Electronic hand-held device with a back cover keypad and a related method
First Claim
1. An electronic hand-held device having at least two sides and capable of receiving user input via physical contact, said electronic device comprising a keypad area or a number of separate keys for sensing at least pressure (508), said keypad area or number of separate keys located substantially on one side of the device, a display for visualizing information (506), said display located substantially on another side of the device, a memory for storing instructions and data (504), and a processor for processing instructions and data (502), said processor upon receiving sensation information of a first type from said keypad area or the number of separate keys relating to a certain sub-area or key of the keypad area or the number of keys and based on the instructions stored in the memory arranged to visually indicate to the user via the another side of the device the detected sub-area or key-specific sensation of the first type and upon receiving sensation information of a second type, being at least a pressure sensation, from said keypad area or the number of keys relating to said certain sub-area or said key of the keypad area or the number of separate keys and based on the instructions stored in the memory further arranged to visually indicate to the user via the another side of the device the detected sub-area or key-specific sensation of the second type and perform a pre-determined action depending on the sub-area or key.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A hand-held device such as a mobile terminal or a PDA comprising a display on one side, or alternatively, means for connecting to an external display, and a keypad on another side is presented. A light key press is visually indicated (202) to the user of the device via the one side whereas in addition to mere visual indication a heavier key press triggers the execution of a predetermined action, for example entering an associated character in the current cursor position. A related method for triggering the execution of an action is disclosed.
53 Citations
19 Claims
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1. An electronic hand-held device having at least two sides and capable of receiving user input via physical contact, said electronic device comprising
a keypad area or a number of separate keys for sensing at least pressure (508), said keypad area or number of separate keys located substantially on one side of the device, a display for visualizing information (506), said display located substantially on another side of the device, a memory for storing instructions and data (504), and a processor for processing instructions and data (502), said processor upon receiving sensation information of a first type from said keypad area or the number of separate keys relating to a certain sub-area or key of the keypad area or the number of keys and based on the instructions stored in the memory arranged to visually indicate to the user via the another side of the device the detected sub-area or key-specific sensation of the first type and upon receiving sensation information of a second type, being at least a pressure sensation, from said keypad area or the number of keys relating to said certain sub-area or said key of the keypad area or the number of separate keys and based on the instructions stored in the memory further arranged to visually indicate to the user via the another side of the device the detected sub-area or key-specific sensation of the second type and perform a pre-determined action depending on the sub-area or key.
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13. A method for triggering the execution of an action in a hand-held device comprising a display on one side and a keypad area or a number of keys located substantially on another side thereof, has the steps of
detecting a sensation of a first type on said another side of the device (404, 406), indicating at least visually said sensation of the first type to the user via said one side of the device (408), detecting a sensation of a second type on said another side of the device, being at least a pressure sensation and relating to the same location with said sensation of the first type (410, 412), indicating at least visually said sensation of the second type to the user via said one side of the device (414), and performing a predetermined action, said action being dependent on the location of said sensations of first and second type (416).
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16. An electronic hand-held device having at least two sides and capable of receiving user input via physical contact, said electronic device comprising
a keypad area or a number of separate keys for sensing at least pressure (508), said keypad area or number of separate keys located substantially on one side of the device, means for connecting to an external display for visualizing information (510), a memory for storing instructions and data (504), and a processor for processing instructions and data (502), said processor upon receiving sensation information of a first type from said keypad area or the number of separate keys relating to a certain sub-area or key of the keypad area or the number of keys and based on the instructions stored in the memory arranged to visually indicate to the user via another side of the device or through external display accessed via said means for connecting the detected sub-area or key-specific sensation of the first type and upon receiving sensation information of a second type, being at least a pressure sensation, from said keypad area or the number of keys relating to said certain sub-area or said key of the keypad area or the number of separate keys and based on the instructions stored in the memory further arranged to visually indicate to the user via another side of the device or through external display accessed via said means for connecting the detected sub-area or key-specific sensation of the second type and perform a predetermined action depending on the sub-area or key.
Specification