Mobile client computer with hexagonal keyboard

Claim 2

A mobile client computer comprising: a housing sized to be held in and manipulated by the hand of a user; a processor mounted within said housing for processing digital data; memory mounted within said housing for storing digital data and coupled to said processor; a display mounted in said housing coupled to said processor and said memory for displaying information derived from digital data processed by said processor; an input digitizer mounted in said housing and overlaying said display, said input digitizer being coupled to said processor for enabling input of digital data by a user; and a control program stored in said memory accessible by said processor for directing the processing of digital data by said processor; said control program and said processor cooperating, when said control program is executing on said processor, in displaying a keyboard formed by a plurality of adjoining hexagonally shaped cells, each cell defining a selectable input.

Claim 3

A mobile client computer according to claim 1 wherein said display is oriented in use with a vertical display axis and a horizontal display axis and further wherein said plurality of hexagonally shaped cells are displayed in an orientation of vertices aligned vertically.

Claim 4

A mobile client computer according to claim 1 wherein said control program and said processor cooperate, when said control program is executing on said processor, in displaying a keyboard formed by a plurality of adjoining hexagonally shaped cells and at least one rectangularly shaped cell, each of said cells defining a selectable input.

Claim 5

A mobile client computer according to claim 1 wherein said control program and said processor cooperate, when said control program is executing on said processor, in displaying a keyboard formed by a plurality of adjoining regular hexagonal cells and at least one extended hexagonal cell, each of said cells defining a selectable input.

Claim 6

A mobile client computer according to claim 1 wherein said control program and said processor cooperate, when said control program is executing on said processor, in defining a plurality of cells bounding the outer perimeter of the displayed keyboard, said perimeter bounding cells precluding input.

Claim 7

A mobile client computer according to claim 1 wherein said control program and said processor cooperate, when said control program is executing on said processor, in displaying a keyboard as called by an application program.

Claim 8

A mobile client computer according to claim 1 wherein said control program and said processor cooperate, when said control program is executing on said processor, in displaying a keyboard at all times during use of the computer.

Claim 9

A mobile client computer according to claim 1 wherein said control program and said processor cooperate, when said control program is executing on said processor, in displaying a keyboard occupying a minor portion of the area available on said display.

Claim 10

A mobile client computer according to claim 1 wherein said control program and said processor cooperate, when said control program is executing on said processor, in displaying a keyboard occupying a major portion of the area available on said display.

Claim 11

A computer comprising: a housing; a processor mounted within said housing for processing digital data; memory mounted within said housing for storing digital data and coupled to said processor; a display coupled to said processor and said memory for displaying information derived from digital data processed by said processor; and a control program stored in said memory accessible by said processor for directing the processing of digital data by said processor; said control program and said processor cooperating, when said control program is executing on said processor, in displaying on said display a keyboard formed by a plurality of adjoining hexagonally shaped cells, each defining a selectable input.

Claim 12

A computer comprising: a housing; a processor mounted within said housing for processing digital data; memory mounted within said housing for storing digital data and coupled to said processor; a display coupled to said processor and said memory for displaying information derived from digital data processed by said processor; and a control program stored in said memory accessible by said processor for directing the processing of digital data by said processor; said control program and said processor cooperating, when said control program is executing on said processor, in displaying on said display a keyboard formed by a plurality of adjoining hexagonally shaped cells, each defining a selectable input.

Claim 13

A computer according to claim 10 wherein said display is oriented in use with a vertical display axis and a horizontal display axis and further wherein said plurality of hexagonally shaped cells are displayed in an orientation of vertices aligned vertically.

Claim 14

A computer according to claim 10 wherein said control program and said processor cooperate, when said control program is executing on said processor, in displaying a keyboard formed by a plurality of adjoining hexagonally shaped cells and at least one rectangularly shaped cell, each of said cells defining a selectable input.

Claim 15

A computer according to claim 10 wherein said control program and said processor cooperate, when said control program is executing on said processor, in displaying a keyboard formed by a plurality of adjoining regular hexagonal cells and at least one extended hexagonal cell, each of said cells defining a selectable input.

Claim 16

A computer according to claim 10 wherein said control program and said processor cooperate, when said control program is executing on said processor, in defining a plurality of cells bounding the outer perimeter of the displayed keyboard, said perimeter bounding cells precluding input.

Claim 17

A computer according to claim 10 wherein said control program and said processor cooperate, when said control program is executing on said processor, in displaying a keyboard as called by an application program.

