Interface with and communication between mobile electronic devices

• US 20090219250A1
• Filed: 02/29/2008
• Published: 09/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/29/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Michael J Ure
• Original Assignee: Michael J Ure
• Inventors: Ure, Michael J.
• Application Number:
  US12/040,769
• Publication Number:
  US 20090219250A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/169
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1624 with sliding enclosures, e.g. sliding keyboard or display
• 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 1/1692 the I/O peripheral being a secondary touch screen used as control interface, e.g. virtual buttons or sliders
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0202 Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0235 Slidable or telescopic telephones, i.e. with a relative translation movement of the body parts; Telephones using a combination of translation and other relative motions of the body parts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector

Abstract

An input device and mobile electronic devices having improved user interface capabilities are described. In one embodiment, a “triple-threat” device is provided in the form of a mobile electronic device of a slider construction. A two-way slider mechanism is provided. In one embodiment, a screen of the mobile electronic device is touch-sensitive (touch input); in a first slider position, tactile-response keys are exposed (key input); in another slider position, a writing pad is exposed (stylus input).

Claims

1. A mobile electronic device having touch input, key input and stylus input, comprising:

a first housing portion housing a main display;

at least one additional housing portion coupled to the first housing portion to enable two-way slider motion between the first housing portion and the at least one additional housing portion;

keys provided on the at least one additional housing portion, the keys being exposed in a first slider position; and

a writing surface provided on the at least one additional housing portion, the keys being exposed in a second slider position.

2. A mobile electronic device having touch input, key input and stylus input, comprising:

a first housing portion housing a main display;

at second housing portion coupled to the first housing portion to enable two-way slider motion between the first housing portion and the second housing portion;

a keypad provided on the second housing portion, the keypad being exposed in a first slider position obtained by relative motion between the first and second housing portions in a first direction; and

a QWERTY keyboard provided on the second housing portion, the QWERTY keyboard being exposed in a second slider position obtained by relative motion between the first and second housing portions in a direction opposite said first direction.

3. A method of entering text into a mobile electronic device, comprising:

sensing stylus input that is input on a surface through which information is displayed on an electronic display; and

displaying on the electronic display the stylus input as it is being input, the stylus input being displayed in a translucent manner so as to less obscure underlying display information.