Patent Publication Number: US-2015063891-A1

Title: Overloaded typing apparatuses, and related devices, systems, and methods

Description:
PRIORITY APPLICATION 
     The present application is a continuation of and claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/012,650 filed on Jan. 24, 2011 entitled “Overloaded Typing Apparatuses, and Related Devices, Systems, and Methods,” which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     The technology of the disclosure relates generally to typing apparatuses, and more specifically to overloaded typing apparatuses that allow reduced-size typing apparatuses, including keyboards. 
     BACKGROUND 
     The key arrangement, or layout, of keyboards used in different geographical areas around the world varies based on language. For example, typists in the United States typically learn to use QWERTY keyboards. In this regard,  FIG. 1  illustrates an exemplary physical QWERTY keyboard  10  comprised of physical keys  12 , each key  12  corresponding to a character in the English language.  FIG. 2  illustrates an exemplary software QWERTY keyboard  22  provided in software to provide virtual keys  24  on a display  26  of an electronic device  28 . For example, the electronic device  28  may be a touch-screen computing pad or other computing device where keypresses on the virtual keys  24  are sensed by touch. Similar keyboards can be provided for other languages. For example, a German-speaking typist may use a QWERTZ keyboard. A French-speaking typist may use an AZERTY keyboard. 
     Through practice, typists may develop typing proficiency and speed with a keyboard having a particular layout. Typists develop “procedural memory” of finger movement patterns associated with typing a vocabulary of phrases, words, and characters. Procedural memory is the type of physiological memory used by humans to perform certain actions without consciously thinking about them, for example, riding a bicycle, driving a manual transmission vehicle, performing a song on a piano or other instrument, or typing a vocabulary of phrases, words, and characters. In this regard, referring to  FIG. 1 , a typist may be trained to position her fingers on home keys  14 ,  16  which may be located on a home row  18 ,  20  of the physical QWERTY keyboard  10 . To type an individual character, a typist may learn which finger should be moved to type the character (i.e., which finger should be activated) as well as a direction and distance to move the finger relative to a home finger position. To type a word or phrase, the typist may develop procedural memory associating a pattern of finger activations and movements (relative to home finger positions) to type the word or phrase. Thus, procedural memory aids one in becoming efficient at rapid text and data entry on keyboards whose key layouts conform to one&#39;s prior training. Once a certain keyboard&#39;s key layout has been learned by a typist and committed to procedural memory, the typist may poorly tolerate switching to a keyboard with an alternative key layout. 
     To support a more mobile workforce and lifestyle, electronic devices are increasingly becoming more compact and more portable. These electronic devices commonly include a keyboard with either physical keys or virtual keys, such as the physical keys  12  or the virtual keys  24  in  FIGS. 1 and 2  as examples, to allow a typist, or user, to input data and provide commands or other inputs. Certain user applications (e.g., email clients) developed for these electronic devices may require extensive text and data entry. A full-size keyboard facilitates rapid text and data entry, but may require a key layout that is too large to incorporate into a compact electronic device. Furthermore, there may be a tradeoff in the amount of area designated for input on an electronic device versus the amount of area designated for a display. Even on virtual keyboards that allow providing virtual keys on the display without providing a separate input area, the size of the keyboard may constrain the area of the screen available for displaying other information, such as other inputs or output. 
     One approach to reducing keyboard size is to shrink the size of the keys. However, as key sizes are reduced, typists lose the ability to locate all their fingers upon a home row and may resort to using a single finger (such as a thumb or index finger) of one or both hands for data entry. Very small keys may even be difficult to accurately press with a single finger. In addition, when interacting with such miniature keyboards, typists are unable to make use of the procedural memory they previously developed using full-size keyboards. Instead, users must retrain themselves to use different finger patterns to press the keys. 
     Another approach to reducing keyboard size is to reduce the number of keys of the keyboard by allowing several characters to occupy a same key. Such a key may unambiguously represent the several characters, for example, when pressed in combination with a modifier key (e.g., Ctrl, Alt, Shift, Fn, or Cmd), or when pressed multiple times in succession (to cycle through the several characters). Alternatively, a key may be overloaded to represent several characters ambiguously. In this scenario, when overloaded keys are pressed, disambiguation software can be employed to determine which corresponding characters are intended, for example, based on dictionary matching, word and letter frequencies, and/or grammar rules. However, where the layout of a reduced-size, overloaded keyboard does not readily conform to a user&#39;s previously learned typing procedures, user retraining may be difficult or time-consuming, and adoption of such devices may be poorly tolerated by users. 
     SUMMARY OF THE DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Embodiments disclosed in the detailed description include overloaded typing apparatuses, and related devices, systems, and methods. In this regard, in one embodiment a typing apparatus is provided. The typing apparatus may include, as non-limiting examples, a physical keyboard or a virtual keyboard displayed on an electronic device. In this embodiment, the typing apparatus comprises a plurality of overloaded keys in a key layout, each overloaded key representing at least two characters disposed in a represented non-overloaded keyboard. The plurality of overloaded keys comprises at least three injectively overloaded keys disposed in a first row of keys. The injectively overloaded keys may be overloaded with alphabetic characters of a represented non-overloaded keyboard (e.g., a QWERTY keyboard) such that no alphabetic characters associated with different fingers on the represented non-overloaded keyboard are provided on a same overloaded key. At least one first injectively overloaded key among the at least three injectively overloaded keys is injectively overloaded with a first at least three characters assigned to a first finger in a represented non-overloaded keyboard. The plurality of overloaded keys also comprises at least one second injectively overloaded key disposed outside the first row of keys. The at least one second injectively overloaded key is injectively overloaded with a second at least three characters assigned to the first finger in the represented non-overloaded keyboard. In this manner, this typing apparatus allows a typist to rapidly enter data and text using a reduced-width keyboard, which may, for example, be employed to allow input by a user into a portable or smaller-size electronic device. This typing apparatus also provides a reduced finger travel distance for typing textual phrases. This typing apparatus also provides a reduced reaction time for typing textual phrases. 
     As a non-limiting example, the at least one first injectively overloaded key among the at least three injectively overloaded keys may be injectively overloaded with {“R”, “F”, “V”} or {“U”, “J”, “M”}, which are at least three characters assigned to an index finger (left-hand and right-hand, respectively) in a QWERTY keyboard. By way of further example, the at least one second injectively overloaded key disposed outside the first row of keys may be injectively overloaded with {“T”, “G”, “B”} or {“Y”, “H”, “N”}, which are at least three characters also assigned to an index finger (left-hand and right-hand, respectively) in the QWERTY keyboard. 
     In another embodiment, a further typing apparatus is provided which comprises an arrangement of overloaded keys in a key layout, each overloaded key representing at least two characters disposed in a represented non-overloaded keyboard. The arrangement of the overloaded keys is injective of an arrangement of alphabetic keys of the represented non-overloaded keyboard. The arrangement of the overloaded keys is also order disruptive of the arrangement of alphabetic keys of the represented non-overloaded keyboard. 
     In another embodiment, a further typing apparatus is provided. The typing apparatus comprises a plurality of overloaded keys in a key layout, each overloaded key representing at least two characters disposed in a QWERTY keyboard. At least one first overloaded key among the plurality of overloaded keys is assigned to a first row of keys of the typing apparatus. The at least one first overloaded key may comprise a first input key overloaded with at least a “q” character, an “a” character, and a “z” character. The at least one first overloaded key may comprise a second input key overloaded with at least a “w” character, an “s” character, and an “x” character. The at least one first overloaded key may comprise a third input key overloaded with at least an “e” character, a “d” character, and a “c” character. The at least one first overloaded key may comprise a fourth input key overloaded with at least an “r” character, an “f” character, and a “v” character. The at least one first overloaded key may comprise a fifth input key overloaded with at least a “u” character, a “j” character, and an “m” character. The at least one first overloaded key may comprise a sixth input key overloaded with at least an “i” character, and a “k” character. The at least one first overloaded key may comprise a seventh input key overloaded with at least an “o” character and an “1” character. The typing apparatus further comprises at least one second overloaded key among the plurality of overloaded keys representing at least two characters. The at least one second overloaded key may comprise an eighth input key overloaded with at least a “t” character, a “g” character, and a “b” character. The at least one second overloaded key may comprise a ninth input key overloaded with at least a “y” character, an “h” character, and an “n” character. The at least one second overloaded key is assigned a position outside the first row of keys. The typing apparatus may further comprise a tenth input key providing at least a “p” character. 
     In another embodiment, a method of providing a key layout for a typing apparatus is provided. The method comprises providing a plurality of overloaded keys in the key layout, each overloaded key representing at least two characters disposed in a represented non-overloaded keyboard. The method also comprises providing at least three injectively overloaded keys among the plurality of overloaded keys in a first row of keys of the key layout. The method also comprises providing at least one first injectively overloaded key among the plurality of overloaded keys in the key layout, wherein the at least one first injectively overloaded key is injectively overloaded with a first at least three characters assigned to a first finger in a represented non-overloaded keyboard. The method also comprises providing at least one second injectively overloaded key among the plurality of overloaded keys in the key layout, wherein the second injectively overloaded key is injectively overloaded with a second at least three characters assigned to the first finger in the represented non-overloaded keyboard. The at least one second injectively overloaded key is disposed outside the first row of keys of the key layout. 
     In another embodiment, a method of providing a key layout for a typing apparatus is provided. The method comprises providing an arrangement of overloaded keys in a key layout, each overloaded key representing at least two characters disposed in a represented non-overloaded keyboard. The arrangement of the overloaded keys is injective of an arrangement of alphabetic keys of the represented non-overloaded keyboard. The arrangement of the overloaded keys is order disruptive of the arrangement of alphabetic keys of the represented non-overloaded keyboard. 
     The aforementioned typing apparatuses allow a typist to rapidly enter data and text using a reduced-width keyboard, which may, for example, be employed to allow input by a user into a portable or smaller-size electronic device. The aforementioned typing apparatuses also provide a reduced finger travel distance for typing textual phrases. The aforementioned typing apparatuses also provide a reduced reaction time for typing textual phrases. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram of an exemplary QWERTY keyboard in the prior art; 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram of an exemplary QWERTY keyboard on an electronic touch-screen device in the prior art; 
         FIG. 3A  is a schematic diagram depicting fingers of a left hand and a right hand; 
         FIG. 3B  is a logical diagram depicting home keys of an exemplary QWERTY key layout; 
         FIG. 3C  is a logical diagram depicting home columns of the exemplary QWERTY key layout in  FIG. 3B ; 
         FIG. 3D  is a logical diagram depicting non-home columns of the exemplary QWERTY key layout in  FIG. 3B ; 
         FIG. 3E  is a logical diagram depicting a QWERTY key layout; 
         FIG. 3F  is a schematic diagram which logically depicts a grid layout of keys of the QWERTY key layout of  FIG. 3E ; 
         FIG. 3G  is a logical diagram depicting a QWERTY key layout; 
         FIG. 3H  is a schematic diagram which logically depicts a grid layout of keys of the QWERTY key layout of  FIG. 3G ; 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic diagram depicting an exemplary keyboard grid layout having non-linear rows and non-linear columns; 
         FIG. 5A  is a schematic diagram depicting a QWERTY key layout; 
         FIG. 5B  is a logical diagram depicting a grid layout of keys of the QWERTY key layout of  FIG. 5A ; 
         FIG. 5C  is a logical diagram depicting an overloaded key layout which is injective of the QWERTY key layout of  FIGS. 5A and 5B ; 
         FIG. 5D  is a logical diagram depicting an overloaded key layout which is injective and order disruptive of the QWERTY key layout of  FIGS. 5A and 5B ; 
         FIG. 5E  is a logical diagram depicting a reduced-width key layout with inward shifted left-hand and right-hand portions of the key layout of  FIG. 5D ; 
         FIG. 5F  is a schematic diagram depicting a reduced-width key layout which is injective and order disruptive of the QWERTY key layout of  FIG. 5A ; 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic diagram of an exemplary typing apparatus in the form of a physical keyboard containing overloaded keys; 
         FIG. 7A  is a logical diagram of an exemplary key layout in  FIG. 6 ; 
         FIG. 7B  is a schematic diagram which logically depicts a grid layout of keys in the exemplary key layout of  FIG. 7A ; 
         FIG. 8A  is a logical diagram of split left-hand and right-hand portions of an exemplary keyboard containing overloaded keys; 
         FIG. 8B  is a schematic diagram which logically depicts a left-hand grid layout and a right-hand grid layout for keys of the exemplary keyboard of  FIG. 8A ; 
         FIG. 9A  is a flowchart depicting an exemplary method of generating overloaded key layouts for an overloaded keyboard; 
         FIG. 9B  is a flowchart depicting an alternate exemplary method of generating overloaded key layouts for an overloaded keyboard; 
         FIG. 10A  is a schematic diagram of the exemplary key layout in  FIG. 6  displayed on an electronic touch-screen device in a portrait orientation; 
         FIG. 10B  is a schematic diagram of the exemplary key layout in  FIG. 6  displayed on an electronic touch-screen device in a landscape orientation; 
         FIG. 11A  is a schematic diagram of the exemplary key layout in  FIG. 6  displayed on a screen of an exemplary wireless mobile device; 
         FIG. 11B  is a schematic diagram illustrating a back view of the exemplary wireless mobile device of  FIG. 11A ; 
         FIGS. 12A ,  12 B, and  12 C are schematic diagrams of the exemplary key layout of  FIG. 6  disposed upon an exemplary physical keyboard having foldable sections in folded, partially opened, and fully opened positions, respectively; 
         FIG. 13A  is a schematic diagram depicting a top view of an exemplary physical keyboard having foldable sections in a folded position; 
         FIG. 13B  is a schematic diagram depicting a front view of the exemplary foldable physical keyboard of  FIG. 13A  in a folded position; 
         FIG. 13C  is a schematic diagram depicting a top view of the exemplary foldable physical keyboard of  FIG. 13A  in a slid position; 
         FIG. 13D  is a schematic diagram depicting a front view of the exemplary foldable physical keyboard of  FIG. 13A  in a slid position; 
         FIG. 13E  is a schematic diagram depicting a top view of the exemplary foldable physical keyboard of  FIG. 13A  in an unfolded position; 
         FIG. 13F  is a schematic diagram depicting a front view of the exemplary foldable physical keyboard of  FIG. 13A  in an unfolded position; 
         FIG. 14  is a schematic diagram of the exemplary key layout in  FIG. 6  projected by an exemplary projection device; 
         FIG. 15  is a schematic diagram of the exemplary key layout in  FIG. 6  disposed upon an exemplary physical keyboard having a flexible membrane; 
         FIG. 16  is a flowchart depicting an exemplary method of handling keyboard events from key actions on a keyboard containing overloaded keys; 
         FIG. 17A  is a block diagram of exemplary software components that include an exemplary keyboard device driver providing keypress disambiguating instructions; 
         FIG. 17B  is a block diagram of software components that provide keypress disambiguating instructions in middleware; 
         FIG. 18A  is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of another exemplary physical keyboard containing overloaded keys; 
         FIG. 18B  is a schematic diagram of another embodiment of another exemplary physical keyboard containing overloaded keys; 
         FIG. 18C  is a schematic diagram depicting a left side view of the exemplary physical keyboards of  FIGS. 18A and 18B  incorporating a universal serial bus (USB) connector configured to provide external power to the exemplary physical keyboard; 
         FIG. 18D  is a schematic diagram depicting a left side view of the exemplary physical keyboards of  FIGS. 18A and 18B  incorporating a PS/ 2  connector; 
         FIG. 18E  is a schematic diagram depicting a left side view of the exemplary physical keyboards of  FIGS. 18A and 18B  incorporating a 9-pin D-type serial connector; 
         FIG. 18F  is a schematic diagram depicting a right side view of the exemplary physical keyboards of  FIGS. 18A and 18B  with a power button; 
         FIG. 18G  is a schematic diagram depicting a rear perspective view of the exemplary physical keyboards of  FIGS. 18A and 18B ; 
         FIG. 18H  is a schematic diagram depicting a bottom perspective view of the exemplary physical keyboards of  FIGS. 18A and 18B ; 
         FIG. 19  is a schematic diagram of the exemplary key layout in  FIG. 6  displayed on a screen of an exemplary wireless mobile device; 
         FIG. 20  is a schematic diagram illustrating use of gesture input to enter a word into the exemplary wireless mobile device of  FIG. 19 ; 
         FIG. 21  is a logical diagram depicting a QWERTY key layout; 
         FIG. 22  is logical diagram of an exemplary overloaded key layout; 
         FIG. 23  is logical diagram of an exemplary overloaded key layout; 
         FIG. 24A  is schematic diagram illustrating an angular range of positions of a centerpoint of a second key with respect to a centerpoint of a first key above and below a centerline of a row of keys; 
         FIGS. 24B-24E  are schematic diagrams illustrating various angular positions of a centerpoint of a second key with respect to a centerpoint of a first key above a centerline of a row of keys; 
         FIGS. 24F-241  are schematic diagrams illustrating various angular positions of a centerpoint of a second key with respect to a centerpoint of a first key below a centerline of a row of keys; 
         FIG. 24J  is a schematic diagram illustrating an angular range of positions of a centerpoint of a second key with respect to a centerpoint of a first key above and below a centerline of a row of keys; 
         FIG. 25A  is a logical diagram of an additional exemplary overloaded key layout; 
         FIG. 25B  is a logical diagram of a grid layout corresponding to the overloaded key layout of  FIG. 25A ; 
         FIG. 26A  is a logical diagram of an additional exemplary overloaded key layout; 
         FIG. 26B  is a logical diagram of a grid layout corresponding to the overloaded key layout of  FIG. 26A ; 
         FIGS. 27 and 28  are logical diagrams of additional exemplary key layouts having overloaded key arrangements; 
         FIGS. 29-37  are logical diagrams of additional exemplary key layouts having overloaded key arrangements; and 
         FIG. 38  is a logical diagram of an exemplary processor-based system including an exemplary typing apparatus and corresponding software. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     With reference now to the drawing figures, several exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are described. The word “exemplary” is used herein to mean “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any embodiment described herein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments. 
     Embodiments disclosed in the detailed description include overloaded typing apparatuses, and related devices, systems, and methods. In this regard, in one embodiment a typing apparatus is provided. The typing apparatus may include, as non-limiting examples, a physical keyboard or a virtual keyboard displayed on an electronic device. In this embodiment, the typing apparatus comprises a plurality of overloaded keys in a key layout, each overloaded key representing at least two characters disposed in a represented non-overloaded keyboard. The plurality of overloaded keys comprises at least three injectively overloaded keys disposed in a first row of keys. The injectively overloaded keys may be overloaded with alphabetic characters of a represented non-overloaded keyboard (e.g., a QWERTY keyboard) such that no alphabetic characters associated with different fingers on the represented non-overloaded keyboard are provided on a same overloaded key. At least one first injectively overloaded key among the at least three injectively overloaded keys is injectively overloaded with a first at least three characters assigned to a first finger in a represented non-overloaded keyboard. The plurality of overloaded keys also comprises at least one second injectively overloaded key disposed outside the first row of keys. The at least one second injectively overloaded key is injectively overloaded with a second at least three characters assigned to the first finger in the represented non-overloaded keyboard. This typing apparatus allows a typist to rapidly enter data and text using a reduced-width keyboard, which may, for example, be employed to allow input by a user into a portable or smaller-size electronic device. This typing apparatus also provides a reduced finger travel distance for typing textual phrases. This typing apparatus also provides a reduced reaction time for typing textual phrases. Note that the typing apparatus examples herein may be provided singly or in any combination together as desired. 
     As a non-limiting example, the at least one first injectively overloaded key among the at least three injectively overloaded keys may be injectively overloaded with {“R”, “F”, “V”} or {“U”, “J”, “M”}, which are at least three characters assigned to an index finger (left-hand and right-hand, respectively) in a QWERTY keyboard. By way of further example, the at least one second injectively overloaded key disposed outside the first row of keys may be injectively overloaded with {“T”, “G”, “B”} or {“Y”, “H”, “N”}, which are at least three characters also assigned to an index finger (left-hand and right-hand, respectively) in the QWERTY keyboard. 
     Before discussing particular aspects of overloaded keyboard embodiments described herein,  FIGS. 3A through 3F ,  4 , and  5 A through  5 F are set forth to illustrate terminology to be used herein and to further illustrate a methodology for providing various overloaded keyboard embodiments which may allow a typist to rapidly enter data and text using a reduced-width keyboard. Referring now to  FIG. 3A , fingers  31 ,  32 ,  33 ,  34 ,  35 ,  36 ,  37 ,  38 ,  39 ,  40  of a hand  42 ,  44  may be referred to as follows: the thumb  31 ,  36 ; the index finger  32 ,  37 ; the middle finger  33 ,  38 ; the ring finger  34 ,  39 ; and the little finger  35 ,  40 . Collectively, the index finger  32 ,  37 , middle finger  33 ,  38 , ring finger  34 ,  39 , and little finger  35 ,  40  may also be referred to as the triphalangeal fingers  46 ,  48  as these fingers each contain three phalanx bones (proximal, intermediate, and distal) whereas the thumb  31 ,  36  contains only two phalanx bones (proximal and distal). 
     Referring now to  FIG. 3B , regardless of key layout, typists are generally trained to place their triphalangeal fingers  46 ,  48  on assigned keys  52 ,  54 ,  56 ,  58 ,  60 ,  62 ,  64 ,  66  in the home row  18 ,  20  of a keyboard, also known as “home keys”  68 ,  70 , as illustrated in  FIG. 3B . A typist is trained to return her fingers to these home keys  68 ,  70  for reference after pressing any other key that is not among the home keys  68 ,  70 . For example, on a QWERTY key layout  50  illustrated in  FIG. 3B , the home keys  52 ,  54 ,  56 ,  58  for the left hand, collectively referred to herein as element  68 , are “A”, “S”, “D”, and “F”, and the home keys  60 ,  62 ,  64 ,  66  for the right hand, collectively referred to herein as element  70 , are “J”, “K”, “L”, and “;”. These home keys  68 ,  70  are located on the home row  18 ,  20  within home columns  88 ,  90  ( FIG. 3C ) of the QWERTY key layout  50 . Referring now to  FIG. 3C , a typist typically learns to use a same finger to press the keys of a home column  72 ,  74 ,  76 ,  78 ,  80 ,  82 ,  84 ,  86 . For example, on the QWERTY key layout  50 , a typist learns to press “R”, “F”, and “V” with the index finger  32  of her left hand  42  ( FIG. 3A ). A typist also learns to use certain fingers to type keys on a non-home column  92 ,  94  of the QWERTY key layout  50 , illustrated in  FIG. 3D . For example, on the QWERTY key layout  50 , a typist learns to also use her left-hand index finger  32  ( FIG. 3A ) to type keys “T”, “G”, and “B” in the non-home column  92  of the QWERTY key layout  50 . 
       FIG. 3E  illustrates a logical arrangement of keys of a represented QWERTY keyboard.  FIG. 3F  depicts a grid pattern corresponding to the arrangement of keys of  FIG. 3E . Referring now to  FIGS. 3E and 3F , keys  98  of a key layout, e.g., a key layout  96 , may be arranged in a grid pattern in a grid  104 , comprising rows  106  and columns  108 . The rows  106  of the grid  104  may be linear or non-linear. For example, linear rows of the grid  104  may run straight. Adjacent linear rows of the grid  104  may run parallel to one another. Non-linear rows of the grid  104  may be curved, and adjacent non-linear rows may not run parallel to one another. The columns  108  of the grid  104  may also be linear or non-linear. For example, linear columns of the grid  104  may run straight. Adjacent linear columns of the grid  104  may run parallel to one another. Non-linear columns of the grid  104  may be curved, and adjacent non-linear columns of the grid  104  may not run parallel to one another. The rows  106  and columns  108  may be orthogonal or non-orthogonal to one another. For example, an intersecting row  106  and column  108  may intersect perpendicularly or non-perpendicularly. Keys corresponding to the left and right hands may be disposed upon a same grid  104 . Alternatively, a grid for the left hand may be different and distinct from a grid for the right hand. The exemplary grid  104  of  FIG. 3F  depicts linear rows  106  and linear columns  108 . However, the linear rows  106  and linear columns  108  of the exemplary grid of  FIG. 3F  are non-orthogonal in relation to one another. 
     Determining a grid layout associated with a key layout allows one to determine key adjacencies and a relative ordering of keys. For example, in continuing reference to  FIG. 3F , a layout for the grid  104  may be determined from the key layout  96  allowing one to determine a left-to-right ordering of keys and a bottom-to-top ordering of keys of the key layout  96 . In this regard,  FIG. 3F  depicts a layout for the grid  104  corresponding to the key layout  96  of a represented QWERTY keyboard. Centerpoints  110  may be denoted for each key  102  of the key layout  96 . Gridlines  112  connecting the centerpoints  110  denote adjacent keys. As illustrated in  FIG. 3F , the gridlines  112  of the grid  104  may be non-orthogonal. For example, the gridlines  112  in  FIG. 3F  are skewed and thus non-orthogonal. In this manner, the layout of the grid  104  corresponding to the key layout  96  may be determined. 
     An exemplary input key layout may represent any one of a plurality of alternative key layouts. For example, characters  100  associated with the key layout  96  of  FIG. 3E  could be provided from a key layout for a given language and/or geographic region or other key layout. For example, characters  100  associated with the keys  98  of the key layout  96  of  FIG. 3E  could comprise any one of a QWERTY keyboard, a QWERTZ keyboard, an AZERTY keyboard, or a Dvorak keyboard. Characters assigned to key layouts corresponding to the keyboard of  FIG. 3E  may be tailored for a particular language or dialect, for example, American English, British English, German, Swiss, French, or Flemish. Characters  100  assigned to the keys  98  of the key layout  96  of  FIG. 3E  could also be associated with keyboards associated with non-Latin based languages, such as Russian, Arabic, Greek, Japanese, or Mandarin Chinese. Such key layouts may vary, for example, by geographic region. For example, the characters assigned to a French AZERTY keyboard may differ from characters assigned to a Belgian AZERTY keyboard. One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize other variant keyboards, including variants based on region, language, dialect, or other usage. 
       FIG. 3G  illustrates a logical arrangement of keys of another exemplary QWERTY keyboard.  FIG. 3H  depicts a grid pattern corresponding to the arrangement of keys of  FIG. 3G . Referring now to  FIGS. 3G and 3H , characters  118  assigned to keys  116 ,  120  of a key layout  114  correspond to a QWERTY keyboard. The keys  116  of a key layout, e.g., the key layout  114 , may be arranged in a grid pattern of a grid  122 , comprising rows  124  and columns  126 . The exemplary grid  122  of  FIG. 3H  depicts linear rows  124  and linear columns  126 , in orthogonal relation to one another. A layout for the grid  122  may be determined from the key layout  114  allowing one to determine a left-to-right ordering of keys and a bottom-to-top ordering of keys of the key layout  114 . In this regard,  FIG. 3H  depicts a layout for the grid  122  corresponding to the key layout  114  of a represented QWERTY keyboard. Centerpoints  128  may be denoted for each key  120  of the key layout  114 . Gridlines  130  connecting the centerpoints  128  denote adjacent keys. As illustrated in  FIG. 3H , the gridlines  130  of the grid  122  may be orthogonal. In this manner, the layout of the grid  122  corresponding to the key layout  114  may be determined. 
     Upon determining a grid layout associated with an arrangement of keys, a left-to-right ordering of keys and a bottom-to-top ordering of keys may be determined. For example,  FIG. 4  depicts an ordering of a set of keys (KEY 11  . . . KEY 33 ). The left-to-right ordering of keys of a row may be associated with an x-direction. A relative ordering of any two keys of a row may be compared and denoted with comparison operators, such as &lt; x , ≦ x , ≧ x , &gt; x , = x . The bottom-to-top ordering of keys of a column may be associated with a y-direction, and the relative ordering of any two keys of a column may be denoted with comparison operators, such as &lt; y , ≦ y , ≧ y , &gt; y , = y . For example, in  FIG. 4 : 
       KEY 11 &lt; x KEY 12 ;KEY 11 = y KEY 12    
       KEY 22 &gt; x KEY 21 ;KEY 22 = y KEY 21    
       KEY 22 &lt; x KEY 23 ;KEY 22 = y KEY 23    
       KEY 22 = x KEY 12 ;KEY 22 &gt; y KEY 12    
       KEY 22 = x KEY 32 ;KEY 22 &lt; y KEY 32    
     The relative left-to-right ordering may also be compared among keys on different rows. In addition, the relative bottom-to-top ordering may also be compared among keys of different columns. For example, in  FIG. 4 : 
       KEY 31 &lt; x KEY 13 ;KEY 31 &gt; y KEY 13    
       KEY 31 ≦ x KEY 13 ;KEY 31 ≧ y KEY 13  
 
