Keypad Patents (Class 379/433.07)
  • Patent number: 11818785
    Abstract: A method of reestablishing a communication session between a first computing device and a second computing device includes, at the first computing device: obtaining initiator status data, indicating whether the first computing device initiated the communication session; configuring a redial indicator according to the initiator status data; and presenting the redial indicator on a display of the first mobile computing device during the communication session.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: Zebra Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Pawan Kumar, Mohan P. Kumar, Deepak Ayyagari
  • Patent number: 11054940
    Abstract: A touch sensing device includes a touch switching unit including first and second touch members, an oscillator circuit generating a first oscillation signal having a variable resonant frequency based on an application of a touch to the first touch member, and generate a second oscillation signal having a variable resonant frequency based on an application of a touch to the second touch member; a detector circuit generating a first count value by converting the first oscillation signal to a first digital value, and generating a second count value by converting the second oscillation signal to a second digital value, detect an individual touch input based on the first count value and the second count value, and detect a slide touch input when a first touch input to the first touch member and a second touch input to the second touch member are detected within a predetermined slide reference time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Byung Joo Hong, Joo Yul Ko, Je Hyuk Ryu
  • Patent number: 10910743
    Abstract: An electrical assembly includes a first housing member, a second housing member, and/or a circuit board. The first housing member may be connected to the second housing member, and the second housing member may be configured to move to prevent removal of a connector from the circuit board. Movement of the second housing member relative to the first housing member may be restricted when the connector is improperly connected or only partially connected to the circuit board or the first housing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: Lear Corporation
    Inventors: Antonio Palomo Lorenzo, Oscar Cano Salomo
  • Patent number: 10705617
    Abstract: A tactile sensation providing apparatus includes a touch sensor configured to detect a touch input, a load detection unit configured to detect a pressure load on a touch face of the touch sensor, a tactile sensation providing unit configured to vibrate the touch face, and a control unit configured to adjust a drive signal of the tactile sensation providing unit based on a pushed position when the pressure load detected by the load detection unit satisfies a standard to provide a tactile sensation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: KYOCERA Corporation
    Inventors: Megumi Kuwabara, Kenji Kono, Tomotake Aono, Jun Takeda
  • Patent number: 10582629
    Abstract: Embodiments of this disclosure provide a flexible display device. The flexible display device comprises a flexible display panel and a folding mechanism. The folding mechanism comprises a first cabinet and a second cabinet overlapping each other, and a guiding mechanism. The second cabinet can move straight relative to the first cabinet through the guiding mechanism. The flexible display device further comprises a guiding portion and an adjusting lever in the second cabinet. The guiding portion is at a push-pull end of the second cabinet. The adjusting lever can move between the push-pull end and an end opposite to the push-pull end. One end of the flexible display panel is fixed to the push-pull end of the first cabinet, and the other end is fixed to the adjusting lever in an opposite direction. A locking mechanism fixes relative positions of the first cabinet, the second cabinet and the adjusting lever.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignees: BEIJING BOE OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD., BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shaopeng Xu, Hao Wu, Xuzhong Liu, Na An, Zongwei Luo, Baolei Guo, Xiao Ma, Bin Xu, Zheng Zhang, Zhenhua Luo, Wei Su, Qingzhu Guan, Xinfeng Gong
  • Patent number: 10349728
    Abstract: A finger grip for a smart device, including: a bonding sheet having a bonding surface attached to one side of an outer surface of the smart device; a guide sheet coupled to one side surface of the bonding sheet and having a guide slot formed on one side thereof and a coupling groove formed on the other side thereof; a variable sheet laminated on one side surface of the guide sheet and having a fusion portion formed correspondingly to the coupling groove and a slide pin formed protrudingly therefrom to pass through the guide slot; a fixing rivet coupled to the slide pin of the variable sheet to prevent the slide pin from escaping from the guide slot; and a printed film coupled to one side surface of the variable sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Inventor: Hyun Joo Yoo
  • Patent number: 10355734
    Abstract: An accessory for a mobile device comprising a cover. The cover comprises a main body for coupling to a rear surface of a mobile device, an elongate member extending adjacent a rear face of the main body, and a retention band extending from the rear face of the main body and peripheral to the elongate member. The elongate member having a distal end and a proximal end and comprising at least a first segment at the proximal end and a second segment at the distal end, the first segment being hingedly attached to the main body at the proximal end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: TELECOM LIFESTYLE FASHION B.V.
