Author: Umakant Mishra
Abstract:
A conventional computer keyboard consists of as many as 101
keys. The keyboard has several sections, such as text entry section, navigation
section, and numeric keypad etc. and each having several keys on the keyboard.
The size of the keyboard is a major inconvenience for
portable computers, as they cannot be carried easily. Thus there are certain
circumstances which compels to reduce the size of a keyboard.
Reducing the size of a keyboard leads to several problems. A
reduced size keyboard may not contain all the keys available on a full size
keyboard; a reduced size keyboard may not be convenient to operate, a reduced
size keyboard may have a different key layout which is difficult to learn etc.
This article illustrates 10 inventions on reducing the size
of the keyboard. Various inventions have attempted to solve the contradictions
so that the user achieves the benefits of both ‘reduced size’ and ‘typing
comfort’.
Keywords: TRIZ, Computer Keyboard, Computer Hardware,
Hardware Inventions, Software Patents, Inventive Problem Solving, Keyboard
design, Small keyboards, Laptop keyboards, portable keyboards, flexible
keyboards, folding keyboards
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