MODULAR KEYPAD MECHANISM

• US 20090079697A1
• Filed: 12/29/2006
• Published: 03/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Motorola Solutions, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Shmaya, Shuli
• Application Number:
  US12/160,808
• Publication Number:
  US 20090079697A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/169
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1613 for portable computers cooling arrangements therefor G06F1/203; constructional details or arrangements for pocket calculators, electronic agendas or books G06F15/0216; constructional details of portable telephone sets: with several bodies H04M1/0202
• 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 1/1679 for locking or maintaining the movable parts of the enclosure in a fixed position, e.g. latching mechanism at the edge of the display in a laptop or for the screen protective cover of a PDA G06F1/1681 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 2200/1614 Image rotation following screen orientation, e.g. switching from landscape to portrait mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0216 Arrangements for ergonomically adjusting the disposition of keys of a keyboard for keyboards integrated in a laptop computer G06F1/1664
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0221 Arrangements for reducing keyboard size for transport or storage, e.g. foldable keyboards, keyboards with collapsible keys G06F3/0216 takes precedence; for keyboards integrated in a laptop computer G06F1/1666

Abstract

A Hand Held Computing device (HHC) (180) incorporating a keypad function (120), a display function (100) and processing function (430), the processing function (430) being operably coupled to both the keypad (120) and display (100) functions. The keypad function (120) is of a modular construction, such that a removable key-holder (300) may be de-coupled from the device (180), rotated, and re-assembled to the device (180) in a different orientation (230, 210), the keypad function being operable in this new orientation.

Claims

1. A Hand Held Computing device (HHC) comprising:

a keypad construction;

a display; and

a processing function that is operably coupled to both the keypad construction and the display,

wherein the keypad construction is of a modular construction and comprises at least a removable key-holder and a key-press detection mechanism,

wherein the removable key-holder may be de-coupled from the key-press detection mechanism, rotated, and re-coupled to the key-press detection mechanism in a different orientation to enable the keypad construction to be operable in the different orientation.

2. The Hand Held Computing device according to claim 1, which is adapted such that the removable key-holder can be rotated through 90°

, or an integral multiple of 90°

, with respect to its original orientation.

3. The Hand Held Computing device according to claim 2, including a detector that automatically detects the orientation of the removable key-holder by the processing function.

4. The Hand Held Computing device according to claim 3, which is adapted so that removal of the removable key-holder from the HHC device causes a power supply to the processing function to be disconnected.

5. The Hand Held Computing device according to claim 4, wherein the display is operable, under control of the processing function, to automatically re-configure an orientation of images displayed on the display according to a detected orientation of the removable key-holder.

6. The Hand Held Computing device according to claim 5, including one or more orientation sensors capable of detecting an orientation of the removable key-holder.

7. The Hand Held Computing device according to claim 6 wherein the one or more orientation sensors are provided on the key-press detection mechanism.

8. The Hand Held Computing device according to claim 1, including one or more mechanical locking mechanisms operable to lock the removable key-holder when in the device to the key-press detection mechanism.

9. The Hand Held Computing device according to claim 8, wherein the removable key-holder includes a cut-out adapted to receive a structure of the locking mechanism.

10. The Hand Held Computing device according to claim 8 wherein the removable key-holder is locked to the device by the mechanical locking mechanism.

11. The hand held computing device according to claim 1, wherein the keypad construction comprises a keypad printed circuit board (PCB) and a locking device, the key-holder removable from the keypad PCB and capable of being re-orientated relative to the keypad PCB and replaced in location with the keypad PCB, the removable key-holder being provided with recesses, one or more of which is utilised by the locking device to lock the removable key-holder in place when in use in the computing device.

12. The hand held computing device according to claim 11, wherein the removable key-holder is further provided with a mechanical structure or orientation boss, which, when the keypad construction is assembled, is detected by one or more orientation sensors located on the keypad PCB.