Diagonal On-Screen Keyboard for Ergonomic Mobile Typing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional keyboards for mobile communication devices are inefficient due to their vertical orientation, which leads to uncomfortable typing positions, limited accessibility of keys, especially on smaller devices, and obstruction of screen data by the keyboard layout.
Innovation Solution
A diagonally oriented and configurable virtual or physical keyboard with arc-shaped keys that accommodate finger length, allowing single-handed use and visibility of underlying application data, with adjustable transparency and key sizes, and the ability to dynamically change configurations using low-order bits of the ARGB display screen.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a standard vertical QWERTY keyboard layout is used, then the keyboard structure is simple and familiar to users, but the typing position becomes uncomfortable and the keys are not easily accessible on smaller devices
Solution Approach 1:
The keyboard is rotated 45 degrees diagonally across the screen rather than using the traditional vertical orientation. This dimensional change allows the keyboard to extend from corner to corner of the device, creating more ergonomic angles for finger approach while maintaining all standard keys and functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The keyboard configuration is made dynamic and adjustable, allowing users to rotate the keyboard orientation (e.g., 45-degree diagonal, vertical, horizontal) and reposition it anywhere on the screen. This dynamic adaptability enables users to find the most comfortable typing position for their specific device size and hand geometry.
2Ease of operation
If the keyboard is positioned to cover the screen for data entry, then key accessibility is improved, but the underlying application data becomes obscured
Solution Approach 1:
The keyboard is made semi-transparent, allowing users to see the underlying application data through the keyboard area. This local quality change enables simultaneous visibility of both the keyboard keys and the application content beneath, eliminating the need to choose between data visibility and key accessibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The keyboard is positioned diagonally across the screen rather than horizontally at the bottom, which changes the spatial relationship between the keyboard and the application content. This diagonal orientation reduces overlap with typical form fields and data areas, improving simultaneous visibility of both keyboard and underlying data.
3Measurement precision
If the keyboard size is increased to make keys larger and more visible, then typing accuracy improves, but the keyboard occupies more screen space and may obscure more data
Solution Approach 1:
By rotating the keyboard 45 degrees diagonally, the keyboard utilizes the diagonal space of the device more efficiently. This allows for larger key sizes while occupying less of the horizontal screen width, as the diagonal orientation better matches the natural spread of user fingers across the device.
Solution Approach 2:
The semi-transparent quality of the keyboard allows larger key areas to be displayed without completely blocking underlying content, effectively increasing key size and visibility while minimizing the negative impact on data visibility.
4Adaptability or versatility
If the keyboard is fixed in a standard position, then the configuration is simple, but it cannot accommodate different user hand sizes and typing preferences
Solution Approach 1:
The keyboard is designed with dynamic positioning capabilities, allowing it to be rotated to different orientations (vertical, horizontal, diagonal) and moved to any location on the screen. Users can adjust the keyboard to match their hand size, typing style, and device geometry, making the system adaptable to diverse user needs.
Solution Approach 2:
The keyboard system provides multiple configuration options including different orientations, positions, and transparency levels, making it universally adaptable to various user preferences, device sizes, and usage scenarios while maintaining a single unified keyboard interface.
Data Source
AI summary
A keyboard includes rows of keys defining a keyboard axis and side borders of the keyboard, the keyboard axis disposed mediate the side borders of the keyboard, the rows of keys disposed in series with each other along the keyboard axis, and the keyboard axis being disposed at an acute or obtuse angle relative to a user of the keyboard and being generally aligned along a length of an arm of the user holding the keyboard. Each key may be also defined by a unique region of numeric values or a unique region of color pixels allowing ease in changing keyboard location, size and orientation.