U.S. patent application number 11/738944 was filed with the patent office on 2008-03-27 for navigation keys for a handheld electronic device.
Invention is credited to Roman P. RAK.
Application Number | 20080074393 11/738944 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38329944 |
Filed Date | 2008-03-27 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080074393 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
RAK; Roman P. |
March 27, 2008 |
NAVIGATION KEYS FOR A HANDHELD ELECTRONIC DEVICE
Abstract
A handheld wireless communication device includes features that
make it easier to differentiate among various keys and to correctly
select a desired key. It also includes features that make the
device more comfortable to use. In particular, corner keys have
decreasing height profiles to make above-adjacent keys easier to
reach and distinguish. Additionally, lowermost, outermost portions
of the corner keys may be somewhat truncated. Flanking keys in a
navigation row slant toward and are flush with peripheral edges of
a navigation tool assembly and have outer edges that are higher
than inner edges of adjacent outer keys. The outer edges of the
flanking keys may be hump-shaped or crowned. The longitudinally
central portion of the device is narrower than the ends of the
device, and the corners of the device are contoured to enhance
comfort in a user's hand. Soft-touch materials are employed in
hand-contacting portions of the device.
Inventors: |
RAK; Roman P.; (Waterloo,
CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
NOVAK DRUCE + QUIGG LLP;(RIM PROSECUTION)
1000 LOUISIANA STREET, FIFTY-THIRD FLOOR
HOUSTON
TX
77002
US
|
Family ID: |
38329944 |
Appl. No.: |
11/738944 |
Filed: |
April 23, 2007 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60826898 |
Sep 25, 2006 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
345/168 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06F 1/1664 20130101;
G06F 3/03549 20130101; G06F 1/1626 20130101; G06F 1/1656 20130101;
G06F 3/0202 20130101; G06F 1/169 20130101; H01H 2221/012 20130101;
H01H 13/14 20130101; G06F 3/0219 20130101; H01H 2219/062 20130101;
G06F 3/04886 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
345/168 |
International
Class: |
G06F 3/02 20060101
G06F003/02 |
Claims
1. A handheld wireless communication device configured to send and
receive text messages, said device comprising: a body having a
front face, a vertical centerline, and top and bottom portions; a
navigation row of user inputs located on the front face of said
body, said navigation row of user inputs comprising a
multi-directional navigation tool assembly flanked by a pair of
flanking keys, each of said flanking keys located substantially
opposite one another across said navigation tool assembly and
positioned adjacent lateral sides of said navigation tool assembly;
and at least a portion of each flanking key having an upper surface
of variable height above said front face of said body of said
device, said upper surface being upwardly sloping from a laterally
inner edge of the flanking key toward a lateral mid-portion of the
key.
2. The handheld wireless communication device as recited in claim
1, wherein said navigation tool assembly comprises a trackball
located between said flanking keys, said trackball having a top
height level with a portion of each of said upwardly sloping upper
surfaces of said flanking keys whereby an operator's finger sliding
from said trackball to one of said flanking keys tactilely
experiences a substantially smooth transition between said
trackball and the flanking key.
3. The handheld wireless communication device as recited in claim
2, wherein said trackball is located at a recess in said front face
of said body of said device.
4. The handheld wireless communication device as recited in claim
3, wherein said recess is shaped as an interiorly concave circular
band around said trackball.
5. The handheld wireless communication device as recited in claim
4, wherein an upper lip of said recess has a height substantially
equal to a height of the laterally inner edge of each of the
flanking keys whereby an operator's finger sliding across said
recess to one of said flanking keys tactilely experiences a
substantially smooth transition between said recess and the
flanking key.
6. The handheld wireless communication device as recited in claim
1, wherein the upper surface of each flanking key is upwardly
sloping from the key's laterally inner edge to a laterally outer
edge of the key.
7. The handheld wireless communication device as recited in claim
6, wherein said navigation row further comprises: a pair of outer
keys, each outer key being located substantially opposite one
another across said navigation tool assembly and each outer key
being outboardly positioned adjacent to a laterally outer edge of a
respective flanking key.
8. The handheld wireless communication device as recited in claim
7, wherein the laterally inner edge of each of said outer keys has
a height that is less than the height of the laterally outer edge
of a respective flanking key to which the outer key is outboardly
positioned and whereby an operator's finger sliding from a flanking
key to the respective outer key tactilely experiences a dropoff
transition between the flanking key and the outer key.
9. The handheld wireless communication device as recited in claim
8, wherein the upper surface of each outer key is chamfered at the
laterally inner edge thereof thereby establishing the dropoff
transition between the flanking key and the respective outer
key.
10. The handheld wireless communication device as recited in claim
8, wherein said navigation tool assembly comprises a trackball
located between said pair of flanking keys, said trackball having a
top height level with a portion of each of said upwardly sloping
upper surfaces of said flanking keys whereby an operator's finger
sliding from said trackball to one of said flanking keys tactilely
experiences a substantially smooth transition between said
trackball and the flanking key.
11. The handheld wireless communication device as recited in claim
8, wherein said trackball is located at a recess in said front face
of said body of said device.
12. The handheld wireless communication device as recited in claim
11, wherein said recess is shaped as an interiorly concave circular
band around said trackball.
13. The handheld wireless communication device as recited in claim
12, wherein an upper lip of said recess has a height substantially
equal to a height of the laterally inner edge of each of the
flanking keys whereby an operator's finger sliding across said
recess to one of said flanking keys tactilely experiences a
substantially smooth transition between said recess and the
flanking key.
14. The handheld wireless communication device as recited in claim
8, wherein the upper surface of each flanking key is upwardly
sloping from the key's laterally inner edge to a laterally outer
edge of the key.
15. The handheld wireless communication device as recited in claim
1, further comprising: said body being hand cradleable and
configured to be held in a text entry orientation in one hand of an
operator of said device during text entry; a display located on
said front face of said body and upon which information is
displayed to the operator of the device in the text entry
orientation; and a key field located at said front face of said
body, said key field comprising a plurality of keys of which a
portion are alphanumeric input keys and a portion are function
keys, said alphanumeric input keys comprising a plurality of
alphabetic keys having letters associated therewith that are
arranged in one of a QWERTY, QWLRTZ, AZERTY, and Dvorak arrangement
for facilitating text entry.
