Description:DESCRIPTION
TECHNICAL FIELD
[001] This disclosure relates generally to keyboard, and more particularly to a retrofittable keyboard covering system.
BACKGROUND
[002] Keyboards are ubiquitous input devices used in conjunction with desktop, computers, laptops, and other computing systems. Due to frequent use and exposed design, the peripherals of the keys of the keyboards are susceptible to environmental contaminants such as dust, debris, and fluid ingress resulting from accidental spillage. Such contaminants may lead to key malfunction, short circuits, or long-term degradation of the mechanical or electronic components of the keyboard.
[003] Various protective measures have been developed to address the vulnerabilities. For instance, elastomeric silicone keyboard covers are employed to provide a barrier against contaminants. However, the silicone covers often impair tactile feedback, reduce typing comfort, and may not fit uniformly across different keyboard models. Alternatively, certain waterproof or spill-resistant keyboards are manufactured with sealed enclosures and specialized materials which enhances durability. However, such keyboards significantly increase the production costs and may lack the aesthetic or ergonomic appeal preferred by users.
[004] Therefore, there is a pressing need to address the above shortcomings and provide a keyboard cover with low production cost which is capable of preventing the ingress of contaminants into the keyboard.
SUMMARY
[005] In an embodiment, a retrofittable keyboard covering system is disclosed. The retrofittable keyboard covering system may include a roller-mounted fluid-resistant cover removably adjoined to at least one portion of a keyboard. Further, the retrofittable keyboard covering system may include an actuator coupled to the roller-mounted fluid-resistant cover and a controller communicably coupled to a fluid-resistant cover. Furthermore, the controller generates a deployment signal to deploy the fluid-resistant cover from the roller-mounted fluid-resistant cover over the keyboard based on an inactivity in a predefined region relative to the keyboard for a predefined time period, thereby preventing an ingress of contaminants into the keyboard.
[006] In an embodiment, a keyboard is disclosed. The keyboard may include a retrofittable keyboard covering system. The retrofittable keyboard covering system may include a roller-mounted fluid-resistant cover removably adjoined to at least one portion of a keyboard. Further, the retrofittable keyboard covering system may include an actuator coupled to the roller-mounted fluid-resistant cover and a controller communicably coupled to a fluid-resistant cover. Furthermore, the controller generates a deployment signal to deploy the fluid-resistant cover from the roller-mounted fluid-resistant cover over the keyboard based on an inactivity in a predefined region relative to the keyboard for a predefined time period, thereby preventing an ingress of contaminants into the keyboard.
[007] It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention, as claimed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[008] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this disclosure, illustrate exemplary embodiments and, together with the description, serve to explain the disclosed principles.
[009] FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a keyboard equipped with a retrofittable keyboard covering system, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0010] FIG. 2 illustrates a functional block diagram of the retrofittable keyboard covering system, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0011] FIG. 3 illustrates a flowchart of a methodology of the retrofittable keyboard covering system, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0012] FIG. 4 illustrates a perspective view of the retrofittable keyboard covering system in deployed state, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0013] FIG. 5 illustrates a perspective view of the retrofittable keyboard covering system in retracted state, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] Exemplary embodiments are described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Wherever convenient, the same reference numbers are used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts. While examples and features of disclosed principles are described herein, modifications, adaptations, and other implementations are possible without departing from the scope of the disclosed embodiments. It is intended that the following detailed description be considered as exemplary only, with the true scope being indicated by the following claims. Additional illustrative embodiments are listed.
[0015] Further, the phrases “in some embodiments”, “in accordance with some embodiments”, “in the embodiments shown”, “in other embodiments”, and the like, mean a particular feature, structure, or characteristic following the phrase is included in at least one embodiment of the present disclosure and may be included in more than one embodiment. In addition, such phrases do not necessarily refer to the same embodiments or different embodiments. It is intended that the following detailed description be considered exemplary only, with the true scope and spirit being indicated by the following claims.
