Apparatus to permit use of a computer pointing device within the footprint of a keyboard

Abstract

Apparatus for supporting a computer pointing device such as a mechanical or optical mouse or a track ball unit within the footprint of a keyboard. The apparatus supports the pointing device over the keys of a computer keyboard to permit full use of both the pointing device and the keys. The apparatus comprises a platform positionable over at least a portion of the keyboard to support the pointing device and regions formed in the platform to permit manipulation of the keyboard keys through the platform. The regions can be openings through the platform to allow a user's fingers to press the keys directly. The regions can be deformable to permit a user to manipulate the keys underneath the platform indirectly. Alternatively, the keyboard itself can be designed with keys having specially shaped surfaces to support a pointing device.

I claim:  
     
         1 . Apparatus for supporting a computer pointing device over the keys of a computer keyboard comprising: 
 a surface positionable over at least a portion of the keyboard to support a pointing device; and    means to permit manipulation of the keyboard keys formed in the surface.    
     
     
         2 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  in which the surface is a rigid surface and the means to permit manipulation of the keys comprises at least one opening through the surface, each of the at least one openings permitting access to at least one key.  
     
     
         3 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 2  including a fold of resilient material defining a pocket associated with the at least one opening in the rigid surface, the fold of resilient material supporting a key engaging member.  
     
     
         4 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  including rigid support legs to position the surface over the computer keyboard.  
     
     
         5 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 4  in which the support legs rest on a surface of the keyboard.  
     
     
         6 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 4  in which the support legs rest on a surface that supports the keyboard.  
     
     
         7 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  in which the means to permit manipulation of the keys comprises a frame supported by legs having at least one opening therethrough and a deformable layer extending over the at least one opening to permit pressing of the keys by applying pressure to the resilient surface.  
     
     
         8 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  in which the surface is a resilient surface and the means to permit manipulation of the keys comprises deformable regions of the resilient surface to allow pressing of the keys by applying pressure to the resilient surface.  
     
     
         9 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 8  in which the resilient surface includes indicia to indicate the positions of the keys below the surface.  
     
     
         10 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 8  in which the resilient surface is translucent for viewing of the keys below the surface.  
     
     
         11 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 8  in which the resilient surface is formed with folds to accommodate deformation of the resilient layer.  
     
     
         12 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  in which the surface is a resilient member having a lower side to engage a surface of the keyboard and an upper side positioned above the keys to support the pointing device.  
     
     
         13 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 12  in which the means to permit manipulation of the keys comprises at least one opening extending through the resilient member from the lower side to the upper side, each of the at least one openings permitting access to at least one key.  
     
     
         14 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 12  in which resilient member is formed from a material selected from the group consisting of foam, rubber, plastic and thermoplastic elastomer.  
     
     
         15 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  including a resilient region to support the wrist of a user.  
     
     
         16 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 15  in which the resilient region is a gel cushion.  
     
     
         17 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  in which the one of the surface and the pointing device includes a magnet and the other includes a material attracted to the magnet to assist in retaining the pointing device on the surface.  
     
     
         18 . Apparatus for supporting a computer pointing device over the keys of a computer keyboard comprising: 
 a platform positionable over at least a portion of the keyboard to support a pointing device; and    deformable regions in the platform to permit manipulation of the keyboard keys through the platform.    
     
     
         19 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 18  in which the platform includes a resilient layer having a lower surface formed with key engaging members and an upper surface to support the pointing device.  
     
     
         20 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 19  in which the platform includes a lower layer to support the resilient layer above the keys.  
     
     
         21 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 19  in which the lower surface includes a plurality of downwardly extending posts, each post being adapted to engage at least one key.  
     
     
         22 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 21  in which the resilient layer is formed with folds of material adjacent each post to accommodate deformation of the resilient layer.  
     
     
         23 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 21  in which each post is formed with a convex surface to engage with the corresponding concave surface of the key.  
     
     
         24 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 19  in which the lower surface is formed with a plurality of recesses, each recess being dimensioned to receive at least one key.  
     
     
         25 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 24  in which each recess is formed to enclose the key about four sides and the top of the key.  
     
     
         26 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 19  in which the upper surface is marked with indicia to indicate the positions of the keys below the platform.  
     
     
         27 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 18  including a resilient region to support the wrist of a user.  
     
     
         28 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 27  in which the resilient region is a gel cushion.  
     
     
         29 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 18  in which one of the platform and the pointing device includes a magnet and the other includes a material attracted to the magnet to assist in retaining the pointing device on the platform.  
     
     
         30 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 18  in which the platform includes a rigid layer having a plurality of openings through the layer with an upper surface to support the pointing device and a lower surface formed with fold of resilient material defining a pocket associated with each of the plurality of openings, each pocket being deformable to permit pressing of at least one key below the rigid layer.  
     
     
         31 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 30  in which the platform includes a lower layer to support the rigid layer above the keys.  
     
     
         32 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 30  in which each pocket is formed with a downwardly extending post to engage at least one key.  
     
