An Apple patent application (20080001787) for “Dynamically Controlled Keyboard” published today describes a chameleonic keyboard with changeable OLED key faces. The patent app was filed on March 13, 2007.
Apple’s Abstract:
Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, implementing and using techniques for providing a computer peripheral including one or more keys. Each key has several light emitting diodes disposed on a face of the key. Each of the light emitting diodes can switch on or off in response to a data signal received from an application specific integrated circuit dedicated to the key. A corresponding key and manufacturing method, as well as a computer system including one or more such keys are also described.
Apple’s Description, in part:
Broadly speaking, the present invention provides methods and apparatus for dynamically altering the key faces of keyboard keys, such that they show an accurate representation of what action will occur when a particular key is depressed. In one embodiment the altering key faces are accomplished by placing a number of organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) on each key face, and using an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) placed inside each key to turn on and turn off the respective diodes. The respective ASICs are controlled by signals originating from the software application in which the user is currently working and by the selected language locale. As a result, the users always have current and accurate information in front of them about what will happen when a particular key is depressed on the keyboard, and there is no need to memorize what actions particular key depressions will cause.
In general, in one aspect, the invention provides methods and apparatus, including computer program products, implementing and using techniques for providing a computer peripheral including one or more keys. Each key has several light emitting diodes disposed on a face of the key. Each of the light emitting diodes can switch on or off in response to a data signal received from an application specific integrated circuit dedicated to the key.
Full U.S. patent app here.
MacDailyNews Take: If it comes to fruition, hopefully it’ll cost a fraction of the Optimus Maximus LED keyboard which is currently going for US$462.27.
Way cool!!!!
I have a hard time believing that this is an Apple product since Apple have always used a “Delete” key and not a “BackSpace” key.
How can Apple patent this when Art Lebedev introduced the Optimus Maximus Keyboard ages ago?
Stupid link wouldn’t work.
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Never mind.
OLED? I just got used to QWERTY….
This isn’t a new idea.
I saw a security keypad back in late 80s that had clear plastic keys and LED matrix display under. Every time you entered the code, key values were shuffled so onlooker could not figure out which values you pressed.
There’s a Klingon version for special needs customers. Like Zune owners.
“Apple looks to patent chameleonic keyboard…”
WTF? More toys from Cupertino. I can hear the MAC sheep now: “Ohhhhh look at the fancy lights! It will be a couple of years before Microsoft has anything close to this.” Whatever. Is this where the R & D money goes from your expensive computers?
Hey Apple, how about coming up with a phone that can integrate with an Exchange server?
Your potential. Our passion.™
My mother-in-law lives in Krasnoyarsk, Russia.
I would like to get her a MacBook so she and my wife can communicate (and so she can see the grandkids) via iChat.
I am not thrilled with the keyboard stickers that place the Cyrillic characters on the keyboard. A chameleonic keyboard that changes the layout automatically with the language would be the beesknees.
JMHO. Why use LEDs for each key? It would be much cheaper to just offer different keyboards for each language.
A better idea is a row of keys on the top of the keyboard that have LEDS. Then the application could allow direct entry/choice for select keys and show you the function directly. Now that would make sense.
en
Wouldn’t it be easier if everyone in the world just learnt English, like God intended?
It’d be useful if you switched between the more usual crop of business apps and programs like Final Cut a lot – with the key caps reflecting what the FC edit keys were without having to pull the keyboard apart and replace the keys (or have two keyboards…)
Oh great! A chameleonic keyboard! Now it will blend in with all the other clutter on my desk and I’ll never find it!
This would be handy for games or specialized apps (as mentioned above) such as video editing, 3D modeling, etc.
@ TT
I would think He’d be pissed off that we don’t all speak Latin.
Like they do in Latin America.
True TT, but apparently there are people (with money) that don’t pray to the great white god in the sky!
The keyboard sounds cool, but I guess this will take time to implement. I believe the iPhone already uses that approach with its soft-keyboard.
@ TowerTone
Don’t be an idiot! Everyone knows that God intended for people to speak Klingon!
Or we could learn Esperanto and use the Dvorak keyboard.
capnkirk: those drawings are using generic PeeSea key layouts. Alt? WTF?
