ATE475192T1 - PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE AND KEYBOARD WITH IMPROVED USABILITY AND REDUCED SIZE AND ASSOCIATED METHOD - Google Patents

PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE AND KEYBOARD WITH IMPROVED USABILITY AND REDUCED SIZE AND ASSOCIATED METHOD

Info

Publication number
ATE475192T1
ATE475192T1 AT08168945T AT08168945T ATE475192T1 AT E475192 T1 ATE475192 T1 AT E475192T1 AT 08168945 T AT08168945 T AT 08168945T AT 08168945 T AT08168945 T AT 08168945T AT E475192 T1 ATE475192 T1 AT E475192T1
Authority
AT
Austria
Prior art keywords
pair
key
electronic device
keys
improved
Prior art date
Application number
AT08168945T
Other languages
German (de)
Inventor
Jason T Griffin
Steven Henry Fyke
Original Assignee
Research In Motion Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Research In Motion Ltd filed Critical Research In Motion Ltd
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of ATE475192T1 publication Critical patent/ATE475192T1/en

Links

Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H13/00—Switches having rectilinearly-movable operating part or parts adapted for pushing or pulling in one direction only, e.g. push-button switch
    • H01H13/70—Switches having rectilinearly-movable operating part or parts adapted for pushing or pulling in one direction only, e.g. push-button switch having a plurality of operating members associated with different sets of contacts, e.g. keyboard
    • H01H13/702—Switches having rectilinearly-movable operating part or parts adapted for pushing or pulling in one direction only, e.g. push-button switch having a plurality of operating members associated with different sets of contacts, e.g. keyboard with contacts carried by or formed from layers in a multilayer structure, e.g. membrane switches
    • H01H13/705—Switches having rectilinearly-movable operating part or parts adapted for pushing or pulling in one direction only, e.g. push-button switch having a plurality of operating members associated with different sets of contacts, e.g. keyboard with contacts carried by or formed from layers in a multilayer structure, e.g. membrane switches characterised by construction, mounting or arrangement of operating parts, e.g. push-buttons or keys
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H13/00—Switches having rectilinearly-movable operating part or parts adapted for pushing or pulling in one direction only, e.g. push-button switch
    • H01H13/70—Switches having rectilinearly-movable operating part or parts adapted for pushing or pulling in one direction only, e.g. push-button switch having a plurality of operating members associated with different sets of contacts, e.g. keyboard
    • H01H13/78—Switches having rectilinearly-movable operating part or parts adapted for pushing or pulling in one direction only, e.g. push-button switch having a plurality of operating members associated with different sets of contacts, e.g. keyboard characterised by the contacts or the contact sites
    • H01H13/807—Switches having rectilinearly-movable operating part or parts adapted for pushing or pulling in one direction only, e.g. push-button switch having a plurality of operating members associated with different sets of contacts, e.g. keyboard characterised by the contacts or the contact sites characterised by the spatial arrangement of the contact sites, e.g. superimposed sites
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H23/00—Tumbler or rocker switches, i.e. switches characterised by being operated by rocking an operating member in the form of a rocker button
    • H01H23/28—Tumbler or rocker switches, i.e. switches characterised by being operated by rocking an operating member in the form of a rocker button with three operating positions
    • H01H23/30—Tumbler or rocker switches, i.e. switches characterised by being operated by rocking an operating member in the form of a rocker button with three operating positions with stable centre positions and one or both end positions unstable
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H2215/00—Tactile feedback
    • H01H2215/054—Tactile feedback common to all switch sites
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H2221/00—Actuators
    • H01H2221/008—Actuators other then push button
    • H01H2221/016—Lever; Rocker
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H2225/00—Switch site location
    • H01H2225/01—Different switch sites under one actuator in same plane
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H25/00—Switches with compound movement of handle or other operating part
    • H01H25/04—Operating part movable angularly in more than one plane, e.g. joystick
    • H01H25/041—Operating part movable angularly in more than one plane, e.g. joystick having a generally flat operating member depressible at different locations to operate different controls

Landscapes

  • Telephone Set Structure (AREA)
  • Input From Keyboards Or The Like (AREA)
  • Push-Button Switches (AREA)

Abstract

An improved handheld electronic device, keypad, and method in accordance with the invention meet these and other needs. An improved handheld electronic device having an improved keypad provides enhanced usability and reduced size by organizing its keys in pairs, with a pair of keys being disposed on a support. Each key of a pair of keys is individually actuatable. An actuation of a key causes a primary conductor associated with the key set to electrically to connect a pair of contacts and to cause a secondary conductor associated with the key to electrically connect another pair of contacts. The primary conductor is a collapsible dome or a tactile switch that can electrically connect the pair of contacts and that can provide a particular tactile feedback to the user. The secondary conductor is a conductor other than a collapsible dome or a tactile switch. An actuation of any key or of any pair of keys thus provides to the user a consistent tactile feedback, i.e., from a collapse of a single dome. An improved method in accordance with the invention is also disclosed.
AT08168945T 2005-02-23 2005-02-23 PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE AND KEYBOARD WITH IMPROVED USABILITY AND REDUCED SIZE AND ASSOCIATED METHOD ATE475192T1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP05251030A EP1696448B1 (en) 2005-02-23 2005-02-23 Handheld electronic device and keypad providing enhanced usability and reduced size, and associated method

