Abstract:
An interface device between a user and a CPU or a network terminal, e.g. a microcomputer keyboard or a game console accessory, includes control apparatus such as keys provided on the top surface of a housing and at least two buttons on each of the two side surfaces of the keyboard, the buttons being connected to the connections of certain keys. The keyboard may also be provided with supporting areas on both front corners and on the front edge of the top side, with a microswitch being provided beneath each of the areas and connected in parallel to any one of the keys on the keyboard.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to an interface device for a central processing unit or a network terminal. It also relates to a computer keyboard, a portable computer and an accessory for a games console with ergonomic buttons. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART 
     Several interface devices exist which are used for transmitting information from a user to a central processing unit or a network terminal. The principal interface device for a computer is the keyboard. The original computer keyboards had their overall shape and the shape and layout of their keys similar to those of typewriters. 
     Keyboards are also known whose ergonomics have been improved by the addition of numerical keys and of keys for the four operations grouped in the form of a separate keypad located to the right of the alphabetic keys. 
     Subsequently many function keys have been added to keyboards because of the growing complexity of the hardware and software present on the market. They make it possible to access either pre-programmed functions initially existing in the read only memory of the computer or functions programmed by means of software. 
     In order to further improve the user&#39;s comfort and the speed of typing over a long period without fatigue, keyboards with curved shapes have been considered. 
     The interface means present on portable computers have followed the same evolution. 
     The ergonomics of function and control keys present on games consoles or on their interface devices forming accessories have also been improved. 
     In the case of games software products, all of the keys can be used to obtain multiple luminous play effects visible on the screen. The user will apply his skill by pressing appropriate keys at the correct time and by repeating this same operation many times. During prolonged use of a conventional keyboard, this can result both in a reduction in the speed of keying and furthermore in fatigue in the muscles and tendons of the fingers, hands and wrists. 
     A disadvantage of interface devices of the prior art and of the corresponding keyboards is the fact that these means of control are generally located on the upper face of the interface device, the keyboard of the computer, the case of the portable computer or the games console or its accessories. Access to some of them is therefore often not very ergonomic. 
     EP-A-0 520 090 discloses a keyboard incorporating on one of its side faces a mouse having specific functions which do not replace keys of the keyboard. 
     The document “Patent Abstract of Japan”, vol. 16, No. 70 (P-1315) discloses a mouse provided with ten digital keys enabling a user to directly enter a digital input through this mouse instead of through the keyboard of the computer. 
     The document “Patent Abstract of Japan”, vol. 10, No. 202 (P-477) discloses a combination of a conventional keyboard and of a pedal-type keyboard the keys of which are connected in parallel with function-keys of the conventional keyboard. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The purpose of the invention is to propose an interface device for a central processing unit or a network terminal which provides additional means of control with a different arrangement, especially adapted to the positions of the user&#39;s hands. 
     According to the invention, the interface device between a user and a central processing unit or a network terminal comprising a casing comprising first means of controlling said central processing unit accessible on the upper face of the said casing, and second means of controlling said central processing unit or network terminal, said second means of control being disposed on at least one of the lateral faces of said casing, is characterized in that said second means of control are connected within said casing to means of control among the said first means of control. 
     The invention is based on the observation that, in many cases, it is difficult to access certain keys without having to move the forearm, to extend one or more fingers excessively and to contort the hand. This generally happens when the user wishes to use the most distant keys located at the right and left extremities with respect to the orientation of the marking of signs on the keys. 
     Because of the tendency towards the profusion of the number of keys on the upper face, the lateral disposition of the new controls is particularly astute. 
     Preferably, the lateral disposition and the position along the lateral face also makes it possible for the user to touch the other accessible keys with the palm of the hand or with the fingers which remain free. 
     Different types, shapes and sizes of control means, particularly in the form of buttons, can be used. The button or buttons added to the lateral faces of the keyboard according to the invention will either be physically connected, in particular to the key connections, or connected directly to the microprocessor controlling the interface device. 
     According to a first aspect of the invention, a computer keyboard comprising a support casing, an assembly of keys, particularly alphanumeric keys, typographic keys and function keys, is characterized by similar control means in the form of buttons placed on its lateral faces. 
     According to second aspect of the invention, a portable computer casing will comprise the same types of control means on its lateral faces. 
     According to the third aspect of the invention, a games console will comprise an accessory having identical control means placed on its lateral faces. 
     The use of these additional buttons will, in particular, make it possible to obtain the same result as using the known keys and will therefore be ergonomically well adapted to certain video games. 
     Advantageously, it is also possible to provide an interface device according to the invention furthermore comprising, at the two front corners of the upper face of the said casing, at least two pressure zones, left and right respectively, and, inside the said casing under each pressure zone, means of detecting pressure applied on the said pressure zone, and arrangements are made to generate, in response to the detection of pressure, a control, particularly a jolt control to be sent to the central processing unit. 
     In a preferred embodiment of such an interface device according to the invention, the latter furthermore comprises at least one frontal pressure zone and, within this casing under this frontal pressure zone, means of detecting pressure applied on the said frontal pressure zone, and arrangements are made to generate, in response to the detection of pressure on this frontal pressure zone, a frontal jolt control to be sent to the central processing unit. In a particular embodiment, there are provided two frontal pressure zones located in the proximity of the left and right pressure zones respectively. 
     Return means are preferably provided in order to apply a return force substantially opposing the pressure forces applied by a user. They can for example comprise return springs. The upper face of the casing generally has at least two elastically deformable pressure zones. 
     In a particular embodiment, the means of detection comprise switch means, for example microswitches, or any other contact, connected in parallel to the two connectors of a predetermined key located on the upper face of the casing in such a way that a detection of pressure on a pressure zone by the corresponding detection means is equivalent to the pressing down of the predetermined key. 
     By an arrangement of the user&#39;s hands on either side of the keyboard or console accessory, the on-screen game of pinball will, thanks to the invention, be as pleasant to play as a pinball table game. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Other features and advantages of the invention will furthermore emerge from the following description relating to a non-limitative example. 
     In the appended drawings: 
     FIG. 1 is an overall view of an assembly of a computer keyboard according to the invention, a central processing unit and a video screen; 
     FIG. 2 is a top view of the computer keyboard according to the invention, seen with the two hands of a user; 
     FIG. 3 a simplified electrical diagram of a part of the computer keyboard according to the invention showing the connections of the buttons; 
     FIG. 4 is a simplified electrical diagram of a part of the computer keyboard showing another method of connecting the buttons according to the invention; 
     FIG. 5 is a side view of an embodiment of the computer keyboard according to the invention; 
     FIG. 6 is a side view of a another embodiment of the computer keyboard according to the invention; 
     FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a portable computer according to the invention; and 
     FIG. 8 is a overall view of a games console comprising an accessory or a keyboard according to the invention. 
     FIG. 9 shows an example of a keyboard according to the invention, furthermore comprising pressure zones; 
     FIG. 10 shows an example of a portable computer, including pressure zones; 
     FIG. 11 shows the position of the hands of a user of a keyboard such as shown in FIG. 9; 
     FIG. 12 is a simplified diagrammatic view of an example of electrical connections within a keyboard according to the invention such as shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 13 shows an example of a games console according to the invention, including pressure zones; 
     FIG. 14 is cross-sectional view of one of the corners of a keyboard according to the invention; 
     FIG. 15 is an exploded top view of the corner shown in FIG. 14; 
     FIG. 16 is a partial cross-sectional view of a keyboard according to the invention provided with pressure zones in use; 
     FIG. 17 shows an example of a keyboard according to the invention comprising four pressure zones; 
     FIG. 18 shows a particular method of connecting switches inside the keyboard according to the invention as shown in FIG. 17; 
     FIG. 19 shows another particular method of connecting switches inside a keyboard according to the invention furthermore provided with a double change-over selection switch; and 
     FIG. 20 shows the use of a button of the cruciform type in a keyboard according to the invention. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     In the example shown in the figures, the computer  1  comprises, in particular, a keyboard  2 , a central processing unit  3  generally equipped with several storage units, in particular a floppy disk drive, a hard disk drive or a CD-ROM drive, and a video screen  4 . 
     In the case of the network terminal, it is possible, for example, to consider the combination of just a screen, a keyboard according o the invention and a network connection unit, this combination possibly being able to be completed by a CD-ROM drive. 
     The keyboard  2  consists of a support casing  6  on the upper face  12  of which an assembly of keys is regularly disposed. Non-exhaustively, the keys are alphabetic keys  7 , numerical keys  8 , typographic keys  9  for obtaining punctuation signs and the most common symbols, and function keys  11  making it possible to access controls as diverse as upper case letters, movement of the curser on the screen, deletion of characters, tabulation, saving, . . . etc together with various tasks which software will be able to allocate to certain specific keys bearing the markings F 1 , F 2 , up to F 12 . 
     According to the invention, the computer keyboard  2  comprises two additional buttons  13  and  14  each ergonomically disposed on the two lateral faces  16 ,  17  of the keyboard  2 . 
     These two buttons  13 ,  14  are respectively connected to any key  7 ,  8 ,  9 ,  11  of the keyboard  2 . The keys generally used for this connection are the keys allowing selection of upper case characters. Keys also used are those located respectively furthest to the right and to the left of the keyboard, that is to say those physically closest to the added buttons. The other two keys which can also be used are the function keys  11 , F 11 , and F 12 . In many software packages, they are not normally allocated to any particular control. 
     A keyboard  2  has a wiring system produced in the form of a matrix  18  having as many column wires  71  as there are columns of keys and as many line wires  72  as there are rows of keys. For greater clarity, only a small number of column wires and line wires have been shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. Pushing in a key  24  makes an electrical connection at the point of intersection between the line and the column corresponding to this key  24 , this connection being detected by a dedicated microprocessor  32  which then transmits a code called a scanning code via the serial interface cable  21  to the specific bus  19  of the central processing unit  3 . 
     Each additional button  53 ,  54  is connected in parallel to a predetermined key. The cable  23  leaving from one of the connectors of button  54  is connected to the column cable  27  of key  24  and the other connector of button  54  is connected by the cable  29  to the cable of line  31  of key  24 . The two cables  27 ,  31  specific to key  24  are connected to the microprocessor  32  which is connected to the central processing unit  3 . Pressing the button  54  will have the same effect as pressing the key  24  to which it is connected. 
     For example, it is possible to arrange that the buttons  56 ,  57  are directly connected by cables  58 ,  59  to the integrated circuit  22  without passing through a key. This makes it possible, by internal programming or by software, for the additional button or buttons to have a specific scanning encoding recognised by the central processing unit  3  without using a code already allocated to a key. This therefore results in obtaining new keys having a new function. This assumes the production of a specific microprocessor  22  able to receive these new connections. 
     The buttons  13 ,  14  are fixed or built into the substantially vertical lateral faces,  16 ,  17  of the casing  6  of the keyboard  2 . In this case they are pressure switches of the bell-push type having one or more return springs. These buttons only remain on if a continuous pressure is applied. 
     They are of minimum size so that they can be actuated by the end of the operator&#39;s finger or of several of the operator&#39;s fingers  33  hitting these buttons. 
     They can be any shape, round in particular. However, in the case of a button of elongated shape  34 , it can form an angle of inclination A defined with respect to the upper surface  12  of the keyboard. The angle A will be chosen in such a way as to respond to ergonomic criteria corresponding to the position of the last phalange  37  of the first finger, the second finger or the third finger and the auricle of a hand  38  placed vertically and parallel with the lateral edge, the palm  42  facing the lateral edge  17 . The cruciform button  36  provides four possible control positions for the same switch. 
     The button  13 ,  14 , is disposed on the lateral face at a distance defined with respect to the front or the rear edge, determined by the natural position of a user&#39;s hand  38 . The button  13 ,  14 , is placed such that when the first finger and/or the second finger and/or the third finger and/or the auricle  33  is placed on the button, the thumb  39  can reach one or more other keys of the keyboard. In the case of a different operating position, either the palm  42  or more precisely the ball of the thumb  43  of the palm of the hand or one or more fingers remaining free  44  can press the keys of the upper face, at the extreme right or at the extreme left of the keyboard, whilst allowing use of the button with one or more fingers  33 . The button is, in particular, positioned in the region of the upper third most distant from the front edge  41  of the keyboard  2 . 
     By an entirely equivalent design, a portable computer  46  with a flat display screen  48  and a keyboard  47  comprises, on one or on both of the lateral faces  49 ,  51 , one or more additional buttons  52 . Their connection, their shape and their disposition are produced in an entirely identical manner to that described above for the separate computer keyboard  2 . 
     In a similar way, a video games console  73  comprises a central processing unit casing  74  and interface means of the joystick type  76 ,  77 , connected to this casing  74 . Games software in the form of a cartridge  78  are read by the central processing unit  74  and keys  79  allow various functions such as starting and choice of playing difficulty. 
     An interface device forming an accessory  81  having for example the shape of a parallelepipedic casing  82 , is connected to the central processing unit  74  of the console. 
     According to the invention, this accessory possibly comprises, in addition to its keys, means of control in the form of two buttons  83 ,  84  each disposed on the lateral faces,  86 , and  87  respectively, of the casing  82 . 
     The connection of the buttons to a dedicated microprocessor in the accessory  87  or in the console  74  or in parallel with keys  79  or if necessary with keys of the accessory  81 , their shape and disposition are produced in a way which is entirely identical to that which has been described above for the separate computer keyboard. 
     It will be possible to provide an accessory of the same type connecting to the serial port of the computer or of the portable computer. 
     In the simplest case, this addition of two keys, one on each of the faces of the keyboard  2 , of the portable computer  46  or of the accessory  81  of the games console, makes the use of any type of software more pleasant due to easier operation. By hitting one of these buttons, there will be obtained, depending on the type of wiring used, either the same effect as with a conventional key or a different effect. In both cases, the button will not have any effect on the normal functioning of the keyboard. Used in particular with games software, these two buttons will be able to control the movement on the screen of images or figurines in order to obtain games effects. The user of the games console  73  will take the accessory  81  on his knees, or will place it on a table. 
     These buttons have a specific use in the case of software for the pinball game  66  where the two buttons are truly adapted for the use of two flippers  62 ,  63  intended to return the ball  64  in conditions approaching reality. The player using the keyboard or the accessory has exactly the same position of the hands  38  and wrists as a player on a pinball table, with the same ability to jolt the keyboard and to press other buttons with the palm  42  of the hand in order to obtain other visual and audible effects. For certain existing software products, the user will have to choose the two keys physically connected to the two buttons as the keys allocated to the flippers. The tilt with stop of play function will naturally be possible by repeatedly pressing with the palm at high frequency. 
     It is also possible to design, with reference to FIG. 9, a keyboard  180  according to the invention connected to a central processing unit  184  and comprising, at each corner of the upper face  184  of its casing  182 , two pressure zones  110 ,  110 ′ and on each of its lateral faces  183 ,  183 ′, a control button  181 ,  181 ′. 
     An interface device is thus obtained which makes it possible to reproduce, in a particularly realistic manner, all of the sensations experienced by a pinball table player. In effect, each lateral button is allocated to the control of a right or left flipper within the game software. 
     Under each pressure zone  110 ,  110 ′, the keyboard  180  comprises, as shown in FIG. 12,  14  and  16 , a microswitch  102 ,  102 ′ comprising a moving part  108  disposed against the inside surface of the upper face so that, when a significant pressure is applied to the pressure zone  110 , the effect of this is to displace the moving part  108  and to cause the closing of the microswitch  102  and therefore a contact between the two conductors  103 ,  104  connected to the connectors of this microswitch. A spring  105  disposed close to the microswitch  102  ensures the return of the upper face  106  into a substantially flat position of equilibrium. The other pressure zone can of course have an identical internal structure to that which has just been described. Each microswitch  102 ,  102 ′ is connected via a pair of conductors  103 ,  104 ;  103 ′,  104 ′ to a predetermined key T, T′ of the matrix of keys  140  of the keyboard  180 , with reference to FIG. 12, and is associated with a return spring  105 ,  105 ′. It is possible, for example, to provide connections directly at the level of the keys, or to provide connections at the level of a control circuit  141  of the keyboard  180 , this control circuit usually being connected by a serial interface  142  to the central processing unit. 
     Each control button  181 ,  181 ′ controls a switch  191 ,  191 ′ connected to any key F, F′ from among all of the keys  140  of the keyboard  180 . Pressing a control button  181 ,  181 ′ is thus equivalent to pressing in the key F, F′ with which it is associated. It thus suffices to allocate a flipper control function to each connected key by means of software parameterization. The player using the keyboard  180  can then actuate the two flippers by pressing the control buttons  181 ,  181 ′ with his fingers  121 ,  121 ′ and can command jolts to the pinball, either to the right or to the left, or frontally, by applying pressure on one and/or the other of the pressure zones  110 ,  110 ′, either with the right hand, or with the left hand, or with both hands simultaneously, as shown in FIG.  11 . 
     The user of pinball game software using the keyboard  180  according to the invention can, whilst pressing the keys K, also press the pressure zone  110  with the palm of his hand  311  as shown in FIG.  16 . If he applies a significant pressure on this pressure zone, thus expressing a desire to impart a jolt to the pinball, it then causes the closure of the microswitch  102 , which is equivalent to pressing the key T to which this microswitch  102  is connected. It is assumed that this key T has previously been designated, for example when initializing the game, as the key corresponding to a right or left jolt command depending on whether the right or left pressure zone is the one in question. The return spring  105  ensures the return of the pressure zone  110  to the substantially flat position when the player is no longer applying pressure to the latter. It should be noted that the microswitch  102  can be connected in parallel to any key of the keyboard, since pinball game software products offer a parameterization of the various control keys. 
     This other embodiment of the invention can also be implemented for a portable computer  100  whose main casing  202  is provided, on the one hand, with two pressure zones  110 ,  110 ′ disposed in the two front corners of its upper face  162  and, on the other hand, with two control buttons  201 ,  201 ′ disposed on its two lateral faces  203 ,  203 ′, with reference to FIG.  10 . It is also possible to design, within the scope of the present invention, a games console  210  connected to a television set  112  and comprising, on the one hand, on the upper face  172  of its case  211 , two pressure zones  110 ,  110 ′ and, on the other hand, two control buttons  130 ,  130 ′ on the lateral faces  213 ,  213 ′, with reference to FIG. 13, of the said case. 
     Advantageously, it is possible to design a keyboard according to the invention, comprising four pressure zones, as shown in FIG.  17 . The keyboard  170  thus comprises, in addition to two lateral buttons  181 ,  181 ′, a left pressure zone  110 ′, a right pressure zone  110  and two frontal pressure zones  111 ′,  111  disposed for example close to the left and right pressure zones  110 ′,  110  respectively. With each pressure zone  110 ′,  111 ′,  111 ,  110  there is associated a switch  102 ′,  112 ′,  112 ,  102  disposed, inside the casing  190  of the keyboard  170 , between the two parts, upper  191  and lower  192  respectively, of this case  190 . It is furthermore possible to provide return means such as springs and means of adjusting these return means, for example one or more screws accessible under the keyboard. Furthermore, the keyboard according to the invention can furthermore comprise means of locking the upper and lower parts of the keyboard in such a way that the switches of the pressure zones then become inoperative. These locking means can be particularly appreciated in order to avoid any unwanted control due to a pronounced pressing on the keyboard when the latter is being used in an ordinary manner. 
