Abstract:
An active keyboard for handheld electronic devices which allows the user of the device to support the device and enter text and data while using only one hand. The device has a housing, a display, a processor, a memory, a selection device, and at least four keys. When the handheld device is gripped the keys underlay the tips of the user&#39;s fingers and the selection device underlays the user&#39;s thumb. The software outputs a grid design to the display showing several columns of values. The user highlights a set of four values using the selection device and those values are assigned to the keys. Pressing a key enters the values assigned to that key into the text area of the display or if the value represents a mode of operation, runs the program controlling that mode.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/342,382, filed Dec. 27, 2001. 
     
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0003]    The present invention relates generally to handheld data entry devices. In particular, this invention relates to an active keyboard and related software for entering data into a handheld device.  
           [0004]    2. Description of Related Art  
           [0005]    Portable electronic devices are rapidly becoming smaller while their capabilities are continually increasing. Shrinking size has limited the ability of the user to physically manipulate the keyboard in order to input information into the electronic device and access information from the device. Some electronic devices have been produced with miniature keyboards, but these have proven difficult to use and the keys are too small for fast entry of data with the fingers. Using normal size keys for a complete keyboard limits how small a device can be due to the necessary width of the keyboard. Some companies have created normal size keyboards that break into two overlapping pieces when the computer is not in use, but even then the device must still be relatively large.  
           [0006]    Today many electronic devices are small enough to fit into the palm of the hand. With such small size it would be desirable to be able to quickly enter data, use as a pointing device to select options or to navigate the Internet with one hand, where that one hand not only supports the device but is also able to quickly enter data or commands using all five digits. A device for quickly and efficiently entering data, including full text, with a limited number of keys, such as that provided by the present invention, is needed in order to fully utilize the power of these small electronic devices.  
           [0007]    The prior art has shown several methods of data entry using a limited number of full size keys. One such method is the “multi-tap” method. This method involves using twelve or more keys with several letters or symbols assigned to each key. The user taps each key until the desired letter appears on the device&#39;s display. Then the user typically hits an input key that will input that value into the device and move to the next data input position. This system allows the user to input complete text messages using a limited number of keys, but it is a time consuming system due to the excessive number of keystrokes required, it has no Internet browsing capability, and it forces the user to shift the position of his fingers from key to key, further reducing keystroke efficiency.  
           [0008]    Another method of inputting data using a limited number of keys is the Tegic system described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,818,437. This system also assigns each key a plurality of values, but eliminates the need to press each key multiple times. The user simply presses each desired key once and the computer attempts to decipher what word the user intended to input out of the several possible words which could be formed from the several letters on each key. If the computer comes up with the wrong word the user can scroll through a number of other possibilities. This system is effective in reducing the number of keystrokes as compared to the multi-tap method. It cannot, however, be used to input names, it has a limited vocabulary, it has no application to Internet browsing, and it cannot be used without the user changing finger position on the keys.  
           [0009]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,854,624 is an example of a pocket-sized interface for Internet browsing. This device uses a touch sensitive switch and several keys to allow a user to interface with the Internet. While this system does function to allow a user to navigate the Internet, it shows no way of entering data such as text and numbers, and is not designed for one hand operation.  
           [0010]    U.S. Pat. No. 6,164,853 is also relevant in that it discloses an ergonomic housing for a handheld device. This invention fits over a standard electronic device such as a remote control and allows the user to comfortably operate such a device using only one hand. This device does not, however disclose any method for quickly entering a variety of data, nor show any method of navigating the Internet.  
           [0011]    None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0012]    Today computer chips are becoming smaller and more powerful, allowing for the creation of devices that are too small for traditional QWERTY keyboards. This has created a need for a keyboard system that will allow a user to quickly input all types of data and easily navigate the Internet while operating and supporting a handheld device with only one hand.  
           [0013]    The active keyboard system for handheld devices of the present invention has a housing, a processor, memory, software, a display, several keys, and at least one selection device. This invention allows the user to input full text messages and a variety of other characters into a handheld device without taking his fingers off the keys. This is accomplished by changing the values assigned to the keys, thus obviating the need to shift finger position while inputting commands or data into the device.  
