WO2002021251A1

WO2002021251A1 - Method for simulating a standard keyboard

Info

Publication number: WO2002021251A1
Application number: PCT/FR2001/002795
Authority: WO
Inventors: Philippe Soulie
Original assignee: Philippe Soulie
Priority date: 2000-09-11
Filing date: 2001-09-10
Publication date: 2002-03-14
Also published as: FR2813965A1; AU2001287838A1; EP1317704A1; FR2813965B1

Abstract

The invention concerns a communication method between a user and a computer, by simulating a standard keyboard with reduced number of keys, the arrangement of the keys of said standard keyboard capable of being simulated in the form of a matrix comprising four lines and thirteen columns. The invention is characterised in that each character of the simulated standard keyboard is obtained by combining the user's actions or the computer's reactions on at least six main keys (1) and at least two secondary keys (2) of a keyboard, said main keys (1) enabling to define the number of the column and said secondary keys (2) enabling to define the number of the line of the matrix corresponding to the simulated keyboard character. The invention also concerns the keyboard for implementing said method.

Description

METHOD FOR SIMULATING A STANDARD KEYBOARD

The present invention is in the field of interfaces allowing communication between a user and a computer such as a microcomputer for example or a portable telephone.

To allow a user to communicate data to a computer, keyboards are most commonly used.

Known standard keyboards, or matrix keyboards, are generally composed of 105 keys arranged in several blocks (numeric keypad, function keys and main block). The arrangement of the characters is generally standard and we know keyboards of the "AZERTY" or "QWERTY" type. Each key corresponds to a character, to a function or to several types of characters or to several functions if it is combined with another key such as the key generally known by the name "SHIFT". However, this type of keyboard still has too many keys and does not lend itself well to integration into pocket-sized equipment of reduced dimensions. In addition, the method of using such keyboards cannot be used reversibly, that is to say that it does not allow a tactile reading of the information coming from the computer since the user cannot simultaneously have his fingers on all keys. This type of tactile reading is particularly advantageous for blind people for example. The keyboard according to the invention makes it possible to simulate a matrix keyboard from a line of several main keys accessible simultaneously, each by a different finger. Thus, with a reduced number of keys, we can simulate a standard keyboard. Unlike other combinatorial input modes such as those using the principle of braille for example, learning the input method according to the invention will therefore be facilitated for a user who already knows the layout of the keys of a matrix keyboard.

According to another advantage of the invention, this type of keyboard, by its reduced number of keys, allows the user to be in contact simultaneously with all the keys of the keyboard to perform a tactile reading of the information coming from the computer. The invention therefore relates to a method of communication between a user and a computer, by simulating a standard keyboard from a keyboard with a reduced number of keys, the arrangement of the keys of said standard keyboard being able to be simulated in the form of a matrix comprising X rows and Y columns, method characterized in that each character of a simulated standard keyboard is obtained by the combination of actions on the part of the user or reactions on the part of the computer on one or more keys main, preferably at least six, and one or more secondary keys, preferably at least two, of a keyboard, said main keys making it possible to define the number of the column and said secondary keys making it possible to define the number of the row of the matrix corresponding to the character of the simulated keyboard.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the keyboard comprises at least six main keys and two secondary keys. According to another characteristic of the invention, the main and secondary keys can communicate tactile sensations to the user in order to allow him to read, according to the same principle as for input, a character coming from the computer. Other advantages and characteristics of the invention will appear on reading the description below, of several embodiments given by way of nonlimiting example and illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which:

- Figure 1 gives a representation of a matrix keyboard of the "AZERTY" type.

- Figure 2 shows an embodiment of the keyboard according to the invention.

- Figures 3 show an embodiment of the keyboard, in various configurations, associated with a screen. - Figures 4 shows another embodiment of the keyboard.

- Figure 5 shows another embodiment of the keyboard according to the invention.

- Figure 6 shows the application of the invention to a mobile phone.

As can be seen in Figure 1, a standard keyboard can be in the form of a matrix formed by rows and columns. The most conventional keyboards known as "AZERTY" or "QWERTY" keyboards consist of at least four rows and thirteen columns. The principle of the invention consists in proposing a method for simulating such a keyboard from a keyboard with a reduced number of keys. The method according to the invention can be adapted both for entering characters and for reading them. In entry mode, it is the user by pressing the keys on the keyboard which communicates information to the computer. In reading mode, the computer sends information by communicating tactile sensations to the user, by vibrating certain keys for example. To this end, the method according to the invention consists in designating, from keys of a keyboard, a line number and a column number of the matrix representing a standard keyboard. We can thus establish the correspondence with the character of a standard keyboard. So that the user can be in contact simultaneously with all the keys on the keyboard, the invention provides a keyboard with less than eleven keys necessary for reading a character. The keyboard can include additional auxiliary keys, for accessing certain functions for example.

