Electrotextiles Company Limited

Eleksen Limited

Elo Touch Solutions, Inc.

Soundtouch Limited

Christopher Chapman

David Lee Sandbach

Stuart Mark Walkington

Anthony Richard Hardie-Bick

John Burkitt

Timothy Charles Andrew Fitzgerald

Andrew Deakin

An apparatus is disclosed for supplying input signals to a computer. A sensor having the form of a sphere has a touch sensitive surface for generating position data for touch events. The sensor includes orientation sensors that determine rotation with respect to the earth's magnetic and gravitational fields. Orientation data may be combined with position data to interpret the orientation of touch events on the surface with respect to the computer's display. Cursor movement or text may be generated from touch events. Preferably the sphere has a roughened surface that generates sound when touched. Position data is generated by processing signals from microphones under the sphere's surface.

Processing signals to determine spatial positions

A flexible foldable keyboard apparatus includes a flexible foldable keyboard () having a key defining plane (), an interface device and phone supporting device (). The phone supporting device () is arranged to unfold from a storage configuration, in which the phone supporting device () is folded onto the key defining plane () to allow the key defining plane () to be wrapped around the phone supporting device (), to present a telephone supporting configuration, in which the phone supporting device () is configured to receive a mobile telephone (). The phone supporting device () is configured to support a mobile telephone () in an orientation in which an electrical connection is provided between the interface device and the electrical connectors of the mobile telephone (), such that the mobile telephone () and the flexible foldable keyboard () are in electrical communication.

Flexible foldable keyboard

The present invention relates to a manually operable input apparatus () for a portable electronic processing device (), such as a mobile phone or hand-held processor. The apparatus defines a plurality of regions () each representing a respective data item and comprises a plurality of sheets configured to produce a response to a mechanical interaction. Furthermore, the sheets are configured to be wrapped around the device to provide a protective cover.

Manual input apparatus for a handheld device

Data processing apparatus (and) configured to receive signals from an input sensor () arranged to duplicate or replace operations of a keyboard, in which the signals correspond to positions of mechanical interactions with the sensor (). The apparatus comprises processing means () configured to process data derived from the input sensor including positional data corresponding to the position of a mechanical interaction with said input sensor () and a second data type corresponding to the absence of a mechanical interaction with said input sensor. The processing means () is configured to generate data representing a first character in response to processing an item of data of said second type followed by positional data corresponding to a first position, and to generate data representing a different second character in response to processing positional data corresponding to a different second position followed by an item of data of said second type.

Data processing apparatus with replacement keyboard

The present invention relates to a foldable alpha numeric keyboard device () configured to input data items into a computer or similar processing device (). The keyboard device comprises a first electrically conductive fabric sheet, a second electrically conductive fabric sheet and an interface circuit configured to supply voltages to and receive outputs from said keyboard. In addition; the keyboard is configured to produce an output in response to a mechanical interaction and the interface circuit is arranged to respond to the mechanical interaction and to provide a data item to a computer or similar processing device.

Foldable alpha numeric keyboard

A tactile feedback simulating fabrication for use with an input device provides flexible mouldings ( ) locatable above detection positions. Flexible mouldings ( ) provide tactile feedback simulating a key-press. Each of the mouldings ( ) defines a top portion ( ) and a flexible side wall ( ). A flexible fabric layer ( ) is attached to the flexible mouldings thereby significantly enhancing the durability of these mouldings.

Input device

The present invention relates to a data input device suitable for inputting data to electronic processing means. The data input device is configured to produce an output in response to a mechanical interaction and may be reconfigured into two operational configurations. In a first flexible configuration the device may be bent or flexed about a first axis, and in a second rigid configuration the data input device is substantially rigid such that bending or flexing of the device about the first axis is inhibited.

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Watlington, United Kingdom

Christopher Chapman