           [0014]    The active keyboard device is operated using the selection device to move through different options created by the software (e.g. text messaging, number dialing). When a mode of operation has been selected which requires data to be entered into the device an assignment grid system is used. Groups of four values are selected from the assignment grid using the selection device. Each value from the selected group of values is then assigned to a key. The active keyboard system has at least one key for each finger arranged so that when the handheld device is held the fingertips rest upon the keys.  
           [0015]    The active keyboard system also is adapted for use when navigating the Internet. A portion of a web page is shown on the display along with a cursor which appears in the middle of the display. The portion of the web page shown on the display can be changed to a different portion of the page using the selection device. When the displayed view of the web page reaches the boundary edge of the page, the displayed view of the page stops moving, but the cursor can then be moved from its position in the center of the display to the edge of the page using the selection device.  
           [0016]    The active keyboard system for handheld electronic devices optionally may include motion sensors which detect physical movements of the electronic device. These movements are interpreted as commands by the software and can be substituted for commands generated by the selection device.  
           [0017]    Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention to allow a user of a handheld electronic device to input a wide range of data into the device and support that device through the use of only one hand.  
           [0018]    It is another object of the invention to allow the user of the device to enter a wide range of data rapidly without having to remove their fingers from the keys.  
           [0019]    It is a further object of the invention to allow the user of a handheld electronic device to navigate the Internet on a handheld device utilizing the same keyboard which is also designed to enter text.  
           [0020]    Still another object of the invention is to allow the user of a handheld device to navigate the Internet using one hand to both support the device and control navigation functions.  
           [0021]    It is an object of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof in an apparatus for the purposes described which is inexpensive, dependable and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes.  
           [0022]    These and other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0023]    [0023]FIG. 1 is an environmental, perspective view of a active keyboard for handheld electronic devices according to the present invention in a cell phone embodiment for use by a left-handed person.  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 2A is a top view of a button assembly selection device.  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 2B a cross sectional view of the button assembly selection device of FIG. 2A.  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 2C is a cross sectional view of a roller ball selection device.  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 2D is a perspective view of a touch pad selection device.  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 2E is a cross sectional view of a joy stick selection device.  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 3A is a top view of the button assembly selection device.  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 3B is an top view of the roller ball selection device.  
         [0031]    [0031]FIG. 3C is a top view of the touch pad selection device.  
         [0032]    [0032]FIG. 3D is a top view of the joystick selection device.  
         [0033]    [0033]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an active keyboard system devices equipped with a motion detector selection device with rotational direction arrows.  
         [0034]    [0034]FIG. 5 is a front perspective view of a display device showing columns of selection boxes and a highlight box surrounding a column.  
         [0035]    [0035]FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing variable selection logic.  
         [0036]    [0036]FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic front view of a display device showing columns of selection boxes and a highlight box surrounding one selection box.  
         [0037]    [0037]FIG. 8 is a flow chart of the logic involved in the adaptive keyboard&#39;s Internet browsing mode.  
         [0038]    [0038]FIG. 9 is a front view of a computer screen with a shaded portion representing the portion of a page viewed on the active keyboard&#39;s display device.  
     
    
       [0039]    Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0040]    The present invention is an active keyboard system for handheld electronic devices which provides users of handheld devices with the ability to enter alphanumeric text and data into the device using only one hand. The system may be incorporated into a variety of electronic devices, for example, the embodiment of the invention when incorporated into a cellular phone as shown in FIG. 1. Other possible devices include, but are not limited to, personal digital assistants, pagers, G.P.S. receivers, and remote controls. The invention has an ergonomic housing  30  with a front, back, top, bottom and two sides, at least four keys  32   a ,  32   b ,  32   c  and  32   d , a display  34 , a selection device  36 , a processor, a memory, and software. The keys  32   a - 32   d  are positioned on the side of the housing  30  so as to underlie the fingertips of the user when the device is held during normal operation. The selection device  36  is positioned on the side of the housing opposite the keys so as to underlie the thumb of the user of the device when the device is held. The embodiment in FIG. 1 is for a left handed user. For right hand operation, the selection device  36  and the four keys  32  are moved to opposite sides of the device to create a mirror image of the device shown in FIG. 1.  
         [0041]    Several different possible embodiments for the selection device  36  are shown in FIGS.  2 A- 2 E. FIG. 2A is a top view showing a four triangular button design. Each triangular button has two legs  50  and a hypotenuse  52 . The buttons are positioned so that one leg from each triangular button is positioned next to a leg  50  of one other triangular button. In this way the hypotenuses  52  of the four triangular buttons form a rectangle. The sectional view FIG. 2B shows that each triangular button is also sloped so that the thickness of each button is greatest along its hypotenuse  52  and least where the two legs  50  intersect.  
