WO2009059479A1

WO2009059479A1 - Input devices with virtual input interfaces

Info

Publication number: WO2009059479A1
Application number: PCT/CN2007/071028
Authority: WO
Inventors: Pohsien Chiu
Original assignee: Pohsien Chiu
Priority date: 2007-11-07
Filing date: 2007-11-07
Publication date: 2009-05-14

Abstract

An input device detects positions on that fingers locate and knock, and then shows the corresponding keys on a virtual keyboard of a screen or inputs into the screen. The input device can function as a keyboard, mouse and etc.

Description

INPUT DEVICES WITH VIRTUAL INPUT INTERFACES

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to input devices. More particularly, the present invention relates to input devices with virtual input interfaces.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The conventional mobile devices possess keyboards of reduced sizes and different arrangements, and thus users have to change their input habits. It causes great inconvenience and decelerates the speed to input.

To achieve both mobility and utility, the prior art has provided an input device having a detector to detect the movements of a user's fingers and then input accordingly. However, the additional project device is required to project a virtual keyboard, and thus increases the consuming power and the manufacture cost. Moreover, when keying in the reduced keys of a traditional mobile device, its input speed cannot be as fast as keying in a normal keyboard since a user of the traditional mobile device usually has to press more than twice to input one character.

Furthermore, the traditional notebook keyboard cannot be incorporated with a mouse, a pen tablet, graphic tablet, or piano keys because of the current mechanism, which becomes more complex when being made to be foldable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, the objectives of the present invention are to solve the above-mentioned problems. According to the first embodiment, the invention provides an input device, comprising: a detector for detecting one or more locations of one or more fingers; a processor for mapping the one or more locations to one or more corresponding keys; and a screen for displaying a virtual keyboard that shows the one or more corresponding keys.

According to the second embodiment, the invention provides an input device, comprising: a first layer key set, wherein each key of the first layer key set represents a character set, and a selected character set is selected by pressing a key of the first layer key set; a screen for displaying a virtual keyboard that shows the selected character set; and a second layer key set, wherein each key of the second layer key set represents a character of the selected character set that varies based on the key of the first layer key set pressed, and a selected character is selected from the selected character set by pressing a key of the second layer key set. Alternatively, the invention provides an input device, comprising: a first layer key set, wherein each key of the first layer key set represents and is labeled with a character set, and a selected character set is selected by pressing a key of the first layer key set; and a second layer key set, wherein each key of the second layer key set represents a character of the selected character set that varies based on the key of the first layer key set pressed, and a selected character is selected from the selected character set by pressing a key of the second layer key set.

According to the third embodiment, the invention provides an input device, comprising: a touch-sensitive board that is labeled with a keyboard pattern and is foldable, the keyboard pattern has multiple labeled characters or commands, wherein when an input is executed, the touch-sensitive board creates a touch signal according to a touch of a finger that touches one or more of the multiple labeled characters or commands; a processor for mapping the touch signal to one or more corresponding characters or commands; and a screen for displaying the input according to the one or more corresponding characters or commands, wherein the screen is separated from the touch-sensitive board. Alternatively, the invention provides an input device, comprising: a touch-sensitive board labeled with a keyboard pattern having multiple labeled characters or commands, wherein when an input is executed, the touch-sensitive board creates a touch signal according to a touch of a finger that touches one or more of the multiple labeled characters or commands, and the touch-sensitive board creates a series of movement signals according to a movement of the finger that continues pressing the touch-sensitive board; a processor for mapping the touch signal to one or more corresponding characters or commands, and mapping the series of movement signals to a cursor movement; and a screen for displaying the input according to the one or more corresponding characters or commands and the cursor movement, wherein the screen is separated from the touch-sensitive board.

