ELECTRONIC DEVICE WITH A VARIABLE KEYBOARD

• US 20010012195A1
• Filed: 03/01/1999
• Published: 08/09/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Uniloc 2017 LLC (SoftBank Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: US Philips Corporation (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: LEFORT, LOIC
• Granted Patent: US 6,349,040 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/680
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• 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 1/1662 Details related to the integrated keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1666 Arrangements for reducing the size of the integrated keyboard for transport, e.g. foldable keyboards, keyboards with collapsible keys G06F1/1664 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1671 Special purpose buttons or auxiliary keyboards, e.g. retractable mini keypads, keypads or buttons that remain accessible at closed laptop G06F1/1666 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1679 for locking or maintaining the movable parts of the enclosure in a fixed position, e.g. latching mechanism at the edge of the display in a laptop or for the screen protective cover of a PDA G06F1/1681 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1683 for the transmission of signal or power between the different housings, e.g. details of wired or wireless communication, passage of cabling
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0214 Foldable telephones, i.e. with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position combined with translation movement H04M1/0235
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0245 using open/close detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/23 Construction or mounting of dials or of equivalent devices; Means for facilitating the use thereof by improving visibility H04M1/22
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/18 including more than one keyboard unit
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041

Abstract

A main side of the device (10) has a keyboard with keys (4A, 5A, 4C) and a display (6). According to the invention, part of the keyboard (4) can be moved between two operational positions for which the device retains the same size: a first position called reduced keyboard (and large display) (FIGS. 1C, 1D) and a second position with an extended keyboard (and a small display) (FIGS. 1A, 1B). The keys that are accessible for one position are inaccessible for another position and vice versa.

Claims

1. An electronic device with a main side having user connection means such as a keyboard with keys and a display, characterized in that a first part of the keyboard is fixed and that a second part, permanently firmly attached to said device, comprises positioning means so that it is movable between two operational positions for which said device retains an invariable size, a first position in which said keyboard is called reduced and a second position in which said keyboard is called extended, and such that the change from one position to the other renders the keys of the keyboard accessible to said user for the end position and keys of the keyboard inaccessible for the starting position.

2. An electronic device as claimed in

claim 1

, characterized in that in the second position, with the keyboard extended, said movable part of the keyboard masks part of said display.

3. An electronic device as claimed in

claim 2

, characterized in that said movable part of the keyboard comprises pivoting means for pivoting from one position to the other around a hinge located on said main side, between an edge of the display and an edge of the first fixed part of the keyboard, and in that this movable part of the keyboard comprises a key configuration on each of its main sides, and connection means for connecting to electronic elements located inside the housing of the device.

4. An electronic device as claimed in

claim 3

, characterized in that said connection means are formed by a flat cable of conducting wires which cross the main side of the device through a recess made at the level of said hinge.

5. An electronic device as claimed in one of the claims 3 or 4, characterized in that it comprises stop means to stop said movable part of the keyboard in said first or second position.

6. An electronic device as claimed in

claim 5

, characterized in that said stop means comprise at least a magnet (a magnetic piece, respectively) fixed to said movable part and at least two magnetic pieces (two magnets, respectively) fixed to said main side.

7. A device as claimed in one of the

claims 2

to

6

characterized in that the device is a mobile telephone.

8. A device as claimed in one of the

claims 2

to

6

, characterized in that the device is a mobile telephone when said keyboard is extended, in its second position, and an organizer when said keyboard is reduced, in its first position.

9. A device as claimed in

claim 8

, characterized in that it comprises means for setting up an electrical contact when the movable part is stopped in one or the other operational position.