Abstract:
Described is a system comprising a computing device detachably coupled to an input arrangement. Upon authenticating a user, a corresponding user profile is retrieved from a memory module and uploaded into at least one of the device and the arrangement. The profile stores user&#39;s preferences for inputting data via the input arrangement. The memory module is situated in at least one of the device and the arrangement.

Description:
BACKGROUND  
       [0001]     Users of computing systems (e.g., desktops, laptops, personal digital assistants (“PDAs”), handheld computers, network interface devices, etc.) often desire to customize their keyboards. For instance, a user may prefer each key on the keyboard to represent something other than a standard character. For example, the user may desire to enter text in Chinese, and thus may require that each key and/or combination of keys represents a different Chinese character. Presently, however, the user must first reconfigure the keyboard from a current setting (e.g., in English) to a customized setting (e.g., Chinese). Because the current setting remains the same for all users, each user must reconfigure the keyboard to the customized setting prior to using the computing system. Accordingly, excessive time and energy are expended in altering the keyboard settings.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention relates to a system comprising a computing device detachably coupled to an input arrangement. Upon authenticating a user, a corresponding user profile is retrieved from a memory module and uploaded into at least one of the device and the arrangement. The profile stores user&#39;s preferences for inputting data via the input arrangement. The memory module is situated in at least one of the device and the arrangement. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0003]      FIG. 1  shows an exemplary embodiment of a system according to the present invention;  
         [0004]      FIG. 2  shows another exemplary embodiment of an input arrangement according to the present invention; and  
         [0005]      FIG. 3  shows an exemplary embodiment of a method according to the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0006]     The present invention may be further understood with reference to the following description and the appended drawings, wherein like elements are referred to with the same reference numerals. The present invention describes a system and a method for configuring an input arrangement. Although the present invention will be described with respect to a keyboard which may be compatible with stationary and/or mobile computing devices, those of skill in the art will understand that the present invention may be applied to any system utilizing a keyboard/keypad as an input device (e.g., a desktop computer). Further, the present invention may be applied to any peripheral coupled to the terminal, such as a mouse, a webcam, speakers, etc.  
         [0007]      FIG. 1  shows an exemplary embodiment of a system  5  according to the present invention. The system  5  may include a terminal (e.g., a mobile terminal  10 , a stationary terminal) including input keys  20  and a display  30 . It will be understood by those of skill in the art that the mobile terminal  10  may be any wireless device including, but not limited to, a cell phone, a laptop, a network interface card, a handheld computer, a PDA, a personal computer, an image- or laser-based scanner, an RFID reader, etc. A user of the mobile terminal  10  may enter information via the input keys  20  and/or a touch panel which may be integral with the display  30 . However, the user may deem these methods of entering information inadequate, because perhaps they may not be performed with enough expediency. The user may desire to enter information with the same quickness and ease as entering information via a keyboard. Thus, the mobile device  10  may be detachably coupled to a keyboard  60 . The keyboard  60  may be a full/standard sized keyboard with a standard key arrangement  65 , or it may be modified (e.g., smaller, fewer keys, different key arrangement, etc.).  
         [0008]     In the exemplary embodiment of  FIG. 1 , the mobile terminal  10  may be mounted in a receptacle  35  of the keyboard  60 . A support  50  may extend from the receptacle  35  in order to stabilize the mobile terminal  10 . As shown, a communications link may be established by connecting a female part  40  to a male part  45  which are located on the keyboard  60  and the mobile terminal  10  respectively. However, it will be understood by those of skill in the art that the communications link may be provided by a variety of other devices (e.g., infrared links, USB, etc.). For example, the communications link may be a wireless connection in which case the mobile terminal  10  and the keyboard  60  may not be physically coupled together.  
         [0009]     When using the system  5 , the user may desire to enter specialized information. For example, the user may wish to type information in a foreign language which utilizes a different alphabet. Accordingly, the user may execute an application or alter a setting on the mobile terminal  10  and/or the keyboard  60  to enter the specialized information. In a conventional system, the user may be required to set his keyboard preferences each time he desires to enter the specialized information. Further, other users may similarly wish to use their custom keyboard preferences. In such a case, the conventional system may retain only the preferences of a most recent user requiring each subsequent user to manually reconfigure the keyboard. However, according to the present invention, a profile may be created for each user, which would enable the user&#39;s keyboard preferences to automatically load.  
