(12) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. No.: US 2002/0150416A1 Vandruff (43) Pub
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US 2002O150416A1 '(19) United States (12) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. No.: US 2002/0150416A1 VanDruff (43) Pub. Date: Oct. 17, 2002 (54) MODAL COMPUTER KEYBOARD (52) U.S. Cl. .............................................................. 400/103 STENOGRAPHY EMULATION APPARATUS AND METHOD (76) Inventor: Dean VanDruff, Dallas, TX (US) (57) ABSTRACT Correspondence Address: DEAN VANDRUFF An apparatus and method to change the mode of computer 1422O PIKE ROAD SARATOGA, CA 95070 (US) keyboard use from alpha-numeric language orientation to become a Stenotype keyboard where the keys change mean (21) Appl. No.: 09/832,915 ing for this purpose is provided. The present invention is unique in that it uses a Standard computer keyboard without (22) Filed: Apr. 11, 2001 requiring mechanical changes or modifications. The appa Publication Classification ratus and method thus provide the ability to Stenotype on any qualified Standard or future keyboard as long as appropriate (51) Int. Cl." .................................. B41J 5/12; B41J 5/08 Software is installed on the computer. 220 SEWSNG MECHAWS 230 200 KEYBOARD INTERFACE 250 CATSOFTWARE OR WORD PROCESSOR Patent Application Publication Oct. 17, 2002 Sheet 1 of 2 US 2002/0150416A1 FIG. A 202 208 204 216 HOSTIPCI MAIN AUDIO B 206 210 214 218 219 - - - - - - - - - - - A232 LAN EXPANSION BUS GRAPHICS AUDIO/WIDEO HOSTBUSADAPER n 220 222 224 1/ !----Y---------- 200 FIG. 1B 20 220 ACTUATABLE SEWSNG MECHANISM KEYBOARD FIG 2 INTERFACE 250 PROCESSOR CATSOFTWAREPREESSR OR Patent Application Publication Oct. 17, 2002 Sheet 2 of 2 US 2002/0150416A1 UMBER BAR 1 2 3 4 6 7, 8 9 PPER BANK Swest." W 5 0 g WO WEL BANK FIG. 3 (D.D., (, BACK CAPSASDFGHIJKL.EEE RETURN SHIFT ZOXCVBNDM6 (DOSHIFT) CTRLOALDO SPACE ALDOOCTR) FIG. 4 O 123456)78)90OO SKCWR*RBGSZEEEC OOOADOEUOOOOO (OOO OOOO) FIG. 5 Gstaat) (FEAFRECEIVE IDENTIFYEP i.APPLY INPUT5; CEND FIG. 6 US 2002/O150416 A1 Oct. 17, 2002 MODAL COMPUTER KEYBOARD ware a Stenotypist can build up a user dictionary of unique STENOGRAPHY EMULATION APPARATUS AND keystroke definitions for words, “training” the software over METHOD time with custom inputs. The advance of Stenotype Software in general is important in the context of the present invention BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION because to acceSS Such Software nearly all in the art Still attach an external Steno machine to a computer System. 0001) 1. Technical Field 0002 The present invention is directed to emulate a 0010 Advanced Steno machines have on-board comput Stenography machine on a Standard layout computer key ers that run CAT Software within the Steno machine itself, board. More Specifically, the present invention is directed to which then can display real-time translation on a LCD an apparatus and method to change the mode of computer Screen which is built-in. In this case, more computer func keyboard use from QWERTY orientation to become a tions have migrated into the Steno machine, further increas Virtual Stenography machine where the keys change mean ing its cost. ing for this purpose. 0011 A particular invention of note in keyboard hard 0003 2. Description of Related Art ware is a “hybrid” approach of combining Stenography and traditional typing, the only known implementation of which 0004 Machine stenographic (steno) typing has evolved is Eric & Dorothy Goldwasser's U.S. Pat. No. RE34,304, into a well-established industry of shorthand language entry. Jul. 6, 1993. This, of course, requires a modified, hybrid, It is primarily used in legal Settings Such as court reporting, “quasi' keyboard; so it is markedly different from what is but also for closed-captioning and other applications for the hereafter being proposed in the present invention. But Since hearing impaired. The format for Stenotyping is based on a a few of the same objectives are addressed the differences standard key layout that is well known in the art, which will will be highlighted. The Goldwasser's have an apparatus herein be referred to as Stenotype. patent that Slants the keys in the Second and third rows of a 0005 The principal skill of stenotyping is mental inter modified computer keyboard and puts them at Substantially pretation: language is broken down into a Schema of pho the Same height, So that pressing Upper and Lower Bank netic or spelling components which are then input by keys at the Same time for Stenotyping is made easy. There is pressing a key or keys on the Steno machine. Some common also mention in the Goldwasser's patent of a “Stroke Typing words are input by pressing multiple keys Simultaneously. System’ which appears to allow both regular typing and Stenotyping to be done simultaneously, where the computer 0006 The actual speed of pressing keystrokes for an Software figures out which is meant; or alternately using an expert Stenographer is not particularly fast compared to the external foot pedal to designate whether Steno or regular finger Speed of a Speed