Compact keyed input device
OwnerDavid Levyinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In a keypad device of the type that includes a unique output function as a consequence of physically adjacent keys or key equivalents operated simultaneously: a continuous elastomeric material with integrally molded key cap structure identifying individual and combination keys of minimal height differential with a sealed cursor control device placed with the key matrix a indentation in a non-exposed side near the center of a plurality of individually actuatable key switches; individual key switches in excess of the number of individual key caps.
Claims20
A compact keyboard structure including:
- a first plurality of key regions disposed substantially in a first plane, said first plane disposed proximate to a substrate, wherein the distance in at least one direction between the centers of adjacent ones of said first plurality of key regions, as measured along a primary axis, is less than, or approximately equal to half of the width of an adult human finger;
- a first plurality of legend zones, said first plurality of legend zones disposed proximate to a second plane, said second plane to be elevated above said first plane, each one of said first plurality of legend zones disposed to align centrally with an associated one of said first plurality of key regions, and each one of said first plurality of legend zones to be significantly smaller in area than half of the width of an adult human finger by half of the width of an adult human finger such as to provide said adult human finger means to exert force upon one of said first plurality of key regions without exerting force on an adjacent one or ones of said first plurality of key regions;
- a second plurality of key regions, each one of said second plurality of key regions including one of a plurality of interstitial points, each one of said interstitial points defined as being approximately equidistant between the centers of four adjacent ones of said first plurality of key regions, each one of said second plurality of key regions centered on an associated one of said interstitial points;
- and
- a second plurality of legend zones disposed proximate to said first plane and each one of said second plurality of legend zones disposed to align centrally with the center of an associated one of said second plurality of key regions.
A keypad device of the type that includes a first plurality of output functions in which each of said first plurality is activated as a consequence of an activation of the switch means of an associated four or more individual key cap means, each of said associated four or more individual key cap means to have an individual output function, wherein the number of individually actuatable key cap means associated with one of said first plurality of output functions define a first quantity in which the quantity of a plurality of key switch means associated with one of said first plurality of output functions is greater than said first quantity.
A miniaturized ergonomic keypad system including:
- a plurality of individually operable key switch means, each one of said plurality to output an associated one of a first plurality of output functions when pressed, wherein the distance in at least one direction between the centers of adjacent ones of said plurality of individually operable key switch means, as measured along a primary axis is approximately half the width of the human finger or less, each one of said plurality to include an elevated central area;
- a plurality of combinationally operable function output means, each one of said plurality of combinationally operable function output means disposed approximately centrally about a point equidistant to four adjacent ones of said plurality of individually operable key switch means, each one of said plurality of combinationally operable function output means to output one of a second plurality of output functions when at least one pair of opposing diagonal, adjacent ones of said individually operable key switch means are simultaneously pressed wherein the width of the human finger is defined as a human finger unit and said system is N human finger units by M human finger units, and the number of functions provided by said system is given by 8MN-2N-2M+1.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.