WO2010014030A1

WO2010014030A1 - Key (variants) and keyboard

Info

Publication number: WO2010014030A1
Application number: PCT/RU2009/000362
Authority: WO
Inventors: Dmitry Nikolaevich Nosov
Original assignee: Dmitry Nikolaevich Nosov
Priority date: 2008-07-31
Filing date: 2009-07-22
Publication date: 2010-02-04

Abstract

This invention covers input-output devices and in particular desktop computer, laptop computer, «pocket» computer, wired and mobile telephone keyboards and other units equipped with an input-output device. The technical result of this invention is the expansion of the functional capabilities and adding the convenience of use to input-output devices when working with applications that allow multiple character sets in multitasking operating systems, as well as adding the convenience to using input-output devices. The technical result is achieved by providing a keyboard with internal partitions and placing sources of light in the formed spaces; making the keys' top surfaces partially transparent for the luminescence and turning on the corresponding group of luminescence depending on the character set being currently active.

Description

KEY (VARIANTS) AND KEYBOARD FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to input-output devices, particularly to a desktop computer, laptop computer, «pocket» computer, wired and mobile telephone keyboards and other units equipped with an input-output device.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There are several commonly accepted standards currently used for different keyboards. For desktop computers, the standard is the IBM PC-XT keyboard with «QWERTY» layout; the same principle is partially carried over to laptop and «pocket» computers. For mobile telephones, the standard is the twelve-button keyboard.

The operating principle of any keyboard comes down to having a built-in controller that tracks the state of pressing and releasing one or more keys, whether that's serial or simultaneous, and transmitting the message about current state of the key to the processor of the device. The closest by the technical essence to the invention is the standard personal computer's keyboard of IBM's PC AT-486 model. It consists of a body with keys and a keyboard controller, where the controller's scanning outputs are connected with the corresponding key inputs, their signaling circuit's outputs are connected with the corresponding controller's inputs, and the controller's outputs designed for the conjunction with the digital device are at the same time the keyboard's outputs.

This keyboard has a multitude of modifications; however, there is a set of standard features of the implementation of such keyboard. One of such features is the overall design of the keyboard's areas. The keyboard is functionally divided into several areas. Normally, its upper part carries a row of the so-called functional keys, its right part contains the numeric block, and the center contains the alphabetical block of keys. The alphabetical area of keyboards used in the English-speaking countries contains keys with a single character; a number of such keys may have two characters at the most. However, that area on keyboards used in the countries that use the «extended» Latin character sets (characters like A, A, E, O, β, etc.), especially in the countries using additional to Latin alphabets, particularly Cyrillic, Arabic or Hebrew, contains at least two characters on each key. Laptop computer keyboards often have three or even four characters on each key. When working with a computer, user often uses both character sets.

The major shortage of such keyboards comes to the following.

When typing a text and/or commands, taking into account that the modern operating systems allow running more than one application at the same time, user must always keep in mind the character set that is currently active. The operating gets even more complicated when different applications running simultaneously begin to have different keyboard layouts enabled for them. Thus, for example, Word may have the Cyrillic character set active while Excel may keep using the Latin character set. Thus, when typing, user may fail to pay attention to the character set being currently active in a particular application. As a result, the commands/text (information) would be entered using a wrong character set, for example, a text in Russian typed using Latin characters and would have to be retyped.

The objective of the invention is to mitigate aforementioned problem by means of improvement in functional capabilities of keyboards. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to an input-output devices and in particular desktop computer, laptop computer, «pocket» computer, wired and mobile telephone keyboards and other units equipped with an input-output device. The technical effect of this invention is the improvement of the functional capabilities and adding the convenience of use to input-output devices when working with applications that allow multiple character sets in multitasking operating systems, as well as adding the convenience to using input-output devices. The technical result is achieved by providing a keyboard with internal partitions and placing sources of luminescence in the formed spaces; making the keys' top surfaces partially transparent for the luminescence and turning on the corresponding group of luminescence depending on the character set being currently active.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The objective is achieved as follows. A digital device's keyboard consists of a controller, data processing device, and keys. In this keyboard, a key provided in a way that its internal space is split into sections, not less than two. The sections are formed by a partition impenetrable for the internal luminescence and the key's outer sides. The partition can be made in a rectilinear and/or complex form, e.g., star-like with three or more beams. The partition and the outer sides can be light-proof. Each section of the key's internal space is equipped with a source of light, e.g., light emitting diode (LED).