[0016] As explained earlier, to prevent the ingress of contaminants into the keyboard, various protective measures have been developed. For instance, elastomeric silicone keyboard covers are employed to provide a barrier against contaminants. However, the prior covers may impair tactile feedback, reduce typing comfort, and may not fit uniformly across different keyboard models. Alternatively, certain waterproof or spill-resistant keyboards are manufactured with sealed enclosures and specialized materials which enhances durability. However, such options significantly increase the production costs and may lack the aesthetic or ergonomic appeal preferred by users.
[0017] Therefore, a retrofittable keyboard covering system is disclosed. The retrofittable keyboard covering system may include a roller-mounted fluid-resistant cover removably adjoined to at least one portion of a keyboard. Further, the retrofittable keyboard covering system may include an actuator coupled to the roller-mounted fluid-resistant cover and a controller communicably coupled to a fluid-resistant cover. Furthermore, the controller generates a deployment signal to deploy the fluid-resistant cover from the roller-mounted fluid-resistant cover over the keyboard based on an inactivity in a predefined region relative to the keyboard for a predefined time period, thereby preventing an ingress of contaminants into the keyboard.
[0018] FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view 100 of a keyboard 101 equipped with a retrofittable keyboard covering (RKC) system 102, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0019] In an embodiment, the keyboard 101 may include the RKC system 102 configured to prevent the ingress of contaminants into the keyboard 101. The RKC system 102 may be retrofitted, such that the RKC system 102 may be detachably mounted to a keyboard and subsequently removed and reattached to another keyboard without necessitating permanent modifications to either keyboards. The contaminants may include but not limited to dust, debris, accidental fluid spillage, and the like. The RKC system 102 may include a roller-mounted fluid resistant (RFR) cover 104 removably adjoined to at least one portion 105, 107, 109, 111 of the keyboard 101 and an actuator (not shown in FIG) coupled to the RFR cover 104. Further, the RKC system 102 may include a controller communicably coupled to a fluid resistant cover 106. Further, the RFR cover 104 may include the fluid resistant cover 106. The controller may be configured to generate a deployment signal to deploy the fluid resistant cover 106 from the RFR cover 104 over the keyboard 101 based on an inactivity in a predefined region relative to the keyboard 101 for a predefined time-period, thereby preventing an ingress of contaminants into the keyboard 101.
[0020] Particularly, the RFR cover 104 may be removably adjoined to at least one portion 105, 107, 109, 111 of the keyboard 101. The at least one portion 105, 107, 109, 111 of the keyboard 101 may include but not limited to an upper portion 105, a lower portion 107, a left lateral side portion 109 disposed perpendicularly to the upper portion 105 and the lower portion 107, and a right lateral side portion 111 disposed opposite to the left lateral side portion 109. It is to be noted, the dimension of the RFR cover 104 may be similar to the length of the at least one portion 105, 107, 109, 111 of the keyboard 101 on which the RFR cover 104 may be adjoined.
[0021] Further, the RFR cover 104 may include a roller 108 engaged with the fluid-resistant cover 106 and coupled to the actuator. By way of example, the roller 108 may be disposed within the at least one portion 105, 107, 109, 111 of the keyboard 101. The roller 108 may be configured to rotate in a first direction about a translational axis passing therethrough, upon actuation of the actuator to deploy the fluid-resistant cover 106 over the keyboard 101. Such deployment results in prevention of the ingress of the contaminants in the keyboard 101. Further, the roller 108 may be fabricated from a lightweight, non-abrasive material to prevent scratching or marring of the keyboard 101 surface during installation or operation. The material may include but not limited to anodized aluminum alloy, polyoxymethylene, reinforced nylon composites and the like.