Claim 18

A computer according to claim 10 wherein said control program and said processor cooperate, when said control program is executing on said processor, in displaying a keyboard at all times during use of the computer.

Claim 19

A computer according to claim 10 wherein said control program and said processor cooperate, when said control program is executing on said processor, in displaying a keyboard occupying a minor portion of the area available on said display.

Claim 20

A computer according to claim 10 wherein said control program and said processor cooperate, when said control program is executing on said processor, in displaying a keyboard occupying a major portion of the area available on said display.

Claim 21

A display generating system comprising: a housing; a processor mounted within said housing for processing digital data; memory mounted within said housing for storing digital data and coupled to said processor; said processor and said memory cooperating in supplying digital data driving a display of visual images; and a control program stored in said memory accessible by said processor for directing the processing of digital data by said processor; said control program and said processor cooperating, when said control program is executing on said processor, in supplying digital data driving a display of a keyboard formed by a plurality of adjoining hexagonally shaped cells, each cell defining a selectable input.

Claim 22

A display generating system comprising: a housing; a processor mounted within said housing for processing digital data; memory mounted within said housing for storing digital data and coupled to said processor; said processor and said memory cooperating in supplying digital data driving a display of visual images; and a control program stored in said memory accessible by said processor for directing the processing of digital data by said processor; said control program and said processor cooperating, when said control program is executing on said processor, in supplying digital data driving a display of a keyboard formed by a plurality of adjoining hexagonally shaped cells, each cell defining a selectable input.

Claim 23

A system according to claim 19 wherein the display of a keyboard is oriented in use with a vertical display axis and a horizontal display axis and further wherein said plurality of hexagonally shaped cells are displayed in an orientation of vertices aligned vertically.

Claim 24

A system according to claim 19 wherein said control program and said processor cooperate, when said control program is executing on said processor, in supplying digital data driving a display of a keyboard formed by a plurality of adjoining hexagonally shaped cells and at least one rectangularly shaped cell, each of said cells defining a selectable input.

Claim 25

A system according to claim 19 wherein said control program and said processor cooperate, when said control program is executing on said processor, in supplying digital data driving a display of a keyboard formed by a plurality of adjoining regular hexagonal cells and at least one extended hexagonal cell, each of said cells defining a selectable input.

Claim 26

A system according to claim 19 wherein said control program and said processor cooperate, when said control program is executing on said processor, in defining a plurality of cells bounding the outer perimeter of the displayed keyboard, said perimeter bounding cells precluding input.

Claim 27

A system according to claim 19 wherein said control program and said processor cooperate, when said control program is executing on said processor, in supplying digital data driving a display of a keyboard as called by an application program.

Claim 28

A system according to claim 19 wherein said control program and said processor cooperate, when said control program is executing on said processor, in displaying a keyboard at all times during use of the system.

Claim 29

A system according to claim 19 wherein said control program and said processor cooperate, when said control program is executing on said processor, in supplying digital data driving a display of a keyboard occupying a minor portion of the area available for the display.

Claim 30

A system according to claim 19 wherein said control program and said processor cooperate, when said control program is executing on said processor, in suppplying digital data driving a display of a keyboard occupying a major portion of the area available for the display.

Claim 31

A mobile client computer comprising: a housing sized to be held in and manipulated by the hand of a user; a processor mounted within said housing for processing digital data; memory mounted within said housing for storing digital data and coupled to said processor; a display mounted in said housing coupled to said processor and said memory for displaying information derived from digital data processed by said processor; an input digitizer mounted in said housing and overlaying said display, said digitizer being coupled to said processor and enabling input of digital data by a user; and a control program stored in said memory accessible by said processor for directing the processing of digital data by said processor; said control program and said processor cooperating, when said control program is executing on said processor, in displaying a keyboard formed by a plurality of adjoining cells, each defining a selectable input; said control program and said processor cooperating, when said control program is executing on said processor, in defining a rectangular plane for key definition and input and a center plane for key definition and input; said control program and said processor cooperating, when said control program is executing on said processor, in allowing a user of the computer to select a display of a keyboard formed by adjoining rectangular cells and a keyboard formed by adjoining hexagonal cells.

