User input for an electronic device

• US 7,982,715 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2006
• Issued: 07/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: III Holdings 3, LLC
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Lawton, Simon, Bick, Andrew, Eldon, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Hjerpe; Richard
• Assistant Examiner(s): MERKOULOVA, OLGA VLADIMIROVNA
• Application Number:
  US11/644,335
• Publication Number:
  US 20080150767A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,671 Days
• Field of Search: 345/22, 345/168, 361/786, 341/22
• 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 1/165 the additional display being small, e.g. for presenting status information
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1662 Details related to the integrated keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1614 Image rotation following screen orientation, e.g. switching from landscape to portrait mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0238 Programmable keyboards key guide holders G06F3/0224

Abstract

A user input section for an electronic device including a keypad display, a key, and a sheet member. The keypad display is adapted to change display of indicia on the keypad display between at least two different display modes. The key has a user depressible top section located above the display and a bottom section extending below the display. The sheet member includes a main section and a key support section connected to the main section by a living hinge. The main section is substantially stationarily connected to the keypad display. The key is connected to the key support section such that the key is adapted to move relative to the keypad display and the main section with rotation of the living hinge of the sheet member.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a keypad display adapted to change display of indicia on the keypad display between at least two different display modes;

a key having a user depressible top section located above the keypad display and a bottom section extending below the keypad display; and

a sheet member comprising a main section and a key support section connected to the main section by a living hinge, wherein the main section is substantially stationarily connected to the keypad display, and wherein the key is connected to the key support section such that the key is adapted to move relative to the keypad display and the main section with rotation of the living hinge of the sheet member.

2. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the keypad display comprises first indicia adapted to be displayed in a first one of the display modes and second indicia adapted to be displayed in a second one of the display modes.

3. An apparatus as in claim 2 wherein the first and second indicia are orientated at different reading orientations about 90 degrees relative to each other.

4. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein portions of the key display and the sheet member are sandwiched between portions of the top and bottom sections of the key.

5. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the top section of the key has a general L shape.

6. An apparatus as in claim 5 wherein the key forms a first key, and the apparatus further comprises a second key connected to a second key support section of the sheet member, wherein the second key has a general L shape which is orientated generally reverse relative to the L shape top section of the first key.

7. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the keypad display has a plurality of spaced discrete display areas, wherein each of the spaced display areas has a first side edge, extending in a general first direction and a second side edge extending in a general different second direction, and wherein the top section of the key has a first section extending generally in the first direction and a second section extending generally in the second direction.

8. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the sheet member is metal.

9. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the keypad display has a plurality of spaced discrete display areas, and the user input further comprises a keypad board having a resiliently depressible key dome, wherein the key dome is located beneath the keypad display and offset from the display areas, wherein the bottom section of the key is adapted to depress the key dome.

10. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the key support section has a general L shape.

11. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the keypad display is at least partially a reflective display, wherein the sheet member is located above the keypad display, and wherein the sheet member comprises a bottom surface forming a light reflection surface for reflecting light onto the display.

12. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the sheet member comprises apertures which form windows for viewing the indicia on the keypad display.

13. A hand-held portable electronic device comprising:

a housing,

a display screen connected to the housing;

electronic circuitry located in the housing and coupled to the display screen; and

an apparatus as in claim 1 forming a user input section connected to the housing and coupled to the electronic circuitry.

14. A hand-held portable electronic device as in claim 13 wherein the device comprises a mobile telephone, wherein the electronic circuitry comprises a transceiver, and wherein the device comprises at least one non-telephone electronic application.

15. A hand-held portable electronic device as in claim 13 wherein the device is adapted to display information on the display screen in a first orientation when the keypad display displays the indicia on the keypad display in a first one of the display modes, and wherein the device is adapted to display information on the display screen in a second different orientation when the keypad display displays the indicia on the keypad display in a second one of the display modes.

