Gesture sensing split keyboard and approach for capturing keystrokes

• US 6,630,924 B1
• Filed: 02/22/2000
• Issued: 10/07/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lenovo PC International Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Peck, Charles C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Saras, Steven
• Assistant Examiner(s): ENGLISH, ALECIA DIANE
• Application Number:
  US09/507,668
• Time in Patent Office: 1,323 Days
• Field of Search: 345/168, 345/169, 345/158, 345/156, 345/173, 340/706, 340/679, 341/22, 400/472
• US Class Current: 345/168
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0213 Arrangements providing an integrated pointing device in a keyboard, e.g. trackball, mini-joystick for pointing devices integrated in a laptop computer G06F1/169; joysticks G05G9/047; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0219 Special purpose keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0221 Arrangements for reducing keyboard size for transport or storage, e.g. foldable keyboards, keyboards with collapsible keys G06F3/0216 takes precedence; for keyboards integrated in a laptop computer G06F1/1666
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0231 Cordless keyboards

Abstract

A gesture sensing split keyboard can couple the hand and keyboard rotations, can sense hand rotation and one or more keystrokes of each hand, can produce symbolic, control, command, and other types of information based upon all the sensed inputs, and can present the produced information to a computing, communications, or control device through electrical conductors, infrared transceivers, or other communications technologies. The various embodiments can be mounted on the operator'"'"'s hands, arms, or belt, on a desktop or other stable surface, or may be embedded in the target device, such as a laptop computer. The ability of certain embodiments to fold into a compact size for storage while providing ease-of-use of a full-sized keyboard when unfolded for typing makes them well suited for laptop computers. The ability of certain other embodiments to be mounted on the body of the user and to enable a wide range of user motion makes them well suited for mobile and pervasive computing applications and for potentially reducing repetitive stress injuries.

Claims

1. A split keyboard capable of sensing hand displacement of a portion of said split keyboard relative to a reference location to produce first information and one or more keystrokes of a hand on a respective split keyboard portion to produce second information to produce an interpretation of a user input based upon all sensed information whereby sensed displacement multiplies interpretations of respective keys.

2. The split keyboard as recited in claim 1, wherein the keyboard includes means to couple the displacement of the keyboard to the displacement of the user'"'"'s hand.

3. A gesture sensing split keyboard made up of two sections of keys, one for each hand of an operator, comprising:

a right half divided keyboard section capable of sensing displacement of said right half divided keyboard section by the right hand of an operator relative to a reference location during use, the right half divided keyboard section having a plurality of keys, individual groups of said keys being accessible by individual ones of the fingers of the operator'"'"'s right hand;

a left half divided keyboard section capable of sensing displacement of said left half divided keyboard section by the left hand of an operator relative to a reference location during use, the left half divided keyboard section having a plurality of keys, individual groups of said keys being accessible by individual ones of the fingers of. the operator'"'"'s left hand; and

means for producing information based on sensed displacements of the operator'"'"'s hands and respective divided keyboard sections and depression of one or more keys whereby sensed displacement multiplies interpretations of respective keys.

4. The gesture sensing keyboard as recited in claim 3, further comprising:

a wrist angle detector mechanism for the right half divided keyboard section capable of detecting a plurality of wrist positions, each of said detected wrist positions in combination with a different key of the right half divided keyboard section identifying a different character; and

a wrist angle detector mechanism for the left half divided keyboard section capable of detecting a plurality of wrist positions, each of said detected wrist positions in combination with a different key of the left half divided keyboard section identifying a different character, whereby the number of characters which can be input is the product of the number of keys of each of said right and left half divided keyboards times a number of detectable wrist positions.

5. The gesture sensing keyboard as recited in claim 3, wherein at least one of said right and left half divided keyboard sections includes a pointing device and one or more selection buttons.

6. The gesture sensing keyboard as recited in claim 5, wherein the pointing device is accessible by the operator'"'"'s thumb and the selection button is accessible by the operator'"'"'s index and middle fingers.

7. The gesture sensing keyboard as recited in claim 3, wherein each of said right and left hand divided keyboard sections includes a space bar accessible by the operator'"'"'s thumb.

8. The gesture sensing split keyboard as recited in claim 3, further including a wireless communication device in each of said right and left half divided keyboard sections to communicate with the computer.

9. The gesture sensing keyboard as in claim 3, further including left and right hand brace assemblies each including a quick-release mechanism for each of said right and left half divided keyboard sections to allow the corresponding bracket assembly to be detached from the corresponding hand brace assembly.

10. The gesture sensing keyboard as in claim 3, further including a spring-loaded flip mechanism for each of said right and left half divided keyboard sections to allow the corresponding keyboard to be swung from the front of the hand to the back.

11. The gesture sensing split keyboard as recited in claim 3 wherein said means for producing information produces said information based on combinations of said sensed displacements and said displacements of said one or more keys.

12. A gesture sensing split keyboard having two sections for generating information, comprising:

a right hand half divided keyboard section on a swivel base, the right hand half divided keyboard capable of sensing displacement of an operator'"'"'s right hand together with said right hand divided keyboard relative to said swivel base and having a plurality of keys, individual groups of said keys being accessible by individual ones of the fingers of the operator'"'"'s right hand;

a left hand half divided keyboard section on a swivel base, the left hand half divided keyboard capable of sensing displacement of the operator'"'"'s left hand together with said right hand divided keyboard relative to said swivel base and having a plurality of keys, individual groups of said keys being accessible by individual ones of the fingers of an operator'"'"'s left hand;

means for producing information based on respective sensed displacements of the operator'"'"'s hands together with respective portions of said divided keyboard and depression of one or more keys whereby sensed rotation multiplies interpretations of respective keys.

