Description of the Related Art Implementation of a truncated keyboard is taught United States Patent No. 6,348, 878, entitled"Data Entry Keyboard,"to Kenzo Tsubai ('878 Patent) and United States Patent No. <BR> <BR> <P>5,793, 312, entitled"Data Entry System, "by Ryozo Tsubai ('312 Patent) which are hereby incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein. Computer users are constantly becoming more mobile and sophisticated as can be seen by the proliferation of laptop computers, PC tablets, PC Notebooks, PDAs, Blackberrys T'll and wireless networks.

The old adage of one-size fits all is falling by the wayside. Each user can and often does have their computing device custom designed and shipped to them with the operating system and all of the bells and whistles that they desire installed and configured to meet their present and future needs.

Furthermore, as the computing capabilities have increased, the size and weight of computing systems, especially laptops, have gotten smaller and smaller. One limiting factor has been the keyboard. Smaller and smaller keyboards produce more errors and frankly are harder to use by the common user. Typically keyboards come in a QWERTY one size-fits- all. As stated above, the 6,348, 878 and the 5,793, 312 patents have provided a means to overcome this limitation.

Companies such as Frogpad. com have filled the void and provided a viable, superior and attractive alternative to the QWERTY keyboard. But even in this, the prior art has failed to provide a means for each individual to tailor a standard or a truncated keyboard to each users individual preferences or needs. United States Patent No. 5,531, 529, entitled "Input Apparatus Scaled for Non-Adults and Adults having small hands, "by Dennis W.

Nusser ('529 Patent), discloses a keyboard configuration for children and adults with small hands. Nusser does not take into consideration individual with large hands or personal preferences of the user, nor does Nusser contemplate the user of a truncated keyboard, i. e. non-QWERTY keyboard.

The prior art is deficient in regard to the above discussed concerns and limitations and does not take into account PDA's, PC Tablets or PC Notebooks which have screens that can include an area for a keyboard of and configuration or preference.

What is needed is a method for configuring a keyboard, either attached to a computing device or integral with the computing device that can be configured to the individual user preferences with regard to spacing and key function and also accommodate the ever increase desire to miniaturize the computing devices footprint while maintaining full functionality.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances and has as an aspect means to determine the optimal key placement on a PC Notebook, PC Tablet or PDA employing a standard QWERTY or truncated keyboard or virtual keyboard area.

Additional aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The aspects and advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by means of the elements and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only are not restrictive of the invention, as claimed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate several embodiments of the invention and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of a PC Notebook, PC Tablet or PDA capable of providing the user with displaying a virtual keyboard of the present invention; Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram of a PC Notebook, PC Tablet or PDA, as shown in Fig. 1, depicting a user's finger point spacing of the present invention ; Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram of a PC Notebook, PC Tablet or PDA depicting spacing calculations between each digit identified in Fig. 2 of the present invention; Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram of a truncated virtual keyboard generated on the PC Notebook, PC Tablet or PDA of the present invention; Fig. 5 is a schematic diagram of a truncated virtual keyboard generated on the PC Notebook, PC Tablet or PDA that has been further scaled of the present invention ; and Fig. 6 depicts a flow chart diagram of a process for generating a virtual keyboard.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Reference will now be made in detail to the present embodiment of the invention, and examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts (elements).

Fig. 1 depicts a schematic diagram of a PC Tablet, PC Notebook or PDA 100 of the present invention. The reader should not that from this point on the use of the terms PC Tablet, PC Notebook or PDA will be used interchangeably and a reference to one includes the remaining two unless otherwise excluded. 120 is the top portion of a PDA either utilized as a monitor or an interface for inputting data, such as text, graphics or drawings. 110 depicts the separation line or guide, i. e. dividing line, between the upper portion of the PDA 100 and the lower screen portion 130, where a standard or non-standard keyboard will be generated.

Fig. 2 depicts a schematic diagram of the PDA 100 wherein a user has placed his or her hands on the surface of lower screen portion 130. Sensing means are employed that identify the areas where the user finger tips 210, 220,230, 240 and 250 rested in a comfortable and natural position for the user. This is similar to tapping the screen in a standard PDA to align the screen for future data input. The sensing means and attendant software allows the user to accept the finger placement positions 210,220, 230,240 and 250, or scale the positions +/-or to discard the identified fingertip areas and start over again.

It is well known in the art that data can be input or selections of icons, text etc. be accomplished by touching a screen with the user's hands or stylus of some sort, and will not be discussed at this time.

Fig. 3 depicts a schematic diagram of a PDA 100 wherein the area 310,320, 330 and 340 between finger placement positions 210,220, 230,240 and 250, respectively, are calculated. Calculating means determine the distance from center to center of each digit along with the corresponding vector, so that angle and depth can be taken into consideration when the virtual keyboard is generated.

Fig. 4 depicts a schematic diagram of a PDA 100, wherein a truncated keyboard is generated in area 130. Keys 402-440 present all of the alphanumeric characters of a standard keyboard employing the concepts taught by the'312 and'878 patents. Lower FrogPad 1145 PCT Page 4 of 9 screen section 130 and upper screen section 120 change in size to accommodate the size of the keyboard required. Diving line 110 provides a visual queue to the user as to where that division. Keyboard generation means generate an optimal keyboard layout based on the user finger points determinations. The generation means is also capable of incorporating individual preferences of the user to include hot keys or to reverse configuration for left or right hand usage as well as being able to accommodate all know languages.

Fig. 5 depicts a schematic diagram of a PDA 100, wherein the truncated keyboard of Fig. 4 is further reduced, based on the smaller hand size or preferences of the user. Once the virtual keyboard has been generated the user can begin typing by tapping the virtual keys, like in normal typing, with the screen having sensing means to detect the data entry by the pressure of the finger strokes during typing or by electrostatic charge of the fingers lifting and striking the virtual keys.

Fig. 6 depicts a flow diagram of the method for implementing a virtual keyboard. The process starts at step 610 when the electronic device is turned on or awakened from a sleep mode. At step 620 the user is polled as to whether to retrieve a previously generated keyboard or generate a new one. If the user responses yes to this query at step 620 control passes to step 630 where the previously stored keyboard or keyboards can be accessed and retrieve. If the user responds in the negative control passes to step 640. At step 640 the user is instructed to place their hand on the lower screen portion 130. Once the user places either hand on the lower screen surface 130 control passes to step 650 wherein the finger positions are sensed. Control then passes to step 660 where a determination is made as to whether a right handed or left handed keyboard is required. Control then passes to step 670 where the spacing between each finger or digit is determined and calculated. Once the determination is made control passes to step 680 where a keyboard is generated on the lower screen portion 130. After generating the keyboard the process is stopped at step 690, until the device is turned on or awaken again and the process starts over again.

The reader should note that although a truncated keyboard is depicted a full QWERTY keyboard configuration can also be accommodated by and is contemplated by the present invention.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the A System And Method For Implementing A Truncated Keyboard of the present invention and in construction of this invention without departing from the scope or intent of the invention.

Other embodiments of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein. It is intended that the specification and examples be considered as exemplary only, with a true scope and spirit of the invention being indicated by the following claims.