Dual-mode keypad for a mobile device

• US 20050054376A1
• Filed: 09/10/2003
• Published: 03/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Griffin, Jason, Lazaridis, Mihal, Tyneski, Frank
• Granted Patent: US 7,096,036 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/553.100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0233 Character input methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0234 using switches operable in different directions
• 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 1/72466 with selection means, e.g. keys, having functions defined by the mode or the status of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/70 methods for entering alphabetical characters, e.g. multi-tap or dictionary disambiguation methods for entering alphabetical characters per se G06F3/0237

Abstract

In accordance with the teachings described herein, systems and methods are provided for implementing a dual-mode keypad for a mobile device. The mobile device may operate in a telephony mode and a text-entry mode. The dual-mode keypad may include a plurality of dual-mode keys that each include an associated telephony character and at least one associated text-entry character. The dual-mode keys may include one or more toggle keys, with each toggle key having a plurality of associated text-entry characters and one associated telephony character. When the mobile device is in text-entry mode, the dual-mode keys may be used to input the associated text-entry characters, with the toggle keys each being operable to input a first text-entry character when a first portion of the toggle key is pressed and to input a second text-entry character when a second portion of the toggle key is pressed. When the mobile device is in telephony mode, the dual-mode keys may be used to input the associated telephony characters, with the toggle keys each being operable to input one of the associated telephony characters when any portion of the toggle key is pressed.

Claims

1. A mobile device having a telephony mode and a text-entry mode, comprising:

a dual-mode keypad including a plurality of dual-mode keys that each include an associated telephony character and at least one associated text-entry character;

the dual-mode keys including one or more toggle keys, each toggle key having a plurality of associated text-entry characters and one associated telephony character;

when the mobile device is in text-entry mode, the dual-mode keys being operable to input the associated text-entry characters, the toggle keys each being operable to input a first text-entry character when a first portion of the toggle key is pressed and to input a second text-entry character when a second portion of the toggle key is pressed;

when the mobile device is in telephony mode, the dual-mode keys being operable to input the associated telephony characters, the toggle keys each being operable to input one of the associated telephony characters when any portion of the toggle key is pressed.

2. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the toggle keys are operable to input a third text-entry character when a third portion of the toggle key is pressed.

3. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the toggle keys are operable to input a fourth text-entry character when a fourth portion of the toggle key is pressed.

4. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein each toggle key includes a first switch that is engaged when the first portion of the toggle key is pressed and a second switch that is engaged when the second portion of the toggle key is pressed.

5. The mobile device of claim 4, wherein when the mobile device is in the text-entry mode, the first text-entry character is input by engaging the first switch and the second text-entry character is input by engaging the second switch.

6. The mobile device of claim 4, wherein when the mobile device is in the telephony mode, the telephony character is input by engaging either the first switch or the second switch.

7. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein each toggle key includes a first switch that is engaged when the first portion of the toggle key is pressed, a second switch that is engaged when the second portion of the toggle key is pressed, and a third switch that is engaged when any portion of the toggle key is pressed.

8. The mobile device of claim 7, wherein when the mobile device is in the text-entry mode, the first text-entry character is input by engaging the first switch and the second text-entry character is input by engaging the second switch.

9. The mobile device of claim 7, wherein when the mobile device is in the telephony mode, the telephony character is input by engaging the third switch.

10. The mobile device of claim 7, wherein the third switch provides a tactile response when any portion of the toggle key is pressed.

11. The mobile device of claim 10, wherein when the mobile device is in the telephony mode, the telephony character is input by engaging either the first switch or the second switch.

12. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein text-entry characters are arranged in a QWERTY-style keyboard pattern.

13. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the telephony characters are arranged in a telephone-style keyboard pattern.

14. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the dual-mode keypad also includes one or more functional keys that are operable in both the telephony mode and the text-entry mode.

15. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the dual-mode keypad also includes one or more functional keys that are operable in one of the telephony mode or the text-entry mode.

16. The mobile device of claim 1, further comprising:

a processing subsystem, a memory subsystem, and a communication subsystem, the processing subsystem coupled to the memory subsystem and communication subsystem and operable to store and retrieve data in the memory subsystem, to execute instructions stored in the memory subsystem, and to cause the communication subsystem to transmit and receive data over a communication network.

17. The mobile device of claim 16, further comprising:

executable predictive text program code stored in the memory subsystem and comprising instructions operable to cause the mobile device to predict a complete word or phrase from one or more text-entry characters input to the mobile device when the mobile device is in text-entry mode.

18. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the dual-mode keypad also includes one or more single-mode keys each with an associated character and operable to input the associated character when the mobile device is in one of the telephony mode or the text-entry mode.

19. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the dual-mode keypad also includes one or more single-mode keys each with two associated text-entry characters, wherein a first text-entry character is input when a first portion of the single-mode key is pressed and a second text-entry character is input when a second portion of the single-mode key is pressed.

20. A dual-mode keypad, comprising:

a plurality of dual-mode keys that each include an associated telephony character and at least one associated text-entry character;

the dual-mode keys including one or more toggle keys, each toggle key having a plurality of associated text-entry characters and one associated telephony character;

the dual-mode keypad being operable in a telephony mode and a text-entry mode;

when the dual-mode keypad is operating in text-entry mode, the dual-mode keys being operable to input the associated text-entry characters, the toggle keys each being operable to input a first text-entry character when a first portion of the toggle key is pressed and to input a second text-entry character when a second portion of the toggle key is pressed;

when the dual-mode keypad is operating in telephony mode, the dual-mode keys being operable to input the associated telephony characters, the toggle keys each being operable to input one of the associated telephony characters when any portion of the toggle key is pressed.

21. The dual-mode keypad of claim 20, wherein at least one of the toggle keys are operable to input a third text-entry character when a third portion of the toggle key is pressed.

22. The dual-mode keypad of claim 20, wherein at least one of the toggle keys are operable to input a fourth text-entry character when a fourth portion of the toggle key is pressed.

23. The dual-mode keypad of claim 20, wherein the text-entry characters are arranged in a QWERTY-style keyboard pattern.

24. The dual-mode keypad of claim 20, wherein the text-entry characters are arranged in a keyboard pattern selected from a group of keyboard patterns consisting of a DVORAK style keyboard pattern, an alphabetic style keyboard pattern, a QWERTZ style keyboard pattern, an AZERTY style keyboard pattern and combinations thereof.

25. The dual-mode keypad of claim 20, wherein the telephony characters are arranged in a telephony-style pattern.