Touchfire, Inc.

Ralph Levy

Bradley S Melmon

Steven A Isaac

A keyboard overlay for use with a virtual touch screen keyboard, and associated systems and methods are disclosed. In accordance with one embodiment of the present technology, a keyboard is overlaid over a plurality of virtual keys that have virtual key centers laterally spaced apart from each other. The keyboard can have a base configured to be coupled to the virtual touch screen keyboard and a plurality of overlay key structures corresponding to the virtual keys. The overlay key centers of the individual overlay key structures have overlay key centers, and at least a subset of the overlay key structures can be arranged such that the overlay key centers of the subset are offset relative to the virtual key centers of the corresponding virtual keys.

Keyboard overlay that improves touch typing on small touch screen devices

A keyboard overlay for use on a touch screen is disclosed, as well as novel key structures for use on overlays. The keyboard overlay and key structures have novel structures which can provide finger resting resistance, deceleration during actuation, pre-actuation cues, finger positioning cues, key identification cues, and other desired aspects of a keyboard optimized for touch typing. Methods for stowing and deploying the keyboard overlay to align with the virtual keyboard of a touch screen are also disclosed. The disclosed keyboard overlay can provide optimal touch typing characteristics for use on all known types of touch screens.

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Doylestown, PA, United States of America

Ralph Levy