Mobile telecommunication handset having touch pad

• US 20070049358A1
• Filed: 08/24/2006
• Published: 03/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kim, Young-Chul, Kang, Yun-Hwan
• Granted Patent: US 7,603,143 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/575.100
• 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 1/0237 Sliding mechanism with one degree of freedom
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/236 including keys on side or rear faces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/575 Means for retrieving and displaying personal data about calling party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/663 Preventing unauthorised calls to a telephone set
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/16 including more than one display unit
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041

Abstract

A mobile telecommunication handset including a display unit configured to display information, a touch pad configured to generate input when being touched, and a control unit configured to control the display unit and the touch pad and to perform a function corresponding to the generated input from the touch pad being touched. Further, the control unit activates or deactivates the touch pad based on at least one from a state of the mobile handset or an input external from the touch pad.

Claims

1. A mobile telecommunication handset, comprising:

a display unit configured to display information;

a touch pad configured to generate input when being touched; and

a control unit configured to control the display unit and the touch pad and to perform a function corresponding to the generated input from the touch pad being touched,

wherein the control unit activates or deactivates the touch pad based on at least one from a state of the mobile handset or an input external from the key pad or the touch pad.

2. The mobile handset according to claim 1, further comprising:

a sliding body; and

a main body having a keypad including keys that are pressed to generate input, said key pad being different than said touch pad,

wherein the mobile handset is closed by sliding or rotating the sliding body over the keypad of the main body, and is opened by sliding or rotating the sliding body away from the keypad of the main body.

3. The mobile handset according to claim 2, wherein the control unit activates the touch pad when the mobile handset is opened and deactivates the touch pad when the mobile handset is closed.

4. The mobile handset according claim 2, wherein the control unit deactivates the touch pad when a call is connected with another party, and

wherein the control unit re-activates the touch pad when the call is connected and an external key external to the touch pad is selected.

5. The mobile handset according to claim 4, wherein the control unit activates the touch pad when the handset is opened to place the call, and deactivates the touch pad when the call is connected with the other party.

6. The mobile handset according to claim 2, wherein the control unit deactivates the touch pad when a received call is connected, and

wherein the control unit re-activates the touch pad when the call is connected and an external key external to the touch pad is selected.

7. The mobile handset according to claim 6, wherein the control unit activates the touch pad when the handset is first opened to receive the call and then deactivates the touch pad when the received call is connected.

8. The mobile handset according to claim 2, wherein the control unit deactivates the touch pad when the control unit does not detect input from the key pad or the touch pad for a predetermined amount of time with the mobile handset being opened and the touch pad being activated.

9. The mobile handset according to claim 8, wherein the control unit re-activates the touch pad when the control unit detects input from the key pad or touch pad.

10. The mobile handset according to claim 2, wherein the control unit activates the touch pad when an external function key is selected and the mobile handset is closed, and deactivates the touch pad when the external function key is again selected or when the control unit does not detect any input on the touch pad for a predetermined amount of time.

11. The mobile handset according to claim 2, wherein when the mobile handset is opened, the display unit displays information explaining a function corresponding to each touch key on the touch pad.

12. The mobile handset according to claim 2, wherein the control unit activates the touch pad when a call is first sent or received, deactivates the touch pad when the sent or received call is connected, and then re-activates the touch pad when the sent or received call is disconnected.

13. The mobile handset according to claim 1, further comprising:

a cover body; and

a main body having a keypad,

wherein the mobile handset is closed by folding closed the cover body over the main body, and is opened by folding open the cover body from the main body.

14. The mobile handset according to claim 13, further comprising another display unit that is visible to the user when the mobile handset is closed.

16. The mobile handset according to claim 13, wherein the control unit deactivates the touch pad when the control unit does not detect input from the key pad or the touch pad for a predetermined amount of time with the mobile telecommunication handset being closed and the touch pad being activated.

17. The mobile handset according to claim 16, wherein the control unit re-activates the touch pad when the control unit detects input from the key pad or the touch pad.

18. The mobile handset according to claim 13, wherein the control unit activates the touch pad when an external function key is selected and the mobile handset is closed, and deactivates the touch pad when the external function key is again selected or when the control unit does not detect any input on the touch pad for a predetermined amount of time.

19. The mobile handset according to claim 1, wherein the touch pad comprises touch keys having backlights or light emitting devices so that a specified area or a whole area of at least one touch key is lit when the touch pad is in the activated state and one or all of the touch keys are not lit when the touch pad is in the deactivated state.

20. The mobile handset according to claim 1, wherein a portion of the touch pad is made from a same material as a portion of the handset surrounding the touch pad such that the touch pad is not apparent to a user when the touch pad is deactivated.

21. The mobile handset according to claim 1, wherein the control unit activates only touch keys of the touch pad which are necessary to perform a corresponding function.

22. The mobile handset according to claim 1, further comprising a locking mechanism configured to prevent input from the touch pad being generated regardless of a state of the mobile handset.

23. The mobile handset according to claim 1, wherein the touch pad comprises a proximity sensor configured to sense when the touch pad is being touched, or a sensor configured to sense a change in capacitance when the touch pad is being touched.

15. The mobile handset according to claim 15, wherein the control unit deactivates the touch pad when the mobile handset is opened and activates the touch pad when the mobile handset is closed.