Interchangeable covering additions to a mobile communication device for display and key reorientation

• US 20030224831A1
• Filed: 01/16/2003
• Published: 12/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Smart Skins LLC
• Original Assignee: Wildseed LLC
• Inventors: Zatloukal, Peter, Engstrom, G. Eric
• Granted Patent: US 6,999,804 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/566
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/245 with means for shaping the antenna pattern, e.g. in order to protect user against rf exposure
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3838 Arrangements for reducing RF exposure to the user, e.g. by changing the shape of the transceiver while in use
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3888 Arrangements for carrying or protecting transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0283 for providing a decorative aspect, e.g. customization of casings, exchangeable faceplate
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7246 by connection of exchangeable housing parts

Abstract

A mobile communications device including an interchangeable covering addition for display and key reorientation is provided. A body encases a first set of electronic components. A display screen with a default display orientation and a first plurality of input keys are disposed on the body and are coupled to the first set of electronic components. Each of the input keys has a default function and is designed to be used in a default input orientation complementary to the default display orientation. An interchangeable covering is designed to at least partially cover the body. The interchangeable covering has a second plurality of input keys and a second set of electronic components. Data and/or logic stored in the second set of electronic components is to at least facilitate redefining of the function of at least one of the first input keys and re-orienting the display and the first inputs keys to second complementary orientations.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a first set of at least one electronic component;

a body encasing said first set of at least one electronic component;

a display screen, having a default display orientation, disposed on said body and coupled to said first set of at least one electronic component;

a first plurality of input keys disposed on said body and coupled to said first set of at least one electronic component, each of said plurality of input keys having a default function, and designed to be used in a default input orientation complementary to said default display orientation; and

an interchangeable cover, designed to at least partially cover said body including at least one of said first plurality of input keys, the interchangeable cover having second one or more input keys, a second set of at least one electronic component embedded within said interchangeable cover, and at least data stored in said second set of at least one electronic component, to at least facilitate redefine the function of at least one of said first input keys and re-orient the display and the first input keys to second complementary orientations.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first plurality of input keys comprise a numeric keypad, and said interchangeable cover re-defines and re-orients said first plurality of input keys.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said numeric keypad comprises 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, *, 0, and # keys, and said second one or more input keys of said interchangeable cover re-defines said 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, *, 0, and # keys to #, 0, *, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, and 1 keys.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the default input orientation of the first plurality of input keys complements the default display orientation of the display from beneath, and said interchangeable cover reorients the first input keys to complement the display from above.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the default input orientation of the first plurality of input keys complements the default display orientation of the display from above, and said interchangeable cover reorients the first input keys to complement the display from beneath.

6. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the default input orientation of the first plurality of input keys complements the default display orientation of the display from a left side of the display, and said interchangeable cover reorients the first input keys to complement the display from a right side of the display.

7. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the default input orientation of the first plurality of input keys complements the default display orientation of the display from a right side of the display, and said interchangeable cover reorients the first input keys to complement the display from a left side of the display.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first plurality of input keys comprises a first, a second, a third, and a fourth row of input keys implementing a “

QWERT . . . ”

, a “

ASDF . . . ”

, a “

ZXCV . . . ” and

a space bar row of a QWERTY keyboard, and said second one or more input keys redefine the first, the second, the third and the fourth row to implement the space bar row, the “

ZXCV . . . ”

, the “

ASDF . . . ” and

the “

QWERT . . . ”

row of the QWERTY keyboard.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the default input orientation of the first plurality of input keys complements the default display orientation of the display from beneath, and said interchangeable cover reorients the first input keys to complement the display from above.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the default input orientation of the first plurality of input keys complements the default display orientation of the display from above, and said interchangeable cover reorients the first input keys to complement the display from beneath.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the default input orientation of the first plurality of input keys complements the default display orientation of the display from a left side of the display, and said interchangeable cover reorients the first input keys to complement the display from a right side of the display.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the default input orientation of the first plurality of input keys complements the default display orientation of the display from a right side of the display, and said interchangeable cover reorients the first input keys to complement the display from a left side of the display.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said body includes one side with a curvature.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said body includes a first side with a first curvature and a second side with a second curvature.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus further comprises a coupler to facilitate exchange of said data between said first set of at least one electronic component and said second set of at least one electronic component embedded within said interchangeable cover.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said coupler comprises a contact coupler.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising:

a plurality of contact pads coupled to said second set of at least one electronic component embedded within said interchangeable covering; and

a plurality of contact pins included in said body to facilitate transfer of data to and from said first set of at least one electronic component and said second set of at least one electronic component embedded within said interchangeable covering.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said coupler comprises a contactless coupler.

19. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said data provided by said second set of at least one electronic component is encoded therein.

20. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said second set of at least one electronic component embedded within said interchangeable covering comprises at least one of an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), an application specific standard product (ASSP), a central processing unit (CPU), a read only memory (ROM), a subscriber identity module (SIM) and an electrically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM).

21. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is a selected one of a wireless mobile phone and a personal digital assistant.

