Educational keyboard device

Abstract

This disclosure describes an input device that is selectively configurable in a testing mode, where characters are not visible on a set of touch-based input receivers of the input device, a training mode, where characters are visible on some but not all of the set of touch-based input receivers of the input device, and a standard mode, where characters are visible on all of the set of touch-based input receivers of the input device. This disclosure also describes techniques for manufacturing the input device, and illuminating characters via the touch-based input receivers. The described input device improves on conventional input devices by allowing selection of one or more touch-based input receivers for which characters are illuminated, or selection of a testing mode where a user cannot see characters on any of the touch-based input receivers.

That which is claimed: 
     
         1 . A keyboard comprising:
 a plurality of keys, each key of the plurality of keys has a translucent portion in a shape of a unique character and a surrounding opaque portion; and   a plurality of light sources disposed beneath the plurality of keys, each light source of the plurality of light sources is disposed beneath a corresponding key of the plurality of keys, and each light source of the plurality of light sources has an active state and an inactive state;   when a given light source of the plurality of light sources is in the active state, the given light source is illuminated and light from the given light source passes through the translucent portion of a corresponding key of the plurality of keys such that the correspond key of the plurality of keys appears to represent the unique character; and   when a given light source of the plurality of light sources is in the inactive state, the given light source is not illuminated and no light from the given light source passes through the translucent portion of a corresponding key of the plurality of keys such that the corresponding key of the plurality of keys appears to be devoid of any representation of the unique character.   
     
     
         2 . The keyboard according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of keys are devoid of any other representation of the unique character. 
     
     
         3 . The keyboard according to  claim 1 , wherein each key of the plurality of keys include a smooth interface between respective translucent portions and adjacent opaque portions. 
     
     
         4 . The keyboard according to  claim 1 , wherein each key of the plurality of keys include a translucent film over respective translucent portions and adjacent opaque portions such that respective top layers of each key of the plurality of keys is smooth. 
     
     
         5 . The keyboard according to  claim 1 , further comprising a configuration key that toggles the keyboard between keyboard active state and a keyboard inactive state, wherein in the keyboard active state, each light of the plurality of lights is illuminated and in the keyboard inactive state, each light of the plurality of lights is not illuminated. 
     
     
         6 . The keyboard according to  claim 1 , further comprising logic that stores the active state or inactive state of each of the plurality of light sources, and switches a given light source of the plurality of light sources between the active state and the inactive state based on the stored active state or inactive state of the given light source. 
     
     
         7 . The keyboard according to  claim 1 , wherein the translucent portion of each of the plurality of keys is more than about 20% translucent. 
     
     
         8 . The keyboard according to  claim 1 , further comprising logic that stores the active state or inactive state of each of the plurality of light sources and the logic receives input from one or more of the plurality of keys in conjunction with a given key such that input changes the state of the given key from the active state to the inactive state or from the inactive state to the active state. 
     
     
         9 . The keyboard according to  claim 1 , wherein the opaque portion and the translucent portion are substantially the same color. 
     
     
         10 . An input device comprising:
 a plurality of touch-based input receivers each having a translucent portion in a shape of a character and a surrounding opaque portion, wherein the plurality of touch-based input receivers are devoid of a color-based representation of the character; and   a lighting system underneath one or more of the plurality of touch-based input receivers, the lighting system selectively configurable in an activate state and an inactive state;   wherein, when the lighting system is in the active state, one or more lights of the lighting system are activated such that visible light escapes a set of the plurality of touch-based input receivers via the translucent portion; and   wherein, when the lighting system is in the inactive state, one or more lights of the lighting system are inactive such that one or more of the set of the plurality of touch-based input receivers appear devoid of a symbol of the character.   
     
     
         11 . The input device of  claim 10 , wherein the input device comprises a computer keyboard. 
     
     
         12 . The input device of  claim 11 , wherein the computer keyboard is devoid of one or more of a number lock, insert, and scroll lock key. 
     
     
         13 . The input device of  claim 10 , wherein the lighting system comprises an independent light source under respective ones of the plurality of touch-based input receivers. 
     
     
         14 . The input device of  claim 10 , wherein the touch-based input receivers comprise keyboard keys. 
     
     
         15 . The input device of  claim 10 , wherein the plurality of touch-based input receivers include a smooth interface between respective translucent portions and adjacent opaque portions. 
     
     
         16 . The input device of  claim 10 , wherein the plurality of touch-based input receivers include a translucent film over respective translucent portions and adjacent opaque portions such that respective top layers of the touch-based input receivers are smooth. 
     
     
         17 . The input device of  claim 10 , further comprising a configuration button configured to receive input for toggling the lighting system between the active state and the inactive state. 
     
     
         18 . The input device of  claim 10 , wherein, when the lighting system is configured in the active state, the set of the plurality of touch-based input receivers includes a proper subset of the plurality of touch-based input receivers. 
     
     
         19 . The input device of  claim 18 , wherein constituent members of the proper subset of the plurality of touch-based input receivers are selectable via input to one or both of the input device or a connected computing device. 
     
     
         20 . The input device of  claim 19 , wherein a single input selects multiple constituent members of the proper subset of the plurality of touch-based input receivers.