Abstract:
A keyboard unit has a keyboard being approximately two thumb lengths in width and one thumb length in height to allow thumb typing. At least one connector is provided to couple the keyboard to a computer system

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    This invention relates to keyboards and, more specifically, to a cellular telephone, Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), and the like (hereinafter cellular phone) which has a QWERTY keyboard, the cellular phone connectable to a computer for allowing a user to input data to the computer using the QWERTY keyboard of the cellular phone. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Text messaging is a term used to describe the exchange of brief written messages between cellular phones over a cellular network. While the term most often refers to messages sent using the Short Message Service (SMS), it has been extended to include messages containing image, video, and sound content, such as Multimedia Message Service (MMS) messages. Individual messages are referred to as “text messages” or “texts”. 
         [0003]    Texting is extremely popular worldwide. In the United States alone, the average number of text messages sent per subscriber per month was 188. In the third quarter of 2006, at least 12 billion text messages crossed AT&amp;T′s network, up almost 15 percent from the preceding quarter. The design of full QWERTY keypads on cellular phones has further increased the ease and popularity of texting. However, because the size of the QWERTY keypads on the cellular phones, most people send text messages by using their thumbs to type the message. This technique is commonlying referred to as thumbing or thumb typing. Because many younger people have grown up texting, these people are able to type faster using their thumbs then typing using standard techniques. In fact, the World Record for texting is entering 160 characters in 41.52 seconds. Since many younger people are use to thumbing, they have a difficult time typing on a standard computer keyboard. Due to the larger size of the keyboard on a computer system, people are unable to thumb type and thus many people have a difficult time typing on a standard computer keyboard 
         [0004]    Therefore, a need exists to provide a system and method to overcome the above problem. The system and method would provide a reliable way for allowing a user to input data to a computer system using a QWERTY keyboard of the cellular phone. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    A keyboard unit has a keyboard being approximately two thumb lengths in width and one thumb length in height to allow thumb typing. At least one connector is provided to couple the keyboard to a computer system. 
         [0006]    A keyboard unit has a QWERTY keyboard being approximately two thumb lengths in width and one thumb length in height to allow thumb typing. A wired connector is provided to couple the keyboard unit to a computer system. 
         [0007]    A keyboard unit has a QWERTY keyboard being approximately two thumb lengths in width and one thumb length in height to allow thumb typing. A wired connector is provided to couple the keyboard to a computer system. The wired connector is one of a USB connector, an IEEE 1394 connector, serial or parallel connector, or the like. A wireless port is provided to wirelessly couple the keyboard to the computer system. 
         [0008]    The present invention is best understood by reference to the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a QWERTY keyboard of a cellular phone; 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is a simplified schematic of the QWERTY keyboard of a cellular phone of  FIG. 1 ; and 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is perspective view showing the interconnection between the cellular phone and the computer system. 
       
    
    
