Handheld electronic device with keyboard

• US 8,824,669 B2
• Filed: 12/09/2011
• Issued: 09/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Griffin, Jason T.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, QUYNH H
• Application Number:
  US13/316,184
• Publication Number:
  US 20120081295A1
• Time in Patent Office: 998 Days
• Field of Search: 379/433.07, 379/368, 341/22, 400/472, 400/485, 400/486, 400/489
• US Class Current: 379/433.07
• 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 1/1664 Arrangements for ergonomically adjusting the disposition of keys of the integrated keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0213 Arrangements providing an integrated pointing device in a keyboard, e.g. trackball, mini-joystick for pointing devices integrated in a laptop computer G06F1/169; joysticks G05G9/047; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0219 Special purpose keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0237 using prediction or retrieval techniques
• 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 1/27463 Predictive input, predictive dialling by comparing the dialled sequence with the content of a telephone directory
• 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 keyboard includes a plurality of keys each of which is associated with indicia corresponding to at least one of alphabetic characters, numbers, or commands. The keys of the plurality of keys associated with alphabetic characters number fewer than 26 and greater than nine. No more than two alphabetic characters are associated with each of the keys associated with alphabetic characters. At least one of the keys associated with alphabetic characters is associated with two alphabetic characters and at least one number. The numbers are arranged and displayed in the format of a phone keypad and the letters are arranged and displayed in a keyboard layout.

Claims

1. A keyboard comprising:

a plurality of keys, each key displaying indicia thereon of at least one of command values, numbers and alphabetic characters, each key which displays indicia of a number also displaying indicia of at least one of a command value and an alphabetic character and the alphabetic characters are arranged in a keyboard layout according to one of;

QWERTY, AZERTY or DVORAK layout,

wherein keys displaying indicia of alphabetic and numeric characters number fewer than twenty-six and greater than nine,

wherein in the event that a key displaying indicia of a specific command value is used in conjunction with a key displaying indicia of a number and indicia of an alphabetic character, the number associated with the key displaying indicia of a number and indicia of an alphabetic character is inputted.

2. The keyboard of claim 1, at least one of the plurality of keys displaying two alphabetic characters and at least one number.

3. The keyboard of claim 1, one of the plurality of keys displaying indicia associated with a “

space”

command value and also displaying indicia associated with the number “

0”

.

4. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein the plurality of keys are arranged in a grid having at least four rows and at least five columns, with the at least four rows comprising in order a first, second, third and last row, and the at least five columns comprising in order a first, second, third, fourth, and fifth column.

5. The keyboard of claim 4, wherein the numbers are arranged in a phone keypad associated with keys in the first, second, third, and last rows, with keys in the first row including a number “

1”

in the second column, a number “

2”

in the third column, and a number “

3”

in the fourth column, the phone keypad associated with keys in the second row including a number “

4”

in the second column, a number “

5”

in the third column, and a number “

6”

in the fourth column, the phone keypad associated with keys in the third row including a number “

7”

in the second column, a number “

8”

in the third column, and a number “

9”

in the fourth column.

6. The keyboard of claim 5, further comprising keys in the last row including a “

*”

in the second column, a number “

0”

in the third column, and a “

#”

in the fourth column.

7. The keyboard of claim 4, wherein the rows are arcuate in shape.

8. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein the keys displaying indicia associated with command values include at least one of “

return”

, “

enter”

, “

space”

, “

alt”

, “

backspace”

, “

shift”

, “

caps lock”

, and “

numeral”

.

9. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein the phone keypad layout is arranged symmetrically about a centerline.

10. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein the plurality of keys are arranged symmetrically about a centerline with the phone keypad layout being centered within the plurality of keys.

11. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein the at least one key displaying indicia of a command value is usable to change between alphabetic and numeric modes.

12. The keyboard of claim 11, wherein the change between alphabetic and numeric modes, switches from the currently operable mode to the other operable mode.

13. An electronic device comprising:

a display; and

a keyboard including;

a plurality of keys, each key displaying indicia thereon of at least one of command values, numbers and alphabetic characters, each key which displays indicia of a number also displaying indicia of at least one of a command value and an alphabetic character and wherein the alphabetic characters are arranged in a keyboard layout according to one of;

QWERTY, AZERTY or DVORAK layout,

wherein keys displaying indicia of alphabetic and numeric characters number fewer than twenty-six and greater than nine,

wherein in the event that a key displaying indicia of a specific command value is used in conjunction with a key displaying indicia of a number and indicia of an alphabetic character, the number associated with the key displaying indicia of a number and indicia of an alphabetic character is inputted.

14. The electronic device of claim 13, at least one of the plurality of keys having two alphabetic characters and at least one number.

15. The electronic device of claim 13, one of the plurality of keys displaying indicia associated with a “

space”

command value and also displaying indicia associated with the number “

0”

.

16. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein the plurality of keys are arranged in a grid having at least four rows and at least five columns, with the at least four rows comprising in order a first, second, third and last row, and the at least five columns comprising in order a first, second, third, fourth, and fifth column.

17. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the numbers are arranged in a phone keypad associated with keys in the first, second, third, and last rows, with keys in the first row including a number “

1”

in the second column, a number “

2”

in the third column, and a number “

3”

in the fourth column, the phone keypad associated with keys in the second row including a number “

4”

in the second column, a number “

5”

in the third column, and a number “

6”

in the fourth column, the phone keypad associated with keys in the third row including a number “

7”

in the second column, a number “

8”

in the third column, and a number “

9”

in the fourth column.

18. The electronic device of claim 17, further comprising keys in the last row including a “

*”

in the second column, a number “

0”

in the third column, and a “

#”

in the fourth column.

19. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the rows are arcuate in shape.

20. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein the keys displaying indicia associated with command values include at least one of “

return”

, “

enter”

, “

space”

, “

alt”

, “

backspace”

, “

shift”

, “

caps lock”

, and “

numeral”

.

21. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein the phone keypad layout is arranged symmetrically about a centerline.

22. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein the plurality of keys are arranged symmetrically about a centerline with the phone keypad layout being centered within the plurality of keys.

23. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein the keyboard is displayed on the display screen.

24. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein the at least one key displaying indicia of a command value is usable to change between alphabetic and numeric modes.

25. The electronic device of claim 24, wherein the change between alphabetic and numeric modes, switches from the currently operable mode to the other operable mode.