         [0042]    The selection device  36  may also be in the form of a track ball FIG. 2C. Track balls are well known in the art and consist of a spherical ball  54  which is rotatably secured inside the housing  30 . The spherical ball is in contact with two rotational sensors  56 ,  58  and a push down contact  60 . When in use, a user moves the portion of the spherical ball  62  that extends outside of the housing and the rotations are detected by the rotational sensors. The user can also press the spherical ball toward the push down contact  60 . The push down contact will detect this motion by the user.  
         [0043]    A third embodiment of a selection device is a touch pad with multiple contacts, shown in FIG. 2D. The touch pad has a flat rectangular panel  64  connected to five push down contacts  66  (three shown in FIG. 2D). The contacts are positioned one at each corner of the panel and one in the center of the panel. When a user presses near a corner of the pad or in the middle of the pad the pressure is detected by one of the contacts  66 .  
         [0044]    A fourth embodiment of a selection device is a joystick, shown in FIG. 2E. Joysticks are well known in the art and have an elongated stick member  68  which has a bottom and top portion. The bottom portion is moveably connected to a push down contact  70 . When the joystick is operated the user places one of his digits on top of the stick member and tips the stick forward, back, left, or right. These motions are detected by contacts  72  arranged in front, behind, and to the left and right of the stick member, respectively. The user may also press the top of the stick member  68  toward the push down contact  70 . This motion would be detected by the push down contact.  
         [0045]    FIGS.  3 A- 3 D show top views of lateral directional movements which may be made with the embodiments of the selection device shown in FIGS.  2 A- 2 E. The operation of each embodiment differs slightly, but the intended direction of operation is the same with each device. For example, the analogs of pushing the joystick  68  in the direction of arrow  98  in FIG. 3D would be pushing down button  50   c  on the button assembly of FIG. 3A, rolling the roller  54  of the roller ball FIG. 3B towards the direction of arrow  98  on the roller ball, or pushing down the corner of the direction pad FIG. 3C closest to the direction of arrow  98 . The selection devices are each oriented with arrow  104  always pointing towards the top portion of the handheld device&#39;s housing  30 . For this application, using the verbs push or press, and derivations thereof, when referring to the selection device will encompass all the motion analogs of all the embodiments of the selection device.  
         [0046]    All of the functions of the software (to be discussed infra) can be controlled through the combined use of both the keys  32   a - 32   d  and the selection device  36 . The active keyboard system may also, however, incorporate a motion detector to perform many of the functions performed by the selection device through physical movements of the handheld device.  
         [0047]    The active keyboard system, when equipped with motion detectors, can interpret rotational movements in directions  80 ,  81  (clockwise or counterclockwise about a horizontal axis through the device), and  82 ,  83  (clockwise and counterclockwise about a vertical axis through the device) as depicted in FIG. 4. These types of rotational movements are consistent with the type of movement a handheld device would undergo if the holder of the device flexed and extended, or rotated his wrist.  
         [0048]    There are several different types of motion detectors which can be incorporated into the active keyboard, all of which are well known in the art and will only be discussed briefly here as they relate to the functional aspects of the active keyboard. One embodiment of the invention incorporates two acceleration sensors into the housing of the handheld device. Placement of the motion sensors is not critical as long as the sensors are capable of detecting their assigned range of movements. Gravitational sensors may also be used in the place of acceleration sensors. Gravitational sensors are well known in the art and typically start with a zero point fixed by the software using an internal or external reference point such as gravity, a gyroscope, a magnetic compass, or a G.P.S. system. From the zero point changes in orientation are recorded. The zero point would be periodically refreshed by the software.  
         [0049]    The active keyboard device has software which is stored in a memory device. The software works with the processor to output information to the display and interpret commands and data entered by the user. When power is applied to the device the user will have the option to select one of several modes of operation. The modes of operation will differ depending on the capability of the handheld device. The software has two selection techniques, box selection, and column selection. When using the column selection mode the display will show a grid of three vertical columns ( 90 ,  92 ,  94 ) of four possible selection boxes 31 per column, as shown in FIG. 5. The selection boxes contain the different possible modes of operation at startup, but the column selection technique may be used to input a variety of values into the handheld device.  
