WO2007078256A1

WO2007078256A1 - A keypad arrangement for a mobile phone and the like

Info

Publication number: WO2007078256A1
Application number: PCT/SG2006/000032
Authority: WO
Inventors: Freeman Zhenhua Yu
Original assignee: Freeman Zhenhua Yu
Priority date: 2005-12-30
Filing date: 2006-02-17
Publication date: 2007-07-12

Abstract

A mobile phone (27) with multiple input options overlaid buttons (8) is enabled to have a plurality of buttons (8) being activated simultaneously for selecting an input option. This is termed as 'key dependency operation' or 'single tap multi entry technique'. A preferred embodiment is further achieved by distributing input buttons (8) to two separate keypads (3) at opposite sides of a screen so that two hands operation is facilitated for faster operations. This invention provides the benefits of a more compact portable mobile phone (27) with a more efficient and ergonomic keypad (3) for tapping, such as alphanumerical notes entering, manuel selection, and functional operations ect.

Description

A Keypad Arrangement for a Mobile Phone and The Like

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a cordless or wireless electronic device with telephony function or message function, including a palm-sized computer, a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), a two way paging device, a portable & bidirectional radio transceiver (walkie-talkie), a mobile phone, and the like. The present invention also relates to a user-interface such as a keypad or keyboard for the device that can be alphanumerical notes or other symbols based for information or data input.

Background of the Invention

A mobile phone has evolved to be a personal necessity in many countries, which provides the personal convenience of communication anywhere in the world where telecommunication network exists. The distinction between a computer, an electronic personal organiser, a MP3 player, a portable FM/AM radio, and a handy gamming machine is gradually diminishing as they emerge into one palm-sized mobile communication device, often with telephony function. The list of new functions continue to grow and potential functions such as electronic transactions, personal identification, voting, etc. are currently being considered for this typically palm-sized portable device.

Mobile phones may support voice calls, sending & receiving data or faxes, SMS (Short text Message Service), downloading/sending e-mail, accessing WAP services, or providing full Internet access using technologies such as GPRS (General Packet Radio Service). A mobile phone usually has a clock & a calculator and often allows a user to play some games with it. Many mobile phones support "auto-roaming" function, which permits the same phone to be used in multiple countries of different telephony networks. New models of mobile phones also allow sending and receiving pictures, video clips, or files, sometimes with built-in digital cameras. GPS (Global Positioning System) receivers also start to be integrated with cell phones, primarily to aid in dispatching emergency responders. Many new features are aimed towards personalisation, such as user defined and downloadable ringing tones or logos, and interchangeable covers, which have helped in the uptake by the teenage market. The future generation of mobile phones, such as 4G known to be the successor for 3G, is based on wireless access technology with high data transfer rate. 4G basically describes the idea of high-speed wireless access with a very high data transmission speed, of the same order of magnitude as a local area network connection (e.g., 10 Mbits/s and up). This technology has been used to describe wireless LAN technologies like Wi-Fi, as well as other potential successors of the current 3G mobile telephone standards.

New functionalities are continuously being integrated or proposed for a normally palm-sized mobile telephone. For an example, JP 11 041 343 suggested employing two buttons ["C" (on/connecting) and "P" (off/disconnecting)] for setting off an alarm when two buttons are activated together during an emergency. According to this patent application, the button "£" (on/connecting) has two distinctive or exclusive entry techniques embedded. One is to pressing the button "C" alone and it fulfils a phone's on/connecting function. Under this distinctive entry technique, there is no overlaid multiple input options since "phone on/connecting" is the only functional input option. The second distinctive entry technique is to press two buttons together where two buttons "C" & "P" are activated together setting the alarm off and there is only one input option available to the phone under this distinctive entry technique because the only choice is available to turn on the alarm. Both techniques do nothing to speed up note/character entry or input for the phone. Consequently, a typical mobile phone that is limited to have about seventeen buttons only (e.g., Philips 160 handset) still has to get an appropriate alphanumerical note by multiple tapping a notes/characters overlaid button. Patent JP 11 355 410 proposed to reduce a conventional three-columned buttons handset to be two-columned. The input options/functions of the previous middle column (e.g., buttons "2-a-b-c", "5-j-k-l", "8-t-u-v" & "0- _ ") is proposed to be replaced by two neighbouring buttons when activated together, such as "1-El" plus "3-d-e-f replacing button "2-a-b-c" according to the keypad layout as ITU Standard E.161 (see figure 1). This scheme may be possible for numerical notes based keypads only because it is hardly practical to put twenty-six English alphabets onto two nine-button columns where eight other alphabets are hidden. As a matter of fact, today's common phones (e.g., Sony Ericsson J300i handset) have only four buttons in a column. Follow the same analysis on entry techniques, this type of arrangement offers a button with two distinctive entry techniques. One is to allow a button to be activated alone to have one output to the screen or input to the handset; another is to allow the button to be activated together with its horizontally neighbouring button to have another singular input option which is shared.