     A character set associated with an “input” arrangement of a plurality of keys, L IN , may be mapped to an “output” arrangement of a plurality of keys, L OUT . If the characters associated with a plurality of keys L IN  are mapped to one key L OUT , then the input key layout, L IN , to the output key layout, L OUT , is reduced. L OUT  may also be denoted a “reduced keyboard” (of L IN ). Thus, a “map” or “deformation”, F, may be defined on the initial logical layout, L IN , and with values F(L IN ) on the output layout, L OUT . 
     For such a map, F, it is determined whether the mapping function preserves a relative logical x-ordering and y-ordering of L IN  in L OUT . Considering any characters a, b, and c of L IN , an x-order and y-order preserving map (an “order-preserving” map) is defined among logical layouts by requiring: 
         a≦   x   b     F ( a )≦ x   F ( b )
 
         a≦   y   b     F ( a )≦ y   F ( b )
 
     A map, F, is called “order disruptive” if it does not preserve either the x-ordering or the y-ordering (or both). Accordingly, an arrangement of overloaded keys, L OUT , is “order disruptive” of an input layout, L IN , if the arrangement, L OUT , does not preserve a row-ordering or a column-ordering of the keys of the input layout, L IN . For example, a mapping from the key layout of  FIG. 5A  to the key layout of  FIG. 5F  is order disruptive, for at least the reason that KEY ‘T’ &gt; y  KEY ‘F’  in  FIG. 5A , whereas KEY ‘T’ &lt; y  KEY ‘F’  in  FIG. 5F . Furthermore, a mapping from the key layout of  FIG. 5A  to the key layout of  FIG. 5F  is order disruptive, for at least the reason that KEY ‘H’ &gt; y  KEY ‘M’  in  FIG. 5A , whereas KEY ‘H’ &lt; y  KEY ‘M’  in  FIG. 5F . Similarly, a mapping from the key layout of  FIG. 5A  to any of the key layouts of  FIGS. 7A ,  8 A,  22 ,  23 ,  25 A,  26 A,  27 ,  28 ,  29 ,  30 ,  31 ,  32 ,  33 ,  34 ,  35 ,  36 , and  37  is also order disruptive. 
     It is desirable that a typist should not need to learn different finger assignments from a represented keyboard when using a new, deformed keyboard. Accordingly, an output layout, L OUT , may not have characters on a given key that are associated with different fingers from the input layout, L IN , with which the typist is already familiar. In other words, the new output layout may not combine characters on a same key which are associated with different fingers of the input layout, L IN . This concept may be formally described as follows. A certain character set of interest of a represented keyboard is defined. For example, the character set may be all lowercase letters (or a subset thereof), all uppercase letters (or a subset thereof), both uppercase and lowercase letters (or a subset thereof), or any of the aforementioned groupings supplemented with symbols (such as punctuation symbols), numbers, or other characters. Number each of the fingers from i=1, . . . 10. Now, given a character set, there will be a certain collection of characters (from the character set) that is associated with a finger i. This is called collection ch i . For example, for a represented QWERTY keyboard and character set, S, consisting of lowercase letters, ch left index finger ={rfvtgb}. After mapping an input layout, L IN , to an output layout, L OUT , each character set, ch i , becomes associated with a set of keys, in the output layout, L OUT . If characters {rfv} are associated with one key, k a , and characters {tgb} are associated with another key, k b , then K left index finger  consists of two keys, k a  and k b . An output layout, L OUT , (or a mapping, F) is called “injective” with respect to finger i if K i  is disjoint from all the other K j &#39;s (j≠i): 
         K   i   ∩K   j =Ø whenever  i≠j.  
 