According to the fourth embodiment, the invention provides an input device, comprising: a vibration board whose different sections being hit create different vibration frequencies; and a detector for receiving a vibration that is created from a section of the vibration board being hit, wherein a vibration frequency of the vibration is used for instructing a corresponding input.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings where: Figure 1 shows an input device with the virtual keyboard showing movements of fingers on a screen;

Figure 2A shows an input device with double-layer input; Figure 2B is a detailed view showing a screen in Figure 2A; Figure 3 shows a touch-sensitive board based input device;

Figure 4A shows a vibration frequency based input device;

Figure 4B shows a cross section of a transversal cross-sectional line in Figure 4A; and Figure 4C shows a cross section of a longitudinal cross-sectional line in Figure 4A.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Regarding the traditional keyboard input, the location showing a key is also the location to be pressed by a finger. On the contrary, a first embodiment of the invention separates the location showing a key from the location to be pressed by a finger, and provides an input device with the virtual keyboard showing movements of fingers on a screen. Please refer to Figure 1, which shows an input device according to the first embodiment of the invention.

After an input device 100 is activated, a detector 116 thereof can detect the locations of fingers of two hands 112 and 114 of a user. The screen 102 displays a virtual keyboard 104 and a processor shows corresponding keys in the virtual keyboard 104 according to the locations of the detected fingers. For example, the virtual keyboard 104 of the screen 102 highlights the corresponding letters A, S, E, and F according to locations of a little finger, a ring finger, a middle finger, and an index finger of the left hand 112 that appear in the detected range 110, and highlights the corresponding letters Y, J, K, and L according to locations of an index finger, a middle finger, a ring finger, and a little finger of the right hand 114 that appear in the detected range 110. When a letter "E" is to be input, the middle finger of the left hand can be used to hit the location where it is. Then, the detector 116 detects that the hit location corresponds to a virtual key "E", and the letter "E" 120 is input before the input pointer 122.

Alternatively, the virtual keyboard 104 can be a mini-virtual keyboard 105 that merely shows keys corresponding to the locations where the fingers are in order to reduce the area occupied by the virtual keyboard 104. And, the mini-virtual keyboard 105 can move by following the input pointer 122 on the screen 102. Or, the virtual keyboard 104 can be displayed translucent so as not to hide its background.

Furthermore, the detector 116 can be mounted on the bottom of the input device 100 and the detected range 110 can be set to cover a height range within about 0.4 cm from the plane and an area range with the width and the length of a traditional keyboard. Therefore, the rage that the detector 116 detects can be reduced, and a user will not input by accident when the fingers get out of the detected range 110. Moreover, the screen 102 does not display the virtual keyboard 104 if there is no finger detected by the detector 116, and the screen 102 displays the virtual keyboard 104 if there is any finger detected by the detector 116.

Besides, a user who do not intend to input may place fingers on the plane, and thus it may make a mistake if the action that a finger touches the plane is directly determined as a "hit". To solve the above-mentioned problem, the detector 116 can detect the locations of a finger in sequential timings and detect the finger that touches a plane. When the finger is detected touching the plane, the processor calculates a vertical speed of the finger based on vertical heights of the one or more locations detected by the detector 116 in the last sequential timings. If the vertical speed exceeds a predetermined speed that is deemed a hit speed, the processor determines that the finger executes a hit for input and the location of the plane that the finger touches is the hit location. Then, the processor maps the hit location to a corresponding character (e.g. A, B, C and etc.) or a corresponding command (e.g. Ctrl, Shift, Alt, and etc.)

Additionally, the virtual keyboard 104 switches between different kinds of keyboards. For example, the virtual keyboard 104 can switch to piano keys (not shown) to play the music.

Moreover, the invention can further incorporate the function of virtual mouse. The processor can control a cursor of the screen 102 according to the movement of one or more fingers, and thus the one or more fingers can act as a virtual mouse.

Alternatively, the invention can further incorporate the function of the pen tablet and the graphic tablet. The input device 100 can further comprise: a grip pen 130 for creating a signal when buttons 132 or 134 thereof are pressed; and a receiver 138 for receiving the signal. Wherein, the detector 116 detects a location of the grip pen 130; and the processor controls a cursor of the screen 102 according to the location of the grip pen 130 and the signal to execute a writing function or a drawing function. Wherein, the signal for communicating the grip pen 130 with the receiver 138 can be a wireless signal or a wired signal.

The detector 116 can be an optical detector, for example, a Charge-Coupled Device (CCD), a Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) Device, or a Position Sensitive Device (PSD). Alternatively, the detector 116 can be an acoustic detector can be an active sonar based detector that creates sequential acoustic waves and then receives the sequential reflected acoustic waves from fingers in order to detect multiple locations of the fingers in sequential timings; or can be a passive sonar based detector that receives a sound made from a hit location in order to detect the hit location according to the distance or the direction relative to the location that makes the sound.

As is apparent from the above-mentioned description, the virtual keyboard is not required to be projected onto the plane, and thus the project device and the electrical power required to project can be omitted. Furthermore, when checking the locations of fingers on the keyboard is required, the user does not need to move eyes from the screen to the desk top, like inputting on the conventional keyboard, and thus the input speed can be improved.

In the conventional keyboard of the mobile device, a user uses a single hand to press one key multiple times to input one character. On the contrary, the second embodiment of the invention provides an improved keyboard with double-layer input where a user can use two hands to press two keys once to input one character.

Please refer to Figure 2A, which shows an input device according to the second embodiment of the invention, an input device 200 is designed for a right-handed user, and thus a first layer key set 250 is arranged on left side of a screen 202 (right side for a left-handed user) in order to be easily held. Please also refer to Figure 2B, which is a detailed view showing a screen 202 in Figure 2A. The screen 202 displays a virtual keyboard 204 comprising six character sets "Q, W, E, R, T" 232, "A, S, D, F, G" 234, "Z, X, C, V, B" 236, "Y, U, I, O, P" 238, "H, J, K, L, ':'" 240, and "N, M, ',', '.', V" 242, which correspond to keys 252, 254, 256, 253, 255, and 257 of the first layer key set 250 of Figure 2 A, respectively. For example, the user that wants to input a letter "U" can select a key 253 from the first layer key set 250 by his left hand, and the character set "Y, U, I, O, P" 238 will be highlighted in the virtual keyboard 204. Then, the user can use the physical button set, numeral keys 0-9, as the second layer key set, and select the number "2" by his right hand to select the second left letter "U" from the character set 238. Accordingly, the screen 202 can show the inputted letter "U" 220.

Alternatively, the virtual keyboard 204 can merely show the selected character set, e.g. the character set 238, without showing other character sets. Furthermore, the selected character set of the virtual keyboard 204 can move by following the input pointer 222 on the screen 202, like what the character set 224 dose. Furthermore, if the screen 202 is a touch-sensitive screen, the character set 224 or 238 thereof can be used as the second layer key set, and the user can touch a character of the character set 224 or 238 to select the character.

Alternatively, the first layer key set can be incorporated into the keyboard of the conventional input device. For example, the physical buttons Bl-B 6 under the screen 202 can be used as the first layer key set. Alternatively, the screen 202 does not show a virtual keyboard, but each key of the first layer key set 250 can be labeled with a character set. Thus, when a key of the first layer key set 250 is pressed, the labeled character set can be selected. Then, a key of the second layer key set (numeral keys 0-9) is pressed to select a corresponding character from the labeled character set. As is apparent from the above-mentioned description, the invention provides a keyboard that can be keyed in by two hands, and thus dramatically improves the speed to input on the mobile device. If it is necessary, the physical structure of the conventional mobile device may keep intact.

The conventional touch-sensitive screen incorporates the touch-sensitive board into the screen. But, the third embodiment of the invention separates the touch-sensitive board from the screen and uses the touch-sensitive board as the foldable keyboard to improve the mobility by taking advantage of the simple and thin structure of the touch-sensitive board.

Please refer to Figure 3, which shows an input device according to the third embodiment of the invention. An input device 300 can comprise: a touch-sensitive board 304 that can be mounted on the input device 300 and can be labeled with a keyboard pattern that has multiple key-patterns labeled by characters or commands for a user that executes an input accordingly, wherein the touch-sensitive board 304 creates a touch signal according to a touch of a finger that touches one or more of the multiple key-patterns labeled by characters or commands; a processor (not shown) for mapping the touch signal to one or more corresponding characters or commands; and a screen 302 for displaying the input according to the one or more corresponding characters or commands. Among them, the touch-sensitive board 304 can employ one or a combination of: capacitive, resistive, acoustic, and optical sensing technique.