typewriter keyboard typist, as the typing is meant. This is different from the present invention principle skill of Stenotyping is the mental expertise of which is decidedly modal and does not require any addi translation into keystrokes. With this efficiency of move tional hardware or simultaneous typing/Steno key interpre ment more than 225 words a minute can be input by an tation software to function. More importantly, the Goldwass expert Stenotypist, about 3-4 times the Speed of an expert er's patent is by definition a special keyboard layout typewriter typist, and well above the average Speed of apparatus, not a Standard keyboard. Speech. Due to the inherent advantages of Stenotype in inputting human language, it has become Standard in court 0012. In addition to the hardware cost barrier mentioned reporting, medical transcription, and other fields where earlier, there is a psychological performance barrier for Speed and accuracy are critical. Stenotyping as well. Machine Steno skill is easy to directly measure, and only those who are exceptionally good at it 0007. A standard stenotype machine typically costs will be able to pass the high bar of performance required to between 2 thousand and 4 thousand dollars. Given this, become a professional. Typical for court reporting Schools is typically only professionals. Such as court reporters can that only about 1 in 5 people who start can make the grade. afford Such an investment. The trouble is: how is a person to know in advance if they 0008 Attempts have been made to improve or enhance will be good enough? An inherent Self-confidence is needed the fundamental mechanical layout of the Stenotype at the onset, which is a Substantial barrier for many who machine, but there is Strong momentum to maintain the basic might otherwise be very good Stenotypists. Because of this Standard. An analogy would be to try to "enhance” or and the high costs of Steno machines, at present the Skill of improve the basic piano keyboard; Such might appeal to a Stenotyping is largely a “professional only concern. few, but overall there is a strong impetus to avoid an odd or 0013 What is needed is a means for interested users to be modified format. AS well, the Standard Stenotype keyboard able to learn and use Stenotyping without the need for an layout has considerable virtuosity and can be used in ways expensive Steno machine, or custom quasi-Steno keyboard, to provide needed variations without requiring a “new” kind or for that matter any additional hardware investment or of keyboard. Given this, any “new” format is going to have addition; and without the idea that they must be extremely to fight the tide of tradition for market acceptance in a field good at it for it to be worthwhile to learn. A few examples where there is little need for change. are: A) the student who wants to take notes of class lectures; 0009 Standard steno machines are now routinely B) the businessperson wanting to take full notes of portions coupled to computers. The advantage of coupling with a of a meeting or business negotiation; C) a person wanting a computer is that the input from the Stenotype machine can be real-time written record of a telephone conversation; D) the interpreted real-time by Computer Aided Transcription need to write in general at the Speed of thought. None of (CAT) Software and other post-processing Software (such as these can reasonably be done with normal typewriting, but Computer Integrated Courtroom software). Using CAT soft neither are these applications of Such importance that "over US 2002/O150416 A1 Oct. 17, 2002 kill' skills are required either. Such users might never be fast use from alpha-numeric language orientation to become a enough to work as professional Stenographers at the court Stenotype input keyboard where the keys change meaning house or to produce close-caption in a live broadcast, but for this purpose. might Still make themselves much more productive in life by 0018. The present invention implements a best-fit steno learning to Stenotype. type mapping onto the Standard computer keyboard which is 0.014. Additionally, it would be of occasional benefit for unique in that no keyboard mechanical layout or key-shape professional Stenographers to be able to use a Standard modifications are required, nor is any other external hard computer keyboard or notebook computer to Stenotype in ware required to operate. The present invention thus pro the case where a Steno machine is unavailable or inconve vides the ability to Stenotype on a Standard computer System nient for whatever reason. Such a capability (the present and Standard computer keyboard. invention) is not likely to be preferred by professional Stenographers over the tactile Superiority of a traditional 0019 While the mechanical layout of the standard com purpose-built Steno machine; but it would make a conve puter keyboard is less than perfect for Stenography, this nient back-up System, a means to practice, and allow for use drawback is offset by the ubiquity and convenience of of Stenotyping skills when a Stenotype machine was unavail Standard computer keyboards.