Integrated keypad system

• US 7,020,270 B1
• Filed: 10/27/2000
• Issued: 03/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Keyless Systems Limited
• Original Assignee: Firooz Ghassabian
• Inventors: Ghassabian, Firooz
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Sinh
• Assistant Examiner(s): Briney, III, Walter F
• Application Number:
  US10/111,888
• Time in Patent Office: 1,978 Days
• Field of Search: 341/22, 341/23, 345/168, 345/169, 345/173, 345/175, 704270-278
• US Class Current: 379/368
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• 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 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1641 the display being formed by a plurality of foldable display components G06F1/1647 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1662 Details related to the integrated keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1671 Special purpose buttons or auxiliary keyboards, e.g. retractable mini keypads, keypads or buttons that remain accessible at closed laptop G06F1/1666 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1684 Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1698 the I/O peripheral being a sending/receiving arrangement to establish a cordless communication link, e.g. radio or infrared link, integrated cellular phone details of antennas disposed inside a computer H01Q1/2266
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1614 Image rotation following screen orientation, e.g. switching from landscape to portrait mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0338 Fingerprint track pad, i.e. fingerprint sensor used as pointing device tracking the fingertip image
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0381 Multimodal input, i.e. interface arrangements enabling the user to issue commands by simultaneous use of input devices of different nature, e.g. voice plus gesture on digitizer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0202 Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0221 Arrangements for reducing keyboard size for transport or storage, e.g. foldable keyboards, keyboards with collapsible keys G06F3/0216 takes precedence; for keyboards integrated in a laptop computer G06F1/1666
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0233 Character input methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0235 using chord techniques G06F3/0234 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0237 using prediction or retrieval techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/12 : Fingerprints or palmprints

Abstract

A data entry system comprising a group of data symbols comprising at least one of alphabetical symbols, numeric symbols, and commands (128–136), divided into subgroups. Each subgroup is associated with at least a portion of the user'"'"'s finger (102–120). The system also comprises a keypad (126) defining a plurality of keys, wherein each key contains at least one of the symbols. At least one finger recognition system (100) is configured to recognize the portion of the finger when it touches a key, and to select the subgroup symbols associated with that portion of the finger interacting with that key.

Claims

1. A data entry system comprising:

a predefined number of keys for at least inputting, character-by-character, a plurality of characters through said keys, wherein,

said data entry system uses a number of symbols comprising at least the letters of the alphabet of at least one language and wherein said symbols are assigned to said keys such that at least two of said letters are assigned to at least one of said keys, and wherein,

a symbol assigned to a key, is inputted by providing a predefined interaction with said key such as a pressing action, on said key and providing a speech information corresponding to said symbol for selecting said symbol among symbols that are assigned to said key, and wherein said speech information is detected and analyzed based on at least one of, a user'"'"'s voice and a user'"'"'s lips movements.

2. The data entry system according to claim 1, wherein symbols having ambiguously resembling speech information and that are hard to distinguish from each other through their corresponding speech information, are separately assigned to different keys.

3. The data entry system according to claim 2, wherein said symbols being hard to distinguish from each other through their corresponding speech information, are the symbols that have the most ambiguously resembling speech information relating to each other.

4. The data entry system according to claim 1, wherein said speech information is providing a speech corresponding to said symbol.

5. The data entry system according to claim 1, wherein the absence of speech is said speech information, and wherein at least one of said symbols assigned to a key is inputted by providing said predefined interaction with said key in the absence of a speech, said absence of speech being detected by said system.

6. The data entry system according to claim 1, wherein said symbol is a letter of the alphabet and said speech information is speaking said letter.

7. The data entry system according to claim 1, wherein said number of symbols includes at least one of numerical characters, punctuation mark characters, commands, and functions.

8. The data entry system according to claim 1, wherein said key pressing action and said speech information are provided, simultaneously.

9. The data entry system according to claims 1, wherein said data entry system functions, generally, independently of a display unit.

10. The data entry system according to claim 1, wherein said number of symbols includes substantially all of the elementary symbols, such as alphanumeric characters, punctuations marks, and commands, for either the input or editing of a text or the manipulation of a computer.

11. The data entry system according to claim 1, wherein said number of symbols is generally restricted to substantially all of the elementary symbols such as alphanumerical characters, punctuation marks, and commands, for either the input or editing of a text or the manipulation of a computer, so that said system generally functions independently of a display unit.

12. The data entry system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said number of keys comprises twelve keys duplicating the key configuration of a telephone-type keypad, wherein at least, substantially, all of said letters are assigned to said key configuration.