According to an embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 2, eight main keys (1) make it possible to define the number of the column and two secondary keys (2) make it possible to define the number of the row. If the keyboard to be simulated has more than eight columns, it will be possible to designate other columns by combining actions on several main keys. Similarly, from the two secondary keys (2) you can designate up to four lines.

By way of example shown in FIG. 1, the matrix keyboard to be simulated has four lines and thirteen columns. The keyboard with a reduced number of keys making it possible to simulate the matrix keyboard is represented in FIG. 2. The keys of the keyboard can for example be pressed keys or any other type of keys such as sensitive keys for example. The keyboard is designed so that the user's fingers can be in contact simultaneously with all of the keys necessary for entering or reading a character. The main keys (3), (4), (5) and (6) accessible by the user's left hand correspond to the characters "QSDF" when they are pressed alone. In the same way, the main keys (7), (8), (9), (10) accessible by the right hand correspond to the characters "JKLM" when they are operated alone. This example is by no means limiting, and it is easily possible to take other keys as basic keys. The main key (3) will therefore designate a column of the matrix on which the characters "1AQW" are arranged. If the user places his finger on this key, this column is therefore designated. Using the secondary keys (11) and (12), the user can designate the line number corresponding to the character he wishes to send to the computer. For example, if he does not press any combination key and he presses the main key (3), he designates the baseline, therefore the character "Q". If he presses the key (11), the key (12) and the key (3), he designates for example the first line of the matrix therefore the character "1". In the case shown in Figure 1, the number of columns in the matrix exceeds the number of main keys. To access the character "G" located on the baseline, the user will combine an action on the main keys (5) and (6).

The standard keyboard shown in Figure 1 could also be simulated using a keyboard with only six main keys and two secondary keys. From the six main keys, it is possible to designate at least fourteen columns (on the principle of 2 times 7 combinations from the three keys of each hand).

On this principle, it is easy for those skilled in the art to establish a logic table making it possible, depending on the keys pressed, to designate the character of the simulated standard keyboard to be sent to the computer.

According to another embodiment of the invention not shown, the secondary keys are constituted by a mechanism for tilting or horizontally moving the main keys (1) making it possible, from the position given to the key, to define the number of the line of the matrix of simulated keyboard. This mechanism is added to the classic push-in mechanism.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the keyboard is reversible. The keys on the keyboard can communicate tactile sensations to the user and by combining the sensations he perceives, the user determines the character coming from the computer. These tactile sensations can occur under the form of mechanical impulses on the key, of vibrations or even by the movement of one or more movable pins (13) arranged on the surface of the keys and which can create a relief thereon. If there are several pins on each main key, these can be used to designate the line number of the character coming from the computer. In the case of a keyboard used only for reading characters from the computer, the pins (13) replace the secondary keys. The pins (13) can also be placed at any other place on the keyboard than on the surface of the main keys.

According to another characteristic of the invention shown in Figures 3, the keyboard can be in the form of two half-keyboards (14) and (15) each comprising half of the keys (1) and (2). Each half keyboard has an articulation (16) with a support (17). This support also includes a hinge (18) parallel to the surface of a screen (19) of a computer. This embodiment of the invention makes it possible to propose a configuration, shown in FIGS. 3A, according to which the keyboard is arranged against the rear face of a screen (19), so that the user can wear the keyboard-screen assembly between the palm of his hands and place each of his fingers on the keys (1) and (2). In other configuration, shown in Figures 3B, the keyboard can be deployed in the configuration of a conventional laptop.

According to another embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 4, the keyboard is a wireless keyboard composed of two adjacent half-keyboards (20) and (21) hinged together along an axis perpendicular to their flat surface. The main keys (1) are arranged on the flat surface and the secondary keys are arranged on said flat surface and / or the sides of the half-keyboards, near the joint. As shown in FIG. 4A, the user can hold the keyboard in his hands and actuate the secondary keys with his thumbs and the other keys with the other fingers. As shown in FIG. 4B, the keyboard can be placed on a flat support and the two half-keyboard inclined horizontally relative to one another thanks to the articulation.

In Figure 5 is shown another embodiment of the invention. According to this embodiment, the keyboard comprises N sets of six main keys in which each of the sets 22, 23, 24, etc. corresponds to a different line of the keyboard of the known “QWERTY” or “QWERTY” type as shown in Figure 1. The entire line of said keyboard can be obtained by combination of the keys as stated above. This combination can be carried out either by combination of two keys of the same set of 22, 23, 24, or by combination of the main keys and the secondary keys 26/27. In the case where the number N of sets of main keys is sufficient to simulate the whole of the lines of the keyboard, the secondary keys can be optional or be deleted or be assigned to other functions. In this configuration, the keyboard can have at least one set of six main keys which are then associated with two secondary keys assigned to the line change. Preferably, the N set or sets of main keys are each arranged on a line. They can also, as shown in Figure 5, each be represented on two parallel lines.

