Foldable keyboard
View Patent ↗A foldable keyboard having a plurality of folding keyboard sections. Each keyboard section includes a frame carrying a key set having a plurality of keys. The key set may be movable laterally relative to the frame. The frame with the key set is foldable with respect to an adjacent frame. The frame provides a self-contained enclosure for the keyboard assembly when fully closed. When opened, the keyboard assembly can be a full-size standard QWERTY keyboard.
1. A method for activating a personal digital assistant (PDA) from a low power state, in which a software driver for a keyboard device is disabled in the low power state, said keyboard device being coupled to said PDA and said keyboard device being used to activate said PDA, said method comprising:
transmitting a control signal from said keyboard to said PDA;
storing a keyboard data for later transmission to said PDA;
transmitting a keyboard identifier to said PDA;
transmitting said keyboard data to said PDA.
2. A method as in claim 1 wherein said method is performed entirely by said keyboard.
3. A method as in claim 2 wherein said keyboard is a collapsible keyboard and said keyboard data is a key code identifying a key which was pressed and wherein pressing said key causes said control signal to be transmitted and wherein said keyboard data is transmitted after first transmitting said control signal and then transmitting said keyboard data.
4. A method as in claim 3 wherein said control signal is a hot sync signal used in PDAs which run the Palm operating system.
5. A method as in claim 1 further comprising:
receiving said control signal on said PDA and entering a high power state on said PDA;
intercepting, by said software driver, said control signal;
determining whether said keyboard identifier has been received by said PDA;
receiving said keyboard data after determining said keyboard identifier has been received.
6. A method as in claim 5 wherein said intercepting prevents an operating system on said PDA from acting on said control signal.
7. A method as in claim 6 wherein if said keyboard data is not received within a predetermined period of time then said control signal is passed to said operating system for processing by said operating system.