16. The handheld wireless communication device as recited in claim
15, wherein said key field and said navigation row of user inputs
are substantially mirror symmetric about said vertical
centerline.
17. The handheld wireless communication device as recited in claim
16, wherein said body is elongate with a longitudinal axis parallel
to said vertical centerline relative the text entry
orientation.
18. The handheld wireless communication device as recited in claim
17, wherein said display is located in said top portion of said
body during text entry and said key field is located in said bottom
portion of said body during text entry.
19. The handheld wireless communication device as recited in claim
18, wherein said navigation tool assembly comprises a trackball
disposed at said front face of said body and said navigation row of
user inputs is located between said display and said key field.
20. The handheld wireless communication device as recited in claim
1, wherein said device is configurable to send and receive voice
communications.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE
[0001] The present application claims the benefit of U.S.
Provisional Application No. 60/826,898, filed Sep. 25, 2006. Said
application is expressly incorporated herein by reference in its
entirety.
FIELD
[0002] This disclosure, in a broad sense, is directed toward
handheld electronic devices; and more specifically to handheld
communication devices that have wireless communication capabilities
and the networks within which the wireless communication devices
operate. The present disclosure further relates to the ergonomics
of such devices, including features which enhance a user's ability
to tactilely differentiate among various keys on the device and
which make such devices more comfortable in the user's palm and
which facilitate thumb-manipulation of an included navigation tool
on the device.
BACKGROUND
[0003] With the proliferation of wireless communication systems,
compatible handheld communication devices are becoming more
prevalent, as well as advanced. Whereas in the past such handheld
communication devices were typically limited to either voice
transmission (cell phones) or text transmission (pagers and PDAs),
today's consumer often demands a multifunctional device capable of
performing both types of transmissions, including even sending and
receiving e-mail. Furthermore, these higher-performance devices can
also be capable of sending and receiving other types of data
including that which allows the viewing and use of Internet
websites. These higher level functionalities necessarily require
greater user interaction with the devices through included user
interfaces (Uls) which may have originally been designed to
accommodate making and receiving telephone calls and sending
messages over a related Short Messaging Service (SMS). As might be
expected, suppliers of such mobile communication devices and the
related service providers are anxious to meet these customer
requirements, but the demands of these more advanced
functionalities have in many circumstances rendered the traditional
user interfaces unsatisfactory, a situation that has caused
designers to have to improve the UIs through which users input
information and control these sophisticated operations.
[0004] Keyboards are used on many handheld devices, including
telephones and mobile communication devices. The size of keyboards
has been reduced over the years, as newer, smaller devices have
become popular. Cell phones, for example, are now sized to fit in
one's pocket or the palm of the hand. As the size of the devices
has decreased, the more important it has become to utilize the
entire keyboard surface as efficiently as possible.
[0005] Many keyboards on mobile devices have an input device for
navigation through the graphical user interface. These interfaces
include such devices as trackballs and rotating wheels which can be
used to effect movement of a cursor or pointer, or to scroll up,
down and about a displayed page. These navigation devices often
occupy a relatively large amount of space on the incorporating
mobile device. Because the navigation device is frequently used and
often requires fine control, a lower end size limitation will
normally be observed by device designers. To accommodate such
larger, more convenient navigation devices on the housing of the
mobile device, the amount of space that is available for the keys
of the keyboard is correspondingly reduced if the keyboard and
navigational device are proximately located to one another.
[0006] Another keyboard spacing problem is that of finger overlap
and key differentiation when keys are smaller than the user's
finger and are spaced closely together--a situation that arises
particularly if a full keyboard (as opposed to a reduced-format
keyboard) arrangement is implemented. Furthermore, as handheld
wireless communication devices become used more and more frequently
by a given user, and as they become smaller, comfort within the
user's hand becomes a bigger concern. The present disclosure
provides solutions to these concerns.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] Examplary methods and arrangements conducted and configured
according to the advantageous solutions presented herein are
depicted in the accompanying drawings wherein:
[0008] FIG. 1 illustrates a handheld communication device
configured according to the present teachings, cradled in the palm
of a user's hand;
[0009] FIG. 2 is a block diagram representing a wireless handheld
communication device interacting in a communication network;
[0010] FIG. 3a illustrates an examplary QWERTY keyboard layout;
[0011] FIG. 3b illustrates an examplary QWERTZ keyboard layout;
[0012] FIG. 3c illustrates an examplary AZERTY keyboard layout;
[0013] FIG. 3d illustrates an examplary Dvorak keyboard layout;
[0014] FIG. 4 illustrates a QWERTY keyboard layout paired with a
traditional ten-key keyboard;
[0015] FIG. 5 illustrates ten digits comprising the numerals 0-9
arranged in a traditional, ITU Standard E.161 numeric telephone
keypad layout, including the * and # keys flanking the 0 key;
[0016] FIG. 6 illustrates a traditional or standard phone key
arrangement or layout according to the ITU Standard E.161 including
both numerals and letters;
[0017] FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of an examplary
wireless handheld electronic device, incorporating a trackball
assembly as the auxiliary user input;
[0018] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the handheld communication
device illustrated in FIG. 1;
[0019] FIG. 9 illustrates on a larger scale the keyboard (keyfield
and navigation row) employed in the handheld communication device
illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 8;
[0020] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the keyboard illustrated in
FIG. 9;
[0021] FIG. 11 is an end-on view of the keyboard illustrated in
FIGS. 9 and 10;
[0022] FIG. 12 illustrates key "target areas" and areas of finger
overlap associated with the corner keys and above-adjacent keys on
the keyboard of FIGS. 9-11;
[0023] FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the navigation row
illustrated in FIG. 9;
[0024] FIG. 14 is a section view of the navigation row illustrated
in FIG. 13; and
[0025] FIGS. 15a-15e illustrate a user using the navigation row
illustrated in FIGS. 13 and 14.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0026] An examplary handheld electronic device 300 is shown in FIG.
1, and the device's cooperation in a wireless network 319 is
exemplified in the block diagram of FIG. 2. These figures are
exemplary only, and those persons skilled in the art will
appreciate the additional elements and modifications necessary to
make the device 300 work in particular network environments.