That could be an amazing piece of hardware. Imagine holding down the Option key and having the keyboard show all those extended characters instantly.
My mother-in-law is Bulgarian. I bought her a USB keyboard with Cyrillic characters. All our Bulgarian friends learned to write Bulgarian using the QWERTY keyboard. They find that the Bulgarian – Phonetic keyboard layout in Mac OS X is actually much easier to use than the standard Bulgarian keyboard layout, since it’s easier to switch back and forth from English and Bulgarian.
Years ago I had these little clear keyboard key stickers that showed all the extended characters (Option and Shift-Option) in Red. It really was a nice to be able to easily access extended characters without resorting to KeyCaps or PopChar (which is STILL great!)
Does anyone know where to get key character stickers? I stopped looking.
chameleonic – so it can change… nice
To me this is simply a patent for the UE (user experience) UI to be used on the up coming MacSlate” and the “iJesture” *
A totally virtual keyboard on the upcoming ultra-slim sub-notebook for sure… Many laughed at the iPhone keyboard. Yet it is extremely accurate and in some cases better to use then the HackCherry’s keyboard. But also… the “iJesture” this will bridge new meaning for the rest of us and light will shine once 10.5.2 is provided. Expect “INK” to be enabled always after 10.5.2 is running.
Apple slimmed the iMac keyboard – the silver aluminum keyboard is very nice and clean. Yet the GOAL when introduce was not only to style the keyboard with the iMac Aluminum BUT to eventually make it almost disappear.
Dougless, ” In 2008, APPLE will delete the KEYBOARD as we once knew it from the face of computing. All input shall embrace this virtual chameleonic keyboard adaption. Soon we will be using our iPhones and MacSlate if we don’t own the new device called the “iJesture” *. This will stand to be a commading move for Apple to lead the industry in MULTI-TOUCH – UE for OSX 10.5.2 — as they will.” The revolution is peaked!
So you heard it hear… Apples goals for 2008 are:
1) no traditional keyboard or mouse to be sold
2) 10.5.2 to become heavily Multi-Touch empowered
chameleonic – because they will let you change the colours or appearance, yet it will always remain a QWERTY input UI system.
For me, this is just more PROOF that the MacSlate is coming!!!!
And a second extremely important cool device not many have dreamed of yet have tapped into on occassion.
MEET the all new
* “iJesture” :
A input device to eliminate the MOUSE and KEYBOARD forever. This shall be a fun (jester) device due to programability and personal customization. Just imagine creating function keys to do what you want. Like the iPhone front screen – KEYS are the way of the PAST… want a new function – need to tool new keyboard… lack of space… painful for engineers… this is why virtual makes super sense. Plus tactile feed back will be used when typing with “iJesture”.
BUT “iJesture” is more then just a virtual keyboard, as the name implies one can gesture multi-touch functionality… your finger is the mouse and many other tools also. The device will also be easy to use and easy to maintain. Enjoy your drinks while you work as this can be submerged in 100 feet of water and still work. A wireless and a USB version will be available. Gesturing on the device to navigate to any location just as you use to with your mouse… but this time your finger does the walking. Double click is ONE click TWO fingers. We know what pinching is… Zoom IN and OUT… but there are tones more – all revealed with the “iJesture”… even the Newtons features – already installed “INK” will jive with the “iJesture” and we will all see…
the convergence of CoreAnimation, CoreGraphics, and Ink make Apple and Multi-Touch the DREAM we all have been wanting.
Dougless
I think this is just a placeholder patent in case they need it. It would make way more sense to have the keyboard be a *single* OLED than it does to make it from 100 separate OLED’s.
If Apple’s patents on deformable multi-touch surfaces, haptic feedback multi-touch surfaces, combined with the automatic gesture/stylus detection don’t equal a much better solution than Art Lebedev could dream of, I guess they could use this as a fall-back position.
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A OLED keyboard sounds good but Dougless has a better idea.
If a low costing, low resolution, iJesture board is feasible which could be but I doubt it will also have tactile feed back, then it will be far better then an OLED keyboard.