The top surface area corresponding with each of such sector's internal space allows indicating a corresponding character on it; for example, when the key's top surface area is made transparent for light and has the shape of a corresponding character. The key is to be made in a way that the frequencies of the sources of light are to be different for each sector of the key, so that the character set visible to user would be different.

The keyboard allows adjusting the intensity of the light emitting by the source of light for each character set located in different areas of the top surface of a key. The method of displaying information on the keyboard keys where depending on the character set being currently active in the application currently running in the foreground is the internal source of luminescence, which is enabled when the character belongs to the current character set and disabled when the character belongs to a character set currently not being active. According to a first aspect of the present invention in a digital device keyboard having a controller and at least n light sources connected thereto, a key comprising a body with a top surface having n+1 areas bearing a character designation, provided that at least n of said areas is at least partially translucent, n is integer equal or greater than 1 ; said body provided with at least n-1 substantially opaque partitions, so as its internal space divided into n sections; at least n of said sections together with at least n of said sources of light is arranged so as to provide independent illumination of at least n of said at least partially translucent areas.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the key have substantially opaque rectilinear partition.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, said opaque partition is made in a shape of a star, having at least two beams.

According to a second aspect of the present invention in a digital device keyboard provided with a controller, a key comprising a body with a top surface having n+1 areas bearing a character designation and m sources of light and/or k liquid-crystal indicators connected to said controller, provided that z of said areas is at least partially translucent, n is integer equal or greater than 1, m and k are integers, provided that m+k is equal or greater than n, z is integer equal or greater than k, m sources of light and/or k liquid-crystal indicators is arranged so as to provide independent illumination and/or indication of at least n of said areas bearing a character designation. In an embodiment of the present invention, said light sources have different frequencies of light.

In one embodiment of the present invention, at least one of said sources of light located on inside of said body.

In yet one embodiment of the present invention, at least one of said source of light is located on the outside of said body.

In a further embodiment of the present invention, the frequencies of said light sources can be independently adjusted so as to provide different colors of light.

In another embodiment of the present invention the intensity of light of said light sources can be independently adjusted. In an embodiment of the present invention, said liquid-crystal indicator selected from the group, consisting of active matrix liquid-crystal indicator, thin film transistor liquid crystal indicator, dynamic-scattering liquid-crystal indicator, active-matrix liquid-crystal indicator, bacldit liquid crystal indicator, fluorescence-activated indicator, reflective-type liquid-crystal indicator, transmissive liquid-crystal indicator, dark-field liquid-crystal indicator, and light- field liquid-crystal indicator.

In a third aspect, the invention relates to a keyboard for a digital device, having a controller, comprising at least one aforementioned key. In an embodiment of the present invention, said digital device is a desktop computer or mobile computer selected from the group consisting of portable computer, pocket computer, netbook, and laptop.

In one embodiment of the present invention, said digital device is a telephone, selected from the group consisting of stationary telephone, mobile telephone, cellular telephone, and smartphone.

In yet one embodiment of the present invention said digital device is a remote control unit

In another embodiment of the present invention said digital device is a digital typewriter.

In a fifths aspect, the invention relates to a method of displaying information on a key equipped with at least two light sources on the keyboard containing at least one key, where when the character set is switched, whether it is switched by user directly or by switching the active application in an operating system that allows running multiple applications simultaneously followed by the automatic switching of the active character set, the digital device's processor sends the signal that turns on the light sources corresponding with the top surfaces of the keys that contain the characters of the active character set for the selected language.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Fig. 1 illustrates schematic view of keyboard. Fig. 2 illustrates the key in the plan.

Fig. 3 illustrates the key provided with the top surface being absent. Fig. 3 a illustrates an optional key provided with the top surface being absent.