[0022] Further, the fluid resistant cover 106 may be made of material which is flexible, chemical resistance, tear resistance and impermeable to fluids. The material may be selected from a group comprising High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) geomembrane sheet, Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer rubber, Thermoplastic Polyolefin (TPO) and Polyurethane. The material may include but not limited to thermoplastic polyurethane, polycarbonate film, nitrile butadiene rubber silicone rubber sheet and the like. In an embodiment, the thickness of the fluid resistant cover 106 may be ranging from about 0.05 mm to about 0.3 mm. The fluid resistant cover 106 may be configured to prevent the actuation of the underlying keys of the keyboard 101 when the fluid resistant cover 106 may be deployed over the keyboard 101.
[0023] The fluid resistant cover 106 may define a length and a breadth which may be based on the dimension of the at least one portion 105, 107, 109, 111 (e.g. the upper portion 105, the lower portion 107, left lateral side portion 109, and right lateral side portion 111) of the keyboard 101 to be covered. For instance, when the RFR cover 104 may be adjoined to the upper portion 105 or the lower portion 107 of the keyboard 101, the fluid resistant cover 106 may be configured to deploy over the horizontal span of the keyboard 101. In the horizontal span, the length of the fluid resistant cover 106 may range from 120 mm to about 180 mm and the breadth of the fluid resistant cover 106 may range from 280 mm to about 460 mm.
[0024] In contrast, when the RFR cover 104 may be adjoined to the left lateral side or the right lateral side of the keyboard 101, the fluid resistant cover 106 may be configured to deploy over a vertical span of the keyboard 101. In the vertical span, the length of the fluid resistant cover 106 may range from 280 mm to about 460 mm and the breadth of the fluid resistant cover 106 may range from 120 mm to about 180 mm. It is to be noted that the length may include a predefined distance, and the fluid resistant cover 106 may traverse to span a surface area of the keyboard 101 in the direction of deployment. Further, the breadth may include the dimension that spans over the keyboard 101 perpendicular to the direction of deployment of the fluid resistant cover 106.
[0025] Further, the roller 108 may define a radius which may be determined based on factors such as but not limited to cover material, winding configuration of the fluid resistant cover 106 over the roller 108, a total length of the fluid resistant cover 106 and thickness of the fluid resistant cover 106 to be wound thereon. In an embodiment, the radius of the roller 108 may range from 8 mm to about 20 mm.
[0026] The fluid resistant cover 106 may include a proximal end 110 and a distal end 112 oppositely disposed to the proximal end 110. The proximal end 110 may be coupled to the roller 108 and the distal end 112 may be coupled to a first attachment 114. Further, the keyboard 101 may include a second attachment 116 configured to engage or disengage with the first attachment 114. The first attachment 114 and second attachment 116 may include, but not limited to a hook-and-loop fastener, a magnetic fastener, a snap-fit connector, a press fit clip, an adhesive strip, a sliding latch mechanism, and the like. Additionally, the first attachment 114 and second attachment 116 may include an interlocking element, such as but not limited to a male-female dovetail connector, an electro-mechanical locking mechanism, and the like, which may be actuated by the controller to secure or release the fluid resistant cover 106 from the distal end 112 as required.
[0027] As explained earlier, RFR system 104 may be coupled to the actuator, which may be configured to actuate the roller 108 in the first direction about the translational axis to deploy the fluid resistant cover 106 over the keyboard 101. By way of example, the actuator may be disposed in the at least one portion 105, 107, 109, 111 of the keyboard 101. Conversely, the actuator may be configured to actuate the roller 108 in a second direction about a translational axis to retract the fluid-resistant cover 106 onto the roller 108. Further, the first direction and the second direction may include either a clockwise direction or an anticlockwise direction. The actuator may include, but not limited to, electromechanical actuator, solenoid actuator, piezoelectric actuator, and the like.