Moreover, the touch-sensitive board 304, which can include a plate 310 and two fins (312, 314). When the touch-sensitive board 304 is to be folded, the two fins (312, 314) can be folded to the top of the plate 310 by two axes (306, 308) respectively. Or, without the two axes (306, 308), the two fins (312, 314) can be horizontally inserted into the plate 310 or moved over the plate, respectively.

The invention can further incorporate a virtual mouse or a handwriting function. When the touch-sensitive board 304 senses a movement of a finger that continues pressing the touch- sensitive board 304, the touch-sensitive board 304 creates a series of movement signals, and the processor controls a cursor on the screen 302 according to the series of movement signals. Thus, the finger can be taken as the virtual mouse. Furthermore, after the movement of the finger that continues pressing the touch-sensitive board 304, if the finger stops and then hits the touch-sensitive board, the touch-sensitive board 304 creates a signal instructing that a mouse left button is activated; or if the finger stops and then hits a section near a location that the finger stops, the touch-sensitive board 304 creates a signal instructing that a mouse right button or a mouse middle button is activated. Alternatively, the processor executes a handwriting function according to the series of movement signals. Moreover, the keyboard pattern of the touch-sensitive board 304 can be overlapped by another kind keyboard pattern (not shown) that has different key-labels, key-shapes, key-sizes, or key-arrangements from the keyboard pattern of the touch-sensitive board 304. For example, it can be overlapped by patterns of piano keys to play the music.

Alternatively, the invention can further incorporate the function of a pen tablet or a graphic tablet. The input device 300 can further comprise: a grip pen 320 for creating a controlling signal when one of buttons (322, 324) thereof is pressed; and a receiver 328 for receiving the signal. Wherein, the touch-sensitive board 304 creates a location signal by sensing a location where the grip pen 320 touches the touch-sensitive board 304. And then, the processor controls a cursor of the screen 302 according to the controlling signal and the location signal in order to execute a writing function or a drawing function. Wherein, the controlling signal can be: a wireless signal; a signal transmitted by the touch-sensitive board 304; or a wired signal connecting the grip pen 320 with the receiver 328 by an electric cord.

As is apparent from the above-mentioned description, the invention is easy to be incorporated into the structure of the mobile device, and can possess the same size as the conventional keyboard after being unfolded. Moreover, the function of the mouse, the pen tablet, the graphic tablet, or the piano keys can be incorporated into a keyboard. Wherein, touch-sensitive board 304 can comprises a switch key 318 in order to switch between the above-mentioned functions.

The fourth embodiment of the invention provides a vibration frequency based input device that determines a corresponding input according to the physical property that different sections of a vibration board hit or rubbed creates different vibration frequencies.

Please refer to Figure 4A, which shows a vibration frequency based input device 400 according to the fourth embodiment of the invention. Among them, different sections of a vibration board 404 being hit create different vibrations, which possess different vibration frequencies including fundamental tones, over tones, and harmonic tones. The vibration board 404 transmits the different vibration to a detector 416, and the detector 416 receives the different vibrations. Then, different corresponding inputs are determined according to the different vibration frequencies, and a screen (not shown) displays results of the different corresponding inputs processed by a processor (not shown). Wherein, the vibration board 404 can comprise one or more films made by the vibration sensitive material and supported by one or more longitudinal or transversal bars to form a vibration structure. Moreover, different sections of the vibration board 404 can possess different structures or surface material to enhance the difference of the vibration frequencies of different sections. To improve the mobility, the vibration board can be foldable. Furthermore, the plate 404 can be labeled with a keyboard pattern, and each key pattern of the keyboard pattern corresponds to a character or a command.

According to the vibration and sound principles of the musical instruments, for example, when a section of a key "Ctrl" of the plate 404 is pressed, an another section of a key "A" of the plate 404 that is then hit creates an another vibration frequency, which is different from the vibration frequency created when the section of the key "Ctrl" of the plate 404 is not pressed. That is, when the section of the key "A" is hit, the vibration frequency created when the section of the key "Ctrl" is pressed is different from that created when the section of the key "Ctrl" is not pressed. Thus, a composite-key code input (such as, "Ctrl+A") can be determined by the another vibration frequency.

