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Home , Arrow keys, Numeric keypad

US 2002O164188A1 (19) United States (12) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. No.: US 2002/0164188A1 TZeng (43) Pub. Date: Nov. 7, 2002

(54) COMPACT KEYBOARD Publication Classification (75) Inventor: Shu-Wen Tzeng, Chu Pei (TW) (51) Int. Cl." ...... B41J 5/12 (52) U.S. Cl...... 400/472 Correspondence Address: LADAS & PARRY Suite 2100 5670 Wilshire Boulevard (57) ABSTRACT Los Angeles, CA 90036-5679 (US) A compact keyboard characterized by a novel key arrange ment allowing for an overall reduction in the width of the (73)73) Assignee:Signee: DarfonJarron Electronicslectronics Corp.uOrp keyboard while retaining a full Set of keys Standard to a (21) Appl. No.: 10/177,305 computer and including a . In the compact keyboard of the present invention, the Home and End keys (22) Filed: Jun. 19, 2002 are located on the row of function keys, while the Down, Left and Right keys are nested under the lowermost Related U.S. Application Data row of the text entry and numeric keypad Sections of the keyboard. This allows the Insert, Delete, Page Up and Page (62) of application No. 09/620,361, filed on Jul. Down keys to be disposed in a single column as opposed to 20, 2000, now Pat. No. 6,431,776.0 three columns in the keyboard of the prior art.

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COMPACT KEYBOARD on the bottom, wherein the first arrow key is disposed in the lowermost row of the plurality of alpha BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION numeric keys and the remaining the arrow keys are disposed below the lowermost row of the plurality of alpha-numeric 0001) 1. Field of the Invention keys. By putting the remaining three arrow keys below the 0002 The present relates to a compact keyboard. In lowermost row of the plurality of alpha-numeric keys, the particular, this invention relates to a novel key layout width of the keyboard can be reduced. allowing for a reduction in the overall width of the keyboard. 0009. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a 0003 2. Description of the Related Art compact keyboard comprising a text entry Section, a navi gation Section, a numeric keypad Section, a 0004. A keyboard device for a computer includes a Section, and an arrow key Section is disclosed. The text entry plurality of Alpha-Numeric keys. A compact keyboard is Section comprises an arrangement of keys including five desirable because it takes up leSS Space on the user's desktop rows of alpha-numeric keys for the entry of text and num and requires less raw materials to produce. On other hand, bers. The navigation Section is disposed adjacent to and computerS require a minimum set of keys to allow the between the text entry Section and the numeric keypad convenient operation of hardware and Software. Further Section and comprises the Insert, Delete, Page Up, and Page more, the keyboard arrangement must reflect the needs of Down keys disposed in a single column corresponding to the the user. For example, users who enter numerical data into rows one through four in the Text entry Section. The numeric a computer desire a numeric keypad with numbers and keypad Section is disposed adjacent to navigation Section, mathematical Symbols. In , the size of individual and comprises five rows of alpha-numeric keys for the entry keys must meet the needs of the user. A “full-size” key is of numbers. The function key Section comprises a row of generally 1.8 cm in width at the base with a relatively function keys and the Home and End keys, and is disposed Smaller width at the top to allow easy touch-typing. above the text entry Section, navigation Section, and numeric 0005 FIG. 1 shows a keyboard of the prior art. The keypad Section. The function key Section may also include layout of the keyboard is divided into four sections: text indicators for displaying whether , or entry Section 10, navigation Section 20, numeric keypad are activated. The arrow key Section comprises section 30, and function key section 40. Text entry section the Up Arrow, Down Arrow, Left Arrow and Right Arrow 10 comprises five rows of keys, wherein the first row is keys disposed in an inverted Tarrangement with the Up composed mainly of numeric keys and punctuation keys, the Arrow key on the top and the Down Arrow, Left Arrow and Second through fourth rows are comprised mainly of alpha Right Arrow keys on the bottom, wherein the Up Arrow key betical and punctuation keys, and the fifth row is comprised occupies the fifth row of the navigation Section between the mainly of the . Tab, Caps Lock, Shift, Control, Alt, text entry Section and the numeric keypad Section and the and Enter keys are generally disposed on the left and right Down Arrow, Left Arrow and Right Arrow keys are disposed extremities of rows two through five. On standard key in a sixth row below the lowermost rows of the text entry boards, the alphabetical keys are arranged in the QWERTY Section and the numeric keypad Section. Preferably, the pattern. Navigation Section 20 includes an upper portion arrow keys are reduced to three quarters the height of the comprised of two rows of three navigation and editing keys, other keyS. wherein the Insert, Delete, Home, End, Page Up, and Page 0010. The advantage of this embodiment lies reducing Down keys are disposed in this area; and a lower portion the width of the navigation section. This is achieved by comprising arrow keys for controlling the motion of the moving the rarely used Home and End keys out of the , wherein the Up Arrow is disposed singly in a first centrally located navigation Section and placing them on the row and the Left, Down and Right Arrow are disposed function key row, thereby allowing the Insert, Delete, Page together in a Second row. Numeric keypad Section 30 Up, and Page Down keys to be arranged in a single column. includes five rows of numeric and mathematical Symbol The arrow keys are arranged Such that the Up Arrow is at the keys with a like arrangement for easy number bottom of said single column while the Left, Down and entry. Function key Section 40 comprises a row of function Right Arrow are disposed in a row below the lowermost keys disposed above text entry Section 10, navigation Sec rows of the text entry Section and the numeric keypad tion 20, and numeric keypad section 30. Function key Section. By reducing the height of the arrow keys to three section 40 may also include indicators 45 for displaying quarters that of the other keys, the additional height of the whether Num Lock, Caps Lock or Scroll Lock are activated. keyboard is minimal. On the other hand, when this novel 0006 The keyboard of the prior art is inefficient in terms arrangement is applied to a keyboard with a Standard Set of of Space usage. In particular, the navigation Section 20 uses keys of standard size, the width of the keyboard can be a large amount of Space, increasing the width of the key reduced from 455 mm to 405 mm. board and adding cost to the manufacturing process. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 0011. The following detailed description, given by way of examples and not intended to limit the invention to the 0007. It is therefore an object of the present invention to embodiments described herein, will best be understood in provide a compact keyboard. conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 0008. The compact keyboard of the present invention is characterized by a novel key arrangement in which the 0012 FIG. 1 illustrates a keyboard of the prior art; and arrow keys are disposed in an inverted Tarrangement with 0013 FIG. 2 illustrates a compact keyboard of the a first of the arrow keys on the top and the remaining three present invention. US 2002/0164188 A1 Nov. 7, 2002