     If a mapping, F, is injective with respect to the eight triphalangeal fingers (i.e., each of the fingers having three phalangeal bones, which excludes the thumbs), then F is called “injective” and L OUT  is “injective” of L IN . For example, the layout of  FIG. 5F  is “injective” of the layout of  FIG. 5A . Each of the layouts depicted in  FIGS. 7A ,  8 A,  22 ,  23 ,  25 A,  26 A,  27 ,  28 ,  29 ,  30 ,  31 ,  32 ,  33 ,  34 ,  35 ,  36 , and  37  are also “injective” of the layout of  FIG. 5A . Injectivity ensures that an output layout, L OUT , does not combine characters on a same key which are associated with different fingers of an input layout, L IN . Thus, for example, the injectivity of an output layout, L OUT , with respect to an input layout, L IN , of a represented keyboard ensures that characters assigned to different fingers in the represented keyboard (having the input layout, L IN ) do not end up on a same key in an output layout, L OUT . 
     If F is injective of alphabetic characters of a represented keyboard, F is called “alphabetically injective” of the represented keyboard. For example, the key layouts in  FIGS. 5F ,  7 A,  8 A,  22 ,  23 ,  25 A,  26 A,  27 ,  28 ,  29 ,  30 ,  31 ,  32 ,  33 ,  34 ,  35 ,  36 , and  37  are all alphabetically injective of a QWERTY keyboard for an alphabet “A” to “Z” (and “a” to “z”). If F is injective of numerical characters of a represented keyboard, F is called “numerically injective” of the represented keyboard. For example, the key layout in  FIG. 18B  is numerically injective of a QWERTY keyboard. If F is injective of symbolic characters of a represented keyboard, F is called “symbolically injective” of the represented keyboard. For example, the key layout in  FIG. 27  is symbolically injective of a QWERTY keyboard. 
     For example, a set of keys, S 1 , representing {{QAZ}, {WSX}, {EDC}, {RFV}, {TGB}, {YHN}, {UJM}, {IK}, {OL}, {P}} is alphabetically injective of a QWERTY keyboard. Further, a set of keys, S 2 , representing {{QAZ1}, {WSX2}, {EDC3}, {RFV4}, {TGB5}, {YHN6}, {UJM7}, {IK8}, {OL9}, {P0}} is alphabetically injective of a QWERTY keyboard and numerically injective of a QWERTY keyboard. A set of keys, S 3 , representing {{AQW}, {ZSX}, {EDC}, {RFV}, {TGB}, {YHN}, {UJ}, {IK}, {OL}, {PM}} is alphabetically injective of an AZERTY keyboard, whereas a set of keys, S 4 , representing {{AQW1}, {ZSX2}, {EDC3}, {RFV4}, {TGB5}, {YHN6}, {UJ7}, {IK8}, {OL9}, {PM0}}, is alphabetically injective of an AZERTY keyboard and numerically injective of an AZERTY keyboard. A set of keys, S 5 , representing {{A}, {OQ}, {EJ}, {PUK}, {YIX}, {FDB}, {GHM}, {CTW}, {RNV}, {LSZ}} is alphabetically injective of an ANSI X4.22-1983 (Dvorak) keyboard. A set of keys, S 6 , representing {{QAY}, {WSX}, {EDC}, {RFV}, {TGB}, {ZHN}, {UJM}, {IK}, {OL}, {PÖ}, {ÜÄ}} is alphabetically injective of a German QWERTZ keyboard. 
     Another concept for a deformation, F, is that of “adjacency consistency.” A first key is defined to be “adjacent” to a second key if there are no other keys disposed between the first and second key. A deformation, F, is called “adjacency consistent” if for every first character represented in an output layout, L OUT , every second character represented on a key adjacent to the key representing the first character on the input layout, L IN , is on a same or adjacent key of the output layout, L OUT . If a deformation, F, is “adjacency consistent,” then an output layout, L OUT , resulting from the deformation, F, is “adjacency consistent” with the input layout, L IN . 
     Once a certain keyboard&#39;s key layout has been learned by a typist and committed to procedural memory, the typist may poorly tolerate switching to a keyboard with an alternative key layout. Given the above terminology, a plurality of key layouts is provided which provide a reduced keyboard and which also preserve a same mapping of finger activations of a represented keyboard. For each of these reduced keyboards, the injectivity of the key layout (L OUT ) of the reduced keyboard with respect to a represented keyboard (having an input key layout, L IN ) ensures that characters assigned to different fingers in the represented keyboard (having the input layout, L IN ) do not end up on a same key in the reduced keyboard (having an output layout, L OUT ). For at least this reason, these key layouts may beneficially aid a typist in rapid text and data entry of a vocabulary of words and phrases on a reduced keyboard. 
     A typing apparatus may also comprise an arrangement of overloaded keys, each overloaded key representing at least two characters disposed in a represented keyboard, wherein the arrangement of the overloaded keys is injective of an arrangement of alphabetic keys of the represented keyboard, and wherein the arrangement of the overloaded keys is order disruptive of the arrangement of alphabetic keys of the represented keyboard. The arrangement of the overloaded keys may be injective of keys associated with an index finger in the arrangement of alphabetic keys of the represented keyboard. Alternatively, the arrangement of the overloaded keys may be injective of keys associated with triphalangeal fingers in the arrangement of alphabetic keys of the represented keyboard. Alternatively, the arrangement of the overloaded keys may be injective of all alphabetic keys of the represented keyboard. 
     The arrangement of the overloaded keys may be order disruptive of keys associated with an index finger in the arrangement of alphabetic keys of the represented keyboard. Alternatively, the arrangement of the overloaded keys may be order disruptive of keys associated with triphalangeal fingers in the arrangement of alphabetic keys of the represented keyboard. The injective arrangement of overloaded keys may be an arrangement of overloaded keys wherein no alphabetic characters associated with different fingers on a represented keyboard are provided on a same overloaded key. The order-disruptive arrangement of overloaded keys may be an arrangement of the overloaded keys which does not preserve a row-ordering or a column-ordering of the alphabetic keys of the represented keyboard. The order-disruptive arrangement of overloaded keys may include at least one overloaded key arranged in a column different from the columns of corresponding alphabetic keys of the represented keyboard. The order-disruptive arrangement of overloaded keys may include at least one overloaded key arranged in a row different from the rows of corresponding alphabetic keys of the represented keyboard. 
     The arrangement of the overloaded keys may be adjacency consistent with the arrangement of alphabetic keys of the represented keyboard. The adjacency-consistent arrangement of overloaded keys may be an arrangement of overloaded keys maintaining adjacencies among the overloaded keys corresponding to the adjacencies among keys of the represented keyboard. The adjacency-consistent arrangement of overloaded keys may comprise an arrangement of overloaded keys wherein every first character adjacent to a second character on the represented keyboard is arranged on a same overloaded key as the second character or on an adjacent overloaded key as the second character in the arrangement of overloaded keys. 
     A physical keyboard may be realized by locating keys of the logical output layout, L OUT , according to a particular output grid pattern, G OUT . The output grid pattern, G OUT , may be a different grid pattern from an input grid pattern, G IN  (G IN ≠G OUT ), or the output grid pattern may be the same grid pattern as the input grid pattern (G IN =G OUT ). For example, the input grid pattern, G IN , may have non-orthogonal linear rows and linear columns, whereas the output grid pattern, G OUT , may have orthogonal linear rows and linear columns. By way of further example, the input grid pattern, G IN , may have non-split right-hand and left-hand portions, whereas the output grid pattern, G OUT , may have split right-hand and left-hand portions. One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize other such permutations that may be made in accordance with the teachings of the present application. Accordingly, for example, an input grid pattern and logical input layout may be reduced to a logical output layout which is mapped to an output grid layout different from the input grid layout. 
       FIGS. 5A through 5F  demonstrate a method of deforming a non-overloaded represented keyboard (here, a QWERTY keyboard) to a reduced-width, injectively overloaded keyboard which may allow a typist to rapidly enter data and text using a reduced-width keyboard.  FIG. 5A  depicts a key layout  138  of a non-overloaded represented keyboard (here, a QWERTY keyboard key layout) of alphabetical, non-overloaded keys  140 . The non-overloaded represented keyboard may be a full-size keyboard, for example, a keyboard with key centerpoints spaced a sufficient distance apart for a user to place each of her triphalangeal fingers on a different home key. For example, a keyboard having adjacent alphabetic keys whose centerpoints are spaced at least 15 mm apart is a full-size keyboard.  FIG. 5B  depicts a grid pattern  142  of alphabetical, non-overloaded keys  144  corresponding to the key layout  138  of  FIG. 5A .  FIG. 5C  depicts a key layout  146  providing an injectively overloaded set of keys  150 - 168 , in other words, a set of keys overloaded with characters (“A” through “Z”) such that no alphabetic characters assigned to different fingers  31 - 40  ( FIG. 3A ) on the key layout  138  of the represented non-overloaded keyboard ( FIG. 5A ) are provided on a same overloaded key  150 - 168 . Here,  FIG. 5C  provides an injectively overloaded set of keys  150 - 168  overloading characters on the keys  150 - 168  as follows: {{QAZ}, {WSX}, {EDC}, {RFV}, {TGB}, {YHN}, {UJM}, {IK}, {OL}, {P}}.  FIG. 5C  provides all of the injectively overloaded keys on a first row  148 . A reduced-width, injectively overloaded key layout may be provided by disrupting the order of the keys  150 - 168  (for example, as shown in  FIG. 5D ) and shifting the left-hand and right-hand layouts together (for example, as shown in  FIG. 5E ). Now referring to key layout  170  of  FIG. 5D , a {TGB} key  184  and a {YHN} key  186  may be provided outside a first row  172 . Here,  FIG. 5D  provides injectively overloaded keys  176 - 182  and  188 - 194  on the first row  172  and injectively overloaded keys  184 ,  186  on a second row  174 . Left-hand injectively overloaded keys  176 - 184  and right-hand injectively overloaded keys  186 - 194  may each be shifted inwards to provide a reduced-width, injectively overloaded key layout  196 , as illustrated in  FIG. 5E . The reduced-width, injectively overloaded key layout  196  is comprised of injectively overloaded keys  202 - 220 .  FIG. 5E  depicts injectively overloaded keys  202 - 208  and  214 - 220  assigned to a first row  198  and injectively overloaded keys  210  and  212  assigned outside the first row  198 . As depicted in  FIG. 5E , injectively overloaded keys  210  and  212  may be assigned to a second row  200 . As depicted in  FIG. 5F , physical keys  228 - 246  may be positioned in a key layout  222  at locations corresponding to the logical key layout  196  in  FIG. 5E .  FIG. 5F  provides a plurality of overloaded keys comprising at least three injectively overloaded keys  228 - 234  and  240 - 246  in a first row  224 . First injectively overloaded keys  234 ,  240  are overloaded with at least three characters ({RFV} and {UJM}, respectively) assigned to a first finger (a left-hand index finger  32  ( FIG. 3A ) and a right-hand index finger  37  ( FIG. 3A ), respectively) in the key layout  138  of the represented non-overloaded keyboard ( FIG. 5A ). Second injectively overloaded keys  236 ,  238  are disposed outside the first row  224  (here, in a second row  226 ) overloaded with at least three characters ({TGB} and {YHN}, respectively) assigned to the first finger (a left-hand index finger  32  ( FIG. 3A ) and a right-hand index finger  37  ( FIG. 3A ), respectively) in the key layout  138  of the represented non-overloaded keyboard ( FIG. 5A ). Further,  FIG. 5F  provides an arrangement of overloaded keys  228 - 244  each representing at least two characters disposed in the key layout  138  of the represented non-overloaded keyboard ( FIG. 5A ). The arrangement of overloaded keys  228 - 244  is injective of an arrangement of alphabetic keys of the key layout  138  of the represented non-overloaded keyboard ( FIG. 5A ). The arrangement of overloaded keys  228 - 244  is also order disruptive of the arrangement of alphabetic keys of the key layout  138  of the represented non-overloaded keyboard ( FIG. 5A ). 
     Referring now to  FIG. 6 , a key may be overloaded to represent several characters. Overloading one or more keys may beneficially reduce the number of keys required to represent a set of characters. An “overloaded key” is a key which represents multiple characters and which results in at least some ambiguity in the output character when the key is pressed. An overloaded key may be simultaneously overloaded with alphabetic characters (e.g., “A” through “Z” and “a” through “z”), numerical characters (e.g., “0” through “9”), punctuation symbols, and other symbols. Alternatively, an overloaded key may be overloaded with a particular subset of characters (such as alphabetical characters). When overloaded keys are pressed, disambiguation software can be employed to determine which corresponding characters are intended, for example, based on dictionary matching, beginning-of-word matching, phrase frequencies, word frequencies, character frequencies, grammar rules, error-correction algorithms, pattern-matching algorithms, and/or pattern-approximation algorithms. However, where the layout of a reduced-size, overloaded keyboard does not easily conform to a user&#39;s previously learned typing procedures, user retraining may be difficult or time-consuming, and adoption of such devices may be poorly tolerated by users. 
     A key layout  250  provided in  FIG. 6  provides one exemplary embodiment to this problem. As will be described in more detail below, the key layout  250  includes the home, or first, rows  18 ,  20  of keys (in this example, eight keys wide) upon which a typist&#39;s fingers may concurrently rest and providing a row of four home keys  256 ,  258 ,  260 ,  262  for the left hand  42  ( FIG. 3A ) and four home keys  268 ,  270 ,  272 ,  274  for the right hand  44  ( FIG. 3A ). As shown in  FIG. 6 , these keys may be provided in home columns  72 - 78 , collectively referred to herein as element  88 , and home columns  80 - 86 , collectively referred to herein as element  90 . The overloaded home key  256 ,  258 ,  260 ,  262 ,  268 ,  270 ,  272 ,  274  for each finger is assigned characters that would be pressed by that same finger on a represented non-overloaded QWERTY keyboard. The remaining alphabetic characters are placed on additional overloaded keys (e.g.,  264 ,  266 ) such that all characters placed on an additional overloaded key (e.g.,  264 ,  266 ) will be pressed by a same finger as the finger that would press those characters on a represented non-overloaded keyboard. Positioning these additional (non-home) overloaded keys (e.g.,  264 ,  266 ) outside the first row (e.g., on a second (non-home) row  252 ,  254 ) provides a reduced first-row layout width (eight keys wide). For example, positioning the additional keys (such as an overloaded “TGB” key  264  or an overloaded “YHN” key  266 ) outside the first row (e.g., on the second row  252 ,  254  above or below the first row  18 ,  20 ) such that the key (e.g.,  264 ,  266 ) may still be pressed by a finger (e.g.,  32 ,  37 ) which would have been activated to press that key in a represented non-overloaded QWERTY keyboard reduces the first-row layout width (to eight keys) while maintaining a typist&#39;s procedural memory of which fingers are activated to press keys for all characters of an alphabet. In this manner and discussed below in more detail, the key layout  250  in  FIG. 6  may maintain a home row of keys for each triphalangeal finger  46 ,  48  of each hand  42 ,  44  ( FIG. 3A ), and thus a typist&#39;s procedural memory for typing a vocabulary of phrases, words, and letters may be used to type the vocabulary of phrases, words, and letters. Thus, this typing apparatus may allow a typist to rapidly enter data and text using a reduced-width keyboard, which may, for example, be employed to allow input by a user into a portable or smaller-size electronic device. 
     In continuing reference to  FIG. 6 , the key layout  250  comprises a plurality of overloaded keys  256 - 272  each representing at least two characters disposed in a QWERTY keyboard. The keys  256 - 272  are injectively overloaded with alphabetic characters of a QWERTY keyboard such that no characters assigned to different fingers of a QWERTY keyboard are represented on a same key. First injectively overloaded keys  262 ,  268  are injectively overloaded with a first at least three characters assigned to a first finger in a QWERTY keyboard (here, {RFV} and {UJM}, respectively). The first injectively overloaded keys  262 ,  268  are provided in the first row  18 ,  20  of the key layout  250 . The first row  18 ,  20  may be a home row of the key layout  250 . Second injectively overloaded keys  264 ,  266  are injectively overloaded with a second at least three characters assigned to the first finger in a QWERTY keyboard (here, {TGB} and {YHN}, respectively). The second injectively overloaded keys  264 ,  266  are provided outside the first row  18 ,  20  of the key layout  250 . As shown in  FIG. 6 , the second injectively overloaded keys  264 ,  266  may be provided in a second row  252 ,  254  of the key layout  250  which may be a non-home row. In  FIG. 6 , the at least two ambiguously represented characters of each of the plurality of overloaded keys  256 ,  258 ,  260 ,  262 ,  264 ,  266 ,  268 ,  270 ,  272  are alphabetic characters. 
     In further reference to  FIG. 6 , an exemplary typing apparatus  248  provides an arrangement of overloaded keys  256 - 272  in the key layout  250  with each overloaded key  256 - 272  representing at least two characters disposed in a represented non-overloaded keyboard (in this example, a QWERTY keyboard). The arrangement of overloaded keys is injective of an arrangement of alphabetic keys of the represented non-overloaded (QWERTY) keyboard. For example, the keys  256 - 274  are injectively overloaded with alphabetic characters of a QWERTY keyboard such that no characters assigned to different fingers of a QWERTY keyboard are represented on a same key. The arrangement of overloaded keys is also order disruptive of the arrangement of alphabetic keys of the represented non-overloaded keyboard. For example, the arrangement of overloaded keys of  FIG. 6  does not preserve a row-ordering of the keys of a QWERTY keyboard (e.g.,  FIG. 3G ) for at least the reason that the “T” key is above the “F” key (KEY ‘T’ &gt; y  KEY ‘F’ ) in a QWERTY keyboard ( FIG. 3G ), whereas the “T” key ( 264 ) is below the “F” key ( 262 ) (KEY ‘T’ &lt; y  KEY ‘F’ ) in  FIG. 6 . By way of further example, the arrangement of overloaded keys of  FIG. 6  does not preserve a row-ordering of the keys of a QWERTY keyboard ( FIG. 3G ) for at least the reason that the “H” key is above the “M” key (KEY ‘H’ &gt; y  KEY ‘M’ ) in a QWERTY keyboard ( FIG. 3G ), whereas the “H” key ( 266 ) is below the “M” key ( 268 ) (KEY ‘H’ &lt; y  KEY ‘M’ ) in  FIG. 6 . Accordingly, in  FIG. 6 , the arrangement of overloaded keys is order disruptive of the arrangement of alphabetic keys of the represented non-overloaded (QWERTY) keyboard. The arrangement of overloaded keys of  FIG. 6  is also adjacency consistent of the alphabetic characters of a represented non-overloaded (QWERTY) keyboard. For example, for every first character on the keys  256 - 274 , every second character adjacent to the first character on a QWERTY keyboard is on a same or adjacent key in  FIG. 6 . For example, the “T” and “R” characters are on adjacent keys on a QWERTY keyboard ( FIG. 3G ) (because no other keys are disposed between the “T” and “R” keys on the QWERTY keyboard) and the “T” and “R” characters are on the same or adjacent (here, adjacent) keys in  FIG. 6  (because no other keys are disposed between the “T” and “R” keys in  FIG. 6 ). By way of further example, the “T” and “G” characters are on adjacent keys on a QWERTY keyboard ( FIG. 3G ) (because no other keys are disposed between the “T” and “G” keys on the QWERTY keyboard) and the “T” and “G” characters are on the same or adjacent (here, same) keys in  FIG. 6  (because no other keys are disposed between the “T” and “G” keys in  FIG. 6 ). In  FIG. 6 , this adjacency-consistent property holds for every pairing of alphabetic characters (“A” through “Z”) on the keys  256 - 274 . 