       [0012]    Common reference numerals are used throughout the drawings and detailed description to indicate like elements. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0013]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , a hand sized QWERTY keyboard  10  is shown. The QWERTY keyboard  10  may be part of a cellular phone  12 , PDA, handheld game console, or the like (hereinafter cellular phone  12 ). The QWERTY keyboard  10  is approximately two thumb lengths wide and one thumb length tall. The QWERTY keyboard  10  may be a full alphabet keyboard  14 . As used herein, the term “full alphabet keyboard” refers to a keyboard containing individual input keys for the major characters or letters of a language. For example, a full alphabet keyboard for the English language includes individual input keys  14 A for the letters A through Z. The full alphabet keyboard may additionally include input keys  14 B for inputting different numbers (i.e., 0 through 9). The full alphabet keyboard may additionally include input keys  14 C that are function keys (i.e., a shift key, enter key). Commonly used symbols (i.e., $, %, &amp;, etc.) may be additional input keys or may be entered by pressing a combination of input keys  14 C and input keys  14 A and or  14 B. Thus, for example, the symbol “*” may be entered by pressing an input keys  14 C such as the shift key and an input key  14 B such as the number “8”. 
         [0014]    The QWERTY keyboard  10  may further include a navigation mouse and or joystick  16  (hereinafter navigation mouse  16 ). The navigation mouse  16  may further have input buttons  18 . The input buttons  18  may be used to input and or enter data. The input buttons  18  may be similar in functionality as the left and right click buttons on a standard computer mouse. The QWERTY keyboard  10  may have one or more menu keys  19 . The menu keys  19  may be used to control different features of the cellular phone  14 . The QWERTY keyboard  10  may have other input interfaces known to those skilled in the art. 
         [0015]    In accordance with one embodiment, the QWERTY keyboard  10  is coupled to a cellular phone  12 . The cellular phone  12  may have a housing  20 . The housing  20  may be used to protect the internal components of the cellular phone  12 . The cellular phone  14  may further have a display  22 , a speaker, a microphone, and or other interface mechanisms. 
         [0016]    The housing  20  may have an output port  28  and or an output connector  30 . The output port  28  and or an output connector  30  may be used to couple the QWERTY keyboard  10  and or cellular phone  14  to a computer system  32  ( FIG. 3 ). This may allow the cellular phone  12  to input data to the computer system  32 . The output port  28  may be an infrared port or other type of wireless interface. The output connector  30  may be a USE connector, an IEEE 1394 connector, serial or parallel connector, or the like. 
         [0017]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , details of the keyboard circuitry  34  is shown. The keyboard circuitry  34  generally has interconnects  36  and  38 . The interconnects  36  and  38  may be used to couple the keyboard circuitry  34  to a processor  40 . The processor  40  may be used to read signals from the keyboard circuitry  34  and to output a corresponding alphanumeric character to the display  22  or to the computer system  32  via the output port  28  and or the output connector  30 . 
         [0018]    The keyboard circuitry  34  may have an array of resistive elements  42 . 0  to  42 .N. The resistive elements  42 . 0  to  42 .N may each have a different ohm value. In one embodiment, the resistive elements  42 . 0  to  42 .N may range from 1 K to 200 K ohms. A bias voltage may be coupled to the interconnects  32  and  34  and to the array of resistive elements  42 . 0  to  42 .N. The resistive elements  42 . 0  to  42 .N are each connected in series with a single key contact switch  44 . 0  to  44 .N respectively and to a common ground. When any one of the key contact switches  44 . 0  to  44 .N is pressed, the corresponding resistor  42 . 0  to  42 .N in the array is connected to ground thus forming a resistor divider circuit. The values of resistive elements  42 . 0  to  42 .N are arranged to give a different discrete voltage from the resistor divider circuit when the different key contact switches  44 . 0  to  44 .N are pressed. These discrete voltages are monitored by the processor  44  to determine the corresponding alphanumeric character to be shown of the display  22  or to the computer system  32 . 
         [0019]    Referring now to  FIG. 3 , in operation, the QWERTY keyboard  10  may be coupled to the computer system wirelessly via the output port  28  or via a wired connection  43  through the output connector  30 . If a wireless connection is used, the user may have to press a one or more input keys  14 A- 14 C and or a menu key  19 . The user may also have to press a one or more input keys  14 A- 14 C and or a menu key  19  for a wired connection. Alternatively, the processor  44  may monitor the output port  28  or output connector  30  to see if any connection has been made. 
         [0020]    Once connected, the user may use the QWERTY keyboard  10  to enter alphanumeric characters to the computer system  32 . The user may hold the QWERTY keyboard  10  in the fingers of both hands  50  so that the thumbs  52  extend across the width of the QWERTY keyboard  10 . The user may thumb type by pressing one or more desired input keys  14 A- 14 C. By pressing a desired input key  14 A- 14 C, a corresponding key contact switch  44 . 0  to  44 .N is pressed. Pressing key contact switch  44 . 0  to  44 .N causes a corresponding resistor  42 . 0  to  42 .N in the array to connect to ground thus forming a resistor divider circuit that generates a discrete voltage level. The discrete voltage level is monitored by the processor  44  to determine the corresponding alphanumeric character to be shown of the display  22  or to the computer system  32 . 
         [0021]    This disclosure provides exemplary embodiments of the present invention. The scope of the present invention is not limited by these exemplary embodiments. Numerous variations, whether explicitly provided for by the specification or implied by the specification, such as variations in structure, dimension, type of material and manufacturing process may be implemented by one of skill in the art in view of this disclosure.