     The switches,  102 ,  102 ′,  112 ,  102 , which can be of any technology, are each connected to predetermined keys of the keyboard. Thus, by way of non-limitative example, in the example shown in FIG. 17, the left  102 ′ and right  102  switches respectively are connected in parallel to the keys “G” and “D” respectively of the keyboard  170 , whilst the left and right frontal switches  112 ′,  112  respectively are both connected in parallel to the space bar  171  of the keyboard  170 . 
     In a particular embodiment of a keyboard  170  such as shown in FIGS. 17 and 18, the lateral buttons  181 ′  181  are arbitrarily connected to the keys “W” and “;” respectively of the set of keys  172  equipping this keyboard, whilst the switches of the left and right pressure zones  102 ′,  102  are connected to the keys “G” and “D” and the switches of the frontal pressure zones  112 ′,  112  are connected to the space bar  171 . 
     It is also possible to design a keyboard  195  according to the invention provided with double changeover switch  199  making it possible to modify the allocation of side buttons  181 ′,  181  according to the type of flipper software used. In effect, for certain software products used with the DOS operating system, the left and right flipper functions respectively are imperatively associated with the upper case keys  196 ,  197  on either side of the keyboard, whilst for recent software products used with the Windows 95 operating system, these flipper functions are respectively associated with the keys “W” and “;” or with any other key programmable by software. This double changeover switch  119  can for example be located on the rear face of the keyboard  195 . 
     Within the scope of the present invention, it is also possible to design a keyboard  220  comprising, on at least one of its lateral faces  236 , a device  230  of the cruciform type combining four switches each associated with a direction arrow  231 ,  232 ,  233 ,  234 : up, right, down, left, with reference to FIG.  20 . Each switch is connected in parallel to the corresponding key  241 ,  242 ,  243 ,  244  present on the keyboard, by additional tracks  235  produced on the connection plane of the keyboard. 
     In order to implement the invention, it will be possible either to adapt existing keyboards by wiring the additional buttons in parallel with existing keys, or to produce a specific keyboard integrating these additional buttons. Such a keyboard will then have to be provided with a microprocessor or specific micro-controller to ensure the decoding of these additional buttons. 
     An advantageous technique for producing the keyboard according to the invention consists in designing a specific flexible printed circuit by adapting the flexible printed circuit of a conventional keyboard by adding connection tracks and contact modules disposed, on the one hand, at each lateral end of this printed circuit for the flipper keys and, on the other hand, on the front section of this flexible printed circuit for the detectors of the pressure zones. 
     The present invention can also be implemented for videotext terminals, in particular a Minitel. It is thus possible to provide a videotext terminal with two buttons respectively disposed on the two lateral faces of its keyboard. It can furthermore be applied to keyboards connected to a central processing unit or to a terminal by non-wire connections, for example infra-red or radiofrequency connections. Keyboards according to the invention can also be implemented for network terminals, particularly those known as “Network Computers” (NC) which can be installed, for example in housings, businesses, hotel rooms, public places, schools and shops. 
     The invention is not of course limited to the described and shown examples. The number of buttons on the lateral face or faces will be variable. In the specific case of pinball, it is possible for example to provide, in addition to the two buttons allocated to the two flipper control functions, two additional control devices allocated to the control of pinball movement effects. 
     It will be possible for the type of button used to be different depending on the function desired to be allocated to them, for example slide switches, rotary knobs or touch-sensitive keys, without limitation of technology. It will be possible for the shape of these buttons to change according to fashion or to technical developments. Furthermore, it is possible to provide, still within the scope of the present invention, buttons that are phosphorescent or even provided with lighting means.