Keyboard and video camera control system

Claim 2

A keyboard comprising: a joyball operable by an operator with a hand; a plurality of operation keys operable by a plurality of fingertips of the operator; said joyball being disposed in a central position relative to said operation keys and said operation keys being disposed in a substantially semicircular array around said joyball; and a joystick mounted on a upper panel of said keyboard and tiltable in a plurality of biaxial directions, said joystick being detachably inserted into said joyball; said upper panel having a stopper limit hole defined therein, said joyball having a stopper mounted on a lower surface thereof and loosely fitted in said stopper limit hole.

Claim 3

A keyboard according to claim 1, wherein a radius from a center of said joyball to a central line of said substantially semicircular array is set to a value ranging from 80 mm to 100 mm.

Claim 4

A keyboard according to claim 1, further comprising an upper panel having a recess defined therein around said joyball.

Claim 5

A keyboard according to claim 3, wherein a height from a lowermost surface of said recess to an upper end of said joyball is set to a value ranging from 27 mm to 29 mm.

Claim 6

A keyboard according to claim 1, wherein said joyball has a flat surface on an upper end thereof which lies perpendicular to a vertical axis of the joyball.

Claim 7

A video camera control system comprising: a keyboard comprising a joyball operable by a hand of an operator and a plurality of operation keys operable by a plurality of fingertips of the operator, said joyball being disposed in a central position and said operation keys being disposed in a central position on said keyboard and said operation keys being in a substantially semicircular array around said joyball; a joystick mounted on a upper panel of said keyboard and tiltable in a plurality of biaxial directions, said joystick being detachably inserted into said joyball; said upper panel having a stopper limit hole defined therein, said joyball having a stopper mounted on a lower surface thereof and loosely fitted in said stopper limit hole; a plurality of video cameras having respective optical systems, said video cameras being controllable in attitudes thereof by said joyball, said optical systems being adjustable by said operation keys; a controller for controlling said video cameras; and a plurality of monitor television sets for displaying image signals transmitted from said video cameras.

Claim 8

A video camera control system comprising: a keyboard comprising a joyball operable by a hand of an operator and a plurality of operation keys operable by a plurality of fingertips of the operator, said joyball being disposed in a central position and said operation keys being disposed in a central position on said keyboard and said operation keys being in a substantially semicircular array around said joyball; a joystick mounted on a upper panel of said keyboard and tiltable in a plurality of biaxial directions, said joystick being detachably inserted into said joyball; said upper panel having a stopper limit hole defined therein, said joyball having a stopper mounted on a lower surface thereof and loosely fitted in said stopper limit hole; a plurality of video cameras having respective optical systems, said video cameras being controllable in attitudes thereof by said joyball, said optical systems being adjustable by said operation keys; a controller for controlling said video cameras; and a plurality of monitor television sets for displaying image signals transmitted from said video cameras.