         [0010]     The profile may include information and settings specific to the user, such as the keyboard preferences. The keyboard preferences may be those settings which enable the user to input the specialized information, such as foreign text. Further, the keyboard preferences may include one or more keystrokes which trigger a particular function (e.g., macros, shortcut keys, hotkeys, etc.). For example, the user may configure the keyboard preferences such that an application is executed if the &lt;Alt&gt;, &lt;Shift&gt;, and &lt;F9&gt; keys are simultaneously depressed.  
         [0011]     In one exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the profile may be stored on the keyboard  60 . This embodiment may be preferable for a user that desires to use the keyboard  60  to input information into multiple mobile terminals.  
         [0012]      FIG. 2  shows an exemplary embodiment of input arrangement (e.g., a keyboard  60 ) on which one or more profiles may be stored. As shown, the keyboard  60  may include a storage module  70 , a processor  80 , and a power module  90 .  
         [0013]     The storage module  70  may include a removable memory and/or a non-removable memory. The removable memory may be any type of detachable memory component that may connect to the keyboard  60  through an expansion interface (e.g., a FLASH interface, a USB interface, a firewire interface, etc.). The non-removable memory is any type of memory component integrated into the electronic architecture of the keyboard  60  and may be temporary (e.g., random access memory, or RAM) or permanent (e.g., a hard-disk drive). The storage module  70  may store one or more of the profiles.  
         [0014]     The processor  80  may facilitate communication between the keyboard  60  and the mobile terminal  10 . For example, the processor  80  may load the profile and communicate to the terminal  10  the profile which may be shown on the display  30 . Further the processor  80  may facilitate a process of authenticating a user. In one embodiment of the present invention, the keyboard  60  may also include a display (not shown) which shows information that allows the user to select a particular profile from the one or more profiles stored in the storage module  70 . For example, the display may prompt the user for authentication data (e.g., a login) and/or it may list one or more profiles that may be selected by the user.  
         [0015]     The power module  90  may supply the keyboard  60  with a requisite energy supply to store and load the profile(s). A type of power module  90  may vary depending on a type of terminal with which the keyboard  60  is to be used. For example, a keyboard used in conjunction with the mobile terminal  10  may preferably be powered by a battery. Additionally or alternatively, however, the keyboard  60  may include a plug for coupling to an electrical outlet. In a further example, the keyboard  60  may derive its power through the mobile terminal  10  to which it is connected (e.g., USB connection).  
         [0016]     In another exemplary embodiment, the keyboard  60  may not contain a separate processor  80 . Rather, the keyboard  60  may include circuitry, which may be used in conjunction with a central processing unit of the mobile terminal  10  to which it is coupled. For example, the circuitry may map a user&#39;s keyboard preferences and pass the preferences to a driver (e.g., a keyboard driver) on the mobile terminal  10  and/or the keyboard  60 .  
         [0017]     In another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the profile(s) may be stored on the mobile terminal  10 . This embodiment may be preferable if a user desires to use the mobile terminal  10  in conjunction with multiple detachable keyboards and/or when multiple users utilize a single terminal. For example, a user may own several keyboards so that he may keep one at home, one at work, and one at a weekend home. However, the user may use each of these keyboards to enter information into the same mobile terminal  10 . Storing user preferences on each individual keyboard may be excessively troublesome. Accordingly, the user may desire to store the profile on the mobile terminal  10 .  
         [0018]     In yet another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the profile may be stored on both the keyboard  60  and the mobile terminal  10 . In this embodiment, a processor on the mobile terminal  10  may look in both locations to retrieve the profile. The profile may then be loaded from the location in which it was found. If the profile is located in both locations, the processor may use a default setting where, for example, it automatically loads the profile stored on the mobile terminal  10 .  
