Abstract:
A keyboard apparatus integrated with a function of retrieving handwriting tracks is disclosed. A handwriting retrieval module is disposed in the keyboard apparatus. The handwriting retrieval module helps users retrieve the data generated by tracing the handwriting in addition to input by keyboard. This keyboard apparatus integrated with the handwriting retrieval function implement a complete input solution.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to a keyboard apparatus integrated with handwriting retrieval function, more particularly to the keyboard apparatus with an embedded handwriting retrieval module, and to retrieve the handwriting information through wireless detection. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    The keyboard is the most often used device for computer input, whereby users need to know well the arrangement of the keys for inputting data efficiently. Inputting language efficiently using a keyboard thus requires practice and skill, and for users not having the time or the skill required, keyboard input often remains cumbersome. 
         [0005]    Therefore, a handwriting input method becomes a conventional solution of input. For example, users can use a stylus to write on a digital sensing tablet, and a character recognizing technology installed in a computer system is used to recognize the written characters, and record the handwriting tracks. 
         [0006]    An example of a handwriting retrieval apparatus  10  of the prior art is shown in  FIG. 1 . This handwriting retrieval apparatus  10  is a conventional product that emits wireless signals and detects the reflective signals presenting the handwriting motions. Thereby, a real-time two-dimensional or three-dimensional wireless positioning and tracking technology is applied to the above purpose. The tracks written on the handwriting tablet  18  are detected and recorded. The handwriting retrieval apparatus  10  shown in the drawing includes a display screen  12  and a set of control keys  14 . The display screen  12  shows the motions of the apparatus  10 , or even the retrieved handwriting tracks. The control keys  14  at least have the keys with power start and mode configuration. It&#39;s not necessary to use the usual tablet for handwriting in this case. 
         [0007]    Accordingly, as discussed above, the prior art still has some drawbacks that could be improved. The present invention aims to resolve the inconvenient way in the prior art. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    In order to integrate the conventional handwriting retrieval technology into the input apparatus of a computer system, the present invention provides a keyboard apparatus integrated with a handwriting retrieval function. Particularly, a module embodying the handwriting retrieval function is integrated with the keyboard apparatus. The handwriting retrieval module in common uses the power source supplied to the keyboard apparatus, and further uses the joint communication way exterior to outside. The user can utilize the handwriting retrieval module to record the handwriting information into the computer system in use of the keyboard apparatus. 
         [0009]    The preferred embodiment of the keyboard apparatus integrated with the function of handwriting retrieval introduces a physical keyboard which includes an embedded keyboard controller for converting, transmitting and processing the key code received form a keyboard scan circuit. A communication unit outputs the signals generated by the keyboard controller to the computer system. The claimed keyboard apparatus further integrates a handwriting retrieval module. 
         [0010]    The mentioned handwriting retrieval module includes a wireless detection unit for detecting the handwriting tracks, and a processing unit for processing and recognizing the tracks. A display unit can also be included for displaying the signal retrieving status and the recognized result through a screen. Further, a buffer memory unit is included to record the retrieved signals. 
         [0011]    In particular, the operation of the stylus used in the handwriting retrieval module of the keyboard apparatus has at least three modes—a character recognizing mode, a handwriting drawing mode and a mouse mode. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]    The foregoing aspects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will be more readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
           [0013]      FIG. 1  shows a schematic diagram of the conventional handwriting retrieval apparatus; 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  shows a schematic diagram of the keyboard apparatus with handwriting retrieval function of the embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  shows another schematic diagram of the claimed keyboard apparatus; 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  shows a schematic diagram of the keyboard apparatus disposing a stylus of the embodiment; 
           [0017]      FIG. 5  shows a block diagram of the claimed keyboard apparatus of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0018]    The present invention relates to a keyboard apparatus integrated with handwriting retrieval function. The handwriting retrieval function is modularized as a module integrated with the keyboard apparatus. The keyboard apparatus is functioned to provide an input method of a handwriting tablet without any specific input method in addition to the regular keyboard. This claimed keyboard is usually applied to the input apparatus of the computer system. In which, the handwriting retrieval module and the keyboard jointly use the power supply module. The power supply module can obtain the power through a communication interface to the computer system, or through the batteries installed inside the keyboard, or other power sources. The handwriting retrieval further uses the same communication way exterior to outside with the keyboard. After that, the user can use the handwriting retrieval function to input the handwriting information to the computer system as using the keyboard itself. 
