US20030122784A1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Active keyboard for handheld electronic gadgets
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 2002-12-17
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2022-12-17
Abstract
Abstract An active keyboard for handheld electronic devices which allows the user of the device to support the device and enter text and data while using only one hand. The device has a housing, a display, a processor, a memory, a selection device, and at least four keys. When the handheld device is gripped the keys underlay the tips of the user's fingers and the selection device underlays the user's thumb. The software outputs a grid design to the display showing several columns of values. The user highlights a set of four values using the selection device and those values are assigned to the keys. Pressing a key enters the values assigned to that key into the text area of the display or if the value represents a mode of operation, runs the program controlling that mode.
Inventors
- 👤 Mark Shkolnikov
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 21:06
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04M; H04M1/00; H04M1/72; H04M1/724; H04M1/72403; G; G06; G06F; G06F1/00; G06F1/16; G06F1/1613; G06F1/1626; G06F1/1633; G06F1/1684; G06F1/169; G06F1/1694; G06F3/00; G06F3/01; G06F3/02; G06F3/023; G06F3/0233; G06F3/0234; G06F3/0236; H04M1/02; H04M1/0202; H04M1/0279; H04M1/23; H04M1/236; H04M1/72469; G06F2200/00; G06F2200/16; G06F2200/163; G06F2200/1637; H04M1/7243; H04M1/72445; H04M2250/00; H04M2250/12; H04M2250/70
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
140 words
1 . An active keyboard for handheld electronic devices comprising: (a) a housing designed to be gripped by a human hand, having a front, back, top, bottom and two opposing sides; (b) a processor disposed within said housing; (c) a display electronically connected to said processor; (d) a selector connected to one side of said housing; (e) at least four keys connected to the side of said housing opposite the side said selection means is connected to; (f) a memory connected to said processor; and (g) a software means for displaying a menu on said display, the software means including: means for allowing a user to select from groups of four or fewer values using the selector, each value from the group being assigned to one said keys, said keys being used to input the assigned values to the memory.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
140 words
1 . An active keyboard for handheld electronic devices comprising: (a) a housing designed to be gripped by a human hand, having a front, back, top, bottom and two opposing sides; (b) a processor disposed within said housing; (c) a display electronically connected to said processor; (d) a selector connected to one side of said housing; (e) at least four keys connected to the side of said housing opposite the side said selection means is connected to; (f) a memory connected to said processor; and (g) a software means for displaying a menu on said display, the software means including: means for allowing a user to select from groups of four or fewer values using the selector, each value from the group being assigned to one said keys, said keys being used to input the assigned values to the memory.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
19 words
2 . The active keyboard according to claim 1 , further comprising: a motion detector disposed in said housing.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
34 words
3 . The active keyboard according to claim 2 , wherein: said motion detector is chosen from the following group: an acceleration sensor, a proportional sensor, a global positioning sensor, or a tilt sensor.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
4 . The active keyboard according to claim 1 , wherein: said housing is ergonomically shaped.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
32 words
5 . The active keyboard according to claim 1 , wherein: said selector is chosen from the following group: a joystick, a touch pad, a trackball or four close proximity triangular buttons.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
19 words
6 . The active keyboard according to claim 1 , further having: (h) a microphone; and (j) a speaker.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
74 words
7 . The active keyboard according to claim 2 , wherein: said software means further comprises means for navigating the Internet using said motion detector to control a portion of a web page shown on said display, said display containing a cursor positioned in the center of said display, so that when said display reaches a boundary of the web page, the cursor is moveable by said selector from the center of said display.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
73 words
8 . The active keyboard according to claim 1 , wherein: said software means further comprises means for navigating the Internet using the selector to control a portion of a web page shown on said display, said display containing a cursor positioned in the center of said display, so that when said display reaches a boundary of the web page, the cursor is moveable by said selector from the center of said display.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
160 words
9 . A method of inputting data into a handheld electronic device comprising the steps of: (A) using a processor and a memory to create a grid of value boxes organized into a plurality of vertical columns; (B) displaying the grid on a display: (C) inputting one value into each said value box; (D) creating a highlight box which marks the selected column of four said value boxes; (E) moving said highlight box to surround a value box having a desired value; (F) assigning one said value from said value box surrounded by said highlight box to one of four keys; (G) depressing one of said keys and entering said value into said memory and displaying said value on said display; (H) moving said highlight box and assigning values surrounded by said highlight box to said keys and entering said values as in steps 5 , 6 , and 7 ; and (I) repeating the process until finished entering values.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
160 words
9 . A method of inputting data into a handheld electronic device comprising the steps of: (A) using a processor and a memory to create a grid of value boxes organized into a plurality of vertical columns; (B) displaying the grid on a display: (C) inputting one value into each said value box; (D) creating a highlight box which marks the selected column of four said value boxes; (E) moving said highlight box to surround a value box having a desired value; (F) assigning one said value from said value box surrounded by said highlight box to one of four keys; (G) depressing one of said keys and entering said value into said memory and displaying said value on said display; (H) moving said highlight box and assigning values surrounded by said highlight box to said keys and entering said values as in steps 5 , 6 , and 7 ; and (I) repeating the process until finished entering values.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
151 words
10 . A method of inputting data into a handheld electronic device comprising the steps of: (A) using a processor and a memory to create a grid of value boxes; (B) displaying the grid on a display: (C) inputting up to four values into each said value box; (D) creating a highlight box which surrounds a value box; (E) moving said highlight box to surround a value box having a desired value; (F) assigning each said value from said value box surrounded by said highlight box to one of four keys; (G) depressing one of said keys and entering the value assigned to said key into said memory and displaying said value on said display; (H) moving said highlight box and assigning values surrounded by said highlight box to said keys and entering said values as in steps E, F, and G; and (I) repeating the process until finished entering values.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
151 words
10 . A method of inputting data into a handheld electronic device comprising the steps of: (A) using a processor and a memory to create a grid of value boxes; (B) displaying the grid on a display: (C) inputting up to four values into each said value box; (D) creating a highlight box which surrounds a value box; (E) moving said highlight box to surround a value box having a desired value; (F) assigning each said value from said value box surrounded by said highlight box to one of four keys; (G) depressing one of said keys and entering the value assigned to said key into said memory and displaying said value on said display; (H) moving said highlight box and assigning values surrounded by said highlight box to said keys and entering said values as in steps E, F, and G; and (I) repeating the process until finished entering values.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
Maintenance schedule is calculated for granted US utility patents.