An adjustable keyboard having a number of keys (205) is formed in at least two segments (202, 203) which are mutually movable relative-to one another using a hinge or joint (206). Each of the segments (202, 203) of the keyboard has mounted thereon some of the keys (205). The adjustable nature of the keyboard reduces stress and discomfort to the user by reducing contortion to the user's wrists. More particularly, discomfort to the user caused by pronation of the wrists and/or ulnar deviation of the wrists is reduced. The hinge or joint (206) is in the form of a ball and socket-type joint with a locking mechanism, which preferably includes a pivoted handle (100), in the form of a lever, used for locking and unlocking the hinge or joint (206). The surface of at least one of the ball and socket of the joint define a plurality of recesses or a plurality of projections, to provide increased resistance to joint movement.

A keyboard including: an inner thumb row including a plurality of inner thumb keys configured to be actuated by a thumb, such that a critical contact point of each of the plurality of keys is arranged along an inner thumb arc on an inner thumb key plane; and an outer thumb row including a plurality of outer thumb keys configured to be actuated by the thumb, a critical contact point of each of the plurality of thumb keys is arranged along an outer thumb arc on a outer thumb key plane, wherein the first and the second thumb key planes are non-coplanar, such that, when the keyboard is in use, said thumb key planes intersect with each other and a palm plane, where the palm plane is the plane upon which a user's palm lies when the keyboard is in use.

A portable electronic device having several features is disclosed. The device can include a retention member that retains flexible circuits extending from a top portion to a bottom portion of the device, thereby allowing some components to be moved from a top portion of the device to a bottom portion. The device may include a cover plate can be secured with a display in the top portion to cover the retention member and other internal components. The device can include an omni-directional port designed to receive a connector different orientations and provide power to the device. The device can include a flexible keyboard having butterfly keycaps. The device can include an array of openings for an audio driver, with some of the array including through holes and blind holes. The device can also include a touch pad having a force feedback sensor and a haptic device.

In a method for creating a virtual keyboard, multiple intersections formed as a honeycomb structure are set on a plane. A selected type of virtual keyboard is acquired according to a command input by a user. A number of keys according to the selected type of virtual keyboard are calculated to acquire intersections corresponding to the number of the keys from the plane. The keys are arranged to form a keyboard plane of the virtual keyboard. A standard difference of step lengths from a center key of the keyboard plane to the other keys is calculated. The virtual keyboard is displayed on a screen of a display device, in event the keyboard plane is determined available according to the calculated standard difference. Then the user can operate the virtual keyboard with a remote control device to input characters.

A computer input device can include a housing, a set of key switch mechanisms positioned in the housing, and a removable key structure that is operable between a first configuration positioned in the housing and a second configuration detached from the housing. The removable key can have a position sensor, wherein in the first configuration, the removable key structure is operable to provide a key-based typing input, and, in the second configuration, the removable key structure is operable as a computer pointing device using the position sensor. The removable key structure can therefore allow comfortable, portable, and precise pointer input for a computer input system.

A keyboard system comprises a housing and a key structure having a key body and key cap. The key body includes a transceiver circuit. The key cap includes a key cap transceiver and a memory structure storing a key cap ID data and/or a key function data corresponding to a key function. The transceiver circuit can poll the key cap memory via the key cap transceiver and retrieve the key cap ID data and/or the key function data. The keyboard system can determine a mapping of a location of the key cap on the keyboard by polling it and can generate and transmit a control signal to a host computing device communicatively coupled to the keyboard system based to the key cap ID and/or the key function data.

A portable computer includes a display portion comprising a display and a base portion pivotally coupled to the display portion. The base portion may include a bottom case and a top case, formed from a dielectric material, coupled to the bottom case. The top case may include a top member defining a top surface of the base portion and a sidewall integrally formed with the top member and defining a side surface of the base portion. The portable computer may also include a sensing system including a first sensing system configured to determine a location of a touch input applied to the top surface of the base portion and a second sensing system configured to determine a force of the touch input.

An interactive device, a functional element, and a control method of the interactive device. The interactive device includes a supporting base, a first functional element, and a second functional element. The supporting base includes a supporting surface, a bottom surface and an internal space formed between the supporting surface and the bottom surface. The supporting surface further includes a plurality of mounting regions. The first functional element includes a first functional surface and a first mounting surface, and the first mounting surface is disposed on one of the mounting regions. The second functional element includes a second functional surface and a second mounting surface, and the second mounting surface is disposed on at least another one of the mounting regions.