Telephone Keypad with Quad Directional Keys

• US 20110227762A1
• Filed: 06/02/2011
• Published: 09/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: James Harrison Bowen
• Original Assignee: James Harrison Bowen
• Inventors: Bowen, James Harrison
• Application Number:
  US13/151,737
• Publication Number:
  US 20110227762A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 341/23
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0234 using switches operable in different directions
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/84 characterised by ergonomic functions, e.g. for miniature keyboards; characterised by operational sensory functions, e.g. sound feedback legends H01H13/83
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2221/012 Joy stick type
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2221/016 Lever; Rocker
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2231/022 Telephone handset
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2239/022 with opto-electronic switch
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2239/026 Internal encoding, e.g. validity bit
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/23 Construction or mounting of dials or of equivalent devices; Means for facilitating the use thereof by improving visibility H04M1/22

Abstract

A telephone keypad for one touch text messaging the QWERTY pattern of keys in a matrix of nine keys. Using the quad position biasing keys only one touch is needed for each character, so in use to input the letter “C” you touch one key one time, decreasing the time spend text messaging from cell phones or desk tops and dialing phone numbers advertised in letters. The keypad also has a shift key to get upper case included in the nine keys, and a 2^nd key to double functionality of the keys.

Claims

1-14. -14. (canceled)

15. A keypad switch, comprising

a keypad housing with a top surface;

a lower mount surface;

a key stem extending from said top surface of said keypad housing towards said lower mount surface; and

a first and a second pressure sensing elements disposed on said lower mount surface, said first and second pressure sensing elements each extending in a plane perpendicular to said lower mount surface with said key stem positioned between said first and second pressure sensing elements,

wherein said key stem is slidable in first and second opposite directions towards and away from each of said first and second pressure sensing elements by movements imparted to said key stem at said top surface,

wherein said key stem has contacting surfaces for contacting each of said first and second pressure sensing elements when said key stem is slid towards each of said first and second pressure sensing elements,

wherein said first and second pressure sensing elements measure a pressure exerted by said contacting surfaces of said key stem on said first and second pressure sensing elements when said key stem is slid towards each of said first and second pressure sensing elements, and

wherein said first and second pressure sensing elements provide an output representative of said pressure exerted by said contacting surfaces.

16. The keypad switch of claim 15 further comprising:

third and fourth pressure sensing elements disposed on said lower mount surface with said key stem positioned between said third and fourth pressure sensing elements, each of said third and fourth pressure sensing elements extending in a plane perpendicular to said lower mount surface, said third and fourth pressure sensing elements being disposed at an angle offset from said first and second pressure sensing elements; and

wherein said key stem is slidable in third and fourth opposite directions towards and away from each of said first and second pressure sensing elements by movements imparted to said key stem at said top surface,

wherein said key stem has contacting surfaces for contacting each of said third and fourth pressure sensing elements when said key stem is slid towards each of said third and fourth pressure sensing elements,

wherein said third and fourth pressure sensing elements measure a pressure exerted by said contacting surfaces of said key stem on said third and fourth pressure sensing elements when said key stem is slid towards each of said third and fourth pressure sensing elements, and

wherein said third and fourth pressure sensing elements provide an output representative of said pressure exerted by said contacting surfaces.

17. The keypad switch of claim 16 wherein said angle is 90 degrees.

18. The keypad switch of claim 16 wherein said key stem is movable in downward and upward directions which are perpendicular to each of said first, second, third and fourth directions and further comprising:

a down sensing element disposed on said lower mount surface between said first and second pressure sensing elements and between said third and fourth pressure sensing elements, said down sensing element sensing downward movement of said key stem.

19. A keypad which can be used to enter numbers, alphabet letters, or symbols using a plurality of keys where the keys are arranged to mimic a “

qwerty”

keyboard, comprising;

nine keys arranged in three rows of three keys each where the three keys of said three rows are arranged in columns, said three rows constituting a top row, a middle row, and a bottom row, wherein each key of said nine keys has a top surface which has a plurality of letters thereon, and wherein a majority of said nine keys are slidable in at least two different directions parallel to said top surface from a resting position,

wherein said three keys in said top row indicate at least nine of ten letters of a top row of a “

qwerty”

keyboard and indicate at least nine of letters Q, W, E, R, T, Y, U, I, O, and P,

wherein said three keys in said middle row indicate nine letters of a middle row of a “

qwerty”