Mounting so many functions to a small platform such as a mobile phone or a Palm requires a keypad or button with more input options. As the first solution, a keypad or keyboard is proposed to be connectable or detachable to afford a full sized computer keyboard, which may be foldable. The problem with the folding solution is that a user has to carry the external keyboard together with the mobile communication device which actually derogates the benefit of portability. The second solution is to make a handset equipped with a small- sized keypad or a small number of buttons (e.g., Motorola T191 with eighteen buttons) where multiple characters/notes are overlaid on a single button for input option selection. For an example, notes as "9", "w", "x", "y" and "z" share the same button according to ITU Standard E.161. Although this is the most commonly adopted solution, the problems with this idea is that a user has to tap such button multiple times to input a desired character/note, such as "y", or "?", etc. which slows down the speed of data entry terribly. The third solution commercially available is to provide a mobile communication device with an almost full number of buttons similar to a computer keyboard, either as a physical one or as a touch screen type. Inevitably, those buttons have to be much smaller or the keypad/phone size has to be much larger or more bulky which does present difficulties for proper finger taping/contacting and portability. In order solve the above-mentioned problems, Nokia phone 6280 offers two sets of keyboards where one typical alphanumerical keyboard is provided and another computer-like keyboard with almost complete set of keys are also offered for messaging or e-mailing. This solution thus creates excessive structure for flip opening, limits its screen size, increases its weight, escalates its cost, complicates its control, and offers duplicated user interface (keypads) for sophisticated usages.

The second common solution as overlaying multiple characters to a single button can be found in phone standards for the arrangement of alphanumerical characters/notes on the buttons of a keypad, corresponding to ITU Standard E.161 , entitled "Arrangement of Digits, Letters, and Symbols on Telephones and Other Devices That Can Be Used for Gaining Access to a Telephone Network" established by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU). This standard is also known as ANSITI.703-1995-1995/1999 and ISO/IEC9995-8:1994 as shown in figure 1.

A direct result for ITU Standard E.161 for a mobile phone keypad can be termed as "multi tap and single entry technique". Similar to the example presented above, a user has to strike a button bearing "2-a-b-c" four times to get a desired character/note output "c". In other words, a user has to tap/strike/depress/press/touch a button/key multiple times till a desired letter, note, number, symbol (including multiple language symbols, such as Japanese alphabets, Arabic notes, money symbols, etc) or function is selected. It is not surprising that this technique sacrifices or lowers the speed of data entry significantly, as compared to the speed data entry or input using a full-sized computer keyboard. An example of a mobile communication device having a keyboard assembly with a character arrangement is described in the patent US 6 278 442 B1.

Some other inventions have put forward technologies which aim to reduce the time for character/note input. US 6 295 052 and WO 02/088 920 A1 by Kato et al have proposed a data entry device in the form of a screen displayed character input unit that employs a reduced QWERTY arrangement on a touch screen keyboard. To enable faster notes input mainly for alphabetical characters or notes, mobile communication devices currently make use of predictive text technologies to automatically correct common spelling mistakes and predict the desired word based on the keystroke input. Predictive text methodologies often include a disambiguation engine and/or a predictive editor application, which are described by patents US 5 818 437; US 5 952 942; US 6 002 390; US 6 223 059; US 6 231 252; US6 307 548; WO 62 150 A1 ; WO 9 959 310 A2; WO 0 344 650 A2; EP 1 035 712 B1 ; EP 129 621 A1; EP 1 378 817 A1; EP 1 347 362 A1 ; WO 2005/069 110 and EP 1 347 361 A1. Manufacturers including RIM, Tegic, Motorola, Nokia, Sony, and NEC, among others, have adopted these technologies. The keyboard interface options include QWERTY, QWERTZ, AZERTY, or DVORAK, etc.

