Keyboard for a mobile device

• US 20060018463A1
• Filed: 07/22/2004
• Published: 01/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Research In Motion Limited (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: Rak, Roman Peter, Griffin, Jason T., Holmes, John A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,502,462 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/433.70
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0234 using switches operable in different directions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4016 involving fraud or risk level assessment in transaction processing
• 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 apparatus includes a group of keys with corresponding actuation indicia for a plurality of numerals in a telephone keypad and a plurality of letters in an overlapping text-entry keyboard. Each key in the group is configured for multi-directional movement pivotally into multiple actuated positions that comprise at least one telephone numeral position and multiple text-entry letter positions that are each different from the telephone numeral position.

Claims

1. A keyboard apparatus comprising:

a group of keys with corresponding actuation indicia for a plurality of numerals in a telephone keypad and a plurality of letters in an overlapping text-entry keyboard, with each key in the group being configured for multi-directional movement pivotally into and out of multiple actuated positions that comprise at least one telephone numeral position and multiple text-entry letter positions that are each different from the telephone numeral position.

2. A keyboard apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the actuated positions of each key in the group consist of a single telephone numeral position and two text-entry letter positions.

3. A keyboard apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the text-entry keyboard is a QWERTY keyboard.

4. An apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein the telephone keypad numeral position also serves as a telephone keypad letter position for each of a corresponding plurality of telephone keypad letters.

5. A keyboard apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the group of keys defines an entire telephone keypad with functional keys and numeral keys 1-9 and 0, and further defines an entire QWERTY keyboard with functional keys and letter keys A-Z, with each key in the group being configured for multi-directional movement pivotally into and out of multiple actuated positions that comprise at least one telephone keypad character position and multiple QWERTY keyboard character positions that are each different from the telephone keypad character position.

6. A keyboard apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein the actuated positions of each key in the group consist of a single telephone keypad character position and two QWERTY keyboard character positions.

7. A keyboard apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein the keys in the group all have equal numbers of actuated positions.

8. A keyboard apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the actuation indicia is located on the keys.

9. A keyboard apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the keys are operative parts of a handheld electronic device.

10. A handheld electronic device that includes the keyboard apparatus of claim 1.

11. A keyboard apparatus comprising:

a key configured for multi-directional movement pivotally into multiple actuated positions under the influence of a user manually engaging an actuation surface at the top of the key;

the actuation surface having a contour defining distinct scalloped portions of the actuation surface that correspond to respectively distinct actuated positions of the key, including a major scalloped portion and a plurality of minor scalloped portions which are smaller than the major scalloped portion.

12. A keyboard apparatus as defined in claim 11 wherein the surface portions of the actuation surface that correspond to actuated positions of the key consist of a single major scalloped portion and two minor scalloped portions.

13. A keyboard apparatus as defined in claim 12 wherein the actuation surface has indicia including a telephone keypad character at the major scalloped portion and a text-entry keyboard character at each of the minor scalloped portions.

14. A keyboard apparatus as defined in claim 11 wherein the actuation surface has indicia including a telephone keypad numeral and a corresponding plurality of telephone keypad letters at the major scalloped portion, and further including a text-entry keyboard character at each of the minor scalloped portions.

15. A keyboard apparatus as defined in claim 14 wherein the text-entry keyboard characters are QWERTY letters.

16. A keyboard apparatus as defined in claim 11 wherein the major scalloped portion of the actuation surface has an oval peripheral shape and each of the minor scalloped portions has a segmental oval peripheral shape.

17. A keyboard apparatus as defined in claim 11 wherein the scalloped portions of the actuation surface are concave.

18. A keyboard apparatus as defined in claim 11 wherein the actuation surface has a branched portion that separates the scalloped portions from each other.

19. A keyboard apparatus as defined in claim 18 wherein the scalloped portions of the actuation surface are recessed from the branched portion.

20. A keyboard apparatus as defined in claim 19 wherein the branched portion of the actuation surface has a convex domed-shaped contour.

21. A keyboard apparatus as defined in claim 20 wherein the scalloped portions of the actuation surface are concave.

22. A keyboard apparatus as defined in claim 11 wherein the key is an operative part of a handheld electronic device.

23. A handheld electronic device that includes the keyboard apparatus of claim 11.