[0028] In an embodiment, the keyboard 101 may include a sensor unit communicably coupled to the controller. By way of example, the sensor unit may be positioned with the at least one portion 105, 107, 109, 111 of the keyboard 101 or may be disposed within an inner side (not shown) of the at least one portion 105, 107, 109, 111 of the keyboard 101. The sensor unit may be configured to generate a deployment sensor signal upon detecting the inactivity in the predefined region relative to the keyboard 101 for the predefined time-period may transmit the deployment sensor signal to the controller. By way of example, the predefined region may define a region in vicinity of the keyboard 101. The sensor unit may include but not limited to an infrared proximity sensor, a capacitive proximity sensor, a ultrasonic distance sensor, an optical sensor, a time-of-flight sensor, a combination thereof, and the like. The controller, in response to the deployment sensor signal, may be configured to generate a deployment signal to actuate the roller 108 in the first direction to deploy the fluid resistant cover 106 over the keyboard 101. Upon actuation, when the fluid resistant cover 106 may be fully extended in the deployed state, the controller may actuate the second attachment 116 to engage with first attachment 114 of the fluid resistant cover 106. By virtue of such attachment, the deployment of the fluid-resistant cover 106 on the keyboard 101 may be maintained to prevent the ingress of contaminants into the keyboard 101.
[0029] Conversely, the sensor unit may be configured to generate a retracting sensor signal upon detecting an activity in the predefined region relative to the keyboard 101 and transmit the retracting sensor signal to the controller. The controller in response to the retracting sensor signal, may be configured to generate a retracting signal to actuate the second attachment 116 to disengage with the first attachment 114. Further, in response to the retracting signal, the roller 108 may be actuated in the second direction to retract the fluid-resistant cover 106 onto the roller 108, thereby exposing and restoring the keyboard 101 for use.
[0030] In another embodiment, the controller may be configured to generate the deployment signal or the retracting signal upon receiving the user input via an external device. In yet another embodiment, the second attachment 116 may be manually engaged or disengaged with the first attachment 114 to deploy or retract the fluid resistant cover 106 over the keyboard 101.
[0031] FIG. 2 illustrates a functional block diagram 200 of the RKC system 102, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. The RKC system 102 may include a controller 202, an external device 212, a data server 214, and a sensor unit 216 communicably coupled to each other through a wired or wireless communication network 210. The controller 202 may include a processor 204, a memory 206, and an input/output (I/O) device 208. The controller 202 may be communicably coupled to the actuator 218.
[0032] In an embodiment, examples of processor(s) 204 may include but are not limited to, an Intel® Itanium® or Itanium 2 processor(s), or AMD® Opteron® or Athlon MP® processor(s), Motorola® lines of processors, Nvidia®, FortiSOC™ system on a chip processors or other future processors.
[0033] In an embodiment, the memory 206 may store instructions that, when executed by the processor 204 may cause the processor(s) to execute instructions adapted to manage the deployment of the fluid resistant cover 106. The controller 202 may be configured to receive sensor signal and implement the deployment or retraction of the fluid resistant cover 106. The memory 206 may also store various data (for example, an activity or an inactivity within the predefined region of the keyboard 101 and the like) that may be captured, processed, and/or required by the RKC system 102.
[0034] In an embodiment, the memory 206 may be a non-volatile memory or a volatile memory. Examples of non-volatile memory may include but are not limited to, a flash memory, a Read Only Memory (ROM), a Programmable ROM (PROM), Erasable PROM (EPROM), and Electrically EPROM (EEPROM) memory. Further, examples of volatile memory may include but are not limited to, Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM), and Static Random-Access memory (SRAM).
[0035] As will be also appreciated, the above described techniques may take the form of computer or controller implemented processes and apparatuses for practicing those processes. The disclosure can also be embodied in the form of computer program code containing instructions embodied in tangible media, such as floppy diskettes, solid state drives, CD-ROMs, hard drives, or any other computer-readable storage medium, wherein, when the computer program code is loaded into and executed by a computer or controller, the computer becomes an apparatus for practicing the invention. The disclosure may also be embodied in the form of computer program code or signal, for example, whether stored in a storage medium, loaded into and/or executed by a computer or controller, or transmitted over some transmission medium, such as over electrical wiring or cabling, through fiber optics, or via electromagnetic radiation, wherein, when the computer program code is loaded into and executed by a computer, the computer becomes an apparatus for practicing the invention. When implemented on a general-purpose microprocessor, the computer program code segments configure the microprocessor to create specific logic circuits. The disclosed methods and systems may be implemented on a conventional or a general-purpose computer system, such as a personal computer (PC) or server computer.