[0027] As shown in the block diagram of FIG. 2, the device 300
includes a microprocessor 338 that controls the operation of the
device 300. A communication subsystem 311 performs all
communication transmission and reception with the wireless network
319. The microprocessor 338 further connects with an auxiliary
input/output (I/O) subsystem 328, a serial port (preferably a
Universal Serial Bus port) 330, a display 322, a keyboard 332, a
speaker 334, a microphone 336, random access memory (RAM) 326, and
flash memory 324. Other communication subsystems 340 and other
device subsystems 342 are generally indicated as being functionally
connected with the microprocessor 338 as well. An example of a
communication subsystem 340 is that of a short range communication
system such as BLUETOOTH.RTM. communication module or a Wi-Fi
communication module (a communication module in compliance with
IEEE 802.11b) and associated circuits and components. Additionally,
the microprocessor 338 is able to perform operating system
functions and preferably enables execution of software applications
on the communication device 300.
[0028] The auxiliary I/O subsystem 328 can take the form of a
variety of different navigation tools (multi-directional or
single-directional) such as a trackball navigation tool 325 as
illustrated in the examplary embodiment shown in FIG. 9, or a
thumbwheel, a navigation pad, a joystick, or the like. These
navigation tools are preferably located on the front surface of the
device 300 but may be located on any exterior surface of the device
300. Other auxiliary I/O subsystems can include external display
devices and externally connected keyboards (not shown). While the
above examples have been provided in relation to the auxiliary I/O
subsystem 328, other subsystems capable of providing input or
receiving output from the handheld electronic device 300 are
considered within the scope of this disclosure. Additionally, other
keys may be placed along the side of the device 300 to function as
escape keys, volume control keys, scrolling keys, power switches,
or user programmable keys, and may likewise be programmed
accordingly.
[0029] As may be appreciated from FIG. 1, the handheld
communication device 300 comprises a lighted display 322 located
above a keyboard 332 constituting a user input and suitable for
accommodating textual input to the handheld communication device
300. The front face of the device has a navigation row 70 and a key
field 650 that includes alphanumeric keys 630, alphabetic keys 632,
numeric keys 42, and other function keys as shown in FIG. 1. As
shown, the device 300 is of unibody construction, also known as a
"candy-bar" design.
[0030] Keys, typically of a push-button or push-pad nature, perform
well as data entry devices but present problems to the user when
they must also be used to effect navigational control over a
screen-cursor. In order to solve this problem the present handheld
electronic device 300 preferably includes an auxiliary input that
acts as a cursor navigational tool 327 and which is also exteriorly
located upon the front face of the device 300. Its front face
location is particularly advantageous because it makes the tool
easily thumb-actuable like the keys of the keyboard. A particularly
usable embodiment provides the navigational tool 327 in the form of
a trackball 321 which is easily utilized to instruct
two-dimensional screen cursor movement in substantially any
direction, as well as act as an actuator when the trackball 321 is
depressed like a button. The placement of the navigation tool 327
is preferably above the keyboard 332 and below the display screen
322; here, it avoids interference during keyboarding and does not
block the user's view ofthe display screen 322 during use. (See
FIG. 1).
[0031] As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 7-15e, the present disclosure
is directed to a handheld wireless communication device 300
configured to send and receive text messages. The device includes a
hand cradleable body configured to be held in one hand by an
operator of the device during text entry. A display 322 is included
that is located on a front face 370 of the body and upon which
information is displayed to the operator during text entry. A key
field 650 is also located on the front face 370 of the elongate
body and comprises a plurality of keys including a plurality of
alphanumeric keys, symbol keys, and function keys. A navigation row
70 including menu keys 652 and a navigation tool 327 is also
located on the front face 370 of the body. The alphanumeric input
keys comprise a plurality of alphabetic and/or numeric keys 632
having letters and/or numbers associated therewith. The order of
the letters of the alphabetic keys 632 on the presently disclosed
device can be described as being of a traditional, but non-ITU
Standard E.161 layout. This terminology has been utilized to
clearly delineate the fact that such a telephone keypad as depicted
in FIG. 6 is not suitable for use in the presently disclosed device
300. Moreover, persons skilled in these arts who design devices 300
of the nature defined herein would not look to devices that include
an ITU Standard E.161 alphabetic telephone keypad configuration
because of the substantial deficiencies that exist where text input
beyond short messaging services (SMS) is required, such as for
emailing.
[0032] The handheld wireless communication device 300 is also
configured to send and receive voice communications such as mobile
telephone calls. To facilitate telephone calls, two call keys 605,
609 ("outer keys") are provided in the upper, navigation row 70
(so-called because it includes the navigation tool assembly 327) at
the outer ends of the navigation row 70. One of the two call keys
is a call initiation key 605, and the other is a call termination
key 609. The navigation row 70 also includes another pair of keys
("flanking keys") that are located immediately adjacent to the
navigation tool 327, with one flanking key on either side of the
navigation tool 327. It is noted that the outer keys are referred
to as such not because they are necessarily the outermost keys in
the navigation row--there may be additional keys located even
further outwardly of the outer keys if desired--but rather because
they are located outwardly with respect to the flanking keys. The
flanking keys may, for instance, constitute the menu keys 652,
which include a menu call-up key 606 and an escape or back key 608.
The menu call-up key 606 is used to bring up a menu on the display
screen 322 and the escape key 608 is used to return to the previous
screen or previous menu selection. The functions of the call keys
and the menu keys may, of course, be provided by buttons that are
located elsewhere on the device, with different functions assigned
to the outer keys and the flanking keys.
[0033] Furthermore, the device is equipped with components to
enable operation of various programs, as shown in FIG. 2. In an
examplary embodiment, the flash memory 324 is enabled to provide a
storage location for the operating system 408, device programs 358,
and data. The operating system 408 is generally configured to
manage other application programs 358 that are also stored in
memory 324 and executable on the processor 338. The operating
system 408 honors requests for services made by application
programs 358 through predefined application program 358 interfaces.
More specifically, the operating system 408 typically determines
the order in which multiple applications 358 are executed on the
processor 338 and the execution time allotted for each application
358, manages the sharing of memory 324 among multiple applications
358, handles input and output to and from other device subsystems
342, and so on. In addition, users can typically interact directly
with the operating system 408 through a user interface usually
including the keyboard 332 and display screen 322. While in an
examplary embodiment the operating system 408 is stored in flash
memory 324, the operating system 408 in other embodiments is stored
in read-only memory (ROM) or similar storage element (not shown).
