# US 2013/0157230 A1 · Electronic braille typing interface

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- Number: US 2013/0157230 A1
- Document ID: US20130157230A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/650,013
- Filed: 2012-10-11
- Published: 2013-06-20
- Earliest claimed: 2009-07-23
- Assignees: Perkins School for the Blind
- Inventors: David Morgan
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130157230A1

## CPC

- G09B 21/02: Devices for Braille writing (typewriters for Braille B41J3/32)
- G09B: EDUCATIONAL OR DEMONSTRATION APPLIANCES; APPLIANCES FOR TEACHING, OR COMMUNICATING WITH, THE BLIND, DEAF OR MUTE; MODELS; PLANETARIA; GLOBES; MAPS; DIAGRAMS (devices for psychotechnics or for testing reaction times A61B5/16; games, sports, amusements A63; projectors, projector screens G03B)

## Abstract

A user interface system for entry of Braille input to electronic devices comprises a module with a single set of six tactile keys arranged in a 6 dot Braille configuration. The user interface system is configured to recognize data entered therein by user contact with one or more of the tactile keys as Braille input and to transmit said Braille input to an electronic device for display or further transmission. The interface further includes function keys which allow the user to manipulate, modify, or otherwise control the data entered and how the data is transmitted.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A user interface system for Braille entry to electronic devices comprising:
a module with a single set of six tactile keys arranged in a 6 dot Braille configuration and a communications interface for connection to an electronic device;
said user interface system configured to recognize data entered therein by user contact With one or more of the tactile keys as Braille input and to transmit said Braille input to said electronic device for display or further transmission,

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the module further comprises one or more audio outputs and one or more optional visual outputs.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The system of claim 2, wherein said one or more audio outputs and one or more optional visual outputs provides voice and visual verification of said Braille key inputs.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The system of claim 2, wherein said one or more audio outputs comprises one or more of a headphone port and audio speakers and said one or more visual outputs comprises a visual display.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein said module further comprises one or more components for input of volume adjustment, power adjustments, adding capitalization, word spacing, line spacing, punctuation and text correction to text output generated by Braille key inputs.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein said system is configured for interpreting Braille inputs as Braille contractions.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein said system is configured to recognize all possible 6 dot Braille permutations of tactile key inputs and to transmit said inputs as audio or visible letter outputs.

### Claim 8

(canceled)

### Claim 9

(canceled)

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the communications interface comprises one or more of a data transmission cable, or a wireless communication interface.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein said Braille key inputs include an auto-refresh function.

### Claim 12

A user interface system for Braille entry, comprising;
a module comprising a communications interface for connection to an electronic device and a single set of six independent input keys arranged in a two-by-three side by side relationship, each input key corresponding to a dot of a Braille cell;
said input keys utilizing electronic actuators or haptic vibrators for transmission, of user contact with one or more of the six input keys to said electronic device in communication therewith.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The system of claim 12, wherein the communications interface communicates with an application executed by the electronic device.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The system of claim 13, wherein said electronic device converts activation of said keys in a manner conforming to a Braille character to a corresponding alphabet letter.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The system of claim 13 wherein said electronic device converts activation of said input keys conforming to a Braille numerical character to a number.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

The system of claim 13, wherein electronic device converts activation of said input keys conforming to a Braille entry to voice verification of said letters or words formed by said input key activation.

### Claim 17 (depends on 13)

The system of claim 13, further comprising audio outputs.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The system of claim 17, wherein said audio outputs are hard wired or are connected to said module by wireless communication.

### Claim 19

A Braille User Interface system, comprising:
an electronic device case, said case further comprising tactile entry points corresponding to keys in a 6 dot Braille input array, said ease capable of interfacing with an electronic device.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The system of claim 19, wherein said electronic device has a touch sensitive screen and the case is positioned over said electronic device touch sensitive screen with the tactile entry points interfacing with the touch sensitive screen.

### Claim 21 (depends on 20)

The system of claim 20, wherein at least said tactile entry points comprise a material capable of transmitting sufficient beat energy from a user's fingertips to activate the touch sensitive screen.

### Claim 22 (depends on 19)

The system of claim 19, wherein said electronic device has a pressure sensitive screen responsive to finger pressure and the case is positioned over said electronic device touch sensitive screen with the tactile entry points interfacing with the pressure sensitive screen.

### Claim 23 (depends on 22)

The system of claim 22, wherein at least said tactile entry points comprise a material or mechanism capable of transmitting sufficient, pressure from a users fingertips to activate the pressure responsive touch sensitive screen.

### Claim 24 (depends on 19)

The system of claim 19, wherein the interface is a signal conductive component interconnecting data ports on the electronic device and the ease tor exchange of data.

### Claim 25 (depends on 19)

The system of claim 19, wherein said case wirelessly exchanges data with said electronic device.

### Claim 26 (depends on 19)

The system of claim 19, wherein communication between the case and the electronic device does interfere with the access to an electrical charging port on said electronic devices.

### Claim 27 (depends on 19)

The system of claim 19 wherein said ease covets only a portion of the screen of said electronic device.

### Claim 28 (depends on 19)

The system of claim 19 wherein said electronic device is a computer mouse.

### Claim 29

A method of converting Braille input to letters or words as sound output or a visual display comprising:
providing a Braille input module comprising a communications interface for connection to an electronic device and a single array of six independent input keys arranged in a two-by-three side by side relationship said array m communication with Braille translation software, each input key corresponding to a dot of a Braille cell;
providing digital contact to the six independent input keys to generate a Braille output recognizable by the Braille translation software, said Braille translation software converting said Braille output to an electronic output.

### Claim 30 (depends on 29)

The method of claim 29, wherein the electronic output comprises a visual display of Roman alphabet characters and number characters in the form of a written display of the electronic device,

### Claim 31 (depends on 29)

The method of claim 29, further comprising transmitting the Braille input to the electronic device.

### Claim 32 (depends on 29)

The method of claim 29 further comprising providing an audio or video output.

### Claim 33 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the module comprises a ease for the electronic device

### Claim 34 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the single set of six tactile keys are configured to overlay a touch screen of the electronic device when the module is installed as a case for the electronic device.