[0036] In an embodiment, the controller 202 may include the I/O device 208 which may include a variety of interface(s), for example, interfaces for data input and output devices, and the like. The I/O device 208 may facilitate inputting of instructions by a user communicating with the controller 202. In an embodiment, the I/O device 208 may be wirelessly connected to the controller 202 through wireless network interfaces such as Bluetooth®, infrared, or any other wireless radio communication known in the art. In an embodiment, the I/O device 208 may be connected to a communication pathway for one or more components of the controller 202 to facilitate the transmission of inputted instructions and output results of data generated by various components such as, but not limited to, processor(s) 204 and memory 206.
[0037] In an embodiment, the data server 214 may be enabled in a remote cloud server or a co-located server and may include a database to store an application, a large language model (LLM) and other data necessary for the system 102 to perform maintenance of the equipment. In an embodiment, the data server 214 may store data input by an external device 212 (e.g., prompts) or output generated by the controller 202. It is to be noted that the application may be designed and implemented as either a web application or a software application. The web application may be developed using a variety of technologies such as HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and various web frameworks like React, Angular, or Vue.js. It may be hosted on a web server and accessible through standard web browsers. On the other hand, the software application may be a standalone program installed on users' devices, which may be developed using programming languages such as Java, C++, Python, or any other suitable language depending on the platform. In an embodiment, the controller 202 may be communicably coupled with the data server 214 through the communication network 210.
[0038] In an embodiment, the communication network 210 may be a wired or a wireless network or a combination thereof. The communication network 210 can be implemented as one of the different types of networks, such as but not limited to, ethernet IP network, intranet, local area network (LAN), wide area network (WAN), the internet, Wi-Fi, LTE network, CDMA network, 5G and the like. Further, the communication network 210 can either be a dedicated network or a shared network. The shared network represents an association of the different types of networks that use a variety of protocols, for example, Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), Wireless Application Protocol (WAP), and the like, to communicate with one another. Further the communication network 210 can include a variety of network devices, including routers, bridges, servers, controllers, storage devices, and the like.
[0039] In an embodiment, the controller 202 may receive a user input for implementing the deployment and retraction of the fluid resistant cover 106 from an external device 212 through the communication network 210. In an embodiment, the controller 202 and the external device 212 may be a computing system, including but not limited to, a smart phone, a laptop computer, a desktop computer, a notebook, a workstation, a server, a portable computer, a handheld, or a mobile device. In an embodiment, the controller 202 may be, but not limited to, in-built into the external device 212 or may be a standalone controller.
[0040] In an embodiment, as explained in FIG. 1, the controller 202 may be communicably coupled to the actuator 218 which may be configured to rotate the roller 108 either in the first direction or in the second direction. Further, the controller 202 may be coupled to the sensor unit 216 which may be configured to detect the activity and inactivity within the predefined region relative to the keyboard 101.
[0041] FIG. 3 illustrates a flowchart 300 of a methodology of deployment/retraction of the retrofittable keyboard covering system 102, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. At step 302, the sensor unit 216 of the keyboard 101 may detect the activity or inactivity in the predefined region relative to the keyboard 101 for the predefined time-period. Upon detecting the inactivity in the predefined region relative to the keyboard 101 for the predefined time-period, the sensor unit 216 may generate the deployment sensor signal. Upon detecting the activity in the predefined region relative to the keyboard 101 for the predefined time-period, the sensor unit 216 may generate the retracting sensor signal. Further, the sensor unit 216 may transmit the deployment sensor signal and the retracting sensor signal to the controller 202.