As those skilled in the art will appreciate, the operating system
408, device application 358 or parts thereof may be loaded in RAM
326 or other volatile memory.
[0034] In one examplary embodiment, the flash memory 324 contains
programs/applications 358 for execution on the device 300 including
an address book 352, a personal information manager (PIM) 354, and
the device state 350. Furthermore, programs 358 and other
information 356 including data can be segregated upon storage in
the flash memory 324 ofthe device 300.
[0035] When the device 300 is enabled for two-way communication
within the wireless communication network 319, it can send and
receive signals from a mobile communication service. Examples of
communication systems enabled for two-way communication include,
but are not limited to, the General Packet Radio Service (GPRS)
network, the Universal Mobile Telecommunication Service (UTMS)
network, the Enhanced Data for Global Evolution (EDGE) network, and
the Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) network and those
networks, generally described as packet-switched, narrowband,
data-only technologies which are mainly used for short burst
wireless data transfer. For the systems listed above, the
communication device 300 must be properly enabled to transmit and
receive signals from the communication network 319. Other systems
may not require such identifying information. GPRS, UMTS, and EDGE
require the use of a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) in order to
allow communication with the communication network 319. Likewise,
most CDMA systems require the use of a Removable Identity Module
(RUIM) in order to communicate with the CDMA network. The RUIM and
SIM card can be used in multiple different communication devices
300. The communication device 300 may be able to operate some
features without a SIM/RUIM card, but it will not be able to
communicate with the network 319. A SIM/RUIM interface 344 located
within the device 300 allows for removal or insertion of a SIM/RUIM
card (not shown). The SIM/RUIM card features memory and holds key
configurations 351, and other information 353 such as
identification and subscriber related information. With a properly
enabled communication device 300, two-way communication between the
communication device 300 and communication network 319 is
possible.
[0036] If the communication device 300 is enabled as described
above or the communication network 319 does not require such
enablement, the two-way communication enabled device 300 is able to
both transmit and receive information from the communication
network 319. The transfer of communication can be from the device
300 or to the device 300. In order to communicate with the
communication network 319, the device 300 in the presently
described examplary embodiment is equipped with an integral or
internal antenna 318 for transmitting signals to the communication
network 319. Likewise the communication device 300 in the presently
described examplary embodiment is equipped with another antenna 316
for receiving communication from the communication network 319.
These antennae (316, 318) in another examplary embodiment are
combined into a single antenna (not shown). As one skilled in the
art would appreciate, the antenna or antennae (316, 318) in another
embodiment are externally mounted on the device 300.
[0037] When equipped for two-way communication, the communication
device 300 features a communication subsystem 311. As is well known
in the art, this communication subsystem 311 is modified so that it
can support the operational needs of the device 300. The subsystem
311 includes a transmitter 314 and receiver 312 including the
associated antenna or antennae (316, 318) as described above, local
oscillators (LOs) 313, and a processing module 320 which in the
presently described examplary embodiment is a digital signal
processor (DSP) 320.
[0038] It is contemplated that communication by the device 300 with
the wireless network 319 can be any type of communication that both
the wireless network 319 and device 300 are enabled to transmit,
receive and process. In general, these can be classified as voice
and data. Voice communication is communication in which signals for
audible sounds are transmitted by the device 300 through the
communication network 319. Data is all other types of communication
that the device 300 is capable of performing within the constraints
of the wireless network 319.
[0039] Example device applications that can depend on such data
include email, contacts and calendars. For each such application
synchronization with home-based versions on the applications can be
critical for either or both of their long term and short term
utility. As an example, emails are often time sensitive, so
substantially real time synchronization is highly desirable.
Contacts, on the other hand, can be usually updated less frequently
without inconvenience. Therefore, the utility of the device 300 is
significantly enhanced (if not enabled) when connectable within a
communication system, and particularly when connectable on a
wireless basis in a network 319 in which voice, text messaging, and
other data transfer are accommodated.
[0040] Integration of the trackball assembly into handheld device
300 can be seen in the exploded view of FIG. 7 showing some of the
typical components found in the assembly of the handheld electronic
device 300. The construction of the device benefits from various
manufacturing simplifications. The internal components are
predominantly constructed on a single PCB (printed circuit board,
not illustrated). The keyboard 332 can be constructed from a single
piece of material, and in some embodiments is made from plastic.
The keyboard 332 sits over dome switches (not shown) located on the
PCB in one embodiment. While in the presently described examplary
embodiment one switch is provided for every key on the keyboard
332, in other embodiments more than one switch or less than one
switch per key are provided. The keyboard light guide or chasis
(not shown) holds the keyboard 332 and trackball navigation tool
325 in place above the PCB. A front housing cover 11 is mounted
over the keyboard 332 and light guide. The front housing cover 11
also provides an attachment point for the display (not shown). A
lens 13 covers the display to prevent damage. When assembled, the
front housing cover 11 and the PCB are fixedly attached to each
other and the display is positioned between the PCB and the front
housing cover 11.
[0041] The trackball navigation tool 325 can be frictionally
engaged with the front housing cover 1 1, and in one examplary
embodiment the trackball navigation tool 325 is removable when the
device is assembled. This allows for replacement of the trackball
navigation tool 325 if/when it becomes damaged or the user desires
replacement with a different type of trackball navigation tool 325.
In the examplary embodiment of FIG. 7, the navigation tool 328 is a
ball 321 based device. Other multidirectional navigation tools 327
such as joysticks, four-way cursors, or touch pads are also
considered to be within the scope of this disclosure. The removal
of the trackball navigation tool 325 is enabled through the use of
an outer removable ring 23, the outer edge of which defines the
periphery of the navigation tool assembly 328. The ring 23 ensures
that the navigation tool 328 is properly held in place against the
front housing cover 11.
[0042] A serial port (preferably a Universal Serial Bus port) 330
and an earphone jack 40 are fixedly attached to the PCB and further
held in place by left side element 16. Buttons 30-32 may be
attached to switches (not shown) which are connected to the PCB
12.
[0043] Final assembly involves placing a bottom piece 18 in contact
with a front housing cover 11 and back support frame 19.