22. A mobile communications device comprising:

means for displaying information on a screen of a first assembly, the displayed information capable of being display in a plurality of orientations;

means for receiving input from a plurality of input keys of the first assembly, the plurality of input keys capable of changing function, the function of the inputs keys supporting a current display orientation; and

means for receiving configuration data from a second assembly, wherein the configuration data causes the redefinition of at least one of the plurality of input keys and further causes a re-orientation of information displayed on the display means.

23. A wireless mobile phone comprising:

a first set of at least one electronic component;

a body encasing said first set of at least one electronic component;

a display screen, having a default display orientation, disposed on said body and coupled to said first set of at least one electronic component;

a first plurality of input keys disposed on said body and coupled to said first set of at least one electronic component, each of said plurality of input keys having a default function, and designed to be used in a default input orientation complementary to said default display orientation; and

an interchangeable cover, designed to at least partially cover said body including at least one of said first plurality of input keys, the interchangeable cover having second one or more input keys, a second set of at least one electronic component embedded within said interchangeable cover, and at least data stored in said second set of at least one electronic component, to at least facilitate redefine the function of at least one of said first input keys and re-orient the display and the first input keys to second complementary orientations.

24. The wireless mobile phone of claim 23 wherein said first plurality of input keys comprise a numeric keypad, and said interchangeable cover re-defines and re-orients said first plurality of input keys.

25. The wireless mobile phone of claim 24, wherein said numeric keypad comprises 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, *, 0, and # keys, and said second one or more input keys of said interchangeable cover re-defines said 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, *, 0, and # keys to #, 0, *, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, and 1 keys.

26. The wireless mobile phone of claim 24, wherein the default input orientation of the first plurality of input keys complements the default display orientation of the display from beneath, and said interchangeable cover reorients the first input keys to complement the display from above.

27. The wireless mobile phone of claim 24, wherein the default input orientation of the first plurality of input keys complements the default display orientation of the display from above, and said interchangeable cover reorients the first input keys to complement the display from beneath.

28. The wireless mobile phone of claim 23 wherein said body includes one side with a curvature.

29. The wireless mobile phone of claim 23, wherein the wireless mobile phone further comprises a coupler to facilitate exchange of said data between said first set of at least one electronic component and said second set of at least one electronic component embedded within said interchangeable cover.

30. The wireless mobile phone of claim 23, wherein said first plurality of input keys comprise a first, a second, a third, and a fourth row of input keys implementing a “

QWERT . . . ”

, a “

ASDF . . . ”

, a “

ZXCV . . . ” and

a space bar row of a QWERTY keyboard, and said second one or more input keys redefine the first, the second, the third and the fourth row to implement the space bar row, the “

ZXCV . . . ”

, the “

ASDF . . . ” and

the “

QWERT . . . ”

row of the QWERTY keyboard.

31. The wireless mobile phone of claim 23, wherein said wireless mobile phone comprises a plurality of body portions, and said body is a first of said body portions.

32. An interchangeable cover comprising:

a non-card type cover body having one or more input keys to at least partially cover a surface of device body of a mobile communication device, including having the one or more input keys of the cover body covering corresponding one or more input keys of the mobile communication device; and

an electronic component disposed on a surface of the cover body, having logic to at least contribute to causing the covered corresponding one or more input keys of the mobile communication device to be redefined and reoriented to complement a display of the wireless communication device in a reoriented manner.

33. The interchangeable cover of claim 32, wherein the electronic component comprises data/logic to at least contribute to redefining and reorienting the covered one or more input keys to complement the display from an initial beneath orientation to a reoriented above orientation.

34. The interchangeable cover of claim 32, wherein the electronic component comprises data/logic to at least contribute to redefining and reorienting the covered one or more input keys to complement the display from an initial above orientation to a reoriented beneath orientation.

35. The interchangeable cover of claim 32, wherein the electronic component comprises data/logic to at least contribute to redefining and reorienting the covered one or more input keys to complement the display from an initial left side of the display to a reoriented right side of the display.

36. The interchangeable cover of claim 32, wherein the electronic component comprises data/logic to at least contribute to redefining and reorienting the covered one or more input keys to complement the display from an initial right side of the display to a reoriented left side of the display.

37. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein said covered one or more keys comprise 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, *, 0, and # keys, and said data/logic of said electronic component at least contributes to redefining and reorienting said 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, *, 0, and # keys to #, 0, *, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, and 1 keys.

38. The interchangeable cover of claim 32, wherein said covered one or more keys comprise a first, a second, a third, and a fourth row of input keys implementing a “

QWERT . . . ”

, a “

ASDF . . . ”

, a “

ZXCV . . . ” and

a space bar row of a QWERTY keyboard, and said data/logic of said component at least contributes to redefining and reorienting the first, the second, the third and the fourth row to implement the space bar row, the “

ZXCV . . . ”

, the “

ASDF . . . ” and

the “

QWERT . . . ”

row of the QWERTY keyboard.

39. The interchangeable cover of claim 32, wherein the cover body is substantially U-shaped.

40. The interchangeable cover of claim 32, wherein the cover body is a selected one of a non-card type front plate and a non-card type back plate.