Hand-held electronic device with a keyboard optimized for use with the thumbs

• US 6,873,317 B1
• Filed: 09/19/2000
• Issued: 03/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Lazaridis, Mihal, Griffin, Jason T., Holmes, John A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bella, Matthew C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRAN, TAM D
• Application Number:
  US09/663,972
• Time in Patent Office: 1,652 Days
• Field of Search: 345/168, 345/169, 345/170, 345/171, 345/172
• US Class Current: 345/168
• 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 preferably 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. A miniature keyboard for use in a hand-held wireless messaging device, comprising:

a plurality of oblong-shaped keys arranged in at least three arced rows to form a QWERTY-style keyboard;

at least a plurality of the oblong-shaped keys in each row being tilted at an angle relative to a vertical reference extending from a top edge of the hand-held wireless messaging device to a bottom edge of the hand-held wireless messaging device;

at least a plurality of the oblong-shaped keys in each row being offset along both a horizontal and a vertical axis from each of the keys in an adjacent row;

a plurality of the oblong-shaped keys including a setter character and an alternate character; and

the alternate characters including the numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 0.

2. The miniature keyboard of claim 1, wherein the numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 0 are included in a top row of oblong-shaped keys.

3. The miniature keyboard of claim 1, wherein the arced rows include a first row and a second row, wherein the arc defined by the first row has a lesser radius than the arc defined by the second row.

4. The miniature keyboard of claim 3, wherein the arced rows include a third row, wherein the arc defined by the third row has a greater radius than the arc defined by the second row.

5. The miniature keyboard of claim 1, wherein the miniature keyboard is positioned adjacent to a display on a front surface of the hand-held wireless messaging device.

6. The miniature keyboard of claim 1, wherein the hand-held wireless messaging device is a personal digital assistant (PDA).

7. The miniature keyboard of claim 1, wherein the hand-held wireless messaging device is a cellular telephone.

8. The miniature keyboard of claim 1, wherein at least one of the oblong-shaped keys is centrally located on the miniature keyboard.

9. The miniature keyboard of claim 1, wherein the centrally located oblong-shaped key is not tilted at an angle relative to the vertical reference.

10. The miniature keyboard of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of function keys arranged below the QWERTY-style keyboard.

11. The miniature keyboard of claim 1, wherein the plurality of oblong-shaped keys are oval.

12. The miniature keyboard of claim 1, wherein the plurality of oblong-shaped keys are rectangular.

13. The miniature keyboard of claim 1, wherein the oblong-shaped keys are tilted at or about a 40 degree angle relative to the vertical reference.

14. The miniature keyboard of claim 1, wherein a plurality of the oblong-shaped keys are tilted at a positive angle relative to the vertical reference and a plurality of the oblong-shaped keys are tilted at a negative angle relative to the vertical reference.

15. The miniature keyboard of claim 1, wherein the arced rows are concentric.

16. A hand-held wireless messaging device including a miniature keyboard, the miniature keyboard comprising:

a plurality of keys arranged in at least three arced rows to form a QWERTY-style keyboard;

at least a plurality of the keys in each row being tilted at an angle relative to a vertical reference extending from a top edge of the hand-held wireless messaging device to a bottom edge of the hand-held wireless messaging device;

a plurality of the keys including a letter character and an alternate character; and

the alternate characters including the numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 0.

17. The handheld wireless messaging device of claim 16, wherein the numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 0 are included in a top row of keys.

18. The handheld wireless messaging device of claim 16, wherein the arced rows include the first row and a second row, wherein the arc defined by the first row has a lesser radius than the arc defined by the second row.

19. The handheld wireless messaging device of claim 18, wherein the arced rows include a third row, wherein the arc defined by the third row has a greater radius than the arc defined by the second row.

20. The handheld wireless messaging device of claim 16, wherein the miniature keyboard is positioned adjacent to a display on a front surface of the hand-held wireless messaging device.

21. The handheld wireless messaging device of claim 16, wherein the hand-held wireless messaging device is a personal digital assistant (PDA).

22. The handheld wireless messaging device of claim 16, wherein the hand-held wireless messaging device is a cellular telephone.

23. The handheld wireless messaging device of claim 16, wherein at least one of the keys is centrally located on the miniature keyboard.

24. The handheld wireless messaging device of claim 23, wherein the centrally located key is not tilted at an angle relative to the vertical reference.

25. The handheld wireless messaging device of claim 16, further comprising:

a plurality of function keys arranged below the QWERTY-style keyboard.

26. The handheld wireless messaging device of claim 16, wherein the plurality of keys are oblong-shaped.

27. The handheld wireless messaging device of claim 26, wherein the plurality of oblong-shaped keys are oval.

28. The handheld wireless messaging device of claim 26, wherein the plurality of oblong-shaped keys are rectangular.

29. The handheld wireless messaging device of claim 26, wherein the oblong-shaped keys are tilted at or about a 40 degree angle relative to the vertical reference.

30. The handheld wireless messaging device of claim 26, wherein the plurality of the oblong-shaped keys are tilted at a positive angle relative to the vertical reference and a plurality of the oblong-shaped keys are tilted at a negative angle relative to the vertical reference.

31. The handheld wireless messaging device of claim 16, wherein the arced rows are concentric.