Keyless keyboard and a method of using thereof

Abstract

A novel keyless keyboard uses membrane switches or touch screen to generate keystroke signals, without traditional keycaps. The keyless keyboard can be folded to further reduce its size during storage. The keyless keyboard unfolds into a keyboard of normal desktop keyboard size for easy use. When touch screen is used, the keyboard is also a display screen.

1 . An apparatus for data input into an electronic device, comprising: 
 a plurality keypanels and a fold line in between two adjacent keypanels, along the fold lines, the keypanels can be folded, wherein the keypanels form a substantially smooth surface when unfolded, wherein the surface is divided into a plurality of keyareas and a unique keystroke signal can be generated by the keyarea when the keyarea is pressed; and    a connector through which the signals from keypanels are transmitted to the electronic device.    
     
     
         2 . The apparatus as in  claim 1 , wherein one keypanel further comprising a toggle key, and wherein a keyarea on the keypanels generates a different keystroke signal before and after the toggle key is pressed.  
     
     
         3 . The apparatus as in  claim 1 , wherein keyareas in a keypanel are arranged into colums and rows; 
 wherein each row is perpendicular to the fold lines;    wherein each column is parallel to the fold lines; and    wherein each row comprises at least two keyareas and each column comprises at least two keyareas.    
     
     
         4 . The apparatus as in  claim 1 , wherein the keypanel comprises a touch screen.  
     
     
         5 . The apparatus as in  claim 4 , wherein the size of keyarea is adjustable according to the sizes of a user's fingers.  
     
     
         6 . The apparatus as in  claim 4 , wherein the keypanel further comprises a displaying screen.  
     
     
         7 . The apparatus as in  claim 6 , wherein the touch screen and display screen comprises: 
 a) a layer of clear protective coat;    b) a layer of pressure sensitive sheet;    c) a layer of liquid crystal display; and    d) a layer of hard backing.    
     
     
         8 . The apparatus as in  claim 1 , wherein the keypanel comprises a membrane switch.  
     
     
         9 . The apparatus as in  claim 1 , wherein each keypanel is less than 90 mm high, less than 60 mm wide and less than 2 mm thick.  
     
     
         10 . The apparatus for data input into an electronic device as in  claim 1 , further comprises: 
 a plurality of keydots, each having a first surface and second surface wherein the first surface is adapted to be temporarily attached to a human finger tip; and    wherein the second surface can be pressed against the keyareas on the keypanels to cause the keypanels to generate keystroke signals.    
     
     
         11 . The apparatus for data input into an electronic device as in  claim 1 , further comprises: 
 a housing, mechanically and electronically connected to a keypanel and the connector; and    an electronic circuit board housed inside the housing for processing the signals generated by the keyareas on the keypanels.    
     
     
         12 . The apparatus as in  claim 9 , wherein each keypanel is 1 mm thick or less.  
     
     
         13 . The apparatus as in  claim 12 , wherein each keypanel is 0.2 mm thick or less.  
     
     
         14 . The apparatus as in  claim 7 , wherein the display screen is about 90 mm high by 216 mm wide with 250×550 pixels.  
     
     
         15 . A foldable keyboard comprising: 
 a keyboard body composed of at least two touch panels in serial connection wherein adjacent touch panels being connected by a flexible printed circuit such that the touch panels can be stacked each other and expanded; and    a plurality of keys formed by segmenting a plurality of blocks on the touch panels.    
     
     
         16 . A foldable keyboard for portable electronic devices comprising: 
 a keyboard body having a plurality of touch panels, and    a plurality of flexible printed circuits electrically connected two adjacent touch panels in a lateral direction thereby enabling the keyboard body to fold laterally in a stacked way, in which the keyboard body has the same area as that of main typing region on a standard-sized computer keyboard when unfolding the touch panels; each touch panel having a pair of conductive membranes being segmented into a plurality of blocks, in which the touch panels generates a panel signal when the pair of conductive membranes are pressed into contact, and each block corresponds to a panel signal; and a plurality of legends formed on the touch panels, wherein the legends respectively corresponds to the blocks and are arranged as the standard keyboard.