Furthermore, the assembly interconnects right side element 15 and
left side element 16 with the front housing cover I 1, bottom piece
18, back support frame 19, PCB, and lens 13. These side elements
15, 16 provide additional protection and strength to the support
structure of the device 300. In the presently described examplary
embodiment, backplate 14 is removably attached to the back support
frame 19.
[0044] As intimated hereinabove, one of the more important aspects
of the handheld electronic device 300 to which this disclosure is
directed is its size. While some users will grasp the device 300 in
both hands, it is intended that a predominance of users will cradle
the device 300 in one hand in such a manner that input and control
over the device 300 can be effected using the thumb of the same
hand in which the device 300 is held. However, it is appreciated
that additional control can be effected by using both hands. As a
handheld device 300 that is easy to grasp and desirably pocketable,
the size of the device 300 must be kept commensurately small. Of
the device's dimensions, limiting its width is important for the
purpose of assuring cradleability in a user's hand. Moreover, it is
preferred that the width of the device 300 be maintained at less
than eight centimeters (approximately three inches). Keeping the
device 300 within these dimensional limits provides a hand
cradleable unit that users prefer for its usability and
portability. Limitations with respect to the height (length) of the
device 300 are less stringent when considering hand-cradleability.
Therefore, in order to gain greater size, the device 300 can be
advantageously elongated so that its height is greater than its
width, but still remains easily supported and operated in one
hand.
[0045] A potential drawback is presented by the small size of the
device 300 in that there is limited exterior surface area for the
inclusion of user input and device output features. This is
especially true for the "prime real estate" on the front face 370
of the device 300, where it is most advantageous to include a
display screen 322 that outputs information to the user. The
display screen 322 is preferably located above a keyboard 332 that
is utilized for data entry into the device 300 by the user. If the
screen 322 is provided below the keyboard 332, a problem occurs in
that viewing the screen 322 is inhibited when the user is inputting
data using the keyboard 332. Therefore it is preferred that the
display screen 322 be above the input area, thereby solving the
problem by assuring that the hands and fingers do not block the
view of the screen 322 during data entry periods.
[0046] To facilitate textual data entry into the device 300, an
alphabetic keyboard 332 is provided. In the examplary illustrated
embodiment, a full alphabetic keyboard 332 is utilized in which
there is one key per letter (with some of the letter keys also
having numbers, symbols, or functions associated with them). In
this regard, the associated letters can be advantageously organized
in QWERTY, QWLRTZ, AZERTY, or Dvorak layouts, among others, thereby
capitalizing on certain users' familiarity with these various
letter orders. In order to stay within the bounds of the limited
front surface area, however, each of the keys must be
commensurately small when, for example, twenty-six keys must be
provided in the instance of the English language.
[0047] As shown in FIG. 1, the handheld electronic device 300 is
cradleable in the palm of a user's hand. The handheld device 300 is
provided with a keyboard 332 to enter text data and place telephone
calls and a display screen 322 for communicating information to the
user. A connect/send key 605 is preferably provided to aid in the
placement of a phone call. Additionally, a disconnect/end key 609
is provided. The send key 605 and end key 609 preferably are
arranged in the navigation row 70 including the navigation tool
327. Additionally, the navigation row 70 preferably has a menu
call-up key 606 and a back key or escape key 608.
[0048] The keyboard 332 includes a plurality of keys that can be of
a physical nature such as actuable buttons, or they can be of a
software nature, typically constituted by virtual representations
of physical keys on a display screen 322 (referred to herein as
"virtual keys"). It is also contemplated that the user input can be
provided as a combination of the two types of keys. Each key of the
plurality of keys has at least one actuable action which can be the
input of a character, a command or a function. In this context,
"characters" are contemplated to exemplarily include alphabetic
letters, language symbols, numbers, punctuation, insignias, icons,
pictures, and even a blank space. Input commands and functions can
include such things as delete, backspace, moving a cursor up, down,
left or right, initiating an arithmetic function or command,
initiating a command or function specific to an application program
or feature in use, initiating a command or function programmed by
the user and other such commands and functions that are well known
to those persons skilled in the art. Specific keys or other types
of input devices can be used to navigate through the various
applications and features thereof Further, depending on the
application 358 or feature in use, specific keys can be enabled or
disabled.
[0049] In the case of physical keys, all or a portion of the
plurality of keys have one or more indicia representing
character(s), command(s), and/or functions(s) displayed at their
top surface and/or on the surface of the area adjacent the
respective key. In the instance where the indicia of a key's
function is provided adjacent the key, the indicia can be printed
on the device cover beside the key, or in the instance of keys
located adjacent the display screen 322. Additionally, current
indicia for the key may be temporarily shown nearby the key on the
screen 322.
[0050] In the case of virtual keys, the indicia for the respective
keys are shown on the display screen 322, which in one embodiment
is enabled by touching the display screen 322, for example, with a
stylus to generate the character or activate the indicated command
or function. Some examples of display screens 322 capable of
detecting a touch include resistive, capacitive, projected
capacitive, infrared and surface acoustic wave (SAW)
touchscreens.
[0051] Physical and virtual keys can be combined in many different
ways as appreciated by those skilled in the art. In one embodiment,
physical and virtual keys are combined such that the plurality of
enabled keys for a particular application or feature of the
handheld electronic device 300 is shown on the display screen 322
in the same configuration as the physical keys. Using this
configuration, the user can select the appropriate physical key
corresponding to what is shown on the display screen 322. Thus, the
desired character, command or function is obtained by depressing
the physical key corresponding to the character, command or
function displayed at a corresponding position on the display
screen 322, rather than touching the display screen 322.
[0052] The various characters, commands, and functions associated
with keyboard typing in general are traditionally arranged using
various conventions. The most common of these in the United States,
for instance, is the QWERTY keyboard layout. Others include the
QWERTZ, AZERTY, and Dvorak keyboard configurations. The QWERTY
keyboard layout is the standard English-language alphabetic key
arrangement 44a shown in FIG. 3a. The QWERTZ keyboard layout is
normally used in German-speaking regions; this alphabetic key
arrangement 44b is shown in FIG. 3b. The AZERTY keyboard layout 44c
is normally used in French-speaking regions and is shown in FIG.