         [0050]    The logic of using both the column and box selection techniques is shown in FIG. 6. At startup the center column  90  will be outlined with a highlight box  96 . The user may select one of the values in the highlighted center column by depressing the key which is positioned directly to the side of the selection. In FIG. 5, for example, the value in selection box  31   a  would be assigned to the top key  32  and the value in selection box  31   c  would be assigned to the next to bottom key  32 . Pressing the top key  32  would enter the value  31   a  into the memory of the electronic device.  
         [0051]    A value could be chosen from a selection box in column  90  (left column) or  94  (right column) by using the selection device  36  to move the highlight box  96  to the left or right on the display. Pushing a selection device in the direction of the arrows in FIG. 3 will move, if permitted by the software, the highlight box on the display as follows:  98  (right),  100  (down),  102  (left) and  104  (up). When the highlight box is surrounding an entire column only movements in directions  98  (right) and  102  (left) are permitted.  
         [0052]    If the user attempts to move the highlight box to the right when it is surrounding column  94  (right column) one of two options will occur. If there are no additional values in the memory for that mode of operation the highlight box will stay in position around the values in column  94 . If additional values are present in the memory for that mode of operation, four (or the number of values remaining if less than four) of the additional values will appear in column  94 , the values in column  94  will shift to column  92 , the values in column  92  will shift to column  90 , and the values previously in column  90  will be deleted from the display. This process is repeated until the last values for that mode are retrieved from memory, at which point the values will stop shifting columns. The values that were deleted from the display can be recovered in the same manner by moving the selection box in direction  102  when the highlight box is surrounding column  90 .  
         [0053]    When the active keyboard is used to dial a telephone number, or other limited value set, an additional feature may be added to the selection technique. After a number is input into the memory the highlight box returns to column  92 . This is designed to insure that any value is never more than one movement of the highlight box away.  
         [0054]    If the active keyboard is equipped with the previously mentioned motion detection devices, rotating the device will also result in movements of the highlight box. Moving a selection device in directions  98  (right) and  102  (left), as shown in FIG. 3, would produce instructions to the software equivalent to rotating, the handheld device in directions  83  (counterclockwise) and  82  (clockwise) as seen in FIG. 4. Moving the selection device in directions  104  (up) and  100  (down) are also equivalent to rotating the handheld device in directions  80  (counterclockwise) and  81  (clockwise).  
         [0055]    The column selection technique as detailed above is sufficient when there are a relatively small number of variables to choose from (phone dialing, mode selection). Some applications, however, such as text messaging have a larger number of values. In that case, the highlight box  96  would encircle only one value box  31  (box selection) rather than an entire column (column selection) of four value boxes, as shown in FIG. 7. Each value box would contain up to four values rather than one value. When highlighted by the highlight box each value inside the value box would be assigned to a key  32 . The values in the value box would also appear in a larger font  110  next to their assigned key. When entering text using box mode pressing two keys  32  at the same time would result in a space being entered into the message text or data stream. Text and data entered into the handheld device is shown on the display in the text area  112  above the columns, as seen in FIG. 7.  
         [0056]    When in box selection mode the user has the ability to move the highlight box not only left and right but also up and down the display. This can be accomplished either by pushing a selection device in directions  104 ,  100 ,  102  and  98  or, when motion detectors are in place, through rotating the handheld device in directions  80 ,  81 ,  82 ,  83 . Additional values, if present, can be selected by using the same technique described in column mode, where the user attempts to move the highlight box off the side of the display and a new column shifts into place.  
         [0057]    When a handheld device is connected to the Internet the adaptive keyboard can operate in an Internet navigation mode. The logic of Internet navigation is detailed in FIG. 8 When in Internet navigation mode the display will show a portion of the web page. The user can move the displayed view  120  (seen in FIG. 9) of the page by using a selection device or through the use of the motion sensors. In Internet mode a cursor  122  appears in the middle of the displayed web page image. As the user navigates through a web page the cursor stays centered in the display until the image reaches the edge of the web page. At that point the motion of the image stops and the cursor continues  124  toward the edge of the screen FIG. 9. This allows the user to “click” on portions of the web page that are close to the edge of the page.  
         [0058]    It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the sole embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.