This invention generally relates to input devices for computing systems, and more particularly, to improving the user interface experience associated with key-based input devices.
A computer keyboard is a peripheral modeled after the typewriter keyboard. Keyboards are used to provide textual input into the computer and to control the operation of the computer. Physically, computer keyboards are generally an arrangement of rectangular or near-rectangular buttons or “keys,” which typically have engraved or printed characters. In most cases, each depressing of a key corresponds to a single character. However, some characters require that a user depress and hold several keys concurrently or in sequence. Depressing and holding several keys concurrently or in sequence can also result in a command being issued that affects the operation of the computer, or the keyboard itself.
There are several types of keyboards, usually differentiated by the switch technology employed in their operation. The choice of switch technology can affect the keys' response (i.e., the positive feedback that a key has been depressed) and travel (i.e., the distance needed to push the key to enter a character reliably). One of the most common keyboard types is a “dome-switch” keyboard which works as follows. When a key is depressed, the key pushes down on a rubber dome sitting beneath the key. The rubber dome collapses, which gives tactile feedback to the user depressing the key, and causes a conductive contact on the underside of the dome to touch a pair of conductive lines on a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) below the dome, thereby closing the switch. A chip in the keyboard emits a scanning signal along the pairs of lines on the PCB to all the keys. When the signal in one pair of the lines changes due to the contact, the chip generates a code corresponding to the key connected to that pair of lines. This code is sent to the computer either through a keyboard cable or over a wireless connection, where it is received and decoded into the appropriate key. The computer then decides what to do on the basis of the key depressed, such as display a character on the screen or perform some action. Other types of keyboards operate in a similar manner, with the main differences being how the individual key switches work. Some examples of other keyboards include capacitive-switch keyboards, mechanical-switch keyboards, Hall-effect keyboards, membrane keyboards, roll-up keyboards, and so on.
Conventional mechanical keyboards are generally accepted as the preferred means to provide textual input. These keyboards have mechanical keys that are configured to move independently of one another and comply with standards for key spacing and actuation force. These keyboards are also arranged in the so-called QWERTY layout. Over the last forty years there have been numerous attempts made to introduce an alternative to the standard keyboard. The changes include, but are not limited to, non-QWERTY layouts, concave and convex surfaces, capacitive keys, split designs, membrane keys, etc. However, although such alternative keyboards may provide improved usability or ergonomics, they have failed to replace or duplicate the commercial success of the conventional mechanical keyboard.
A motion sensitive mechanical keyboard is disclosed. The motion sensitive mechanical keyboard improves the user interface experience associated with key-based input devices.
The motion sensitive mechanical keyboard enables a standard look and feel mechanical keyboard to sense hand/finger motion over the surface of the keys such that command and cursor input (e.g., pointing and gestures) can be received from the user without requiring the user to move the user's hand off the keyboard.
Hand/finger motion can be detected by optical sensors via an in-keyboard-plane slot camera system. The motion sensitive mechanical keyboard can operate in two or more modes—e.g., a typing mode and a mouse mode—and operating the keyboard in mouse mode or switching between the modes can be facilitated by holding (depressing and holding) or tapping (depressing and releasing) arbitrary combinations of keys.
In the following description of preferred embodiments, reference is made to the accompanying drawings where it is shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the invention can be practiced. It is to be understood that other embodiments can be used and structural changes can be made without departing from the scope of the embodiments of this invention.
Embodiments of the invention relate to enabling a standard look and feel mechanical keyboard to sense hand/finger motion over the surface of the keys such that command and cursor input (e.g., pointing and gestures) can be received from the user without requiring the user to move the user's hand off the keyboard. Hand/finger motion can be detected by optical sensors via an in-keyboard-plane slot camera system. The motion sensitive mechanical keyboard can operate in two or more modes—e.g., a typing mode and a mouse mode—and operating the keyboard in mouse mode or switching between the modes can be facilitated by holding (depressing and holding) or tapping (depressing and releasing) arbitrary combinations of keys.
Although some embodiments of this invention may be described and illustrated herein in terms of an input device associated with a standalone computer keyboard, it should be understood that embodiments of this invention are not so limited, but are generally applicable to motion sensitive mechanical keys associated with any device or structure, such as automated teller machines (ATMs), kiosks/information booths, key pads, automated check-in terminals at airports, automated check-out machines at retail stores, etc.
Keyboard 100 can operate in two or more distinct modes in one embodiment: e.g., a typing mode and a mouse mode. While in typing mode, the normal movement of objects such as hands and fingers can be ignored by the motion sensing circuitry. This ensures that nothing unexpected happens like the cursor moving, the page scrolling, or the screen zooming as the user moves the user's fingers across the keys while typing. In typing mode, keyboard 100 operates as normal, accepting single key taps as text or number inputs, for example. Modifier key, hot key, and function key input also operate as normal in typing mode. In other words, keyboard 100 functions and feels just like one would expect a conventional mechanical keyboard to function and feel when in typing mode.
