Input Keyboard

The present invention relates to input keyboards for microcomputers, computer terminals, and other devices for processing alphanumeric information.

Although many patents have been granted during the past 100 years for input keyboards, many problems remain unsolved. Numerous patents and other prior art documents have discussed the limitations and inadequacies of the universal or QWERTY keyboard for typists. An example of such a patent is U.S. Pat. No. 3,929,216 (Einbinder). Because of the limitations of the QWERTY keyboard, many previous patents for keyboards have focused on keyboard designs and key arrangements that are designed to increase input speeds, reduce fatigue, reduce errors, and the like. These designs and arrangements are generally targeted for use by people who are frequent and heavy users of keyboards and are of limited value for use as computer input devices by people who are casual, low frequency users without typing training, referred hereafter as non-typists.

Alphabetical keyboard arrangements, i.e., arrangements where the letter keys are simply arranged in alphabetical order, can potentially facilitate the use of keyboards by non-typists, but the obvious alphabetic arrangement of the letter keys in three horizontal rows, i.e., with the top row consisting of the letters a b c d e f g h i j, the second row of the letters k l m n n o p q r s and the third row of the letters t u v w x y z, has been found to be almost as difficult to use and learn as the QWERTY design. In this regard, it appears this obvious alphabetic design neglects important facts as to how humans process information and this apparently accounts for the learning difficulties generally encountered. A more complex alphabetical arrangement of keys, which is designed as part of a telegraphic key apparatus and is apparently not in use, is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 12,929 (White). The White patent discloses an arrangement where the keys are disposed in four horizontal rows with the four keys of each vertical column being arranged in alphabetical order. A recent patent which also provides for an alphabetical arrangement of keys is U.S. Pat. No. 4,180,337 (Otey et al). The Otey el al patent recognizes that non-typists need learning aids and that an intuitive ordering of keys in an alphabetic arrangement provides benefits of ease of use by infrequent users. The patent also discloses that in some circumstances one-handed use of a keyboard may have distinct advantages over two-handed use. However, the Otey et al patent focuses on the vowels in Western languages in an attempt to create a meaningful pattern for users. The keys of the keyboard disclosed therein are arranged in five primary rows with each primary row beginning with a vowel-representing key. Each vowel-representing key is followed by consonant representing keys and an alphabetical order is maintained. This keyboard arrangement suffers important disadvantages and most people will face two major difficulties with the keyboard design of the Otey et al patent. First, placing six keys in the third, fourth and fifth primary rows results in an arrangement wherein the short-term memory capacity of the user is exceeded, thus increasing the learning time of the arrangement. Second, placing six keys in a row requires awkward lateral hand-movements and encourages people to use four or five digits of the hand, resulting in weak and awkward thumb and fourth finger movements.

Other patents in this general field which are of possible interest include: U.S. Pat. Nos. 185,714 (Allen); 433,765 (Collins); 560,572 (Davis); 573,623 (Richards); 943,466 (Rowell); 1,292,319 (Hooper, Jr.); 1,336,122 (Banaji); 1,342,244 (Wolcott); 1,506,426 (Hoke); 2,040,248 (Dvorak et al); 2,080,457 (Bower); 2,167,150 (Haberfeld); 2,503,805 (Davidson et al); 2,827,145 (Anderson); 3,847,263 (X); 3,990,050 (Pitroda); 3,932,859 (Kyriakides et al); 3,925,779 (Gerstenhaber); 4,211,497 (Montgomery); 4,180,336 (Lonsdale); 4,244,659 (Malt); and 4,332,493 (Einbinder).

The present invention is directed to a keyboard arrangement in which the keys are grouped in a unique alphabetical pattern which avoids problems caused by human perceptual and information processing limitations, and uses prior human learning patterns of the alphabet to facilitate learning of the keyboard arrangement. The present invention breaks out of the mindset of only viewing an input keyboard device as a horizontal arrangement of keys. Each key of the keyboard of the invention represents a single letter of the alphabet and in accordance with a very important aspect of the invention, the keys are arranged in alphabetical order in nine rows of three keys per row. The provision of three letter keys in each row is very important for a number of reasons. First, people can verbalize each row and easily maintain a row of information in short-term memory, which facilitates repetition and learning. In this regard, short-term memory in humans is limited to five to nine "chunks" of information and groups of three letters beginning with a, b, c or c,b, a can be represented with nine or fewer "chunks" in memory. Second, the limits of human short-term memory force most people to learn and recite the alphabet in groups of three letters. By arranging the letters alphabetically in rows of three, the invention employs the early human learning pattern of the alphabet to facilitate use of the keyboard by people in low and moderate use situations. Further, it is noted that the keys in the alphabet that are used most frequently in prose occur in the first twenty-one letters so that most of the use of the keyboard will involve the first seven rows. People can also "chunk" (i.e., effectively mentally group) and encode these relationships easily.