13. The data entry system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein at least, substantially, all of said letter are assigned to four keys of said number of keys.

14. The data entry system according to claim 1, wherein at least, substantially, all of said letter are assigned to four keys of said number of keys and wherein said four keys comprise two columns, each having two of said keys.

15. A data entry system for at least inputting arbitrary characters, said system comprising:

a number of keys; and

a number of symbols assigned to said keys, wherein said symbols include at least the alphabetical letters of at least one language, and additional symbols including at least one of numerical characters, punctuation mark characters, commands, and functions, and wherein said symbols are assigned to said keys such that the number of said alphabetical letters of said at least one language is more than the number of the keys to which said letters are assigned, and wherein,

said data entry system has at least a first type of procedure of input for entering a symbol assigned to one of said keys, wherein said at least a first type of procedure includes;

providing a predefined type of interaction with said key, such as a predefined pressing action on said key, wherein said predefined type of interaction is one of at least one predefined type of interaction with said key; and

providing a predefined speech corresponding to said symbol, wherein any of two symbols assigned to a key, both having a same predefined type of interaction with said key for being inputted, has a different assigned predefined speech, said speech being detected and analyzed based on at least one of, a user'"'"'s voice and a user'"'"'s lip movements.

16. The data entry system according to claim 15, wherein said data entry system further comprises at least a second type of procedure for entering a symbol assigned to a key, wherein said second procedure comprises:

providing a predefined type of interaction with said key in the absence of a speech, wherein said absence of the speech is detected by the system, and wherein said predefined type of interaction is one of at least one predefined type of interaction with said key, and wherein any of two different symbols assigned to a key wherein said two symbols are entered in said absence of a speech, is entered by a different predefined type of interaction with said key.

17. The data entry system according to claim 16, wherein at least part of the symbols requiring speech and some of the symbol requiring the absence of the speech are assigned to a same key.

18. The data entry system according to claim 16, wherein symbols requiring the absence of a speech, are generally at least some of said additional symbols.

19. The data entry system according to claim 15, wherein said at least one type of interaction is at least one of a single pressing action, a double pressing action, a press-and-holding action, and a gliding action, on said key.

20. The data entry system according to claim 19, wherein the symbols assigned to a pressing action on a key other than a single-pressing action on said key, are the symbols that are, generally, less commonly used relative to the symbols that are assigned to a single-pressing action on said key.

21. The data entry system according to claim 15, wherein symbols requiring a speech for being inputted, are at least the letters.

22. The data entry system according to claim 15, wherein the letters are, generally, inputted by a same type of interaction on their corresponding keys and speaking said letters.

23. The data entry system according to claim 15, wherein a single pressing action is one of said at least one predefined type of interaction, and wherein the letters are, generally, inputted by a single pressing action on their corresponding keys and speaking said letters.

24. The data entry system according to claim 15, wherein a double pressing action on a key is one of said at least one predefined type of interaction with said key, and wherein at least some of said additional symbols are assigned to a double pressing action on a corresponding key.

25. The data entry system according to claim 15, wherein each of said additional symbols are inputted by providing a corresponding predefined pressing actions on the corresponding key and providing a predefined speech assigned to said symbol.

26. The data entry system according to claim 15, wherein said predefined interaction and said speech information are provided, simultaneously.

27. The data entry system according to claim 15, wherein said number of keys includes twelve keys duplicating the key configuration of a telephone-type keypad, wherein at least, substantially, all of the alphabetical characters of at least one language are assigned to at least some of said twelve keys.

28. The data entry system according to claim 15, wherein said number of keys includes at least four keys, wherein at least, substantially, all of the alphabetical characters of a language are assigned to said four keys.

29. The data entry system according to claim 28, wherein said four keys are arranged in two rows of keys, wherein each of said rows of keys comprises two of said keys.

30. The data entry system according to claim 28, wherein said four keys comprise two columns each having two of said keys.

31. The data entry system according to any of the claims 15, 27, and 28, wherein symbols requiring speech for being inputted and that are hard to distinguish from each other through their corresponding speech, and wherein said symbols being inputted by a same predefined interaction with said key, are separately assigned to different keys.

32. The data entry system according to any of the claims 15, 27, and 28, wherein symbols requiring speech for being inputted and that are hard to distinguish from each other through their corresponding speech, and wherein said symbols being inputted by a same predefined interaction with said key, are separately assigned to different keys, and wherein said data entry system functions, generally, independently of a display unit.

33. The data entry system according to any of the claims 15, 27, and 28, wherein symbols requiring speech for being inputted and that are hard to distinguish from each other through their corresponding speech, and wherein said symbols being inputted by a same predefined interaction with said key, are separately assigned to different keys, and wherein said symbols being hard to distinguish, are at least the symbols that have the most ambiguously resembling speech relating to each other.

34. The data entry system according to any of the claims 15, 27, and 28, wherein symbols requiring speech for being inputted and that are hard to distinguish from each other through their corresponding speech, and wherein said symbols being inputted by a same predefined interaction with said key, are separately assigned to different keys, and wherein said symbols being hard to distinguish, are at least the symbols that have the most ambiguously resembling speech relating to each other, and wherein said data entry system functions, generally, independently of a display unit.

35. The data entry system according to claim 15, wherein said number of symbols includes substantially all of the elementary symbols including any one of alphanumerical characters, punctuation marks, and commands, for either the input or editing of a text or the manipulation of a computer.

36. The data entry system according to claim 15, wherein said number of symbols is generally restricted to substantially all of the elementary symbols including any one of alphanumerical characters, punctuation marks, and commands, for either the input or editing of a text or the manipulation of a computer, so that said system generally functions independently of a display unit.

37. The data entry system according to claim 15, wherein said data entry system provides, character by character, at least an arbitrary chain of characters such as letters.

38. A data entry system comprising;

a predefined number of keys for at least entering, arbitrary characters through said keys, wherein said data entry system uses a number of symbols comprising at least the alphabetical letters of at least one language, and wherein said symbols are assigned to said keys such that at least two letters of said at least one language are assigned to at least one of said keys, and wherein;

the symbols assigned to a key form at least one group of symbols comprising at least one of said symbols, wherein each of said at least one group of symbols of a key is assigned to one of at least one predefined type of interaction with said key, such as at least one type of pressing action on said key, and wherein;

a symbol of one of said groups of symbols of said key is inputted by providing said predefined interaction corresponding to said group of symbols, with said key, and, providing a speech information corresponding to said symbol for selecting said symbol among said group of symbols of said key, wherein said speech information is detected and analyzed based on at least one of, a user'"'"'s voice and a user'"'"'s lip movements.

39. The data entry system according to claim 38, wherein said number of symbols further comprises additional symbols having at least one of numerical characters, punctuation mark characters, commands, and functions.

40. The data entry system according to claim 39, wherein said keys comprise twelve keys duplicating the key configuration of a telephone-type keypad, wherein, substantially, all of the alphanumerical characters of at least one language, and at least part of said additional symbols are assigned to at least some of said twelve keys.

41. The data entry system according to claim 40, wherein at least the alphanumerical characters of a language are distributed on said twelve keys to duplicate the alphanumerical configuration of a telephone-type keypad in said language.

42. The data entry system according to claim 39, wherein said keys comprise at least four keys, wherein, substantially all of the alphabetical symbols and at least part of said additional symbols are assigned to said four keys.

43. The data entry system according to claim 39, wherein said four keys are arranged in two rows of keys, wherein each of said rows of keys comprises two of said keys.

44. The data entry system according to claim 42, wherein said four keys comprise two columns each having two of said keys.

45. The data entry system according to claim 38, wherein the symbols assigned to a key form at least two groups of symbols, wherein a first and a second group of said symbols are, respectively, assigned to a first and a second type of pressing action on said key.

46. The data entry system according to claim 45, wherein said first and second pressing actions are, respectively, a single and a double pressing action on said key.

47. The data entry system according to claim 46, wherein the symbols assigned to a double pressing action on a key, are, generally, the symbols that are less commonly used relative to the symbols which are assigned to a single-pressing action on said key.

48. The data entry system according to claim 45, wherein a symbol is input by providing a corresponding pressing action on the corresponding key and speaking a predefined appellation of said symbol.

49. The data entry system according to claim 48, wherein a letter is, generally, inputted by a single pressing action on the corresponding key and speaking said letter.

50. The data entry system according to claims 38, wherein the absence of a speech is considered as said speech information, and wherein said system detects said absence of the speech, and wherein one predefined symbol within a group of symbols of a key, is inputted by a corresponding pressing action on corresponding key, in said absence of a speech.

51. The data entry system according to claim 50, wherein said symbol is one of the punctuation mark characters, commands, or functions.

52. The data entry system according to claim 50, wherein at least part of the symbols requiring speech;

and at least a symbol requiring the absence of the speech, are assigned to a same key.

53. The data entry system according to claim 50, wherein the at least part of the symbols requiring speech, and one of the symbols requiring the absence of the speech, are assigned to a same group of symbols of a key.

54. The data entry system according to claim 38, wherein a single-pressing action on a key is one type of said at least one type of said pressing action on said key.

