Cover plate for a mobile device having a push-through dial keypad

• US 7,133,707 B1
• Filed: 07/13/2004
• Issued: 11/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Fyke, Steven, Griffin, Jason, Rak, Roman Peter, Chyc, Paul Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Feild, Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): PEREZ, JULIO R
• Application Number:
  US10/889,025
• Time in Patent Office: 847 Days
• Field of Search: 455/550, 455/557, 455/566, 455/575, 379/368, 379/433.07, 379/433.13, 379/433.01, 379/433.04
• US Class Current: 455/575.1
• 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 dial keypad is provided for use with a mobile device having a keyboard. The keypad has a push-through, hinge-spring design that activates only one of two keyboard keys underlying a dial key and allows backlighting transmissivity. A translucent material can be used to allow the keyboard key backlighting to be coupled through to a top dial key. The keypad creates an aesthetically balanced dial keypad arrangement over a QWERTY keyboard. A preferable mechanical implementation allows backlighting and has an offset contact and spring design to activate one of the two underlying keys. This activation simplifies the software implementation for executing the dial number since the signal is coming from one address rather than having to make a determination of whether it is coming from one or two addresses. Moreover, the resulting dial key press has a standard single click feel.

Claims

1. A cover plate for use with a mobile device, the mobile device having a keyboard including a plurality of keyboard keys, the cover plate comprising:

a keypad frame mounted on said mobile device and user-movable between a first position away from said keyboard and keyboard keys and a second position overlying said keyboard and keyboard keys; and

a plurality of dial keys depressably mounted on the keypad frame;

at least one dial key of the plurality of dial keys overlying at least two keyboard keys, the at least one dial key having means extending therefrom towards only one of said at least two keyboard keys for actuating only said one of said at least two keyboard keys.

2. The cover plate of claim 1 wherein the at least one dial key has an actuating end and a non-actuating hinge end.

3. The cover plate of claim 1 wherein the at least one dial key has two light pipes for coupling light from the at least two keyboard keys, and wherein each said at least one dial key is translucent.

4. The cover plate of claim 3 wherein the two light pipes are disposed one at an actuating end of the at least one dial key and the other disposed at the non-actuating hinge end of the at least one dial key.

5. The cover plate of claim 1 wherein the cover plate is hingedly attached to a housing of the mobile device.

6. The cover plate of claim 1 wherein the cover plate is rotatably attached to a housing of the mobile device.

7. The cover plate of claim 1 wherein the cover plate is attached to a housing of the mobile device so as to permit translational movement with respect to the mobile device.

8. The cover plate of claim 1 wherein the cover plate is removably attached to a housing of the mobile device.

9. The cover plate of claim 2 wherein the at least one dial key has two light pipes for coupling light from the at least two keyboard keys, and wherein each said at least one dial key is translucent.

10. The cover plate of claim 9 wherein the two light pipes are disposed one at an actuating end of the at least one dial key and the other disposed at the non-actuating hinge end of the at least one dial key.

11. The cover plate of claim 1, in combination with said mobile device, said mobile device having means for sensing whether or not said keypad frame is in said second position overlying said keyboard and keyboard keys.

12. The cover plate of claim 2, in combination with said mobile device, said mobile device having means for sensing whether or not said keypad frame is in said second position overlying said keyboard and keyboard keys.

13. The cover plate of claim 3, in combination with said mobile device, said mobile device having means for sensing whether or not said keypad frame is in said second position overlying said keyboard and keyboard keys.

14. The cover plate of claim 4, in combination with said mobile device, said mobile device having means for sensing whether or not said keypad frame is in said second position overlying said keyboard and keyboard keys.

15. The cover plate of claim 5, in combination with said mobile device, said mobile device having means for sensing whether or not said keypad frame is in said second position overlying said keyboard and keyboard keys.

16. The cover plate of claim 6, in combination with said mobile device, said mobile device having means for sensing whether or not said keypad frame is in said second position overlying said keyboard and keyboard keys.

17. The cover plate of claim 7, in combination with said mobile device, said mobile device having means for sensing whether or not said keypad frame is in said second position overlying said keyboard and keyboard keys.

18. The cover plate of claim 8, in combination with said mobile device, said mobile device having means for sensing whether or not said keypad frame is in said second position overlying said keyboard and keyboard keys.

19. The cover plate of claim 9, in combination with said mobile device, said mobile device having means for sensing whether or not said keypad frame is in said second position overlying said keyboard and keyboard keys.

20. The cover plate of claim 10, in combination with said mobile device, said mobile device having means for sensing whether or not said keypad frame is in said second position overlying said keyboard and keyboard keys.