And yes, imagine the keys re-colour to different application usage also. Still, a iJesture could be more universal in the sense of language, characters… always changing the way we need it.
Maybe a virtual slide bar – like on the iPhone to slide the keyboard off and show nothing but a blank space for multi-touch things, slide again and it’s a ink space for drawing like newton or character input for say Chinese characters or Hebrew…
An iJesture thingie could be amazing but cost is a factor.
RON
@Jeremy
U make a good point. by patenting the OLED, maybe the iJesture could be the end device.
mncbjk. sdjh df asdh hdfg dfid od assufiufg sodi
Oh shit wrong keyboard…..
If you want a great look, check the reference they make in the article on Artlebedev’s keyboard.
http://www.artlebedev.com/everything/optimus/
The $462 price only includes ONE active key — the space bar. To have the full thing be an active set, it is over $1500. Would love to see some mass production on that to see how it could really turn out. This would me amazing!
That was funny, Buster!
(I thought for a second you had forgotten to take your medication.)
OLED is nice, but why not use e-ink like in e-book readers. They don’t emit light, but seem to be perfect for a keyboard that has interchangeable keys. What do you guys think (different)
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“Or we could learn Esperanto and use the Dvorak keyboard.”
Or learn to write nonsense and use Dvorak’s keyboard.
The other Optimus keyboard (Tactus), schedule for release in January 2008, is even cooler:
http://www.artlebedev.com/everything/optimus-tactus/
this technology might work wonders for a universal remote
“I have a hard time believing that this is an Apple product since Apple have always used a “Delete” key and not a “BackSpace” key.”
ummm, the point is that it can be either. please, in the name of all that is good tell me you know that and where kidding….
if so, ok, damn funny. but next time tack a
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Ampar….well I did choose the red pill
(I used the blue last night).
To cptnkirk: It also says alt instead of option and there’s no command key.
Zune Tang made a valid point….
I’m scared… Hold me.
I think this would be a great product, if affordable. It would solve for Apple the problem of shipping one product to anyone in the world and having it work great for them. And application designers could use it to display special functions. For example, Cmd-C could say “Cut” when you pushed a special modifier– would make key combinations much easier to learn if you could (in essence) have “tooltips” right on the keyboard.
I just know there’s a Culture Club song in here somewhere.
If it actually has keys I’ll be disappointed.
See touch pad keyboard.
If the OLEDs work as I think they will the artwork is a bit misleading. The characters would appear more like the backlit ones on the MBP keys, that is to say bright patterns on a darker background. Depending upon the surface treatment they can be made to essentially disappear when not powered up.
Any truth to the rumor that the Geico Gekko will be the Apple spokesman for the new keyboard?
I also believe the physical keyboard is so to be cut out by Apple. Notice the very thin profile of the new keyboard? I believe Apple is just paving the way for the world’s next generation of input device. It’s is funny how Apple has almost always created the “NeXT” thing, we all knew, it was just that once everyone else started using it, they all said of course. Now we sit back and watch as everyone watches and waits for Apple to change it. How paralyzing it must be for all these executive types who use to just wait for Apple to change things, take advantage of the change and make billions. Now they sit back and watch as Apple not only creates it, now they are making the billions, and all the impersonators are prepping their resume’s.
When Steve first came back to the company I went out and bought my first Mac. It was a 2 PCI slot 6500/75. They had a 6500/225 on sale 2 months later for almost nothing. ( rest in hell Comp USA)
“It’s is funny how Apple has almost always created the “NeXT” thing”
Can you give one example of an Apple computer that introduced a new never before seen technology?
How about the Apple Lisa with the mouse?
Douglas Engelbart of the Stanford Research Institute invented the mouse in 1963
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_mouse
AND the winner of our little contest goes to “Military Police”
The other Optimus keyboard (Tactus),
schedule for release in January 2008, is even cooler:
http://www.artlebedev.com/everything/optimus-tactus/
Honorable mention goes to “Jeff SU”.
However, it is believed that “Military Police” dug a little deeper after discovering Jeffs link.
So congratulations to everyone who participated.
—-
NOW lets remember,
Apple does not invent. It innovates.
