US5269004A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
System for integrating pointing functions into computer keyboard with lateral movement of keyswitch mounting plate causing strain and control signal
Assignee: Lenovo Singapore Pte Ltd
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Filing: 1990-06-28
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Granted: 1993-12-07
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Expires: 2010-06-28
Abstract
Abstract A device providing pointing device functions in a keyboard without requiring the keyboard operator to remove any fingertip from the keys. A computer keyboard keyswitch mounting plate is supported for horizontal displacement against a resistive force. A transducer for measuring the force exerted in the plane of the keyboard key tops is attached between the keyboard case and the keyswitch mounting plate. The direction and magnitude of the force can be measured and encoded so they may be used to emulate the signals generated by a pointing device. The operator may elect a pointing device mode by merely applying sufficient force along the plane of the surface of the key tops, thus switching from a keyboard mode to a pointing device mode, without moving the fingers from a typing position.
Inventors
- 👤 Liam D. Comerford
- 👤 Joseph J. Laibinis
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 21:24
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F3/00; G06F3/01; G06F3/03; G06F3/033; G06F3/038; G06F3/02; G06F3/0202; G06F3/021; G06F3/0213; G06F3/0354; G06F3/03548
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
247 words
A keyboard and computer system for user entry of text and control functions comprising: a keyboard case; resilient mounting means connected to said keyboard case; a keyswitch mounting plate including a plurality of keys, each of which is vertically displaceable in response to the application of a vertical force by a user, with said keyswitch mounting plate being connected to said resilient mounting means such that the application of a lateral force to any one of said plurality of keys produces a lateral movement of said keyswitch mounting plate with respect to said keyboard case; a first sensor coupled to one of said resilient mounting means and said keyswitch mounting plate for producing a control signal in response to sensing lateral movement of said keyswitch mounting plate; a second sensor coupled to said plurality of keys for producing a different coded keyboard signal indicative of a character or command in response to the vertical depression of each different one of said plurality of keys; a computer coupled to said first and second sensors, which is responsive to said control signal for executing a predetermined control function, and which is responsive to each of the different coded keyboard signals for producing decoded keyboard signals; and a display device coupled to said computer, on which characters are displayed in response to the decoding of keyboard signals by said computer, and on which other indicia is manifested in response to the execution of said predetermined control function by said computer.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
247 words
A keyboard and computer system for user entry of text and control functions comprising: a keyboard case; resilient mounting means connected to said keyboard case; a keyswitch mounting plate including a plurality of keys, each of which is vertically displaceable in response to the application of a vertical force by a user, with said keyswitch mounting plate being connected to said resilient mounting means such that the application of a lateral force to any one of said plurality of keys produces a lateral movement of said keyswitch mounting plate with respect to said keyboard case; a first sensor coupled to one of said resilient mounting means and said keyswitch mounting plate for producing a control signal in response to sensing lateral movement of said keyswitch mounting plate; a second sensor coupled to said plurality of keys for producing a different coded keyboard signal indicative of a character or command in response to the vertical depression of each different one of said plurality of keys; a computer coupled to said first and second sensors, which is responsive to said control signal for executing a predetermined control function, and which is responsive to each of the different coded keyboard signals for producing decoded keyboard signals; and a display device coupled to said computer, on which characters are displayed in response to the decoding of keyboard signals by said computer, and on which other indicia is manifested in response to the execution of said predetermined control function by said computer.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
20 words
The combination claimed in claim 1, wherein said control signal is one of a command signal and a data signal.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
15 words
The combination claimed in claim 2, wherein said command signal is a pointing command signal.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
The combination claimed in claim 3, wherein said pointing command signal is a mouse command signal.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
63 words
The combination claimed in claim 3, including: means responsive to the concurrent vertical depression of any two of said plurality of keys belonging to a first predefined group of keys as a first pointing command signal and the concurrent vertical depression of any two of said plurality of keys belonging to a second predefined group of keys as a second pointing command signal.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
234 words
A method of operating a keyboard and computing system including a keyswitch mounting plate which is resiliently mounted on a keyboard case, with said keyswitch mounting plate including a plurality of keys, each of which is vertically displaceable in response to the application of a vertical force by a user to produce keyboard signals when in a keyboard mode of operation, with lateral movement of said keyswitch mounting plate relative to said keyboard case being produced in response to the application of a lateral force to any one of said plurality of keys by the user for producing control signals when in a control mode of operation, and for providing the keyboard signals to a computer when in the keyboard mode of operation and the control signals to the computer when in the control mode of operation, said method including the steps of: beginning operation in the keyboard mode of operation; switching to the control mode of operation as the result of the production of said control signals in response to sensing the application of a lateral force greater than a threshold level to at least one of the keys for execution of a predetermined control function by said computer; and returning to the keyboard mode of operation as the result of the production of said keyboard signals in response to the application of a vertical force to a predetermined one of the keys.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
234 words
A method of operating a keyboard and computing system including a keyswitch mounting plate which is resiliently mounted on a keyboard case, with said keyswitch mounting plate including a plurality of keys, each of which is vertically displaceable in response to the application of a vertical force by a user to produce keyboard signals when in a keyboard mode of operation, with lateral movement of said keyswitch mounting plate relative to said keyboard case being produced in response to the application of a lateral force to any one of said plurality of keys by the user for producing control signals when in a control mode of operation, and for providing the keyboard signals to a computer when in the keyboard mode of operation and the control signals to the computer when in the control mode of operation, said method including the steps of: beginning operation in the keyboard mode of operation; switching to the control mode of operation as the result of the production of said control signals in response to sensing the application of a lateral force greater than a threshold level to at least one of the keys for execution of a predetermined control function by said computer; and returning to the keyboard mode of operation as the result of the production of said keyboard signals in response to the application of a vertical force to a predetermined one of the keys.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
