Physical configuration of a hand-held electronic communication device

• US 7,016,182 B2
• Filed: 09/05/2003
• Issued: 03/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Wireless Agents LLC
• Original Assignee: Wireless Agents LLC
• Inventors: Brandenberg, Carl Brock, Kay, Robert L.
• Primary Examiner(s): LEA EDMONDS, LISA S
• Application Number:
  US10/655,802
• Publication Number:
  US 20040174666A1
• Time in Patent Office: 928 Days
• Field of Search: 361/681, 361/683, 361/680, 345/169
• US Class Current: 361/679.06
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1613 for portable computers cooling arrangements therefor G06F1/203; constructional details or arrangements for pocket calculators, electronic agendas or books G06F15/0216; constructional details of portable telephone sets: with several bodies H04M1/0202
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1622 with enclosures rotating around an axis perpendicular to the plane they define or with ball-joint coupling, e.g. PDA with display enclosure orientation changeable between portrait and landscape by rotation with respect to a coplanar body enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1624 with sliding enclosures, e.g. sliding keyboard or display
• 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 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1664 Arrangements for ergonomically adjusting the disposition of keys of the integrated keyboard
• 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 1/1698 the I/O peripheral being a sending/receiving arrangement to establish a cordless communication link, e.g. radio or infrared link, integrated cellular phone details of antennas disposed inside a computer H01Q1/2266
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• 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 1/0225 Rotatable telephones, i.e. the body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis perpendicular to the plane they define in closed position combined with translation movement H04M1/0235
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0235 Slidable or telescopic telephones, i.e. with a relative translation movement of the body parts; Telephones using a combination of translation and other relative motions of the body parts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0247 comprising more than two body parts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 : Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 : Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 345/905 : Display device with housing structure

Abstract

A hand-held, electronic, bi-directional, wireless electronic communication device having a physical configuration which includes a relatively large, constantly visible display and an alphanumeric keyboard that can be concealed until needed.

Claims

1. A hand-held, electronic computing device having a physical configuration comprising:

a body portion having a front surface and a back surface;

a keyboard carried by the body portion on the front surface thereof;

a display portion having a front surface and a back surface;

a constantly visible display carried by the display portion on the front surface thereof;

wherein the keyboard is at least partially concealed by the display portion when the hand-held device is in a closed state, and wherein the keyboard is exposed when the hand-held device is in an open state; and

at least one coupling between the body portion and the display portion back surface, wherein the coupling is concealed by the display portion when the display is viewed with the device in either the closed state or the open state, and wherein the coupling allows the display portion to move relative to the body portion in a plane that is generally parallel to the keyboard.

2. The hand-held, electronic computing device according to claim 1, wherein the display portion completely conceals the keyboard when the device is in the closed state.

3. The hand-held, electronic computing device according to claim 1, wherein the display portion slides relative to the body portion in a plane that is generally parallel with the keyboard.

4. The hand-held, electronic computing device according to claim 1,

wherein the display portion slides between the open state and the closed state.

5. The hand-held, electronic computing device according to claim 1, wherein the display portion slides relative to the body portion along a non-planar path.

6. The hand-held, electronic computing device according to claim 1, wherein the display portion moves in a direction that reveals the bottom portion of the keyboard first.

7. The hand-held, electronic computing device according to claim 1, wherein the display is a high-resolution color display.

8. The hand-held, electronic computing device according to claim 1, further comprising:

at least one push pad disposed on the body portion to aid in moving the display portion relative to the body portion.

9. The hand-held, electronic computing device according to claim 1, further comprising:

at least one push pad disposed on the display portion to aid in sliding the display portion relative to the body portion.

10. The hand-held, electronic computing device according to claim 1, further comprising:

at least one protective bumper disposed on the body portion.

11. The hand-held, electronic computing device according to claim 1, further comprising:

at least one protective bumper disposed on the display portion.

12. The hand-held, electronic computing device according to claim 1, further comprising:

at least one input/output component from the following group;

a. a light;

b. an LED;

c. a button;

d. a joystick;

e. a touch pad;

f. a directional or“

D”

pad;

g. a jog wheel;

h. a scroll wheel;

i. a speaker;

j. a headphone jack;

k. a microphone;

l. an infrared port;

m. a DC adapter port;

n. an antenna;

o. an on/off switch;

p. an analog responder; and

q. a conductive power terminal.

13. The hand-held, electronic computing device according to claim 12, wherein the input/output components are carried by the body portion.

14. The hand-held, electronic computing device according to claim 12, wherein the input/output components are carried by the display portion.

15. The hand-held, electronic computing device according to claim 12, wherein the input/output components are carried by both the body portion and the display portion.