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE 100 and the numeric keypad section 300 and the Down INVENTION Arrow, Left Arrow and Right Arrow keys are disposed in a sixth row below the lowermost rows of the text entry section 0.014. The compact keyboard of the present invention is 100 and the numeric keypad section 300. The height of the characterized by a novel key arrangement allowing for an arrow keys is preferably Smaller than that of other keys on overall reduction in the width of the keyboard while retain the keyboard such that the overall height of keyboard is not ing a full Set of keys Standard to a computer and including Significantly increased. For example, the keys may be three a numeric keypad. quarters the height of the other keys on the keyboard. This 0015. Please refer to FIG. 2. A preferred embodiment of reduction in size of the function keys does not have a major the compact keyboard of the present invention includes a impact of ease of typing for users because arrow keys are not text entry section 100, a navigation section 200, a numeric generally pressed using touch-typing. keypad section 300, a function key section 400, and an arrow 0021. In summary, by moving the rarely used Home and key section 500. End keys out of the centrally located navigation Section and 0016 Text entry section 100 comprises an arrangement placing them on the function key row, the Insert, Delete, of keys including five rows of alpha-numeric keys for the Page Up, and Page Down keys can be arranged in a Single entry of text and numbers. The keys are preferably arranged column. The arrow keys are arranged in a nested manner in the standard QWERTY format, wherein the first row is Such that the Up Arrow is at the bottom of Said Single column composed mainly of numeric keys and punctuation keys, the while the Left, Down and Right Arrow are disposed in a row Second through fourth rows are comprised mainly of alpha below the lowermost rows of the text entry section and the betical and punctuation keys, and the fifth row is comprised numeric keypad Section. Applied to a keyboard with a mainly of the Space bar and control keys. Tab, Caps Lock, standard set of keys of standard size, the width of the Shift, Control, Alt, and Enter keys are disposed on the left keyboard can be reduced from 455 mm to 405 mm. Fur and right extremities of rows two through five. thermore, by reducing the height of the arrow keys to three 0017 Navigation section 200 is disposed adjacent to text quarters that of the other keys, the additional height of the entry section 100 and comprises the Insert, Delete, Page Up, keyboard is minimal. and Page Down keys disposed in a Single column corre 0022 While the invention has been described with ref sponding to the row one through four in the text entry erence to a preferred embodiment, the description is not Section. The particular order of the four keys in this Section intended to be construed in a limiting Sense. The novelty of is not limited. Preferably, however, the Page Up key is above this invention lies in nesting the arrow keys below what the Page Down key and the is above the Delete would normally be the lowermost row a keyboard of the key. Furthermore, navigation section 200 is preferably set prior art. It is understood that the layout and content of the off from text entry section 100 and numeric key pad 300 by text entry Section, function key Section, navigation and a Small gap. This Small gap allows users to visually and numeric keypad can Section can be modified to meet the tactually differentiate navigation section 200 from adjacent requirements a particular Set of keys. It is not necessary, for Sections without significantly adding to the Overall width of example, that the Home and End keys be moved to function the keyboard. The Small gap is preferably Smaller than the key Section; other keys could be moved to enable the width of a single key. navigation Section to be reduced to a single column. It is therefore contemplated that the appended claims will cover 0.018 Numeric keypad section 300 is disposed adjacent any Such modifications or embodiments as may fall within to navigation section 200, wherein navigation section 200 is the scope of the invention defined by the following claims between text entry section 100 and numeric keypad section 300, and preferably comprises five rows of alpha-numeric and their equivalents. keys for the entry of numbers. What is claimed is: 1. A compact keyboard having at least a plurality of 0.019 Function key section 400 comprises a row of alpha-numeric keys disposed in rows and an arrow key function keys and the Home and End keys, and is disposed Section, the arrow key Section comprising an Up Arrow, above text entry Section 10, navigation Section 20, and Down Arrow, Left Arrow and Right Arrow keys disposed in numeric keypad Section 30. The exact positioning of the an inverted Tarrangement with a first of the arrow keys on Home and End keys is not limited. Optionally, the height of the top and the remaining three arrow keys on the bottom, the keys in function key section 400 may be smaller than that wherein the first arrow key is disposed in the lowermost row of other keys on the keyboard. For example, the keys may of the plurality of alpha-numeric keys and the remaining the be three quarters the height of the other keys on the arrow keys are disposed below the lowermost row of the keyboard. This reduction in size of the function keys does plurality of alpha-numeric keys. not have a major impact of ease of typing for users because 2. The compact keyboard of claim 1, wherein the arrow function keys are not generally pressed using touch-typing. keys are reduced to three quarters the height of the plurality Function key section 400 may also include indicators 405 of alpha-numeric keys. for displaying whether Num Lock, Caps Lock or Scroll Lock 3. The compact keyboard of claim 1, wherein the first are activated. arrow key is the Up Arrow key and the remaining three 0020. Arrow key section 500 comprises the Up Arrow, arrows keys are the Left Arrow, the Down Arrow, and the Down Arrow, Left Arrow and Right Arrow keys disposed in Right Arrow keys, disposed in that order. an inverted Tarrangement with the Up Arrow key on the top 4. The compact keyboard of claim 1, wherein the plurality and the Down Arrow, Left Arrow and Right Arrow keys on of alpha-numeric keys includes a navigation Section com the bottom, wherein the Up Arrow key occupies the fifth row prising Insert, Delete, Page Up, and Page Down keys of the navigation section 200 between the text entry section disposed in Single a column above the first arrow key. US 2002/0164188 A1 Nov. 7, 2002