16. A user input section for an electronic device comprising:

a keypad display adapted to change display of indicia on the keypad display between at least two different display modes, wherein the keypad display has a plurality of spaced discrete display areas;

a keypad board stacked beneath the keypad display and having resiliently depressible key domes, wherein the key domes are located beneath the keypad display and each key dome is at least partially laterally offset from a respective one of the display areas; and

a plurality of keys extending above the keypad display and adapted to actuate the key domes when the keys are depressed by a user.

17. A user input section as in claim 16 wherein the keypad display comprises first indicia adapted to be displayed in a first one of the display modes and second indicia adapted to be displayed in a second one of the display modes.

18. A user input section as in claim 17 wherein the first and second indicia are orientated at different reading orientations about 90 degrees relative to each other.

19. A user input section as in claim 16 wherein at least one of the key domes is entirely offset from its respective display area.

20. A user input section as in claim 16 wherein the keys have a top section with a general L shape.

21. A user input section as in claim 16 wherein a first one of the key domes is offset from a first one of the display areas in a first direction and a second one of the key domes is offset from a second one of the display areas in a second different direction.

22. A user input section as in claim 16 wherein the keys have a general loop shape.

23. A user input section as in claim 16 further comprising a sheet member comprising a main section and key support sections connected to the main section by living hinges, wherein the keys are connected to the key support sections such that the keys is adapted to move relative to the keypad display and the main section with rotation of the living hinges of the sheet member.

24. A user input section as in claim 16 wherein the keys have top and bottom legs which straddle portions of the keyboard display therebetween.

25. A user input section as in claim 16 wherein the keypad display comprises slots forming a plurality of cantilevered fingers, wherein each of the cantilevered fingers comprises at least a portion of a respective one of the display areas.

26. A user input section for an electronic device comprising:

a keypad display adapted to change display of indicia on the keypad display between at least two different display modes, wherein the keypad display has a plurality of spaced discrete display areas;

a keypad board having resiliently depressible key domes, wherein the key domes are located beneath the keypad display; and

a plurality of keys adapted to actuate the key domes when the keys are depressed by a user, wherein the keys have top and bottom legs which straddle portions of the keyboard display therebetween, wherein the keypad display comprises slots forming a plurality of cantilevered fingers, wherein each of the cantilevered fingers comprises at least a portion of a respective one of the display areas.

27. A user input section as in claim 26 wherein the keys have a general ring shape.

28. A user input section as in claim 26 wherein the keys are mounted on the cantilevered fingers.

29. A user input section as in claim 28 wherein the keypad display is a thin film flexible display.

30. A user input section as in claim 26 wherein the domes are located off-center from respective centers of the display areas.

31. An apparatus comprising:

a keypad display having ,a plurality of spaced discrete display areas;

a keypad board having resiliently depressible key domes, wherein the key domes are located beneath the keypad display and offset from the display areas; and

a plurality of keys having a top section extending above the keypad display and a bottom section adapted to actuate the key domes when the keys are depressed by a user,

wherein each of the spaced discrete display areas has a top side with a first side edge extending in a general first direction and a second side edge extending in a general different second direction, wherein each of the top sections of the keys has a first section extending generally in the first direction generally along the first side edge and a second section extending generally in the second direction generally along the second side edge.

32. A user input structural support sheet for user input keys comprising:

a main section adapted to be assembled into a user input of an electronic device in an assembly with a keypad display; and

a plurality of key support sections connected to the main section by respective living hinges, wherein the key support sections are adapted to have the user input keys connected thereto to provide pivotable movement of the keys relative to the main section with rotation of the living hinges, wherein at least one of the living hinges has a general C shape in a single plane.

33. A user input keypad display comprising:

a plurality of spaced discrete display areas having respective selectively illuminated indicia; and

slots in the keypad display forming a plurality of cantilevered fingers, wherein each of the cantilevered fingers comprises at least a portion of a respective one of the display areas.

34. A method of assembling a user input keypad and display assembly comprising:

providing a keypad board having resiliently deflectable key domes;

locating a silicon plunger sheet on the key domes;

locating a flexible keypad display on the silicon plunger sheet; and

locating a keymat on the flexible keypad display, wherein the keymat comprises keycaps and a carrier sheet connecting the keycaps to each other.