User exchangeable mobile phone keypad

• US 7,269,449 B2
• Filed: 10/24/2001
• Issued: 09/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: WSOU Investments, LLC (WSOU Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Salminen, Seppo, Svarfvar, Bror
• Primary Examiner(s): Anderson; Matthew
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pham; Tuan
• Application Number:
  US09/998,849
• Publication Number:
  US 20030078014A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,148 Days
• Field of Search: 455/90.3, 455/566, 455/575.1, 455/575.8, 455/566.1, 455/575.3, 455/575.4, 455/575.6
• US Class Current: 455/575.1
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2223/028 detachable
• 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 1/0245 using open/close detection
• 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 handset having a housing having a display and first keypad. The first keypad is removably coupled to the housing. Circuitry is provided within the housing. The circuitry is adapted to interface with the display and the first keypad. A second keypad is provided. The second keypad is exchangeable with the first keypad. The second keypad is adapted to replace the first keypad on the housing when the first keypad is removed from the housing.

Claims

1. A handset comprising:

a housing having a display, a telephone keypad, and a first keypad, the first keypad being removably coupled to the housing;

circuitry within the housing configured to detect a type of keypad attached to said housing, the circuitry adapted to interface with the display and the first keypad;

a second keypad, the second keypad exchangeable with the first keypad;

wherein the second keypad is adapted to replace the first keypad on the housing when the first keypad is removed from the housing and the circuitry detects a first electrical resistance of the first keypad or a second electrical resistance of the second keypad where the first electrical resistance is different than the second electrical resistance; and

an illumination source, wherein the illumination source illuminates the first or second keypad when the first or second keypad is coupled to the housing and the first keypad at least partially conceals the telephone keypad.

2. The handset of claim 1 wherein the circuitry is adapted to detect whether the first keypad or the second keypad is interfacing with the circuitry.

3. The handset of claim 1 wherein the first keypad has a different number of keys than the second keypad.

4. The handset of claim 1 wherein at least one keypad is at least partially transparent.

5. The handset of claim 1 wherein the first keypad has a larger number of keys than the second keypad and wherein the second keypad has larger keys than the first keypad.

6. The handset of claim 1 wherein the first keypad is adapted to be used with a cordless telephone application and wherein the second keypad is adapted to be used with a game application.

7. A handset comprising:

a housing having a cordless telephone display and a telephone keypad; and

telephone circuitry within the housing configured to detect a type of keypad attached to said housing, the telephone circuitry adapted to interface with the telephone keypad and the cordless telephone display;

a first keypad removably coupled to the housing;

a second keypad, the second keypad exchangeable with the first keypad;

wherein the second keypad is adapted to be removably coupled to the housing when the first keypad is removed from the housing, and the circuitry detects a first electrical resistance of the first keypad or a second electrical resistance of the second keypad where the first electrical resistance is different than the second electrical resistance; and

an illumination source, wherein the illumination source illuminates the first or second keypad when the first or second keypad is coupled to the housing and the first keypad at least partially conceals the telephone keypad.

8. The handset of claim 7 wherein the telephone circuitry is adapted to detect whether the first keypad or the second keypad is interfacing with the telephone circuitry.

9. The handset of claim 7 wherein the first keypad has a larger number of keys than the second keypad and wherein the second keypad has larger keys than the first keypad.

10. The handset of claim 7 wherein the first keypad further comprises a camera interface.

11. A handheld electronic device comprising:

a housing having a device keyboard;

circuitry disposed in the housing configured to detect a type of keypad attached to said housing, the circuitry including a controller programmed to operate the circuitry in accordance with a predetermined characteristic of the electronic device;

a user interface mounted to the housing for interfacing with the circuitry, the user interface being selected from a number of different user interfaces having different predetermined interface characteristics;

wherein the circuitry detects a first electrical resistance of a first keypad or a second electrical resistance of a second keypad where the first electrical resistance is different than the second electrical resistance; and

an illumination source, wherein the illumination source illuminates the first or second keypad when the first or second keypad is coupled to the housing and the first keypad at least partially conceals the device keypad.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the user interface has a predetermined interface characteristic corresponding to the predetermined characteristic of the device.

13. A handheld electronic device comprising:

a housing having a device keyboard;

circuitry disposed in the housing configured to detect a type of keypad attached to said housing, the circuitry including a controller programmed to operate the circuitry and provide the device with multiple applications;

an interchangeable user interface removably mounted to the housing for interfacing with the circuitry, the user interface being interchangeable with a number of different interchangeable user interfaces with different predetermined characteristics;

wherein the circuitry detects a first electrical resistance of a first keypad or a second electrical resistance of a second keypad where the first electrical resistance is different than the second electrical resistance; and

an illumination source, wherein the illumination source illuminates the first or second keypad when the first or second keypad is coupled to the housing and the first keypad at least partially conceals the device keypad.

14. The device in claim 13, wherein when the interchangeable user interface is interchanged with another of the number of different interchangeable user interfaces the device is changed from a first application to a second application.

15. An apparatus comprising a first keypad for use with a handheld electronic device having a device keypad and electrical resistance measuring circuitry, said keypad comprising a first electrical resistance indicative of the type of the keypad, said keypad being adapted to removably engage said device,

said device further comprising an illumination source illuminating said keypad when said keypad engages said device, and

a second keypad for use with said handheld electronic device, said second keypad comprising a second electrical resistance indicative of the type of said second keypad, said second electrical resistance being different from said first electrical resistance, said second keypad being adapted to removably engage said device, wherein the first keypad at least partially conceals the device keypad.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 further comprising a display.

17. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the first keypad has a different number of keys than said second keypad.

18. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein at least one of said keypads is at least partially transparent.

19. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said device comprises a handset.

20. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the first keypad is adapted to be used with a cordless telephone application and wherein the second keypad is adapted to be used with a game application.