Patent ID: 6869239

Claim:
A keyboard for controlling data input of alphanumeric characters and other commands including in combination: an uppermost row of key switches; an upper-middle, home row of key switches; a lower-middle row of key switches; a lowermost row of key switches; said uppermost row having capacitance-responsive key switches, said capacitance-responsive key switches being separately operable for actuating alphanumeric characters and other commands and being located within specific, assigned areas of convexly curved capacitance-responsive surfaces arcing downward away from the upper-middle, home row; said upper-middle, home row having depressible key switches which include home keys for fingers of a keyboard operator and which are separately operable for actuating alphanumeric characters and other commands; said lower-middle row having capacitance-responsive key switches, said capacitance-responsive key switches of the lower middle row being separately operable for actuating alphanumeric characters and other commands and being located within specific, assigned areas of concavely curved capacitance-responsive surfaces sloping downward away from the upper-middle, home row and curving upward toward the lowermost row; said lowermost row having depressible key switches which include home keys for thumbs of said keyboard operator and which are separately operable for actuating alphanumeric characters and other commands, and means for coupling all key switches with a processing device.