Keyboard with two-stage keys for navigation

• US 20070120828A1
• Filed: 11/30/2005
• Published: 05/31/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Fyke, Steven
• Application Number:
  US11/289,325
• Publication Number:
  US 20070120828A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/169
• 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 1/1662 Details related to the integrated keyboard
• 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 3/0202 Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device

Abstract

A handheld electronic device has a display screen and uses a keypad as an input means. The keypad has multiple keys, at least some of which are two-stage keys such that a light touch indicates one function and a full depression indicates another function. The device is programmed so that consecutive light touches of at least two adjacent keys indicates a desired navigation function on the display screen corresponding to a direction of the consecutive light touches. An additional selection key or keys, such as a Shift, Alt or Function key or the like, may be used to vary the default navigation action indicated by the consecutive light touches.

Claims

1. A keypad for an electronic device, said keypad having multiple keys wherein at least some of said keys are two-stage keys such that a light touch indicates one function and a full depression indicates another function, and wherein said device is programmed so that consecutive light touches of at least two adjacent keys indicates a desired navigation function.

2. The keypad of claim 1, wherein said desired navigation function is movement of a cursor on a display screen.

3. The keypad of claim 1, wherein said desired navigation function is scrolling of a display screen.

4. The keypad of claim 1, wherein said desired navigation function is a Page Up or Page Down movement of a display screen.

5. The keypad of claim 1, wherein said desired navigation function varies, depending on a user-operable selection key.

6. The keypad of claim 1, wherein said device is programmed so that consecutive light touches of the same two-stage key indicates another desired function.

7. In a handheld electronic device having a display screen and using a keypad as an input means, the keypad having multiple keys, the improvement wherein at least some of said keys are two-stage keys such that a light touch indicates one function and a full depression indicates another function, and wherein said device is programmed so that consecutive light touches of at least two adjacent keys indicates a desired navigation function on the display screen corresponding to a direction of said consecutive light touches.

8. The improvement of claim 7, wherein said desired navigation function is movement of a cursor on the display screen.

9. The improvement of claim 7, wherein said desired navigation function is scrolling of the display screen.

10. The improvement of claim 7, wherein said desired navigation function is a Page Up or Page Down movement of the display screen.

11. The improvement of claim 7, wherein said desired navigation function varies, depending on a user-operable selection key.

12. The improvement of claim 7, wherein said device is programmed so that consecutive light touches of the same two-stage key indicates another desired function.

13. A method of detecting a desired navigation movement on a display screen of a handheld electronic device, said device having a keypad with two-stage switches as keys on at least a portion of said keypad, said method comprising detecting consecutive light touches of first and second adjacent keys, neither one maturing to full depression of either key, and interpreting said detection as a desired navigation function on the display screen, corresponding to the direction of the first key to the second key.

14. A method as in claim 13, comprising the steps of:

detecting a first light touch and then starting a timer;

ignoring the light touch if a full depression of the key is the next event, and resetting the timer; and

otherwise if the next event is another light touch which does not mature to a full depression of the key, then if the second key is adjacent to the first, recognizing that as a desired navigation input, or otherwise resetting the timer.

15. A method as in claim 13, wherein consecutive light touches of the same two-stage key indicates another desired function.