55. The data entry system according to claim 54, wherein the symbols assigned to a pressing action other than a single pressing action on a key, are the symbols which are less commonly used relative to the symbols which are assigned to a single-pressing action on said key.

56. The data entry system according to claim 55, wherein said other pressing action is at least one of a double pressing action and gliding action on a corresponding key.

57. The data entry system according to claim 38, wherein the letters are generally entered with a same predefined pressing action on their corresponding keys, combined with their corresponding speech.

58. The data entry system according to claim 57, wherein said pressing action is a single-pressing action on said keys.

59. The data entry system according to claim 38, wherein a single pressing action is one of said at least one type of pressing action, and wherein a letter or a number, is, generally, entered by a single pressing action on the corresponding key and speaking said letter or number.

60. The data entry system according to claim 38, wherein a double pressing action or a gliding action is one of said at least one type of pressing action on a key.

61. The data entry system according to claim 38, wherein said at least one predefined type of interaction is at least one of a slight and a heavy pressing action on said key.

62. The data entry system according to claim 38, wherein said at least one type of pressing action is pressing two keys, simultaneously.

63. The data entry system according to claim 38, wherein said speech information is speaking said symbol.

64. The data entry system according to claim 38, wherein said speech information corresponds to speaking the position of said symbol printed on said key, relative to other symbols printed on said key.

65. The data entry system according to claim 38, wherein the absence of a speech is considered as said speech information, and wherein said system detects said absence of the speech, and wherein a predefined symbol within said group of symbols of a key, is inputted by said pressing action corresponding to said group, in the absence of a speech.

66. The data entry system according to claim 65, wherein said symbol is, generally, one of punctuation mark characters, commands, or functions.

67. The data entry system according to claim 65, wherein the at least part of the symbols requiring speech and at least some of the symbol requiring the absence of the speech are assigned to a same key.

68. The data entry system according to claim 65, wherein the at least part of the symbols requiring speech and one of the symbol requiring the absence of the speech are assigned to a same group of symbols of a key.

69. The data entry system according to claim 38, wherein said pressing action and said speech information are provided, simultaneously.

70. The data entry system according to claim 38, wherein, when entering a symbol, if a pressing action on a key and a corresponding speech information are correctly provided, and said system inputs an erroneous symbol of the group of symbols corresponding to said pressing action, and said user erases said symbol and repeats the same pressing action and provides the same speech information, said system selects another symbol being best matched to said speech information among the symbols corresponding to said pressing action on said key.

71. The data entry system according to claim 38, wherein at least two of said groups of symbols of said keys contain at least a same symbol.

72. The data entry system according to claim 38, wherein said keys comprise twelve keys duplicating the key configuration of a telephone-type keypad, wherein, substantially, all of the alphabetical characters of at least one language are assigned to at least some of said twelve keys.

73. The data entry system according to claim 38, wherein said keys comprise at least four keys, wherein at least, substantially, all of the alphabetical characters of a language are assigned to said four keys.

74. The data entry system according to claim 73, wherein said four keys are arranged in two rows of keys, wherein each of said rows of keys comprises two of said keys.

75. The data entry system according to claim 73, wherein said four keys comprise two columns each having two of said keys.

76. The data entry system according to any of the claims 38, 39, 72, 40 and 73 to 44, wherein symbols requiring speech for being inputted and that are hard to distinguish from each other through their corresponding speech, are separately included within different groups of symbols of said keys.

77. The data entry system according to any of the claims 38, 39, 72, 40 and 73 to 44, wherein symbols requiring speech for being inputted and that are hard to distinguish from each other through their corresponding speech, are separately included within different groups of symbols of said keys, and wherein said symbols that are hard to distinguish from each other through their corresponding speech, are at least the symbols that have the most ambiguously resembling speech relating to each other.

78. The data entry system according to any of the claims 38, 39, 72, 40 and 73 to 44, wherein symbols requiring speech for being inputted and that are hard to distinguish from each other through their corresponding speech, are separately included within different groups of symbols of said keys, and wherein said data entry system functions, generally, independently of a display unit.

79. The data entry system according to claim 38, wherein said number of symbols includes substantially all of the elementary symbols including any one of alphanumerical characters, punctuation marks, and commands, for either the input or editing of a text or the manipulation of a computer.

80. The data entry system according to claim 38, wherein said number of symbols is generally restricted to substantially all of the elementary symbols including any one of alphanumerical characters, punctuation marks, and commands, for either the input or editing of a text or the manipulation of a computer, so that said system generally functions independently of a display unit.