HAND-HELD ELECTRONIC DEVICE WITH A KEYBOARD OPTIMIZED FOR USE WITH THE THUMBS

• US 20130201110A1
• Filed: 03/08/2013
• Published: 08/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: GRIFFIN, Jason T., LAZARIDIS, Mihal, MAJOR, Harry R., HOLMES, John A., LITTLE, Herb A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,367,141 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/169
• 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 1/1664 Arrangements for ergonomically adjusting the disposition of keys of the integrated keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1671 Special purpose buttons or auxiliary keyboards, e.g. retractable mini keypads, keypads or buttons that remain accessible at closed laptop G06F1/1666 takes precedence
• 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 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 3/0219 Special purpose keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0236 using selection techniques to select from displayed items
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0362 with detection of 1D translations or rotations of an operating part of the device, e.g. scroll wheels, sliders, knobs, rollers or belts
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0383 Signal control means within the pointing device
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2225/022 other then row-column disposition
• 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

Abstract

A hand-held electronic device with a keyboard optimized for use with the thumbs is disclosed. In order to operate within the limited space available on a hand-held electronic device, the present invention optimizes the placement and shape of the keys, preferably using keys that are oval or oblong in shape, and that are placed at angles designed to facilitate thumb-typing, The angles at which keys on either side of the keyboard are placed is complimentary.

Claims

1-36. -36. (canceled)

37. A handheld electronic mobile device configured for sending and receiving wireless email messages comprising:

a keyboard comprising a plurality of letter keys;

a display;

a processor; and

a memory comprising instructions executable by the processor to;

detect a key down event, the key down event being associated with a first key being depressed;

display a letter associated with the first key on the display;

determine that the first key is depressed for a period of time, and responsive thereto, activate a key repeat event, the key repeat event being enabled with a key repeat feature;

determine that the period of time is greater than a threshold time period, and responsive thereto, disable the key repeat feature and enable the key repeat event with a capitalization feature, the capitalization feature being configured to generate a capitalized version of the displayed letter; and

replace the displayed letter with a capitalized version of he displayed letter.

38. The handheld electronic mobile device of claim 37, the instructions being further executable to:

detect that the first key is no longer depressed; and

responsive thereto, disable the capitalization feature.

39. A method in a handheld electronic mobile device configured for sending and receiving wireless email messages having a keyboard comprising a plurality of letter keys and a display, the method comprising:

detecting a key down event, the key down event being associated with a first key being depressed;

displaying a letter associated with the first key on the display;

determining that the first key is depressed for a period of time, and responsive thereto, activating a key repeat event, the key repeat event being enabled with a key repeat feature;

determining that the period of time is greater than a threshold time period, and responsive thereto, disable the key repeat feature and enable the key repeat event with a capitalization feature, the capitalization feature being configured to generate a capitalized version of the displayed letter; and

replacing the displayed letter with a capitalized version of the displayed letter.

40. The method of claim 39, further comprising:

detecting that the first key is no longer depressed; and

responsive thereto, disabling the capitalization feature.

41. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium containing instructions for a method performed by a handheld electronic mobile device configured for sending and receiving wireless email messages having a keyboard comprising a plurality of letter keys and a display, the method comprising:

detecting a key down event, the key down event being associated with a first key being depressed;

displaying a letter associated with the first key on the display;

determining that the first key is depressed for a period of time, and responsive thereto, activating a key repeat event, the key repeat event being enabled with a key repeat feature;

determining that the period of time is greater than a threshold time period, and responsive thereto, disable the key repeat feature and enable the key repeat event with a capitalization feature, the capitalization feature being configured to generate a capitalized version of the displayed letter; and

replacing the displayed letter with a capitalized version of the displayed letter.

42. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 41, the method further comprising:

detecting that the first key is no longer depressed; and

responsive thereto, disabling the capitalization feature.