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
ATE475192T1 true ATE475192T1 (en) 2010-08-15

Family

ID=34940500

Family Applications (2)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
AT08168945T ATE475192T1 (en) 2005-02-23 2005-02-23 PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE AND KEYBOARD WITH IMPROVED USABILITY AND REDUCED SIZE AND ASSOCIATED METHOD
AT05251030T ATE418788T1 (en) 2005-02-23 2005-02-23 ELECTRONIC HANDHELD DEVICE AND KEYBOARD WITH IMPROVED OPERABILITY AND REDUCED DIMENSIONS AND THEREOF METHOD

Family Applications After (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
AT05251030T ATE418788T1 (en) 2005-02-23 2005-02-23 ELECTRONIC HANDHELD DEVICE AND KEYBOARD WITH IMPROVED OPERABILITY AND REDUCED DIMENSIONS AND THEREOF METHOD

Country Status (6)

Country Link
EP (2) EP1696448B1 (en)
CN (1) CN1862736B (en)
AT (2) ATE475192T1 (en)
CA (1) CA2537491C (en)
DE (2) DE602005011926D1 (en)
SG (1) SG125237A1 (en)

Families Citing this family (13)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1859337A2 (en) * 2005-03-14 2007-11-28 Palm, Inc. Small form-factor keypad for mobile computing devices
US7394030B2 (en) 2005-06-02 2008-07-01 Palm, Inc. Small form-factor keyboard using keys with offset peaks and pitch variations
EP1895390A1 (en) * 2006-09-01 2008-03-05 Research In Motion Limited Handheld mobile communication device with flexible keys
US8989822B2 (en) 2006-09-08 2015-03-24 Qualcomm Incorporated Keypad assembly for use on a contoured surface of a mobile computing device
US7259339B1 (en) * 2006-09-08 2007-08-21 Palm, Inc. Enhanced key structure with combined keycap for a mobile computing device
DE102007010678B3 (en) 2007-03-02 2008-11-13 Diehl Ako Stiftung & Co. Kg control
JP5295678B2 (en) * 2008-07-31 2013-09-18 日本開閉器工業株式会社 Small switch
US8492666B2 (en) 2010-07-07 2013-07-23 Research In Motion Limited Key assembly for a mobile device
EP2405456B1 (en) * 2010-07-07 2016-10-19 BlackBerry Limited Key assembly for a mobile device
DE102011010760A1 (en) * 2011-02-09 2012-08-09 Liebherr-Elektronik Gmbh Tact
CN107704123B (en) * 2017-09-01 2021-04-13 联想(北京)有限公司 Electronic equipment and processing method
SG11202007327SA (en) 2018-02-01 2020-08-28 Razer Asia Pacific Pte Ltd Key switch mechanisms, user input devices and methods of fabricating a key switch mechanism
US10747332B2 (en) * 2018-09-13 2020-08-18 Apple Inc. Flexible stabilized button input device

Family Cites Families (12)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE3607689A1 (en) * 1986-03-08 1987-09-17 Telefonbau & Normalzeit Gmbh Push button of relatively large width
US4654488A (en) * 1986-03-26 1987-03-31 Northern Telecom Limited Push and rocker action switch
GB2233283B (en) * 1989-06-29 1993-10-20 Technophone Ltd Keypad assembly
JP3128443B2 (en) * 1994-10-07 2001-01-29 アルプス電気株式会社 Two-stage operation seesaw switch device
US5900829A (en) * 1996-07-23 1999-05-04 Motorola, Inc. Method of and apparatus for detecting key actuations
WO1999044212A1 (en) * 1998-02-25 1999-09-02 Tso Kevin H K Alphanumerical data input device using multiple input keys
US6278442B1 (en) 1998-06-26 2001-08-21 Research In Motion Limited Hand-held electronic device with a keyboard optimized for use with the thumbs
US6489950B1 (en) 1998-06-26 2002-12-03 Research In Motion Limited Hand-held electronic device with auxiliary input device
US6377685B1 (en) * 1999-04-23 2002-04-23 Ravi C. Krishnan Cluster key arrangement
JP4424819B2 (en) * 2000-04-28 2010-03-03 富士通コンポーネント株式会社 Key switch device and keyboard
US6931125B2 (en) 2001-07-10 2005-08-16 Gregory N. Smallwood Telephone equipment compatible, twelve button alphanumeric keypad
GB2391110B (en) * 2002-06-20 2005-07-13 In2Tec Ltd Switches

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP2019402A1 (en) 2009-01-28
CA2537491C (en) 2011-04-12
DE602005011926D1 (en) 2009-02-05
EP1696448B1 (en) 2008-12-24
CN1862736B (en) 2012-02-08
SG125237A1 (en) 2006-09-29
EP1696448A1 (en) 2006-08-30
EP2019402B1 (en) 2010-07-21
CN1862736A (en) 2006-11-15
DE602005022510D1 (en) 2010-09-02
CA2537491A1 (en) 2006-08-23
ATE418788T1 (en) 2009-01-15

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Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
RER Ceased as to paragraph 5 lit. 3 law introducing patent treaties