[0042] At step 302, in alternate scenario, the sensor unit 216 in conjunction the controller 202, may detect the activity in the predefined region relative to the keyboard 101 for the predefined time-period. Upon detecting an activity predefined region relative to the keyboard 101, the sensor unit 216 may generate the retracting sensor signal. Further, the sensor unit 216 may transmit the retracting sensor signal to the controller 202.
[0043] At step 308, the controller 202 upon receiving the retracting sensor signal from the sensor unit 216 may be configured to generate a retracting signal which may be transmitted to the second attachment 116. At step 310, upon the actuation of the roller 108 in the second direction the fluid resistant cover 106 may retract onto the roller 108 to expose and restore the keyboard 101 for use in the retracted state 502.
[0044] In case of an activity detected, at step 304, the controller 202 upon receiving the deployment sensor signal from the sensor unit 216 may be configured to generate a deployment signal. Further, the controller 202 may transmit the deployment signal to the actuator 218 which may actuate the roller 108 in the first direction. Upon the actuation of the roller 108 in the first direction, the fluid resistant cover 106 may deploy from the roller 108 and may extend over the keyboard 101. Further, at step 306, the controller 202 may actuate the second attachment 116 to engage with the first attachment 114, to maintain the deployed state 402 of the fluid-resistant cover 106 over the keyboard 101 to prevent the ingress of contaminants into the keyboard 101.
[0045] Referring now to FIG. 4, which illustrates a perspective view 400 of the RKC system 102 in a deployed state 402, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 4 is explained in conjunction with FIG. 3. The controller 202 upon receiving the deployment sensor signal from the sensor unit 216 may be configured to generate a deployment signal. Further, the controller 202 may transmit the deployment signal to the actuator 218 which may actuate the roller 108 in the first direction. By way of example, upon transmission of the deployment signal, the actuator 218 may be actuated such that roller 108 may be rotated in the first direction (as indicated by the indicia in FIG. 4).
[0046] As evident in FIG. 4, upon the actuation of the roller 108 in the first direction, the fluid resistant cover 106 may deploy from the roller 108 and may extend over the keyboard 101. Further, when the fluid resistant cover 106 may be fully deployed over the keyboard 101, the controller 202 may cease the actuation of the roller 108 in the first direction. Further, the controller 202 may actuate the second attachment 116 to engage with the first attachment 114, to maintain the deployed state 402 of the fluid-resistant cover 106 over the keyboard 101 to prevent the ingress of contaminants into the keyboard 101.
[0047] Referring now to FIG. 5, which illustrates a perspective view 500 of the retrofittable keyboard covering system 102 in retracted state 502, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. Upon receiving the retracting sensor signal from the sensor unit 216, the controller 202 may be configured to generate a retracting signal which may be transmitted to the second attachment 116. As evident in FIG.5, the second attachment 116 upon receiving the retracting signal may be configured to disengage with the first attachment 114. Correspondingly, the controller 202 may transmit the retracting signal to the actuator 218 which may actuate the roller 108 in the second direction. Upon the actuation of the roller 108 in the second direction, the fluid resistant cover 106 may retract onto the roller 108 to expose and restore the keyboard 101 for use in the retracted state 502. Upon complete retraction of the fluid resistant cover 106 onto the roller 108, the controller 202 may cease the actuation of the roller 108 in the second direction (as indicated by the indicia in FIG. 5).
[0048] As will be appreciated by one skilled in the art, a variety of processes may be employed for optimizing resource utilization in cloud-based data processing platforms. For example, the system 102 and the associated processor 102 may determine reference to dynamic values for performing load testing by the processes discussed herein. In particular, as will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art, control logic and/or automated routines for performing the techniques and steps described herein may be implemented by the system 102 and the associated controller 502 either by hardware, software, or combinations of hardware and software. For example, suitable code may be accessed and executed by the one or more processors on the system 102 to perform some or all of the techniques described herein. Similarly, application specific integrated circuits (ASICs) configured to perform some, or all of the processes described herein may be included in the one or more processors on the system 102.