     With continuing reference to  FIG. 6 , the exemplary typing apparatus  248  provides the plurality of overloaded keys  256 - 272  each representing at least two characters disposed in a QWERTY keyboard. Among the plurality of overloaded keys  256 - 272 , first overloaded keys  256 ,  258 ,  260 ,  262  and  268 ,  270 ,  272 ,  274  are assigned to the first row  18 ,  20 . In this example, the overloaded key  256  comprising “Q”, “A”, and “Z” is assigned to the first row  18 . The overloaded key  256  may be assigned to the little finger  35  of the left hand  42  ( FIG. 3A ). The overloaded key  258  comprising “W”, “S”, and “X” is assigned to the first row  18 . The overloaded key  258  may be assigned to the ring finger  34  of the left hand  42  ( FIG. 3A ). The overloaded key  260  comprising “E”, “D”, and “C” is assigned to the first row  18 . The overloaded key  260  may be assigned to the middle finger  33  of the left hand  42  ( FIG. 3A ). The overloaded key  262  comprising “R”, “F”, and “V” is assigned to the first row  18 . The overloaded key  262  may be assigned to the index finger  32  of the left hand  42  ( FIG. 3A ). The overloaded key  268  comprising “U”, “J”, and “M” is assigned to the first row  20 . The overloaded key  268  may be assigned to the index finger  37  of the right hand  44  ( FIG. 3A ). The overloaded key  270  comprising “I” and “K” is assigned to the first row  20 . The overloaded key  270  may be assigned to the middle finger  38  of the right hand  44  ( FIG. 3A ). The overloaded key  272  comprising “O” and “L” is assigned to the first row  20 . The overloaded key  272  may be assigned to the ring finger  39  of the right hand  44  ( FIG. 3A ). The key  274  comprising “P” is provided in the first row  20 . The key  274  may be assigned to the little finger  40  of the right hand  44  ( FIG. 3A ). Among the plurality of overloaded keys  256 - 272 , second overloaded keys  264  (comprising “T”, “G”, and “B”) and  266  (comprising “Y”, “H”, and “N”) are assigned outside the first row  18 ,  20 . As depicted in  FIG. 6 , the overloaded keys  264  and  266  are assigned to the second row  252 ,  254  below the first row  18 ,  20 . The overloaded key  264  may be assigned to the index finger  32  of the left hand  42  ( FIG. 3A ). The overloaded key  266  may be assigned to the index finger  37  of the right hand  44  ( FIG. 3A ). Note that key  274  may or may not be an overloaded key. For example, the key  274  may represent a “P” character and no other alphabetic characters. However, the key  274  may also be overloaded with other symbols (in addition to the “P” character) such as punctuation symbols (for example, semicolon (;), colon (:), apostrophe (&#39;), and/or question mark (?)). 
     The exemplary key layout  250  results in a reduced-width keyboard which spans as few as eight keys in width and as few as two keys in length and which also conforms to a QWERTY typist&#39;s procedural memory for typing a vocabulary of words and phrases. The exemplary key layout  250  may provide keys of sufficient size and shape that a typist may place each of her fingers on the home keys. In this regard, the exemplary key layout  250  conforms to a QWERTY typist&#39;s procedural memory for typing a vocabulary of words and phrases in that, for each alphabetical character (“a” through “z” and/or “A” through “Z”), a QWERTY typist will use a same finger to type the character on the exemplary key layout  250  as the typist would have used to type that character on a represented QWERTY keyboard. 
     Accordingly, a typist&#39;s procedural memory for typing a QWERTY typist&#39;s vocabulary of words and phrases may be reused, and a result may be achieved of allowing a QWERTY typist to rapidly enter data and text on a reduced-width keyboard. In addition, the exemplary key layout  250  results in less device area being occupied for input of a typist&#39;s vocabulary of words and phrases, which results in more device area being available for other uses. For example, the additional device area could be used to display additional screen output. In this regard, a user typing messages in an email application on the device may be able to view additional lines of typed text than she would otherwise have been able to view using an alternative keyboard. This typing apparatus also provides a reduced finger travel distance for typing textual phrases. This typing apparatus also provides a reduced reaction time for typing textual phrases. 
     As described above,  FIG. 6  depicts one embodiment providing a reduced-width key layout that may provide a home row of keys for each triphalangeal finger  46 ,  48  of each hand  42 ,  44  ( FIG. 3A ), so a typist&#39;s procedural memory for typing a vocabulary of phrases, words, and letters may be used to type the vocabulary of phrases, words, and letters. Thus, this typing apparatus may allow a typist to rapidly enter data and text using a reduced-width keyboard, which may, for example, be employed to allow input by a user into a portable or smaller-size electronic device. Other embodiments are also possible. Concepts which allow such other embodiments to be determined are now introduced. The key layouts of the additional embodiments may also beneficially aid a typist in rapid text and data entry of a vocabulary of words and phrases on a reduced keyboard. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 7A and 7B ,  FIG. 7A  depicts an exemplary diagram of a logical key arrangement  276  corresponding to the exemplary key layout  250  in  FIG. 6 .  FIG. 7B  logically depicts a grid layout  298  of keys corresponding to the exemplary key layout  250  in  FIG. 6 . Each circled lattice point  300  on the grid layout  298  denotes a centerpoint of a key  278 ,  280 ,  282 ,  284 ,  286 ,  288 ,  290 ,  292 ,  294 ,  296  of  FIG. 7A . 
     Referring now also to  FIGS. 8A and 8B , a variation upon a given key layout may be realized by mapping the key layout to an alternative grid layout. For example,  FIG. 8B  depicts alternative grid layouts  304  for a left hand and right hand corresponding to the left-hand and right-hand portions of the key layout of  FIG. 7A  which are split. Mapping the keys  278 ,  280 ,  282 ,  284 ,  286 ,  288 ,  290 ,  292 ,  294 ,  296  of  FIG. 7A  to the exemplary grid layouts  304  of  FIG. 8B  results in exemplary key layouts  302  as depicted in  FIG. 8A . 
     As shown by the exemplary grid layouts  298 ,  304  of  FIGS. 7B and 8B , an exemplary grid layout of keys may be split and rotated. Grid arrangements may also be non-orthogonal, for example, or skewed. Furthermore, the rows of a grid layout may be non-linear (i.e., not straight lines). For example, rows may be curved. Furthermore, adjacent rows may or may not run parallel to one another. Similarly, columns may be non-linear (i.e., not straight lines). For example, columns may be curved. Furthermore, adjacent columns may or may not run parallel to one another. In this regard, returning to  FIG. 4 ,  FIG. 4  depicts a grid layout  132  with non-linear rows  134  and non-linear columns  136 . In  FIG. 4 , KEY 11 , KEY 12 , and KEY 13  are located in a first non-linear row  134 ; KEY 21 , KEY 22 , and KEY 23  are located in a second non-linear row  134 ; and KEY 31 , KEY 32 , and KEY 33  are located in a third non-linear row  134 . In  FIG. 4 , KEY 11 , KEY 21 , and KEY 31  are located in a first non-linear column  136 ; KEY 12 , KEY 22 , and KEY 32  are located in a second non-linear column  136 ; and KEY 13 , KEY 23 , and KEY 33  are located in a third non-linear column  136 . 
     Accordingly, various other embodiments of providing reduced-width key layouts that maintain a typist&#39;s ability to rapidly enter text and data have been and are further provided below. These key layouts may beneficially aid a typist in rapid text and data entry of a vocabulary of words and phrases on a reduced keyboard. 
       FIG. 9A  provides a method  310  of generating an overloaded keyboard. The process starts (step  312 ), and, given a represented keyboard, injectively overloads alphabetic keys of the keyboard (step  314 ). Then, the overloaded key order is disrupted (step  316 ). The process then ends (step  318 ). The method  310  may provide a reduced-size, overloaded keyboard which conforms to portions of a user&#39;s previously learned typing procedures. Accordingly, the method  310  may provide an overloaded keyboard which allows a typist to rapidly enter data and text. 
       FIG. 9B  provides another method  320  of generating an overloaded keyboard. The process starts (step  322 ), and, given a represented keyboard, determines a key layout corresponding to the represented keyboard (step  324 ). Next, a grid layout corresponding to the key layout is determined (step  326 ). Then, home keys are injectively overloaded with alphabetic characters (e.g., for an English language keyboard, characters “A” through “Z”) for each triphalangeal finger (step  328 ). Next, non-home keys are injectively overloaded with alphabetic characters (step  330 ). Then, the order of the overloaded keys is disrupted (step  332 ). For example, non-home overloaded alphabetic keys can be located outside of the home row. Optionally, the injectively overloaded, order-disruptive keys can be mapped to an output grid layout (step  334 ). Finally, the process ends (step  336 ). The method  320  may provide a reduced-size, overloaded keyboard which conforms to portions of a user&#39;s previously learned typing procedures. Accordingly, the method  320  may provide an overloaded keyboard which allows a typist to rapidly enter data and text. 
     The key layouts described herein may be provided in a wide variety of devices and systems. Various non-limiting examples of such devices are provided. Referring now to  FIGS. 10A and 10B ,  FIG. 10A  illustrates the exemplary key layout  250  in  FIG. 6  displayed in a keyboard in a portrait orientation on an exemplary screen or display  340  of an exemplary electronic touch-screen device  338 . The exemplary key layout  250  may be similarly provided on a touch-pad or other touch-sensitive surface. The exemplary screen or display  340  may be configured to render characters corresponding to interpreted overloaded-key keystrokes.  FIG. 10B  illustrates the exemplary key layout  250  in  FIG. 6  displayed in a landscape orientation on the exemplary screen or display  340  of the exemplary electronic touch-screen device  338 . The exemplary key layout  250  may be similarly provided on a touch-pad or other touch-sensitive surface. As illustrated in  FIG. 10B , the additional device area could be used for additional input. For example, as illustrated in  FIG. 10B , due to a reduced footprint of the reduced-width key layout  250 , there is available space to provide a numeric keypad on the screen or display  340  of the electronic touch-screen device  338 . 
       FIG. 11A  illustrates the exemplary key layout  250  in  FIG. 6  disposed upon a screen  344  of an exemplary wireless mobile device  342 . The exemplary wireless mobile device  342  may include a wireless communication interface  346 , such as a cellular communication interface (for example, a code division multiple access (CDMA) communication interface or a Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) communication interface), a broadband wireless communication interface (for example, a 3G or 4G wireless communication interface), a WiMax communication interface, or a wide-area or metropolitan area wireless communication interface. The wireless communication interface  346  may include an 802.11 communication interface (such as an 802.11 a, b, g, or n communication interface). The wireless communication interface  346  may include a Bluetooth communication interface. As shown in  FIG. 11B , the exemplary wireless mobile device  342  may include a mobile power source  348 , such as a battery  350 . The mobile power source  348  of the exemplary wireless mobile device  342  may be configurable to energize the wireless communication interface  346 . Furthermore, as shown in  FIG. 11A , the wireless communication interface  346  may be configured to communicate an overloaded key selection for interpretation and display by a remote processor  352  over a network  354 . 
     With continuing reference to  FIG. 11A , the exemplary key layout  250  of overloaded keys may be disposed upon a reduced area of the wireless mobile device  342 , which is consistent with thumb-typing. As non-limiting examples, the reduced area consistent with thumb-typing may be an area of approximately 14 cm×4 cm, for a small mobile device, or 50 cm×15.2 cm for a larger mobile device. The reduced area may include two or more rows, or smaller or larger areas if more than two or more rows are included that allow for thumb typing. A user typing on the reduced-area, overloaded keyboard may use a single finger of one or both hands to press the keys. For example, a user may use both thumbs  31 ,  36  of both hands  42 ,  44  ( FIG. 3A ) to type on the exemplary reduced-area, overloaded keyboard. Alternatively, a user may use both index fingers  32 ,  37  of both hands  42 ,  44  ( FIG. 3A ) to type on the exemplary reduced-area, overloaded keyboard. Furthermore, a user may use a single thumb  31  or  36  to type on the exemplary reduced-area, overloaded keyboard. Alternatively, a user may use a single index finger  32  or  37  to type on the exemplary reduced-area, overloaded keyboard. 
       FIGS. 12A ,  12 B, and  12 C illustrate a series of schematic diagrams of the exemplary key layout  250  of  FIG. 6  disposed upon an exemplary physical keyboard  356  having foldable sections  358 ,  360 . The foldable sections  358 ,  360  may be joined, for example, by a hinge  362 . The foldable, overloaded keyboard  356  may be unfolded, for example, through a progression from  FIG. 12A to 12B  to  12 C. Alternatively, the foldable, overloaded keyboard  356  may be folded, for example, through a progression from  FIG. 12C to 12B  to  12 A. The foldable keyboard  356  may include a stop  363  or other mechanism that prevents the keyboard from extending farther than is depicted in  FIG. 12C . Alternatively, the foldable keyboard  356  may be unfolded to an even greater angle than depicted in  FIGS. 12A through 12C . For example, the foldable keyboard  356  may be unfolded to an extent that back portions of the foldable sections  358 ,  360  face one another.  FIGS. 12A through 12C  depict the exemplary physical keyboard  356  having two sections. However, the exemplary key layout  250  of  FIG. 6  may also be disposed upon a foldable physical keyboard having additional sections. Also note that the physical keyboard  356  may include other overloaded key arrangements disclosed herein or other arrangements that are consistent with the teachings provided herein. 
       FIGS. 13A through 13F  are a series of schematic diagrams illustrating an embodiment of a typing apparatus  364  providing a reduced-height, folded configuration. The typing apparatus  364  may include the overloaded key arrangements disclosed herein or other arrangements that are consistent with the teachings provided herein. With reference to  FIGS. 13A through 13F , the typing apparatus  364  comprises a first keyboard  366 , a second keyboard  368 , a primary housing  370 , and a secondary housing  372 . The first keyboard  366  comprises a first keyboard base  374  and first keyboard keys  376 . The second keyboard  368  comprises a second keyboard base  378  and second keyboard keys  380 . The secondary housing  372  may be a battery housing. Accordingly, the secondary housing  372  may comprise a battery  382  configured to power the typing apparatus  364 . The battery  382  may occupy a portion of the secondary housing  372 . Alternatively, the battery  382  may substantially occupy the entirety of the secondary housing  372 . The secondary housing  372  may comprise at least one secondary housing foot  384 . The first keyboard  366  is hingedly attached to the second keyboard  368 , for example, by a hinge  386 . The typing apparatus  364  has an opened configuration ( FIGS. 13E-13F ) and a folded configuration ( FIGS. 13A-13B ). In the folded configuration ( FIGS. 13A-13B ), the primary housing  370  functions to house, enclose, and protect the secondary keyboard  368 , the secondary housing  372 , and their contents. In the opened configuration ( FIG. 13E-13F ), the primary housing  370  is configured to support a bottom portion of the unfolded first keyboard  366  in its opened position, and the secondary housing  372  is configured to support a bottom portion of the second keyboard  368 . 
     With continuing reference to  FIGS. 13A through 13F , the typing apparatus  364  may be opened from a folded configuration ( FIGS. 13A and 13B ) to an opened configuration ( FIGS. 13E and 13F ) by pulling the secondary housing  372  away from the primary housing  370  (as illustrated in  FIGS. 13C and 13D ) and then folding the first keyboard  366  over and onto a recessed portion  388  of the primary housing  370  such that the primary housing  370  supports the first keyboard  366 . The typing apparatus  364  may be closed from an opened configuration ( FIGS. 13E and 13F ) to a folded configuration ( FIGS. 13A and 13B ) by folding the first keyboard  366  away from the primary housing  370  over the second keyboard  368  so that the first keyboard  366  and the second keyboard  368  are substantially parallel (as illustrated in  FIGS. 13C and 13D ) and thereafter by pushing the secondary housing  372  into the primary housing  370 . The first keyboard keys  376  ( FIGS. 13E and 13F ) may be recessible keys, configurable to completely recess into the first keyboard base  378 . The second keyboard keys  380  may also be recessible keys, configurable to completely recess into the second keyboard base  374 . In the folded configuration ( FIGS. 13A and 13B ), the primary housing  370  may hold the first keyboard base  374  and the second keyboard base  378  together such that the recessible first keyboard keys  376  completely recess within the first keyboard base  374  and the recessible second keyboard keys  380  completely recess within the second keyboard base  378 . As depicted in  FIG. 13E , the exemplary key layout  250  in  FIG. 6  may be disposed upon the typing apparatus  364 . For example, a left-hand portion  306  ( FIG. 8A ) of the exemplary key layout  250  may be disposed on the first keyboard  366  and a right-hand portion  308  ( FIG. 8A ) of the exemplary key layout  250  may be disposed on the second keyboard  368 . 
     In continuing reference to  FIGS. 13A through 13F , in the opened configuration ( FIGS. 13E and 13F ), the typing apparatus  364  has an opened typing apparatus height  390 . In the folded configuration ( FIGS. 13A-13B ), the typing apparatus  364  has a folded typing apparatus height  392 . The first keyboard  366  has a first keyboard height  394 . The first keyboard base  374  has a first keyboard base height  396 . The first keyboard keys  376  have a first keyboard keys height  398 . The second keyboard  368  has a second keyboard height  400 . The second keyboard base  378  has a second keyboard base height  402 . The second keyboard keys  380  have a second keyboard keys height  404 . The primary housing  370  has a primary housing height  406 . The secondary housing  372  has a secondary housing height  408 . The primary housing height  406  may equal or substantially equal the second keyboard base height  402  plus the secondary housing height  408 . Thus, the first keyboard  366  and second keyboard  368  may be balanced in height so that the opened typing apparatus  364  ( FIGS. 13E and 13F ) provides a uniform typing plane for typing, which may not wobble. Accordingly, the opened typing apparatus height  390  may equal or substantially equal the secondary housing height  408  plus the secondary keyboard base height  402  plus the secondary keyboard keys height  404 , which may also equal or substantially equal the primary housing height  406  plus the first keyboard keys height  398 . In the folded configuration ( FIGS. 13A and 13B ), the folded typing apparatus height  392  may equal or substantially equal the primary housing height  406  plus the first keyboard base height  396 , thus providing a reduced-height, folded-configuration typing apparatus. 
       FIG. 14  depicts an exemplary diagram of the exemplary key layout  250  in  FIG. 6  projected by an exemplary projection device  410 . The exemplary projection device  410  projects an image of a key layout, for example, the exemplary key layout  250  in  FIG. 6 , from a projector  412  onto a surface. A user may place her fingers on the keys of the projected keyboard. A camera  414  of the exemplary projection device  410  detects a user&#39;s interaction with the keyboard. The camera  414  may capture one or more images, for example, showing one or more fingers of a user in the keyboard field. The exemplary projection device  410  may determine from the one or more images that a user has pressed an overloaded key. 
       FIG. 15  depicts a diagram of the exemplary key layout  250  of  FIG. 6  disposed upon an exemplary physical keyboard  416  having a flexible membrane. The flexible keyboard  416  may be bent, folded, flexed, rolled, convolved, or otherwise contorted, and may be operable by a user while bent, folded, flexed, rolled, convolved, or otherwise contorted. For example, the flexible keyboard  416  may be operable while contoured to a non-flat surface. Furthermore, the flexible keyboard  416  may be operable while contoured to a flat surface. The flexible keyboard  416  may also be bent, folded, flexed, rolled, convolved, or otherwise contorted for storage. 