"Multi tap and single entry technique" has significantly reduced data input speed for a notes overlaid (character shared) keypad and further limits the choices of characters for a small-sized keypad, including alphabets, numbers, symbols or other operational control functions. However, the reality is that there is very little room available for accommodating more buttons for those characters on a small mobile communication device's front panel because of the requirement of portability.

The other disadvantage of the conventional "multi tap and single entry technique" is that a user has no choice of correction except tapping through the entire input options when one input is wrong. For an example, if a user keys in "c" instead of the desired letter "b" at button "2-a-b-c", he has to tap "c" followed by "2", "a", and then "b". He basically cannot jump the sequence of entry, which is quite annoying.

In a normal full-sized computer keyboard, there are examples of putting two characters or notes on the same button, such as the "%-5-€" and "&-7" buttons. The choice between these optional note outputs is determined by either holding or releasing the toggle keys together with those buttons. Toggle keys, such as "Ctrl", "Alt", "fl -Shift" keys or buttons, in themselves do not offer input to the device with any character or any function when a toggle key is activated alone, but they enable an alternative character, operation or input selection by working together with a notes-shared button. Therefore, toggle keys are differentiated from input keys where an input key or button present its default input option to a device, such as the button "Enter", "Escape", "G", "=" in a full-sized computer keyboard. It can be understood that an input button has at least one input option available which also belongs to the type of buttons overlaid with multiple input options. If toggle keys are adopted for a mobile phone keypad, there will be four additional toggle keys or buttons required for a notes-shared keypad using ITU Standard E.161 , e.g., the button "9-w-x-y-z". Clearly, it is counter-productive for portability because extra toggle keys demands even larger panel for fitting and it is awkward for operation too.

Patent application US 2004/0 165 924 A1 proposed a keyboard user interface concerning alphanumerical characters' optimised layout. The technique of "multi tap and single entry" is still followed and US 2004/0 165 924 A1 does not solve the problem of significantly restricted number of characters available for a simple, straightforward operation.

Patent US 6 802 661 B1 presented a method of switching among multiple tables where each table allocates specific positions for alphabetical characters for selection. This technique is considered to be complex for a user to adopt and master based on the existing technique. As another aspect, there are solutions put forward for having larger panel area for more buttons for typing and also have a compact phone handset for portability. For an example, Samsung handsets SGH-e635 & SGH-i730 allow a front screen to be slide and expose a keypad for data entry (e.g., number dialling for telephony, SMS, etc.). On the other hand, when the keypad glides under the screen, the handset can be reduced in size for convenient transportation. Some manufacturers provide foldable keyboards for mobile phones but these keyboards are still bulky as an addition for portability as disclosed in US 6 625 011 B2.

Therefore, the problem of a small keypad still persists and it is hard for two hands typing on such a small area, which is normally around 50mmx40mm. The conventional technique on keypad is suitable only for a single hand operation which has significantly lower data entry speed than a typical computer keyboard.

A solution for faster operations based on a notes or characters shared keypad for a compact mobile communication device is thus called for.

Summary of the Invention

The present invention aims to produce a new and useful portable electronic device for communication and a method for using such device.

According to one aspect of the present invention, the present invention proposes a portable electronic device for communication which comprises a housing; an electronic or electrical circuit; a screen for displaying output; an user interface having a plurality of input buttons for data entry, such as a keypad; at least one of the input buttons is overlaid with multiple input options of a distinctive entry technique; wherein the button with multiple input options can be activated with another input button or dial simultaneously for selecting an input option.

This may have a number of advantages. The most commonly adopted technique for using a multiple inputs overlaid button in a mobile phone's keypad is called "multi tap and single entry technique" as a distinctive entry technique. Often, this conventional technique requires a user to tap the button alone multiple times in order to select an input option, such as tapping three times to choose the input option "k" employing the button "5-j-k-l". When a message or a long entry is required, "multi tap and single entry technique" is time consuming. The present invention proposes a new and distinctive entry technique termed as "single tap and multi entry technique" which enables another associated or dependant input button to be tapped together with the multiple input options overlaid button for selecting an input option within a single activation of two input buttons simultaneously. The benefit of the new distinctive entry technique is possible time saving for more efficient data entry, which is a form of selecting input options. When a text message is long, the advantage of "single tap and multi entry (technique)" becomes more prominent. Especially, the data entry speed will possibly be significantly improved when three or more input options are overlaid on a single input button and/or more buttons are overlaid with input options. Consequently, the capability of a small keypad with small number of buttons is possible to be enhanced. In other words, a manufacturer can reduce the number of buttons required with same or better keypad performances. Furthermore, the benefit of "single tap and multi entry technique" prevents sequential typing of input options of a single button and cut the queue of those overlaid input options.

