Wireless communication device with detachable flip keyboard

• US 6,385,463 B1
• Filed: 10/26/1999
• Issued: 05/07/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Blow, Anthony, Lieberman, Mark D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hunter, Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Thuan T.
• Application Number:
  US09/427,893
• Time in Patent Office: 924 Days
• Field of Search: 455/90, 455/95, 455/575, 455/556, 455/557
• US Class Current: 455/557
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0221 Arrangements for reducing keyboard size for transport or storage, e.g. foldable keyboards, keyboards with collapsible keys G06F3/0216 takes precedence; for keyboards integrated in a laptop computer G06F1/1666
• 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 1/0254 comprising one or a plurality of mechanically detachable modules
• 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 1/72409 by interfacing with external accessories hands-free H04M1/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/18 including more than one keyboard unit

Abstract

A wireless communication device (101) is coupled to an external keyboard (126) through an input/output (I/O) connector (128) mounted on the housing of the wireless communication device (101). The external keyboard (126) includes individual keys for alphabetic characters and numeric characters to permit the easy entry of alphanumeric text for text messaging transmissions by the wireless communication device (101). The keyboard may include a keyboard body (138) with an aperture (144) size to receive and retain the wireless communication device. The I/O connector (128) on the wireless communication device (101) mates with a corresponding keyboard connector (129) located within the aperture (144) of the keyboard body (138). The keyboard (126) may be rotatably mounted to the keyboard housing to permit activation of the keyboard by the user and may be rotated into an open configuration to expose the keypad (122) of the wireless communication device (101) to allow activation of the wireless communication device (101) by the user. The keyboard (126) may also be used to functionally replace the keypad (122) on the wireless communication device (101) by selectively activating a portion of the keys on the keyboard (126) to correspond to the keys on the keypad (122). The keyboard body (138) may include a base support element (160) to support the keyboard (126) on a work surface. The base support element (160) also includes a curved portion (164) and a linear portion (166) to allow the base support element (160) to serve as a belt clip.

Claims

1. A wireless communication device, comprising:

a housing;

a transceiver contained within the housing to allow communication with a device remote from the wireless communication device;

a keypad, supported by the housing, to control operation of the wireless communication device;

a connector, supported by the housing, to permit the connection of an external device;

a keyboard device coupled to the connector to permit entry of text data for transmission;

a rotatable member coupled to the keyboard device to permit rotation of the keyboard device while coupled to the connector; and

a base support element extending from the keyboard device to support the keyboard device and the wireless communication device.

2. The device of claim 1, further comprising an interface circuit contained within the housing and coupled to the connector, the interface circuit receiving the text data from the keyboard device.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein the interface circuit is an industry standard interface comprising a selected one of an RS-232 serial interface, an RS-422 serial interface, an RS-449 serial interface, and a universal serial bus (USB) interface.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the keyboard device is operable in a first configuration to enter the text data, and can be rotated with the rotatable member into a second configuration to allow data entry using the keypad.

5. The device of claim 1, further comprising an audio input device supported by the housing to permit entry of voice data by a user, the keyboard device including an aperture positioned in proximity with the audio input device to permit entry of the voice data when the keyboard device is coupled to the connector.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the keyboard device has first and second modes of operation, the keyboard device functioning as an input device to enter alphanumeric text data in the first mode and functioning as a replacement for the keypad in the second mode to enter data and control operation of the wireless communication device.

6. A wireless communication device, comprising:

a housing;

a transceiver contained within the housing to allow communication with a device remote from the wireless communication device;

a keypad, supported by the housing, to control operation of the wireless communication device;

a connector, supported by the housing, to permit the connection of an external device;

a keyboard device coupled to the connector to permit entry of text data for transmission;

a rotatable member coupled to the keyboard device to permit rotation of the keyboard device while coupled to the connector; and

a base support element extending from the keyboard device, the base support element having an elongated shape with first and second ends and attached to the keyboard device proximate the first end and the second end being separable from the keyboard device and biased against the keyboard device at the second end, whereby the base support element also functions as a beltclip.

8. A keyboard attachment for use with a wireless communication device having a connector for the connection of an external device, the keyboard attachment comprising:

a keyboard body having first and second ends, the first end being open and having sidewalls to define an aperture sized to receive the wireless communication device;

a mating connector located proximate the keyboard body second end to couple the keyboard attachment to the wireless communication device connector;

a keyboard operable by a user to enter text data for transmission by the wireless communication device, the text data being transferred to the wireless communication device via the mating connector and file connector on the wireless communication device; and

a base support element extending from the keyboard body to support the keyboard body and the wireless communication device.

