US 2010/0225591 A1Published application

Highly compact keyboards

OwnerScott Macfarlaneinventor

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Abstract

Rules of operation for a first keyboard having a small number of keys based which exploit user familiarity with the physical layout and operation of a second keyboard having a much greater number of keys. The second keyboard is a familiar keyboard such as a QWERTY keyboard or a phone keypad, and the rules of operation for the first keyboard reflect the location of the keys of the second keyboard that are used to enter specific text characters and how those keys are operated to enter them. This method can apply to keyboards operating under predictive text algorithms, and enables modification of existing predictive text algorithms by enabling correction of incorrect guesses starting at different points in a guessed word, including from the first letter in the word. The rules of operation enable construction of keyboards with very few keys that are easy to master and efficient to operate.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method of entering a set of data strings into a typable device, the method comprising:

providing a multi-tap keyboard comprising a plurality of keys;
a first step of selectively operating one of the keys in a first mutually exclusive set of said plurality of keys of said multi-tap keyboard to communicate to said typable device a value for at least two input parameters for a contiguous set of keys of a second keyboard;
a second step of selectively operating one of the keys in a second mutually exclusive set of said plurality of keys of said multi-tap keyboard to communicate to said typable device a value for at least one input parameter for said contiguous set of keys of said second keyboard;
evaluating the values for said input parameters for said contiguous set of keys of said second keyboard communicated to said typable device by selective operation of said keys of said multi-tap keyboard to determine the specific key in said contiguous set of keys of said second keyboard and the specific manner of operation of said specific key that is specified by said values for said input parameters;
entering into said typable device the data string that would be entered into a typable device comprising said second keyboard by operating said specific key of said second keyboard in said specific manner of operation;
wherein said set of data strings consists of all data strings enterable into a typable device using said contiguous set of keys of said second keyboard without employing a shift key.

3 more elements

A typable device comprising:

a multi-tap keyboard operable to enter a set of data strings into said typable device comprising:
a first mutually exclusive group of keys operable to communicate to said typable device values for a first set of at least two input parameters for a contiguous set of keys of a second keyboard;
a second mutually exclusive group of keys operable to communicate to said typable device values for a second set of at least one input parameter for said contiguous set of keys of a second keyboard;
and
software instructions for evaluating the values entered for said first and second sets of input parameters and determining a data string to enter into said typable device;
wherein a key in said first mutually exclusive group of keys and a key in said second mutually exclusive group are operated in sequence to enter values for said input parameters;
and
wherein said set of data strings consists of only those data strings enterable into a typable device using said contiguous set of keys of said second keyboard without employing a shift key.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 12/723,344Filed 12 Mar 2010
Priority: 12 Sep 2007
Published: 9 Sep 2010
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification8 codes

H03M 11/12
By operating the multifunction key itself in different ways: by operating a key a selected number of consecutive times whereafter a separate enter…
G06F 3/0234
Character input methods: using switches operable in different directions
G06F 3/0237
Character input methods: using prediction or retrieval techniques
H03M 11/14
Coding of multifunction keys: by using additional keys, e.g. shift keys, which determine the function performed by the multifunction key