Keyboard with macro keys made up of positionally adjustable micro keys

• US 9,335,830 B2
• Filed: 06/26/2013
• Issued: 05/10/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Guerin, Xavier R.
• Primary Examiner(s): COLILLA, DANIEL JAMES
• Application Number:
  US13/927,222
• Publication Number:
  US 20150002992A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,049 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0202 Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device
• 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 3/0238 Programmable keyboards key guide holders G06F3/0224
• 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 2003/0266 Operating part bringable in an inoperative position by an electrical drive
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2217/036 Plural multifunctional miniature keys for one symbol
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2221/04 magnetic
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2223/0345 with keys positioned directly next to each other without an intermediate bezel or frame

Abstract

An adjustable keyboard where a macro key is (or can be) made up of multiple, proximate micro keys by adjusting a vertical, at-rest position of the micro keys individually. More specifically, the micro keys forming the macro key are set in a high position, while micro keys surrounding the micro keys forming the macro key will generally be set in the low position. In this way, traditional data entry keyboard keys (that is, macro keys) can be built up in an arbitrary fashion, according to the desires and needs of the user, from a larger matrix of micro keys.

Claims

1. A keyboard assembly comprising:

a keyboard frame;

a plurality of microkey assemblies, with each microkey assembly comprising;

a lower frame defining a peripheral direction and an interior space and including a flange extending outwardly in the peripheral direction,

an upper frame including a flange extending inwardly in the peripheral direction,

an electromagnet located in the interior space of the lower frame, with the electromagnet defining an interior space,

an elevation monitor sub-system sized and located to extend through at least a portion of the interior space of the electromagnet, and

a magnetic coating layer; and

a plurality of elevation control signal carriers respectively operatively connected to the electromagnets of the plurality of microkey assemblies;

wherein;

the plurality of microkey assemblies are each mechanically connected to the keyboard frame in a common orientation that defines an up direction and a down direction that is at least substantially orthogonal to the up and down directions;

for each microkey assembly, the magnetic coating layer, the electromagnet and the respectively corresponding elevation control signal carrier is structured, located and connected to selectively produce magnetic fields that interact with the magnetic coating layer so that;

(i) an at-rest position of the key sub-assembly can be adjusted between at least a high at-rest position and a low at-rest position, (ii) the upper frame and magnetic coating layer are free to move in the down direction at least when the microkey assembly is in the high at-rest position, and (iii) the supper frame and magnetic coating layer are mechanically biased in the up direction, by magnetic interaction between the electromagnet and the magnetic coating layer when the microkey is in the high at-rest position;

for each microkey assembly, the elevation monitor sub-system includes a switch that is structured, located and connected to output a signal based upon whether its associated key member is being depressed by a user; and

in each microkey assembly, the flange of the upper frame and the lower frame are sized, located and oriented to come into interfering contact when the upper frame rises with respect to the lower frame so that the upper frame is limited in its up direction travel.

2. The keyboard assembly according to claim 1 wherein:

for each microkey assembly, the electromagnet and magnetic coating layer are structured and located so that when the electromagnet is energized by receiving power through the respectively corresponding elevation control signal carrier, the microkey assembly will be driven to occupy a high at-rest position and will be mechanically biased in the up direction; and

for each microkey assembly, the upper frame and lower frame are structured, mechanically engaged and located so that when the electromagnet is not energized, the microkey assembly will be driven by gravity to occupy a low at-rest position.

3. The keyboard assembly of claim 1 wherein each microkey assembly further comprises:

a dynamic display panel located over a top surface of the microkey assembly, with the dynamic display panel being structured to provide a display of at least one pixel in size.

4. The keyboard assembly of claim 1 wherein:

for each microkey assembly, the electromagnet and magnetic coating layer are structured and located so that when the electromagnet is energized in a first direction by receiving power through the respectively corresponding elevation control signal carrier, the microkey assembly will be driven to occupy a high at-rest position and will be mechanically biased in the up direction; and

for each microkey assembly, the electromagnet and magnetic coating layer are structured and located so that when the electromagnet is energized in a second direction by receiving power through the respectively corresponding elevation control signal carrier, the microkey assembly will be driven to occupy a low at-rest position.

5. The keyboard assembly of claim 1 wherein:

for each microkey assembly, the electromagnet and magnetic coating layer are structured and/or located so that when the electromagnet is energized by receiving power through the respectively corresponding elevation control signal carrier, the microkey assembly can selectively be driven to occupy at least one intermediate at-rest position(s), which is between the high at-rest position and the low at-rest position.

6. The keyboard assembly of claim 1 wherein the switch is one of the following switch types:

an optical switch, or an magnetic switch.

7. A keyboard assembly comprising:

a keyboard frame;

a plurality of microkey assemblies, with each microkey assembly comprising;

a lower frame defining a peripheral direction and an interior space and including a flange extending outwardly in the peripheral direction,

an upper frame including a flange extending inwardly in the peripheral direction,

an electromagnet located in the interior space of the lower frame, with the electromagnet defining an interior space,

an elevation monitor sub-system sized and located to extend through at least a portion of the interior space of the electromagnet, and

a magnetic coating layer; and

a plurality of elevation control signal carriers respectively operatively connected to the electromagnets of the plurality of microkey assemblies;

wherein;

the plurality of microkey assemblies are each mechanically connected to the keyboard frame in a common orientation that defines an up direction and a down direction that is at least substantially orthogonal to the up and down directions;

for each microkey assembly, the magnetic coating layer, the electromagnet and the respectively corresponding elevation control signal carrier is structured, located and connected to selectively produce magnetic fields that interact with the magnetic coating layer so that;

(i) an at-rest position of the key sub-assembly can be adjusted between at least a high at-rest position and a low at-rest position, (ii) the upper frame and magnetic coating layer are free to move in the down direction at least when the microkey assembly is in the high at-rest position, and (iii) the upper frame and magnetic coating layer are mechanically biased in the up direction, by magnetic interaction between the electromagnet and the magnetic coating layer when the microkey is in the high at-rest position;

for each microkey assembly, the elevation monitor sub-system is structured, located and connected to output a signal based upon whether its associated key member is being depressed by a user, with the signal being caused by changes in a magnetic field caused by position of the magnetic coating layer; and

in each microkey assembly, the flange of the upper frame and the lower frame are sized, located and oriented to come into interfering contact when the upper frame rises with respect to the lower frame so that the upper frame is limited in its up direction travel.

8. The keyboard assembly according to claim 7 wherein:

for each microkey assembly, the electromagnet and magnetic coating layer are structured and located so that when the electromagnet is energized by receiving power through the respectively corresponding elevation control signal carrier, the microkey assembly will be driven to occupy a high at-rest position and will be mechanically biased in the up direction; and

for each microkey assembly, the upper frame and lower frame are structured, mechanically engaged and located so that when the electromagnet is not energized, the microkey assembly will be driven by gravity to occupy a low at-rest position.

9. The keyboard assembly of claim 7 wherein each microkey assembly further comprises:

a dynamic display panel located over a top surface of the microkey assembly, with the dynamic display panel being structured to provide a display of at least one pixel in size.

10. The keyboard assembly of claim 7 wherein:

for each microkey assembly, the electromagnet and magnetic coating layer are structured and located so that when the electromagnet is energized in a first direction by receiving power through the respectively corresponding elevation control signal carrier, the microkey assembly will be driven to occupy a high at-rest position and will be mechanically biased in the up direction; and

for each microkey assembly, the electromagnet and magnetic coating layer are structured and located so that when the electromagnet is energized in a second direction by receiving power through the respectively corresponding elevation control signal carrier, the microkey assembly will be driven to occupy a low at-rest position.

11. The keyboard assembly of claim 7 wherein:

for each microkey assembly, the electromagnet and magnetic coating layer are structured and located so that when the electromagnet is energized by receiving power through the respectively corresponding elevation control signal carrier, the microkey assembly can selectively be driven to occupy at least one intermediate at-rest position(s), which is between the high at-rest position and the low at-rest position.