Method and apparatus pertaining to a touch typing-friendly grid-patterned keyboard

• US 9,292,100 B2
• Filed: 06/23/2014
• Issued: 03/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Griffin, Jason Tyler, Rak, Roman Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Bost, Dwayne
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ritchie, Darlene M
• Application Number:
  US14/311,488
• Publication Number:
  US 20140300498A1
• Time in Patent Office: 638 Days
• Field of Search: 345/168, 345/169, 400/472, 455/566, 341/22
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1664 Arrangements for ergonomically adjusting the disposition of keys of the integrated keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0216 Arrangements for ergonomically adjusting the disposition of keys of a keyboard for keyboards integrated in a laptop computer G06F1/1664
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0233 Character input methods
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/705 characterised by construction, mounting or arrangement of operating parts, e.g. push-buttons or keys
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/7057 characterised by the arrangement of operating parts in relation to each other, e.g. pre-assembled groups of keys
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2217/006 Different feeling for different switch sites
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2217/024 Profile on actuator

Abstract

A keyboard can be comprised of a plurality of alphabetic keys that are disposed in an evenly-spaced grid pattern with respect to one another. In any event, these keys have keycaps configured to comport with touch typing as with a keyboard having a plurality of alphabetic keys that are disposed in an offset pattern (such as the classic QWERTY offset-pattern typewriter-styled keyboard). By one approach, these keycaps can have keycaps having bilaterally-nonsymmetrical tactile features that at least substantially match standard touch-typing finger positions. By one approach these tactile features can comprise an indentation. If desired, these keycaps can share a same form factor. In such a case, some of the keycaps for the alphabetic keys can be disposed on the keyboard at a 180 degree rotation as compared to others of the alphabetic character keycaps.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a keyboard comprising a plurality of alphabetic keys each bearing at least one character, the keys disposed in an evenly spaced grid pattern with respect to one another such that columns of the alphabetic keys are coaxially vertically aligned, and

wherein the alphabetic keys have keycaps that each have a left side and a right side and that are each provided with bilaterally-nonsymmetrical tactile features that are horizontally offset from one another from one row of the alphabetic keys to the next, such that the bilaterally-nonsymmetrical tactile features of the alphabetic keys for a first row of the alphabetic keys are oriented towards the left side and the bilaterally-nonsymmetrical tactile features of the alphabetic keys for a next-adjacent row of the alphabetic keys below the first row of the alphabetic keys are all oriented towards the right side, and all of the keys have the same keycap form factor, and the peripheral key shape is distinct from the bilaterally-nonsymetrical tactile features.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a wireless transceiver; and

a control circuit operably coupled to the wireless transceiver and to the keyboard.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the bilaterally-nonsymmetrical tactile features comprise indentations in an upper surface of the keycaps.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the bilaterally-nonsymmetrical tactile features comprise an eccentric tactile feature on an upper surface of the keycaps.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the eccentric tactile feature comprises an indentation.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the alphabetic keys comprise, at least in part, an “

F”

key and a “

J”

key.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the alphabetic keys comprise, at least in part, a home row of alphabetic keys, wherein the home row of alphabetic keys includes the next-adjacent row of the alphabetic keys.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the alphabetic keys represent a complete alphabet.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein alphabetic characters that correspond to each of the alphabetic keys are disposed within the bilaterally-nonsymmetrical tactile features.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the alphabetic characters that correspond to each of the alphabetic keys are centrally disposed within the bilaterally-nonsymmetrical tactile features.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the keycaps for the alphabetic keys have a same form factor.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein some of the keycaps for the alphabetic keys are disposed on the keyboard at a 180 degree rotation as compared to others of the keycaps for the alphabetic keys.

13. A method, comprising:

providing a plurality of keycaps for alphabetic keys, each of the keycaps having a left side and a right side and each having a bilaterally-nonsymmetrical tactile feature formed on an upper surface thereof;

forming a keyboard by disposing the plurality of key caps in an evenly-spaced grid pattern with respect to one another such that columns of the keycaps are coaxially vertically aligned, and such that the bilaterally-nonsymmetrical tactile features are horizontally offset from one another from one row of the alphabetic keys to the next, such that the bilaterally-nonsymmetrical tactile features of the alphabetic keys for a first row of the alphabetic keys are oriented towards the left side and the bilaterally-nonsymmetrical tactile features of the alphabetic keys for a next-adjacent row of the alphabetic keys below the first row of the alphabetic keys are all oriented towards the right side, and all of the keys have the same keycap form factor, and the peripheral key shape is distinct from the bilaterally-nonsymetrical tactile features.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the keycap of each key further includes indicia representing a character corresponding to the key, wherein a position of the indicia is positioned upon the keycap to correspond to a position of the tactile feature.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the keys are pressable in only a single direction.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein disposing the plurality of key caps in an evenly-spaced grid pattern comprises disposing some of the plurality of key caps in a first orientation and some of the plurality of keycaps in a second orientation that is rotated 180 degrees with respect to the first orientation.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein disposing the plurality of key caps in an evenly-spaced grid pattern comprises disposing all of the keycaps that are in a first and third row in the first orientation and all of the keycaps in a second row in the second orientation.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein disposing the plurality of key caps in an evenly-spaced grid pattern comprises disposing the second row between the first and third row.