Ultra-compact mobile touch-type keyboard

Abstract

An ultra compact mobile keyboard. The keyboard has a plurality of mechanical keys suitable for touch typing. Each such key has a travel distance sufficient to provide a touch type feel and a rigid cap for crisp actuation by a user. The keyboard has a deployed configuration for touch-typing use and a collapsed configuration for transport and storage. In the collapsed configuration, the keyboard fits within bounding volume of less than 180 cubic centimeters.

1 . An apparatus comprising:
 at least two discrete dissociable elements that, when dissociated, have no physical connection there between and that, when associated, collectively form a touch type keyboard;   a battery residing in a first of the discrete dissociable elements;   a wireless transceiver residing in one of the first dissociable element and a second dissociable element;   wherein the keyboard in a deployed configuration has a footprint on a work surface of less than 180 square centimeters.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising:
 an interface between the first dissociable element and the second dissociable element; and 
 wherein when the elements are associated, the interface carries both a power signal and a data signal between the first dissociable element and the second dissociable element. 
 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2  wherein the power signal and data signal are transmitted over a same conductor and wherein the power signal is disconnected from the conductor during a data window. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein each element comprises:
 a magnetic mass, and wherein corresponding pairs of magnetic masses physically couple the elements. 
 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4  wherein the magnetic masses provide a power and data signal path between dissociable elements. 
     
     
         6 . An apparatus comprising:
 at least two discrete dissociable elements that, when dissociated, have no physical connection there between and that, when associated, collectively form a touch type keyboard;   a battery residing in a first of the discrete dissociable elements;   a wireless transceiver residing in one of the first dissociable element and a second dissociable element;   wherein the keyboard has a deployed configuration and a collapsed configuration, and wherein the collapsed configuration can fit within a bounding volume of less than 180 cubic centimeters.   
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6  wherein each element comprises:
 a magnetic mass, and wherein corresponding pairs of magnetic masses physically couple the elements. 
 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 6  wherein the magnetic masses provide a power and data signal path between dissociable elements.