Hand-held electronic device

• US 20020149567A1
• Filed: 06/21/2002
• Published: 10/17/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Major, Harry R., Brown, Michael, Lazaridis, Mihal, Griffin, Jason T., Holmes, John A., Dunk, Craig, Lang, Jerome, Little, Herb A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,158,120 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/169
• 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 of inputting an E-mail address into a communication device, the E-mail address having three text fields, the method comprising the steps of:

(A) inputting a first set of text characters associated with a first text field of the E-mail address;

(B) inputting a first delimiter and substituting the at-sign symbol (@) for the first delimiter;

(C) appending the at-sign symbol (@) to the first text field;

(D) inputting a second set of text characters associated with a second text field of the E-mail address;

(E) inputting a second delimiter and substituting a period symbol (.) for the second delimiter;

(F) appending the period symbol (.) to the second text field; and

(G) inputting a third set of text characters associated with a third text field of the E-mail address.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first delimiter is a blank space delimiter input by selecting a space bar associated with the communication device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second delimiters are blank space delimiters input by selecting a space bar associated with the communication device.

4. A method of changing the character display associated with a first set of characters on a mobile device having a display, a keyboard, and a memory, the method comprising the steps of:

(A) storing a second set of characters in the memory of the mobile device, wherein the memory associates the second set of characters with the first set of characters;

(B) inputting the first set of characters into the mobile device using the keyboard, and displaying the first set of characters;

(C) scanning the memory and determining that the first set of characters is associated with the second set of characters; and

(D) replacing the first set of characters on the display with the second set of characters.