Hand-held communication device having folding joystick

• US 20050275624A1
• Filed: 06/14/2004
• Published: 12/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens Information And Communication Mobile LLC (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Chadha, Lovleen
• Application Number:
  US10/868,613
• Publication Number:
  US 20050275624A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 1/025 actuated by sliding movement
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 2009/04714 with orthogonal axes
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 2009/04748 Position sensor for rotary movement, e.g. potentiometer
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 2009/04751 Position sensor for linear movement
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 9/047 the controlling member being movable by hand about orthogonal axes, e.g. joysticks for switches H01H25/04
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• 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 1/169 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 3/0338 with detection of limited linear or angular displacement of an operating part of the device from a neutral position, e.g. isotonic or isometric joysticks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0202 Portable telephone sets, e.g. cordless phones, mobile phones or bar type handsets constructional features of telephone transmitters or receivers, e.g. of speakers or microphones H04M1/03
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0214 Foldable telephones, i.e. with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position combined with translation movement H04M1/0235
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/233 including a pointing device, e.g. roller key, track ball, rocker switch or joystick constructional details of pointing devices per se G06F3/033

Abstract

A folding joystick assembly for a hand-held communication device includes a joystick that is extended from a recess in the housing of the device during use and folded back into the recess for ease of storage and/or improved portability. When extended, the joystick is manipulated by the user'"'"'s hand for interacting with applications executed or run by the hand-held communication device to control functions of the device.

Claims

1. A hand-held communication device, comprising:

a housing having a first surface and a second surface, the housing being configured to be held in a hand of a user so that the first surface generally faces toward the user while the user holds the housing and the second surface generally faces away from the user while the user holds the housing; and

a joystick assembly disposed in the second surface of the housing, the joystick assembly including a joystick for controlling a function of the hand-held communication device,

wherein the joystick folds between a first position within the housing for storage of the joystick and a second position extending from the housing for manipulation by the user.

2. The hand-held communication device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the joystick assembly further includes a potentiometer coupled to the joystick for detecting motion of the joystick.

3. The hand-held communication device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the potentiometer comprises a rotary potentiometer.

4. The hand-held communication device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the rotary potentiometer is inactive as the joystick is moved between the first position and the second position, and is active as the joystick is moved between the second position and a maximum travel position for detecting motion of the joystick between the second position and the maximum travel position.

5. The hand-held communication device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the potentiometer comprises a linear potentiometer.

6. The hand-held communication device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the joystick assembly comprises a first potentiometer, a second potentiometer, a first slide member for coupling the joystick to the first potentiometer and a second slide member for coupling the joystick to the second potentiometer.

7. The hand-held communication device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the second slide member overlaps the first slide member and is oriented perpendicularly to the first slide member, the joystick extending through slots disposed in the first and second slide members.

8. The hand-held communication device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the joystick assembly further comprises a sliding base for coupling the joystick to the first slide member and the second slide member.

9. The hand-held communication device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the joystick assembly further comprises a spring assembly for resisting movement of the joystick.

10. The hand-held communication device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a navigation key assembly disposed on the first surface of the housing, the joystick assembly and the navigation key assembly cooperating for controlling a function of the hand-held communication device.

11. A joystick assembly for a hand-held communication device including a housing having a first surface and a second surface, the housing being configured to be held in a hand of a user so that the first surface generally faces toward the user while the user holds the housing and the second surface generally faces away from the user while the user holds the housing, comprising:

a joystick disposed in a recess formed in the second surface of the housing for controlling a function of the hand-held communication device; and

a potentiometer coupled to the joystick for detecting motion of the joystick,

wherein the joystick folds between a first position within the recess for storage of the joystick and a second position extending from the recess for allowing manipulation of the joystick by the user.

12. The joystick assembly as claimed in claim 11, wherein the potentiometer comprises a rotary potentiometer.

13. The joystick assembly as claimed in claim 12, wherein the rotary potentiometer is inactive as the joystick is moved between the first position and the second position, and is active as the joystick is moved between the second position and a maximum travel position for detecting motion of the joystick between the second position and the maximum travel position.

14. The joystick assembly as claimed in claim 11, wherein the potentiometer comprises a linear potentiometer.

15. The joystick assembly as claimed in claim 11, further comprising a second potentiometer, a first slide member for coupling the joystick to the potentiometer and a second slide member for coupling the joystick to the second potentiometer.

16. The joystick assembly as claimed in claim 15, wherein the second slide member overlaps the first slide member and is oriented perpendicularly to the first slide member, the joystick extending through slots disposed in the first and second slide members.

17. The joystick assembly as claimed in claim 15, further comprising a sliding base for coupling the joystick to the first slide member and the second slide member.

18. The joystick assembly as claimed in claim 15, further comprising a sliding base coupled to the joystick, the potentiometer and the second potentiometer engaging the sliding base for detecting movement of the sliding base.

19. The joystick assembly as claimed in claim 11, further comprising a spring assembly for resisting movement of the joystick.

20. A hand-held communication device, comprising:

a housing having a first surface and a second surface, the housing being configured to be held in a hand of a user so that the first surface generally faces toward the user while the user holds the housing and the second surface generally faces away from the user while the user holds the housing;

a navigation key assembly disposed in the first surface of the housing; and

a joystick assembly disposed in the second surface of the housing, the joystick assembly including a joystick folding between a first position within the housing for storage of the joystick and a second position extending from the housing for manipulation by the user,

wherein the joystick assembly and the navigation key assembly cooperate for controlling a function of the hand-held communication device.

21. The hand-held communication device as claimed in claim 20, wherein the joystick assembly further includes a potentiometer coupled to the joystick for detecting motion of the joystick.

22. The hand-held communication device as claimed in claim 21, wherein the potentiometer comprises a rotary potentiometer.

23. The hand-held communication device as claimed in claim 22, wherein the rotary potentiometer is inactive as the joystick is moved between the first position and the second position, and is active as the joystick is moved between the second position and a maximum travel position for detecting motion of the joystick between the second position and the maximum travel position.

24. The hand-held communication device as claimed in claim 21, wherein the potentiometer comprises a linear potentiometer.

25. The hand-held communication device as claimed in claim 20, wherein the joystick assembly comprises a first potentiometer, a second potentiometer, a first slide member for coupling the joystick to the first potentiometer and a second slide member for coupling the joystick to the second potentiometer.

26. The hand-held communication device as claimed in claim 25, wherein the second slide member overlaps the first slide member and is oriented perpendicularly to the first slide member, the joystick extending through slots disposed in the first and second slide members.

27. The hand-held communication device as claimed in claim 25, wherein the joystick assembly further comprises a sliding base for coupling the joystick assembly to the first slide member and the second slide member.

28. The hand-held communication device as claimed in claim 20, wherein the joystick assembly further comprises a spring assembly for resisting movement of the joystick.

29. A joystick assembly for a hand-held communication device including a housing having a first surface and a second surface, the housing being configured to be held in a hand of a user so that the first surface generally faces toward the user while the user holds the housing and the second surface generally faces away from the user while the user holds the housing, comprising:

a joystick disposed in a recess formed in the second surface of the housing for controlling a function of the hand-held communication device; and

means for detecting motion of the joystick,

wherein the joystick folds between a first position within the recess for storage of the joystick and a second position extending from the recess for allowing manipulation of the joystick by the user.

30. The joystick assembly as claimed in claim 29, further comprising means for resisting movement of the joystick.