Variably displayable mobile device keyboard

• US 8,959,441 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2008
• Issued: 02/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yoram Ben-Meir
• Original Assignee: Yoram Ben-Meir
• Inventors: Fermon, Israel
• Primary Examiner(s): Pesin, Boris
• Assistant Examiner(s): HEFFINGTON, JOHN M
• Application Number:
  US12/046,800
• Publication Number:
  US 20080301575A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,533 Days
• Field of Search: 715/773, 715/861, 715/761, 715/765, 715/767, 715/768, 715/778, 715/798, 715/801
• US Class Current: 715/761
• 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 1/1662 Details related to the integrated keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1692 the I/O peripheral being a secondary touch screen used as control interface, e.g. virtual buttons or sliders
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
• 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

Abstract

A variably displayable mobile device keyboard includes a display for presenting two or more groups of basic images, such that a different keyboard display can be generated by each of these groups of basic images, a filter for filtering one or more groups of basic images so that a single group of basic images will be displayed; and a touch screen transparent to ambient light for selecting a key of the displayed single group of basic images.

Claims

1. A mobile device for generating a variably displayable keyboard, comprising:

a memory device in which instructions are stored for generating two or more groups of basic images, wherein a different keyboard display is generated by each of said groups of basic images so that a surface area of a key generated by a first group of basic images is different from a surface area generated by a second group of basic images;

one or more holographic units for presenting each of said two or more groups of basic images;

touch screen means transparent to ambient light by which a key of said displayed single group of basic images is selectable and is able to generate an input signal, said touch screen means comprising toggling means for toggling between different keyboard displays; and

a microprocessor receiving from said toggling means an activation signal which is indicative of a selected group of basic images, said microprocessor retrieving from said memory device instructions corresponding to said selected group;

wherein in response to said retrieved instructions, said microprocessor transmitting data for displaying said selected group of basic images by said one or more hologram projecting units; and

said microprocessor receiving said input signal;

wherein said transmitted data is indicative of a command for optimally utilizing a surface area of the keyboard display corresponding to the selected group with respect to a mobile device type and key allocation constraints of said selected group, while maximizing a displayed key size;

wherein first and second keyboard displays have a same surface area although the surface area of one or more keys is different in the first display than in the second display.

2. The mobile device according to claim 1, wherein the first group of basic images includes an alphabetic display exclusively and the second group of basic images includes a numeric display exclusively.

3. The mobile device according to claim 2, wherein a shape or color generated by the first group of basic images is different from a shape or color generated by the second group of basic images.

4. The mobile device according to claim 2, wherein the first and second groups of basic images include function keys.

5. The mobile device according to claim 1, wherein the one or more hologram projecting units consists of two orthogonal hologram projecting units arranged such that the first keyboard display can be toggled to the second keyboard display or vice versa by rotating a mobile device housing approximately 90 degrees while a mobile device rear face remains in substantially the same plane.

6. The mobile device according to claim 1, wherein each hologram projecting unit operates with a surface relief pattern embossed in a plastic film which is adapted to project a unique display.

7. The mobile device according to claim 1, wherein the first group of basic images includes a numeric display exclusively and the second group of basic images includes a game function display exclusively.

8. The mobile device according to claim 7, wherein the shape or color of a key generated by the first group of basic images is different from that generated by the second group of basic images.

9. The mobile device according to claim 7, wherein the first and second groups of basic images include function keys.

10. The mobile device according to claim 1, wherein the microprocessor is provided with a software application that determines a highest probability of which key region has been desired to be pressed.

11. A mobile device for generating a variably displayable keyboard, comprising:

a) a memory device in which are stored instructions for generating two or more groups of basic images, wherein a different keyboard display is generated by means of each of said groups of basic images such that a relative arrangement of keys generated by a first group of basic images is different from that generated by a second group of basic images;

b) one or more hologram projecting units for presenting each of said two or more groups of basic images;

c) touch screen means transparent to ambient light by which a key of said displayed single group of basic images is selectable and is able to generate an input signal, said touch screen means further comprising toggling means for toggling between different keyboard displays; and

d) a microprocessor receiving from said toggling means an activation signal which is indicative of a selected group of basic images, said microprocessor retrieving from said memory device instructions corresponding to said selected group;

wherein in response to said retrieved instructions, said microprocessor transmitting data for displaying said selected group of basic images by said one or more hologram projecting units; and

said microprocessor receiving said input signal,

wherein said transmitted data is indicative of a command for optimally utilizing a surface area of the keyboard display corresponding to the selected group with respect to a mobile device type and key allocation constraints of said selected group, while maximizing a displayed key size,

wherein first and second keyboard displays have the same surface area even though the relative arrangement of keys is different in the first display than in the second display.