Keypad

• US 9,164,592 B2
• Filed: 02/10/2012
• Issued: 10/20/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ideatron Pty Limited
• Original Assignee: Ideatron Pty Limited
• Inventors: Lambie, John
• Primary Examiner(s): HARRIS, DOROTHY H
• Application Number:
  US13/983,613
• Publication Number:
  US 20130321281A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,348 Days
• Field of Search: 345/169, 400/486, 341/23
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0219 Special purpose keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0233 Character input methods
• 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

The invention provides a keypad comprising at least consonant keys and vowel keys such that the vowel keys are arranged in a column between two edge columns of consonant keys, or in a row between two edge rows of consonant keys, wherein the consonant keys other than Z follow an alphabetic progression.

Claims

1. A keypad comprising at least consonant keys and vowel keys of the alphabet from A-Z such that all the vowel keys are arranged in a single column separate from and between two edge columns containing consonant keys, or in a single row separate from and between two edge rows containing consonant keys, wherein the vowel keys and the consonant keys, other than Z, follow a sequential alphabetic progression from A to Y along adjacent keys of sequentially adjacent rows or columns, and wherein Z is positioned out of the sequential alphabetic progression and next to a key other than Y.

2. The keypad of claim 1, wherein the vowel keys and the consonant keys are arranged in six columns or rows.

3. The keypad of claim 1, wherein the vowel column/row is a second column/row.

4. The keypad of claim 3, wherein the columns map to a human hand with the first column adapted for contact by the thumb, the second and third column adapted for contact by the index finger, the fourth column adapted for contact by the middle finger, the fifth column adapted for contact by the ring finger, and the sixth column adapted for contact by the pinky finger.

5. The keypad of claim 1, comprising a spacing between the columns/rows such that some of the columns/rows are on one side of the spacing and other of the columns/rows are on the other side of the spacing.

6. The keypad of claim 5, wherein the columns on one side of the spacing comprise the letter ABEFZIJNOPTUV, and the columns on the other side of the spacing comprise the letters CDGHKLMQRSWXY.

7. The keypad of claim 2, wherein the first column/row comprises the letters ZNT, the second column/row comprises the letters AEIOU, the third column/row comprises the letters BFJPV, the fourth column/row comprises the letters CGKQW, the fifth column/row comprises the letters DHLRX, and the sixth column/row comprises the letters MSY.

8. The keypad of claim 1 wherein the keys are arranged in a right side block of columns beneath a strike zone of a right thumb of a user and a left side block of columns beneath a strike zone of a left thumb of a user.

9. The keypad of claim 8 wherein the columns are curved.

10. The keypad of claim 8 wherein the right side block of columns is separated from the left side block of columns.

11. The keypad of claim 10 wherein the right side block of columns is separated from the left side block of columns by a screen.

12. The keypad of claim 10 wherein the right side block of rows is separated from the left side block of rows by a screen.

13. The keypad of claim 9 wherein the rows are curved.

14. The keypad of claim 9 wherein the right side block of rows is separated from the left side block of rows.

15. The keypad of claim 9 wherein the curvature approximates the angle of rotation of a human thumb.

16. The keypad of claim 8 wherein the keys are arranged in a right side block of rows beneath a strike zone of a right thumb of a user and a left side block of rows beneath a strike zone of a left thumb of a user.

17. The keypad of claim 1 wherein the consonant and vowel keys are interchangeable with mathematical symbol and numerical keys.

18. The keypad of claim 1 wherein the keys are arranged in a 6×

5 grid.