DE602005011926D1 - Electronic hand-held device and keyboard with improved usability and reduced dimensions and associated method - Google Patents

Electronic hand-held device and keyboard with improved usability and reduced dimensions and associated method

Info

Publication number
DE602005011926D1
DE602005011926D1 DE602005011926T DE602005011926T DE602005011926D1 DE 602005011926 D1 DE602005011926 D1 DE 602005011926D1 DE 602005011926 T DE602005011926 T DE 602005011926T DE 602005011926 T DE602005011926 T DE 602005011926T DE 602005011926 D1 DE602005011926 D1 DE 602005011926D1
Authority
DE
Germany
Prior art keywords
pair
key
keys
improved
contacts
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status 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 status listed.)
Active
Application number
DE602005011926T
Other languages
German (de)
Inventor
Jason T Griffin
Steven Henry Fyke
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
BlackBerry Ltd
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
Publication of DE602005011926D1 publication Critical patent/DE602005011926D1/en
Active legal-status Critical Current
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical

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

  • Input From Keyboards Or The Like (AREA)
  • Telephone Set Structure (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.
DE602005011926T 2005-02-23 2005-02-23 Electronic hand-held device and keyboard with improved usability and reduced dimensions and associated method Active DE602005011926D1 (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
DE602005011926D1 true DE602005011926D1 (en) 2009-02-05

Family

ID=34940500

Family Applications (2)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
DE602005011926T Active DE602005011926D1 (en) 2005-02-23 2005-02-23 Electronic hand-held device and keyboard with improved usability and reduced dimensions and associated method
DE602005022510T Active DE602005022510D1 (en) 2005-02-23 2005-02-23 Portable electronic device and keyboard with improved usability and reduced size and associated method

Family Applications After (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
DE602005022510T Active DE602005022510D1 (en) 2005-02-23 2005-02-23 Portable electronic device and keyboard with improved usability and reduced size and associated 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
EP2405456B1 (en) * 2010-07-07 2016-10-19 BlackBerry Limited Key assembly for a mobile device
US8492666B2 (en) 2010-07-07 2013-07-23 Research In Motion 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
EP3747037B1 (en) 2018-02-01 2023-11-22 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
US6157323A (en) * 1998-02-25 2000-12-05 Tso; Kevin H. K. Button-key/cylindrical-key alphabetizer
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
ATE475192T1 (en) 2010-08-15
EP2019402A1 (en) 2009-01-28
CA2537491A1 (en) 2006-08-23
EP1696448A1 (en) 2006-08-30
CN1862736B (en) 2012-02-08
SG125237A1 (en) 2006-09-29
EP1696448B1 (en) 2008-12-24
CA2537491C (en) 2011-04-12
ATE418788T1 (en) 2009-01-15
EP2019402B1 (en) 2010-07-21
DE602005022510D1 (en) 2010-09-02
CN1862736A (en) 2006-11-15

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Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
8328 Change in the person/name/address of the agent

Representative=s name: MERH-IP, 80336 MUENCHEN

8364 No opposition during term of opposition