Thumbwheel and switch for a mobile electronic device and methods thereof

• US 7,333,084 B2
• Filed: 03/02/2004
• Issued: 02/19/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Griffin, Jason T.
• Primary Examiner(s): DHARIA, PRABODH M
• Application Number:
  US10/790,202
• Publication Number:
  US 20050195153A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,449 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-158, 345/168, 345/184, 345/102, 345/172, 345/164, 345/173, 345/179, 345/684, 345/27, 345/45, 345/163, 345/169, 710/303, 710/73, 708/105, 341/34, 341/22, 341/137, 711/169, 715/836, 714/749, 370/313, 362/85
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0362 with detection of 1D translations or rotations of an operating part of the device, e.g. scroll wheels, sliders, knobs, rollers or belts
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 19/003 having a pushbutton actuator

Abstract

A mobile electronic device has a thumbwheel subassembly having measurable rotatable and depressible input movements, for example, rolling the thumbwheel up, rolling the thumbwheel down and pushing the thumbwheel inwards. Pushing the thumbwheel with a measurable component of downward force may result in inadvertent rolling of the thumbwheel down. Software or hardware may be used to cancel the inadvertent rolling of the thumbwheel down when the timing of the push and the roll are too close. The thumbwheel assembly may be oriented in the device so that the direction of depressible input movement of the thumbwheel is substantially aligned with the direction of the push by a user'"'"'s thumb or finger that includes a measurable component of downward force.

Claims

1. A mobile electronic device comprising:

a thumbwheel subassembly including a thumbwheel and a switch;

a housing having an opening through which said thumbwheel protrudes;

and a microprocessor inside said housing to compensate for inadvertent rolling of said thumbwheel down by a user while said user pushes said thumbwheel inwards by cancelling detection of a rotation downward of a thumbwheel if detection of a depressible input movement of said thumbwheel occurs within a predetermined time threshold of detection of said rotation downward; and

a flat display screen;

wherein said thumbwheel subassembly is oriented so that a direction of depressible input movement of said thumbwheel, when projected onto a plane substantially parallel to a plane of said flat display screen, is at an angle in a range of approximately 2 degrees to approximately 10 degrees with respect to a direction from a first point on a side of said housing having said opening to a second point directly across from said first point on an opposite side of said housing.

2. The mobile electronic device of claim 1, wherein said angle is in a range of approximately 3 degrees to approximately 8 degrees.

3. The mobile electronic device of claim 1, wherein said angle is in a range of approximately 4 degrees to approximately 6 degrees.

4. The mobile electronic device of claim 1, wherein said angle is approximately 5 degrees.