    Inventors: Mouhssine Otmani, Sebastianus Gerardus Maria Eumelen, Kwun Yin Chan
  • Patent number: 10306044
    Abstract: A method of avoiding screen off during an Automatic Response System (ARS) service is provided. The method includes enabling a proximity sensor in a call connection, detecting one of a first gesture and a second gesture during a call, and upon detecting the first gesture, disabling the proximity sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Bong-No Yoon, Chul-Jin Kim, Hyung-Chul Son, Hyun-Seok Oh, Young-Kwon Cho
  • Patent number: 9907998
    Abstract: A method includes: receiving, by a wrist device, a notification of an event, wherein the notification is indicated to a user of the wrist device; in response to receiving the notification, initiating at least one measurement; determining, based on the at least one measurement, that a predetermined condition is met; and in response to the determining that the predetermined condition is met, performing an action having an effect on the indication of the notification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: POLAR ELECTRO OY
    Inventor: Mikko Repka
  • Patent number: 9628982
    Abstract: A method of avoiding screen off during an Automatic Response System (ARS) service is provided. The method includes enabling a proximity sensor in a call connection, detecting one of a first gesture and a second gesture during a call, and upon detecting the first gesture, disabling the proximity sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Bong-No Yoon, Chul-Jin Kim, Hyung-Chul Son, Hyun-Seok Oh, Young-Kwon Cho
  • Patent number: 9578758
    Abstract: A mobile terminal is provided. The mobile terminal a case having an inner space where electronic components are mounted, a display arranged in the inner space of the case, the display being exposed at a front surface of the case, an audio output module arranged in the inner space of the case to output sound, a circuit board arranged in the inner space of the case, the circuit board having a circuit pattern to transmit an electric signal, a bracket coupled to a back surface of the display, the bracket including a metallic plate and an injection mold configured to partially cover the metallic plate and an electric current carrying structure configured to electrically connect the metal plate to at least one of the display, the audio output module and the circuit board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Chanyong Mo, Kiju Yun
  • Patent number: 9195481
    Abstract: A user terminal for running a plurality of applications simultaneously is disclosed. In the method for running a plurality of applications simultaneously in accordance with the present invention, a first application is run in a foreground mode in accordance with an inputted first operation start command, and then the operation mode of the first application is switched to a background mode if a mode conversion command is inputted. Then, a second application in accordance with an inputted second operation start command can be run in the foreground mode. With the present invention, a plurality of applications can be run simultaneously in a separate operation mode, maximizing the convenience of the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: INTELLECTUAL DISCOVERY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Jung-Hee Cho
  • Patent number: 9167059
    Abstract: A mobile terminal may be provided that includes a squeeze sensor disposed at a lateral surface of a housing to sense a pressure greater than a predetermined value being applied thereto; and a controller configured to change the location of an object displayed on a display based on a pressure applied position when the sensed pressure is greater than a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Hyunjin Kim, Cheegoog Kim
  • Patent number: 8989822
    Abstract: A mobile computing device is provided that includes a housing, a display screen, and a keypad. The housing includes a front face having a portion that has a contour. The contour may be is inwardly directed and be defined by at least a first gradient direction. The display screen is provided with the front face, apart from the portion that has the contour. The keypad includes a plurality of keycaps that extend outward from the front face. The keypad may be provided only on an occupied region of the portion of the front face that has the contour. A maximum angle formed by the occupied region of the front face relative to a horizontal reference that is coplanar with the display screen is greater than 20 degrees.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Stephen Lee, Troy Hulick, Mark Babella
  • Patent number: 8953779
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a touchscreen keypad and one or more devices that generate a tactile response to a user of the apparatus when a key in the keypad is pressed. In order accomplish a simple construction requiring a minimum of space, the one or more devices that generate that tactile response may include at least one piezoelectric element configured to generate vibration which is forwarded to the user in response to a key of the touchscreen keypad being pressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Nokia Corporation
    Inventor: Juhani Tuovinen
  • Patent number: 8902168