       FIG. 16  is a flowchart depicting an exemplary process  418  of handling keyboard events (also referred to herein as a keyboard event handler  418 ) generated as a result of key actions on a keyboard containing overloaded keys. For example, the process  418  starts by pressing or releasing an overloaded key, which may result in a keyboard device interrupt comprising a scan code being generated, as an example (step  422 ). The scan code corresponds to an overloaded key that was pressed or released. The keyboard device interrupt may be signaled on a system bus  420  ( FIG. 38 ) and received by the keyboard event handler  418 . 
     In continuing reference to  FIG. 16 , the keyboard event handler  418  may receive an interrupt comprising the scan code indicating which overloaded key was pressed (step  424 ). The keyboard event handler  418  may execute keypress disambiguating instructions  434  ( FIG. 17A ) (step  426 ) to determine which character corresponding to the overloaded keypress was intended. The keypress disambiguating instructions  434  ( FIG. 17A ) may determine which corresponding character was intended, for example, based on one or more of the following: dictionary matching, beginning-of-word matching, phrase frequencies, word frequencies, character frequencies, grammar rules, error-correction algorithms, pattern-matching algorithms, and/or pattern-approximation algorithms. Upon selecting a disambiguated character corresponding to the overloaded keypress event, the disambiguated character is further processed as would a keypress event of a non-overloaded character. The keypress disambiguating instructions  434  may also present a user with a plurality of alternatives corresponding to the overloaded keypress event, from which the user may select one of the alternatives. These alternatives may comprise alternative letters, alternative words, and/or alternative phrases corresponding to the overloaded keypress event or corresponding to a buffered series of keypresses comprising the overloaded keypress event. Accordingly, the keypress disambiguating instructions  434  may provide disambiguated text, for example, a character, a word, or a series of words, to an application for display. This text could be provided for any application  438  ( FIG. 17A ) running on an electronic device, for example, to an email client, a texting application, a word processor, or a spreadsheet. 
     The overloaded keyboard event handler  418  may be provided in a software component of an electronic device  428  ( FIG. 17A ). For example, as depicted in  FIG. 17A , the overloaded keyboard event handler  418  may be provided as part of an overloaded keyboard device driver  432 . Upon receiving an overloaded key event (such as an overloaded keypress or overloaded key release) from a keyboard  430 , keypress disambiguating instructions  434  of the keyboard device driver  432  may be executed to disambiguate which character corresponding to the overloaded key event was intended. The keyboard device driver  432  may thereafter provide the disambiguated character to an operating system  436 . The operating system  436  may provide the disambiguated character to one or more applications  438  which are configured to receive keyboard input. In this manner, the electronic device  428  may provide input from an overloaded keyboard to one or more applications  438  configured to receive non-overloaded key input without requiring any modifications to the source code of the one or more applications  438  to receive the overloaded key input. 
     Alternatively, as illustrated in  FIG. 17B , the overloaded keyboard event handler  418  may be provided in middleware  446  of an electronic device  442 . In this configuration, upon receiving an overloaded key event from the keyboard  430 , the keyboard device driver  432  may provide the overloaded key event to the operating system  436 . The operating system  436  may provide the overloaded key event to the middleware  446  which is configured to receive keyboard input. Upon receiving an overloaded key event (such as an overloaded keypress or overloaded key release) from the operating system  436 , keypress disambiguating middleware  444  of the middleware  446  may be executed to disambiguate which character corresponding to the overloaded key event was intended. The middleware  446  may thereafter provide the disambiguated character to one or more applications  438  which are configured to receive keyboard input. 
     The overloaded keyboard event handler  418  could also be provided as a part of a particular application  438 . An overloaded key event aware application  438  could provide supplemental functionality to a user, for example, by prompting a user to select among a plurality of possible overloaded key character, key word, or key phrase selections upon receiving an overloaded key event. The plurality of possible overloaded key character selections may be provided based on dictionary matching, beginning-of-word matching, character frequencies, word frequencies, phrase frequencies, grammar rules, error-correction algorithms, pattern-matching algorithms, and/or pattern-approximation algorithms. The dictionary-based matching and other overloaded keyboard configuration features and options may be manageable. For example, a device manager  440  or application  438  may allow a user to customize such overloaded keyboard configuration features and options. 
     Furthermore, portions of the overloaded keyboard event handler  418  could be provided collectively as multiple components. For example, portions of the overloaded keyboard event handler  418  could be provided in the keyboard device driver  432  and further portions of the overloaded keyboard event handler  418  could be provided in the middleware  446  and/or the one or more applications  438 . 
       FIG. 18A  is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of an exemplary physical keyboard  448  containing overloaded keys.  FIG. 18A  provides an overloaded key layout corresponding to the key layout  250  of  FIG. 6 .  FIG. 18B  is a schematic diagram of another embodiment of an exemplary physical keyboard  470  containing overloaded keys.  FIG. 18B  also provides an overloaded key layout  472  corresponding to the key layout  250  of  FIG. 6 .  FIG. 18B  also provides for additional characters. The keys of  FIG. 18B  are arranged as follows. A first non-home row  474  may provide a Tab key  482 , a down-arrow key  484 , an up-arrow key  486 , a left-arrow key  488 , a right-arrow key  490 , and a Backspace key  492 . A home row  476  includes a plurality of overloaded keys. The home row  476  provides a first overloaded key  494  overloading “Q”, “A”, and “Z” characters. The first overloaded key  494  may also provide a “1” character which may be selected when a numeric modifier key  530  is concurrently pressed with the first overloaded key  494 . The home row  476  further provides a second overloaded key  496  overloading “W”, “S”, and “X” characters. The second overloaded key  496  also provides a “2” character which may be selected when the numeric modifier key  530  is concurrently pressed with the second overloaded key  496 . The home row  476  further provides a third overloaded key  498  overloading “E”, “D”, and “C” characters. The third overloaded key  498  also provides a “3” character which may be selected when the numeric modifier key  530  is concurrently pressed with the third overloaded key  498 . The home row  476  further provides a fourth overloaded key  500  overloading “R”, “F”, and “V” characters. The fourth overloaded key  500  also provides a “4” character which may be selected when the numeric modifier key  530  is concurrently pressed with the fourth overloaded key  500 . The home row  476  further provides a fifth overloaded key  502  overloading “U”, “J”, and “M” characters. The fifth overloaded key  502  also provides a “7” character which may be selected when the numeric modifier key  530  is concurrently pressed with the fifth overloaded key  502 . The home row  476  further provides a sixth overloaded key  504  overloading “I” and “K” characters. The sixth overloaded key  504  also provides an “8” character which may be selected when the numeric modifier key  530  is concurrently pressed with the sixth overloaded key  504 . The sixth overloaded key  504  further provides a comma (,) character and an exclamation point (!) character. By concurrently pressing a symbol modifier key  532 , disambiguation among (non-alphabetical and non-numerical) symbols (here, e.g., among a comma (,) character and an exclamation point (!) character) may be provided. The home row  476  further provides a seventh overloaded key  506  overloading “0” and “L” characters. The seventh overloaded key  506  also provides a “9” character which may be selected when the numeric modifier key  530  is concurrently pressed with the seventh overloaded key  506 . The seventh overloaded key  506  further provides a period (.) character and a dash (-) character. By concurrently pressing the symbol modifier key  532 , disambiguation among (non-alphabetical and non-numerical) symbols (here, e.g., among a period (.) character and a dash (-) character) may be provided. The home row  476  further provides an eighth key  508  providing a “P” character. The eighth key  508  also provides a “0” character which may be selected when the numeric modifier key  530  is concurrently pressed with the eighth key  508 . The eighth key  508  further provides semicolon (;), colon (:), single quote (‘), and question mark (?) characters. By concurrently pressing the symbol modifier key  532 , disambiguation among (non-alphabetical and non-numerical) symbols (here, e.g., among semicolon (;), colon (:), single quote (‘), and question mark (?) characters) may be provided. A second non-home row  478  comprises a left Shift key  510  and an Alt key  512 . The second non-home row  478  further comprises a ninth overloaded key  514  providing “T”, “G”, and “B” characters. The ninth overloaded key  514  also provides a “5” character which may be selected when the numeric modifier key  530  is concurrently pressed with the ninth overloaded key  514 . The second non-home row  478  further comprises a tenth overloaded key  516  overloading “Y”, “H”, and “N” characters. The tenth overloaded key  516  also provides a “6” character which may be selected when the numeric modifier key  530  is concurrently pressed with the tenth overloaded key  516 . The second non-home row  478  further comprises an Enter key  518  and a right Shift key  520 . A third non-home row  480  provides a Ctrl key  522 , a Cmd key  524 , a Next key  526 , a Space key  528 , the numeric modifier key  530 , and the symbolic modifier key  532 . 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 18A through 18H , a typing apparatus, e.g., the keyboard  448 ,  470 , may include a power interface  450  disposed inside the keyboard  448 ,  470 . The typing apparatus may also include a wired communication interface  452  disposed inside the keyboard  448 ,  470  configured to communicate with a remote processor  466 . For example, the wired communication interface  452  may be a universal serial bus (USB) interface  454 , a PS/2 interface  456 , or a serial interface  458 . The power interface  450  may be configurable to energize the wired communication interface  452 . The wired communication interface  452  may also comprise the power interface  450 . For example, the USB interface  454  may be a power interface  450  and may power the keyboard  448 ,  470 . The typing apparatus may be configured to communicate an overloaded key selection across the wired communication interface  452  for interpretation and display. 
     With continuing reference to  FIGS. 18A through 18H , a typing apparatus, e.g., keyboard  448 ,  470 , may include a wireless communication interface  460  for communicating with the remote processor  466  ( FIGS. 18A and 18B ) across a network  468 . For example, the wireless communication interface  460  may be a cellular communication interface (for example, a CDMA communication interface or a GSM communication interface), a broadband wireless communication interface (for example, a 3G or 4G wireless communication interface), a WiMax communication interface, or a wide-area or metropolitan area wireless communication interface. The wireless communication interface  460  may include an 802.11 communication interface (such as an 802.11 a, b, g, or n communication interface). The wireless communication interface  460  may include a Bluetooth communication interface. The typing apparatus may include a mobile power source  462  disposed inside the keyboard  448 ,  470 , such as a battery  464 . The mobile power source  462  may be configurable to energize the wireless communication interface  460 . The typing apparatus may be configured to communicate an overloaded key selection to the remote processor  466  ( FIGS. 18A and 18B ) for interpretation and display. 
     With further reference to  FIGS. 18A and 18B , overloaded keys may be provided in a variety of sizes. For example, the size of the keys of the overloaded keyboard may be of a size consistent with keys of a represented keyboard. With full-size keys, the keyboard may be used for touch-typing, that is, typing with all fingers without visual cues (or with few visual cues) from markings on the keys. However, the overloaded keys may also be provided in a reduced size consistent with thumb-typing. The overloaded keys may also be provided in a variety of shapes. For example, the overloaded keys may be provided on rectangular, triangular, or hexagonal-shaped keys. Corners of the keys may or may not be rounded. The shape of the keys of the overloaded keyboard may also be of a shape consistent with keys of a represented keyboard. 
       FIG. 19  illustrates the exemplary key layout  250  in  FIG. 6  displayed in a keyboard in a portrait orientation on an exemplary screen or display  536  of an exemplary electronic touch-screen device  534 . Keys  538 - 556  are injectively overloaded with characters of a QWERTY keyboard. At least three injectively overloaded keys  538 - 544  are disposed in a first row. A first injectively overloaded key  544  among the at least three injectively overloaded keys  538 - 544  is injectively overloaded with a first at least three characters {rfv} assigned to a first finger (a left-hand index finger) in a QWERTY keyboard. A second injectively overloaded key  554  is disposed outside the first row (of keys  538 - 544 ). The second injectively overloaded key  554  is injectively overloaded with a second at least three characters {tgb} assigned to the first finger (a left-hand index finger) in a QWERTY keyboard. In addition, at least three injectively overloaded keys  546 - 552  are disposed in the first row. A third injectively overloaded key  546  among the at least three injectively overloaded keys  546 - 552  is injectively overloaded with a third at least three characters {ujm} assigned to a second finger (a right-hand index finger) in a QWERTY keyboard. A fourth injectively overloaded key  556  is disposed outside the first row (of keys  546 - 552 ). The fourth injectively overloaded key  556  is injectively overloaded with a fourth at least three characters {yhn} assigned to a second finger (a right-hand index finger) in a QWERTY keyboard. In addition to alphabetic characters, keys  548 ,  550 , and  552  are also overloaded with symbol characters {,.;&#39;} (comma, period, semicolon, apostrophe). Key  548  is overloaded with characters {ik,}; key  550  is overloaded with characters {ol.}; and key  552  is overloaded with characters {p;&#39;}. Additional keys are also provided in the key layout of  FIG. 19 . Key  558  provides a tab character. Pressing key  560  provides an alternative screen providing an alternative key layout that may facilitate the editing of entered text as well as access to a settings menu. Key  562  provides an alternative key layout allowing additional symbol characters to be typed. Key  564  provides an alternative key layout allowing numerical characters to be typed. Key  566  provides an Enter key. Key  568  provides a backspace. Key  570  provides a left shift modifier key. Key  572  provides a “previous word” functionality, which allows a user to cycle backwards through a list of candidate disambiguated word selections. Key  574  provides a “next word” functionality, which allows a user to cycle forwards through a list of candidate disambiguated word selections. Key  576  provides a spacebar. Key  578  provides a left arrow. Key  580  provides a right arrow. Pressing key  578  or key  580  may also cause the disambiguation software of the electronic device  534  to start a new disambiguated word prediction, which may be used for piecing together fragments of words into new words not already present in the dictionary. Key  582  provides a right shift modifier key. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 20 , gestured input may be used to enter text and data into the key layouts provided herein. For example, a typing apparatus (such as electronic device  584 ) may be configured to receive a vocabulary of words and beginnings of words as gesture input. The gesture input may comprise receiving a word or a beginning of a word as input when a path is traced from an area near an initial injectively overloaded key representing an initial character of the word (for example, the initial character “e” in “example”) through subsequent areas near subsequent injectively overloaded keys approximating subsequent characters of the word (for example, a path  590  traced from an initial point  586  (near the “edc” key), through the “wsx” key, the “qaz” key, the “ujm” key, the “p;&#39;” key, the “ol.” key, and to a release point  588  (near the “edc” key). The area near the initial injectively overloaded key may be an area within the initial injectively overloaded key, and the subsequent areas near the injectively overloaded keys may be subsequent areas within the subsequent injectively overloaded keys. Areas near a key may include areas within the width of the key as measured from the centerpoint of the key. Areas near a key may also include areas within 110%, 120%, or 130% of the width of the key as measured from the centerpoint of the key. The subsequent injectively overloaded keys approximating subsequent characters of the word may be subsequent injectively overloaded keys representing characters spelling the subsequent characters of the word. Misspellings of the word may also be recognized. For example, a series of keys approximating the characters of a word include the series of keys representing characters spelling the word as well as the series of keys representing known misspellings of the word. Additional information regarding approximate typing may be found in U.S. Pat. No. 7,387,457 to Jawerth et al., filed Aug. 15, 2005, entitled “One-Row Keyboard and Approximate Typing,” the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety; U.S. Pat. No. 7,758,264 to Jawerth et al., filed Nov. 23, 2005, entitled “One-Row Keyboard,” the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety; and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/148,539 filed Apr. 18, 2008, by Jawerth et al., entitled “One-Row Keyboard and Approximate Typing,” the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. 
     Reduced-width, injectively overloaded keyboards herein provided may allow a typist to rapidly enter data and text, for example, because a typist may use a same finger to type each character on the reduced-width, injectively overloaded keyboard as the typist would have used to type that character on a represented keyboard. Additional benefits may also be realized. For example, a typist may use a smaller subset of motion patterns to type a vocabulary of phrases, words, and characters when typing upon the reduced-width, injectively overloaded keyboards herein provided. In addition, using the reduced-width, injectively overloaded keyboards herein provided, the travel distance which a typist&#39;s fingers travel during entry of text or other data may be reduced (for example, as compared to a traditional keyboard, such as a QWERTY keyboard). 
     Exemplary calculations demonstrating an exemplary reduced travel distance for typing English phrases consisting of the characters {ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ:;,.?} (as well as the corresponding lowercase letters) using the exemplary key layout of  FIG. 19  are now provided. These calculations are for ten-finger typing (i.e., typing using all ten fingers). An estimate of the travel distance that fingers travel while typing English phrases may be determined using a table of letter and punctuation mark frequencies. For example, the following table provides character frequencies according to page 181 of E. Stewart Lee&#39;s  Essays about Computer Security , Cambridge, 1999 (also available at http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/˜mgk25/lee-essays.pdf): 
     