Fig. 3b illustrates an optional key provided with the top surface being absent. Fig. 4 illustrates sectional view of the key.

EXAMPLES

Below is an example keyboard that demonstrates preferred embodiment on of the present invention. The input-output device is keyboard 1 comprising body 2 with a set of keys 3 on it

(Fig.l). The body 2 contains a controller and the keyboard's 1 data processing device (not shown) connected with keys 3. The controller connects the keyboard with the electronic device's processor. The body of the key 3 (Fig.2, Fig.3, Fig. 4) contains a partition 4, which splits the key into two approximately equal parts. Each of those parts has light sources (e.g. LED) 5, 5a, 5b, 5c, etc. Key 3 can be implemented with a partition 4 of a complex star-like form having 3, 4, 5, 6 or more beams, splitting the key's internal space respectively into three, four, five, and six parts (Fig. 3a, displays the four-beam implementation).

It is also possible to implement a star-like multiple-beam partition with the center of the beams matching the center of the key base as well as not matching it, positioned on an outer side of the key. (Fig. 3b shows a two-beam arrangement).

The keyboard may contain one and more, up to several hundreds of keys. The keyboard with the keys can be stored in the same case with a digital device (e.g., laptop computer, communicator, mobile telephone) or in a separate case (e.g., desktop computer keyboard). Keyboard 1 allows adjusting the frequency or the brightness of source of light (e.g., the brightness of LED). The keyboard allows the smooth or discrete adjustment of sources of light, as well as the light color of LED or other source of light. The adjustment of the visual parameters and the selection of the color are done through devices already known in the art and can be performed for the entire keyboard 1, a group of keys 3 or for each individual key 3.

The functional capabilities and the convenience of use to keyboard 1 of an electronic device are improved as follows. Once the operating system is loaded, from the electronic device's processor the keyboard controller 1 receives a signal on the entry language currently and set as default for the moment. Following that signal, a group of sources of light turns on (e.g., LED or other sources of light 5 or 5 a mounted in the sections of keys, the top surface of which allows the indication; e.g., has transparent or translucent areas 6 or 6a with the shape of characters/letters of the corresponding character set). Assume that it is a group of sources of light that turns on (e.g., LED or other sources of light 5 under areas, which are e.g., transparent, 6). Thus, on the keyboard 1 and each individual key 3 user will clearly see characters of only one character set.

When user runs an application, from the electronic device's processor the keyboard controller 1 receives a signal on the character set active for the moment when the application was run. If the character set that was active when the application was started does not match the character set being currently active, the corresponding group of sources of light (e.g., LED or other sources of light 5) turns off, simultaneously turning on another group of sources of light (LED or other sources of light 5a). Thus, when one group of sources of light (LED or other sources of light) switches to another one, on the keyboard 1 and each individual key 3 user will clearly see characters of only one character set, e.g., Cyrillic.

When opening another application and at the same time switching the first open application to the inactive mode, from the electronic device's processor the keyboard controller 1 receives a signal on the character set active for the moment when the other application was run. If the character set that was active when the other application was started does not match the character set being currently active, the corresponding group of sources of light (e.g., LED or other sources of light 5a) turns off, simultaneously turning on another group of sources of light (LED or other sources of light 5). Thus, when one group of sources of light (LED or other sources of light) switches to another one, on the keyboard 1 and each individual key 3 user will clearly see characters of only one character set, e.g., Latin.

Should user switch the active character set (e.g., from Latin to Cyrillic) by pressing keyboard shortcut combination or through other custom keyboard shortcuts, from the electronic device's processor the keyboard controller 1 receives a signal on switching the active character set. Thus, when one group of sources of light (LED or other sources of light) switches to another one, on the keyboard 1 and each individual key 3 user will clearly see characters of only one character set, e.g., Cyrillic.

Thus, talcing into account that the overwhelming majority of users constantly keep an eye on the keys while entering information through an electronic device's keyboard, those users will know precisely, which character set is currently being active. This will let users avoid typing errors, for example, when entering text, and not scatter the attention on the constant evaluation of information on the character set being currently active from normally a very little area of the screen.

