Patent ID: 7561685

Claim:
A keyboard comprising: a plurality of keys, each of which is associated with indicia corresponding to at least one of alphabetic characters, numbers, and commands, wherein the plurality of keys are arranged in a grid having at least four rows and at least five columns, with the at least four rows comprising in order a first, second, third and fourth row, and the at least five columns comprising in order a first, second, third, fourth, and fifth column; said alphabetic characters comprise letters A-Z, said numbers comprise numerals 0-9 and indicia corresponding to the numbers 0-9 is associated with the second, third, and fourth columns; keys of said plurality of keys associated with alphabetic characters number fewer than 26 and greater than nine and at least one alphabetic character shares one of said plurality of keys with another alphabetic character and at least one number, wherein keys associated with alphabetic characters have no more than two alphabetic characters per key; wherein at least some of the keys associated with command indicia have indicia chosen from a group comprising alt, spacebar, return, backspace, and shift; a keystroke interpreter in signal communication with keys associated with alphabetic characters, said keystroke interpreter using a predictive text routine during input of text; and wherein the numbers are arranged and displayed in a format of a phone keypad and the letters are simultaneously arranged and displayed in a keyboard layout whereby placement of phone calls and input of text is facilitated using said keyboard, wherein the phone keypad is associated with keys in the first, second, third, and fourth rows, with keys in the first row including a number “1” in the second column, a number “2” in the third column, and a number “3” in the fourth column, the phone keypad associated with keys in the second row including a number “4” in the second column, a number “5” in the third column, and a number “6” in the fourth column, the phone keypad associated with keys in the third row including a number “7” in the second column, a number “8” in the third column, and a number “9” in the fourth column, and the phone keypad associated with keys in the fourth row including a “*” in the second column, a number “0” in the third column, and a “#” in the fourth column.