 13, wherein the trackball device further includes a scrolling sensing system that determines when the movable ball is rotated for horizontal scrolling to a threshold parameter after a transition state of the vertical scrolling so as to maintain said horizontal scrolling during said rotation.

19. The computer keyboard according to claim 13, wherein said second input device comprises a touchpad.

20. The computer keyboard according to claim 13, wherein the first and the second user-selectable mode are toggled responsive to voice input.

21. A wireless computer keyboard configured for navigation of a graphical user interface of a host computer, comprising:

a housing;

a first input device configured to receive manual movement according to a first user-selectable mode and responsive thereto configured for scrolling content items of a display screen relative to the display screen in one of a vertical direction and a horizontal direction so as to change the direction of scrolling to movement of said content items along the other of one of the vertical and horizontal direction when scrolling along the other of one of the vertical and horizontal directions exceeds a predetermined elapsed time, and a second user-selectable mode for freeform moving a graphical pointer relative to two dimensions of the image display screen;

a second input device configured to receive manual movement and responsive thereto configured for moving a graphical pointer relative to two dimensions of the image display screen; and

an alphanumeric section being disposed between the first input device and the second input device.

22. The computer keyboard according to claim 21, wherein the first and the second user-selectable mode are toggled responsive to voice input.