    Abstract: The invention is a thin, light, touch sensitive, typically portable keyboard for an electronic device, which uses walls between most adjacent keys to prevent one finger activating more than intended key. This enables packing keys extremely close to each other, yet negligible chance of false activation. Round, hexagonal or wave shaped walls enable more keys for same working surface area, compared to square keys. Variations are detachable, externals, removable walls formed by a layer over the keyboard. Sizes can be from wrist worn watch like, credit card, cell phone, pocket and more. Foldable versions enable more keys for less stowage space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Inventor: Ahmad Amiri
  • Patent number: 8890719
    Abstract: An apparatus (625) with a first plurality of input keys (635). Some of the first input keys may be associated with both a numeric value and a first set of alphabetic values and arranged in a first alphabetic keypad layout. The apparatus (625) is further provided with a second plurality of input keys (645), positioned adjacent to the first plurality of input keys (635), and being associated with at least one alphabetic value. Some of the input keys of the second plurality of input keys (645) may be arranged in a second alphabetic keypad layout different from the first alphabetic keypad layout. Further, in various embodiments, at least some input keys of the first plurality of input keys (635) have a second set of alphabetic values that is used as part of the second alphabetic keypad layout. Additionally, in various embodiments, at least some of the alphabetic values of the second keyboard layout are arranged at least partially based on a frequency of use of such alphabetic values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Varia Holdings LLC
    Inventors: Majeed D. Salman, G. Eric Engstrom
  • Patent number: 8884790
    Abstract: A data input system and method utilize a keyboard including a first keypad having at least five keys and a second keypad having at least five keys. With the at least ten keys of the first and second keypads, at least twenty-five two-key combinations including one key from each of the first and second keypads are established, where the two-key combinations each represent characters. Additionally, at least twenty chord combinations including multiple keys from the first keypad and multiple keys from the second keypad are established, where the chord combinations each represent special characters and commands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Twitch Technologies LLC
    Inventor: John Dennis Page
  • Patent number: 8873743
    Abstract: A touchpad has interleaved conductive traces across a touchpad surface. Each conductive trace has a first end and a second end. The width of the first end is larger than the width of the second end. The interleaved conductive traces have a first group of conductive traces alternated with a second group of conductive traces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Tao Peng, Zheng Qin
  • Patent number: 8824669
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Blackberry Limited
    Inventor: Jason T. Griffin
  • Patent number: 8761748
    Abstract: A mobile terminal and a method of controlling a mobile terminal are provided. The method includes assigning at least a first function and a second function to each of one or more variable function keys and performing a first function assigned to a selected one of the variable function keys when the mobile terminal is in a first operating mode and performing a second function assigned to the selected one of the variable function keys when the mobile terminal is in a second operating mode, while maintaining the functions of non-variable function keys.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Won Young Lee, Kyung A Hong
  • Patent number: 8666444
    Abstract: A communication device has an input keypad having physical input keys arranged in a matrix of rows and columns, a mode input mechanism to select a specific mode, and software or firmware responsive to mode selected through the mode input mechanism, comprising a specific mapping of input keys and process of input to output characters, depending on mode selected. In any specific mode, inputs by the physical input keys are mapped to output characters according to the specific mapping and process associated with the selected mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Inventor: Padmanabhan Mahalingam
  • Patent number: 8654079
    Abstract: Systems, products, and methods are disclosed for facilitating a method of mapping a numerical keypad to keys of a keyboard on a mobile communications device based on an initial selection of an edge key. One embodiment of the method includes receiving input by way of a given key of the keypad and then dynamically configuring that given key to be a numerical key of a numerical keypad. In particular, input received by way of the numerical key is interpreted as a corresponding numeral regardless of a prior configuration associated with the numerical key. Further, keys of a keyboard within a proximity of the numerical key are mapped to remaining numerical keys of the numerical keypad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Trevor Daniel Shipley, Jeremy Richard Breau
  • Patent number: 8649505
    Abstract: In a user-interactive system, such as an interactive voice response (IVR) system, the duration and/or force of key-presses by the user and/or the speed of response to prompts by the user are used to make inferences about the user, such as whether the user is impaired or is growing frustrated. The user interface is modified based on the inferences.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: Avaya Inc.
