Apparatus with user interface

• US 20100148642A1
• Filed: 12/17/2008
• Published: 06/17/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Eromaki, Marko, Richardson, Nigel, Davidson, Brian, Eldon, James
• Granted Patent: US 7,911,773 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 312/223.100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• 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 1/1643 the display being associated to a digitizer, e.g. laptops that can be used as penpads details related to the relative motion of the display enclosure with respect to the body enclosure, e.g. to move between laptop and tablet PC configuration G06F1/1615
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1666 Arrangements for reducing the size of the integrated keyboard for transport, e.g. foldable keyboards, keyboards with collapsible keys G06F1/1664 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/023 Arrangements for converting discrete items of information into a coded form, e.g. arrangements for interpreting keyboard generated codes as alphanumeric codes, operand codes or instruction codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0214 Foldable telephones, i.e. with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position combined with translation movement H04M1/0235
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0247 comprising more than two body parts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/23 Construction or mounting of dials or of equivalent devices; Means for facilitating the use thereof by improving visibility H04M1/22
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/233 including a pointing device, e.g. roller key, track ball, rocker switch or joystick constructional details of pointing devices per se G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/18 including more than one keyboard unit

Abstract

A handheld electronic device has a central part comprising a display and two pivotable elements. The pivotable elements are pivotably linked to the central part such that the pivotable elements are moveable between a compacted configuration and an extended configuration. Both of the pivotable elements are stacked on the central part and adjacent to each other when in the compacted configuration, and extend outward from the central part in the extended configuration. The pivotable elements each have a first surface accessible to a user in the compacted configuration. A first set of keys is disposed on the first surfaces. The pivotable elements each also have a second surface that is accessible to the user in the extended configuration but not in the compacted configuration. A second set of keys is disposed on the second surfaces.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a central part comprising a display; and

two pivotable elements each pivotably linked to the central part such that the pivotable elements are moveable between a compacted configuration and an extended configuration;

both of the pivotable elements being stacked on the central part and adjacent to each other when in the compacted configuration;

both of the pivotable elements extending outward from the central part in the extended configuration;

the pivotable elements each comprising a first surface accessible to a user in the compacted configuration, the first surfaces comprising a first set of keys; and

the pivotable elements each comprising a second surface accessible to the user in the extended configuration but not in the compacted configuration, the second surfaces comprising a second set of keys.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the display comprises a first region that is visible to the user in the compacted configuration and a second region that is not visible to the user in the compacted configuration; and

both the first and second regions are visible to the user in the extended configuration.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the central part comprises a third set of keys aligned between the pivotable elements and the pivotable elements when the pivotable elements are in the compacted configuration and positioned between the keys of the second set when the pivotable elements are in the extended configuration.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second pivotable elements:

overlaps with the display in the compacted configuration; and

comprises at least a portion of the second set of keys sandwiched aligned between the display and the overlapping at least one pivotable element.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a navigation device attached to the central part and at least one of the first pivotable element and the second pivotable element defines an aperture through which the navigation device is accessible in the compacted configuration.

6. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display covers substantially entirely the central part.

7. An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the display is a touch screen.

8. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pivotable elements are aligned on a single perimetric side of the display.

9. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the central part comprises a battery configured to power the display.

10. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus is a handheld electronic device.

11. An apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a processor configured to fit content for displaying to the user onto the first region when the pivotable elements are in the compacted configuration and onto the second region when the pivotable elements are in the extended configuration.

12. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising common illumination equipment configured to illuminate at least some keys of the first set in the compacted configuration and at least some keys of the second set in the extended configuration.

13. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a processor configured to obtain user input from the first set of keys in the compacted configuration and to obtain user input from the second set of keys in the extended configuration.

14. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising flexible cabling configured to pass signals between the central part and the pivotable elements.

15. An apparatus, comprising:

a central part means comprising display means; and

two pivotable element means each pivotably linked to the central part such that the pivotable element means are moveable between a compacted configuration and an extended configuration;

both of the pivotable element means being stacked on the central part means and adjacent to each other when in the compacted configuration;

both of the pivotable element means extending outward from the central part in the extended configuration;

the pivotable element means each comprising first surface accessible to a user in the compacted configuration, the first surfaces comprising a first set of keys; and

the pivotable element means each comprising a second surface accessible to the user in the extended configuration but not in the compacted configuration, the second surfaces comprising a second set of keys.