Pivoting, multi-configuration mobile device

• US 8,072,427 B2
• Filed: 05/31/2006
• Issued: 12/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Pletikosa, Velimir, Griffin, Jason T., Ladouceur, Norman M., Lowles, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Lao, Lun-Yi
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sadio, Insa
• Application Number:
  US11/421,185
• Publication Number:
  US 20070279387A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,015 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-179, 45557501-57509, 455/556.2, 341/22, 361/679.15, 361/679.16
• US Class Current: 345/169
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1622 with enclosures rotating around an axis perpendicular to the plane they define or with ball-joint coupling, e.g. PDA with display enclosure orientation changeable between portrait and landscape by rotation with respect to a coplanar body enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• 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 1/1679 for locking or maintaining the movable parts of the enclosure in a fixed position, e.g. latching mechanism at the edge of the display in a laptop or for the screen protective cover of a PDA G06F1/1681 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0202 Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0238 Programmable keyboards key guide holders G06F3/0224
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0225 Rotatable telephones, i.e. the body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis perpendicular to the plane they define in closed position combined with translation movement H04M1/0235
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0233 Including a rotatable display body part
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0243 using the relative angle between housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0247 comprising more than two body parts
• 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

Abstract

A mobile device 500 comprises a display portion 502 including a display screen, a first keypad portion 501, a second keypad portion 502, and at least one input device 508, 510-524, 531-544 associated with at least one of the first keypad portion 501, the second keypad portion 502, and the display portion 504. The first and second keypad portions 501, 502 are independently rotatably coupled to the display portion 502 to provide a plurality of operational configurations for the device 500. The first keypad portion 501 may be positioned on an upper level of the device 500 and the second keypad portion 502 may be positioned on a lower level of the device 500, with the display portion 502 being positioned in the middle of the device 500. The first keypad portion 501 may be superimposed over at least part of the display portion 502.

Claims

1. A mobile device comprising:

a display portion including a display screen;

a first keypad portion having a first set of input devices;

a second keypad portion having a second set of input devices; and

at least one input device associated with at least one of the first keypad portion, the second keypad portion, and the display portion;

wherein the first and second keypad portions are independently rotatably coupled to the display portion to provide a plurality of operational configurations for the device;

wherein the plurality of operational configurations comprises a first configuration where the first keypad portion is superimposed over at least part of the display portion;

wherein the second set of input devices does not overlap the first set of input devices, and wherein the first set of input devices and the second set of input devices are subsets of a third set of input devices operable in a second configuration;

wherein the display portion is located between the first keypad portion and the second keypad portion in the first configuration and is rotatable between different angles.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the first keypad portion is positioned on an upper level of the device, the second keypad portion is positioned on a lower level of the device, and the display portion is positioned on a middle level of the device.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the first keypad portion includes a first longitudinal axis, the second keypad portion includes a second longitudinal axis, and the display portion includes a third longitudinal axis, and, in a second configuration, the first keypad portion and the display portion have an angle of approximately 90 degrees between the first and third longitudinal axes, and the first keypad portion and the second keypad portion have an angle of approximately 180 degrees between the first and second longitudinal axes.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the first keypad portion includes a first longitudinal axis, the second keypad portion includes a second longitudinal axis, and the display portion includes a third longitudinal axis, and, in a third configuration, the first keypad portion and the second keypad portion have an angle between their respective first and second longitudinal axes of approximately 30 degrees to approximately 170 degrees.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the first keypad portion includes a first longitudinal axis, the second keypad portion includes a second longitudinal axis, and the display portion includes a third longitudinal axis, with the first and second longitudinal axes being parallel to one another, and the third longitudinal axes being perpendicular to the first and second longitudinal axes.

6. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a processor housed in the device operable to a run a plurality of software applications, wherein a preselected software application is associated with each of the plurality of operational configurations such that the preselected software application is automatically run when the device is in the corresponding operational configuration.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the plurality of operational configurations includes at least the first configuration, a second configuration, and a third configuration, and a first software application is a telephony application that is run when the device is in the first configuration, a second software application is a text entry application that is run when the device is in the second configuration, and a third software application is a game playing application that is run when the device is in the third configuration.

8. The device of claim 6, wherein a first software application that corresponds to the first configuration is a telephony application.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the first set of input devices including a three by four telephone keypad.

10. The device of claim 6, wherein one of the plurality of operational configurations is a second configuration, the first keypad portion has a first longitudinal axis, the second keypad portion has a second longitudinal axis, and the display portion has a third longitudinal axis, with the longitudinal axes of the first keypad portion and the display portion having an angle relative to one another of approximately 90 degrees, and the longitudinal axes of the first keypad portion and the second keypad portion having an angle relative to one another of approximately 180 degrees, and one of the software applications is a second software application that is associated with a second operational configuration, and the second software application is a text entry application.

11. The device of claim 6, wherein one of the plurality of operational configurations is a third configuration, the first keypad portion has a first longitudinal axis, the second keypad portion has a second longitudinal axis, and the longitudinal axes of the first keypad portion and the second keypad portion are positioned at an angle of approximately 30 degrees to approximately 170 degrees relative to one another.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the plurality of software applications includes a third software application that corresponds to the third configuration, and the third software application is a game playing application.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein in the third configuration the second set of input devices of the second keypad portion includes at least four keys that are used for directional input.

14. A mobile device comprising:

a keypad portion including at least a first set of input devices, a second set of input devices, and a third set of input devices; and

a display portion including a display screen;

the keypad portion being rotatably coupled to the display portion between at least a first operational configuration, a second operational configuration, and a third operational configuration;

wherein in the first operational configuration the first set of input devices is exposed so that they can be operated by a user,

in the second operational configuration the second set of input devices is exposed so that they can be operated by a user, and

in the third operational configuration the third set of input devices is exposed so that they can be operated by a user; and

wherein the display screen of the display portion is partially concealed by the keypad portion in the first operational configuration;

wherein the input devices of the third set do not overlap the input devices of the first set; and

wherein at least some of the input devices of the first and third sets are also part of the second set;

wherein the display is located between the first set and the second set in the first configuration and is rotatable between different angles.

15. The mobile device of claim 14, further comprising means for selectively lighting at least some of the first set of input devices, second set of input devices, and third set of input devices.