Patent ID: 8459885

Claim:
A compact alphanumeric keyboard providing the clock face familiarity for ease of learning and ease of use, comprising: at least twenty eight alphanumeric keys, where the twenty-eight alphanumeric keys are arranged in a first set of twelve alphanumeric keys, a second set of twelve alphanumeric keys, and a third set of four alphanumeric keys, where the first set and second set of keys are arranged to correspond with positions of a set of twelve hours on a clock face, where the third set of keys is arranged to correspond with positions of zero hour, three hour, six hour, and nine hour on the clock face, where the first set, second set, and third set of keys are concentric with respect to a center, where the first set of keys is bounded by a first circle outer boundary and a second circle inner boundary, the second set of keys is bounded by the second circle outer boundary and a third circle inner boundary, and the third set of keys is bounded by the third circle, where the ratio of the radii of the first circle, second circle, and third circle is substantially the square root of 7 to 2 to 1; wherein each key of the first set and second set of keys has a respective key area having a substantially annular sector shape, and each key of the third set of keys has a respective key area having a substantially circular sector shape, each of the plurality of key areas being substantially of equal area and contiguous to the immediately adjacent key areas; and each of the at least twenty-eight alphanumeric keys having an indicia surface within the corresponding apportioned key area for being comfortably pressed by a finger.