Input Device for a Portable Terminal
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A portable terminal having a plurality of operating modes, said portable terminal comprising:
- a housing;
an input device, wherein said input device;
is disposed on a first surface of said housing;
includes five binary switching elements, any one of which is capable, in at least a first mode of operation, of causing at least one of the following responses;
a transition to another operating mode;
taking an action incident to said transition; and
taking an action independent of a transition; and
a display screen, wherein;
said display screen displays a graphical representation of said input device; and
said graphical representation provides, for any one of said operating modes, an indication of said response, if any, of said portable terminal to actuating a respective one of said five binary switching elements;
wherein said input device accesses telecommunications capabilities of said portable terminal; and
wherein no other input device disposed on said first surface of said housing accesses said telecommunications capabilities.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A portable terminal includes an input device with five binary switching elements on a housing for the portable terminal and a display screen. The input device accesses telecommunications capabilities of the portable terminal. The display screen displays a graphical representation that can show an indication of the functions corresponding to the input device, a response to input received via the input device, and operation modes of the portable terminal. The operation modes of the portable terminal can be changed in response to receipt of input via the input device.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A portable terminal having a plurality of operating modes, said portable terminal comprising:
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a housing; an input device, wherein said input device; is disposed on a first surface of said housing; includes five binary switching elements, any one of which is capable, in at least a first mode of operation, of causing at least one of the following responses; a transition to another operating mode; taking an action incident to said transition; and taking an action independent of a transition; and a display screen, wherein; said display screen displays a graphical representation of said input device; and said graphical representation provides, for any one of said operating modes, an indication of said response, if any, of said portable terminal to actuating a respective one of said five binary switching elements; wherein said input device accesses telecommunications capabilities of said portable terminal; and wherein no other input device disposed on said first surface of said housing accesses said telecommunications capabilities. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method of operating a portable terminal having a plurality of operating modes, the method comprising:
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providing an input device on a first surface of a housing, the input device including five binary switching elements, and the input device being the only device disposed on the first surface of the housing for accessing telecommunications capabilities of the portable terminal; receiving input via any one of the five binary switching elements; responsive to receiving the input via any one of the five binary switching elements when the portable terminal is in at least a first mode of operation, executing at least one of the following responses; transitioning to another operating mode; taking an action incident to said transition; and taking an action independent of a transition. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of operating a portable terminal having a plurality of operating modes, the portable terminal comprising a housing configurable into an open configuration and a closed configuration, the housing including a first surface that is exposed when the housing is in the closed configuration, the method comprising:
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providing an input device on the first surface of the housing, the input device including five binary switching elements, and the input device being the only device disposed on the housing for accessing telecommunications capabilities of the portable terminal when the housing is configured in the closed configuration; receiving input via any one of the five binary switching elements; displaying on a graphical representation an indication of the operating mode of the portable terminal; providing via the graphical representation, an indication of receipt of the input. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification