Mobile telephones and similar communication devices are rapidly expanding in use and function. Such devices will soon provide Internet access, personal information management, facsimile, messaging, in addition to telephone communication. To accomplish this there is a need to provide keyboards compatible with the more complex applications to which the mobile device will be adapted. Full function keyboards, such as the standard QWERTY typing array of keys and buttons, are difficult to provide while maintaining the compact size required in the mobile device. Such devices on the market today are cumbersome and often require a separate belt pouch for carrying the mobile device on the person of the user. In addition it is necessary to coordinate on screen displays for adaptation to the variety of functions.
It is a purpose of this invention to provide a simple and inexpensive means of providing a full function keyboard to accommodate the burgeoning applications to which a mobile communication device is adapted.
A mobile communication device is constructed having a body in which is mounted a viewing screen for displaying user interface communications. A first panel is fixed to the body and includes one half of a full function keyboard and a back cover. A second panel is pivotally mounted on the body for rotation between two positions, namely, a closed position and an open position. The second panel is constructed with inner and outer surfaces located on opposite sides of the panel which are positioned such that the inner surface faces the keyboard of the first panel and the outer surface is exposed in the closed position. In the open position, the second panel is pivoted approximately 180xc2x0 so that the outer surface faces away from the user of the mobile device while the inner surface is exposed.
To enable the device to be operated as a communication device a communication keypad is constructed in the outer surface of the second panel. To provide the second half of the full function keyboard, the inner surface contains a keyboard which is operatively associated with the keyboard of the first panel in the open position. The screen remains exposed in each position of the second panel. The display which appears on the screen is oriented in a manner consistent with the position of panels.
In another embodiment of this invention, a switch is operatively associated with the moveable second panel to send a signal to the microprocessor controller of the device indicative of the position of the second panel. This information is used by the controller to adjust the function of keys to be consistent with the application for which the second panel is positioned. In particular an array of soft keys is mounted on the body of the display for convenient use. These soft keys have different functions depending on the position of the second panel.
In a preferred embodiment of this invention an array of three soft keys are positioned about the periphery of the user so that there are always two keys available at the bottom of the display and a third key available at the upper portion of the display. In this arrangement the key pattern is substantially the same irrespective of orientation of the device. The orientation will be horizontal or vertical depending on the position of the second panel. It is a purpose of this invention to provide substantially the same key functions for the key in a particular relative position in both modes of operation. The upper key, right or left, will be the power key and the lower right and left keys will each operate as a soft key to open quick selection profiles. Each key may be assigned a different menu for different key functions.
Considering first the use of the device with the second panel closed, for example as a mobile telephone, soft keys are arranged at the lower left, the lower right and the upper left of the display screen. In this position, the upper left hand key will operate as the power on/off key. The lower right and left keys operate as a soft key to open quick selection profiles and menus. For an example, one function of the lower keys that may be selected would be as up and down and left and right scroll keys. Other alternate functions may be devised depending on the applications served.
When the second panel is opened, the assigned function of the lower soft keys is shifted clockwise or counter clockwise by the controller depending on the use orientation of the device with the second panel open. The functions assigned to the newly positioned lower left and right keys will be the same as the keys positioned at these locations in the closed position. The upper key moves to the upper right and will be the power key. The device controller adjusts the assignment of key functions available at a soft key to provide a similar set of functions at substantially the same relative key location in the open position of the second panel, as in the closed position.