3c. The Dvorak keyboard layout was designed to allow typists to
type faster; this alphabetic key arrangement 44d is shown in FIG.
3d. In other examplary embodiments, keyboards having multi-language
key arrangements can be implemented.
[0053] Alphabetic key arrangements are often presented along with
numeric key arrangements. Typically, the numbers 1-9 and 0 are
positioned in the row above the alphabetic keys 44a-d, as shown in
FIG. 3a-d. Alternatively, the numbers share keys with the
alphabetic characters, such as the top row of the QWERTY keyboard.
Yet another examplary numeric key arrangement is shown in FIG. 4,
where a "ten-key" style numeric keypad 46 is provided on a separate
set of keys that is spaced from the alphabetic/numeric key
arrangement 44. Still further, ten-key numeric arrangements may be
common with or shared with a subset of the alphabetic keys, as best
shown in FIGS. 9 and 10. The ten-key styled numeric keypad 46
includes the numbers "7", "8", "9" arranged in a top row, "4", "5",
"6" arranged in a second row, "1", "2", "3" arranged in a third
row, and "0" in a bottom row. Further, a numeric phone key
arrangement 42 is exemplarily illustrated in FIG. 5.
[0054] As shown in FIG. 5, the numeric phone key arrangement 42 may
also utilize a surface treatment on the surface of the center "5"
key. This surface treatment is configured such that the top surface
of the key is distinctive from the surface of other keys.
Preferably the surface treatment is in the form of a raised bump or
recessed dimple 43. Alternatively, raised bumps may be positioned
on the housing around the "5" key and do not necessarily have to be
positioned directly on the key.
[0055] It is desirable for handheld devices 300 to include a
combined text-entry keyboard and a telephony keyboard. Examples of
such handheld devices 300 include mobile stations, cellular
telephones, wireless personal digital assistants (PDAs), two-way
paging devices, and others. Various keyboards are used with such
devices and can be termed a full keyboard, a reduced-format
keyboard, or phone key pad. In embodiments of a handheld device 300
having a full keyboard, the alphabetic characters are singly
associated with the plurality of physical keys. Thus, in an
English-language keyboard of this configuration, there are at least
26 keys in the plurality, with one letter per alphabetic key.
[0056] FIGS. 5 and 6 both feature numeric keys arranged according
to the ITU Standard E.161 form. In addition, FIG. 6 also
incorporates alphabetic characters according to the ITU Standard
E.161 layout as well.
[0057] Reference is now made to FIGS. 8-12, which disclose an
examplary embodiment having a full alphabetic keyboard arrangement.
In particular, as shown in FIGS. 8-12, only one letter of the
alphabet is associated with any given alphabetic key within the
keys of the keyfield. This is in contrast to reduced-format
arrangements, in which multiple letters of the alphabet may be
associated with at least some of the alphabetic keys of a keyboard.
Additionally, as alluded to above and shown in the referenced
figures, some of the alphabetic keys also have numbers, symbols, or
functions associated with them. In the specifically illustrated
embodiment, the alphabetic keys (including those also having
numbers, symbols, or functions associated with them) are arranged
in a QWERTY arrangement, although any of the other full-keyboard
arrangements (QWLRTZ, AZERTY, or Dvorak) may also be implemented
within the scope of this disclosure.
[0058] To emulate as much as possible a full-sized keyboard as
used, for example, with a personal computer, the alphabetic keys in
the keyfield 650 are arranged in rows 72, 74, and 76. Furthermore,
as is customary with such full-sized keyboards, the space key 80 is
located in the center of the lowermost row 80 of the keyfield 650,
below the letter (and to a certain extent number) rows 72, 74, and
76. To help make the hand-cradleable dimensions of the device
possible, the shift keys 82 are located at each of the outermost
ends of the lowermost row 80. This is in contrast to a typical
full-size keyboard, in which the shift keys are at the ends of the
lowermost row of alphabetic keys. Because they are the endmost keys
of the lowermost row, the shift keys 82 are referred to as "corner
keys." It is noted that in other arrangements that are deemed to be
within the scope of this disclosure, the corner keys may have other
functions besides or in addition to the shift function.
Additionally, even though the illustrated keyfield 650 is fairly
rectangular since all four rows of keys 72, 74, 76, and 78 have the
same physical length, the term "corner keys" may also be used to
describe the outermost keys in the lowermost row of keys in
arrangements where the lowermost row of keys is shorter than those
above it. In addition to the space key 80 and the shift (corner)
keys 82, the presently described embodiment also includes an
additional key on either side of the space key, between the space
key and the corner keys, in the lowermost row of keys. For example,
the presently described embodiment includes the "0" key 84 to the
left of the space key 80 (part of the numeric keyfield superimposed
or overlaid over certain keys of the alphabetic keyfield) and the
"symbol" key 86 ("sym," used to indicate that a symbol instead of a
letter is desired when pressing a given key) to the right of the
space key 80.
[0059] As noted, the lowermost row of keys 78 is the same physical
length as the other three rows of keys 72, 74, and 76 even though
in the illustrated embodiment there are fewer keys in the lowermost
row than there are in the rows above it. Therefore, in addition to
the space key 80 (which is conventionally several times longer than
the rest of the keys in the keyfield on a full-size keyboard), the
shift (corner) keys 82 are also longer than the keys in the rows
above the lowermost row 78 in order to "fill out" the lowermost row
78. For example, as shown in the illustrated embodiment, the shift
keys 82 are twice as long as the keys in the rows above the
lowermost row, and there are two keys (identified in more detail
below) located above each shift key 82. Alternatively, in
embodiments in which the only keys in the lowermost row are the
space key and the shift keys, the shift keys could be even longer
than twice the width of the keys above them, and there could,
accordingly, be more than two keys above each of the shift
keys.
[0060] Furthermore, in accordance with emulating a full-size
keyboard as much as possible, the right endmost key 88 in the row
76 above the lowermost row 78 (i.e., immediately above the
right-hand shift key 82) is the "enter" key. In some embodiments,
the key immediately to the left of the "enter" key may be a
function and/or a symbol key, e.g., the speaker/"$" key as shown in
the illustrated embodiment.