Moreover, the invention can further incorporate a virtual mouse or a handwriting function. The plate 404 can possess a rough surface. When a finger rubs the rough surface, the vibration board 404 creates a series of vibrations and transmits the series of vibrations to the detector 416. After the detector 416 receives the series of vibration, the movement of the finger is determined by a series of vibration frequencies of the series of vibrations and moves a cursor on the screen according to the movement of the finger. Furthermore, after the finger rubs on the rough surface, if the finger stops and then hits the vibration board, the vibration board creates a vibration instructing that a mouse left button is activated; or if the finger stops and then hits a section near the location that the finger hits, the vibration board creates a vibration instructing that a mouse right button or a mouse middle button is activated. Alternatively, a handwriting function is executed according to the series of vibration frequencies.

Wherein, the surface of the vibration board 404 in Figure 4A can comprise a plurality of grain-shape protrusions. Please refer to Figure 4B, which shows a cross section of a transversal cross-sectional line X 1X2 of the vibration board 404 in Figure 4 A; and Figure 4C, which shows a cross section of a longitudinal cross-sectional line Y1Y2 of the vibration board 404 in Figure 4A. That is, a grain-shape protrusion 405 is asymmetric in its transversal cross section and longitudinal cross section in order to create different vibration frequencies when the finger rubs the surface of the vibration board in different directions. Because the above-mentioned vibration frequencies are different, the directions that the finger moves can be determined thereby.

The invention can further incorporate the function of a pen tablet or a graphic tablet. The input device 400 can further comprise a grip pen 420 comprising: a tip 426 that can vibrate; and one or more buttons (422, 424) for controlling the vibration created by the tip 426. When the tip 426 touches the vibration board 404, the tip 426 makes the vibration board 404 create a point vibration, and then the vibration board 404 transmits the point vibration to the detector 404 in order to instruct a writing function or a drawing function. Wherein, the point vibration possesses a point vibration frequency that varies on the basis of sections where the grip pen 420 touches and the vibrations of the tip 426 itself.

Moreover, the keyboard pattern of the vibration board 404 can be overlapped by another kind keyboard pattern (not shown) that has different key-labels, key-shapes, key-sizes, or key- arrangements from the keyboard pattern of the vibration board 404. For example, it can be overlapped by patterns of piano keys to play the music. As is apparent from the above-mentioned description, the invention is easy to be incorporated into the structure of the mobile device, and can possess the same size as the conventional keyboard after being unfolded. Moreover, the function of the mouse, the pen tablet, the graphic tablet, or the piano keys can be incorporated into a keyboard. Wherein, the vibration board 404 can comprises a switch key 418 in order to switch between the above- mentioned functions. Moreover, if the vibration board 410 is separated from a computer system, the vibration board 410 can transmit frequencies to the detector of a computer system and thus the vibration board 410 can be taken as a wireless keyboard.

Although the present invention has been described in considerable detail with reference t certain preferred embodiments thereof, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the structure of the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. Therefore, it is intended that the present invention cover modifications and variations of this invention provided they fall within the scope of the following claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. An input device, comprising: a detector for detecting one or more locations of one or more fingers; a processor for mapping the one or more locations to one or more corresponding keys; and a screen for displaying a virtual keyboard that shows the one or more corresponding keys.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein when a finger touches a plane, the processor calculates a vertical speed of the finger based on vertical heights of the one or more locations detected by the detector in sequential timings; and the processor determines that the finger executes a hit for input if the vertical speed reaches a predetermined speed.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the virtual keyboard switches between different kinds of keyboards.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the processor controls a cursor of the screen according to movement of the one or more fingers.

5. The device of claim 1, further comprising: a grip pen for creating a signal; and a receiver for receiving the signal, wherein the detector detects a location of the grip pen; and the processor controls a cursor of the screen according to the location of the grip pen and the signal to execute a writing function or a drawing function.

6. An input device, comprising: a first layer key set, wherein each key of the first layer key set represents a character set, and a selected character set is selected by pressing a key of the first layer key set; a screen for displaying a virtual keyboard that shows the selected character set; and a second layer key set, wherein each key of the second layer key set represents a character of the selected character set that varies based on the key of the first layer key set pressed, and a selected character is selected from the selected character set by pressing a key of the second layer key set.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the screen is a touch-sensitive screen and the second layer key set is displayed on the screen.