    Inventors: Paul Michaelis, David Mohler, Michael J. Thomas
  • Patent number: 8644498
    Abstract: An easy to use electronic device is provided. The electronic device functions as a telephone and has a display portion, an audio input portion, an audio output portion, and operation keys. The display portion has a passive element, and the operation keys have LEDs. The direction of an image displayed by the LEDs is switchable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Jun Koyama, Yu Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 8565419
    Abstract: The array of keys constituting a numeric phone keypad on a mobile communication device only partially overlaps the array of keys that make up the text input keypad creating an offset so that only subsets of the keys constituting the two keypads are common to both. With this configuration, the numeric phone keypad can be more easily distinguished from the text input keypad while still reaping the benefits of having some shared keys.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventor: Krishna K. Pathiyal
  • Patent number: 8559622
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for telephony tone signal and character code generation for QWERTY keyboards includes a QWERTY style keyboard, a processor and a keyboard mode control software module. The QWERTY style keyboard has a plurality of letter keys, wherein each letter key is configured to generate a unique input signal. The processor is coupled to the keyboard and is configured to convert each unique input signal generated by the letter keys into a character code and/or a telephony tone signal. The keyboard mode control software module operates on the processor, and controls whether the processor converts the unique input signals from the letter keys into character codes or telephony tone signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Wen Zhao, Runbo Fu, Xin Jin, Pokin Yeung, Karen A. Rudnitski
  • Patent number: 8497516
    Abstract: Although an organic resin substrate is highly effective at reducing the weight and improving the shock resistance of a display device, it is required to improve the moisture resistance of the organic resin substrate for the sake of maintaining the reliability of an EL element. Hard carbon films are formed to cover a surface of the organic resin substrate and outer surfaces of a sealing member. Typically, DLC (Diamond like Carbon) films are used as the carbon films. The DLC films have a construction where carbon atoms are bonded into an SP3 bond in terms of a short-distance order, although the films have an amorphous construction from a macroscopic viewpoint. The DLC films contain 95 to 70 atomic % carbon and 5 to 30 atomic % hydrogen, so that the DLC films are very hard and minute and have a superior gas barrier property and insulation performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Yasuyuki Arai
  • Patent number: 8422661
    Abstract: A terminal includes a key input unit having a key section and an output unit outputting information inputted by the key input unit. The terminal includes a touch detection unit which detects a touch of an object to the key section and detects a moving distance that the object moves on a surface of the key section while keeping the touch and a control unit which switches information outputted to the output unit according to the moving distance detected by the touch detection unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: NTT DoCoMo, Inc.
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Suzuki, Toshihiro Azami
  • Patent number: 8391474
    Abstract: An easy to use electronic device is provided. The electronic device functions as a telephone and has a display portion, an audio input portion, an audio output portion, and operation keys. The display portion has a passive element, and the operation keys have LEDs. The direction of an image displayed by the LEDs is switchable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Jun Koyama, Yu Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 8384686
    Abstract: The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a method for generating a keypad layout. The method may include determining a frequency distribution of characters for a text sample and generating character groupings using the frequency distribution. The method may further comprise assigning the character groupings to keys on the keypad so that characters that appear most frequently in the text sample can be selected with a single keystroke.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventor: Nickolas Jay Sears
  • Patent number: 8374657
    Abstract: An apparatus having a loop device fastened to a communication unit that permits a user to securely hold the unit using one or more fingers inserted through a loop device for efficient and stable operation of a keyboard, touch screen, trackball or the like using the user's thumb.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: Rich Interdonato
    Inventor: Rich Interdonato
  • Patent number: 8369492
    Abstract: A method, apparatus, computer program product and service for directory dialer name recognition. The directory dialer has a directory of names and a first name grammar and a second name grammar representing phonetic baseforms of first names and second names respectively. The method includes: receiving voice data for a spoken name after requesting a user to speak the required name; extracting a set of phonetic baseforms for the voice data; and finding the best matches between the extracted set of phonetic baseforms voice data and any combination of the first name grammar and the second name grammar. The method can further include: checking the best match against the directory of names; if the best match does not exist in the directory, informing the user and prompting the next best match as an alternative; and if the best match does exist in the directory, forwarding the call to that best match.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: Nuance Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric William Janke, Keith Sloan