9. The keyboard attachment of claim 8, further comprising a rotatable member coupled to the keyboard and the keyboard body to permit the rotation of the keyboard.

10. The keyboard attachment of claim 9 for use with the wireless communication device having a keypad wherein the keyboard is operable in a first configuration to enter the text data, and can be rotated with the rotatable member into a second configuration to allow data entry using the wireless communication device keypad.

11. The keyboard attachment of claim 8, further comprising an interface circuit contained within the keyboard body and coupled to the mating connector, the interface circuit being compatible with the wireless communication device.

12. The keyboard attachment of claim 11 wherein the interface circuit is an industry standard interface comprising a selected one of an RS-232 serial interface, an RS-422 serial interface, an RS-449 serial interface, and a universal serial bus (USB) interface.

13. The keyboard attachment of claim 8 for use with the wireless communication device having an audio input device to permit entry of voice data by a user, the keyboard further comprising an aperture positioned in proximity with the audio input device to permit entry of the voice data when the keyboard attachment is coupled to the wireless communication device.

15. The keyboard attachment of claim 8 for use with the wireless communication device having a keypad wherein the keyboard has first and second modes of operation, the keyboard functioning as an input device to enter alphanumeric text data in the first mode and functioning as a replacement for the wireless communication device keypad in the second mode to enter data and control operation of the wireless communication device.

14. A keyboard attachment for use with a wireless communication device having a connector for the connection of an external device, the keyboard attachment comprising:

a keyboard body having first and second ends, the first end being open and having sidewalls to define an aperture sized to receive the wireless communication device;

a mating connector located proximate the keyboard body second end to couple the keyboard attachment to the wireless communication device connector;

a keyboard operable by a user to enter text data for transmission by the wireless communication device, the text data being transferred to the wireless communication device via the mating connector and the connector on the wireless communication device; and

a base support element extending from the keyboard body, the base support element having an elongated shape with first and second ends and attached to the keyboard body proximate the first end and the second end being separable from the keyboard body and biased against the keyboard body at the second end, whereby the base support element functions as a beltclip.

16. A method for data entry into a wireless communication device having a connector for the connection of an external device, the method comprising:

coupling the wireless communication device to a keyboard body, the keyboard body having first and second ends, the first end being open and having sidewalls to define an aperture sized to receive the wireless communication device wherein coupling the wireless communication device to a keyboard body comprises inserting the wireless communication device into the keyboard body aperture;

coupling a mating connector located proximate the keyboard body second end to the wireless communication device connector;

detecting user activation of a keyboard coupled to the keyboard body to enter text data for transmission by the wireless communication device;

transferring the text data to the wireless communication device via the mating connector and the connector on the wireless communication device; and

resting the keyboard body on a working surface by providing a base support element extending from the keyboard body to support the keyboard body and the wireless communication device on the working surface.

17. The method of claim 16 for use with the wireless communication device having a keypad wherein the keyboard is operable in a first configuration to enter the text data, the method further comprising rotating the keyboard into a second configuration to allow data entry using the wireless communication device keypad.

19. The method of claim 16 for use with the wireless communication device having a keypad wherein the keyboard has first and second modes of operation, the keyboard functioning as an input device to enter alphanumeric text data in the first mode and functioning as a replacement for the wireless communication device keypad in the second mode to enter data and control operation of the wireless communication device.

18. A method for data entry into a wireless communication device having a connector for the connection of an external device, the method comprising:

coupling the wireless communication device to a keyboard body, the keyboard body having fist and second ends, the first end being open and having sidewalls to define an aperture sized to receive the wireless communication device wherein coupling the wireless communication device to a keyboard body comprises inserting the wireless communication device into the keyboard body aperture;

coupling a mating connector located proximate the keyboard body second end to the wireless communication device connector;

detecting user activation of a keyboard coupled to the keyboard body to enter text data for transmission by the wireless communication device;

transferring the text data to the wireless communication device via the mating connector and the connector on the wireless communication device; and

attaching the keyboard body and attached wireless communication device to a beltclip by providing a base element extending from the keyboard body, the base support element having an elongated shape with first and second ends and attached to the keyboard body proximate the fist end and the second end being separable from the keyboard body and biased against the keyboard body at the second end, whereby the base support element functions as a beltclip.