A further important advantage of the keyboard arrangement of the invention is decreased demand made on the user insofar as finger movement and dexterity is required. The QWERTY keyboard, as well as most other designs, suffer from the uneven kinesthetic (muscle) resistance on the outer keys thereof. The keyboard of the present invention provides a three finger span which makes no demands on the weaker fingers of the hand. Further, the keyboard of the invention enables one-hand use, an important feature in view of studies which show that the keystroke timing is least accurate when two hands are used. This is, of course, a substantial advantage for non-typists who can be expected to make errors routinely. Further, as discussed above, accuracy is further enhanced for the non-typist, who would otherwise be forced to deal with an unfamiliar keyboard, by the provision in the keyboard of invention of the familiar alphabetical arrangement of keys, in readily useable groups of three.

As is discussed in more detail below, other important features of the invention include the provision of elongate space and shift bars along the sides of the keyboard which extend the full length of the keyboard. Further, enter bars are provided both at the bottom and top of the keyboard. These features further contribute to the ease of use of the keyboard by a non-typist. In addition, a number "pad" is provided wherein the numbers are arranged in groups or rows of three with the "zero" key being located centrally below the bottom row. Other keys are also arranged in manner which enhances learning, provides for efficient, effective use with the three strongest fingers and increases accuracy.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in, or apparent from, the detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention which follows.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a keyboard constructed in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a keyboard constructed in accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, a keyboard, generally denoted 10, is shown which is constructed in accordance with a preferred dextral embodiment of the invention. The keys of the keyboard 10, are arranged on a tablet or pallet 12 in fourteen rows of five keys across, thereby accommodating a comfortable three finger span. An extra-long space bar 14 is located at the left margin of the keyboard 10, extending the entire length of the key arrangement for easy operation with the thumb. Similarly, an elongate shift bar 16 extends along the length of the right side of the keyboard 10. At the top and the bottom of the keyboard 10 are a pair of "enter" keys 18 and 20 respectively, that extend across the width of the keyboard 10. Directly under the enter key 18 at the top edge of the keyboard 10 are five color-coded command keys, collectively denoted 22, which are most often used in computer operations. As illustrated, these keys represent: "control", "escape", "delete", "tabulate", and "shift lock".

Other keys are arranged and color-coded according to their functions. Eight color-coded special operation keys, collectively denoted 24, are located in four rows of two across at the top left corner of the keyboard 10, designating, as indicated in the drawing, the following: "print", "send", "insert", "find", "replace", "move", "save", and "load".

In accordance with a very important feature of the invention, word processing keys, which are color-coded grey in a specific exemplary embodiment, are arranged in alphabetical order from left to right in nine rows of three keys each. These keys, which are collectively denoted 26 are located to the right of the keyboard 10, with a period mark key 28 being located next to the "z" key in this set.

The keys 26 are arranged in the dextral left-to-right sequence: abc, def, ghi, jkl, mno, pqr, stu, vwx, yz but can, of course, be arranged in a sinistral right-to-left sequence: cba, fed, ihg, lkj, onm, rqp, uts, xwv, zy. This is illustrated in FIG. 2, which is similar to FIG. 1, but provides for such a sinistral right-to-left key arrangement.

In FIG. 2, elements similar to those in FIG. 1 have been given the same reference numerals with a prime attached.

Located immediately to the left of letter keys 26 are six further keys which are collectively denoted 30 and which are needed for word processing. As indicated in the drawing, these comprise a key for single and double quotation marks, one for the dash and the hyphen, one for commas, one for ampersand and @, a key for exclamation and question marks, and a key for colons and semicolons.

A numerical pad is formed by a set of keys which are collectively denoted 32 and which are grouped at the bottom and to the lower right of the keyboard 10. These keys, which are color coded white in a preferred embodiment, include a three column set of three rows of keys which are horizontally numbered one ("1") through nine ("9"), with the "zero" key 34 being placed on the bottom row and being centered under the middle column. A key 36 for the "=" symbol is set next to "zero" key 34, under the "9" key at the lower right hand corner of the keyboard 10.

Situated below the symbols used in word processing, are eight keys collectively denoted 38, which are used in numerical processing. As illustrated, these keys comprise: a key for the dollar sign and percentage, one for parentheses, one for plus and minus signs, a key for asterisk and slash marks, one for the degree symbol and the number sign (#), one for brackets, a key for and and one for greater and less than symbols.

Five additional keys, collectively denoted 40, are located in the lower left corner of the keyboard 10. These keys 40, which are color-coded to match the command keys 22 at the top of the keyboard 10, are, as shown, designated as follows: one for "home" and one each with arrows for cursor movement in four directions.

In addition to the physical grouping and color-coding of keys according to functions, viz., word processing, mathematical operations, normal screen control commands, and special functions, the keyboard 10 of the invention preferably utilizes sculptured word processing and mathematical keys for ease of use, and provides eight to ten replaceable function keys.

Although the invention has been described relative to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that variations and modifications can be effected in the preferred embodiment without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.