Electronic device with separate cover having user interface

• US 8,531,402 B2
• Filed: 04/29/2005
• Issued: 09/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Finke-Anlauff, Andrea, Gunther, Torsten, Cordes, Lutz
• Primary Examiner(s): Wang, Quan-Zhen
• Assistant Examiner(s): LAM, VINH TANG
• Application Number:
  US11/119,152
• Publication Number:
  US 20060244728A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,056 Days
• Field of Search: 361/683, 361/686, 361/680, 36167906-6793, 345168-173, 455/566, 455/557, 455/575.3, 456/556.2
• US Class Current: 345/168
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1628 Carrying enclosures containing additional elements, e.g. case for a laptop and a printer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0214 Foldable telephones, i.e. with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position combined with translation movement H04M1/0235
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0247 comprising more than two body parts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72409 by interfacing with external accessories hands-free H04M1/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724092 Interfacing with an external cover providing additional functionalities
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041

Abstract

A multi-function electronic device is constructed in two parts. A communication part is a self sufficient device for providing multiple functions, such as, cellular phone, PDA, camera, and others. A cover part has a receptacle for receiving the communication part. The cover part includes a lid that is movable from an open position to a position extending over the receptacle. A keyboard is constructed in the lid for use when the lid is in the open position and the communication part is in the cover part.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

an enclosure with an opening configured to receive a part having a display screen;

a deck constructed adjacent to the opening;

a lid pivotally connected to the deck, wherein the lid is configured to move between;

an open position in which a surface of the lid underneath and opposite a keyboard mounted on the lid is supported by and in direct contact with a supporting planar surface of the deck and the lid does not close the opening, and

a closed position in which the lid closes the opening and the surface of the lid underneath and opposite the keyboard mounted on the lid is not supported by and not in direct contact with the supporting planar surface of the deck;

the keyboard mounted on the lid and accessible for use in the open position; and

a connector within the enclosure configured to connect the keyboard to the part having the display screen when

the part having the display screen is positioned in the enclosure, wherein the keyboard, when connected to the part having the display, is in operative association with the display screen, to allow a keyboard input to control the display of data and images on the display screen,

wherein the supporting surface of the deck projects in substantially a same direction as a direction in which the display screen projects, when the part having the display screen is positioned in the enclosure and in operative association with the keyboard.

2. The apparatus, according to claim 1, wherein the display screen is configured to be substantially coextensive with the top surface of the part having the display screen to maximize the potential area on which data and images can be displayed.

3. The apparatus, according to claim 1, wherein the display screen is touch sensitive.

4. The apparatus, according to claim 1, further comprising a controller configured to coordinate the operation of the display with the operation of the keyboard such that the data and images displayed are oriented in a parallel orientation relative to the keyboard when the keyboard is in use.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the part having the display screen is fully inserted into the enclosure at least a portion of the display is visible for displaying data input by the user.

6. The apparatus, according to claim 1, wherein, the part having the display screen is connected to the enclosure by a coupling that allows said part having the display screen to be pivoted, wherein the entire display is visible and configured to be oriented at an ergonomic angle.

7. The apparatus, according to claim 1, wherein the keyboard comprises a full function QWERTY array of keys.

8. The apparatus, according to claim 1, further comprising a window in the deck portion through which at least a portion of the display screen is visible when said part having the display screen is in the enclosure and the lid is in at least a partially closed position.

9. The apparatus, according to claim 1, wherein the part having the display screen is functionally independent of said enclosure.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the part having the display screen is a mobile communication device or a personal data assistant.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said lid is configured to be pivotable between a fully open position and a fully closed position, wherein the lid is configured to lie substantially parallel to the deck in the fully open position and substantially parallel to the opening in the fully closed position.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein when the part having the display is fully inserted into the enclosure, part of the display screen is not visible due to being covered by the deck.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein in the open position the surface of the lid underneath and opposite the keyboard mounted on the lid rests on the supporting planar surface of the deck and in the closed position the surface of the lid underneath and opposite the keyboard mounted on the lid does not rest on the supporting planar surface of the deck.

14. A method comprising:

detecting an insertion of a part having a display screen into an enclosure of a device, and operatively connecting the part having the display screen to the enclosure;

detecting whether the part having the display screen is fully inserted or pivotably inserted into the enclosure and adjusting a display area of the display screen in correspondence to whether the part having the display screen is fully inserted or pivotably inserted, wherein the display area of the display screen has a first value when the part having the display screen is fully inserted and has a second value when the part having the display screen is pivotably inserted, wherein the first value is smaller than the second value; and

activating a keyboard of the enclosure upon detection of the insertion of the part having the display screen, the activated keyboard being operable with the part having the display screen, to allow a keyboard input to control the display of data and images on the display screen.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising detecting an orientation of the display screen relative to an orientation of the keyboard and orienting the display area of the part having the display screen to be in a parallel relation to the keyboard,

16. The method according to claim 14 further comprising that the keyboard is pivotable between a fully open position and a closed position and detecting that the part having the display screen is inserted prior to activating the keyboard.

17. The method according to claim 16, further comprising limiting a size of the display area of the display screen to an area of a window in the enclosure through which at least a portion of the display screen of the part having the display screen is visible when said part is fully inserted in the enclosure and the keyboard is in the closed position.

18. A system comprising:

a part comprising a display; and

a cover part comprising;

an enclosure with an opening configured to receive the part having the display screen and enclose the part having the display screen within the enclosure;

a deck constructed adjacent to the opening;

a lid pivotally connected to the deck, wherein the lid is configured to move between;

an open position in which a surface of the lid underneath and opposite a keyboard is supported by and in direct contact with a supporting planar surface of the deck and the lid does not close the opening, and

a closed position in which the lid closes the opening and the surface of the lid underneath and opposite the keyboard mounted on the lid is not supported by and not in direct contact with the supporting planar surface of the deck;

the keyboard mounted on the lid and accessible for use in the open position; and

a connector within the enclosure configured to connect the keyboard to the part having the display screen when the part is positioned in the cover part, wherein the keyboard is in operative association with the display of the part having the display screen, to allow a keyboard input to control the display of data and images on the display,

wherein the supporting surface of the deck faces a direction of the display screen, when the part having the display screen is positioned in the enclosure and in operative association with the keyboard.

19. A system according to claim 18, wherein the keyboard comprises a full function QWERTY array of keys.

20. A system according to claim 18, wherein said deck portion is constructed with a window, through which at least a portion of the display is visible, and said display is controlled to provide data and images according to a function available when said part having the display screen is in the cover part and the lid is in the closed position.

21. The system according to claim 18 wherein the apparatus is a mobile communication device or a personal data assistant.

22. An apparatus comprising:

a part having a display screen configured for insertion into an enclosure of a cover part; and

a controller configured to;

detect an insertion of the part having the display screen into the enclosure formed in the cover part, and operatively connect the part having the display screen to the cover part;

detect whether the part having the display screen is fully inserted or pivotably inserted into the cover part and adjust a display area of the display screen in correspondence to whether the part having the display screen is fully inserted or pivotably inserted, wherein the display area of the display screen has a first value when the part having the display screen is fully inserted and has a second value when the part having the display screen is pivotably inserted, wherein the first value is smaller than the second value; and

activate a keyboard of the cover part upon detection of the insertion of the part having the display screen, the activated keyboard being operable with the part having the display screen, to allow a keyboard input to control the display of data and images on the display screen.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the controller is further configured to orient the display area of the part having the display screen to be in a parallel relation to the keyboard.

24. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the controller is further configured to limit a size of the display area of the display screen to an area of a window in the cover part through which at least a portion of the display area is visible when said part having the display screen is fully inserted in the cover part and the keyboard is in the closed position.