Hand-held electronic device

• US 10,067,572 B2
• Filed: 05/19/2011
• Issued: 09/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Griffin, Jason T., Holmes, John A., Lazaridis, Mihal, Little, Herb A., Major, Harry R., Dunk, Craig, Brown, Michael, Lang, Jerome
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Benjamin C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Liang, Dong Hui
• Application Number:
  US13/111,596
• Publication Number:
  US 20110225491A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,665 Days
• Field of Search: 345168, 715271, 715863, 707711, 341 22
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1664 Arrangements for ergonomically adjusting the disposition of keys of the integrated keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1684 Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/169 the I/O peripheral being an integrated pointing device, e.g. trackball in the palm rest area, mini-joystick integrated between keyboard keys, touch pads or touch stripes G06F1/1643 takes precedence; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1698 the I/O peripheral being a sending/receiving arrangement to establish a cordless communication link, e.g. radio or infrared link, integrated cellular phone details of antennas disposed inside a computer H01Q1/2266
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0219 Special purpose keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0362 with detection of 1D translations or rotations of an operating part of the device, e.g. scroll wheels, sliders, knobs, rollers or belts
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0383 Signal control means within the pointing device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/274 Converting codes to words; Guess-ahead of partial word inputs

Abstract

A hand-held electronic device with a keyboard, thumbwheel, display and associated software is optimized for use of the device with the thumbs. The associated software has a plurality of features to optimize efficient use of the limited keyboard space and encourage the use of the device by thumb-based data entry through the thumbwheel and/or through a combination of minimal number of keystrokes. Software features include international character scrolling, and auto-capitalization. The keys on the device keyboard are optimally shaped and configured for thumb-based input. In addition, the thumbwheel is inclined between the front and a side edge of the device so as to be reachable by either the thumb or index finger of the user'"'"'s hand at the side edge of the device.

Claims

1. A method for use with a user device having a display and a processor, the method comprising:

receiving an input in an email address entry field designated for an email address having a predetermined email address format, wherein the email address entry field is formed on the display of the user device using the processor, and the input is received through a keyboard including a plurality of keys with each key representing a single letter;

determining, by the processor, whether a portion of the input prior to a delimiter trigger signal matches an initial portion of an email address and does not include a character required by the predetermined email address format; and

based on the determination, forming at least a subsequent portion of an email address from the input, wherein the email address portion includes the character required by the predetermined email address format and does not include any character associated with the delimiter trigger signal.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein

(i) the predetermined email address format substantially conforms with a format having a first set of characters followed by an at-sign delimiter (@) followed by a second set of characters followed by a period (.) followed by a third set of characters as follows:

<

characters>

@<

characters>

.<

characters>

;

(ii) the delimiter trigger signal is a blank space; and

(iii) the character required by the predetermined email address format is an at-sign delimiter (@).

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

determining, by the processor, whether the input includes another delimiter trigger signal and does not include a period (.) required by the predetermined email address format; and

forming at least a portion of an email address from the input, wherein the email address portion includes the period (.) required by the predetermined email address format and does not include any character associated with another delimiter trigger signal.

4. A user device comprising:

a display;

at least one processor; and

at least one memory configured to store instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the user device to;

receive an input in an email address entry field for an email address entry field designated for an email address having a predetermined email address format, wherein the email address entry field is formed on the display of the user device using the processor, and the input is received through a keyboard including a plurality of keys with each key representing a single letter,

determine whether a portion of the input prior to a delimiter trigger signal matches an initial portion of an email address and does not include a character required by the predetermined email address format, and

based on the determination, form at least a subsequent portion of an email address from the input, wherein the email address portion includes the character required by the predetermined email address format and does not include any character associated with the delimiter trigger signal.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein

(i) the predetermined email address format substantially conforms with a format having a first set of characters followed by an at-sign delimiter (@) followed by a second set of characters followed by a period (.) followed by a third set of characters as follows:

<

characters>

@<

characters>

.<

characters>

;

(ii) the delimiter trigger signal is a blank space; and

(iii) the character required by the predetermined email address format is an at-sign delimiter (@).

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the at least one memory is configured to store instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the user device to:

determine whether the input includes another delimiter trigger signal and does not include a period (.) required by the predetermined email address format, and

form at least a portion of an email address from the input, wherein the email address portion includes the period (.) required by the predetermined email address format and does not include any character associated with another delimiter trigger signal.

7. A method at a mobile device for outputting a character at a field for input of an email address that takes form as <

characters>

@<

characters>

.<

characters>

, said method comprising;

receiving a certain portion of the email address, wherein the certain portion is received through a keyboard with each key representing a single letter;

receiving a user-input delimiter trigger signal after receipt of the certain portion of the email address, the user-input delimiter trigger signal indicating completion of the certain portion; and

outputting a first email delimiter in place of a delimiter associated with the user-input delimiter trigger signal if the first email delimiter has not been entered into the email address.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the first email delimiter comprises an at-sign character.

