Touch-type keyboard with character selection through finger location on multifunction keys
First Claim
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1. An apparatus comprising:
- a keyboard for touch typing having a home row of locations for each of 8 fingers to rest concurrently, and providing single stroke access to every letter of a full alphabet, the keyboard having a plurality of mechanical keys, each key having a surface area for actuation by a finger, and each key maps to at least three functions and each key can move at least 1.0 mm responsive to sufficient pressure by the finger, wherein the key surface remains substantially parallel to a rest plane while the key moves to access each letter associated with the key, and wherein the rest plane is a plane defined by the key surface in the absence of an actuation force; and
wherein each function is associated with a sensing zone that is defined by a virtual boundary circumscribing a portion of the surface area of the physical key; and
wherein a key function is selected based on the location of the finger relative to the sensing zones during actuation of the key; and
wherein at least some adjacent sensing zones overlap one another such that an intersection of their virtual boundaries circumscribes a subportion of the surface of the key; and
wherein when a single zone is completely covered by the finger during actuation, the input resolves to a single function associated with that zone.
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Abstract
A touch-type keyboard with multiple functions associated with each key which functions are uniquely selected based on finger position. Each of a plurality of mechanical keys are associated with at least three functions. Each key has a surface area for actuation by a user'"'"'s finger. The surface area is mapped to zones associated with each function. Function actuation is determined by detection of the finger position when the key is actuated. In the event of a finger overlapping multiple zones during actuation, unique function selection is determined at least in part from the pattern of finger overlap with the plural zones.
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Citations
11 Claims
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1. An apparatus comprising:
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a keyboard for touch typing having a home row of locations for each of 8 fingers to rest concurrently, and providing single stroke access to every letter of a full alphabet, the keyboard having a plurality of mechanical keys, each key having a surface area for actuation by a finger, and each key maps to at least three functions and each key can move at least 1.0 mm responsive to sufficient pressure by the finger, wherein the key surface remains substantially parallel to a rest plane while the key moves to access each letter associated with the key, and wherein the rest plane is a plane defined by the key surface in the absence of an actuation force; and wherein each function is associated with a sensing zone that is defined by a virtual boundary circumscribing a portion of the surface area of the physical key; and wherein a key function is selected based on the location of the finger relative to the sensing zones during actuation of the key; and wherein at least some adjacent sensing zones overlap one another such that an intersection of their virtual boundaries circumscribes a subportion of the surface of the key; and wherein when a single zone is completely covered by the finger during actuation, the input resolves to a single function associated with that zone. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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Specification