Multilayout Keyboard With Dynamic Light Reflector
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users face difficulties in switching between different keyboard layouts on physical keyboards, leading to confusion and a tedious user experience due to static key assignments, which often requires multiple keyboards for different languages or applications.
Innovation Solution
A keyboard system that uses controllable light sources and mirror or prism assemblies to dynamically change the characters or symbols displayed on keys, allowing a single keyboard to adapt to multiple layouts, such as different languages, by selectively illuminating portions of the keys to present various characters or symbols.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a physical keyboard uses static key imprints for different languages, then the keyboard structure remains simple and reliable, but the user experience deteriorates due to confusion and the need to memorize reassignments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the keyboard layout changeable through software control. The physical keyboard structure remains static, but the visual representation of keys dynamically changes to display different language layouts, allowing the keyboard to adapt to multiple languages without physical reconfiguration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical approach of having multiple physical keyboards with different key imprints with a software-based system. Instead of mechanically changing the physical key labels, the system uses a display interface to show different layouts, substituting mechanical complexity with electronic control.
2Ease of operation
If multiple physical keyboards are used for different languages, then each keyboard provides clear visual cues for its specific layout, but the device complexity and user burden increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements universality by designing a single physical keyboard that can serve multiple language layouts. The keyboard hardware remains universal and unchanged, while the software layer provides multi-functionality by displaying different language configurations, allowing one keyboard to replace multiple language-specific keyboards.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the functionality of multiple language-specific keyboards into a single unified device. By combining the physical keyboard structure with a software-based layout display system, it consolidates what would require multiple separate keyboards into one integrated solution.
3Loss of information
If a displayed guide shows new key assignments, then users can see the current layout, but the display blocks other content and creates visual obstruction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent addresses the display space issue by utilizing the screen's two-dimensional space efficiently. The layout guide is displayed in a compact format that fits within the available screen real estate without blocking essential content, potentially using overlays or dedicated compact display areas.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables efficient and user-friendly input across multiple applications and languages with a single keyboard, improving user experience by providing dynamic and changeable layouts without obstructing mechanical key movement, thus offering tactile feedback and clear visual cues.
Implementation Method 1
A keyboard system that uses controllable light sources and mirror or prism assemblies to dynamically change the characters or symbols displayed on keys
Implementation Method 2
A keyboard system that uses controllable light sources and mirror or prism assemblies to dynamically change the characters or symbols displayed on keys
Implementation Method 3
A keyboard system that uses controllable light sources and mirror or prism assemblies to dynamically change the characters or symbols displayed on keys
Data Source
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AI summary
A keyboard having multiple layouts includes depressible keys. A light reflector is positioned under at least some of the depressible keys with light sources configured to emit light towards the light reflectors. The light impinges on one of a plurality of reflective surfaces of the light reflectors and is reflected towards a corresponding depressible key under which the light reflector is positioned to cause a character or symbol to appear on a surface of the depressible keys. A switch allows a user to selectively control the character or symbol appearing on the surfaces of the depressible keys, resulting in more efficient input for the multiple layouts that improves the user experience.