     
         33 . Apparatus for supporting a computer pointing device over the keys of a computer keyboard comprising: 
 a lower layer with at least one opening therethrough corresponding to at least one key on the keyboard;    an upper deformable layer over the lower layer of sufficient rigidity to support a pointing device and deformable to permit manipulation of the keyboard keys through the at least one opening.    
     
     
         34 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 33  in which the at least one opening in the lower layer comprises a plurality of openings with each opening corresponding to a group of keys on the keyboard.  
     
     
         35 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 33  in which the lower layer has a lower surface to engage the keyboard and an upper surface to which the deformable layer is mounted, the lower layer being formed from a resilient material of sufficient thickness to position the deformable layer above the keys.  
     
     
         36 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 33  in which the deformable layer is formed with downwardly depending posts adapted to engage with keys of the keyboard.  
     
     
         37 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 36  in which the deformable layer is formed with folds of material adjacent each post to accommodate deformation of the deformable layer.  
     
     
         38 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 35  in which the upper surface is marked with indicia to indicate the positions of the keys below the platform.  
     
     
         39 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 33  including a resilient region in the lower layer to support the wrist of a user.  
     
     
         40 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 33  in which the resilient region is a gel cushion.  
     
     
         41 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 33  in which one of the upper layer and the pointing device includes a magnet and the other includes a material attracted to the magnet to assist in retaining the pointing device on the upper layer.  
     
     
         42 . In a keyboard for a computer, the keyboard having a plurality of depressible keys, the improvement comprising at least a portion of the keys being formed with top surfaces that co-operate to define a planar surface to support a pointing device.  
     
     
         43 . A keyboard as claimed in  claim 42  in which each key of the at least a portion of the keys comprises a generally parallelepiped body with sides that are parallel to the sides of adjacent keys and a flat top surface.  
     
     
         44 . A keyboard as claimed in  claim 43  in which the keys are positioned with minimal spacing between adjacent top surfaces such that the planar surface is substantially continuous.  
     
     
         45 . A keyboard as claimed in  claim 42  in which each key of the at least a portion of the keys comprises a generally trapezoidal body with a wider base tapering to a narrower flat top surface such that the planar surface is defined by a plurality of discrete flat surfaces.  
     
     
         46 . A keyboard as claimed in  claim 42  in which each key of the at least a portion of the keys comprises a generally trapezoidal body with a wider top surface tapering to a narrower base with minimal spacing between adjacent top surfaces such that the planar surface is substantially continuous.  
     
     
         47 . A keyboard as claimed in  claim 42  in which each key of the at least a portion of the keys includes a high friction material on the top surface of the key.  
     
     
         48 . A keyboard as claimed in  claim 42  in which the keys of the keyboard are arranged to include an alpha-numeric key region and an extended key region having an editing key region, a cursor key region, and a numeric key region with keys of the extended key region being formed with top surfaces that co-operate to define a planar surface to support a pointing device.  
     
     
         49 . A keyboard as claimed in  claim 42  in which the keys of the keyboard are arranged into an editing key region, a cursor key region, and a numeric key region.  
     
     
         50 . A keyboard as claimed in  claim 42  in which each key of the at least a portion of the keys includes a rigid central post supporting an upper platform of resilient material extending about the perimeter of the central post to define a top surface of the key.  
     
     
         51 . A keyboard as claimed in  claim 42  in which each key of the at least a portion of the keys includes an upper platform of resilient material mounted over a rigid central post.  
     
     
         52 . A keyboard as claimed in  claim 42  in which each key of the at least a portion of the keys includes an central post and an upper platform formed from resilient material.  
     
     
         53 . A keyboard for a computer comprising: 
 a plurality of depressible keys for inputting information into the computer having first top surfaces; and    a plurality of depressible keys for inputting information to the computer having second top surfaces for defining a planar surface to support a pointing device.    
     
     
         54 . A keyboard as claimed in  claim 53  in which the plurality of depressible keys having second top surfaces is formed as at least one group of keys in a separate keyboard housing that is integrated with a housing for the plurality of depressible keys having first top surfaces.  
     
     
         55 . A keyboard as claimed in  claim 53  in which the plurality of depressible keys having second top surfaces is formed as at least one group of keys in a separate housing that is releasably connectable to a separate housing for the plurality of depressible keys having first top surfaces.  
     
     
         56 . A keyboard unit for a computer comprising: 
 a housing;    a plurality of depressible keys mounted within the housing and formed with top surfaces that co-operate to define a planar surface to support a pointing device.    
     
     
         57 . A keyboard unit as claimed in  claim 56  in which the keyboard unit is pivotally connectable to a main keyboard.  
     
     
         58 . Apparatus for supporting a computer pointing device over the keys of a computer keyboard comprising a plurality of key caps, each key cap being positionable over a key of the keyboard such that the plurality of key caps co-operate to define a platform to support a pointing device.  
     
     
         59 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 58  in which each key cap comprises a recess to receive a key and an upper surface to define a portion of the platform to support a pointing device.  
     
     
         60 . Apparatus for supporting a computer pointing device on a plurality of keys of a computer keyboard having a keyboard housing comprising a surface positionable about a plurality of keys on the keyboard housing to create a raised surface co-extensive with a plurality of top surfaces of the keys to support the pointing device.