250 words
A keyboard and computer system for user entry of text and control functions comprising: a keyboard case; resilient mounting means connected to said keyboard case; a keyswitch mounting plate including a plurality of keys, each of which is vertically displaceable in response to the application of a vertical force by a user, with said keyswitch mounting plate being connected to said resilient mounting means such that the application of a lateral force to any one of said plurality of keys produces a strain in said keyswitch mounting plate or said resilient mounting means; a first sensor coupled to one of said resilient mounting means and said keyswitch mounting plate for producing a control signal in response to sensing a strain in said keyswitch mounting plate or said resilient mounting means; a second sensor coupled to said plurality of keys for producing a different coded keyboard signal indicative of a character or command in response to the vertical depression of each different one of said plurality of keys; a computer coupled to said first and second sensors, which is responsive to said control signal for executing a predetermined control function, and which is responsive to each of the different coded keyboard signals for producing decoded keyboard signals; and a display device coupled to said computer, on which characters are displayed in response to the decoding of keyboard signals by said computer, and on which other indicia is manifested in response to the execution of said predetermined control function by said computer.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
250 words
A keyboard and computer system for user entry of text and control functions comprising: a keyboard case; resilient mounting means connected to said keyboard case; a keyswitch mounting plate including a plurality of keys, each of which is vertically displaceable in response to the application of a vertical force by a user, with said keyswitch mounting plate being connected to said resilient mounting means such that the application of a lateral force to any one of said plurality of keys produces a strain in said keyswitch mounting plate or said resilient mounting means; a first sensor coupled to one of said resilient mounting means and said keyswitch mounting plate for producing a control signal in response to sensing a strain in said keyswitch mounting plate or said resilient mounting means; a second sensor coupled to said plurality of keys for producing a different coded keyboard signal indicative of a character or command in response to the vertical depression of each different one of said plurality of keys; a computer coupled to said first and second sensors, which is responsive to said control signal for executing a predetermined control function, and which is responsive to each of the different coded keyboard signals for producing decoded keyboard signals; and a display device coupled to said computer, on which characters are displayed in response to the decoding of keyboard signals by said computer, and on which other indicia is manifested in response to the execution of said predetermined control function by said computer.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
14 words
The combination claimed in claim 7, wherein said control function is a pointing function.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
14 words
The combination claimed in claim 8, wherein said pointing function is a mouse function.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
63 words
The combination claimed in claim 9, including: means responsive to the concurrent vertical depression of any two of said plurality of keys belonging to a first predetermined group of keys as a first mouse button command and the concurrent vertical depression of any two of said plurality of keys belonging to a second predetermined group of keys as a second mouse button command.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
251 words
A method of operating a keyboard and computer system including a keyswitch mounting plate which is resiliently mounted on a keyboard case, with said keyswitch mounting plate including a plurality of keys, each of which is vertically displaceable in response to the application of a vertical force by a user to produce keyboard signals when in a keyboard mode of operation, with a strain being produced in said keyswitch mounting plate or said resilient mounting means in a response to the application of a lateral force to any one of said plurality of keys by the user for producing control signals when in a control mode of operation, and for providing the keyboard signals to a computer when in the keyboard mode of operation and the control signals to the computer when in the control mode of operation, said method including the steps of: beginning operation in the keyboard mode of operation; switching to the control mode of operation as the result of the production of said control signals in response to sensing a strain in said keyswitch mounting plate or said resilient mounting means as the result of the application of a lateral force greater than a threshold level to at least one of the keys for execution of a predetermined control function by said computer; and returning to the keyboard mode of operation as the result of the production of said keyboard signals in response to the application of a vertical force to a predetermined one of the keys.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
251 words
A method of operating a keyboard and computer system including a keyswitch mounting plate which is resiliently mounted on a keyboard case, with said keyswitch mounting plate including a plurality of keys, each of which is vertically displaceable in response to the application of a vertical force by a user to produce keyboard signals when in a keyboard mode of operation, with a strain being produced in said keyswitch mounting plate or said resilient mounting means in a response to the application of a lateral force to any one of said plurality of keys by the user for producing control signals when in a control mode of operation, and for providing the keyboard signals to a computer when in the keyboard mode of operation and the control signals to the computer when in the control mode of operation, said method including the steps of: beginning operation in the keyboard mode of operation; switching to the control mode of operation as the result of the production of said control signals in response to sensing a strain in said keyswitch mounting plate or said resilient mounting means as the result of the application of a lateral force greater than a threshold level to at least one of the keys for execution of a predetermined control function by said computer; and returning to the keyboard mode of operation as the result of the production of said keyboard signals in response to the application of a vertical force to a predetermined one of the keys.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1996-12-06 | 1997-06-07 | 1997-12-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2000-12-06 | 2001-06-07 | 2001-12-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2004-12-06 | 2005-06-07 | 2005-12-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |