Interchangeable covering additions to a mobile communication device for display and key reorientation

• US 7,162,282 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2003
• Issued: 01/09/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Smart Skins LLC
• Original Assignee: Wildseed Ltd. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Zatloukal, Peter, Engstrom, G. Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): Appiah; Charles N.
• Application Number:
  US10/738,852
• Publication Number:
  US 20040132492A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,119 Days
• Field of Search: 455/90.1, 455/90.2, 455/550.1, 455/575.1, 455/90.3, 455/566, 455/575.2, 455/556.2, 455/575.8, 455/558, 455/557, 345/156, 345/164, 345/168, 345/173, 379/433.04
• US Class Current: 455/575.3
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/245 with means for shaping the antenna pattern, e.g. in order to protect user against rf exposure
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3838 Arrangements for reducing RF exposure to the user, e.g. by changing the shape of the transceiver while in use
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3888 Arrangements for carrying or protecting transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0283 for providing a decorative aspect, e.g. customization of casings, exchangeable faceplate
• 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 1/72427 for supporting games or graphical animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7246 by connection of exchangeable housing parts

Abstract

A mobile communications device including an interchangeable covering addition for display and key reorientation is provided.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a first set of at least one electronic component;

a body encasing said first set of at least one electronic component;

a display screen disposed on said body and coupled to said first set of at least one electronic component;

a first plurality of alphanumeric input keys disposed on said body and coupled to said first set of at least one electronic component, each of said plurality of alphanumeric input keys having a default alpha or numeric input function, or both, and designed to be used in a default input orientation complementary to a default display orientation for displaying information on the display screen, with the first alphanumeric input keys and the display screen having a first operational relative disposition; and

an interchangeable cover, designed to at least partially cover said body including at least one of said first plurality of alphanumeric input keys, the interchangeable cover having a second set of at least one electronic component embedded within said interchangeable cover, and at least data stored in said second set of at least one electronic component to, at least in part, facilitate redefining the alpha or numeric input function, or both, of at least one of said first alphanumeric input keys and re-orienting the display of information on the display screen and the first alphanumeric input keys to a second complementary orientation that is substantially orthogonal to the default complementary orientation, with the first alphanumeric input keys and the display screen having a second operational relative disposition that is different from the first operational relative disposition.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the default definition and input orientation of the first plurality of alphanumeric input keys complement the default display orientation of displaying information on the display screen from a selected one of beneath and above, and the first alphanumeric input keys are effectively redefined and re-oriented to complement the displaying of information on the display screen from a selected one of a left side and a right side of the display screen or the unselected one of the above and beneath, after attachment of the interchangeable cover.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the default input orientation of the first plurality of alphanumeric input keys complements the default display orientation of displaying information on the display screen from a selected one of a left side and a right side, and the first alphanumeric input keys are effectively redefined and re-oriented to complement the displaying of information on the display screen from a selected one of above and beneath of the display screen, or the unselected of the left side and right side, after attachment of the interchangeable cover.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the interchangeable cover further comprises a plurality of alphanumeric key caps corresponding to the first plurality of alphanumeric keys, the plurality of alphanumeric key caps having labels that facilitate said redefinitions and reorientations.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the interchangeable cover further comprises a second plurality of alphanumeric keys superseding the first plurality of alphanumeric keys, to facilitate said redefinitions and reorientations.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the first plurality of alphanumeric keys form a selected one of a numeric keypad and a QWERTY key pad, and the second plurality of alphanumeric keys form the other one of the a numeric keypad and a QWERTY key pad.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the interchangeable cover further comprises a selected one of an opening and a transparent window corresponding to the display screen to enable the display screen to be visible even after attachment of the interchangeable cover.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the interchangeable cover further comprises another display screen to supersede the display screen.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is a selected one of a wireless mobile phone and a personal digital assistant.

10. A mobile communications device comprising:

means for displaying information on a screen of a first assembly;

means for receiving alpha or numeric input, or both, from a plurality of alphanumeric input keys of the first assembly; and

means for receiving configuration data from a second assembly, wherein the configuration data contribute at least in part to cause the plurality of alphanumeric input keys to be redefined from a first definition having a first orientation to complement a first display orientation of information on the display means, with the alphanumeric input keys and the display means having a first operational relative disposition, to a second definition having a second orientation to complement a second display orientation of information on the display means, the first and second orientations are orthogonal or opposite to each other, with the alphanumeric input keys and the display means having a second operational relative disposition that is different from the first operational relative disposition.

11. A wireless mobile phone comprising:

a first set of at least one electronic component;

a body encasing said first set of at least one electronic component;

a display screen disposed on said body and coupled to said first set of at least one electronic component;

a first plurality of alphanumeric input keys disposed on said body and coupled to said first set of at least one electronic component, each of said plurality of alphanumeric input keys having a default alpha or numeric input function, or both, and designed to be used in a default input orientation complementary to a default display orientation of displaying information on the display screen, with the first alphanumeric input keys and the display screen having a first operational relative disposition; and

an interchangeable cover, designed to at least partially cover said body including at least one of said first plurality of alphanumeric input keys, the interchangeable cover having a second set of at least one electronic component embedded within said interchangeable cover, and at least data stored in said second set of at least one electronic component to, at least in part, facilitate redefining the alpha or numeric function, or both, of at least one of said first alphanumeric input keys and re-orienting the display of information on the display screen and the first alphanumeric input keys, to a second complementary orientation that is orthogonal or opposite to the default complementary orientation, with the first alphanumeric input keys and the display screen having a second operational relative disposition that is different from the first operational relative disposition.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the default input orientation of the first plurality of alphanumeric input keys complements the default display orientation of displaying information on the display screen from a selected one of above and beneath, and the first alphanumeric input keys are effectively re-oriented to complement the displaying of information on the display screen from a selected one of a left side and a right side of the display screen, or the unselected one of above and beneath, after attachment of the interchangeable cover.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the default input orientation of the first plurality of alphanumeric input keys complements the default display orientation of displaying information on the display screen from a selected one of a left side and a right side, and the first alphanumeric input keys are effectively re-oriented to complement the displaying of information on the display screen from a selected one of above and beneath the display screen, or the unselected one of the left side and right side, after attachment of the interchangeable cover.

14. The wireless mobile phone of claim 11, wherein said wireless mobile phone comprises a plurality of body portions, and said body is a first of said body portions.

15. An interchangeable cover comprising:

a non-card type cover body; and

an electronic component disposed on a surface of the cover body, having data or logic to at least contribute to causing one or more alphanumeric input keys of a mobile communication device mated with the interchangeable cover to be redefined and reoriented to complement displaying of information on a display of the wireless communication device in a reoriented manner that is orthogonal to an original orientation, the one or more alphanumeric input keys having a first operational definition and a first operational relative disposition with the display, prior to attachment of the interchangeable cover, and having a second operational definition that is different from the first operational definition, and a second operational relative disposition with the display that is different from the first operational relative disposition, after attachment of the interchangeable cover.

16. The interchangeable cover of claim 15, wherein the electronic component comprises data or logic to at least contribute to redefining and reorienting the one or more alphanumeric input keys to complement displaying of information on the display from an initial selected one of above and beneath orientation to a reoriented selected one of a left side and a right side orientation.

17. The interchangeable cover of claim 15, wherein the electronic component comprises data or logic to at least contribute to redefining and reorienting the covered one or more alphanumeric input keys to complement displaying of information on the display from an initial selected one of a left side and a right side orientation to a reoriented selected one of above and beneath orientation.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the interchangeable cover further comprises a plurality of alphanumeric key caps corresponding to the first plurality of alphanumeric keys, the plurality of alphanumeric key caps having labels that facilitate said redefinitions and reorientations.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the interchangeable cover further comprises a second plurality of alphanumeric keys superseding the first plurality of alphanumeric keys, to facilitate said redefinitions and reorientations.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the first plurality of alphanumeric keys form a selected one of a numeric keypad and a QWERTY keypad, and the second plurality of alphanumeric keys form the other one of the numeric keypad and the QWERTY keypad.

21. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the interchangeable cover further comprises a selected one of an opening and a transparent window corresponding to the display screen to enable the display screen to be visible even after attachment of the interchangeable cover.

22. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the interchangeable cover further comprises another display screen to supersede the display screen.

23. The interchangeable cover of claim 15, wherein the cover body is substantially U-shaped.

24. The interchangeable cover of claim 15, wherein the cover body is a selected one of a non-card type front plate and a non-card type back plate.