[0061] On the other side of the keyfield shown as being
mirror-symmetric about a vertically oriented axis of symmetry, the
left endmost key 90 in the row 76 above the lowermost row 78 (i.e.,
immediately above the left-hand shift key 82) is the "alt" key. In
some embodiments, the key immediately to the right of the "alt" key
will likely be an alphabetic key and may also constitute a numeric
key, e.g., the "Z"/"7" key as shown in the illustrated embodiment.
The "enter" and "alt" keys (particularly the "enter" key) are
frequently used keys, particular in the context of handheld
wireless communication devices of the sort to which the present
disclosure pertains. Therefore, according to one teaching of this
disclosure, certain features are incorporated into the corner keys
82 to facilitate easier access to the "enter" and "alt" keys
immediately adjacent to said corner keys 82.
[0062] Thus, as illustrated in FIGS. 8-12 (FIG. 11 in particular),
the height of the corner keys with respect to the face of the
device body decreases toward their laterally outer edges. As a
result, (at least portions of) the bottom edges of the keys
immediately above the corner keys (i.e., "above-adjacent" keys) are
higher than the laterally outer edges of the corner keys. Depending
on the relative sizes of the keys, this relationship may, but need
not necessarily, extend laterally inwardly to more than just the
outermost keys in the row above the corner keys. This relationship
makes it easier to identify correctly, by feel, the keys above the
corner keys. This is particularly advantageous in a device having a
full keyboard arrangement where keys are typically smaller than in
a reduced-format keyboard arrangement. For example, as illustrated
in FIG. 12, the corner key "target areas" 92 are located on the
upper surfaces of the corner keys 82, but the regions of finger
overlap 94 extend very close to the lower edges--and in some cases
may actually overlap the lower edges--of the keys immediately above
the corner keys 82.
[0063] It should be appreciated that this relative height
relationship is most advantageous along the top edges of the corner
keys and the bottom edges of the above-adjacent keys to the corner
keys. Additionally, this decreasing relative height relationship is
most advantageous at the laterally outermost portions of the corner
keys, although it preferably extends across the entire lateral
width of the corner keys. Accordingly, it is sufficient for
purposes of this disclosure for the corner keys to decrease in
height from a laterally inner position (in contrast to an innermost
edge) toward the laterally outermost edge.
[0064] Second, in addition to having the relative height
relationship described immediately above, the corner keys are
slightly truncated at their lowermost, laterally outermost portions
(bottom outboard corners) 96. In particular, this portion 96 of
each of the corner keys 82 has a radius of convex curvature that is
significantly larger than the radius of curvature of the other
corner portions 98 of the corner keys. As a result, the lower edges
of the corner keys transition smoothly and continuously into the
laterally outer edges of the corner keys without forming distinct
corners at the lowermost, laterally outermost portions 96. This
feature makes it easier to "reach over" the shift keys (corner keys
82) at the outer edges of the key field 650 to press the "enter" or
"alt" keys while closely approximating an overall generally
rectangular arrangement of the key field 650, which enhances
aesthetics.
[0065] In addition to this relative configuration of the corner
keys 82 and the above-adjacent keys, the configuration of keys in
the navigation row 70--both with respect to the trackball
navigation tool 325 and with respect to other keys in the
navigation row 70--is arranged such that it is easier to tactilely
differentiate among the several "user inputs" (e.g., the keys and
the trackball navigation tool 325) in the navigation row 70 and to
slidingly traverse the inputs, as well.
[0066] In this regard, the present disclosure features a handheld
wireless communication device 300 that is configured to send and
receive text messages. The handheld device 300 includes a hand
cradleable body that is configured to be held in a text entry
orientation in one hand of an operator of the device 300 during
text entry, and the body has a front face 370, a vertical
centerline, and top and bottom portions relative to the text entry
orientation. A display screen 322 is located on the front face 370
of the body, and a microprocessor 338 within the device is
configured to receive operator commands from user inputs located on
the device 300. The navigation row 70 of user inputs includes a
trackball navigation tool 325 that is flanked by a pair of flanking
keys 652, each of which flanking keys 652 is located substantially
opposite to the other across the trackball navigation tool 325 and
is positioned adjacent lateral sides of the trackball navigation
tool 325. To effect the enhanced user input differentiation and
traverseability, at least a portion of each flanking key 652 has an
upper surface of variable height such that the surface slopes
upwardly from a laterally inner edge of the flanking key toward a
lateral mid-portion of the key.
[0067] Various specific arrangements of the navigation row 70 are
possible with this configuration. For example, the trackball
navigation tool 325 is located between the flanking keys 652. In at
least one embodiment, the top of the trackball 321 is level with a
portion of each of the upwardly sloping upper surfaces of the
flanking keys 652; as a result, an operator's finger sliding,
dragging or otherwise similarly traversing from the trackball 321
to one of the flanking keys 652 tactilely experiences a
substantially smooth transition between the trackball 321 and the
flanking key 652. In such trackball-based devices, the trackball
321 is suitably positioned in a recess in the front face 370 of the
body of the device 300, which recess may be shaped as an interiorly
concave (for example, cup-shaped with a hole in the bottom)
circular band around the trackball 321. (This may be, for example,
provided by the outer removable ring 23 that is used to secure the
trackball navigation tool 325 to the body of the device 300.) An
upper lip of the recess can be configured substantially level with
the laterally inner edge of each of the flanking keys 652; as a
result, an operator's finger sliding across the recess, from the
trackball 321 to one of the flanking keys 652, tactilely still
experiences a substantially smooth transition between the recess
and the flanking key 652.
[0068] In addition to the flanking keys 652, the navigation row 70
suitably further includes a pair of outer keys, each of which is
located substantially opposite to the other across the trackball
navigation tool 325 and each of which is outboardly positioned
adjacent to a laterally outer edge of a respective flanking key
652. In such cases, the laterally inner edges of the outer keys lie
below (that is, lower relative to the front face 370 of the device
300) the laterally outer edge of the respective flanking keys 652;
as a result, an operator's finger sliding from the flanking key 652
to the respective outer key tactilely experiences a drop-off
transition between the flanking key 652 and the outer key. To
effect or enhance this drop-off sensation, the upper surface of
each outer key may be chamfered at the laterally inner edge 102
thereof
[0069] Referring once again to the drawings, as best illustrated in
FIGS. 13 and 14, the height of the menu keys 652 (namely the
flanking menu call-up key 606 and the escape or back key 608) with
respect to the face 370 of the device body decreases from the
laterally outer edges of the flanking keys 652 toward their
laterally inner edges. This decreasing-height profile
advantageously extends laterally across the entire width of the
flanking keys 652, although it suffices for purposes of this
disclosure that it extends just from mid-portions of the flanking
keys 652 toward their laterally inner edges. At their laterally
inner edges, the flanking keys 652 are essentially the same height
with respect to the face 370 of the device body as the peripheral
portions 100 of the trackball navigation tool 325 (e.g., the
periphery of the outer ring 23) at which the flanking keys 652 are
adjacent to the trackball navigation tool 325. As a result of this
configuration, the upper surfaces of the flanking keys 652 are
generally tactilely continuous with the peripheral portions of the
trackball navigation tool 325. The "valley" configuration of the
flanking keys 652 with the trackball navigation tool 325 in the
center "trough" of the valley makes it very easy and comfortable
for a user to navigate with the navigation row 70, "rocking" back
and forth between menus using the menu keys 652 to do so while
navigating with the trackball navigation tool 325 as illustrated in
FIGS. 15a, 15b, and 15c.
[0070] Additionally, at their laterally outer edges, the height of
the flanking keys (with respect to the face of the device body) is
greater than the height (with respect to the face of the device
body) of the laterally inner edges of the outer keys (e.g., the
call initiate and call end buttons 605, 609). Furthermore, the
laterally inner edges of the outer keys may be chamfered, as at
102, to increase the amount of height differential between the
flanking keys 652 and the outer keys at the junction between them.
Still further, in addition to sloping upwardly from their laterally
inner edges toward their laterally outer edges, the flanking keys
preferably have laterally outer edges that are hump-shaped or
crowned, as best shown at 104 in FIG. 13. This combination of
features makes it particularly easy to differentiate between the
flanking keys 652 and the outer keys when selecting between them,
as illustrated in FIGS. 15d and 15e. In particular, although the
"target areas" 106 of the flanking keys 652 are generally centered
on the upper surfaces of those keys, the regions 108 of finger
overlap may extend beyond the outer edges of those keys and
encroach on the outer keys, as illustrated in those two
figures.
[0071] To further enhance user comfort, the body of the device 300
may be referred to as a waisted, center-tapered, or necked-down
configuration. In particular, the upper and lower ends 110, 112 of
the device 300 (FIG. 1) are slightly wider than the mid-portion 114
of the device 300, with the sides 15 and 16 being slightly concave.
For example, in an examplary embodiment, the ends 110, 112 of the
device may be of the order of 62 millimeters in width, whereas the
mid-portion 114 may be 60 millimeters in width. Such a flared top
and bottom configuration fits more comfortably against the palm of
the user's hand--in particular, against the fleshy part at the base
of the thumb where the bottom flare is concerned--and helps to
prevent the device 300 from slipping out of the user's hand. The
top-end side flare also provides a convenient and comfortable thumb
rest (see FIG. 1) and facilitates user control over the device 300,
particularly when the bottom flared portion is firmly anchored in
the user's palm.
[0072] Furthermore, the corners 116 of the device 300 are also
configured to enhance user comfort. In particular, they are
configured such that the left and right sides of the body
transition smoothly into the upper and lower ends of the body. More
particularly, the corners are chamfered as shown in FIG. 1. This,
too, enhances user comfort--particularly with respect to the lower
corners--since the lower corners in particular may be pressed
firmly into the user's palm, especially during one-handed operation
of the device 300.
[0073] Finally, with regard to user comfort features, the sides 15,
16 of the device 300 are preferably provided with (or even made
entirely from) soft-touch material such as a rubberized coating,
soft plastic, or the like. In this regard, the soft-touch material
preferably covers the lower two-thirds of the sides 15, 16 of the
device 300 (lower in this context being taken from the front of the
device 300 toward the back of the device 300) and covers the side
wrap-around portions 15a, 16a of the body sides 15, 16 (see FIG. 7)
so as to extend at least partially onto the back surface of the
device 300. Additionally, the soft-touch material also preferably
covers the bottom wrap-around portions 15b, 16b of the body sides
15, 16 so as to extend at least partially onto the lowermost (i.e.,
the bottom end) surface of the device 300. In at least one
embodiment, the soft-touch material also covers the bottom portion
of bottom piece 18. In combination with the concave contoured sides
15, 16 and advantageously rounded corners thereof, the soft-touch
material renders the device 300 easier to grip and use.
Conveniently, the soft-touch material provides improved comfort
when holding the device 300.
[0074] As described above, the International Telecommunications
Union ("ITU") has established phone standards for the arrangement
of alphanumeric keys. The standard phone numeric key arrangement
shown in FIGS. 5 (no alphabetic letters) and 6 (with alphabetic
letters) corresponds to ITU Standard E.161, entitled "Arrangement
of Digits, Letters, and Symbols on Telephones and Other Devices
That Can Be Used for Gaining Access to a Telephone Network." This
standard is also known as ANSI TI.703-1995/1999 and ISO/IEC
9995-8:1994. As shown in FIG. 9, the numeric key arrangement can be
overlaid on a QWERTY arrangement. The numeric arrangement as shown
can be aptly described as a top-to-bottom ascending order
three-by-three-over-zero pattern.
[0075] While several keyboard layouts have been described above,
the layouts can be described as having keys disposed on the
keyboard in a QWERTY, reduced QWERTY, QWERTZ, Dvorak, or AZERTY key
layout. These familiar keyboard layouts allow users to type more
intuitively and quickly than, for example, on the standard
alphabetic layout on a telephone pad. As mentioned above, the key
arrangements can be reduced compared to a standard layout through
the use of more than one letter or character per key. By utilizing
fewer keys, the keys can be made larger and therefore more
convenient to the user.
[0076] Examplary embodiments have been described hereinabove
regarding both handheld electronic devices 300, as well as the
communication networks 319 within which they operate. Again, it
should be appreciated that the focus of the present disclosure is
enhanced usability of today's more sophisticated wireless handheld
communication devices 300 taking into account the necessary
busyness of the front face real estate of these more compact
devices that incorporate additional user interfaces.
* * * * *