Input device for a portable terminal
First Claim
1. A portable terminal comprising:
- a base;
a display, wherein said display is coupled to said base, and wherein said display has a display screen;
a cover, wherein said cover is rotatably coupled, for out-of-plane rotation, to at least one of either said display or said base; and
an input device for accessing telecommunications capabilities of said portable terminal, wherein said input device;
is disposed on said cover; and
has two, concentric, tactile elements, comprising;
an outer, ring-shape element; and
an inner, circular-shape element;
wherein said input device is the only device disposed on said cover that is capable of accessing said telecommunications capabilities of said portable terminal.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An input device disposed on the rotatable cover of a portable terminal. The input device is a compound switch that has five binary switching elements. The input device includes an outer, ring-shape element and inner, circular-shape element. When a switching element is actuated, the portable terminal responds, wherein the response is a function of the operating mode of the portable terminal. A graphical representation of the input device appears in the display screen of the portable terminal. The graphical representation includes up to five icons, which correspond to the five binary switching elements. The icons are visually suggestive of the function of the associated switching element. The icons change, as a function of operating mode, to reflect the change in function of the switching elements from mode to mode.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A portable terminal comprising:
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a base;
a display, wherein said display is coupled to said base, and wherein said display has a display screen;
a cover, wherein said cover is rotatably coupled, for out-of-plane rotation, to at least one of either said display or said base; and
an input device for accessing telecommunications capabilities of said portable terminal, wherein said input device;
is disposed on said cover; and
has two, concentric, tactile elements, comprising;
an outer, ring-shape element; and
an inner, circular-shape element;
wherein said input device is the only device disposed on said cover that is capable of accessing said telecommunications capabilities of said portable terminal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A portable terminal having a plurality of operating modes, said portable terminal comprising:
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a housing;
an input device, wherein said input device;
is disposed on a first surface of said housing;
includes five binary switching elements, each of which is capable, in at least a first mode of operation, of causing at least one of the following responses;
a transition to another operating mode;
taking an action incident to said transition; and
taking an action independent of a transition; and
a display screen, wherein;
said display screen displays a graphical representation of said input device; and
said graphical representation provides, for each of said operating modes, an indication of said response, if any, of said portable terminal to actuating a respective one of said five binary switching elements. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A portable terminal comprising:
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a base;
a display, wherein said display is coupled to said base, and wherein said display has a display screen;
a cover, wherein said cover is rotatably coupled, for out-of-plane rotation, to at least one of either said display or said base; and
an input device, wherein said input device;
is disposed on said cover;
comprises two, concentric, tactile elements providing a total of five switching elements, wherein, for at least some modes of said portable terminal, at least some of said five binary switching elements are capable of transitioning between operating modes of said portable terminal, and further wherein said tactile elements comprise;
an outer, ring-shape element having four of said five binary switching elements; and
an inner, circular-shape element having one of said five binary switching elements. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
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Specification