Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Intermec, Inc.

James R Stewart

Hok-Sum Horace Luke

Kenneth Douglas Wood

William Peter Stiles

David W Laituri

Andrew E Reynolds

Debbie A Chacon

Dan Blase

Thomas W Brooks

Denise Love

Richard S Lum

Roman Gebhard

Greg Martinez

Daniel J Blase

Pat Rodden

Robert S Walker

Matt Pedersen

Eric Hassenzahl

Dick C K Liu

Nancy Hafermann

A small-sized text input device is attachable to and removable from a game controller. The text input device can be sized and configured to fit between grip portions of the game controller, and can be attachable to the game controller with a separate attachment bracket. Different brackets can be used to attach the text input device to different types of game controllers. A game player holding the game controller can access the text keys of the text input device with his or her thumbs, and by making only minor (or no) adjustment to the position of his or her hands on the grip portions.

Controller with removably attachable text input device

Portion of an attachment arm

Portion of a keyboard

A highly legible key that is durable and suitable for electronic devices, including gaming consoles and controllers. The key includes an outer layer and an inner layer and may be formed by a two-shot injection molding process. The outer layer has a cavity delineating a negative form of a desired indicia or indicium. The inner layer is located interior to the outer layer filling the negative form with the desired indicium. The outer layer is formed of transparent or translucent material and the inner layer is formed of an opaque or darker material, such that, the indicium is visible through the outer layer material. The outer layer can be tinted. The outer layer protects and magnifies the indicium of the inner layer. The inner layer in the region of the indicium can be domed for increased visibility. The outer layer can have a dome surface, which is on a slope for improved finger-to-button contact. The outer layer can have a step and a tab for retaining the button in an electronic device housing.

Multi-layer keys with translucent outer layer

Portion of a computer input device

Portion of an electronic housing

Computer input device

Telephone handset

A hand-held computer having a contoured housing with a head, a body, and a neck portion therebetween, the housing having a contoured protrusion positioned on the body portion substantially adjacent the hand-held computer's center of gravity. The contoured protrusion is sized and ergonomically shaped to correspond to a support portion of the person's hand between approximately the metacarpal-phalangeal joint ridge and the proximal phalangeal joints when the hand-held computer is carried by the person. The hand-held computer has a longitudinal axis and a display screen that is oriented at a positive angle relative to the longitudinal axis for improved viewing by the user of the display screen. The hand-held computer includes a scanning unit that scans along a scanning axis that is angled downwardly at a negative angle relative to the longitudinal axis. A plurality of computer keys define a keypad plane such that the tilted display screen is at a selected angle relative to the keypad plane. The computer keys have different heights or shapes to easily distinguish the computer keys by feel without requiring the user to visually identify different keypads.

Hand-held data collection terminal with a contoured protrusion

A hand-held scanner has a head containing scanning components, a hilt position between the head and a handle that is sized and shaped to rest against an upper surface of a users thumb and index finger. An endcap is secured to a free end of the handle that has a circumferentially and outwardly extending bumper, which, together with the hilt, protect the scanner from impact and dropage. A trigger extending outwardly from the handle, extends a significant distance forward of the handle to provide a tactile queue for users to blindly grip the handle and position an index finger on the trigger. The handle preferably has a tubular, seamless shape to avoid irritation with a users hand when gripped. A window in the head is recessed and angled to inhibit damage and contact with foreign objects.

Ergonometric modular hand-held scanner, including an ergonomic handle

Hand-held computer

Push-button configuration for a hand-held computer

Growing community of inventors

Woodinville, WA, United States of America

James R Stewart