Communication device having interchangeable faceplates and active keypad cover

• US 5,848,152 A
• Filed: 12/04/1996
• Issued: 12/08/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lundell, Louis J., Slipy, Michael J., Mischenko, Nicholas, Lo, Jose T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chiang, Jack
• Application Number:
  US08/759,503
• Time in Patent Office: 734 Days
• Field of Search: 379/433, 379/434, 379/428, 455/90, 455/575
• US Class Current: 379/433.13
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/06 using friction, e.g. spin welding non-plastics elements to plastic elements B29C65/645
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/48 using adhesives , i.e. using supplementary joining material; solvent bonding
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/542 joining hollow covers or hollow bottoms to open ends of container bodies
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/3431 Telephones, Earphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0216 Foldable in one direction, i.e. using a one degree of freedom hinge
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0245 using open/close detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0249 Details of the mechanical connection between the housing parts or relating to the method of assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0283 for providing a decorative aspect, e.g. customization of casings, exchangeable faceplate
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7246 by connection of exchangeable housing parts

Abstract

A communication device (1600) such as a portable radiotelephone handset features interchangeable faceplates including a first faceplate (1604) and a second faceplate (1804) which are removably attachable to a housing (1602). At least one of the plurality of faceplates includes a movable element (1802) such as a keypad cover. A sensor such as a switch (1574) detects the presence of the movable element (1802) and provides a detection signal to a controller (1560) which varies the operation of the communication device (1600) in response thereto.

Claims

1. A communication device comprising:

a housing;

a sensor disposed within the housing, the sensor providing a detection signal in response to detection of a faceplate and a movable element disposed on the housing; and

a controller disposed within the housing and coupled to the sensor, the controller implementing a first set of functions in response to a first state of the detection signal and a second set of functions in response to a second state of the detection signal.

2. A communication device as recited in claim 1 further comprising a faceplate disposed on the housing, the faceplate including a movable element movable between a first position and a second position.

3. A communication device as recited in claim 2 wherein the sensor comprises a switch which provides the detection signal when actuated and wherein the faceplate includes an actuator for actuating the switch.

4. A communication device as recited in claim 3 wherein the movable element is rotatable about an axis and wherein the actuator actuates the switch when the movable element rotates about the axis from the first position to the second position.

5. A communication device as recited in claim 4 further comprising a printed circuit board (PCB) disposed within the housing, the switch being disposed on the printed circuit board proximate a first end of the communication device, and wherein communication device further includes a hinge proximate the first end of the communication device for rotating the movable element about the axis, the hinge including the actuator.

6. A communication device as recited in claim 5 wherein the switch and the axis are substantially coplanar.

7. A communication device as recited in claim 2 wherein the communication device comprises a radiotelephone configured for radio communication with a remote transceiver and wherein the first set of functions comprises establishing a radio link with the remote transceiver when the movable element moves from the first position to the second position.

8. A communication device as recited in claim 2 further comprising a keypad disposed on the housing, the movable element forming a keypad cover for covering a portion of the keypad in the first position.

9. A communication device as recited in claim 1 further comprising a keypad and a faceplate disposed on the housing, the faceplate omitting a movable element which covers a portion of the keypad.

10. A communication device as recited in claim 9 wherein the communication device comprises a radiotelephone configured for radio communication with a remote transceiver and wherein the second set of functions comprises establishing a radio link with the remote transceiver in response to a keypress of a key of the keypad.

11. A communication device as recited in claim 10 wherein the faceplate omitting a movable element may be removably interchanged with a faceplate including a movable element, the sensor providing the detection signal in response to detecting the faceplate including a movable element when the faceplate omitting a movable element is replaced with the faceplate including a movable element.

12. A method of operating a communication device, the communication device including a keypad and a faceplate, the method comprising the steps of:

detecting presence of a keypad cover on the faceplate;

if a keypad cover is present, detecting a position of the keypad cover; and

if no keypad cover is present, awaiting a user input from the keypad.

13. A method as recited in claim 12 further comprising the steps of:

moving the keypad cover from a closed position to an open position;

detecting movement of the keypad cover; and

in response, initiating a communication link to a remote transceiver.

14. A method as recited in claim 12 further comprising the steps of:

detecting a predetermined user input; and

in response, initiating a communication link to a remote transceiver.

15. A method as recited in claim 14 wherein the step of detecting a predetermined user input comprises detecting a keypress of a link key of the keypad.

16. A radiotelephone comprising:

a housing having a front face;

a keypad disposed on the front face;

a first faceplate configured for attachment to the front face;

a second faceplate configured for attachment to the front face, the second faceplate including a keypad cover movable between a first position and a second position, the keypad cover covering a portion of the keypad in the first position;

a sensor for detecting attachment of a faceplate to the front face and providing a detection signal, the detection signal having a first state when the first faceplate is attached and a second state when the second faceplate is attached; and

a controller responsive to the detection signal for varying operation of the radiotelephone.

17. A radiotelephone as recited in claim 16 further comprising a hinge at a first end of the second faceplate for rotatably moving the keypad cover between the first position and the second position and wherein the sensor comprises a switch responsive to position of the hinge for providing the detection signal.

18. A radiotelephone as recited in claim 17 wherein the hinge comprises a cam journal defining a profiled recess, the cam journal rotating in response to rotation of the keypad cover, and wherein the switch includes an actuation arm movable between an open position and a closed position, the profiled recess selectively engaging the actuation arm to move the actuation arm between the closed position and the open position as the cam journal rotates with the keypad cover.

19. A radiotelephone as recited in claim 18 wherein the first faceplate includes a fixed actuator positioned to retain the actuation arm in the open position while the first faceplate is attached to the front face.

20. A radiotelephone as recited in claim 19 wherein the switch provides the detection signal in the first state when the actuation arm is in the closed position and provides the detection signal in the second state when the actuation arm is in the open position.

21. A radiotelephone as recited in claim 20 wherein the radiotelephone is configured for radio communication with a remote transceiver and wherein, in response to the detection signal changing from the first state to the second state, the controller establishes a radio link with the remote transceiver.

22. A radiotelephone as recited in claim 21 wherein, in response to the detection signal being maintained in the second state, the controller awaits a predetermined user input.

23. A radiotelephone as recited in claim 22 wherein the predetermined user input comprises a keypress of a link key of the keypad.

24. A communication device comprising:

a housing;

a keypad disposed on a front face of the housing;

a faceplate configured for attachment to the housing, the faceplate selected from the group consisting of a faceplate including a movable element which is movable between a first position and a second position, and a faceplate lacking a movable element;

a sensor disposed within the housing for providing a detection signal in response to attachment of the faceplate including the movable element; and

a controller disposed within the housing, the controller implementing a first set of functions in response to the detection signal and a second set of functions in response to absence of the detection signal.

25. A communication device as recited in claim 24 wherein the communication device further comprises the faceplate including a movable element, and wherein in response to the detection signal, the communication device operates responsive to movement of the movable element between the first position and the second position and in response to absence of the detection signal, the communication device operates responsive to a predetermined user input at the keypad.

26. A communication device as recited in claim 25 wherein the predetermined user input comprises a keypress of a link key of the keypad.

27. A portable radiotelephone handset comprising:

a standard housing having a front face;

a keypad configured to be disposed on the front face;

a plurality of faceplates, each faceplate configured for removable attachment to the front face of the standard housing for customizing appearance of the portable radiotelephone handset, at least one faceplate having a keypad cover movable between a first position and a second position, the keypad cover covering a portion of the keypad in the first position and exposing the portion of the keypad in the second position;

a sensor for sensing attachment to the front face of the standard housing of a faceplate having keypad cover and providing a detection signal; and

a controller which implements a first set of functions in response to a first state of the detection signal and a second set of functions in response to a second state of the detection signal.

28. A portable radiotelephone handset as recited in claim 27 wherein the at least one faceplate further comprises a body and a hinge coupling the keypad cover and the body, the hinge providing rotational movement of the keypad cover between the first position and the second position.

29. A portable radiotelephone handset as recited in claim 28 wherein the sensor provides the detection signal having the first state when the keypad cover is in the first position and the second state when the keypad cover is in the second position.

30. A portable radiotelephone handset as recited in claim 28 wherein the plurality of faceplates include a faceplate omitting a keypad cover and wherein the sensor provides the detection signal having the first state when the faceplate omitting a keypad cover is attached to front face of the standard housing.

31. A method for operating a communication device, the communication device including

a switch which is movable between a first position and a second position, and

one of a first faceplate and a second faceplate disposed on the communication device, the first faceplate lacking a keypad cover and the second faceplate having a keypad cover,

motion of the keypad cover actuating the switch between the first position and the second position when the second faceplate is disposed on the communication device and the keypad cover is present,

the first faceplate including a fixed actuator for retaining the switch in one of the first position and the second position when the first faceplate is present,

the method comprising the steps of:

initially detecting a position of the switch, the position being one of a first position and a second position;

in response to detection of the first position of the switch, determining that the communication device includes the second faceplate;

subsequently, detecting position of the keypad cover in response to actuation of the switch by movement of the keypad cover; and

in response to detection of the second position of the switch, determining that the communication device includes the first faceplate.

32. A method as recited in claim 31 further comprising the steps of:

implementing a first set of functions in response to determining that the communication device includes the first faceplate; and

implementing a second set of functions in response to determining that the communication device includes the second faceplate.

33. A method as recited in claim 32 wherein the second set of functions includes maintaining the communication device in a standby condition awaiting reception of incoming radio signals when the keypad cover is in the first position and awaiting user input to initiate communication when the keypad cover is in the second position.