Hand-held electronic device

• US 8,493,322 B2
• Filed: 05/19/2011
• Issued: 07/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Griffin, Jason T., Holmes, John A., Lazaridis, Mihal, Little, Herb A., Major, Harry R., Dunk, Craig, Brown, Michael, Lang, Jrme
• Primary Examiner(s): Wang, Quan-Zhen
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chow, Yuk
• Application Number:
  US13/111,554
• Publication Number:
  US 20110215999A1
• Time in Patent Office: 796 Days
• Field of Search: 345/168, 707/6, 400/94, 358/402, 341/22
• US Class Current: 345/156
• 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 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1664 Arrangements for ergonomically adjusting the disposition of keys of the integrated keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1684 Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/169 the I/O peripheral being an integrated pointing device, e.g. trackball in the palm rest area, mini-joystick integrated between keyboard keys, touch pads or touch stripes G06F1/1643 takes precedence; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• 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 3/0219 Special purpose keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0362 with detection of 1D translations or rotations of an operating part of the device, e.g. scroll wheels, sliders, knobs, rollers or belts
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0383 Signal control means within the pointing device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/274 Converting codes to words; Guess-ahead of partial word inputs

Abstract

A hand-held electronic device with a keyboard, thumbwheel, display and associated software is optimized for use of the device with the thumbs. The associated software has a plurality of features to optimize efficient use of the limited keyboard space and encourage the use of the device by thumb-based data entry through the thumbwheel and/or through a combination of minimal number of keystrokes. Software features include international character scrolling, and auto-capitalization. The keys on the device keyboard are optimally shaped and configured for thumb-based input. In addition, the thumbwheel is inclined between the front and a side edge of the device so as to be reachable by either the thumb or index finger of the user'"'"'s hand at the side edge of the device.

Claims

1. An input method performed by a mobile device, the method comprising:

(A) receiving a first input including a first set of characters and displaying the first set of characters, wherein a last character in the first set of characters is not a period;

(B) receiving a space input twice in succession, and in response;

(1) displaying a period (.) after the first set of characters, wherein no character in the first set of characters is replaced with another character when the first set of characters is displayed;

(2) displaying at least a space after the period; and

(C) receiving and displaying a second input including a second set of characters, wherein a first character in the second set of characters is automatically capitalized.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the first set of characters comprises a first sentence.

3. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the second set of characters comprises a second sentence.

4. A mobile device comprising a display and a user interface, the mobile device configured to:

(A) receive a first input including a first set of characters and display the first set of characters, wherein a last character in the first set of characters is not a period;

(B) receive a space input twice in succession, and in response;

(1) display a period (.) after the first set of characters;

(2) display at least a space after the period, wherein no character in the first set of characters is replaced with another character when the first set of characters is displayed; and

(C) receive and display a second input including a second set of characters, wherein a first character in the second set of characters is automatically capitalized.

5. A mobile device as set forth in claim 4, wherein the first set of characters comprises a first sentence.

6. A mobile device as set forth in claim 4, wherein the second set of characters comprises a second sentence.