Electronic device and a method in an electronic device

• US 7,412,258 B1
• Filed: 11/20/2000
• Issued: 08/12/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ironworks Patents LLC
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Lipponen, Markku, Aho, Ari
• Primary Examiner(s): TRINH, TAN H
• Application Number:
  US09/716,880
• Time in Patent Office: 2,822 Days
• Field of Search: 455/556.1, 455/566, 455/575.3, 455/575.8, 455/90, 455/557, 455/550, 455/90.3, 455/95, 345/168, 345/169, 345/173, 345/175, 700/18, 700/19, 700/20, 341/22
• US Class Current: 455/556.1
• 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 1/1624 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 1/1647 including at least an additional display G06F1/1692 takes precedence
• 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 1/1677 for detecting open or closed state or particular intermediate positions assumed by movable parts of the enclosure, e.g. detection of display lid position with respect to main body in a laptop, detection of opening of the cover of battery compartment
• 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 3/0202 Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/84 characterised by ergonomic functions, e.g. for miniature keyboards; characterised by operational sensory functions, e.g. sound feedback legends H01H13/83
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2223/018 rotatably
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2223/028 detachable
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2223/04 portable; hand held
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2223/046 convertible
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2231/022 Telephone handset
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2239/064 Simulating the appearance of touch panel
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2239/074 Actuation by finger touch
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0202 Portable telephone sets, e.g. cordless phones, mobile phones or bar type handsets constructional features of telephone transmitters or receivers, e.g. of speakers or microphones H04M1/03
• 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 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041

Abstract

An electronic device (1) comprises preferably at least a keyboard (4), which comprises at least one key (15a, 15b) for controlling the functions of an electronic device (1). This keyboard (4) is arranged as a keyboard plate (16). Said keyboard (4) is implemented so that it also comprises a touch sensitive element (19), over which said keyboard plate (16) is arranged so that the depression of a key is arranged to be transmitted to a touch sensitive element (19) essentially at the point of a key (15a, 15b). In addition, the electronic device (1) comprises means (21, 22b) for determining the point of depression from the touch sensitive element (19), whereby on the basis of the determined point of depression it is determined which key (15a, 15b) has been depressed.

Claims

1. An electronic device, having a keyboard, said keyboard comprising:

a touch sensitive element,

a keyboard plate fixed over the touch sensitive element so that the depression of a key of the keyboard plate causes said key to touch the touch sensitive element essentially at a position on the touch sensitive element corresponding to the point of the key and

means for correlating the position of touching on the touch sensitive element, according to which key is depressed,

wherein the keyboard is slidably mounted in the electronic device and further wherein the electronic device comprises at least one body housing element, wherein the keyboard is slidable between a first and a second extreme position, and further wherein, in the first extreme position the keyboard is under the body housing element so that the keyboard is at least partly invisible, and in the second extreme position the keyboard is preferably so that the keyboard is essentially entirely exposed.

2. An electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the keyboard plate is a keyboard mat.

3. An electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the keyboard plate is a bubble membrane.

4. An electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the keyboard is slidably mounted in the electronic device.

5. An electronic device according to claim 1, which comprises at least one body housing element, further comprising a keyboard arranged for turning in relation to the body housing element.

6. An electronic device according to claim 5, wherein the keyboard is turnable between a first and a second extreme position, and further wherein, in the first extreme position the keyboard is preferably placed over the body housing element so that the keyboard functions as protection for the display and the keyboard is at least partly invisible, and in the second extreme position the keyboard is preferably so that the keyboard and the display are essentially entirely exposed.

7. An electronic device according to claim 6, further comprising another display and a second keyboard arranged for activating one or more functions of the electronic device preferably when the keyboard is in said first extreme position.

8. An electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising a position recognizing element for recognizing the position of the keyboard element.

9. A method for recognizing the depression of a key of the keyboard of an electronic device, which keyboard is used for controlling the functions of the electronic device, in which method the keys are formed into a keyboard plate, wherein the keyboard comprises a touch sensitive element, over which the keyboard plate is fixed so that the depression of a key causes said key to touch the touch sensitive element essentially at the point of the key, and that the point of touching of the touch sensitive element is correlated according to which key is depressed and further wherein, the keyboard is slidably mounted on the electronic device and at least one body housing element is formed in the electronic device, wherein the keyboard is slidable between a first and a second extreme position, and wherein, in the first extreme position the keyboard is under the body housing element so that the keyboard is at least partly invisible, and in the second extreme position the keyboard is preferably so that the keyboard is essentially entirely exposed.

10. A method according to claim 9, in which the electronic device is provided with at least one body housing element, and wherein the keyboard is capable of turning in relation to the body housing element.

11. A method according to claim 9, wherein the keyboard turns between a first and a second extreme position, and wherein, in the first extreme position the keyboard is preferably placed over the body housing so that the keyboard functions as protection for the display and the keyboard is at least partly hidden, and in the second extreme position the keyboard and the display are essentially entirely exposed.

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein the electronic device is provided with a second display and another keyboard for activating one or more functions of the electronic device when the keyboard is in said first extreme position.

13. A method according to claim 9, wherein the keyboard plate is a keyboard mat.

14. A method according to claim 9, wherein the keyboard plate is a bubble membrane.

15. A method according to claim 9, wherein the electronic device is provided with a position recognizing element for recognizing the position of the keyboard element.