Letter input device for electronic word retrieval device

Claim 2

A compact key input system for introducing character information into a device comprising: multicharacter key input means for introducing a plurality of characters, said key input means including; a substrate, a plurality of key contacts formed on said substrate, each of said plurality of key contacts directly corresponding to one of said plurality of characters and being spaced apart by less than the width of a human finger, a flexible key surface spaced apart from said plurality of key contacts, contact means, supported by said flexible key surface, for electrically contacting at least a pair of said plurality of key contacts upon depression of said flexible key surface at a desired point, a plurality of character identifying indicia sequentially positioned adjacent each other directly above said flexible key surface, each indicia being associated with a single one of said plurality of characters which directly correspond to said plurality of key contacts associated with that single character; actuation detection means for monitoring said key input means to determine which of said plurality of key contacts have been electrically contacted by said contact means and for producing a character signal identifying the character associated with said electrically contacted key contact; indicator means, responsive to said character signal produced by said actuation detection means, for indicating the character defined thereby; and character shift key input means for developing a new said character signal representing a character having an indicia adjacently disposed along said flexible key surface with respect to the indicia of the character identified by said character signal produced by said actuation detection means, said shift key input means shifting one said character for each actuation thereof.

Claim 3

The system of claim 1 wherein said indicator means includes an alphabetical display which displays the character defined by said character signal.

Claim 4

The device of claim 2, wherein said alphabetical display is adapted to display at least one additional character disposed sequentially adjacent said detected character.

Claim 5

The device of claim 2, wherein said alphabetical display is a two line split screen display.

Claim 6

The system of claim 1 wherein said characters include the English alphabet.

Claim 7

The system of claim 1 wherein said characters include Japanese characters.

Claim 8

A compact key input system for introducing character information into a device comprising: multicharacter key input means for individually introducing a plurality of characters, said key input means including; a substrate, a plurality of key contacts formed on said substrate, each of said plurality of key contacts directly corresponding to one of said plurality of characters and being spaced apart by less than the width of a human finger, a flexible key surface spaced apart from said plurality of key contacts, contact means, supported by said flexible key surface, for electrically contacting at least a pair of said plurality of key contacts upon depression of said flexible key surface at a desired point, a plurality of character identifying indicia sequentially positioned adjacent each other directly above said flexible key surface, each indicium being associated with a single one of said plurality of characters which directly correspond to said plurality of key contacts associated with that single character; actuation detection means for monitoring each of said plurality of key contacts to determine which of said key contacts have been actuated and for developing key contact codes representative thereof; end point determination means, responsive to said key contact codes produced by said actuation detection means, for determining first and second end key contact codes defining the end points of a coextensively actuated set of adjacent key contacts; means, responsive to said end point determination means, for averaging said first and second key codes to develop a key contact code at the midpoint of said coextensively actuated set of key contacts; and shift key input means for developing a new said key contact code representing a character having an indicium adjacently disposed along said flexible key surface with respect to the indicium of the character identified by said key contact code produced by said means for averaging, said shift key input means shifting one said character for each actuation thereof.

Claim 9

A compact key input system for introducing character information into a device comprising: multicharacter key input means for individually introducing a plurality of characters, said key input means including; a substrate, a plurality of key contacts formed on said substrate, each of said plurality of key contacts directly corresponding to one of said plurality of characters and being spaced apart by less than the width of a human finger, a flexible key surface spaced apart from said plurality of key contacts, contact means, supported by said flexible key surface, for electrically contacting at least a pair of said plurality of key contacts upon depression of said flexible key surface at a desired point, a plurality of character identifying indicia sequentially positioned adjacent each other directly above said flexible key surface, each indicium being associated with a single one of said plurality of characters which directly correspond to said plurality of key contacts associated with that single character; actuation detection means for monitoring each of said plurality of key contacts to determine which of said key contacts have been actuated and for developing key contact codes representative thereof; end point determination means, responsive to said key contact codes produced by said actuation detection means, for determining first and second end key contact codes defining the end points of a coextensively actuated set of adjacent key contacts; means, responsive to said end point determination means, for averaging said first and second key codes to develop a key contact code at the midpoint of said coextensively actuated set of key contacts; and shift key input means for developing a new said key contact code representing a character having an indicium adjacently disposed along said flexible key surface with respect to the indicium of the character identified by said key contact code produced by said means for averaging, said shift key input means shifting one said character for each actuation thereof.

Claim 10

The system of claim 7 further comprising indicator means, responsive to said key contact code produced by said actuation, for indicating the character associated therewith.