Keypads for electrical devices

• US 6,756,969 B2
• Filed: 05/07/2003
• Issued: 06/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: III Holdings 3, LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Mobile Phones UK Limited (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Morioka, Seiji, Nuovo, Frank, Salazar, Eduardo, Wood, Todd
• Primary Examiner(s): Liang, Regina
• Application Number:
  US10/431,150
• Publication Number:
  US 20030193480A1
• Time in Patent Office: 419 Days
• Field of Search: 345/168-172, 341/22, 341/23, 379/433.07, 379/433.1, 379/433.6
• 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 2200/1614 Image rotation following screen orientation, e.g. switching from landscape to portrait mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0202 Portable telephone sets, e.g. cordless phones, mobile phones or bar type handsets constructional features of telephone transmitters or receivers, e.g. of speakers or microphones H04M1/03
• 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 1/7246 by connection of exchangeable housing parts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72466 with selection means, e.g. keys, having functions defined by the mode or the status of the device

Abstract

A mobile telephone includes a body, a display, and a keypad. The keypad has a plurality of individual numeral keys assigned to individual numerals and may be rotated with respect to the body. In this way it is possible for the presentation of information on the display to remain in a fixed orientation with respect to a user while the body is rotated about the display so that the mobile telephone can be converted from right-handed to left-handed use or the display can be moved from a first orientation to a second orientation.

Claims

1. An electrical device comprising:

a body;

a display disposed in the body for the display of images and data;

angular orientation measurement means which can measure the angular orientation of the keymat with respect to the body;

a keypad in which the keypad is rotatable with respect to the body;

an interchangeable keymat coupled to the keypad, wherein the keymat defines a plurality of individual numerical keys and a plurality of pressure sensitive areas which detect key presses and produce corresponding electrical signals; and

in which the plurality of individual numeral keys and the navigation key are keyed together so that are rotatable together.

2. An electrical device according to claim 1 in which the keypad is rotatable by hand.

3. An electrical device according claim 1 in which rotation of the keypad is driven by an electrical motor.

4. An electrical device comprising:

a body;

a display disposed in the body for the display of images and data;

angular orientation measurement means which can measure the angular orientation of the keymat with respect to the body;

a keypad in which the keypad is rotatable with respect to the body;

a plurality of pressure sensitive areas which detect key presses and produce corresponding electrical signals; and

an interchangeable keymat defining a plurality of individually labeled keys coupled to said keypad, each of the individually labeled key maps to a one of the said plurality of pressure sensitive areas and wherein the mapping between the keys of said keymat and their corresponding pressure sensitive areas may be changed by placing the keymat in different configurations thereby allowing for coded input of data.