16. The hand-held, electronic computing device according to claim 12, wherein the input/output components are located to facilitate interaction with the device while the device is in the closed state.

17. The hand-held, electronic computing device according to claim 12, wherein the LED is a full-spectrum color LED.

18. The hand-held, electronic computing device according to claim 1, wherein the coupling comprises a first portion attached to the display portion back surface and a second portion attached to the body portion front surface.

19. The hand-held electronic computing device according to claim 1, wherein the coupling comprises at least one groove in the display portion back surface.

20. The hand-held electronic computing device according to claim 1, wherein the coupling comprises at least two grooves in the display portion back surface.

21. The hand-held electronic computing device according to claim 1, wherein the coupling comprises interlocking grooves in the display portion back surface and the body portion front surface.

22. The hand-held electronic computing device according to claim 1, wherein the coupling comprises support rails attached to the body portion and to the display portion back surface.

23. The hand-held electronic computing device according to claim 1, wherein the coupling comprises at least one groove in the body portion front surface.

24. The hand-held, electronic computing device according to claim 1, wherein the keyboard is selected from the group of a qwerty, a Fitaly, a Dvorak or a twelve-key keyboard.

25. A hand-held electronic computing device having a physical configuration comprising:

a body portion;

a keyboard carried by the body portion;

a display portion;

a constantly visible display carried by the display portion;

wherein the keyboard is at least partially concealed by the display portion when the hand-held device is in a closed state, and wherein the keyboard is exposed when the hand-held device is in an open state; and

at least one coupling between the body portion and the display portion, wherein the coupling is concealed by the display portion when the display is viewed with the device in either the closed state or the open state, and wherein the coupling allows the display portion to move relative to the body portion in a plane that is generally parallel to the keyboard.

26. A device as in claim 25, wherein the display portion is slideably coupled to the body portion.

27. The hand-held, electronic computing device according to claim 26, wherein the display portion slides relative to the body portion in a plane that is generally parallel with the keyboard.

28. The hand-held, electronic computing device according to claim 26, wherein the display portion slides relative to the body portion along non-planar path.

29. The hand-held, electronic computing device according to claim 25, wherein the display portion completely conceals the keyboard when the device is in the closed state.

30. The hand-held, electronic computing device according to claim 25, wherein the display is a high-resolution color display.

31. The hand-held, electronic computing device according to claim 25, further comprising:

at least one input/output component from the following group;

a. a light;

b. an LED;

c. a button;

d. a joystick;

e. a touch pad;

f. a directional or“

D”

pad;

g. a jog wheel;

h. a scroll wheel;

i. a speaker;

j. a headphone jack;

k. a microphone;

l. an infrared port;

m. a DC adapter port;

n. an antenna;

o. an on/off switch;

p. an analog responder; and

q. a conductive power terminal.

32. The hand-held, electronic computing device according to claim 31, wherein the input/output components are carried by the body portion.

33. The hand-held, electronic computing device according to claim 31, wherein the input/output components are carried by the display portion.

34. The hand-held, electronic computing device according to claim 31, wherein the input/output components are carried by both the body portion and the display portion.

35. The hand-held, electronic computing device according to claim 31, wherein the input/output components are located to facilitate interaction with the device while the device is in the closed position.

36. The hand-held, electronic computing device according to claim 25, wherein the keyboard is selected from the group of a qwerty, a Fitaly, a Dvorak or a twelve-key keyboard.

37. A hand-held electronic computing device having a physical configuration comprising:

a body portion;

a display portion;

a constantly visible display carried by the display portion; and

a keyboard carried by the body portion, wherein the keyboard is at least partially concealed by the display portion when the hand-held device is in a closed state, and wherein the keyboard is exposed when the hand-held device is in an open state;

wherein the display portion has first and second sides oppositely spaced across the display, wherein the sides are non-parallel, and wherein the display portion slides between the open state and the closed state.

38. The hand-held, electronic computing device according to claim 37, wherein the display portion completely conceals the keyboard.

39. The hand-held, electronic computing device according to claim 37, wherein the display portion slides relative to the body portion in a plane that is generally parallel with the keyboard.

40. The hand-held, electronic computing device according to claim 37, further comprising:

a connector between the body portion and the display portion for supporting the display portion when the device is in the open state.

41. The hand-held, electronic computing device according to claim 40, wherein the connector is not visible while the display is being viewed in the open state.

42. The hand-held, electronic computing device according to claim 37, wherein the display portion slides relative to the body portion along a non-planar path.

43. The hand-held, electronic computing device according to claim 37, wherein the keyboard is selected from the group of a qwerty, a Fitaly, a Dvorak or a twelve-key keyboard.