WO2005114966A1

WO2005114966A1 - Hand held electronic devices

Info

Publication number: WO2005114966A1
Application number: PCT/GB2005/001949
Authority: WO
Inventors: James Heselden
Original assignee: Hesco Bastion Ltd
Priority date: 2004-05-18
Filing date: 2005-05-18
Publication date: 2005-12-01
Also published as: GB0410992D0

Abstract

The invention relates to the provision of a handheld electronic device such as for example a mobile telephone which has a series of actuation means to allow operation of at least some of the functions of the device, and a display screen, and when the device is in use, said actuation means are arranged such that the actuation means are closer to the top edge of the device and the display screen is closer to the bottom edge of the device. This allows the majority of the device to be held within the palm of the hand and, when one handed actuation is required, the thumb can be used to operate the actuation means while the device is being gripped.

Description

Hand Held Electronic Devices

This invention relates to hand held electronic devices, of the type which have a screen for the display of information, and control buttons, area or other locations (actuating means) for the inputting of information and/or control of the device. Examples of such devices are electronic calculators and mobile telephones (also referred to as cell phones).

Electronic devices to which this invention relates are now used in their millions all over the world, and as they are for use whilst being held by hand, they have a disposition in which they are designed to be used, such disposition being that when the device is held for use, the screen is positioned above the actuating means, or with the actuating means to either side of the screen.

Because the device is for use by being hand held, it is usually of a generally flat, rectangular configuration (although the sides may be contoured to assist in holding the device in the hand with more comfort) . As a result when the device is held, the part in which the actuating means are located lies to the lower portion of the device and is held between the fingers and the thumb, whilst the part having the screen lies to the upper part of the device and projects or overhangs the hand.

It is often the case, in particular with mobile phones, that the user has to dial a number using one hand, the other hand being occupied (for example holding a bag, or a child's hand) . In such instances, the user has to hold the lower portion of the telephone between the fingers and heel of the thumb and dial with the top part of the thumb on the actuating means. This is difficult, and the applicant is aware of many users in this predicament actually dropping the device because of the attempts to hold and control the device with the same hand. The aim of the present invention is to overcome this disadvantage.

In a first aspect of the invention there is provided a hand held electronic device having a display screen and actuating means, at least some of said adjusting means causing a change in condition of the screen and wherein the screen and actuating means are positioned such that when the device is held in the hand for use, the screen is positioned below the actuating means .

The advantage of this arrangement is that when holding the device in one hand, and using the thumb of that hand also to dial, the portion of the device having the screen will be held between the fingers and the heel of the thumb and the thumb will extend to the top of the device to operate the actuating means. As a result a far larger portion of the device is held in the hand, making the gripping of same during operation of the actuating means more secure.

Preferably the device is a mobile telephone or a calculator, but the invention is not necessarily limited to such devices.

In one embodiment the device is of substantially rectangular configuration, but sides could be profiled as are many current mobile telephones.

Where the device is a mobile telephone, the actuating means are a series of buttons or keys laid out in a conventional row and column array, with additional function buttons as necessary.

Alternatively, the actuation means or some of the same, such as the number buttons to all the buttons may be arranged in a circular or other array if desired. Although in using the device of the invention the thumb may, to a limited extent extend over the screen, with a little practice, the user will soon be able to use the thumb so as to operate the buttons but avoid obscuring the screen from view.

In a further aspect of the invention there is provided a device according to any of the preceding claims wherein when the device is not in-use or is in a standby made the display screen and/or actuating means array can be positioned in a storage non-viewable position with respect to the body of the device.

In a further aspect of the invention there is provided a mobile telephone device, said device having a front portion on which there is provided a display screen and an array of control or actuating means at least when the device is in use, said front portion having a top and a bottom end, a speaker mounted towards the top end and a microphone mounted towards the bottom end and wherein disposed between the said speaker and microphone are the display screen and the actuating means array wherein said actuating means array is positioned closer to the speaker than the display screen.

Typically the display screen is positioned closer to the microphone than the actuation array.

In one embodiment, the display screen and/or actuating means array, when not in use or in standby mode, are not viewable and instead are stored within the device, thereby allowing the size of the device to be reduced when the same is not in use. It should therefore be appreciated that the description hereonin provided, in which the display screen is positioned below the actuating means array relates to the_. configuration of the device when the device is in use and the display screen is viewable. In a further embodiment, a further display means may be provided which is permanently viewable and that display means may be positioned at any suitable location with respect to the actuation means.

In one embodiment, said additional display means, may be available for display at all times.

Specific examples of the invention is now described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:-

Figure 1 illustrates an elevation of the device in one embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 illustrates the device of Figure 1 being held;

Figures 3a-f illustrate elements of further embodiments of the invention.

