Abstract:
A computer input device is disclosed which comprised a keyboard having a plurality of keys for entering commands and characters into the computer, a touch sensor for detecting one or more touches by one or more objects on a surface area of the plurality of keys, and an input processor coupled to both the keyboard and the touch sensor, where the input processor is configured to switch the computer input device to a mouse mode when the touch sensor having detected one of the plurality of keys being touched prior to the key being pressed, and the input processor is configured to switch the computer input device to a keyboard mode when the touch sensor having detected one of the plurality of keys being touched and pressed at approximately the same starting time.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     The present invention relates generally to human input devices for computing systems, and, more particularly, to a computer keyboard and mouse combo device. 
     A most popular way to position a cursor on a computer display is to use a mouse, which functions by detecting two dimensional motions relative to its supporting surface. Physically, a mouse comprises an object held under one of a user&#39;s hands, with one or more buttons. Clicking or hovering (stopping movement while the cursor is within the bounds of an area) can select files, programs or actions from a list of names, or (in graphical interfaces) through small images called “icons” and other elements. For example, a text file might be represented by a picture of a paper notebook, and clicking while the cursor hovers over this icon might cause a text editing program to open the file in a window. 
     When mice have more than one button, software may assign different functions to each button. Often, a primary (leftmost in a right-handed configuration) button on the mouse will select items (primary click), and a secondary (rightmost in a right-handed) button will bring up a menu of alternative actions applicable to that item (secondary click). 
     A conventional keyboard can detect a pressing of any key thereof, but cannot detect merely touches on the keys. Here, the “touch” refers to a surface of the keyboard being contacted by an object regardless if the key is pressed or not. If the conventional keyboard is a tactile one, the key pressing results from the key being depressed. If the conventional keyboard is a surface one, such as Touch Cover for Microsoft Surface, the key pressing results from a force being applied on the key. As long as the key remains depressed in tactile keyboard or forced upon in surface keyboard, the key is pressed. 
     While conventional mice can be highly accurate pointing devices for computers, being a separate device the conventional mice have some short-comings, such as every time when a computer user wants to move a cursor, he or she has to move his or her hand away from the keyboard and to the mouse, and move the mouse as a physical object. It is not only less efficient but also may cause injury to the hand over an extended period of time of use. 
     As such, what is desired is a computer input device, particularly a pointing device that does not rely on moving any additional object other than the user&#39;s fingers. 
     SUMMARY 
     A computer input device is disclosed which comprised a keyboard having a plurality of keys for entering commands and characters into the computer, a touch sensor for detecting one or more touches by one or more objects on a surface area of the plurality of keys, and an input processor coupled to both the keyboard and the touch sensor, where the input processor is configured to switch the computer input device to a mouse mode when the touch sensor having detected one of the plurality of keys being touched prior to the key being pressed, and the input processor is configured to switch the computer input device to a keyboard mode when the touch sensor having detected one of the plurality of keys being touched and pressed at approximately the same starting time. 
     The construction and method of operation of the invention, however, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a laptop computer with a keyboard. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates an infrared-light touch sensing system positioned to detect touch on the keyboard surface according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a layout diagram of keyboard keys according to the embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a block diagram of a computing system with a keyboard-mouse combo device according to the embodiment of present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a flow chart diagram illustrating steps of operations of the keyboard-mouse combo device of the embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a flow chart diagram illustrating steps of mouse mode operations of the keyboard-mouse combo device of the embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     The drawings accompanying and forming part of this specification are included to depict certain aspects of the invention. A clearer conception of the invention, and of the components and operation of systems provided with the invention, will become more readily apparent by referring to the exemplary, and therefore non-limiting, embodiments illustrated in the drawings, wherein like reference numbers (if they occur in more than one view) designate the same elements. The invention may be better understood by reference to one or more of these drawings in combination with the description presented herein. 
     DESCRIPTION 
     The present invention relates to a computer input device utilizing a touch sensing device and a conventional keyboard to provide cursor input for the computer. A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described hereinafter with reference to the attached drawings. 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a laptop computer  100  with a conventional keyboard  105  for entering text, etc. The laptop computer  100  has a base unit  102  containing the keyboard  105 , and a display panel  115  which is hinged to the base unit  102  by hinges  118 . A skilled computer user can generally type on the keyboard  105  with both hands  123  and  124 . 
       FIG. 2  illustrates an infrared-light touch sensing system positioned to detect touches on the surface of the keyboard  105  according to an embodiment of the present invention. The infrared-light touch sensing system includes an infrared light emitter  202  and an infrared light receiver  208 . The infrared light travels across the surface of the keyboard  105 . A finger  124  or any other object touching the surface of the keyboard  105  blocks the infrared light from being received by the infrared light receiver  208 . As a result, the touch can be detected. 
     Referring back to  FIG. 1 , the infrared light emitter  202  can be positioned along one edge of the keyboard  105  and the infrared light receiver  208  can be positioned along the opposite edge of the keyboard  105 . In order to obtain coordinates of a touch, two sets of the infrared light touch sensors will be needed with one set positioned on the horizontal edges and the other on the vertical edges. 
     Although an infrared-light touch sensing system is described hereinbefore, other touch sensing systems, such as the one using a video camera or ultrasound can also be used. 