  • Patent number: 8346297
    Abstract: There is provided a multi-tap keyboard user interface with auditory feedback. In one embodiment, there is provided a method for controlling operation of a mobile device having a plurality of input devices, comprising associating groups of one or more keys of the input devices to define at least one input region and in response to an input received from said input devices, performing an associated action for operating the device, responding equally to any input from a same input region. A repeated input (multi-tap) to a same input region cycles through a plurality of actions associated with the input region. Auditory feedback comprising a vocalized description of the action is provided. The multi-tap keyboard user interface with auditory feedback may adapt a mobile device (e.g. PDA or smart phone) for use by visually impaired users.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Gary Mousseau, Thanh Vuong
  • Patent number: 8339291
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are an alphabet input device and an alphabet recognition system in a small-sized keypad. The device includes: a first keypad part comprising a plurality of buttons each of which is assigned with a symbol extracted from strokes of alphabet characters so that the alphabet characters be input by one of the buttons or a combination of two or more of the buttons; and a second keypad part comprising one or more buttons each assigned with an alphabet character having a high usage frequency. With the device, alphabet characters can be inputted in a simper and more efficient manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Inha-Industry Partnership Institute
    Inventors: Daehun Nyang, Kyung Hee Lee
  • Patent number: 8325150
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a physical overlay that can be secured to a mobile device and that covers at least a portion of the mobile device's user interface. The overlay includes a front portion that has input areas, which may be openings or physical keys. The mobile device detects or is told that the overlay is installed, and the mobile device receives configuration data associated with the overly that tells the mobile device the locations of the input areas on the overlay so that the user interface can be adjusted accordingly. The overlay also includes side portions that allow the overlay to be secured to the mobile device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Raymond Emilio Reeves, Ryan Alan Wick
  • Patent number: 8265689
    Abstract: A mobile phone including a number keypad for entering the symbols 0-9, # and *, the keypad including at most five keys at least one of which corresponds to a list of at least two symbols, wherein the nth symbol in the list corresponding to a key is accessed by tapping on the key n times, with cycling from the end of the list back to the beginning of the list. A portable media player with dual use as a cell phone is also described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventor: Uri Ron
  • Patent number: 8254564
    Abstract: An improved keypad for a handheld electronic device has keys wherein the engagement surface thereof is oriented oblique to the actuation axis of the key. The oblique arrangement of the engagement surfaces visually and tactually distinguishes one key from another, which facilitates their incorporation into various handheld electronic devices with relatively small form factors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Roman P. Rak, Jason T. Griffin
  • Patent number: 8254565
    Abstract: A hand-held device that provides communication services and symbol processing is described. The device includes a case having a front side comprising a display and a lid having a transparent portion through which the display can be seen in a lid-closed state. In one version, the hand-held device comprises a QWERTY keyboard including an arrangement of digits as in a touch-tone area telephone keypad arrangement. In another version, the display includes a handwriting area for data entry using a stylus or other screen data entry device. In a closed position, the lid extends over the display and the keyboard, leaving another user input device physically accessible to touch for receiving input wherein the device performs processing responsive to receiving input from the physically accessible user input device in the lid closed state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Jeffrey C. Hawkins, Peter N. Skillman, William B. Rees, Robert Y. Haitani, Michael Alexander Yurochko, Edward Thomas Colligan
  • Patent number: 8244319
    Abstract: A balanced portable device that includes a rectangular housing, a rectangular display, and a split keyboard is described. The rectangular housing has a top face and a bottom face and the rectangular display is located on the top face. The split keyboard is configured to receive input that is shown on the rectangular display. The split keyboard includes a first retractable keyboard on a first end of the bottom face and the first keyboard includes a first battery. The split keyboard also includes a second retractable keyboard on an opposing end of the bottom face and the second keyboard also includes a second battery. The first retractable keyboard and the second retractable keyboard substantially weigh the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: KYOCERA Corporation
    Inventors: Brian Dennis Paschke, Glen Allen Oross, Cheri Ann Delacy
  • Patent number: 8233613
    Abstract: In a user-interactive system, such as an interactive voice response (IVR) system, the duration and/or force of key-presses by the user and/or the speed of response to prompts by the user are used to make inferences about the user, such as whether the user is impaired or is growing frustrated. The user interface is modified based on the inferences.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: Avaya Inc.