Claim 32

A mobile client computer comprising: a housing sized to be held in and manipulated by the hand of a user; a processor mounted within said housing for processing digital data; memory mounted within said housing for storing digital data and coupled to said processor; a display mounted in said housing coupled to said processor and said memory for displaying information derived from digital data processed by said processor; an input digitizer mounted in said housing and overlaying said display, said digitizer being coupled to said processor and enabling input of digital data by a user; and a control program stored in said memory accessible by said processor for directing the processing of digital data by said processor; said control program and said processor cooperating, when said control program is executing on said processor, in displaying a keyboard formed by a plurality of adjoining cells, each defining a selectable input; said control program and said processor cooperating, when said control program is executing on said processor, in defining a rectangular plane for key definition and input and a center plane for key definition and input; said control program and said processor cooperating, when said control program is executing on said processor, in allowing a user of the computer to select a display of a keyboard formed by adjoining rectangular cells and a keyboard formed by adjoining hexagonal cells.

Claim 33

The mobile client computer as defined in claim 28, wherein the user of the computer can select a display of a keyboard formed both by adjoining rectangular shaped cells and adjoining hexagonally shaped cells.

Claim 34

A computer comprising: a housing; a processor mounted within said housing for processing digital data; memory mounted within said housing for storing digital data and coupled to said processor; a display coupled to said processor and said memory for displaying information derived from digital data processed by said processor; and a control program stored in said memory accessible by said processor for directing the processing of digital data by said processor; said control program and said processor cooperating, when said control program is executing on said processor, in displaying on said display a keyboard formed by a plurality of adjoining cells, each defining a selectable input; said control program and said processor cooperating, when said control program is executing on said processor, in defining a rectangular plane for key definition and input and a center plane for key definition and input; said control program and said processor cooperating, when said control program is executing on said processor, in allowing a user of the computer to select between display of a keyboard formed by adjoining rectangular cells and a keyboard formed by adjoining hexagonal cells.

Claim 35

A computer comprising: a housing; a processor mounted within said housing for processing digital data; memory mounted within said housing for storing digital data and coupled to said processor; a display coupled to said processor and said memory for displaying information derived from digital data processed by said processor; and a control program stored in said memory accessible by said processor for directing the processing of digital data by said processor; said control program and said processor cooperating, when said control program is executing on said processor, in displaying on said display a keyboard formed by a plurality of adjoining cells, each defining a selectable input; said control program and said processor cooperating, when said control program is executing on said processor, in defining a rectangular plane for key definition and input and a center plane for key definition and input; said control program and said processor cooperating, when said control program is executing on said processor, in allowing a user of the computer to select between display of a keyboard formed by adjoining rectangular cells and a keyboard formed by adjoining hexagonal cells.

Claim 36

The computer as defined in claim 30, wherein the user of the computer can select a display of a keyboard formed both by adjoining rectangular shaped cells and adjoining hexagonally shaped cells.

Claim 37

A computer comprising: a housing; a processor mounted within said housing for processing digital data; memory mounted within said housing for storing digital data and coupled to said processor; a display coupled to said processor and said memory for displaying information derived from digital data processed by said processor; and an input device coupled to said processor for manual entry by a user of data to be processed by said processor, said input device including a keyboard defined by a grid of interlocking keys, the grid being formed by a plurality of columns and rows of adjoining hexagonally shaped cells, each cell defining a selectable input; said adjoining hexagonally shaped cells being arrayed in the plurality of columns and the plurality of rows to define the grid of interlocking keys, wherein the keys of the grid have individual annotations corresponding to the selectable inputs for each cell for generating words for displaying on the display.

Claim 38

A computer comprising: a housing; a processor mounted within said housing for processing digital data; memory mounted within said housing for storing digital data and coupled to said processor; a display coupled to said processor and said memory for displaying information derived from digital data processed by said processor; and an input device coupled to said processor for manual entry by a user of data to be processed by said processor, said input device including a keyboard defined by a grid of interlocking keys, the grid being formed by a plurality of columns and rows of adjoining hexagonally shaped cells, each cell defining a selectable input; said adjoining hexagonally shaped cells being arrayed in the plurality of columns and the plurality of rows to define the grid of interlocking keys, wherein the keys of the grid have individual annotations corresponding to the selectable inputs for each cell for generating words for displaying on the display.

Claim 39

The computer according to claim 32 wherein each of said plurality of adjoining hexagonally shaped cells is formed as an outline around a center and the centers of ones of said cells in one row are arranged along a line spaced from a line crossing the centers of cells in an adjacent row by a distance less than the height of said cells in said one row.

Claim 40

The computer according to claim 32 wherein each of said plurality of adjoining hexagonally shaped cells is formed as an outline around a center and the centers of ones of said cells in one column are arranged along a line spaced from a line crossing the centers of cells in an adjacent column by a distance less than the height of said cells in said one column.

Claim 41

A computer according to claim 32 wherein said plurality of adjoining hexagonal cells are of a common size and congruent configuration.