keyboard and indicate letters A, S, D, F, G, H, J, K and L,

wherein said three keys in said bottom row indicate seven letters of a bottom row of a “

qwerty”

keyboard and indicate letters Z, X, C, V, B, N, and M,

wherein each of said nine keys are positioned in a keypad housing with a top surface and a lower mount surface, and

wherein each of said nine keys includes a key stem extending from said top surface of said keypad housing towards said lower mount surface;

first and second sensing elements associated with each of said nine keys, said first and second sensing elements being disposed on said lower mount surface, said first and second sensing elements each extending in a plane perpendicular to said lower mount surface with one of said key stems of said nine keys positioned between said first and second sensing elements,

wherein each key stem is slidable in first and second opposite directions towards and away from each of said first and second sensing elements by movements imparted to said key stem at said top surface,

wherein each key stem has contacting surfaces for contacting each of said first and second sensing elements when said key stem is slid towards each of said first and second sensing elements,

wherein each first and second sensing elements provide an output when contacted by each key stem; and

third and fourth sensing elements associated with each of said nine keys, said third and fourth sensing elements disposed on said lower mount surface, said third and fourth sensing elements each extending in a plane perpendicular to said lower mount surface with one of said key stems of said nine keys positioned between said third and fourth sensing elements, said third and fourth pressure sensing elements being disposed at an angle offset from said first and second pressure sensing elements, and

wherein each key stem is slidable in third and fourth opposite directions towards and away from each of said third and fourth sensing elements by movements imparted to said key stem at said top surface,

wherein each key stem has contacting surfaces for contacting each of said third and fourth sensing elements when said key stem is slid towards each of said third and fourth sensing elements,

wherein said third and fourth sensing elements provide an output when contacted by each key stem.

20. The keypad of claim 19 wherein said angle is 90 degrees.

21. The keypad of claim 19 wherein each of said first, second, third and fourth sensing elements are pressure sensing elements, and said output provided by each of said first, second, third and fourth sensing elements is representative of pressure exerted by said contacting surfaces on said first, second, third and fourth sensing elements.

22. A keypad having multiple key pad switches, each keypad switch, comprising

a keypad housing with a top surface;

a lower mount surface;

a key stem extending from said top surface of said keypad housing towards said lower mount surface; and

a first and a second pressure sensing elements disposed on said lower mount surface, said first and second pressure sensing elements each extending in a plane perpendicular to said lower mount surface with said key stem positioned between said first and second pressure sensing elements,

wherein said key stem is slidable in first and second opposite directions towards and away from each of said first and second pressure sensing elements by movements imparted to said key stem at said top surface,

wherein said key stem has contacting surfaces for contacting each of said first and second pressure sensing elements when said key stem is slid towards each of said first and second pressure sensing elements,

wherein said first and second pressure sensing elements measure a pressure exerted by said contacting surfaces of said key stem on said first and second pressure sensing elements when said key stem is slid towards each of said first and second pressure sensing elements, and

wherein said first and second pressure sensing elements provide an output representative of said pressure exerted by said contacting surfaces.

23. The keypad of claim 22 wherein each keypad switch further comprises:

third and fourth pressure sensing elements disposed on said lower mount surface with said key stem positioned between said third and fourth pressure sensing elements, each of said third and fourth pressure sensing elements extending in a plane perpendicular to said lower mount surface, said third and fourth pressure sensing elements being disposed at an angle offset from said first and second pressure sensing elements; and

wherein said key stem is slidable in third and fourth opposite directions towards and away from each of said first and second pressure sensing elements by movements imparted to said key stem at said top surface,

wherein said key stem has contacting surfaces for contacting each of said third and fourth pressure sensing elements when said key stem is slid towards each of said third and fourth pressure sensing elements,

wherein said third and fourth pressure sensing elements measure a pressure exerted by said contacting surfaces of said key stem on said third and fourth pressure sensing elements when said key stem is slid towards each of said third and fourth pressure sensing elements, and

wherein said third and fourth pressure sensing elements provide an output representative of said pressure exerted by said contacting surfaces.

24. The keypad of claim 23 wherein said angle is 90 degrees.

25. The keypad claim 23 wherein said key stem of each keypad switch is movable in downward and upward directions which are perpendicular to each of said first, second, third and fourth directions and further comprising:

a down sensing element disposed on said lower mount surface between said first and second pressure sensing elements and between said third and fourth pressure sensing elements, said down sensing element sensing downward movement of said key stem.