User can change the intensity of light emitting by the sources of light (e.g., the brightness of LED or other source of light) which is important when working in a brightly lit room or outside under the sunlight.

If desired, user can turn on or off all groups of sources of light (e.g., LED or other source of light) simultaneously. According to one operating mode, the intensity of light emitting by an active group of sources of light (e.g., the brightness of LED or other sources of light) changes cyclically for all keys simultaneously.

According to another operating mode, the intensity of light emitting by an active group of sources of light (e.g., the brightness of LED or other source of light) changes cyclically; at the same time, the cycles of the change can be different for different keys.

Another way to add the convenience to using the keyboard is the capability to work with an electronic device and enter information into it with the complete or almost complete absence of light with no additional lighting devices. The proposed solution is workable, since even when one and/or several sources of light get out of order, the keyboard will not require a repair, at least an urgent one, since its functionality will not suffer.

The proposed solution is easy for the implementation from the software standpoint, since about every operating system assumes the keyboard manufacturer to ship an additional driver for the necessary software (in a case with a telephone keyboard, for example, the driver will be a part of the operating system from the beginning, and user will not have to make any additional installations). At the same time, if such driver is not installed on a computer with such keyboard, the keyboard will only fail to implement the backlight functionality; at the same time, the keyboard will function just like all other keyboards do.

Claims

1. A key in a digital device keyboard having a controller and at least n sources of light connected thereto, the key comprising a body with a top surface having n+1 areas bearing a character designation, provided that at least n of said areas is at least partially translucent, wherein n is integer equal or greater than 1, characterizing in that said body provided with at least n-1 substantially opaque partitions, so as its internal space divided into n sections; at least n of said sections together with at least n of said sources of light is arranged so as to provide independent illumination of at least n of said at least partially translucent areas.

2. The key according to claim 1, characterizing in that said substantially opaque partition is made rectilinear.

3. The key according to claim 1, characterizing in that said substantially opaque partition is made in a shape of a star having at least two beams.

4. A key in a digital device keyboard provided with a controller, the key comprising a body with a top surface having n+1 areas bearing a character designation and m sources of light and/or k liquid-crystal indicators connected to said controller, provided that z of said areas is at least partially translucent, wherein n is integer equal or greater than I₅ m and k are integers, provided that m+k is equal or greater than n, z is integer equal or greater than k, characterizing in that m sources of light and/or k liquid-crystal indicators is arranged so as to provide independent illumination and/or indication of at least n of said areas bearing a character designation.

5. The key according to claim 4, characterizing in that at least one of said sources of light located on inside of said body.

6. The key according to any one of claims 4 or 5, characterizing in that at least one of said source of light is located on the outside of said body.

7. The key according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterizing in that said light sources have different frequencies of light.

8. The key according to claim 1 to 6, characterizing in that the frequencies of said light sources can be independently adjusted so as to provide different colors of light.

9. The key according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterizing in that the intensity of light of said light sources can be independently adjusted.

10. The key according to claim 4, characterizing in that said liquid-crystal indicator selected from the group consisting of active matrix liquid-crystal indicator, thin film transistor liquid crystal indicator, dynamic-scattering liquid-crystal indicator, active-matrix liquid-crystal indicator, backlit liquid crystal indicator, fluorescence-activated indicator, reflective-type liquid-crystal indicator, transmissive liquid-crystal indicator, dark-field liquid- crystal indicator, and light-field liquid-crystal indicator.

11. A keyboard for a digital device, having a controller, characterizing in that it comprise at least one key according to claim 1 to 10.

12. The keyboard according to claim 11, characterizing in that said digital device is a desktop computer or mobile computer, selected from the group consisting of portable computer, pocket computer, netbook and laptop.

13. The keyboard according to claim 11, characterizing in that said digital device is a telephone, selected from the group consisting of stationary telephone, mobile telephone, cellular telephone, and smartphone.

14. The keyboard according to claim 11, characterizing in that said digital device is a remote control unit

15. The keyboard according to claim 11, characterizing in that said digital devicetal typewriter.