       
         
           
               
             
               
                 TABLE 1 
               
             
            
               
                   
               
               
                 Relative frequency of English characters 
               
               
                 from a large text. 
               
            
           
           
               
               
               
            
               
                   
                 Letter (Character) 
                 Frequency 
               
               
                   
                   
               
            
           
           
               
               
               
            
               
                   
                 Space 
                 12.17 
               
               
                   
                 A 
                 6.09 
               
               
                   
                 B 
                 1.05 
               
               
                   
                 C 
                 2.84 
               
               
                   
                 D 
                 2.92 
               
               
                   
                 E 
                 11.36 
               
               
                   
                 F 
                 1.79 
               
               
                   
                 G 
                 1.38 
               
               
                   
                 H 
                 3.41 
               
               
                   
                 I 
                 5.44 
               
               
                   
                 J 
                 0.24 
               
               
                   
                 K 
                 0.41 
               
               
                   
                 L 
                 2.92 
               
               
                   
                 M 
                 2.76 
               
               
                   
                 N 
                 5.44 
               
               
                   
                 O 
                 6.00 
               
               
                   
                 P 
                 1.95 
               
               
                   
                 Q 
                 0.24 
               
               
                   
                 R 
                 4.95 
               
               
                   
                 S 
                 5.68 
               
               
                   
                 T 
                 8.03 
               
               
                   
                 U 
                 2.43 
               
               
                   
                 V 
                 0.97 
               
               
                   
                 W 
                 1.38 
               
               
                   
                 X 
                 0.24 
               
               
                   
                 Y 
                 1.30 
               
               
                   
                 Z 
                 0.03 
               
               
                   
                 Others (Common 
                 6.57 
               
               
                   
                 punctuations) 
                   
               
               
                   
                   
               
            
           
         
       
     
     The following calculations presume a travel distance of 0 to type characters on home keys, and a travel distance of 1 to type characters on non-home keys. Thus, for a U.S. QWERTY keyboard, the distance-0 characters are {ASDFJKL:;} including the space character (and corresponding lowercase letters) and the distance-1 characters are {QWERTYUIOPZXCVBNM,.?GH} (and corresponding lowercase letters). Accordingly, the average travel distance for a U.S. QWERTY keyboard is 0.24+1.38+11.36+4.95+8.03+1.30+2.43+5.44+6.00+1.95+0.03+0.24+2.84+0.97+1.05+5.44+2.76+6.57+1.38+3.41=67.77%. Accordingly, for a U.S. QWERTY keyboard, a finger must travel an average distance of 0.6777 units to type each entered character. For a Dvorak keyboard, the distance-0 characters are {AOEUHTNS} including the space character (and corresponding lowercase letters) and the distance-1 characters are {″′,.PYFGCRL:;QJKXBMWVZID} (and corresponding lowercase letters). Accordingly, the average travel distance for the Dvorak keyboard is 6.57+1.95+1.30+1.79+1.38+2.84+4.95+2.92+0.24+0.24+0.41+0.24+1.05+2.76+1.38+0.97+0.03+5.44+2.92=39.38%. Accordingly, for a Dvorak keyboard, a finger must travel an average distance of 0.3938 units to type each entered character. For the exemplary key layout of  FIG. 19 , the distance-0 characters are {QWERUIOPASDFJKL;ZXCVM,.′} including the space character (and corresponding lowercase letters) and the distance-1 characters are {TGBYHN} (and corresponding lowercase letters). Accordingly, the average travel distance for the exemplary key layout of  FIG. 19  is 8.03+1.38+1.05+1.30+3.41+5.44=20.61. Accordingly, for the exemplary key layout of  FIG. 19 , a finger must travel an average distance of 0.2061 units to type each entered character. Relative travel distances among the keyboards may be determined as follows. The average travel distance of a U.S. QWERTY key layout is (67.77/20.61=) 3.29 times that of the  FIG. 19  key layout. The average travel distance of a Dvorak keyboard is (39.38/20.61=) 1.91 times that of the  FIG. 19  key layout. Thus, the exemplary key layout of  FIG. 19  provides a reduced-width, overloaded keyboard providing a reduced average travel distance for typing English phrases. 
       FIG. 21  illustrates a QWERTY key layout  592  having keys  594 , including a space key  596  having a centerpoint  598 .  FIG. 22  illustrates a reduced key layout  600  providing keys  602 - 622 , including a space key  622  with a centerpoint  624 . In  FIG. 22 , keys  602 - 620  are injectively overloaded with the alphabetic characters (i.e., characters “a” through “z”) of the QWERTY key layout  502  ( FIG. 21 ). Keys  602 - 620  in key layout  600  ( FIG. 22 ) are also injectively overloaded with the numerical characters (i.e., characters “0” through “9”) of the QWERTY key layout  592  ( FIG. 21 ). Keys  602 - 620  ( FIG. 22 ) are adjacency consistent with the alphabetic characters and the numerical characters of the QWERTY key layout  592  ( FIG. 21 ). Keys  616 ,  618 , and  620  are also overloaded with additional symbols (e.g., punctuation marks) represented in the QWERTY key layout  592  ( FIG. 21 ). For example, key  616  is overloaded with an “i” character, a “k” character, an “8” character, a comma character “,” and an exclamation point character “!”. Key  618  is overloaded with an “o” character, an “1” character, a “9” character, a period character “.” and a dash character “-”. Key  620  is overloaded with a “p” character, an apostrophe character “&#39;”, a double quote character “””, a semicolon character “;”, a colon character “:”, and a question mark character “?”. Keys  602 - 608  and  614 - 620  are disposed in a first row. Keys  610  and  612  are disposed in a second row outside the first row. Space key  622  is provided in a third row. Overloaded keys  610  and  612  are order disruptive of the QWERTY key layout  592 . Key layout  600  may be provided within an area sized for thumb-typing. 
       FIG. 23  illustrates a reduced key layout  626  providing keys  628 - 650 , including a left space key  648  having a centerpoint  652  and a right space key  650  having a centerpoint  654 . In  FIG. 23 , keys  628 - 646  are injectively overloaded with the alphabetic characters (i.e., characters “a” through “z”) of the QWERTY key layout  592  ( FIG. 21 ). Keys  628 - 646  in key layout  626  ( FIG. 23 ) are also injectively overloaded with numerical characters (i.e., characters “0” through “9”) of the QWERTY key layout  592  ( FIG. 21 ). In addition, keys  628 - 646  ( FIG. 23 ) are adjacency consistent with the alphabetic characters and the numerical characters of the QWERTY key layout  592  ( FIG. 21 ). Alphabetically and numerically injectively overloaded keys  628 ,  630 ,  632 ,  642 ,  644 , and  646  are provided in a first row. Alphabetically and numerically injectively overloaded keys  634 ,  636 ,  638 ,  640  are provided outside the first row. Alphabetically and numerically injectively overloaded keys  634  and  640  are provided in a second row. Alphabetically and numerically injectively overloaded keys  636  and  638  are provided in a third row. As depicted in  FIG. 23 , left space key  648  and right space key  650  may span the second and third rows. Key layout  626  may be provided within an area sized for thumb-typing. 
     Exemplary calculations demonstrating an exemplary reduced travel distance for two-thumb typing (i.e., typing using only the left and right thumbs) on an exemplary reduced keyboard are now provided. As an alternative to typing with all ten fingers (ten-finger typing), a user may use two-thumb typing to enter text and/or data on a device with smaller-size keys which is held by the hands in a landscape or portrait orientation without additional support (such as a table). An exemplary calculation providing the distance that the thumbs travel during two-thumb typing using a given key layout is now provided. For this calculation, thumb movements are modeled as follows: 1) the left thumb addresses keys on the left half of the layout, and the right thumb addresses keys on the right half of the layout; 2) the starting point for each thumb is the centerpoint of the spacebar (however, this calculation could also be made using a different starting point for the thumbs); 3) the space bar can be pressed by either thumb; 4) the space bar is pressed by the thumb that was not used to press the previous character (the “free” thumb); 5) each key is a square with a side length of 1; and 6) the distance from one key to another key is the Euclidean distance between the keys&#39; centers in the particular key layout. Using this model, the distance that that thumbs would travel to type any given source text may be calculated by summing the Euclidean distance between centerpoints of successive keys for each character position in the source text. 
     For this example, a source text containing over 900,000 words was formed from a collection of public domain works. From the Project Gutenberg website (http://www.gutenberg.org/), the texts of the following books were downloaded: Agatha Christie,  Secret Adversary ; Charles Dickens,  David Copperfield ; Charles Dickens,  A Christmas Carol ; Mark Twain,  Adventures of Huckleberry Finn ; and Fyodor Dostoyevsky,  The Brothers Karamazov . From these files the table of contents, headings, and initial file identifiers were removed. The resulting source text (ST1) consisted of 4,975,146 characters (including space characters). 
     Using the foregoing model, the total travel distances for two-thumb typing the ST1 source text on the QWERTY key layout  592  ( FIG. 21 ) (“QwertyKeyLayout”) and the reduced key layout  600  ( FIG. 22 ) (“ReducedKeyLayout1”) were calculated. 
       TotalTravelDistance( ST 1,QwertyKeyLayout)≈12,033,744.
 
       TotalTravelDistance( ST 1,ReducedKeyLayout1)≈8,097,265.
 