9. A method for use with a user device having a display and a processor, the method comprising:

forming an email address entry field for an input email address conforming with a predetermined email address structure comprising characters determined to be appropriate for an email address, wherein the email address entry field is formed on the display of the user device using the processor;

receiving an input, wherein the input is received through a keyboard including a plurality of keys with each key representing a single letter;

determining whether the input in the email address entry field matches a portion of an input email address; and

if it is determined, by the processor, that the input in the email address entry field

(i) includes an inappropriate character for an email address, and

(ii) does not include an at-sign delimiter (@) required for an email address by the predetermined email address structure;

replacing the inappropriate character with an at-sign delimiter (@) to conform the input in accordance with at least a part of the predetermined email address structure.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the inappropriate character is a blank space.

11. A user device comprising:

a display;

a processor; and

at least one memory for storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the user device to;

form an email address entry field for an input email address conforming with a predetermined email address structure comprising characters determined to be appropriate for an email address, wherein the email address entry field is formed on the display of the user device using the processor,

receive an input, wherein the input is received through a keyboard including a plurality of keys with each key representing a single letter,

determine whether the input in the email address entry field matches a portion of an input email address, and

if it is determined, by the processor, that the input in the email address entry field

(i) includes an inappropriate character for an email address, and

(ii) does not include an at-sign delimiter (@) required for an email address by the predetermined email address structure;

replace the inappropriate character with an at-sign delimiter (@) to conform the input in accordance with at least a part of the predetermined email address structure.

12. The user device of claim 11, wherein the inappropriate character is a blank space.

13. A user device, comprising:

means for receiving an input in the email address entry field for an email address entry field designated for an email address having a predetermined email address format, wherein the email address entry field is formed on a display of the user device using a processor, and the input is received through a keyboard including a plurality of keys with each key representing a single letter;

means for determining whether a portion of the input prior to a delimiter trigger signal matches an initial portion of an email address and does not include a character required by the predetermined email address format; and

means for forming, based on a result of the determination, at least a subsequent portion of an email address from the input, wherein the email address portion includes the character required by the predetermined email address format and does not include any character associated with the delimiter trigger signal.

14. The user device of claim 13, wherein (i) the predetermined email address format substantially conforms with a format having a first set of characters followed by an at-sign delimiter (@) followed by a second set of characters followed by a period (.) followed by a third set of characters as follows:

<

characters>

@<

characters>

.<

characters>

;

(ii) the delimiter trigger signal is a blank space; and

(iii) the character required by the predetermined email address format is an at-sign delimiter (@).

15. A method of changing a character display of a first portion of an E-mail address on a mobile device having a display and a memory, the method comprising:

storing the E-mail address in the memory of the mobile device, wherein the memory associates the E-mail address with the first portion;

receiving an input comprising the first portion of the E-mail address, and displaying the first portion on the display, wherein the input is received through a keyboard including a plurality of keys with each key representing a single letter;

scanning the memory when a space is received after receipt of the first portion of the E-mail address and determining that the first portion matches a portion of the stored E-mail address; and

replacing the first portion on the display automatically with the E-mail address, including an at-sign delimiter (@).

16. A method for use in a mobile device for delimiter outputting in an address field for a message, the address field being formed of at least three text fields with a first text field followed by an at-sign delimiter (@) followed by a second text field followed by a period symbol delimiter (.) followed by a third text field, said method comprising:

enabling entry of an address in an address field for a message;

receiving a user-input character set comprising a portion of the address, wherein the user-input character set is received through a keyboard including a plurality of keys with each key representing a single letter;

determining whether the user-input character set matches the first text field of the address;

determining whether the user-input character set includes an at-sign delimiter (@);

receiving a user-input delimiter trigger signal; and

outputting an at-sign delimiter (@) in place of a delimiter associated with the user-input delimiter trigger signal in the address if the user-input character set corresponds to the first text field and an at-sign delimiter (@) is not in the user-input character set.

17. A mobile device configured to change a character display associated with a first set of characters for an E-mail address, the device comprising:

a display;

at least one processor; and

at least one memory for storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the mobile device to;

store the E-mail address in the memory of the mobile device, wherein the memory associates the E-mail address with the first portion,

receive an input comprising the first portion of the E-mail address, and displaying the first portion on the display, wherein the input is received through a keyboard including a plurality of keys with each key representing a single letter,

scan the memory when a space is received after receipt of the first portion of the E-mail address and determining that the first portion is associated with the stored E-mail address, and

replace the first portion on the display automatically with an E-mail address, including an at-sign delimiter (@).

18. A mobile device for outputting a delimiter in an address field for a message, the address field being formed of at least three text fields with a first text field followed by an at-sign delimiter (@) followed by a second text field followed by a period symbol delimiter (.) followed by a third text field, the device comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory for storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the mobile device to;

enable entry of an address in an address field for a message,

receive a user-input character set comprising a portion of the address, wherein the user-input character set is received through a keyboard including a plurality of keys with each key representing a single letter,

determine whether the user-input character set matches the first text field of the address,

determine whether the user-input character set includes an at-sign delimiter (@),

receive a user-input delimiter trigger signal, and

output an at-sign delimiter (@) in place of a delimiter associated with the user-input delimiter trigger signal in the address if the user-input character set corresponds to the first text field and an at-sign delimiter (@) is not in the user-input character set.