Keyboard configurations

• US 8,766,823 B2
• Filed: 03/09/2010
• Issued: 07/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: F Poszat Hu LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Bekad Mgmt II LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Zilberman, Arkady G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, Hai
• Assistant Examiner(s): Benlagsir, Amine
• Application Number:
  US12/720,284
• Publication Number:
  US 20100302157A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,575 Days
• Field of Search: 341/20, 341/21, 341/22, 341/23
• US Class Current: 341/22
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/316 by observing the pattern of computer usage, e.g. typical user behaviour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/83 input devices, e.g. keyboards, mice or controllers thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2151 Time stamp

Abstract

Keyboard configurations are described. In embodiments, a keyboard includes a microcontroller to register key inputs, a memory to store time durations that correspond to the key inputs, and an algorithm that generates an input signature based on the time durations that correspond to the key inputs. The input signature can be used for user authentication and identity theft protection, and/or used to validate users for access to a computer system. The input signature may also include a watermark, a timestamp, or voice stamp for further security. An input system that includes a keyboard can provide multi-modal biometric protection by supplementing keystroke-scans with fingerprint, voice-scan, signature-scan and mouse-scan verification.

Claims

1. A keyboard, comprising:

a memory configured to store time durations that correspond to key inputs, wherein the time durations include;

a first set of time durations corresponding to a key input duration that a key input is depressed, and

a second set of time durations corresponding to a key transition duration between releasing one key input to initiating a next key input; and

a microcontroller configured to;

register key inputs,

register additional key inputs that are different than the key inputs,

store additional time durations that correspond to the additional key inputs, and

execute an algorithm to generate;

an input signature based on at least one of;

a first ratio of time durations of the first set of time durations, and

a second ratio of time durations of the second set of time durations, and

a subsequent input signature based on the additional time durations that correspond to the additional key inputs.

2. The keyboard of claim 1, further comprising:

a left portion comprising a first set of keys positioned in rows and orientated in left parallel columns; and

a right portion split apart from the left portion and comprising a second set of keys positioned in the rows and orientated in right parallel columns, the left portion and the right portion each rotated to position the rows of the first set of keys at an angle with respect to the rows of the second set of keys;

wherein the keyboard is customizable to several configurations according to user preferences.

3. The keyboard of claim 2, further comprising a space between the left portion that is split apart from the right portion, and wherein the space includes at least one of key or input device.

4. The keyboard of claim 3, wherein the at least one key includes an Enter key or a Space key positioned in the space between the left portion and the right portion.

5. The keyboard of claim 3, wherein the input device is a Touchpad or a RollerBall positioned in the space between the left portion and the right portion.

6. The keyboard of claim 2, wherein the left parallel columns of the first set of keys and the right parallel columns of the second set of keys allows one-coordinate outreaching to an adjacent key and simplifies finger targeting to a next key when a user is typing.

7. The keyboard of claim 2, wherein the rows of the first set of keys are positioned at a 30 degree angle or less with respect to the rows of the second set of keys.

8. A method, comprising:

receiving key inputs at a keyboard that are registered by a microcontroller;

storing time durations that correspond to the key inputs, the time durations being stored in memory at the keyboard, wherein the time durations include;

a first set of time durations corresponding to a key input duration that a key input is depressed, and

a second set of time durations corresponding to a key transition duration between releasing one key input to initiating a next key input;

generating an input signature based on at least one of;

a first ratio of time durations of the first set of time durations, and

a second ratio of time durations of the second set of time durations;

receiving additional key inputs at the keyboard that are registered by the microcontroller, the additional key inputs being different than the key inputs;

storing additional time durations that correspond to the additional key inputs, the additional time durations being stored in the memory at the keyboard; and

generating a subsequent input signature based on the additional time durations that correspond to the additional key inputs, the input signature matching the subsequent input signature in response to the time durations corresponding to the additional time durations.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing executable instructions that, when executed, cause a computing device to perform operations comprising:

receiving key inputs, at a computing device, that are registered by a microcontroller;

storing time durations that correspond to the key inputs, the time durations being stored in memory at the computing device, wherein the time durations include;

a first set of time durations corresponding to a key input duration that a key input is depressed, and

a second set of time durations corresponding to a key transition duration between releasing one key input to initiating a next key input; and

generating an input signature based on at least one of;

a first ratio of time durations of the first set of time durations, and

a second ratio of time durations of the second set of time durations,

wherein the input signature matches a subsequent input signature that is based on additional time durations that correspond to additional key inputs, the additional key inputs being different than the key inputs.