     Dividing by the total number of characters in the source text ST1 (4,975,146), the average travel distances between characters on these key layouts may be found. 
       AverageTravelDistance( ST 1,QwertyKeyLayout)≈2.418
 
       AverageTravelDistance( ST 1,ReducedKeyLayout1)≈1.628
 
     Hence, the travel distance of the reduced key layout is approximately 67% of the QWERTY key layout, 
     
       
         
           
             RelativeTravelDistance 
             = 
             
               
                 
                   TotalTravelDistance 
                    
                   
                     ( 
                     
                       
                         ST 
                          
                         
                             
                         
                          
                         1 
                       
                       , 
                       
                         ReducedKeyLayout 
                          
                         
                             
                         
                          
                         1 
                       
                     
                     ) 
                   
                 
                 
                   TotalTravelDistance 
                    
                   
                     ( 
                     
                       
                         ST 
                          
                         
                             
                         
                          
                         1 
                       
                       , 
                       QwertyKeyLayout 
                     
                     ) 
                   
                 
               
               ≈ 
               0.673 
             
           
         
       
     
     Accordingly, the above calculation has demonstrated that an exemplary reduced key layout  600  provides a travel distance for two-thumb typing a representative source text (ST1) which is smaller than the travel distance for two-thumb typing with an exemplary QWERTY key layout  592 . Thus, an exemplary calculation demonstrating an exemplary reduced travel distance for two-thumb typing (i.e., typing using only the left and right thumbs) on an exemplary reduced key layout  600  has been demonstrated. 
       FIG. 23  provides a key layout  626  which reduces the travel distance for two-thumb typing even further. 
     An exemplary calculation demonstrating an exemplary reduced travel distance for ten-finger typing may be demonstrated using character frequencies from the ST1 source text. Table 2 provides the frequencies of characters in source text ST1. 
     
       
         
           
               
             
               
                 TABLE 2 
               
             
            
               
                   
               
               
                 Relative frequency of English characters 
               
               
                 from source text ST1 
               
            
           
           
               
               
               
            
               
                   
                 Character 
                 Frequency (% ) 
               
               
                   
                   
               
            
           
           
               
               
               
            
               
                   
                 Space 
                 18.42 
               
               
                   
                 ! 
                 0.14 
               
               
                   
                 “ 
                 0.46 
               
               
                   
                 ‘ 
                 0.75 
               
               
                   
                 , 
                 1.64 
               
               
                   
                 - 
                 0.32 
               
               
                   
                 . 
                 1.08 
               
               
                   
                 : 
                 0.03 
               
               
                   
                 ; 
                 0.13 
               
               
                   
                 ? 
                 0.14 
               
               
                   
                 0-9 
                 0.00 
               
               
                   
                 A 
                 6.26 
               
               
                   
                 B 
                 1.16 
               
               
                   
                 C 
                 1.66 
               
               
                   
                 D 
                 3.56 
               
               
                   
                 E 
                 9.21 
               
               
                   
                 F 
                 1.61 
               
               
                   
                 G 
                 1.61 
               
               
                   
                 H 
                 4.85 
               
               
                   
                 I 
                 5.38 
               
               
                   
                 J 
                 0.10 
               
               
                   
                 K 
                 0.73 
               
               
                   
                 L 
                 3.05 
               
               
                   
                 M 
                 2.20 
               
               
                   
                 N 
                 5.27 
               
               
                   
                 O 
                 6.08 
               
               
                   
                 P 
                 1.23 
               
               
                   
                 Q 
                 0.07 
               
               
                   
                 R 
                 4.17 
               
               
                   
                 S 
                 4.64 
               
               
                   
                 T 
                 7.03 
               
               
                   
                 U 
                 2.31 
               
               
                   
                 V 
                 0.78 
               
               
                   
                 W 
                 1.93 
               
               
                   
                 X 
                 0.10 
               
               
                   
                 Y 
                 1.85 
               
               
                   
                 Z 
                 0.04 
               
               
                   
                   
               
            
           
         
       
     
     A ten-finger travel distance may be recalculated using the ST1 source text character frequencies. For the QWERTY key layout  592 , this calculation presumes a travel distance of 0 to type characters on home keys {asdfjkl;:}, the space character, and corresponding uppercase letters; a travel distance of 1 to type characters {ghqwertyuiopzxcvbnm,.?} and corresponding uppercase letters; and a travel distance of 2 to type characters {1234567890!-}. For the reduced key layout  600 , this calculation presumes a travel distance of 0 to type characters {qaz1wsx2edc3rfv4ujm7ik8,!o19.-p0&#39;”;:?}, the space character, and corresponding uppercase letters; and a travel distance of 1 to type characters {tgb5yhn6} and corresponding uppercase letters. Accordingly, the average travel distance for the QWERTY key layout  592  was found to be approximately 0.555, and the average travel distance for the reduced key layout  600  was found to be approximately 0.218. Hence, the relative advantage in travel distance of the reduced key layout  600  compared to the QWERTY key layout  600  is calculated to be 0.555/0.218≈2.55. The differences in the computed relative advantage using the TABLE 1 character frequencies (3.29) and the computed relative advantage using the TABLE 2 character frequencies (2.55) may be largely attributed to a higher frequency occurrence of the space character in the ST1 source text. 
     Two factors affecting a typist&#39;s typing speed are 1) re-use of procedural memory and 2) finger travel distance. A third factor which affects a typist&#39;s typing speed is reaction time. Reaction time is the time required for a user to decide and react to a selection among multiple choices, such as pressing one of many keys. Reaction time may be modeled using Hick&#39;s law. Hick&#39;s law (in its more general form) states that if there are n choices with probabilities 
       { p   i } i=1   n , 
     then the reaction time T required to choose among these is well approximated by 
     
       
      
       T=bh,  
      
     
     where b is an experimentally determined constant and h is the modified entropy 
     
       
         
           
             h 
             = 
             
               
                 ∑ 
                 
                   i 
                   = 
                   1 
                 
                 n 
               
                
               
                   
               
                
               
                 
                   p 
                   i 
                 
                  
                 
                     
                 
                  
                 
                   
                     
                       log 
                       2 
                     
                     ( 
                     
                       1 
                       + 
                       
                         1 
                         
                           p 
                           i 
                         
                       
                     
                     ) 
                   
                   . 
                 
               
             
           
         
       
     
     The regular Shannon entropy H is 
     
       
         
           
             H 
             = 
             
               
                 ∑ 
                 
                   i 
                   = 
                   1 
                 
                 n 
               
                
               
                   
               
                
               
                 
                   p 
                   i 
                 
                  
                 
                     
                 
                  
                 
                   
                     
                       log 
                       2 
                     
                     ( 
                     
                       1 
                       
                         p 
                         i 
                       
                     
                     ) 
                   
                   . 
                 
               
             
           
         
       
     
     Hick&#39;s law may be used to model the total reaction time as text of a particular source text is entered using a given keyboard layout. Specifically, assume that the character k at position j in the text is known and identified by k=k(j), and a typist is deciding which key to press for position j+1. Applying Hick&#39;s law, 
     
       
         
           
             
               h 
               
                 j 
                 , 
                 
                   k 
                    
                   
                     ( 
                     j 
                     ) 
                   
                 
               
             
             = 
             
               
                 ∑ 
                 α 
               
                
               
                   
               
                
               
                 
                   Prob 
                    
                   
                     ( 
                     
                       
                         j 
                         ; 
                         k 
                       
                       , 
                       α 
                     
                     ) 
                   
                 
                  
                 
                   
                     log 
                     2 
                   
                   ( 
                   
                     1 
                     + 
                     
                       1 
                       
                         Prob 
                          
                         
                           ( 
                           
                             
                               j 
                               ; 
                               k 
                             
                             , 
                             α 
                           
                           ) 
                         
                       
                     
                   
                   ) 
                 
               
             
           
         
       
     
     where 
       Prob( j;k ,α)=Prob( key ( j+ 1)=α|character( j )= k )
 
     is the probability that the key in position j+1 corresponds to a character (or equivalence class of characters) identified by α, given that the character in position j is the character identified by k. The Shannon entropy H j,k(j) ) at j may also be calculated. 
     Using the ST1 source text, the total reaction time TotalReactionTime(ST1, QwertyKeyLayout) for the QWERTY key layout  592  and TotalReactionTime(ST1, ReducedKeyLayout1) for the reduced key layout  600  may be calculated by adding all the h j,k(j) ) for all positions j in the text file (and similarly for H j,k(j) ). We find 
       TotalReactionTime( ST 1,QwertyKeyLayout)≈18,157,269
 
       and 
       TotalReactionTime( ST 1,ReducedKeyLayout1)≈15,214,140.
 
       Similarly, 
       TotalEntropy( ST 1,QwertyKeyLayout)≈17,171,236,
 
       and 
       TotalEntropy( ST 1,ReducedKeyLayout1)≈14,008,441.
 
     Accordingly, the above calculations demonstrate that the reaction time for the reduced key layout  600  ( FIG. 22 ) is smaller than the reaction time for the QWERTY key layout  592  ( FIG. 21 ). Accordingly, a reduced reaction time key layout  600  has been demonstrated. 
     One might consider whether reducing the size of keys of a given key layout (to achieve closer centerpoint distances among the keys) to reduce the overall travel distance would result in a faster entry speed. This does not appear to be consistent with models of the human psychomotor behavior. According to Fitts&#39; law, the time to move to a target MT of width W at a distance A is a logarithmic function of the spatial relative error A/W: 
     
       
         
           
             MT 
             = 
             
               a 
               + 
               
                 b 
                  
                 
                     
                 
                  
                 
                   
                     log 
                     2 
                   
                   ( 
                   
                     
                       
                         2 
                          
                         
                             
                         
                          
                         A 
                       
                       W 
                     
                     + 
                     c 
                   
                   ) 
                 
               
             
           
         
       
     