A preferred embodiment of the present invention may have the distinctive entry technique to be tapping the button (alone) with multiple input options for selecting an input option. This is in fact the conventional distinctive entry technique called "multi tap and single entry technique". This means that a "single tap and multi entry technique" enabled mobile phone may still allow the conventional distinctive entry technique to be present and they may not have any conflict during usage. Clearly, it allows a user to operate the phone with the user's preferences and skills with less market resistance to change typing behaviours.

Another preferred embodiment of the present invention may have the distinctive entry technique to be tapping the button with multiple input options simultaneously or together with another input button for selecting an input option. This embodiment makes a phone building solely on multiple buttons associated entry technique possible. Several (input) buttons operating together or simultaneously creates button-dependency or key-association and a combination of different numbers of keys (e.g., three of more buttons) creates far more input options than a button being operated alone at a single tapping. A large amount of symbols, characters, etc can thus possibly be reduced to a smaller number of buttons or keys with faster input or data entry.

A yet another preferred embodiment of the present invention may have the (multiple) input options to include a function, a mode, an alphanumerical note, a symbol, a punctuation mark, a mathematical operator, a language character (e.g., an ideographic character), a part of the language character (e.g., Chinese character parts), a currency symbol, an icon, a character of other types, or any of these combinations. There are many types of input options or operations available by using a button, a dial, a keypad or a keyboard. The function input option is possible to comprise switching on/off the phone, connecting/disconnecting a phone line, adjusting the brightness of the screen, or tuning to a frequency of a radio station, etc. The mode input option as a mode of operation can be messages mode, call register mode, phone book mode, profile mode, phone setting mode, etc. The alphanumerical note input option can be a Latin, Greek, Japanese or other languages' alphabet, a numerical symbol (e.g., Arabic numerals "6"), etc. The symbol input option can be "@", "©", "§", "#", "&", "v", ">", "°", "∞", etc. The punctuation mark can be ";", "!", "{", etc. The mathematical operator can be "3", "V", "÷", "S", etc. The language character can be "ζ", T", "#", "M", V₁ "*P, "φ", "u≥", etc. The part of a language the language character can be " L", '7 ", etc. The currency symbol can be "¥", "£", "φ", "$", etc. The icon can be "#", "©", "►►!", >", etc. The character of other types can be "%", "&", "S", "+", "TT", etc. The advantages of incorporating diverse input options to a button or a group of buttons reduce the time required compared to multi tapping for selecting an input option since more input options are readily available at single tap of multiple buttons together.

A further preferred embodiment of the present invention may have a category of symbols be located at the same sequential position of the buttons with multiple input options as a sequential association. A combination of different categories of input options, or termed as operations, overlaid to buttons in a sequential or systematic manner can facilitate certain operation convention or standard. For an example, punctuation marks can be arranged at fourth position of several multi input options overlaid buttons which are always associated with another input/navigation button "O-" so that a user has the benefit of always going to the fourth position "O-" associated for punctuation during SMS operations.

A yet further preferred embodiment of the present invention may have a category of input options be overlaid or linked with another category of input options as a group association. For an example, alphabetical notes can be overlaid together with numerical notes together which can follow ITU Standard E.161. There are two benefits. One is that a user can still follow the conventional keypad appearance and is easier to adopt new technology. Another benefit is that certain categories of input options may often be used together in a situation, such as SMS using alphanumerical notes.

A yet further preferred embodiment of the present invention may have the sequential or group association change with different modes of operation. The "association" may also be interpreted as prescribed "key or button dependency". This is in fact a mode (operation state) based multiple input options overlaid technique which makes a certain category of overlaid input options be replaced by another for the same input button. For an example, English alphabets can be replaced by Greek alphabets if a mode of operation changes, such as the language mode. For another example, mathematical operators can also replace the Latin alphabets if the mode is switched to mathematical works.

