Cover for an Electronic Device

• US 20120039023A1
• Filed: 08/13/2010
• Published: 02/16/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: RENWICK, James Edward
• Granted Patent: US 9,041,661 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/679.01
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 2011/002 for portable handheld communication devices, e.g. mobile phone, pager, beeper, PDA, smart phone
• 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 1/1633 Constructional details or arrangements of portable computers not specific to the type of enclosures covered by groups G06F1/1615 - G06F1/1626
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1669 Detachable keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/182 with special features, e.g. for use in industrial environments; grounding or shielding against radio frequency interference [RFI] or electromagnetical interference [EMI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1632 Pen holder integrated in the computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1633 Protecting arrangement for the entire housing of the computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1634 Integrated protective display lid, e.g. for touch-sensitive display in handheld computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04809 Textured surface identifying touch areas, e.g. overlay structure for a virtual keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0202 Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0393 Accessories for touch pads or touch screens, e.g. mechanical guides added to touch screens for drawing straight lines, hard keys overlaying touch screens or touch pads
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0489 using dedicated keyboard keys or combinations thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0283 for providing a decorative aspect, e.g. customization of casings, exchangeable faceplate
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A cover configured to overlie a touch screen of an electronic device the cover including an output portion configured to enable content presented on the touch screen to be visible to a user through the cover; and the cover including a plurality of distinct input portions each sharing a physical characteristic that demarcates each of the plurality of distinct input portions as an input portion, wherein each of the plurality of distinct input portions is configured to enable one of a plurality of touch sensitive areas of the touch screen to be actuated.

Claims

1. A cover configured to overlie a touch screen of an electronic device the cover comprising an output portion configured to enable content presented on the touch screen to be visible to a user through the cover;

and

the cover comprising a plurality of distinct input portions each sharing a physical characteristic that demarcates each of the plurality of distinct input portions as an input portion, wherein each of the plurality of distinct input portions is configured to enable one of a plurality of touch sensitive areas of the touch screen to be actuated.

2. A cover as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of distinct input portions has a common relief that is different to adjacent portions of the cover.

3. A cover as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of distinct input portions has a common relief that is higher than adjacent portions of the cover

4. A cover as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of distinct input portions is a resiliently flexible protrusion.

5. A cover as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of distinct input portions has a thickness of less than 1 mm.

6. A cover as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of distinct input portions has a relative permittivity greater than that of the output portion.

7. A cover as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of distinct input portions comprise silicone.

8. A cover as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of distinct input portions comprise capacitive silicone.

9. A cover as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of distinct input portions are transparent.

10. A cover as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of distinct input portions comprise permanent indicia.

11. A cover as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of distinct input portions are arranged as a QWERTY keyboard.

12. A cover as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of distinct input portions is supported by a one-piece rigid housing that forms the output portion.

13. A cover as claimed in claim 1, wherein the output portion is transparent.

14. A cover as claimed in claim 1, wherein the output portion comprises polycarbonate.

15. A cover as claimed in claim 1, comprising sidewalls, end walls and a front face, bounded by the side walls and end walls and comprising the output portion and the plurality of distinct input portions, wherein the front face, side walls and end walls form a cavity configured to receive at least part of a hand held electronic device comprising a touch sensitive screen.

16. A cover as claimed in claim 1, comprising apertures for ports of the electronic device.

17. A cover as claimed in claim 1, comprising a mechanism configured to secure the cover to the electronic device and configured to enable subsequent user removal of the cover from the electronic device.

18. A cover as claimed in claim 1, configured to attach to both a front face and a back face of an electronic device.

19. A system comprising:

an electronic device comprising a housing having a rear face and a front face comprising a touch screen; and

a user replaceable cover which when attached to the front face of the electronic device provides a keyboard over the touch screen.

20. A method comprising:

configuring an electronic device comprising a touch screen by attaching a cover configured to overlie the touch screen of the electronic device, the cover comprising an output portion configured to enable content presented on the touch screen to be visible to a user through the cover and a plurality of distinct input portions each sharing a physical characteristic that demarcates each of the plurality of distinct input portions as an input portion, wherein each of the plurality of distinct input portions is configured to enable one of the plurality of touch sensitive areas of the touch screen to be actuated.

21. (canceled)