RADIOTELEPHONE TERMINAL WITH DUAL-SIDED KEYPAD APPARATUS

• US 20040176047A1
• Filed: 02/19/2003
• Published: 09/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Snaptrack Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications USA Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Trively, Martin C.
• Granted Patent: US 7,010,333 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/90.3
• 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 1/0245 using open/close detection
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/18 including more than one keyboard unit
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041

Abstract

Radiotelephone terminal with dual-sided keypad apparatus. A radiotelephone terminal includes a hinged flip cover with keypad apparatus that enables the receipt of tactile input on both sides of the flip. The keypad apparatus may be a single keypad that is dual-sided, and thus can receive input on either side, or the flip may be assembled with two keypads installed back-to-back within the flip. The keypads may be either of, or a combination of, non-contacting keypads or contacting keypads, and may include buttons and/or gesture areas.

Claims

1. A radiotelephone terminal comprising:

a housing enclosing electronic components operable to transmit and receive radiotelephone communication signals;

a flip cover pivotally mounted to the housing and movable between at least a closed position and an open position, and comprising an inner side and an outer side, wherein the inner side of the flip cover opposes the housing and is concealed in the closed position and the outer side of the flip cover is opposite the inner side; and

keypad apparatus comprising at least one non-contacting keypad, the keypad apparatus having a first side and a second side, the keypad apparatus disposed within the flip cover so that the first side is substantially coincident with the inner side of the flip cover and the second side is substantially coincident with the outer side of the flip cover, the keypad apparatus also electrically connected to the electronic components in the housing so that tactile input can be received, at least selectively from both the first side and the second side of the keypad apparatus.

2. The radiotelephone terminal of claim 1 wherein the keypad apparatus comprises a single keypad comprising both the first side and the second side of the keypad apparatus.

3. The radiotelephone terminal of claim 1 wherein the keypad apparatus further comprises a plurality of keypads, wherein a first keypad comprises the first side of the keypad apparatus and a second keypad comprises the second side of the keypad apparatus.

4. The radiotelephone terminal of claim 2 wherein at least one of the first side and the second side of the keypad apparatus comprises a gesture area.

5. The radiotelephone terminal of claim 3 wherein the at least one of the plurality of keypads comprises a gesture area.

6. A method of assembling a radiotelephone terminal, the method comprising:

assembling a flip cover having keypad apparatus disposed within, the flip cover having an inner side and an outer side opposite the inner side, the keypad apparatus comprising at least one non-contacting keypad, the keypad apparatus having a first side that is substantially coincident with the inner side of the flip cover and a second side is substantially coincident with the outer side of the flip cover;

attaching the flip cover to a housing enclosing electronic components that are operable to transmit and receive radiotelephone communication signals so that the flip cover is pivotally mounted to the housing and movable between at least a closed position and an open position, wherein the inner side of the flip cover is concealed in the closed position and exposed in the open position; and

electrically connecting the keypad apparatus to the electronic components in the housing so that tactile input can be received, at least selectively, from both the first side and the second side of the keypad apparatus.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the keypad apparatus comprises a single keypad comprising both the first side and the second side.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the assembling of the flip cover further comprises assembling first and second keypads to form the keypad apparatus, and wherein the first keypad comprises the first side of the keypad apparatus and the second keypad comprises the second side of the keypad apparatus.

9. A method of operating a radiotelephone terminal having a flip cover, the method comprising:

determining a position of the flip cover, wherein the flip cover is movable between at least a closed position and an open position wherein an inside tactile area is concealed in the closed position, and an outside tactile area is opposite the inside tactile area, at least one of the inside tactile area and the outside tactile area being implemented by a non-contacting keypad;

enabling the inside tactile area when the flip cover is in the open position; and

enabling the outside tactile area when the flip cover is in the closed position.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the enabling of the inside tactile area and the enabling of the outside tactile area further comprise selectively enabling at least the outside tactile area.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the determining of the position of the flip cover further comprises sensing a proximity of a housing to the inside tactile area.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the determining of the position of the flip cover further comprises sensing a proximity of a housing to the inside tactile area.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the selectively enabling of at least the outside tactile area is accomplished at least in part by electrically connecting and disconnecting at least the outside tactile area.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein the selectively enabling of the outside tactile area is accomplished programmatically based at least in part on an actuation proximity range difference between the inside tactile area and the outside tactile area.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the determining of the position of the flip cover further comprises sensing a proximity of a housing to the inside tactile area.

16. The method of claim 9 wherein the enabling of the inside tactile area and the enabling of the outside tactile area are accomplished at least in part by programmatically accounting for a difference in orientation of the single non-contacting keypad between the open position and the closed position.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein the enabling of the inside tactile area and the enabling of the outside tactile area are further accomplished at least in part by programmatically accounting for a difference in orientation of the single non-contacting keypad between the open position and the closed position.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the determining of the position of the flip cover further comprises sensing a proximity of a housing to the inside tactile area.

19. Radiotelephone terminal apparatus comprising:

a housing enclosing electronic components that are operable to transmit and receive radiotelephone communication signals;

a flip cover pivotally mounted to the housing and movable between at least a closed position and an open position, wherein an inside tactile area is concealed in the closed position, and an outside tactile area is opposite the inside tactile area, at least one of the inside tactile area and the outside tactile area being implemented by a non-contacting keypad;

means for determining the position of the flip cover; and

means for enabling the inside tactile area when the flip cover is in the open position and the outside tactile area when the flip cover is in the closed position.

20. The radiotelephone terminal apparatus of claim 19 wherein the means for enabling further comprises means for selectively enabling the outside tactile area.

21. The radio telephone terminal apparatus of claim 20 wherein the means for selectively enabling the outside tactile area further comprises means for programmatically taking into account an actuation proximity range difference between the inside tactile area and the outside tactile area.

22. The radio telephone terminal apparatus of claim 20 wherein the means for selectively enabling the outside tactile area further comprises means for electrically connecting and disconnecting the outside tactile area.

23. The radiotelephone terminal apparatus of claim 19 wherein the means for determining the position of the flip cover further comprises means for sensing a proximity of the housing to the inside tactile area.

24. The radiotelephone terminal apparatus of claim 20 wherein the means for determining the position of the flip cover further comprises means for sensing a proximity of the housing to the inside tactile area.

25. A radiotelephone terminal comprising:

a housing enclosing electronic components operable to transmit and receive radiotelephone communication signals, the housing having no keypad;

a flip cover pivotally mounted to the housing and movable between at least a closed position and an open position, and comprising an inner side and an outer side, wherein the inner side of the flip cover opposes the housing and is concealed in the closed position and the outer side of the flip cover is opposite the inner side; and

keypad apparatus having a first side and a second side, the keypad apparatus disposed within the flip cover so that the first side is substantially coincident with the inner side of the flip cover and the second side is substantially coincident with the outer side of the flip cover, the keypad apparatus also electrically connected to the electronic components in the housing so that tactile input can be received, at least selectively from both the first side and the second side of the keypad apparatus.

26. The radiotelephone terminal of claim 25 wherein the keypad apparatus further comprises a single keypad comprising both the first side and the second side of the keypad apparatus.

27. The radio telephone terminal of claim 26 wherein the single keypad is a contacting keypad.

28. The radiotelephone terminal of claim 25 wherein the keypad apparatus further comprises a plurality of keypads, wherein a first keypad comprises the first side of the keypad apparatus and a second keypad comprises the second side of the keypad apparatus.

29. The radiotelephone terminal of claim 28 wherein at least one of the plurality of keypads is a contacting keypad.

30. A method of assembling a radiotelephone terminal, the method comprising:

assembling a flip cover having keypad apparatus disposed within, the flip cover having an inner side and an outer side opposite the inner side, the keypad apparatus having a first side that is substantially coincident with the inner side of the flip cover and a second side is substantially coincident with the outer side of the flip cover;

attaching the flip cover to a housing having no keypad and enclosing electronic components that are operable to transmit and receive radiotelephone communication signals so that the flip cover is pivotally mounted to the housing and movable between at least a closed position and an open position, wherein the inner side of the flip cover is concealed in the closed position and exposed in the open position; and

electrically connecting the keypad apparatus to the electronic components in the housing so that tactile input can be received, at least selectively, from both the first side and the second side of the keypad apparatus.

31. The method of claim 30 wherein the keypad apparatus comprises a single keypad comprising both the first side and the second side.

32. The method of claim 30 wherein the assembling of the flip cover further comprises assembling first and second keypads to form the keypad apparatus, and wherein the first keypad comprises the first side of the keypad apparatus and the second keypad comprises the second side of the keypad apparatus.

33. The method of claim 31 wherein the single keypad is a contacting keypad.

34. The method of claim 32 wherein at least one of the first keypad and the second keypad is a contacting keypad.