Keyboard for mobile devices

• US 20050190159A1
• Filed: 02/26/2004
• Published: 09/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Skarine, Alexei
• Granted Patent: US 7,432,911 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/168
• 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 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1643 the display being associated to a digitizer, e.g. laptops that can be used as penpads details related to the relative motion of the display enclosure with respect to the body enclosure, e.g. to move between laptop and tablet PC configuration G06F1/1615
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04809 Textured surface identifying touch areas, e.g. overlay structure for a virtual keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0202 Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/705 characterised by construction, mounting or arrangement of operating parts, e.g. push-buttons or keys
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/012 programmable
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/066 Lens
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2221/07 transparent
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2223/03 Separate key housing
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2231/022 Telephone handset
• 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

Abstract

A keyboard comprising a plurality of transparent keys. In use, the keyboard is attached to a device such as a mobile device, to overlie a display screen of the device. One or more images displayed on the display screen are made visible to a user through the keys, which may be pressed by a user. User input is determined by identifying a pressed key, and the image or part thereof visible through the key when pressed.

Claims

1. A keyboard, said keyboard for use with a device in which a display screen for displaying output to a user is provided, said keyboard comprising:

a) a plurality of keys, wherein each key is transparent; and

b) a housing for supporting said keys, wherein said housing is adapted to attach to said device such that said keys overlie at least a part of said display screen;

so that in use, when said housing is attached to said device, at least one part of one or more images displayed on said at least a part of said display screen is visible to said user through at least one of said plurality of keys.

2. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein said device is a mobile device.

3. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein said device is a handheld electronic device.

4. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein said device provides a touch-sensitive element, wherein said touch-sensitive element is actuated to send one or more signals to a processor when said touch-sensitive element is touched, and wherein said housing is adapted to attach to said device such that said keys overlie at least a part of said touch-sensitive element.

5. The keyboard of claim 4, wherein each key comprises at least first and second surfaces and is moveable within said housing, between a first position in which said key does not touch said touch-sensitive element, and a second position in which said second surface of said key is displaced to actuate said touch-sensitive element, such that when a key of said plurality of keys is pressed at said first surface thereof by said user, said key is moved from said first position to said second position to actuate said touch-sensitive element.

6. The keyboard of claim 4, wherein said housing is also adapted to attach to said device such that at least another part of said touch-sensitive element remains accessible for providing user input and unobstructed by said keys.

7. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein said housing is also adapted to attach to said device such that at least another part of said display screen remains visible to said user and unobstructed by said keys.

8. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of keys is adapted to magnify the at least one part of said images visible to said user therethrough.

9. The keyboard of claim 8, wherein said first and second surfaces of each of said plurality of keys oppose each other and are convex in shape.

10. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein said housing further comprises at least one actuator supporting each of said plurality of keys, wherein each key is biased in said first position by said respective at least one actuator supporting said key, and wherein said respective at least one actuator is compressible to allow said key to move to said second position when said key is pressed.

11. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein said housing is further adapted to be detached from said device by a user.

12. The keyboard of claim 11, further comprising means for permitting a proximity sensor of said device to detect whether said housing is detached from said device.

13. A device comprising a processor and a memory coupled to said processor, at least one processing module controlled by said processor, a display screen coupled to said processor, and a keyboard adapted for use with said device comprising:

a) a plurality of keys, wherein each key is transparent; and

b) a housing for supporting said keys, wherein said housing is adapted to attach to said device such that said keys overlie at least a part of said display screen;

wherein said at least one processing module is programmed to display one or more images on said first part of said display screen, such that for each key, at least one part of said images is visible to said user therethrough when said housing is attached to said mobile device, and wherein said at least one processing module is programmed to determine the at least one part of said images visible through said key when pressed.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein said device is a mobile device.

15. The device of claim 13, wherein said device is a handheld electronic device.

16. The device of claim 13, further comprising a touch-sensitive element, wherein said touch-sensitive element is actuated to send one or more signals to said processor when said touch-sensitive element is touched, and wherein said housing is adapted to attach to said device such that said keys overlie at least a part of said touch-sensitive element.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein each key comprises at least first and second surfaces and is moveable within said housing, between a first position in which said key does not touch said touch-sensitive element, and a second position in which said second surface of said key is displaced to actuate said touch-sensitive element, such that when a key of said plurality of keys is pressed at said first surface thereof by said user, said key is moved from said first position to said second position to actuate said touch-sensitive element.

18. The device of claim 16, wherein said housing is also adapted to attach to said device such that at least another part of said touch-sensitive element remains accessible for providing user input and unobstructed by said keys.

19. The device of claim 13, wherein said housing is also adapted to attach to said device such that at least another part of said display screen remains visible to said user and unobstructed by said keys.

20. The device of claim 13, wherein each of said plurality of keys is adapted to magnify the at least one part of said images visible to said user therethrough.

21. The device of claim 20, wherein said first and second surfaces of each of said plurality of keys oppose each other and are convex in shape.

22. The device of claim 13, wherein said at least one processing module is programmed to reconfigure said keyboard, by changing the one or more images displayed to said user on said first part of said display screen.

23. The device of claim 13, wherein said housing is further adapted to be detached from said device by a user.

24. The device of claim 23, further comprising a proximity sensor for detecting whether said housing is detached from said device.

25. The device of claim 13, wherein said housing further comprises at least one actuator supporting each of said plurality of keys, wherein each key is biased in said first position by said respective at least one actuator supporting said key, and wherein said respective at least one actuator is compressible to allow said key to move to said second position when said key is pressed.

26. The device of claim 13, further comprising a backlight to illuminate said one or more images displayed on said display screen.