         [0019]    Reference is made to  FIG. 2  showing one of the embodiments of the keyboard apparatus integrated with handwriting retrieval function. The keyboard apparatus  20  connects with a computer system  25 , which is not limited as a desktop computer shown in the drawing, but the notebook computer and personal digital assistance (PDA) that are able to process data. A handwriting retrieval module  22  is installed in the keyboard apparatus  20 . A window of wireless transceiver is shown exteriorly. The wireless signals able to determine the directions such as infrared rays, radio waves, supersonic wave, Bluetooth or their combination are transmitted through the window. For example, by means of the properties distinguished between the wireless signals, the handwriting tracks produced by the user using the stylus  24  can be recognized by determining the positions and progressing time of the stylus  24  as receiving the reflective signals. Particularly, the above track recognizing applies a real-time two-dimensional and three-dimensional wireless positioning and tracking technology. At last, the recognized signals are transmitted to the computer system  25  by the signaling means used between the keyboard apparatus  20  and the computer system  25 . 
         [0020]    Further reference is made to  FIG. 3 , which shows another embodiment of the keyboard apparatus integrated with the handwriting retrieval function. Likewise the keyboard apparatus  30  is connected with the computer system (now shown), and a handwriting retrieval module  32  is preferably installed in a suitable position. A display screen  321  is further included in addition to a detector  322  being a wireless transceiver exteriorly included in the module  32 . 
         [0021]    The wireless signals are transmitted through the window of the detector  322 , and the wireless signals can be generated by infrared rays, radio, supersonic wave, Bluetooth or the like. The position and the progressing time of the stylus  34  can be determined through the reflective signals, thereby the handwriting tracks produced by a user using the stylus  34  can be recognized. The display screen  321  displays the operating statuses of the apparatus  30 , including the status of power, signal receiving, mode setting, and the result of recognizing the handwriting tracks or the characters. Those information is transmitted from the keyboard apparatus  30  to the computer system through the connection therebetween. The connection is implemented as USB, or the wireless connection such as Bluetooth, radio and the like. 
         [0022]    More particularly, the operation of the handwriting retrieval module installed in the keyboard apparatus has at least three modes—a character recognizing mode, a handwriting drawing mode and a mouse mode. 
         [0023]    When the handwriting retrieval module is configured to be the character recognizing mode, the wireless positioning and tracking technology is employed to retrieve the tracks for further character recognizing. Then the tracks will be recognized, especially to be a normal text format. The recognized result can further be transmitted to the computer system. The mentioned means for character recognizing is implemented through the firmware in a processor of the handwriting retrieval module, or alternatively through a recognizing program when the tracks are sent to the computer system. The recognized result can be applied to the text editing or amendment since the tracks are recognized and converted to the normal text format. 
         [0024]    Next, when the handwriting retrieval module is configured to be the handwriting drawing mode, the mentioned wireless positioning and tracking technology is similarly employed. The retrieved handwriting tracks are also recognized and buffered in format of a pattern, and then transmitted to the computer system. 
         [0025]    Moreover, when the handwriting retrieval module is configured to be in the mouse mode, the mentioned stylus  34  acts as a computer mouse. In this mode, the position of the computer pointer can be changed by recognizing the position of the stylus  34 . Further, the buttons of the stylus  34  can be functioned as the right and left buttons or other keys of a computer mouse. The preferred embodiment of the stylus  34  is referred to  FIG. 4 . 
         [0026]      FIG. 4  shows the embodiment of the stylus equipped on the keyboard apparatus with the handwriting retrieval function. The shown stylus  40  can be a device actively emitting signals. After that, the detector  322  is used to receive the wireless signals emitted from the stylus  40 . 