     where a,b are empirically determined, device-independent constants, and c=0, 0.5, or 1. Note, in particular, that this quantity depends on the relative size of the spatial relative error A/W. Fitts&#39; law may be extended to apply to two-dimensional tasks. However, some aspects of a virtual keyboard on a touch-screen may not be accounted for by a Fitts&#39; law model. Small keys may be hidden by a finger used to depress the key, which may result in ambiguous feedback to the user. In addition, the exact area activated by a finger press may not be marked or readily identifiable to a user. Hence, key size and finger size, for example, may play significant roles in the determination of the motion time MT on these devices. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 24A through 241 , key layouts  656 ,  676 ,  678 ,  680 ,  682 ,  684 ,  686 ,  688 ,  690  depict a plurality of positions where a second injectively overloaded key  670  (representing at least three characters assigned to a first finger in a non-represented non-overloaded keyboard) may be located in relation to a first injectively overloaded key  666  (representing at least three characters assigned to the first finger in a non-represented overloaded keyboard). These injectively overloaded key positions may allow a typist to rapidly enter data and text, for example, because a typist may use a same finger to type each character on the reduced-width, injectively overloaded keyboard as the typist would have used to type that character on a represented keyboard. At least three injectively overloaded keys may be disposed in a first row  658 . The first injectively overloaded key  666  among the at least three injectively overloaded keys may be injectively overloaded with at least three characters assigned to a first finger in a represented non-overloaded keyboard (for example, a QWERTY keyboard). The second injectively overloaded key  670  may be injectively overloaded with at least three characters assigned to the first finger in a represented non-overloaded keyboard (for example, the QWERTY keyboard). The second injectively overloaded key  670  may be disposed outside the first row  658 . The first injectively overloaded key  666  may have a centerpoint  668 . The second injectively overloaded key  670  may have a centerpoint  672 . The first row  658  of at least three injectively overloaded keys may have a centerline  660 . Referring now to  FIGS. 24B-24E , the centerpoint  672  of the second injectively overloaded key  670  may be disposed above the first row  658  ( FIGS. 24B-24E ). The centerpoint  672  of the second injectively overloaded key  670  may be disposed above the first injectively overloaded key  666  ( FIGS. 24B-24D ). The centerpoint  672  of the second injectively overloaded key  670  may be disposed above the centerpoint  668  of the first injectively overloaded key  666  ( FIGS. 24B-24E ). The centerpoint  672  of the second injectively overloaded key  670  may be disposed an angular distance  664  above the centerpoint  668  of the first injectively overloaded key  666  from the centerline  660  of the first row  658 . For example, the centerpoint  672  of the second injectively overloaded key  670  may be disposed between 45 and 120 degrees (inclusive) above the centerpoint  668  of the first injectively overloaded key  666  from the centerline  660  of the first row  658  ( FIG. 24A ,  662 ). The centerpoint  672  of the second injectively overloaded key  670  may be disposed between 60 and 90 degrees (inclusive) above the centerpoint  668  of the first injectively overloaded key  666  from the centerline  660  of the first row  658  ( FIG. 24A ,  662 ).  FIG. 24B  depicts the centerpoint  672  of the second injectively overloaded key  670  disposed 120 degrees above the centerpoint  668  of the first injectively overloaded key  666  from the centerline  660  of the first row  658 .  FIG. 24C  depicts the centerpoint  672  of the second injectively overloaded key  670  disposed 90 degrees above the centerpoint  668  of the first injectively overloaded key  666  from the centerline  660  of the first row  658 .  FIG. 24D  depicts the centerpoint  672  of the second injectively overloaded key  670  disposed 60 degrees above the centerpoint  668  of the first injectively overloaded key  666  from the centerline  660  of the first row  658 .  FIG. 24E  depicts the centerpoint  672  of the second injectively overloaded key  670  disposed 45 degrees above the centerpoint  668  of the first injectively overloaded key  666  from the centerline  660  of the first row  658 . 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 24F-24H , the centerpoint  672  of the second injectively overloaded key  670  may be disposed below the first row  658 . The centerpoint  672  of the second injectively overloaded key  670  may be disposed below the first injectively overloaded key  666  ( FIGS. 24F-24H ). The centerpoint  672  of the second injectively overloaded key  670  may be disposed below the centerpoint  668  of the first injectively overloaded key  666  ( FIGS. 24F-24H ). The centerpoint  672  of the second injectively overloaded key  670  may be disposed an angular distance  664  below the centerpoint  668  of the first injectively overloaded key  666  from the centerline  660  of the first row  658 . For example, the centerpoint  672  of the second injectively overloaded key  670  may be disposed between 45 and 120 degrees (inclusive) below the centerpoint  668  of the first injectively overloaded key  666  from the centerline  660  of the first row  658  ( FIG. 24A ,  663 ). The centerpoint  672  of the second injectively overloaded key  670  may be disposed between 60 and 90 degrees (inclusive) below the centerpoint  668  of the first injectively overloaded key  666  from the centerline  660  of the first row  658 .  FIG. 24F  depicts the centerpoint  672  of the second injectively overloaded key  670  disposed 120 degrees below the centerpoint  668  of the first injectively overloaded key  666  from the centerline  660  of the first row  658 .  FIG. 24G  depicts the centerpoint  672  of the second injectively overloaded key  670  disposed 90 degrees below the centerpoint  668  of the first injectively overloaded key  666  from the centerline  660  of the first row  658 .  FIG. 24H  depicts the centerpoint  672  of the second injectively overloaded key  670  disposed 60 degrees below the centerpoint  668  of the first injectively overloaded key  666  from the centerline  660  of the first row  658 .  FIG. 24I  depicts the centerpoint  672  of the second injectively overloaded key  670  disposed 45 degrees below the centerpoint  668  of the first injectively overloaded key  666  from the centerline  660  of the first row  658 . The centerpoint  672  of the second injectively overloaded key  670  may be disposed a linear distance  674  from the centerpoint  668  of the first injectively overloaded key  666  which is not greater than an ergonomic distance for a finger (e.g., an index finger) to flex and extend, for example, a distance not greater than 31 mm. 
     The centerpoint positions  672  indicated in  FIGS. 24A through 241  are for left-hand keys. Positions for right-hand keys are mirrored as depicted in  FIG. 24J . Referring now to key layout  692  of  FIG. 24J , a centerpoint  710  of a second injectively overloaded key  708  may be disposed an angular distance  700  between 45 and 120 degrees (inclusive) above or below ( 698 ,  699 ) a centerpoint  704  of a first injectively overloaded key  702  from a centerline  696  of a first row  694 . Within this range, the centerpoint  710  of the second injectively overloaded key  708  may be disposed between 60 and 90 degrees (inclusive) above or below the centerpoint  704  of the first injectively overloaded key  702  from the centerline  696  of the first row  694 . For example, the centerpoint  710  of the second injectively overloaded key  708  may be disposed 45 degrees, 60 degrees, 90 degrees, or 120 degrees above or below the centerline  696  of the first row  694 . The centerpoint  710  of the second injectively overloaded key  708  may be disposed a linear distance  706  from the centerpoint  704  of the first injectively overloaded key  702  which is not greater than an ergonomic distance for a finger (e.g., an index finger) to flex and extend, for example, a distance not greater than 31 mm. 
     Injectively overloaded, order-disrupted keys may be disposed upon a variety of grid layouts. For example,  FIG. 7A  provides a logical diagram having rectangular keys and corresponding to a rectangular grid layout. By way of further example,  FIG. 25A  provides a logical diagram of an additional exemplary key layout  712  having hexagonal keys  714 ,  716 ,  718 ,  720 ,  722 ,  724 ,  726 ,  728 ,  730 ,  732  and corresponding to a triangular and isometric grid layout  734 , illustrated in  FIG. 25B . In  FIG. 25B , each circled lattice point  736  on the grid layout  734  denotes a centerpoint of a key  714 ,  716 ,  718 ,  720 ,  722 ,  724 ,  726 ,  728 ,  730 ,  732  of  FIG. 25A . 
     By way of further example,  FIG. 26A  provides a logical diagram of an additional exemplary key layout  738  with triangular keys  740 ,  742 ,  744 ,  746 ,  748 ,  750 ,  752 ,  754 ,  756 ,  758  and corresponding to a triangular and isometric grid layout  760 , illustrated in  FIG. 26B . In  FIG. 26B , each circled lattice point  762  on the grid layout  760  denotes a centerpoint of a key  740 ,  742 ,  744 ,  746 ,  748 ,  750 ,  752 ,  754 ,  756 ,  758  of  FIG. 26A . 
     To achieve an exemplary reduced-width keyboard, the order of the overloaded keys may be disrupted in a variety of ways. For example,  FIG. 7A  depicts the injective, order-disrupted key  286  (“T”, “G”, “B”) adjacent to and below the home key  284  in the home column for the left-hand index finger  32  ( FIG. 3A ).  FIG. 7A  also depicts the injective, order-disrupted key  288  (“Y”, “H”, “N”) adjacent to and below the home key  290  in a home column for the right-hand index finger  37  ( FIG. 3A ). By way of further example,  FIG. 27  depicts a key layout  764  providing an injective, order-disrupted key  774  (“T”, “G”, “B”) adjacent to and above a home key  772  in the home column for the left-hand index finger  32  ( FIG. 3A ). Overloaded keys  766 ,  768 ,  770 ,  780 ,  782 , and  784  are provided in a home row of the key layout  764 .  FIG. 27  also depicts an injective, order-disrupted key  776  (“Y”, “H”, “N”) adjacent to and above a home key  778  in the home column for the right-hand index finger  37  ( FIG. 3A ). 
       FIG. 28  depicts a key layout  786  providing a first injective, order-disrupted, overloaded key  796  (“T”, “G”, “B”) and a second injective, order-disrupted, overloaded key  798  (“Y”, “H”, “N”) in an alternative grid layout. Overloaded keys  788 ,  790 ,  792 ,  794 ,  800 ,  802 ,  804 ,  806  are provided in a home row. The overloaded key  796  is adjacent to, offset from, and below the home keys  792  and  794 . The overloaded key  798  is adjacent to, offset from, and below the home keys  800  and  802 . 
     Injectively overloaded keys may also be overloaded with characters associated with a same finger that are not within a same column of the represented keyboard. For example,  FIGS. 29 and 30  provide key layouts  808 ,  832  wherein a key  818 ,  842  is overloaded with characters (“R”, “F”, “T”) associated with a triangular group of keys of the represented QWERTY keyboard associated with the left-hand index finger  32  ( FIG. 3A ). Other overloaded keys  812 ,  814 ,  816 ,  826 ,  828 ,  830  are provided in a home row  810 . A key  820 ,  840  is overloaded with characters (“V”, “G”, “B”) associated with a further triangular group of keys of the represented QWERTY keyboard. A key  824 ,  844  is overloaded with characters (“U”, “J”, “Y”) associated with a triangular group of keys associated with the right-hand index finger  37  ( FIG. 3A ) on a represented QWERTY keyboard. Furthermore, note in  FIG. 29 , that F≦ y  G in the original layout (in fact, F= y  G), but in the deformed layout, F(F)|≦ y  F(G) (since the key  822 ,  846  is overloaded with characters (“M”, “H”, “N”) associated with a further triangular group of keys of the represented QWERTY keyboard associated with the right-hand index finger  37  ( FIG. 3A )). As depicted in the key layout  808  of  FIG. 29 , a reduced-width keyboard may be achieved, for example, by disposing the overloaded key  818  in the home row  810  and the overloaded key  820  below the home row  810 . 
     Alternatively, as depicted in  FIG. 30 , a reduced-width keyboard may be achieved, for example, by disposing the overloaded key  840  in the home row  810  and the overloaded key  842  above the home row  810 . Other overloaded keys  834 ,  836 ,  838 ,  848 ,  850 ,  852  are provided in the home row  810 . 
     Other arrangements are also possible. For example, as depicted in a key layout  854  in  FIG. 31 , overloaded keys  856 ,  858  may be disposed so as to each straddle the home row  810 . Likewise, as depicted in the key layout  854  in  FIG. 31 , overloaded keys  860 ,  862  may be disposed so as to each straddle the home row  810 . 
       FIGS. 32 through 37  provide additional exemplary logical diagrams of injective and order-disruptive layouts of overloaded keys.  FIG. 32  provides a key layout  864  including a first overloaded key  866  representing characters associated with the left-hand index finger  32  ( FIG. 3A ) on a represented QWERTY keyboard beneath the home row  810 . The layout of  FIG. 32  further provides a second overloaded key  868  representing characters associated with the right-hand index finger  37  ( FIG. 3A ) on a represented QWERTY keyboard located beneath the home row  810 . 
       FIG. 33  provides a key layout  870  providing a first overloaded key  872  representing characters associated with the left-hand ring finger  34  ( FIG. 3A ) on a represented QWERTY keyboard. The key layout  870  provides the first overloaded key  872  beneath the home row  810 . The key layout  870  also provides a second overloaded key  874  representing characters associated with the left-hand index finger  32  ( FIG. 3A ) on a represented QWERTY keyboard. The key layout  870  provides the second overloaded key  874  beneath the home row  810 . The key layout  870  further provides a third overloaded key  876  representing characters associated with the right-hand index finger  37  ( FIG. 3A ) on a represented QWERTY keyboard. The key layout  870  provides the third overloaded key  876  beneath the home row  810 . The key layout  870  also provides a fourth overloaded key  878  representing characters associated with the right-hand ring finger  39  ( FIG. 3A ) on a represented QWERTY keyboard. The key layout  870  provides the fourth overloaded key  878  beneath the home row  810 . 
       FIG. 34  provides a key layout  880  of injectively overloaded, order-disrupted, hexagonal-shaped keys arranged in a triangular isometric grid layout. The key layout  880  provides a first overloaded key  882  representing characters associated with the left-hand index finger  32  ( FIG. 3A ) of a represented QWERTY keyboard. The key layout  880  provides the first overloaded key  882  beneath the home row  810 . The key layout  880  further provides a second overloaded key  884  representing characters associated with the right-hand index finger  37  ( FIG. 3A ) of a represented QWERTY keyboard. The key layout  880  provides the second overloaded key  884  beneath the home row  810 . 
       FIG. 35  provides a key layout  886  of injectively overloaded, order-disrupted, rectangular keys arranged in a rectangular grid layout. The key layout  886  provides a first overloaded key  888  representing characters associated with the left-hand index finger  32  ( FIG. 3A ) of a represented QWERTY keyboard. The key layout  886  further provides a second overloaded key  890  representing characters associated with the right-hand index finger  37  ( FIG. 3A ) of a represented QWERTY keyboard. The key layout  886  provides the first overloaded key  888  beneath the home row  810 . The key layout  886  further provides the second overloaded key  890  beneath the home row  810 . The key layout  886  further provides a first non-overloaded key  894 . For example, the first non-overloaded key  894  may provide a spacebar. In this regard, upon pressing the spacebar  894 , an electronic device may be configured to provide at least one space character between preceding and following data entries. The key layout  886  also provides a second non-overloaded key  892 . For example, the second non-overloaded key  892  may provide a “next word” functionality. In this regard, upon typing a plurality of overloaded keys and then a spacebar, for example, the spacebar  894 , an electronic device may provide a typist with disambiguated text (such as a character, word, or phrase). The disambiguated text may not be the text that the typist intended. Accordingly, the typist may press the Next key  892  to request the electronic device to propose alternative disambiguated text. A typist may press the Next key  892  one or more additional times to request the electronic device to provide further disambiguated text proposals. 
       FIG. 36  provides a key layout  896  of injectively overloaded, order-disrupted keys. The key layout  896  provides a first overloaded key  898  representing characters associated with the left-hand index finger  32  ( FIG. 3A ) of a represented QWERTY keyboard. The key layout  896  provides the first overloaded key  898  below the home row  810 . The key layout  896  further provides a second overloaded key  900  representing characters associated with the right-hand index finger  37  ( FIG. 3A ) on a represented QWERTY keyboard. The key layout  896  provides the second overloaded key  900  below the home row  810 . The key layout  896  also provides keys  902  and  904 , each of which may be non-overloaded keys. For example, the key  902  may be provided as a spacebar, and the key  904  may be provided as a Next key, as described above in reference to  FIG. 35 .  FIG. 37  provides a further key layout  906  of injectively overloaded, order-disrupted keys. 
     The overloaded typing apparatus according to embodiments disclosed herein may be provided in or integrated into any processor-based device or system for text and data entry. Examples, without limitation, include a communications device, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a set-top box, a remote control, an entertainment unit, a navigation device, a fixed location data unit, a mobile location data unit, a mobile phone, a cellular phone, a computer, a portable computer, a desktop computer, a monitor, a computer monitor, a television, a tuner, a radio, a satellite radio, a music player, a digital music player, a portable music player, a video player, a digital video player, a digital video disc (DVD) player, and a portable digital video player, in which the arrangement of overloaded keys is disposed or displayed. 
     In this regard,  FIG. 38  illustrates an example of a processor-based system  910  that may employ components described herein, such as components of the electronic device  428  illustrated in  FIG. 17A ; components of the electronic device  442  illustrated in  FIG. 17B ; the key event handler  418  illustrated in  FIG. 16 ; the keyboard generation methods  310 ,  320  illustrated in  FIGS. 9A and 9B ; and exemplary key layouts described herein, such as the key layout  250  illustrated in  FIG. 6 , or other key layouts illustrated in  FIGS. 5F ,  7 A,  8 A,  18 A,  18 B,  25 A,  26 A,  27 ,  28 ,  29 ,  30 ,  31 ,  32 ,  33 ,  34 ,  35 ,  36 , and  37 . In this example, the processor-based system  910  includes one or more central processing units (CPUs)  912  each including one or more processors  914 . The CPU(s)  912  may be a master device. The CPU(s)  912  may have cache memory  916  coupled to the processor(s)  914  for rapid access to temporarily stored data. The CPU(s)  912  is coupled to a system bus  420 , which intercouples other devices included in the processor-based system  910 . As is well known, the CPU(s)  912  communicates with these other devices by exchanging address, control, and data information over the system bus  420 . For example, the CPU(s)  912  can communicate memory access requests to external memory via communications to a memory controller  918  as a slave device. Although not illustrated in  FIG. 38 , multiple system buses  420  could be provided, wherein each system bus  420  constitutes a different fabric. 
     Other master and slave devices can be connected to the system bus  420 . As illustrated in  FIG. 38 , these devices may include a memory system  920 , one or more input devices  922 , one or more output devices  924 , one or more network interface devices  926 , and one or more display controllers  932 , as examples. The input device(s)  922  can include any type of input device, including but not limited to input keys, switches, voice processors, etc. The output device(s)  924  can include any type of output device, including but not limited to audio, video, other visual indicators, etc. The network interface device(s)  926  can be any device configured to allow exchange of data to and from a network  928 . The network  928  can be any type of network, including but not limited to a wired or wireless network, private or public network, a local area network (LAN), a wide local area network (WLAN), and the Internet. The network interface device(s)  926  can be configured to support any type of communication protocol desired. The memory system  920  can include one or more memory units  930 ( 0 )- 930 (N). The CPU(s)  912  may also be configured to access the display controller(s)  932  over the system bus  420  to control information sent to one or more displays  936 . The display controller(s)  932  sends information to the display(s)  936  to be displayed via one or more video processors  934 , which process the information to be displayed into a format suitable for the display(s)  936 . The display(s)  936  can include any type of display, including but not limited to a cathode ray tube (CRT), a liquid crystal display (LCD), a light-emitting diode display (LED), a plasma display, etc. 
     In continuing reference to  FIG. 38 , the processor-based system  910  may provide an overloaded keyboard  938  providing keyboard input  940  to the system bus  420  of the electronic device. The memory system  920  may provide the keyboard device driver  432 . The keyboard device driver  432  may provide keypress disambiguating instructions  434  for disambiguating overloaded keypresses of the keyboard  938 . 
     The memory system  920  may also provide other software  942 . The processor-based system  910  may provide a drive(s)  948  accessible through a memory controller  944  to the system bus  420 . The drive(s)  948  may comprise a computer-readable medium  946  that may be removable or non-removable. 
     The keypress disambiguating instructions  434  may be loadable into the memory system  920  from instructions  950  of the computer-readable medium  946 . The processor-based system  910  may provide the one or more network interface device(s)  926  for communicating with the network  928 . The processor-based system  910  may provide disambiguated text and data to additional devices on the network  928  for display and/or further processing. 
     The processor-based system  910  may also provide the overloaded keyboard input  940  to additional devices on the network  928  to remotely execute the keypress disambiguating instructions  434 . The CPU(s)  912  and the display controller(s)  932  may act as master devices to receive interrupts or events from the keyboard  938  over the system bus  420 . Different processes or threads within the CPU(s)  912  and the display controller(s)  932  may receive interrupts or events from the keyboard  938 . One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize other components that may be provided by the processor-based system  910  in accordance with  FIG. 38 . 
     Those of skill in the art would further appreciate that the various illustrative logical blocks, modules, circuits, and algorithms described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein may be implemented as electronic hardware, instructions stored in memory or in another computer-readable medium and executed by a processor or other processing device, or combinations of both. The memory controllers, master devices, and sub-master devices described herein may be employed in any circuit, hardware component, integrated circuit (IC), or IC chip, as examples. The memory may be any type and size of memory and may be configured to store any type of information desired. To clearly illustrate this interchangeability, various illustrative components, blocks, modules, circuits, and steps have been described above generally in terms of their functionality. How such functionality is implemented depends upon the particular application, design choices, and/or design constraints imposed on the overall system. Skilled artisans may implement the described functionality in varying ways for each particular application, but such implementation decisions should not be interpreted as causing a departure from the scope of the present invention. 
     The various illustrative logical blocks, modules, and circuits described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein may be implemented or performed with a processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA) or other programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof designed to perform the functions described herein. A processor may be a microprocessor, but in the alternative, the processor may be any conventional processor, controller, microcontroller, or state machine. A processor may also be implemented as a combination of computing devices, e.g., a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, a plurality of microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in conjunction with a DSP core, or any other such configuration. 
     The embodiments disclosed herein may be embodied in hardware and in instructions that are stored in hardware, and may reside, for example, in Random Access Memory (RAM), flash memory, Read Only Memory (ROM), Electrically Programmable ROM (EPROM), Electrically Erasable Programmable ROM (EEPROM), registers, hard disk, a removable disk, a CD-ROM, or any other form of computer-readable medium known in the art. An exemplary storage medium is coupled to the processor such that the processor can read information from, and write information to, the storage medium. In the alternative, the storage medium may be integral to the processor. The processor and the storage medium may reside in an ASIC. The ASIC may reside in a remote station. In the alternative, the processor and the storage medium may reside as discrete components in a remote station, base station, or server. 
     It is also noted that the operational steps described in any of the exemplary embodiments herein are described to provide examples and discussion. The operations described may be performed in numerous different sequences other than the illustrated sequences. Furthermore, operations described in a single operational step may actually be performed in a number of different steps. Additionally, one or more operational steps discussed in the exemplary embodiments may be combined. It is to be understood that the operational steps illustrated in the flowchart diagrams may be subject to numerous different modifications as will be readily apparent to one of skill in the art. Those of skill in the art would also understand that information and signals may be represented using any of a variety of different technologies and techniques. For example, data, instructions, commands, information, signals, bits, symbols, and chips that may be referenced throughout the above description may be represented by voltages, currents, electromagnetic waves, magnetic fields or particles, optical fields or particles, or any combination thereof. 
     The previous description of the disclosure is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use the disclosure. Various modifications to the disclosure will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles defined herein may be applied to other variations without departing from the spirit or scope of the disclosure. Thus, the disclosure is not intended to be limited to the examples and designs described herein, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.