The invention proposes a combinatorial input method in order to manage a keyboard with a reduced number of keys, which can be housed for example on the rear face of a mobile telephone or a digital camera or any other type of calculator type apparatus and / or microcomputer incorporating this function.

This process makes it possible to manage keyboards having only a minimum of eight keys including six main and two secondary. The keyboard can for example comprise ten keys, eight of which are main and two secondary.

The four combinations achievable by the action of the two thumbs, assigned to the so-called secondary keys, make it possible to choose one of the four lines of a standard keyboard. The other eight or six fingers assigned to the main keys allow you to choose the column.

For ten-keyboards (fig. 1, 2, 3), each finger is assigned the same characters as on a typist, on keyboards of known type, except that certain letters without corresponding keys are actuated by actuating a combination of keys. For example, the G and the H having no corresponding keys are respectively obtained by simultaneously activating D + F and J + K.

For keyboards with eight keys (fig. 4a), little fingers are not used. For example, the Q is obtained by simultaneously actuating S + D. The missing keys on the keyboard according to the invention are simulated by the action of several keys of the same half-line.

Claims

Claims:

1 / Method of communication between a user and a computer, by simulating a standard keyboard from a keyboard with a reduced number of keys, the arrangement of the keys of said standard keyboard can be simulated in the form of a matrix comprising X rows and Y columns, process characterized in that each character of a simulated standard keyboard is obtained by the combination of actions on the part of the user or reactions on the part of the computer on one or more main keys (1) and one or more secondary keys (2) of a keyboard, said main keys (1) making it possible to define the number of the column and said secondary keys (2) making it possible to define the number of the row of the matrix corresponding to the character of the simulated keyboard.

2 / Method of communication between a user and a computer, by simulating a standard keyboard from a keyboard with a reduced number of keys, the arrangement of the keys of said standard keyboard being able to be simulated in the form of a matrix comprising four rows and thirteen columns, method characterized in that each character of a simulated standard keyboard is obtained by the combination of actions on the part of the user or reactions on the part of the computer on at least six main keys (1) and at least two secondary keys (2) of a keyboard, said main keys (1) making it possible to define the number of the column and said secondary keys (2) making it possible to define the number of the row of the matrix corresponding to the character of the simulated keyboard. 3 / Method according to one of the preceding claims characterized in that the main (1) and secondary (2) keys can communicate tactile sensations to the user in order to allow him to read, according to the same principle as for input, a character from the computer.

4 / Keyboard with reduced number of keys allowing the implementation of the method according to claim 1 characterized in that it comprises main (1) and secondary (2) keys, said keys being arranged so as to be all accessible simultaneously by the user's fingers.

5 / Keyboard with a reduced number of keys allowing the implementation of the method according to claim 2 characterized in that it comprises at least six main keys (1) and at least two secondary keys (2).

6 / Keyboard according to claim 4 or claim 5 characterized in that the main keys (1) and the secondary keys (2) comprise means for communicating tactile sensations to the user.

Il Keyboard according to claim 5 or claim 6 characterized in that the secondary keys (2) are positioned so as to be accessible by the thumbs of the user and the main keys (1) by the other fingers of the user.

8 / keyboard according to one of claims 4 or 5 characterized in that the secondary keys (2) are constituted by a mechanism to tilt or horizontally move the main keys (1) for defining the number of the row of the matrix of the simulated keyboard. 9 / Keyboard according to claim 4 characterized in that the secondary keys (2), for reading a character from the computer, are constituted by movable pins (13) arranged on the surface of the main keys.

10 / Keyboard according to one of claims 4 to 9 characterized in that it is divided into two half-keyboards (14) and (15) each comprising half of the keys (1) and (2), each half-keyboard comprising an articulation (16) with a support (17), said support comprising an articulation (18) parallel to the surface of a screen (19).

11 / Keyboard according to one of claims 4 to 10 characterized in that it can be arranged against the rear face of a screen (19), so that the user can carry the keyboard-screen assembly between the palm of his hands and place each of his fingers on the keys (1) and (2).

12 / Keyboard according to one of claims 4 to 10 characterized in that it is composed of two adjacent half-keyboards (20) and (21) hinged together along an axis perpendicular to their flat surface, the main keys (1 ) being arranged on their flat surface and the secondary keys being placed on said flat surface and / or on the sides of the keyboards, near the joint.

13 / Keyboard according to one of claims 4 to 12 characterized in that it comprises keys annexed to the main and secondary keys.