8. The device of claim 6, wherein the first layer key set is a physical button set arranged beside or under the screen.

9. An input device, comprising: a first layer key set, wherein each key of the first layer key set represents and is labeled with a character set, and a selected character set is selected by pressing a key of the first layer key set; and a second layer key set, wherein each key of the second layer key set represents a character of the selected character set that varies based on the key of the first layer key set pressed, and a selected character is selected from the selected character set by pressing a key of the second layer key set.

10. An input device, comprising: a touch-sensitive board that is labeled with a keyboard pattern and is foldable, the keyboard pattern has multiple labeled characters or commands, wherein when an input is executed, the touch-sensitive board creates a touch signal according to a touch of a finger that touches one or more of the multiple labeled characters or commands; a processor for mapping the touch signal to one or more corresponding characters or commands; and a screen for displaying the input according to the one or more corresponding characters or commands, wherein the screen is separated from the touch-sensitive board.

11. The device of claim 10, further comprising: a grip pen for creating a controlling signal; and a receiver for receiving the controlling signal, wherein the touch-sensitive board senses a location of the grip pen in order to create a location signal; and the location signal and the controlling signal instruct a writing function or a drawing function.

12. The device of claim 10, wherein the keyboard pattern is overlapped by another kind keyboard pattern that has different key-labels, key-shapes, key-sizes, or key-arrangements from the keyboard pattern.

13. An input device, comprising: a touch-sensitive board labeled with a keyboard pattern having multiple labeled characters or commands, wherein when an input is executed, the touch-sensitive board creates a touch signal according to a touch of a finger that touches one or more of the multiple labeled characters or commands, and the touch-sensitive board creates a series of movement signals according to a movement of the finger that continues pressing the touch-sensitive board; a processor for mapping the touch signal to one or more corresponding characters or commands, and mapping the series of movement signals to a cursor movement; and a screen for displaying the input according to the one or more corresponding characters or commands and the cursor movement, wherein the screen is separated from the touch-sensitive board.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the touch-sensitive board is foldable.

15. The device of claim 13, further comprising: a grip pen for creating a controlling signal; and a receiver for receiving the controlling signal, wherein the touch-sensitive board senses a location of the grip pen in order to create a location signal; and the location signal and the controlling signal instruct a writing function or a drawing function.

16. The device of claim 13, wherein the keyboard pattern is overlapped by another kind keyboard pattern that has different key-labels, key-shapes, key-sizes, or key-arrangements from the keyboard pattern.

17. The device of claim 13, wherein the processor executes a handwriting function according to the series of movement signals.

18. An input device, comprising: a vibration board whose different sections being hit create different vibration frequencies; and a detector for receiving a vibration that is created from a section of the vibration board being hit, wherein a vibration frequency of the vibration is used for instructing a corresponding input.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein an another section of the vibration board is pressed to make the vibration possess an another vibration frequency in order to instruct a combined input.

20. The device of claim 18, wherein the vibration board is foldable.

21. The device of claim 18, wherein the vibration board is labeled with a keyboard pattern, and each key pattern of the keyboard pattern corresponds to a character or a command.

22. The device of claim 21, wherein the keyboard pattern is overlapped by another kind keyboard pattern that has different key-labels, key-shapes, key-sizes, or key-arrangements from the keyboard pattern.

23. The device of claim 18, wherein: the vibration board has a rough surface, which creates a series of vibrations when a finger rubs on the rough surface; the detector receives a series of vibration frequencies created by the series of vibrations; and the series of vibration frequencies instruct moving a cursor of a screen or instruct executing a handwriting function.

24. The device of claim 23, wherein the rough surface comprises a plurality of grain-shape protrusions, each of the grain-shape protrusions is asymmetric in its transversal cross section and longitudinal cross section in order to create different vibration frequencies when the finger rubs the rough surface in different directions.

25. The device of claim 18, further comprising: a grip pen comprising a tip that creates a point vibration on the vibration board when the tip touches the vibration board, and then the vibration board transmits the point vibration to the detector in order to instruct a writing function or a drawing function.