Appearance-adaptable keypad for handheld communication devices
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The proliferation of wireless handheld communication devices has led to a need for multifunctional user interfaces that can efficiently handle both voice and text transmissions, but traditional keyboards face challenges in accommodating navigation tools and maintaining a compact size, limiting the space for keys and obstructing the display during data entry.
Innovation Solution
A handheld communication device with an appearance-adaptable keypad that can configure between a telephone keypad and a text entry keypad, incorporating a trackball navigation tool above the keypad to avoid interference and enhance usability, allowing for efficient data entry and navigation while maintaining a compact form factor.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a navigation device is added to the handheld device, then navigation functionality is improved, but the space available for keyboard keys is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent positions the navigation device (trackball) in a vertical dimension above the keyboard rather than placing it horizontally adjacent to the keys. This dimensional separation allows the trackball to occupy vertical space without encroaching on the horizontal keyboard area, thereby maintaining both navigation functionality and adequate keyboard space.
2Volume of moving object
If the device size is reduced to fit in pocket or palm, then portability is improved, but the keyboard surface area is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The keyboard is designed with dynamic reconfigurability, allowing keys to be reassigned and repositioned based on the current mode (telephone or text entry). This dynamic adaptation enables the keyboard to provide full functionality with fewer physical keys, thereby reducing the required keyboard surface area while maintaining the device's compact size.
3Ease of operation
If a traditional keyboard layout is used, then telephone dialing is simplified, but text entry efficiency is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The keyboard operates in dynamic modes that can be switched between telephone mode and text entry mode. In telephone mode, the keyboard displays traditional numeric layout for easy dialing. When switched to text entry mode, the same physical keys are reassigned to provide a QWERTY or similar alphabetic layout, thereby maintaining ease of operation for both functions without requiring separate keyboards.
Solution Approach 2:
Each key on the keyboard is designed to be multi-functional, serving both telephone dialing and text entry purposes depending on the active mode. This universality allows a single keyboard to provide both traditional telephone functionality and efficient text entry capability, eliminating the need for separate specialized keyboards.
4Adaptability or versatility
If more keys are added for text entry, then text entry capability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses software-based key labeling and virtual key overlays that can be displayed on the keyboard surface or adjacent display area. Instead of adding physical keys for text entry, the system creates virtual copies of keyboard layouts that appear on the existing key surfaces through display technology, thereby providing full text entry capability without increasing physical device complexity.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3a~3d
AI summary
A handheld communication device configurable between a telephone mode and an email mode is described. The handheld communication device has a body with a front face at which a user input is located. The user input includes an appearance-adaptable keypad configurable between a telephone keypad when the device is in the telephone mode, and a text entry keypad when the device is in the email mode. The telephone keypad includes a plurality of alphanumeric input keys. The telephone keypad is arranged in a standard telephone keypad layout when the device is in the telephone mode. The text entry keypad includes a plurality of alphabetic input keys. The text entry keypad is arranged in a standard text entry keyboard layout when the device is in the email mode.