13. The gesture sensing keyboard recited in claim 12, further comprising:

vertical separators between said individual groups of keys for the operator'"'"'s right hand fingers used to transmit a force from the right hand fingers to rotate the right hand rotating tilting swivel base;

a rotation sensor for the right hand half divided keyboard section for detecting a plurality of wrist positions, each of said detected wrist positions in combination with a different key of the right hand half divided keyboard section identifying a different character and having a possibility of cross keyboard character specification;

vertical separators between said individual groups of keys for the operator'"'"'s left hand fingers used to transmit a force from the left hand fingers to rotate the left hand rotating tilting swivel base; and

a rotation sensor for the left hand half divided keyboard section for detecting a plurality of wrist positions, each of said detected wrist positions in combination with a different key of the left hand half divided keyboard section identifying a different character and having a possibility of cross keyboard character specification.

14. The gesture sensing split keyboard as recited in claim 13, further comprising:

an adjustable in height and angle right palm rest which is adjustable in such way that the operator can reach all the keys without moving right hand; and

an adjustable in height and angle left palm rest which is adjusted in such way the operator can reach all the keys without moving left hand.

15. The gesture sensing keyboard as recited in claim 12, wherein at least one of said right and left half divided keyboard sections includes a pointing device and a selection button.

16. The gesture sensing keyboard as recited in claim 15, wherein the pointing device is accessible by the operator'"'"'s thumb and the selection buttons are accessible by the operator'"'"'s index and middle fingers.

17. The gesture sensing keyboard as recited in claim 16, further comprising vertical separators between said individual groups of keys and wherein the selection button is mounted on top of a vertical separator.

18. The gesture sensing keyboard as recited in claim 12, wherein each of said right and left hand divided keyboard sections includes a space bar accessible by the operator'"'"'s thumb.

19. The gesture sensing keyboard as recited in claim 12, wherein the rotating tilting swivel bases of said right and hand half divided keyboards are designed to be mounted up on a stable surface during use.

20. The gesture sensing keyboard as recited in claim 12, wherein the rotating tilting swivel bases of said right and left hand half divided keyboards are designed to be mounted on the operator'"'"'s belt for wearable computer configuration.

21. The gesture sensing keyboard as recited in claim 12, further including a wireless communication device in each of the right and left hand divided keyboards to communicate with the computer.

22. The gesture sensing split keyboard as recited in claim 12 wherein said means for producing information produces said information based on combinations of said sensed displacements and said displacements of said one or more keys.

23. A gesture sensing split keyboard for inputting information to a portable computing or communication device, comprising:

a right hand half divided keyboard section attached to and moveable with respect to said laptop computer, the right hand half divided keyboard section capable of sensing displacement of an operator'"'"'s right hand together with said right hand divided keyboard section relative to said portable computing or communication device and having a plurality of keys, individual groups of said keys being accessible by individual ones of the fingers of an operator'"'"'s right hand;

a left hand half divided keyboard section attached to and moveable with respect to said laptop computer, the left hand half divided keyboard section capable of sensing displacement of the operator'"'"'s left hand together with said left hand divided keyboard section relative to said portable computing or communication device and having a plurality of keys, individual groups of said keys being accessible by individual ones of the fingers of an operator'"'"'s left hand; and

means for producing information based on sensed displacements of the operator'"'"'s hands together with a respective divided keyboard section and depression of one or more keys whereby sensed rotation multiplies interpretations of respective keys.

24. The gesture sensing keyboard recited in claim 23, further comprising:

vertical separators between said individual groups of keys for the operator'"'"'s right hand fingers used to transmit a force from the right hand fingers to move the right hand half divided keyboard with respect to said laptop computer;

a motion sensor for the right hand half divided keyboard for detecting a plurality of positions of the right hand half divided keyboard, each of said detected positions in combination with a different key of the right hand half divided keyboard identifying a different character and having a possibility of cross keyboard character specification;

vertical separators between said individual groups of keys for the operator'"'"'s left hand fingers used to transmit a force from the left hand fingers to move the left hand half divided keyboard with respect to said laptop computer; and

a motion sensor for the left hand half divided keyboard for detecting a plurality of positions of the left hand half divided keyboard, each of said detected positions in combination with a different key of the left hand half divided keyboard identifying a different character and having a possibility of cross keyboard character specification.

25. The gesture sensing split keyboard as recited in claim 23, wherein the right and left hand half divided keyboards are pivoted on said portable computing or communication device to rotate about pivot points.

26. The gesture sensing split keyboard as recited in claim 23, further including latching mechanisms for each of the right and left hand half divided keyboards to stow the keyboards in a stored position when not in use.

27. The gesture sensing split keyboard as recited in claim 23, wherein the right and left hand half divided keyboards are mounted on a track to slide linearly along said track.

28. The gesture sensing split keyboard as recited in claim 23, further comprising a space bar mounted on a surface of the portable computing or communication device and accessible by the operator'"'"'s right or left thumb.

29. The gesture sensing split keyboard as recited in claim 28, further comprising a cursor pointing device mounted on said surface of the portable computing or communication device and accessible by the operator'"'"'s right or left index finger.

30. The gesture sensing split keyboard as recited in claim 29, further comprising at least one selector button mounted on said surface of the portable computing or communication device and accessible by the operator'"'"'s right or left thumb.

31. The gesture sensing split keyboard as recited in claim 23 wherein said means for producing information produces said information based on combinations of said sensed displacements and said displacements of said one or more keys.