Portable electronic apparatus

• US 6,661,404 B1
• Filed: 01/25/1999
• Issued: 12/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Mobile Phones UK Limited (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Berry, Onni, Sirola, Jukka
• Primary Examiner(s): Hjerpe, Richard
• Assistant Examiner(s): Eisen, Alexander
• Application Number:
  US09/236,960
• Time in Patent Office: 1,779 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/168, 455/556, 455/344, 455/348, 379/110.01, 708/109
• US Class Current: 345/168
• 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 1/1666 Arrangements for reducing the size of the integrated keyboard for transport, e.g. foldable keyboards, keyboards with collapsible keys G06F1/1664 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1671 Special purpose buttons or auxiliary keyboards, e.g. retractable mini keypads, keypads or buttons that remain accessible at closed laptop G06F1/1666 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1614 Image rotation following screen orientation, e.g. switching from landscape to portrait mode
• 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 2250/18 including more than one keyboard unit
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/70 methods for entering alphabetical characters, e.g. multi-tap or dictionary disambiguation methods for entering alphabetical characters per se G06F3/0237

Abstract

A mobile communication device has a body portion (2) and a lid (7) hingeably coupled to the body portion (2). The lid (7) is moveable about a hinged joint (8) between open and closed positions in which a surface portion of the body portion (2) is respectively uncovered and covered by the lid. A first plurality of data input keys (11b) are provided on said surface portion of the body portion (2) whilst a second plurality of data input keys (11a) are provided on an inner surface of the lid (7). The first and second plurality of keys combine, when the lid (7) is open, to provide a QWERTY keyboard. A third plurality of keys (10) on an outer surface of the lid (7) provide a set of telephone keys for use when the lid (7) is closed. An electronic display (6) is provided on a surface of the body portion (2), the display (6) being visible to a user when the lid (7) is in both the open and closed positions. Display control means is arranged to display information on the display (6) with a first orientation when the lid (7) is in the open position and with a second orientation, substantially at right angles to said first orientation, when the lid (7) is in the closed position.

Claims

1. Electronic apparatus comprising:

a body portion;

an electronic display on a surface of the body portion;

typing mode selection means for implementing a selection between a first typing mode and a second typing mode;

a first plurality of function keys, each implementing a first key function in the first typing mode and a second key function in the second typing mode;

display control means for displaying information on the display with a first orientation in the first typing mode and with a second orientation, substantially at right angles to said first orientation, in the second typing mode; and

wherein the electronic display and the function keys are separated from each other so that when information is being keyed in with the function keys the keyed in information is simultaneously visible on the electronic display both in the first and the second typing modes.

2. An electronic apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising

a lid hingeably coupled to the body portion and moveable about a hinged joint between open and closed positions in which a surface portion of the body portion is respectively uncovered and covered by the lid;

a first plurality of data input keys comprising said first plurality of function keys on said surface portion of the body portion to be used when the lid is in said closed position;

a second plurality of data input keys on an inner surface of the lid to be used when the lid is in said open position; and

the display being visible to a user when the lid is in said open and closed positions.

3. An electronic apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising

a lid coupled to the body portion and slidingly moveable between open and closed positions in which a surface portion of the body portion is respectively uncovered and covered by the lid;

a first plurality of data input keys comprising said first plurality of function keys on an outer surface of the lid;

a second plurality of data input keys on said surface portion of the body portion;

an electronic display on a surface of the body portion, the display being visible to a user when the lid is in said open and closed positions.

4. Electronic apparatus comprising:

a body portion;

a lid hingeably coupled to the body portion and moveable about a hinged joint between open and closed positions in which a surface portion of the body portion is respectively uncovered and covered by the lid;

a first plurality of data input keys on said surface portion of the body portion having a first orientation;

a second plurality of data input keys on an inner surface of the lid having said first orientation;

a third plurality of data input keys on an outer surface of the lid having a second orientation, substantially at right angles to said first orientation;

an electronic display on a surface of the body portion, the display being entirely visible to a user when the lid is in said open and closed positions; and

display control means for displaying information on the display with a first display orientation when the lid is in the open position and with a second display orientation, substantially at right angles to said first display orientation, when the lid is in the closed position, and

wherein when the lid is in the open position, said first and second plurality of data input keys are arranged to provide in combination a QWERTY style keyboard and the inner surface of the lid is on the same level with the surface portion of the body portion leaving the first and second plurality of data input keys on the same level.

5. An electronic apparatus according to claim 4, wherein when the lid is in the open position the outer surface of the lid is on the same level as a bottom surface of the body portion.

6. A method of displaying and inputting information on an electronic display provided on a body portion of an electronic apparatus, the device comprising a first plurality of data input keys provided on a surface of said body surface and having a first orientation, a lid hingeably coupled to the body portion and arranged to cover said first plurality of data input keys in a closed position and having a second plurality of data input keys on an inner surface thereof having said first orientation and a third plurality of keys on an outer surface thereof having a second orientation, substantially at right angles to said first orientation, wherein the display is visible in both the open and closed positions of the lid, the method comprising displaying information on the display with a first display orientation when the lid is in the closed position and displaying information with a second display orientation, substantially at right angles to said first display orientation, when the lid is in the open position, and wherein when the lid is in the open position, said first and second plurality of data input keys providing in combination a QWERTY style keyboard and the inner surface of the lid is provided on the same level with the surface portion of the body portion leaving the first and second plurality of data input keys on the same level for inputting information with the QWERTY style keyboard.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein opening the lid into the open position brings the outer surface of the lid to the same level as a bottom surface of the body portion.