In mouse mode, typing, for the most part, can be disabled. In mouse mode, motion sensing circuitry associated with keyboard 100 can track the movement of the user's hands/fingers in order to provide cursor input, such as moving the cursor, scrolling, dragging or zooming, for example, with a one-to-one correlation between hand/finger motion and the desired action of moving something on the screen. Either hand can be used to guide the motion of the on-screen action. As a result, left-handed users can provide cursor input just as easily as right-handed users can.
In typing mode, the keys can be tapped one at a time (except when modifier keys are used, for example) and the hand/finger motion accompanying the typing execution can be ignored by the motion sensing circuitry.
Separating the function of keyboard 100 into two or more distinct modes that the user deliberately invokes has the advantage of eliminating the chance that random or postural changes in hand/finger position can be misinterpreted as a cursor input (e.g., point, scroll, drag, zoom). In this manner, keyboard 100 does not need to determine when the user intends to issue commands to control screen activities (e.g., scrolling) because the user informs keyboard 100 of the user's intent by switching modes. Mode switching can be implemented in various ways. In some embodiments, mode switching can be implemented in ways that do not require the user to look down at keyboard 100, thereby improving the user experience. In one embodiment, a dedicated “mouse” key can be provided such that mouse mode is entered for the duration that the mouse key is held down. In another embodiment, the dedicated mouse key can comprise a “sticky” key, such that a tap of the key switches between modes. In a further embodiment, the modes can be switched when the user concurrently taps an arbitrary combination of the keys. For example, in one embodiment, the arbitrary combination of the keys can include any four of keys 110. In another embodiment, the arbitrary combination of the keys can be restricted to adjacent keys in order to effect the mode switch.
It is noted that any suitable number of keys may be utilized in the key tap and hold down operations described in the embodiments illustrated in
As described above in connection with selection operations, tapping two adjacent keys can produce a primary mouse click, while tapping three adjacent keys can produce a secondary mouse click. To illustrate how this works, presume the user enters mouse mode by holding down the mouse-key with the user's left pinky finger. The cursor can then follow the movement of the user's right hand and fingers. When the user has moved the cursor to the intended target and is ready to click on it, the user can release the mouse key. This can stop the motion sensing circuitry from tracking the user's hand/finger motion. The user can tap two adjacent keys to enter a primary mouse click. Either hand can be used to tap the two keys, and, if desired, the user does not have to release the mouse key to invoke a mouse click. Not releasing the mouse key may introduce some risk that the cursor could move before the two keys are tapped, but some users may be able to do so without a problem. The whole operation of pointing, releasing the mouse key, and tapping two adjacent keys is smooth, fast, and easy to coordinate.
Other functions can be supported in addition to the commonly used cursor input functions of point, scroll, drag, and zoom. For example, hand rotation and hand expansion/contraction gestures can be used for zooming and/or opening and closing files; hand swipes and slides can be used to accelerate operations like text cursor positioning; and two-hand motion monitoring can be used by employing a sticky mouse-key which enables both hands to provide cursor input motion in mouse mode.
Motion sensing associated with keyboard 100 can be implemented with optical sensing using an in-keyboard-plane slot camera system. An exemplary in-keyboard-plane slot camera system is illustrated in
As illustrated in
Note that one or more of the functions described above can be performed by firmware stored in a memory (not shown) associated with motion detection processor 515 and executed by motion detection processor 515, stored in a memory (not shown) associated with I/O processor 530 and executed by I/O processor 530, or stored in memory/storage 550 and executed by CPU 540. The firmware can also be stored and/or transported within any computer-readable storage medium for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device, such as a computer-based system, processor-containing system, or other system that can fetch the instructions from the instruction execution system, apparatus, or device and execute the instructions. In the context of this document, a “computer-readable storage medium” can be any medium that can contain or store a program for use by or in connection with the instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. The computer readable storage medium can include, but is not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus or device, a portable computer diskette (magnetic), a random access memory (RAM) (magnetic), a read-only memory (ROM) (magnetic), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM) (magnetic), a portable optical disc such a CD, CD-R, CD-RW, DVD, DVD-R, or DVD-RW, or flash memory such as compact flash cards, secured digital cards, USB memory devices, memory sticks, and the like.
The firmware can also be propagated within any transport medium for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device, such as a computer-based system, processor-containing system, or other system that can fetch the instructions from the instruction execution system, apparatus, or device and execute the instructions. In the context of this document, a “transport medium” can be any medium that can communicate, propagate or transport the program for use by or in connection with the instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. The transport readable medium can include, but is not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic or infrared wired or wireless propagation medium.
Computing system 500 can be any of a variety of types employing a motion sensitive mechanical keyboard, such as those illustrated in
Although embodiments of this invention have been fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be noted that various changes and modifications will become apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications are to be understood as being included within the scope of embodiments of this invention as defined by the appended claims.