Keyboard for mobile devices

• US 7,432,911 B2
• Filed: 02/26/2004
• Issued: 10/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Research In Motion Limited (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: Skarine, Alexei
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Kevin M
• Application Number:
  US10/785,999
• Publication Number:
  US 20050190159A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,685 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-184, 200/314, 341/31, 455/566
• US Class Current: 345/168
• 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 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1643 the display being associated to a digitizer, e.g. laptops that can be used as penpads details related to the relative motion of the display enclosure with respect to the body enclosure, e.g. to move between laptop and tablet PC configuration G06F1/1615
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04809 Textured surface identifying touch areas, e.g. overlay structure for a virtual keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0202 Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/705 characterised by construction, mounting or arrangement of operating parts, e.g. push-buttons or keys
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/012 programmable
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/066 Lens
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2221/07 transparent
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2223/03 Separate key housing
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2231/022 Telephone handset
• 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 keyboard comprising a plurality of transparent keys. In use, the keyboard is attached to a device such as a mobile device, to overlie a display screen of the device. One or more images displayed on the display screen are made visible to a user through the keys, which may be pressed by a user. User input is determined by identifying a pressed key, and the image or part thereof visible through the key when pressed.

Claims

1. A keyboard, said keyboard for use with a mobile device in which a display screen for displaying output to a user is provided, said keyboard comprising:

a) a plurality of keys, wherein each key is transparent; and

b) a housing for supporting said keys, wherein said keyboard is adapted to attach to said mobile device such that said keys overlie at least a part of said display screen, wherein said housing further comprises at least one actuator disposed therein for each of said plurality of keys, wherein each key is biased in a first position by said respective at least one actuator that supports said key,

wherein said respective at least one actuator is compressible to allow said key to move to a second position when said key is pressed and to move said key back to said first position when said key is released;

so that in use, when said keyboard is attached to the mobile device, said keyboard overlies a touch-sensitive element and said display screen, and at least one part of one or more images displayed on said at least a part of said display screen is visible to said user through at least one of said plurality of keys;

wherein said touch-sensitive element overlies said display screen, wherein, in use, said touch-sensitive element is actuated to send one or more signals to a processor when said touch-sensitive element is touched, and wherein said housing is adapted to attach to said mobile device such that said keys overlie at least a part of said touch-sensitive element;

wherein each key comprises at least first and second surfaces and is moveable within said housing, in use, between said first position in which said key does not touch said touch-sensitive element, and said second position in which said second surface of said key is displaced to actuate said touch-sensitive element, such that when a key of said plurality of keys is pressed at said first surface thereof by said user, said key is moved from said first position to said second position to actuate said touch-sensitive element; and

wherein each of said plurality of keys is lens-shaped to magnify the at least one part of said images visible to said user therethrough, and wherein said first surface and second surface of each of said plurality of keys oppose each other and are convex in shape to define the lens shape of said key.

2. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein said device is a handheld electronic device.

3. The keyboard of claim 1 wherein said keyboard is also adapted to attach to said device such that at least another part of said touch-sensitive element remains accessible for providing user input and unobstructed by said keys.

4. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein said keyboard is also adapted to attach to said device such that at least another part of said display screen remains visible to said user and unobstructed by said keys.

5. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein each of said at least one actuator that supports each of said plurality of keys is made of rubber.

6. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein said keyboard is further adapted to be attached to and detached from said device by a user.

7. The keyboard of claim 6, further comprising means for permitting a proximity sensor of said device to detect whether said housing is detached from said device.

8. A mobile device comprising a processor and a memory coupled to said processor, at least one processing module controlled by said processor, a display screen coupled to said processor, and a keyboard adapted for use with said mobile device comprising:

a) a plurality of keys, wherein each key is transparent; and

b) a housing for supporting said keys, wherein said housing is adapted to attach to said mobile device such that said keys overlie at least a part of said display screen, wherein said housing further comprises at least one actuator disposed therein for each of said plurality of keys, wherein each key is biased in a first position by said respective at least one actuator that supports said key, wherein said respective at least one actuator is compressible to allow said key to move to a second position when said key is pressed and to move said key back to said first position when said key is released;

wherein said at least one processing module is programmed to display one or more images on said first part of said display screen, such that said keyboard overlies a touch-sensitive element and said display screen when said keyboard is attached to said mobile device, and for each key, at least one part of said images is visible to said user therethrough when said housing is attached to said mobile device, and wherein said at least one processing module is programmed to determine the at least one part of said images visible through said key when pressed;

wherein said touch-sensitive element overlies said display screen, wherein, in use, said touch-sensitive element is actuated to send one or more signals to a processor when said touch-sensitive element is touched, and wherein said housing is adapted to attach to said mobile device such that said keys overlie at least a part of said touch-sensitive element;

wherein each key comprises at least first and second surfaces and is moveable within said housing, in use, between said first position in which said key does not touch said touch-sensitive element, and said second position in which said second surface of said key is displaced to actuate said touch-sensitive element, such that when a key of said plurality of keys is pressed at said first surface thereof by said user, said key is moved from said first position to said second position to actuate said touch-sensitive element; and

wherein each of said plurality of keys is lens-shaped to magnify the at least one part of said images visible to said user therethrough, and wherein said first surface and second surface of each of said plurality of keys oppose each other and are convex in shape to define the lens shape of said key.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein said device is a handheld electronic device.

10. The device of claim 8, wherein said keyboard is also adapted to attach to said device such that at least another part of said touch-sensitive element remains accessible for providing user input and unobstructed by said keys.

11. The device of claim 8, wherein said keyboard is also adapted to attach to said device such that at least another part of said display screen remains visible to said user and unobstructed by said keys.

12. The device of claim 8, wherein said at least one processing module is programmed to reconfigure said keyboard, by changing the one or more images displayed to said user on said first part of said display screen.

13. The device of claim 8, wherein said keyboard is further adapted to be attached to and detached from said device by a user.

14. The device of claim 13, further comprising a proximity sensor for detecting whether said keyboard is detached from said device.

15. The device of claim 8, wherein each of said at least one actuator that supports each of said plurality of keys is made of rubber.

16. The device of claim 8, further comprising a backlight to illuminate said one or more images displayed on said display screen.