Figures 4a and b illustrate a further embodiment of a device in accordance with the invention; and

Figures 5a and b illustrate a yet further embodiment of the invention.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to Figures 1 and 2 in which the device is a mobile telephone according to the invention.

In the drawing, the mobile telephone 10 comprises a generally flat, rectangular casing 12, of which the front carries a display screen 14 which displays relevant information, in conventional fashion. The screen 14 is located on the front of the device in the lower portion or half of the device when in an un use position and the display on the screen is in the correct disposition for reading when the telephone is device in one hand with the end 16 of the casing uppermost.

Actuating means and in this case, at least those activation keys 18 for dialling numbers, are located in the upper portion or half of the device 10. In this example other activating means such as function buttons 19 are also located in the upper half of the telephone, but some could be located in the lower half as appropriate.

In this example, the sides 20, 22 of the casing are profiled as shown to enhance gripping comfort and retention, and a main advantage of the telephone shown is that when the user holds it in his or her hand 23 as shown in figure 2 and dials a number using that hand, the portion having the screen is gripped between the fingers 25 and the heel 27 of the thumb 28. Thus a substantial portion of the telephone is gripped in the hand, and so the telephone is gripped more securely than when the screen portion overhangs the hand as is the case of the conventional layout. This, in turn, leads to less dropping of the telephone in use.

This is particularly important in the case of infirm or elderly users (who are very much on the increase) who do not have the same hand control as younger users.

Figures 3a-f illustrate elevations of further embodiments of the invention and show different layouts the activating means 18 of the device, all of which fall within the scope of the invention as herein described and therefore have the advantages of this invention. Turning now to figures 4a-5b, there is illustrated a further two embodiments of a device in accordance with the invention. In figures 4a-b, the device is shown in a storage position in figure 4a and in an in-use position in figure 4b. When in the storage position, the device 102 is of a smaller size than when in an in use position. This therefore allows the device to be more comfortably carried in, for example, a garment of the user. When in the storage position of figure 4a, the front face 104 of the device includes a plurality of actuation means 106, a camera lens 108, a display means 110, which provides constant and limited information with regard to the particular condition of the device at that time. The slidable portion 1 12 is movable and if the user wishes to use the device, for example to answer a call or to make a call, the slidable portion 112 is moved as indicated by arrow 114 to expose the display screen 116.

It will therefore be appreciated that this embodiment in accordance with the invention means that when the device is in the in use condition which is shown in figure 4b, the screen 116 is positioned towards the bottom end 120 of the device with the actuation means 106 positioned closer to the top 118 of the device. Once again, the screen 116 portion of the device is that which is gripped by the fingers and palm of the hand with the thumb extending upwardly to utilise the actuation means 106. It should therefore be appreciated that the camera lens 108 provided, is available for use at all times and typically will be operated by the actuation means . 106 or additional actuation means which may be provided.

Figures 5a and b illustrate a further embodiment of the invention which is similar to that shown in figures 4a and b but in this case, the actuation means 106 are provided in a rotary configuration in which at least the alpha numeric keys are spaced around 360° and surround the camera lens 108. Once again, the display screen 116 is exposed for use by sliding the portion 112 in the direction of arrow 114 to bring the display screen into view and in the required configuration below the actuation means 106.

The invention provides considerable practical advantage, and can be used in relation to any hand held electronic device requiring operation by operating actuating means .

Claims

1 . A hand held electronic device having a display screen and actuating means, at least some of said actuating means causing a change in condition of the screen and wherein the screen and actuating means are positioned such that when the device is held in the hand for use, the screen is positioned below the actuating means.

2. A device according to claim 1 wherein when the device is held, the user can use the thumb of the hand holding the device to contact the actuating means and the portion of the device including the screen is held between the finger and the heel of the thumb of the hand.

3. A device according to claim 1 wherein the device is a mobile telephone.

4. A device according to claim 1 wherein the device has a front face which incorporates the screen actuating means which is of substantially rectangular configuration.

5. A device according to claim 3 wherein when the device is a mobile telephone the actuating means are a series of buttons or keys laid out in a conventional row and column array.

6. A device according to claim 3 wherein the buttons or keys are laid out in a circular array.

7. A device according to any of the preceding claims wherein when the device is not in-use or is in a standby mode the display screen can be positioned in a storage non-viewable position with respect to the body of the device. 8 A mobile tele^phone device said device having a front portion on which there is provided a display screen, and an array of control or actuating means, at least when the device is in use, said front portion having a top and a bottom end, a speaker mounted towards the top end and a microphone mounted towards the bottom end and wherein disposed between the said speaker and microphone are the display screen and the actuating means array wherein said actuating means array is positioned closer to the speaker than the display screen.

9 A device according to the preceding claim wherein the display screen is positioned closer to the microphone than the actuation array.

10 A device according to claim 8 wherein when the device is not in use or in standby mode the display screen and/or actuating means can be moved to a non viewable storage position to reduce the size of the device.