US 6,630,924 B1 · Gesture sensing split keyboard and approach for capturing keystrokes

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.

Claims31

Dependent claims

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.

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.

1 more element

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.

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.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Gesture sensing split keyboard and approach for capturing keystrokes

Life of this patent

Gesture sensing split keyboard and approach for capturing keystrokes

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims31