The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for a learning styled keyboard which enhances a user's education.
Computer systems, and specifically personal computer (PC) systems, usually include a visual display device or monitor, a central processing unit (normally mounted on a motherboard), various types of memory (including read only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), hard drives and removable memory devices such as floppy disc drives for 51/4" and 31/2" disks), various input/output peripheral interface boards (normally one interface for the monitor, another for a telecommunications device such as a modem, and another for standard computer keyboard), a computer keyboard and, in some cases, a sound generator board. The standard computer system :keyboard is sometimes identified as a QWERTY keyboard which includes a key layout with alphabetic keys in a somewhat random fashion (hence the term QWERTY which is the alphabetic key layout along the top left hand row of the alpha key set), numeric keys located above the alphabetic keys and function keys F1-F12 located above the numeric keys. An example ofthe standard computer keyboard can be found in the product specification for the Z8602 keyboard microcontroller manufactured by Zilog of Campbell, Calif. The Z8602 microcontroller is utilized in conjunction with a 101/102 PC keyboard. The product brochure issued by Zilog has a publication date of February, 1990. The Z8602 microcontroller is designed for a PC keyboard and controls all scan codes, line status modes, scan timing and communications between the keyboard and the PC and particularly the motherboard and the central processing unit in the personal computer system. The product brochure describes and depicts a typical method of interfacing a standard keyboard to an XT/AT personal computer.
Other keyboards and key layouts are found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,669,903 to Herzog; U.S. Pat. No. 4,963,044 to Warner; U.S. Pat. No. 4,927,279 to Morgan; U.S. Pat. No. 4,536,160 to Hatfield; U.S. Pat. No. 5,073,054 to McDowell; U.S. Pat. No. 4,519,721 to Gardner; U.S. Pat. No. 4,615,619 to Power and U.S. Pat. No. 2,040,248 to Dvorak.
These patent disclosures illustrate various key layouts for keyboards. For example, the Herzog '903 patent disclosure generally illustrates the QWERTY key layout. The patent disclosures to Warner '044, Morgan '279, McDowell '054, Gardner '721 and Power '629 all illustrate different key layouts for the keyboard. Dvorak '248 discloses a further keyboard layout. Hatfield '160 illustrates a standard QWERTY keyboard layout.
None of these keyboard layouts specifically address the difficulties a child or a young adult encounters when learning to use an electronic, computer-based keyboard. The specific layout of the keys is only one barrier to learning the operation and interaction between the keys, the keyboard and the balance of the computer system. Other items not addressed by these prior art disclosures include tactile effects of the keyboard, providing electronic barriers to multiple key strikes and continual depression of a single key and further generating positive feedback during the educational session with the child or young adult. The present invention corrects these defects and overcomes these problems with the prior art keyboards.