A newly published BlackBerry patent application appears to describe a technology that would call for a type of BlackBerry keyboard that could produce various sounds when a user touches specific keys.

Reading the abstract for patent application 20060176280, Handheld electronic device providing feedback to facilitate navigation and the entry of information, and associated method, it sounds very much like a description of a BlackBerry that could, for example, alert users when, for example, the wrong keys are touched during navigational commands intended for the device.

Such technology could also be useful for the visually impaired.

The Abstract says:

A method of facilitating the input of information in a handheld electronic device having a plurality of input elements such as, without limitation, keys. The method includes receiving a signal indicating that a particular one of the input elements is being touched in a first manner, providing a feedback signal, such as a sound or graphic, that identifies the particular input element after the signal is received, and performing a function associated with the particular input element when it is being touched in a second manner.

Also, a handheld electronic device that includes an input apparatus having a plurality of input elements, a processor, and a memory in electronic communication with the processor. The memory stores one or more routines executable by the processor for implementing the method described above.

But that's not all.

Expanding on the technology, these audio alerts could- and this is my interpretation- be equipped to go off if a user enters a mis-spelled word.

Although the specific claim is not made, some of the descriptive text in the patent application also sounds like a function for a BlackBerry device that could be used by visually impaired, or even blind, people.

Read this passage and tell me if that's the impression you get as well:

In one particular embodiment, the providing step comprises providing the feedback in the form of an audible sound that identifies the particular input element. The audible sound may comprise one or more spoken words of a digit, a symbol, or a function name associated with the input element.

In the case of this embodiment, the providing step may further include accessing a particular stored sound tag representative of the audible sound and generating the audible sound using the particular stored sound tag.

In addition, a plurality of stored sound tags may correspond to the particular one of the input elements, wherein the particular stored sound tag that is used is one of the plurality of stored sound tags chosen based upon a current state of the handheld electronic device, such as the application currently being used.

What does this sound like to you?