To introduce never seen before technology would be to say one invents. When Apple innovates technology is brings technology to mass consumers to use. Not to large industries that need Multi-Touch Tables in Restaurants. Those were Apples Lisa years.
The “iJesture” shall be revealed in 2008. Coincidentally not.
Here’s another little secret, the Optimus-tactus is a, commissioned project aimed with MULTI-TOUCH as the underlying vision. FrogDesign is getting a wee-bit tiresome for Apple so it’s looking for new venues. Thanks to Jonathan for sharing with me. Apple; not liking the name decided to call it, “iJesture”.
I am no Think Secret dishing out rumours… It’s different when the whole group participates with tiny hints… come on Ive’s they figured it out on there own.
PS – the price of new technology such as the “OLED Optimus keyboard” is enormous due to copy write and legal protection – plus lack of investment and demand for mass production. When a company like Apple comes in willing to take a concept and breathe life into the project… place a few patents of it’s own on the technology then THERE it is… out in the world BORN for all us to enjoy.
This is an Apple project. It has been for some time now. Trace back and find for yourself — topics of track pads with multi-touch mentioned patents. It will become real very soon. January is here… count down to the 14th is 11 days and 6 hrs.
GLAD you all can see the light now! We all are getting Multi-Touch to OS 10.5.2 once “iJesture” is available in stores. Estimated price 269.99 USD.
Otherwise, enjoy multi-touch through your “MacSlate” with WIFI enabled on it’s virtual keyboard controlling your iMac or MacPro.
thx
Dougless
I am calling Dougall-boy a BS monger!
So lets all just — w8 n c!
w8nc
Remember Jeff Han… all the excitement before the wave mentioned prior to iPhone. We are gonna experience this ourselves.
This is the same. It’s hard to keep all the lips and inventions and concepts from leaking. But they all are in-line to happen.
Technology is moving extremely fast.
Everyone starts to think on the same level – the same ideas.
Art Lebedev is a COMPANY that Apple would buy if not already has or was always in tangent with Apple from get start. For people to think Apple will buy SONY – no not this year – no need.
This is a repeating theme as was Apples acquisition of FingerWorks – 9 months before the real iPhone appeared.
the iJesture is real.
Dougless
Interesting those three keyboards are English, Finnish and Russian. Have they bought something from the Art Lebedev?
Optimus Maximus is a very good product.
Ya ya – das Maxim is a very goodenzee magazine.
A concept keyboard by Art Lebedev,
and Apple filing several patents seemingly similar which cover the grounds of OLED.
Very similar to FingerWorks and Apple when Apple filed for a myriad of patents mainly covering what FingerWorks had.
Something is a buzz and can easily imagine this could very well be true. Interesting.
I like that, one guy from Finland – and three girls from Sweden.
In my dreams – nightly! Hahahahahah. I mean I’m that one guy with three girls – my dream. Gulp.
1) no mouse, 2) no keyboard, 3) 10″ ultra-slim notebook with touch screen, 4) 64 Gb Flash Memory
1 guy + 3 girls = 4 but not four different products this is one product Steve is doing it to us again
iGesture could be all these in one item.
I am starting to think that large 13″ tablet device isn’t going to happen. Forget the docking patent the other day also.
This reminds me of the old Commodore Vic 20. It was this keyboard that contained the entire computer. You just needed a monitor. Ok, back then a tape drive too. But thinking the way some of the others have been thinking here. I am sold and liking it. And it makes sense.
So you dump your key board and mouse from your Desktop setup and travel where ever you go with this iGuest or iGesture thing. A virtual keyboard and more.
It has a scaled version of OSX. It’s an all touch screen surface, roughly the size of two iPod Touch devices. With a choice of 32 or 64 Gb internal memory, so you have your stuff when you’re on the go. This rectangular device would suit the needs and be small enough to be in the sub-notebook category. And combining all things cool – it would be a way-cool Apple product.
This is it, yeah I am convinced now, there is no other device coming. Just this radical keyboard done in multi-touch style.
And if Art Lebedev sells the OLED at 1500.00 USD then with Apple could in fact successfully sell this device in the 1099.99 to 1299.99 range.
Anthony Scholtz