A yet further preferred embodiment of the present invention may have the device with telephony function, a bi-directional radio transceiver function

(walkie-talkie), or other wireless communication functions. A device enabled with telephony is not just adding another function because telephony is a commonly enabled supporting facility for other forms of mobile communication, which may use telephony network, such as internet, SMS, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth technologies. The device with telephony enabled may provide better synergies between telephony and other forms of communication, etc.

A yet further preferred embodiment of the present invention may have the device with a portable electronic dictionary or translator function. The interpretation of words and conversion between different languages requires versatile keypad arrangements and more input options. The current embodiment may offer buttons of a keypad with more input options and makes multiple languages in a common, small keypad possible.

A yet further preferred embodiment of the present invention may have a PDA function (e.g., Dopod 818Pro PDA), or the like. A PDA is similar to a minicomputer which often adopts common applications (e.g., e-mail, telephony, notebook, dairy, etc.) and typically has more functionalities than a hand phone or mobile phone. More functions demand a more powerful interface where the current embodiment may provide because key/button based data entry or input is still arguably more powerful than pen writing input according to present technologies, as pen writing is currently more common for a PDA. A yet further preferred embodiment of the present invention may have the input button which can be activated simultaneously with the multiple input options overlaid button to select an input option be a navigation button. A navigation button is normally known design which rocks about a central point in a number of directions evenly spaced around that point. Depressing the button so as to rock it can provide left/right and up/down signals/inputs and also sometimes intermediate diagonal signals. A navigation button as input buttons used for association can easily be identified for corresponding associations and the navigation button in itself performs an operation or function too. Moreover, a navigation button with four activation choices (e.g., left-^, right-^, up-fr, and down-O-) immediately offers four choices of "key dependency" available with another multiple input options overlaid button and a user does not have to relate a multiple input options overlaid button with four extra buttons, such as toggle keys in a typical computer keyboard. The navigation button may also take the form of a dial, a multiple position switch, a rocking stick, or the like.

A yet further preferred embodiment of the present invention may have the plurality of buttons with multiple input options be activated simultaneously for selecting an input option. This arrangement can either be enabled by software or hardware. Such embodiment is a general alternative to use a navigation button and it is certainly not limited to specific two buttons simultaneous operation only. A user may prefer to employ another similar button to operate an input button with multiple input options. Positions of buttons can be used as a guide for selection based on "key dependency". For an example, to select multiple input options of the button "5-j-k-l" according to

ITU Standard E.161 , a user may press down button "1-IS]" together with the button "5-j-k-l" to select "j". On the other hand, pressing buttons "3-d-e-f together with the button "5-j-k-l" enables the input selection "k". Similarly, "I" can be selected by holding down buttons "O - " and "5-j-k-l". Referring to figure 1 as the display of ITU Standard E.161 , it can be realised that buttons at three corners as different spatial locations also makes input options selection easier. Positional identification is just an alternative example as described and there may be other alternative forms of executions.

A yet further preferred embodiment of the present invention may comprise a plurality of keypads spaced apart for two manual operations (e.g., hands). Two manual operations permit two body parts (e.g., a leg & a hand) for operation. Two manual operations may help disabled (e.g., short of one hand) to use other body parts to operate if a normal handphone is equipped with necessary extension. For an example, two keypads can be distributed at the opposite sides of a display. Buttons or keys congregate together forming a keypad or keyboard may be partitioned into different groups and distributed to different spatial locations. This manner of operation is more natural and efficient as both hands are utilised while the conventional technique tends to apply one hand or one finger only.

A yet further preferred embodiment of the present invention may have the keypad with alphanumerical notes overlaid button be on a different keypad from the input button being activated simultaneously with it for selecting an input option. This is to put the often-used alphanumerical buttons at a different site with a selection or dependant button (e.g., the navigation key/s) so that SMS function as a frequent selection of those notes becomes easier. For an example, alphanumerical notes based buttons may situate at an opposite site of a navigation button together with some other buttons. This arrangement may assign the works of selection within a multiple input options overlaid button to the left hand while allow the right hand move around the alphanumerical notes based input button easily. Such arrangement helps with handphone or mobile phone suitable for gamming too.

A yet further preferred embodiment of the present invention may have two manual operations be two hands operation. As explained above, this is convenient for the most common people who want more efficient input. A yet further preferred embodiment of the present invention may have the two manual operations be a hand's operation together with another body part, such as a leg. As described above, it may help some disabled people in usage. The leg activation of a button may adopt similar technologies used in dancing pads. This offers further alternatives to a single handed or doubled handed operation.

