Tactile input arrangement for a computing device

• US 20080106518A1
• Filed: 11/03/2006
• Published: 05/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Orlassino, Mark P.
• Application Number:
  US11/592,664
• Publication Number:
  US 20080106518A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/161
• 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 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1671 Special purpose buttons or auxiliary keyboards, e.g. retractable mini keypads, keypads or buttons that remain accessible at closed laptop G06F1/1666 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1684 Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675
• 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

Abstract

Described is a tactile input arrangement for a computing device. A portable computing device comprises a housing, a first input arrangement forming at least a portion of a first external surface of the housing and receiving input data from a user and a second input arrangement forming at least a portion of a second external surface of the housing and receiving further input data from the user, the second external surface facing in a direction substantially opposite to the first external surface.

Claims

1. A portable computing device, comprising:

a housing;

a first input arrangement forming at least a portion of a first external surface of the housing and receiving input data from a user; and

a second input arrangement forming at least a portion of a second external surface of the housing and receiving further input data from the user, the second external surface facing in a direction substantially opposite to the first external surface.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the device includes at least one of an imager-based scanner, a laser-based scanner, an RFID reader, a mobile phone, a digital media player and a digital camera.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the device includes a communications arrangement for conducting at least one of wired and wireless communications.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the first input arrangement includes at least one of a touch screen, a keypad and a microphone.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the first external surface is a substantially flat outer surface of the housing.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the input data includes at least one of a tactile input and a voice command.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein the second input arrangement includes at least one of a touch pad, a joystick, a roller ball, a wheel, a switch and a button.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein the second external surface is a substantially flat rear surface of the housing.

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein the further input data includes at least one of a tactile input and a gesture input.

10. The device according to claim 1, wherein the second input arrangement switches between locked and unlocked states so that when in the locked state, the further input data is ignored by the device.

11. The device according to claim 10, wherein the second input arrangement switches between the locked and unlocked states as a function of a predetermined input sequence received by the second input arrangement.

12. The device according to claim 11, wherein the predetermined input sequence includes at least one of a predetermined tactile input and a predetermined gesture input.

13. The device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a cover removably covering the second input arrangement.

14. The device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a display displaying the input data and the further input data simultaneously.

18. The device according to claim 1, wherein the first input arrangement includes at least one of a touch screen, a keypad and a microphone and the second input arrangement includes at least one of a touch pad, a joystick, a roller ball, a wheel, a switch and a button.

15. A computing device, comprising:

a processor receiving input data from a first input arrangement disposed on a first external surface of the device and further input data from a second input arrangement disposed on a second external surface of the device, the second external surface facing in a direction substantially opposite to the first external surface; and

a display screen displaying at least one of the input data and the further input data.

16. The device according to claim 15, wherein the processor selectively processes at least one of the input data and the further input data as a function of a command signal.

17. The device according to claim 16, wherein the command signal is one of a predetermined tactile sequence and a predetermined gestured sequence input to one of the first and second input arrangements.

19. An input arrangement for a mobile computing device, comprising:

a first tactile input device disposed on a first external surface of the device, the first external surface facing a direction substantially opposite to a second external surface, a display screen being disposed on the second external surface; and

a second tactile input device disposed on the first external surface of the device adjacent the first tactile input device.

20. A device, comprising:

a housing means;

a first input arrangement means for receiving input data from a user and forming at least a portion of a first external surface of the housing; and

a second input arrangement means for receiving further input data from the user and forming at least a portion of a second external surface of the housing, the second external surface facing in a direction substantially opposite to the first external surface.