    Inventors: Paul Michaelis, David Mohler, Michael J. Thomas
  • Publication number: 20120106730
    Abstract: A keypad configuration for a telephone comprising: a first row, where said first row includes three keypads with the numbers seven, eight, nine designated sequentially on the keypads; a second row, where said second row includes three keypads with the numbers four, five, six designated sequentially on the keypads; a third row, where said third row includes three keypads with the numbers one, two, three designated sequentially on the keypads; and a fourth row, where said fourth row includes three keypads with an asterisk, a zero, and a pound sign designated on the keypads. In one exemplary embodiment, each keypad lights up upon depression for accuracy purposes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2010
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Inventor: Diane McGinty
  • Patent number: 8170202
    Abstract: There is described a method, a terminal device, and a communication system for programming a button of a communication terminal device whereby a user input on the communication terminal device activates an application on a data processing device associated with the communication terminal device. The activated application triggers the display of button programming information for selection for a respective button programming. The selection of one of the displayed button programming information messages on the data processing device triggers the assignment of the associated button programming to the button on the communication terminal device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Siemens Enterprise Communications GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Holger Lankes, Thomas Lederer, Stephan Schaade
  • Patent number: 8164571
    Abstract: An electronic equipment (1) comprising a casing (10) having a front surface (11); a display (20); a mechanical keypad (30); and a set (40) of navigation and function/control keys, said display (20) and keypad (30) being arranged adjacent to one another on the front surface (11), the set (40) of navigation and function/control keys, being arranged to be slideably displaced by a user of the electronic equipment (1) to different positions on said front surface (11), including a first position where a section of the display is visible, the entire keypad is visible, and the set and the key pad complement each other; and a second position where the entire display is visible and the set (40) covers the keypad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB
    Inventor: Stig Frohlund
  • Patent number: 8155305
    Abstract: An easy to use electronic device is provided. The electronic device functions as a telephone and has a display portion, an audio input portion, an audio output portion, and operation keys. The display portion has a passive element, and the operation keys have LEDs. The direction of an image displayed by the LEDs is switchable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Jun Koyama, Yu Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 8130199
    Abstract: A keyboard type input device used in conjunction with a wristwatch or a portable telephone has multiple key positions provided as character entry keys. Each key corresponds to one key in the selected row of the conventional QWERTY keyboard. A second set of control buttons provide for the selection of which row of a conventional QWERTY keyboard are represented by the character keys in addition to other functions such as case shift, and alpha-numerical control functions. A selected row is shown on a display, as visual feedback. Alternatively the keys are implemented as LCDs with pressure sensors and the characters of the selected row are displayed directly on the corresponding key positions. The keyboard finds particular use in portable devices as it demands less space than traditional keyboards.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Frank Rui-Feng Chu, Noboru Kamijo, Denny Duan-Lee Tang
  • Patent number: 8121283
    Abstract: A touchpad has interleaved conductive traces across a touchpad surface. Each conductive trace has a first end and a second end. The width of the first end is larger than the width of the second end. The interleaved conductive traces have a first group of conductive traces alternated with a second group of conductive traces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Tao Peng, Zheng Qin
  • Patent number: 8106407
    Abstract: Although an organic resin substrate is highly effective at reducing the weight and improving the shock resistance of a display device, it is required to improve the moisture resistance of the organic resin substrate for the sake of maintaining the reliability of an EL element. Hard carbon films are formed to cover a surface of the organic resin substrate and outer surfaces of a seating member. Typically, DLC (Diamond like Carbon) films are used as the carbon films. The DLC films have a construction where carbon atoms are bonded into an SP3 bond in terms of a short-distance order, although the films have an amorphous construction from a macroscopic viewpoint. The DLC films contain 95 to 70 atomic % carbon and 5 to 30 atomic % hydrogen, so that the DLC films are very hard and minute and have a superior gas barrier property and insulation performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Yasuyuki Arai
  • Patent number: RE44260
    Abstract: A telephone comprises a first body part with a first keypad and a second keypad located on opposite sides of the first body part, and a second body part having a display. As the first body part is swiveled to bring the second keypad to the front of the phone the processing circuitry may switch over to only accept input from the keypad that has been brought up. This input is used to control the applications currently running.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: Mobilemedia Ideas LLC
    Inventor: Calin Turcanu
  • Patent number: RE44286
    Abstract: The present invention encompasses an electronic device that comprising two housings connected via a hinge. The two housing are capable of rotating about one and another. The two housing may be rotated to place the electronic device in an open or closed position. Electronic device further comprises at least two scroll dials, allowing the user to operate various functions in either the closed position or the open position. A display is provided that automatically adjust orientation to allow the user to view the information provided on the display in either open or closed position. The electronic device also provides for adjusting the audio functionalities based on the position of the electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Inventors: Gary Bell, Soren Petersen