Typing Input Systems, Methods, and Devices

Abstract

Systems, devices, and techniques are disclosed relating to typing input devices. For example a ten-key input device can be provided for receiving input via ten input elements from the ten fingers on a right hand and a left hand. All of the letters of the alphabet can by typed with the ten input elements according to a translation map that maps the ten input elements or combinations of the ten input elements to the letters of the alphabet.

1 . A system comprising:
 an input device comprising ten input elements; and   a computing device coupled with the input device to receive an input from one or more of the ten input elements, translate the received input into one or more letters of an alphabet based on a translation map that maps eight of the letters of the alphabet to eight of the ten input elements respectively and that maps remaining letters of the alphabet to combinations of the eight input elements, and produce the one or more letters resulting from the translating for further processing or output.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the ten input elements correspond to ten fingers on a right hand and a left hand; and   wherein the map that maps the eight of the letters comprises a map that maps the eight of the letters to eight fingers of the ten fingers respectively, the eight fingers comprising four fingers of the right hand and four fingers of the left hand excepting thumbs.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 ,
 wherein the alphabet comprises the English alphabet with 26 letters; and   wherein each of the eight letters comprise letters assigned on a QWERTY keyboard to each of the four fingers of the right hand and the four fingers of the left hand excepting thumbs respectively.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 ,
 wherein a space function is mapped to one of the input elements   corresponding to a thumb; and   wherein a shift function is mapped to one of the input elements corresponding to the other thumb.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the input comprises activations of different ones of the ten input elements, and the producing is responsive to a deactivation of any one of the activated input elements. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the alphabet comprises the English alphabet with 26 letters;   wherein the remaining letters comprise 18 letters of the English alphabet;   wherein the ten input elements correspond to ten fingers on a right hand and a left hand;   wherein the map that maps the remaining eighteen of the twenty-six letters of the English alphabet to combinations of the eight input elements comprises a map that maps the remaining eighteen of the twenty-six letters to combinations of two of eight fingers comprising four fingers of the right hand and four fingers left hand excepting the thumbs; and   wherein a finger of each of the combinations comprises a finger mapped to one of the eighteen of the twenty-six letters based on an association of the finger on a QWERTY keyboard to the one of the eighteen of the twenty six letters.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the computing device is configured to receive a chord from at least three different ones of the ten input elements, the one or more letters comprises at least a digraph, and the translating comprises translating based on an order in which at least two of the at least three different input elements are activated. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the chord corresponds to input fingers from both hands, the order indicates a first input finger from one hand for the chord, and the translating comprises translating based on letters associated with the one hand on a QWERTY keyboard. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the computing device is configured to receive an input code having multiple input code blocks, including the chord, and the translating comprises:
 replacing a received chord block with alternative singlet code blocks; replacing received singlet code blocks with an alternative chord; and producing alternative outputs based on the alternative singlet code blocks and the alternative chord.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the computing device is configured to switch to another map in response to a received input indicating the switch to the other map, the other map mapping the ten input elements to numbers 0-9. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the other map maps chorded input from the ten input elements to symbols.