Method and system for using a keyboard overlay with a touch-sensitive display screen

• US 7,659,885 B2
• Filed: 12/09/2004
• Issued: 02/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Kraus, Mark Gerard, Nguyen, Vu Xuan, Shetter, Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): Mengistu; Amare
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chowdhury; Afroza Y
• Application Number:
  US11/008,041
• Publication Number:
  US 20050099403A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,888 Days
• Field of Search: 345/168, 345/173, 345/156, 341/20, 341/22, 341/34
• US Class Current: 345/168
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 5/102 Keyboard overlays
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04809 Textured surface identifying touch areas, e.g. overlay structure for a virtual keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0224 Key guide holders
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0238 Programmable keyboards key guide holders G06F3/0224
• 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

Abstract

Disclosed is a “keyboard overlay” that sits on top of a touch-sensitive display screen of a computing device. After aligning the overlay on the display screen, the user types on the overlay. When the user presses a key on the overlay, the pressure is transmitted to the display screen below. That pressure is registered by the display screen as a touch. The keyboard overlay is formed to provide tactile finger-position feedback so that a user can keep his fingers oriented properly over the keyboard. The overlay may be opaque with keycap information displayed in the key areas. The overlay may be transparent, allowing a user to see a virtual keyboard painted on the display screen below. The computing device can detect the presence and type of an overlay. Applications may respond differently to different types of overlays. Different applications may be invoked depending upon the type of overlay detected.

Claims

1. A computing system adapted for use with a plurality of different keyboard overlays, the computing system comprising:

a touch-sensitive display screen responsive to contact by a display actuator on a key bottom surface of said plurality of different keyboard overlays, the plurality of different keyboard overlays comprising removable keyboard overlays;

a connection mechanism for removably connecting a keyboard overlay to the touch-sensitive display;

an alignment mechanism for aligning the keyboard overlay with the touch-sensitive display screen;

a sensor for;

detecting a presence of a removable keyboard overlay aligned with a touch-sensitive display screen of a computing system, wherein the removable keyboard overlay is aligned when a rigid frame surrounding the periphery of the removable keyboard overlay slides fully into a slot on the computing system detecting a type of the removable keyboard overlay based at least in part on information relating to the removable keyboard overlay, the information comprising;

size of the removable keyboard overlay;

transparency of the removable keyboard overlay; and

the arrangement of the keys on the removable keyboard overlay; and

a utility program executable from a computer storage media for communicating with the sensor and for alerting applications to the presence of the keyboard overlay, wherein the utility program is configured to;

communicate according to the type of the keyboard overlay detected;

rearrange information displayed on the touch-sensitive screen in response to the detected type of the removable keyboard overlay;

run a specific application on the computing system appropriate to the detected type of the removable keyboard overlay;

tell the application about the presence and detected type of the removable keyboard overlay;

detect a touch on the touch-sensitive display screen in an area covered by the removable keyboard overlay; and

inform the application of the position of the detected touch.

2. The computing system of claim 1 wherein the keyboard overlay, at least some of the key areas, and the alignment mechanism comprise a single piece of material.

3. The computing system of claim 1 wherein the keyboard overlay and at least some of the key areas comprise a sheet of a material selected from the group consisting of:

thermo-formed plastic, molded silicon rubber, neoprene, a pliable plastic-based compound, and a pliable rubber-based compound.

4. The computing system of claim 1 wherein at least one of the display actuator comprises an element selected from the group consisting of:

a bump in the sheet of material and a piece of a material harder than the sheet of material and attached to the sheet of material.

5. The computing system of claim 1 wherein the keyboard overlay comprises a rigid frame.

6. The computing system of claim 5 wherein the rigid frame comprises, at least in part, the alignment mechanism.

7. The computing system of claim 1 wherein at least some key areas are essentially transparent.

8. The computing system of claim 1 wherein at least some key areas comprise keycap indicators.

9. The computing system of claim 1 wherein at least some key areas are arranged on the keyboard overlay in a form selected from the group consisting of:

a QWERTY keyboard and a Dvorak keyboard.

10. The computing system of claim 1 wherein at least some key areas are arranged in the form of a number-entry pad.

11. The computing system of claim 1 further comprising a finger-position feedback element comprising an element selected from the group consisting of:

a ridge surrounding a key area, a depression in a key top surface, and a bump in a key top surface.

12. The computing system of claim 1 wherein at least some key areas in a home row comprises finger-position feedback distinct from key areas not in the home row.

13. The computing system of claim 1 wherein the keyboard overlay comprises at least one peripheral edge and wherein the alignment mechanism comprises at least one peripheral edge of the keyboard overlay.

14. The computing system of claim 1 wherein at least some key areas further comprise a tactile feedback input indicator.

15. The computing system of claim 1 wherein a tactile feedback input indicator comprises a crash zone of a key area.

16. The computing system of claim 1 the keyboard overlay comprising non-key areas between at least some adjacent pairs of key areas, the non-key areas serving to tactilely distinguish one key area from another.

17. The computing system of claim 1 wherein a keyboard overlay further comprises a connection mechanism comprising, at least in part, the alignment mechanism.

18. The computing system of claim 1 further comprising a keyboard overlay type identifier, for identifying a type of the keyboard overlay removably connected to the touch sensitive display.

19. The computing system of claim 1 wherein the a connection mechanism comprises, at least in part, a keyboard overlay type identifier.

20. The computing system of claim 1 wherein a keyboard overlay type identifier comprises a component selected from the set consisting of:

a passive electronic component, an active electronic component, a resistor, a wire jumper, and an electronic chip.

21. The computing system of claim 1 further comprising a storage space for the keyboard overlay when not in use.

22. The computing system of claim 1 wherein the connection mechanism comprises a hinge connecting the keyboard overlay to the touch-sensitive display.

23. One or more computer storage media, storing computer-executable instructions, that—

when executed by a processor—

perform acts comprising;

detecting a presence of a removable keyboard overlay aligned with a touch-sensitive display screen of a computing system, wherein the removable keyboard overlay is aligned when a rigid frame surrounding the periphery of the removable keyboard overlay slides fully into a slot on the computing system;

detecting a type of the removable keyboard overlay based, in part, on information relating to the removable keyboard overlay, the information comprising;

size of the removable keyboard overlay;

transparency of the removable keyboard overlay; and

the arrangement of the keys on the removable keyboard overlay;

rearranging information displayed on the touch-sensitive screen in response to the detected type of the removable keyboard overlay;

running a specific application on the computing system appropriate to the detected type of the removable keyboard overlay;

telling the application about the presence and detected type of the removable keyboard overlay;

detecting a touch on the touch-sensitive display screen in an area covered by the removable keyboard overlay; and

informing the application of the position of the detected touch.