         [0027]    Moreover, a first button  401  and a second button  402  are disposed on the stylus  40 , especially to be the right and left buttons of the computer mouse in the mouse mode. Or other keys disposed on the stylus  40  can be simulated for some special purposes. 
         [0028]    Further reference is made to  FIG. 5  showing a circuitry block of the keyboard apparatus of the present invention. This preferred embodiment shows a keyboard apparatus  50  connected with a computer system  52 . This apparatus  50  primarily has a handwriting retrieval module  54  and a keyboard controller  503 . The handwriting retrieval module at least includes a processing unit  543  and a wireless detection unit  545 , and moreover, a display unit  541  can be included. Moreover, the keyboard controller  503  is electrically connected with a power supply module  501 , a communication unit  505 , a keyboard scan circuit  507 , and a key array  509  coupling to the keyboard scan circuit  507 . 
         [0029]    The mentioned keyboard controller  503  of the keyboard apparatus  50  is used to retrieve the scan codes that are produced by the key array  509  and received by the keyboard scan circuit  507 , and convert the scan codes to other recognizable codes. After these processing steps, the codes are sent to a computer system (not shown) through the communication unit  505  of the keyboard controller  503 . This communication unit  505  connects to the computer system with wired or wireless connection. According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the original keyboard module and the claimed handwriting retrieval module  54  are jointly use the communication unit  505 , in other words, they jointly use the communication ports of the computer system. The signals sent from the keyboard apparatus  50  include the signals generated from the handwriting retrieval module  54  via the keyboard controller  503 . Additionally, the original keyboard module and the handwriting retrieval module jointly use the power supply module  501  also. The power supply module  501  is used to manage the power source for the apparatus  50 , and the power can be obtained from the computer system or keyboard&#39;s own batteries. 
         [0030]    In particularly, the wireless detection unit  545  included in the handwriting retrieval module  54  is used to detect and retrieve the handwriting tracks. Then the wireless detection unit  545  transmits the wireless signals therefor and receives the signals reflected from the Stylus or actively sent from the stylus. Further, the received signals are processed in the processing unit  543  included in the handwriting retrieval module  54 , and can be recognized as the tracks to be recorded. These handwriting tracks can be recognized as the normal texts through a recognizing program in form of firmware or being installed in the computer system. 
         [0031]    Moreover, a stylus  56  can be included in the keyboard apparatus  50 . The stylus  56  is electrically connected with the handwriting retrieval module  54  of the keyboard apparatus  50 . Particularly, the stylus  56  can be a passive device, and the handwriting retrieval module  54  receives the wireless signals reflected from the stylus  56 . Further the stylus  56 &#39;s position and progressing time can be determined by these reflected signals. The stylus  56  can alternatively be an active device, as shown in the diagram, which includes a wireless emitting unit  561 , control unit  563  and a key module  565 . 
         [0032]    In which, the wireless emitting unit  561  is used to generate wireless signals that can be received by the wireless detection unit  545  of the keyboard apparatus  50 . The inside key module  565  acts as the combination of the right and the left buttons when it receives the keystroke from the user. The control unit  563 , which is electrically connected with the wireless emitting unit  561  and key module  565 , is used to generate the key signals by keystroke, such as the key codes. The key codes are then transmitted to the handwriting retrieval module  54  of the keyboard apparatus  50  via the wireless emitting unit  561 . 
         [0033]    Some relevant applications, such as the word processing software or drawing software, in the computer system are used to process the signals sent from the keyboard apparatus  50 . In addition to have the key signals generated by the conventional keyboard module, the transmitting signals including the patterns and recognized texts produced by the handwriting retrieval module  54  are also received. 
         [0034]    In the summation of above description, the claimed keyboard apparatus integrated with the function of retrieving handwriting is provided. Besides the users can key in by the keyboard, the handwriting method is further used to input data by the embedded handwriting retrieval module. 
         [0035]    Although the present invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the details thereof. Various substitutions and modifications have been suggested in the foregoing description, and other will occur to those of ordinary skill in the art. Therefore, all such substitutions and modifications are embraced within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.