[0049] As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the techniques described in the various embodiments discussed above are not routine, or conventional, or well-understood in the art. The techniques discussed above provide for system 102 to prevent the ingress of contaminants into the keyboard.
[0050] In light of the above-mentioned advantages and the technical advancements provided by the disclosed method and system, the claimed steps as discussed above are not routine, conventional, or well understood in the art, as the claimed steps enable the following solutions to the existing problems in conventional technologies. Further, the claimed steps bring an improvement in the functioning of the device itself as the claimed steps provide a technical solution to a technical problem.
[0051] As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the method and system described in the various embodiments discussed above are not routine, or conventional or well understood in the art. The method and system discussed above may provide several advantages. The system may be capable of providing a physical barrier that shiels the keyboard from dust, debris, accidental liquid spill, thereby preventing damage to internal electronic components and extending the operational lifespan of the keyboard. Additionally, the system is designed for ease of deployment and retraction without specialized tools or significant effort, which enhances usability. Economically, the system serves as a cost-effective alternative to fully waterproof keyboards, reducing manufacturing complexity and associated costs while delivering a comparable level of protection. Furthermore, the system maintains the aesthetic appearance of the keyboard when not in use, preserving the original design and visual appeal.
[0052] The illustrated steps are set out to explain the exemplary embodiments shown, and it should be anticipated that ongoing technological development will change the manner in which particular functions are performed. These examples are presented herein for purposes of illustration, and not limitation. Further, the boundaries of the functional building blocks have been arbitrarily defined herein for the convenience of the description. Alternative boundaries can be defined so long as the specified functions and relationships thereof are appropriately performed. Alternatives (including equivalents, extensions, variations, deviations, etc., of those described herein) will be apparent to persons skilled in the relevant art(s) based on the teachings contained herein. Such alternatives fall within the scope and spirit of the disclosed embodiments.
[0053] Furthermore, one or more computer-readable storage media may be utilized in implementing embodiments consistent with the present disclosure. A computer-readable storage medium refers to any type of physical memory on which information or data readable by a processor may be stored. Thus, a computer-readable storage medium may store instructions for execution by one or more processors, including instructions for causing the processor(s) to perform steps or stages consistent with the embodiments described herein. The term “computer-readable medium” should be understood to include tangible items and exclude carrier waves and transient signals, i.e., be non-transitory. Examples include random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), volatile memory, nonvolatile memory, hard drives, CD ROMs, DVDs, flash drives, disks, and any other known physical storage media.
[0054] It is intended that the disclosure and examples be considered as exemplary only, with a true scope of disclosed embodiments being indicated by the following claims. , Claims:CLAIMS
I/We Claim:
1. A retrofittable keyboard covering system (102) comprising:
a roller-mounted fluid-resistant cover (104) removably adjoined to at least one portion (105, 107, 109, 111) of a keyboard (101); and
an actuator (218) coupled to the roller-mounted fluid-resistant cover (104); and
a controller (202) communicably coupled to a fluid-resistant cover (106), wherein the controller (202) generates an deployment signal to deploy the fluid-resistant cover (106) from the roller-mounted fluid-resistant cover (104) over the keyboard (101) based on an inactivity in a predefined region relative to the keyboard (101) for a predefined time period, thereby preventing an ingress of contaminants into the keyboard (101).
2. The system (102) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fluid-resistant cover (106) is made of a material selected from a group comprising High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) geomembrane sheet, Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer rubber, Thermoplastic Polyolefin (TPO) and Polyurethane.
3. The system (102) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the roller-mounted fluid-resistant cover (104) comprises:
a roller (108) engaged with the fluid-resistant cover (106) and coupled to the actuator (218), wherein the roller (108) is configured to rotate in a first direction about a translational axis passing therethrough, upon actuation of the actuator (218) to deploy the fluid-resistant cover (106) over the keyboard (101).