       FIG. 3  is a layout diagram of keys of the keyboard  105  according to the embodiment of the present invention. A predetermined touch sensing area  310  is designated by a keyboard-mouse combo (KMC) software for detecting a touch and extracting coordinates of the touch. Only touches within the touch sensing area  310  can be detected as effective touches by the touch sensing system. The predetermined touch sensing area  310  can also be marked out on the surface of the keyboard  105 , so that a computer user can clearly identify a boundary of the touching sensing area. The predetermined touch sensing area  310  functions akin to Apple&#39;s Magic Trackpad surface area. Apparently, the touch sensing area  310  has to be entirely covered by infrared light. Even though a touch on areas outside of the predetermined touch sensing area  310  can be picked up by the infrared-light sensing system, the KMC software ignores such touch. 
     Referring again to  FIG. 3 , there is a designated key  322  marked as “AUX” which stands for “auxiliary”, outside of the predetermined touch sensing area  310 . A main function of the “AUX” key  322  is for switching between a primary click and a secondary click. Operation details of the “AUX” key  322  are depicted in  FIG. 5  and associated paragraphs hereinafter. Although only one “AUX” key  322  on the left hand side of the keyboard  105  is illustrated in  FIG. 3 , a skilled in the art would realize that another “AUX” key can be designated on the right hand side of the keyboard  105  as well. 
       FIG. 4  is a block diagram of a computing system  400  with a KMC device according to the embodiment of present invention. The computing system  400  includes an input device  410 , a display  420 , an input/output (I/O) processor  430 , a central processing unit (CPU)  440  and a memory and storage unit  450 . The input device  410  comprises a conventional keyboard  412  and a touch sensor  415  which overlays the conventional keyboard  410  as described in  FIGS. 1-3 . The conventional keyboard  412  and the touch sensor  415  form the KMC device. The I/O processor  430  is the hardware that executes the KMC software. The I/O processor  430  also includes a timer  435  to measure a length of elapsed time when a surface of the keyboard  412  is continuously touched by a single object until the touched key is pressed. 
       FIG. 5  is a flow chart diagram illustrating steps of an operation of the KMC device of the embodiment of the present invention. The keyboard-mouse operation starts with checking if any key is pressed in step  510 . In case there are at least one key is pressed and at least one key is touched at the same time, the keyboard will enter into the keyboard mode in which the KMC device works as a conventional keyboard, i.e., when a key is pressed, a character the key is designated for will be entered into the computer. In case there is only one key is pressed and no other key is touched, the KMC software will check in step  520  if the key surface has been touched at approximately the same location of the key that is being pressed prior to the pressing. When a key is pressed, the key surface will inevitably been touched as well. However, in a quick stroke such as when people using one finger to enter a character, the start of a key press and the key surface touch occur substantially at the same time. The KMC software may set a predetermined length of time such as 100 millisecond as a threshold to determine if the touch has occurred prior to or at the same time as the start of the press. 
     Referring to  FIG. 5  again, in case the KMC device has not been touched, either at the key that is pressed or elsewhere, prior to the pressing, the KMC software enters the keyboard mode in step  523 . In case the KMC device has been touched at the location of the key that is being pressed prior to the pressing, the KMC software will enter into a mouse mode in step  527 , and treats the key press as a mouse click. 
     Referring to  FIG. 5  again, in case there is neither a key being pressed nor a key being touched, the KMC software will keep detecting such actions in steps  510  and  530 . In case the key surface is touched only at one spot without a key being pressed, the KMC software will enter into a mouse mode in step  533 , and treats the touch as a trigger of a cursor movement. 
       FIG. 6  is a flow chart diagram illustrating steps of mouse mode operations of the KMC device of the embodiment of the present invention. When the key surface of the KMC device is touched by only one object, the KMC device enters into the mouse mode operation. In step  610  of the mouse mode, the KMC device first detects if there is any key that is pressed while being touched. In case there is no key is pressed, the KMC device treats the single-location touch as an operation equivalent to the conventional mouse&#39;s cursor movement in step  615 . In case there is a single key being pressed, the KMC device further detects if the auxiliary key is held down when the single key press occurs in step  620 . In case the auxiliary key is held down when the single key press occurs, the KMC device treats the operation equivalent to the conventional mouse&#39;s secondary click in step  625 . In case the auxiliary key is not held down when the single key press occurs, the KMC device treats the operation equivalent to the conventional mouse&#39;s primary click in step  622 . The KMC device further checks if the same key is pressed a second time within a predetermined length of time in step  630 . If the checking result is positive, the KMC device executes the object selected by the primary click in step  635 . If the checking result is negative, the KMC device does not take any action but goes on to check if the touch location is moving away continuously from the initial touch location in step  640 . In case the touch location moves away from the initial location continuously, the KMC device treats the touch location&#39;s movement as equivalent to the conventional mouse&#39;s dragging the object selected by the primary click. In other words, if a finger after pressing a key which results in selecting an object, maintains contact with the key surface while sliding away from the initial pressing location, the finger drags the selected object to locations following the finger&#39;s sliding. The fingers can either keep pressing keys while sliding across the same or merely maintain surface contacts with the keys without pressing, the KMC device treats the two situations the same as the dragging operation. When the finger leaves the key surface, the dragging operation will end but the selected object will remain being selected until next primary click. 
     The above illustration provides many different embodiments or embodiments for implementing different features of the invention. Specific embodiments of components and processes are described to help clarify the invention. These are, of course, merely embodiments and are not intended to limit the invention from that described in the claims. 
     Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in one or more specific examples, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the scope of the invention, as set forth in the following claims.