Switchable conversion of a standard keyboard to a braille interface
AssigneeIntel Corporation
InventorsSmit KAPILA, Prakash KURMA RAJU, Naveen KUMAR, Santosh GANGAL
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Abstract
Keyboards that are selectably configurable between a standard interface and a braille interface. In embodiments, the keyboard is equipped with six keys corresponding to six dots of a braille matrix, each of the keys equipped with a shape memory alloy spring or other mechanism to cause each of the keys to selectably extend above the keyboard plane. On activation, the six keys are extended and the remaining keys deactivated, to provide an easy to locate braille interface. On subsequent activation, the six keys are retracted and the keyboard is reverted to a standard interface. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.
Claims20
A keyboard, comprising:
- a key;
- a switch mechanism coupled to the key, the switch mechanism comprised of a spring to return the key to an undepressed position following a key press;
- and
- a controller electrically coupled to the spring;
- wherein:
- a length of the spring controls a height of the key above a substrate when undepressed, and
- the controller controls the length of the spring to adjust the height of the key between a first height and a second height.
A method, comprising:
- receiving, at a keyboard controller, a signal to switch to a braille interface;
- causing, by the keyboard controller in response to the signal, a subset of a plurality of keys of a keyboard to increase in height above a plane defined by surfaces of the plurality of keys;
- and
- disabling, by the keyboard controller, the remaining keys of the plurality of keys that are not part of the subset.
A system, comprising:
- a processor;
- a keyboard controller coupled to the processor;
- and
- a keyboard coupled to the keyboard controller, the keyboard comprising a plurality of keys, the keys having surfaces that form a plane above and parallel to a substrate plane,
- wherein:
- individuals of a subset of the plurality of keys comprises a switch mechanism, the switch mechanism further comprised of an actuator that is adapted to change the height of its associated key between a first height and a second height, the first height being coincident with the plane, and the second height being above the plane, and
- the keyboard controller is coupled to the actuators of the individual keys of the subset of the plurality of keys to selectively change the height of the individual keys.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.