4. The system (102) as claimed in claim 1, comprising:
a sensor unit (216) communicably coupled to a controller (202), wherein the sensor unit (216) is configured to:
generate a deployment sensor signal upon detecting the inactivity in the predefined region relative to the keyboard (101) for the predefined time period, wherein the deployment sensor signal is transmitted to the controller (202).
5. The system (102) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fluid-resistant cover (106) comprises:
a proximal end (110);
a distal end (112) oppositely disposed to the proximal end (110), wherein the proximal end (110) is coupled to the roller (108); and
a first attachment (114) is coupled to the distal end (112) of the fluid-resistant cover (106).
6. The system (102) as claimed in claim 5, wherein the keyboard (101) comprises:
a second attachment (116) configured to engage or disengage with the first attachment (114) to maintain deployment of the fluid-resistant cover (106) on the keyboard (101).
7. The system (102) as claimed in claim 6, wherein upon detecting an activity in the predefined region relative to the keyboard (101), the controller (202) is configured to generate a retraction signal, wherein in response to the retraction signal:
the first attachment (114) is disengaged from the second attachment (116); and
the roller (108) is rotated in a second direction by the actuator (218) to retract the fluid-resistant cover (106) onto the roller (108), wherein the second direction is opposite to the first direction.
8. A keyboard (101), comprising:
a retrofittable keyboard covering system (102), the system (102) comprising:
a roller-mounted fluid-resistant cover (104) removably adjoined to at least one portion (105, 107, 109, 111) of the keyboard (101); and
an actuator (218) coupled to the roller-mounted fluid-resistant cover (104), wherein the actuator (218), when actuated by a controller (202), is configured to deploy a fluid-resistant cover (106) from the roller-mounted fluid-resistant cover (104) over the keyboard (101) based on an inactivity in a predefined region relative to the keyboard (101) for a predefined time period, thereby preventing an ingress of contaminants into the keyboard (101).
9. The keyboard (101) as claimed in claim 8, wherein the fluid-resistant cover (106) is made with a material selected from a group comprising High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) geomembrane sheet, Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer rubber, Thermoplastic Polyolefin (TPO) and Polyurethane.
10. The keyboard (101) as claimed in claim 8, wherein the roller-mounted fluid-resistant cover (104) comprises:
a roller (108) engaged with the fluid-resistant cover (106) and coupled to the actuator (218), wherein the roller (108) is configured to rotate in a first direction about a translational axis upon actuation of the actuator (218) to deploy the fluid-resistant cover (106) over the keyboard (101).
11. The keyboard (101) as claimed in claim 8, comprising:
a sensor unit (216) communicably coupled to the controller (202), wherein the sensor unit (216) is configured to:
generate a deployment sensor signal upon detecting the inactivity in the predefined region relative to the keyboard (101) for the predefined time period, wherein the deployment sensor signal is transmitted to the controller (202).
12. The keyboard (101) as claimed in claim 8, wherein the fluid-resistant cover (106) comprises:
a proximal end (110);
a distal end (112), oppositely disposed to the proximal end (110), wherein the proximal end (110) is coupled to the roller (108); and
a first attachment (114) is coupled to the distal end (112) of the fluid-resistant cover (106).
13. The keyboard (101) as claimed in claim 12, wherein the keyboard (101) comprises:
a second attachment (116) configured to engage or disengage with the first attachment (114) to maintain deployment of the fluid-resistant cover (106) on the keyboard (101).
14. The keyboard (101) as claimed in claim 13, wherein upon detecting an activity in the predefined region relative to the keyboard (101), the controller (202) is configured to generate a retracting signal, wherein in response to the retracting signal:
the first attachment (114) is disengaged from the second attachment (116); and
the roller (108) is rotated in a second direction by the actuator (218) to retract the fluid-resistant cover (106) onto the roller (108), wherein the second direction is opposite to the first direction.