Modified keyboard and systems containing the keyboard

Abstract

A keyboard can be modified to facilitate use in a variety of applications such as, for example, gaming. Examples of modifications include, but are not limited to, placing a numeric keypad to the left of an alphanumeric keypad, having particular keys with a different color, changing the relative arrangement of keys, adding new keys, and moving functions to different sites on the keyboard.

1 . A keyboard, comprising: 
 an alphanumeric keypad; and    a numeric pad disposed to the left of the alphanumeric keypad.    
     
     
         2 . The keyboard of  claim 1 , wherein the numeric keypad is arranged with numbers 7, 8, and 9 in a first row, numbers 4, 2, and 6 in a second row, and numbers 1, 5, and 3 in a third row.  
     
     
         3 . The keyboard of  claim 2 , wherein keys representing numbers 2, 4, 8, and 6 are a different color than a remainder of the keys of the numeric keypad.  
     
     
         4 . The keyboard of  claim 1 , wherein the numeric keypad comprises an up arrow key, a down arrow key, a right arrow key and a left arrow key.  
     
     
         5 . The keyboard of  claim 4 , wherein the numeric keypad is arranged with the up arrow key in a first row of the numeric keypad and the down arrow key, the right arrow key, and the left arrow key disposed in a second row of the numeric keypad with the down arrow key directly below and in alignment with the up arrow key and the right and left arrow keys directly adjacent on respective right and left sides of the down arrow key.  
     
     
         6 . The keyboard of  claim 4 , wherein up arrow key, down arrow key, right arrow key, and left arrow key are a different color than a remainder of the keys of the numeric keypad.  
     
     
         7 . The keyboard of  claim 1 , wherein the numeric keypad has no more than nine keys.  
     
     
         8 . The keyboard of  claim 1 , further comprising directional keys disposed in the alphanumeric keypad with an up arrow key in a first row of the alphanumeric keypad and a down arrow key, a right arrow key, and a left arrow key disposed in a second row of the alphanumeric keypad with the down arrow key directly below and in alignment with the up arrow key and the right and left arrow keys directly adjacent to the down arrow key.  
     
     
         9 . The keyboard of  claim 8 , wherein up arrow key, down arrow key, right arrow key, and left arrow key of the alphanumeric keypad are a different color than adjacent keys of the alphanumeric keypad.  
     
     
         10 . The keyboard of  claim 1 , further comprising a space bar disposed within the numeric keypad.  
     
     
         11 . The keyboard of  claim 1 , further comprising a space bar disposed below the numeric keypad.  
     
     
         12 . The keyboard of  claim 1 , wherein the alphanumeric keypad comprises a row of function keys arranged from at least F1 to F12 and the caps lock function is associated with the function keys.  
     
     
         13 . The keyboard of  claim 1 , wherein the caps lock function is only associated with the function keys.  
     
     
         14 . The keyboard of  claim 1 , wherein the alphanumeric keypad comprises a first row comprising number keys arranged from 1 to 9 and a second row comprising function keys arranged from F1 to F9 and the function keys F1 to F9 are disposed directly above and in alignment with numbers 1 to 9, respectively.  
     
     
         15 . The keyboard of  claim 1 , wherein the alphanumeric keypad has a QWERTY arrangement of numbers and letters and a space bar disposed along a bottom row of the alphanumeric keypad with the space bar arranged to extend at least partially below the A and S keys.  
     
     
         16 . A keyboard comprising: 
 an alphanumeric keypad comprising a row of function keys arranged from at least F1 to F12, wherein the caps lock function is associated with the (action keys.    
     
     
         17 . The keyboard of  claim 16 , wherein the number lock and print screen functions are associated with the function keys.  
     
     
         18 . The keyboard of  claim 16 , wherein the scroll lock function is associated with the function keys.  
     
     
         19 . The keyboard of  claim 16 , wherein the pause function is associated with the function keys.  
     
     
         20 . The keyboard of  claim 16 , wherein the caps lock function is only associated with the function keys.  
     
     
         21 - 30 . (canceled)