Touch type keyboard with home row embedded cursor control

Abstract

A touch-type keyboard having shifted functions accessed by a concurrent combination of multiple home row keys. Cursor control keys embedded in the home row of a touch-type keyboard. Cursor key functions are mapped to a location on a home row and an immediately adjacent location. Access to the cursor control functions is provided by concurrently actuating at least one other home row key. One embodiment includes key configurations to reduce hand motion, and labeling configurations to reduce visual clutter. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A touch type keyboard comprising:
 an array of tactile keys defining a home row of locations that allow each of 8 fingers to rest concurrently in the course of touch-typing, and providing single stroke access to every letter of a full alphabet through unique locations on the array; and   a controller that records a timestamp for each of a plurality of key actuation events at different key locations, and   
       wherein the actuation of at least one of the home row locations while actuating a second location, alters a function of a third location in the array to a different keyboard function based, at least in part, on a temporal sequence of the timestamps; and
 wherein the sequence can be evaluated after the events have occurred. 
 
     
     
         2 . The keyboard of  claim 1  wherein the concurrent actuation of at least two locations maintains the altered function of the third location only during the concurrent actuation. 
     
     
         3 . The keyboard of  claim 1  wherein the concurrent actuation of at least two locations activates a latched state which maintains the altered function of the third location for some period after the concurrent actuation. 
     
     
         4 . The keyboard of  claim 1  wherein the second location and the third location having the altered function are the same location. 
     
     
         5 . The keyboard of  claim 1  wherein an alphabetic function location is altered to a cursor key function at a same location. 
     
     
         6 . The keyboard of  claim 5  wherein a set of cursor key functions is arranged in an inverted T pattern of locations. 
     
     
         7 . The keyboard of  claim 5  wherein actuating an additional location on the array while operating a cursor key produces a cursor function that allows selection of a range of text. 
     
     
         8 . The keyboard of  claim 1  wherein the altered function is at least one of copy, paste, undo, redo, go to beginning of line, go to end of line, go to next word, select next word go to previous word, select previous word, go to next sentence, go to previous sentence, select next sentence, select previous sentence, go to next paragraph, select next paragraph, go to previous paragraph, select previous paragraph, page up, page down, go to start of page, go to end of page, go to start of document, go to end of document, an edit control, a cursor selection control for a zone of text, play, pause, fast forward, rewind, skip forward, skip backward, volume up, volume down, mute, and a media control. 
     
     
         9 . The keyboard of  claim 1  wherein numeric functions are associated with a same finger used on a typewriter keyboard. 
     
     
         10 . The keyboard of  claim 9  wherein symbol functions associated with number keys are associated with a same finger used on at least one of a QWERTY or AZERTY typewriter keyboard. 
     
     
         11 . The keyboard of  claim 1  integrated with a computer having a display. 
     
     
         12 . A touch type keyboard comprising:
 an array of tactile keys defining a home row and a rest location for each of eight fingers on the home row;   the array having discrete locations corresponding to all the letters of an alphabet and all numbers 0 through 9;   wherein multiple functions reside at a same location; and wherein at least one location has at least three layers of functions;   wherein indicia for a first layer of alphabet functions is in a first color different from a background color,   wherein at least one other layer of functions is distinguished by at least one of dimensionally engraved or raised markings that are not colored differently from the background   wherein indicia for three layers of functions are permanently marked on a physical surface of the tactile keys.   
     
     
         13 . The keyboard of  claim 12  wherein at least one layer is distinguished by indicia of a different color than both the indicia corresponding to a first layer and the background color. 
     
     
         14 . The keyboard of  claim 12  wherein at least one layer is distinguished by indicia of a different scale than the markings on the first layer. 
     
     
         15 . The keyboard of  claim 12  integrated into a computer having a display.