         [0019]     According to the present invention, the profile including the keyboard preferences may be loaded automatically. In one embodiment, the profile may be uploaded when the user enters a login name and/or password. In another embodiment, the profile may be selected by the user and accordingly loaded. For example, icons representing several profiles may be disposed on the display  30 . The user may select one the icons (i.e., the icon representing his profile) in order to load his keyboard preferences. In yet another embodiment, the profile may be automatically loaded when a particular mobile terminal communicates with a particular keyboard.  
         [0020]      FIG. 3  shows an exemplary method  100  of the present invention. In step  110 , the user defines one or more keyboard preferences including settings which enable the user to input specialized information. For example, the user may configure the key arrangement  65  of the keyboard  60  to correspond to Greek letters, thereby enabling the user to input Greek text. Further, the keyboard preferences may include one or more keystrokes which trigger a particular function (e.g., a macro). The profile may also include a variety of other information. For example, other types of preferences such as background settings for a display, applications available, passwords, etc. may be included in the profile. Each profile may be labeled to indicate its contents to the user. For example, the profile may be labeled according to the user (e.g., “Mary”) who defined the keyboard settings, the profile may be labeled according to a type of the specialized information (e.g., “Chinese”), etc.  
         [0021]     In step  120 , the profile may be stored on the mobile terminal  10  and/or the keyboard  60 . Profiles of further users may similarly be stored along with the profile. However, the profiles may be specific to each user. That is, two profiles may include the same keyboard preferences, but the two profiles are stored separately and are only accessible by the respective users. Accordingly, the profiles will not interfere with one another. For example, a user profile may be closed when the user is no longer using the terminal, and thus the user&#39;s keyboard preferences will not be in effect when a new user enters information on the terminal.  
         [0022]     After the profile has been created and stored, it may be utilized by the user(s). In step  130 , the user is authenticated. That is, the user may attempt to log in to a system (e.g., a network, a PC, etc.). A login, for example, may require the user to enter user-specific data such as a username and/or a password. After the user enters the login, the user may be recognized by the system and thus authenticated. In this case, authentication may denote authorization to use one of the profiles.  
         [0023]     In another embodiment of the present invention, authentication may be built into the keyboard  60 . Thus, a user that is unfamiliar to the computing device may nonetheless be recognized by the keyboard, where the user&#39;s keyboard preferences may also be saved.  
         [0024]     In step  140 , the user has been authenticated, and the profile is automatically loaded. Accordingly, the user may immediately begin entering input via the keyboard  60  with the keyboard preferences. In one embodiment of the present invention, the user may also update his keyboard preferences, and periodically reconfigure the profile or store separate profiles. The user may be prompted to update the profile at predetermined times or the user may do so on his own accord. In one embodiment, the profile may be updated automatically each time it is loaded by the user.  
         [0025]     In one embodiment of the present invention, users may generally only load their own user profiles (i.e., the user profiles which they defined and stored). However, it may be desirable for a particular user to have access to multiple user profiles. For example, an administrator may wish to load other user profiles in order to verify an appropriate content thereof. Accordingly, the administrator may be authorized to load and modify profiles of one or more users.  
         [0026]     The present invention may be effective in saving time and effort of the user, particularly when entering specialized information. Additionally, the present invention may be helpful to a user who desires to store several user profiles. For example, the user may perform a series of tasks on one system  5 , wherein each task requires a different set of preferences (e.g., a first task includes entering Russian text, a second task includes entering Chinese text, etc.). Accordingly, the user may load and exit each profile with relative ease in order to end and begin separate tasks.  
         [0027]     The present invention may also prove beneficial in certain environments where one keyboard and/or terminal is shared by a plurality of users. For example, systems located in an office, a public library, an internet cafe, etc. may be accessed by multiple users. According to the present invention, each user may store his/her individual preferences in a corresponding profile, and load the preferences at each time of access.  
         [0028]     Although the present invention has been described with respect to a mobile terminal used in conjunction with a detachable keyboard, it will be understood by those of skill in the art that the present invention may be used with any computing system which utilizes a keyboard to input information. Further, it is not necessary that a standard keyboard be used. For example, the present invention may also be applicable to keypads, number pads, and the like.  
         [0029]     It will also be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made in the present invention, without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, it is intended that the present invention cover the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.