5. The compact keyboard of claim 1, wherein the plurality Section; the numeric keypad Section comprises five rows of of alpha-numeric keys includes a text entry Section com alpha-numeric keys for the entry of numbers, the function prising an arrangement of rows of keys for the entry of text key Section comprises a row of function keys and Home and and numbers. End keys, the function key Section being disposed above the 6. The compact keyboard of claim 1, wherein the plurality text entry Section, navigation Section, and numeric keypad of alpha-numeric keys includes a numeric keypad entry Section; and the arrow key Section comprises Up Arrow, Section comprising an arrangement keys for the entry of Down Arrow, Left Arrow and Right Arrow keys disposed in numbers. an inverted Tarrangement with the Up Arrow key on the top 7. The compact keyboard of claim 6, wherein the arrow and the Down Arrow, Left Arrow and Right Arrow keys on key Section is disposed between the text entry Section and the bottom, wherein the Up Arrow key occupies the fifth row the numeric keypad Section. of the navigation Section between the text entry Section and 8. The compact keyboard of claim 1, further comprising the numeric keypad Section and the Down Arrow, Left a function key Section disposed above the topmost row of the Arrow and Right Arrow keys are disposed in a sixth row plurality of alpha-numeric keys. below the lowermost rows of the text entry section and the 9. The compact keyboard of claim 8, wherein the function numeric keypad Section. key Section comprises a row of function keys and includes 12. The compact keyboard of claim 11, wherein the the and . function key Section further comprises indicators for dis 10. The compact keyboard of claim 8, wherein the func playing whether Num Lock, Caps Lock or Scroll Lock are tion keys are reduced to three quarters the height of the activated. plurality of alpha-numeric keys. 13. The compact keyboard of claim 11, wherein the arrow 11. A compact keyboard comprising a text entry Section, keys are reduced to three quarters the height of the other a navigation Section, a numeric keypad Section, a function keys. key Section, and an arrow key Section, wherein the text entry 14. The compact keyboard of claim 11, wherein the Section comprises an arrangement of keys including five function keys are reduced to three quarters the height of the rows of alpha-numeric keys for the entry of text and num other keyS. bers; the navigation Section is disposed adjacent to and 15. The compact keyboard of claim 11, wherein the between the text entry Section and the numeric keypad navigation Section is set off from the text entry Section and Section, the navigation Section comprising Insert, Delete, the numeric keyboard Section by a Small gap. Page Up, and Page Down keys disposed in a single column corresponding to the row one through four in the Text entry k k k k k