Input keyboards are disclosed for typewriters, computer terminals, and other devices processing alphanumeric information that maximize entry rates and stroking accuracy, and minimize finger motions and the time needed to master the keyboard. A general method is also disclosed of designing such keyboards for any alphabetic language. The invention places the space key and four common vowels directly under the fingers of the left hand, and five common consonants directly under the fingers of the right hand. Two-finger chord strokes generate common two-character sequences belonging to the same hand. The keyboards are split into rotated halves containing curved key rows and slanted key tops of variable height to follow the architecture of the hand. The invention includes keyboards for English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese.
A method and apparatus for selectively key-inputting a Kanji (Chinese and Japanese ideogram) in a Japanese sentence are disclosed. The operator keys-in a reading of a desired Kanji through a keyboard, and candidate Kanjis for that reading are displayed on a display screen so that the operator chooses a relevant Kanji for entry out of the displayed candidate Kanjis. In entering the reading of a Kanji, blocks which are in correspondence to character keys located in home positions of the keyboard and in the neighborhood thereof are displayed on the display screen and candidate Kanjis corresponding to the reading of the desired Kanji are displayed in the blocks. The operator then keys a character key corresponding to a relevant candidate Kanji displayed on the display screen.
This disclosure relates to data input system keyboards that are designed in accordance with human engineering principles for use in conjunction with a specific data input activity. Each keyboard has a plurality of keys adapted for actuation in response to minimum movement of the fingers of an operator and each having a substantially smooth upper surface to facilitate sliding movement of the fingers of the operator between the keys of the keyboard. The keys of each keyboard are arranged such that the most often used keys are situated in the most readily accessible locations with respect to the fingers of the operator, and with keys which are frequently utilized in sequence. That is, the keys that comprise digraphs & trigrams as well as keys carrying individual words or characters used frequently in sequence are positioned adjacent one another. The keys may be arranged along arcuate paths corresponding to the natural movement of the fingers, hands, and arms of the operator.
A computer implemented method for allowing the entry of text in any number of languages using any keyboard chosen by the user. The computer implemented method monitors a user's keystrokes detecting the entry of multiple identical consecutive keystrokes of any diacritical character in a predefined set of characters, then maps the keystrokes to replacement characters. A diacritical character is a character with diacritical variations that change the sound or accent of that character. A predefined set of characters is that set of characters defined as the characters in a predefined or selected language that have diacritical variations. Thus, once multiple identical consecutive keystrokes of any key are detected, the method determines whether the multiple keystrokes are of a diacritical character or whether they are of some other character. If they are of a diacritical character, then the method maps the multiple keystrokes to a replacement character that is distinct from the diacritical character, otherwise, normal keystroke processing continues.
A typewriter keyboard arranged to take into account the frequency of occurrence of letters so that the keys for the most frequently occurring letters are positioned for easiest operation by the typist. Account is also taken of the frequency of occurrence of consecutive letters so that one finger or thumb will not have to operate different keys in rapid succession. The keyboard further includes keys to form letters or functional operations operable by the thumb. In one embodiment, two pluralities of keys are provided for operation by the fingers of the left and right hands, respectively, and two further pluralities of keys are provided for operation by the right and left thumbs, respectively.Each of the four pluralities of keys is arranged on a surface which is concave in two orthogonal directions.
A keyboard arrangement suitable for use in typewriters, word processors, computer terminals and the like includes a number of manually actuable key members supported in a given array. Different letter formats can be selected for those key members corresponding to letter characters, wherein each of the letter chracter key members is made to correspond to a selected one of at least two different letters. Accordingly, a user can select, for example, either the conventional typewriter letter format or a new format wherein letters are assigned to the key members according to the frequency of use of the letters in a given language and the relative ease of accessibility of each key member to the fingers of the user's hands. In one embodiment, the key members in the left-hand portion of the keyboard array are arranged in columns which slope downwardly toward the left side of the array, and the key members in the right hand portion of the array form columns which slope downwardly toward the right side of the array.
