KEYPAD ASSEMBLY FOR USE ON A CONTOURED SURFACE OF A MOBILE COMPUTING DEVICE
First Claim
1. A mobile computing device comprising:
- a housing that includes a front face having a portion that has a contour, wherein the contour is inwardly directed and includes at least a first gradient direction;
a display screen provided with the front face, apart from the portion that has the contour;
a keypad provided on the front face, wherein the keypad comprises a plurality of keycaps that extend outward from the front face;
wherein the keypad is provided only on an occupied region of the portion of the front face that has the contour; and
wherein a maximum angle formed by the occupied region of the front face relative to a horizontal reference that is coplanar with the display screen is greater than 20 degrees.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A mobile computing device is provided that includes a housing, a display screen, and a keypad. The housing includes a front face having a portion that has a contour. The contour may be is inwardly directed and be defined by at least a first gradient direction. The display screen is provided with the front face, apart from the portion that has the contour. The keypad includes a plurality of keycaps that extend outward from the front face. The keypad may be provided only on an occupied region of the portion of the front face that has the contour. A maximum angle formed by the occupied region of the front face relative to a horizontal reference that is coplanar with the display screen is greater than 20 degrees.
99 Citations
30 Claims
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1. A mobile computing device comprising:
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a housing that includes a front face having a portion that has a contour, wherein the contour is inwardly directed and includes at least a first gradient direction; a display screen provided with the front face, apart from the portion that has the contour; a keypad provided on the front face, wherein the keypad comprises a plurality of keycaps that extend outward from the front face; wherein the keypad is provided only on an occupied region of the portion of the front face that has the contour; and wherein a maximum angle formed by the occupied region of the front face relative to a horizontal reference that is coplanar with the display screen is greater than 20 degrees. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A mobile computing device comprising:
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a housing having a display area, wherein the housing includes a front face having a portion that has a contour that is inwardly directed; a keypad assembly comprising a plurality of key structures and a substrate that provides a plurality of electrical contacts, wherein individual key structures in the keypad align to actuate a corresponding one of the electrical contacts on the substrate by inward movement; and wherein the plurality of key structures each include a corresponding key cap that is formed over a matrix and wherein the height distance of individual key structures are varied at least in part by the corresponding key caps of those key structures being varied in height along at least the first gradient direction of the contour. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A keypad assembly for a mobile computing device, the keypad assembly comprising:
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a key layer comprising a plurality of key caps; a substrate having a plurality of electrical contacts, the plurality of electrical contacts underlying corresponding key caps of the key layer; and a layer of actuation members provided between the key layer and the substrate layer, the actuation member layer including a plurality of actuation members, wherein each actuation member is aligned to extend between a given key cap of the key layer and a corresponding electrical contact of the substrate, so that inward direction of the given key cap causes the actuation member to contact the corresponding electrical contact; wherein the key layer includes a matrix, and wherein the plurality of key caps are each formed over the matrix, and wherein the height of individual key caps over the matrix are varied along at least the first gradient direction of the contour. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification