Electronic Device Having a User Input Interface Opposite a Display

• US 20100064212A1
• Filed: 09/11/2008
• Published: 03/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications USA Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications USA Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Snyder, Thomas D.
• Application Number:
  US12/208,816
• Publication Number:
  US 20100064212A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/700
• 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 1/1662 Details related to the integrated keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04895 Guidance during keyboard input operation, e.g. prompting
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0202 Portable telephone sets, e.g. cordless phones, mobile phones or bar type handsets constructional features of telephone transmitters or receivers, e.g. of speakers or microphones H04M1/03
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0279 Improving the user comfort or ergonomics
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/236 including keys on side or rear faces

Abstract

A consumer electronic device, such as a cellular telephone, includes a monolithic housing. A display is positioned on a first face of the housing and displays graphics to the user. An input interface, such as a keypad, for example, accepts user input and is positioned on the opposing back face of the housing. The display and the interface are oriented in opposing directions, and the display overlays an image of the input interface over the displayed graphics to allow a user to view which keys the user presses.

Claims

1. A consumer electronic device comprising:

a housing having a first face oriented towards a user and a second opposing face oriented away from the user;

a display on the front face of the housing configured to display visual content to a user;

a user input interface having one or more user controls on the second face of the housing, and configured to receive user input; and

a controller configured to update the visual content on the display responsive to receiving the user input at the user input interface.

2. The device if claim 1 wherein the housing comprises a monolithic housing.

3. The device of claim 2 further comprising a transceiver within the housing to allow a user to communicate with a base station in a wireless communication network.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the display is further configured to display a translucent overlay image of the user input interface indicating the location of the one or more user controls on the second face of the housing.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein the controller is further configured to change an appearance of the image of a user control on the display responsive to the user actuating the corresponding user control on the second face.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein the user input interface on the second face comprises a touch-sensitive display that displays one or more soft-key user controls.

7. The device of claim 1 further comprising one or more user input controls on the first face of the housing adjacent the display.

8. The device of claim 1 further comprising one or more user input controls on the second face of the housing adjacent the user input interface.

9. The device of claim 1 further comprising one or more user input controls on a peripheral edge of the housing.

10. The device of claim 1 further comprising a second display on the second face of the housing adjacent the user input interface.

11. A method of displaying user input on an electronic device, the method comprising:

positioning a display on a first face of a housing of the electronic device to display visual content to a user; and

positioning a user input interface having one or more user input controls on a second face of the electronic device to receive user input, wherein the first face and the second face are oriented to face opposing directions; and

updating the visual content on the display responsive to the user input.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising displaying a translucent overlay image of the user input interface on the display with the visual content such that the user can view the user input interface with the visual content.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein displaying a translucent overlay image comprises displaying corresponding translucent images for each user input control on the user input interface.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the translucent overlay image indicates a location of the user input controls on the second face of the device housing.

15. The method of claim 13 further comprising altering an appearance of a translucent image of a user control responsive to the user actuating the corresponding user input control on the second face of the housing.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein the user input interface comprises a touch-sensitive display configured to display one or more soft-key user input controls.

17. The method of claim 11 further comprising positioning one or more user controls on the first face of the housing adjacent the display.

18. The method of claim 11 further comprising positioning one or more user controls on the second face of the housing adjacent the user input interface.

19. The method of claim 11 further comprising positioning one or more user controls on a periphery of the housing.

20. The method of claim 11 wherein the user input interface is oriented to face a first direction, and the display is oriented to face a second direction opposite the first direction.