A yet further preferred embodiment of the present invention may have the input button be formed by a touch screen. As an increasing demand for a larger display in a tiny platform such as a mobile phone, buttons may come in the form of a touch screen. The present invention as described above can also be used on a touch screen and it has the benefit of larger viewing area as well as operating space.

A yet further preferred embodiment of the present invention may have the keypad with plurality of buttons able be extended outside or retracted into the device. An essential feature of a mobile phone is compactness. A keypad which can be withdrawn into the phone body that generally contains the screen, reduces size for transportation. When extended, a keypad offers enlarged area for easier typing.

A yet further preferred embodiment of the present invention may have the keypad with the plurality of buttons be rigid. A rigid keypad of the phone device helps the sliding or other movements and protects electronic circuits as well as mechanical parts of the keypad. More decoration and comfort grip can be other possible benefits.

A yet further preferred embodiment of the present invention may have the keypad with the plurality of buttons be foldable. Folding is a simple mechanism which may requires simple hinges. Folding can greatly increase the size of a phone while the backside of a folded keypad may serve as protection.

A yet further preferred embodiment of the present invention may have the keypad with the plurality of input buttons be flexible, resilient, twistable, or bendable. A flexible keypad may be rolled to reduce its size; a resilient keypad may be curved for storage and spread or extended out for typing; a twistable keypad may offer rotational movement for storage and usage, such as the screens used in tablet PCs; and a bendable keypad (e.g., a keypad can be rolled up) has even more possibilities to extend the phone size.

A yet further preferred embodiment of the present invention may have the keypad with the plurality of input buttons suitable to be fitted to a human's body part, such as a forearm, a leg, etc. This makes a wearable personal communication device and keypads may serve as straps for tying the device to the body. The portability of a mobile phone is further improved.

A yet further preferred embodiment of the present invention may have the keypad with the plurality of input buttons be elastic, expandable, water resistant, shock resistant, heat resistant, corrosion resistant, or haphazard resistant, etc, or in any of these combinations. For an example, proper water resistance may be provided by O-rings based structures. The property of elasticity, expandability and other haphazard resistance capabilities makes a phone more endurable, reliable and suitable for more adverse environmental conditions.

A yet further preferred embodiment of the present invention may have the device be supported by the keypad with the plurality of input buttons. The supported device (e.g., a PDA) may act as a TV screen standing on a tabletop so that a user does not require extra parts for folding the device steady. A yet further preferred embodiment of the present invention may have the device be suspended by the keypad with the plurality of input buttons. The suspension of the device may enable the device to be hanged to a wall so that it can function as a clock, a radio, a TV screen, etc. Alternatively, the device may be strapped to a forearm as a watch as another form of suspension.

According another aspect of the present invention, a portable electronic device with telephony function, the device comprising: a housing; electronic circuitries; a display; and a user interface comprising alphanumerical characters, symbols, functional, or other character buttons; characterized in that the user interface is adapted to allow two or more simultaneous activation of buttons to obtain at least one output function or operation under a predetermined mode. A pre-determined mode can be a mode of key dependency enabled mode or SMS mode so that multiple buttons' simultaneous depression results at least one output function or operation. The pre-determined mode can also be interpreted as a state of operation, such as SMS mode (message), call register, phone book, profiles, settings, alarm clock, or the like. This offers more choices or more rooms to accommodate more characters or symbols for a mobile phone so that data entry or phone operation can be made more efficient.

The device is possibly characterized in that the tapping on an alphanumerical or symbol character/s on shared button's for selective character output (input to screen or handphone) depends on one or more functional, symbol, navigational, or other character button's activation under a pre-determined mode.

The device is also possibly characterized in that the tapping on an alphabetical character/s on shared button's for selective character output depends on one or numerical, or functional, navigational, symbol, or other character button's activation. The device is further possibly characterized in that the tapping on a symbol or/and character on shared button's for selective character output depends on one or numerical, or functional, navigational, symbol, or other character button's activation.

The device is further possibly characterized in that the tapping on a alphanumerical characters shared button for selective character output depends on one or more a navigation button's activation.

The device is further possibly characterized in that its characters other than alphanumerical characters are able to be operated together with alphanumerical characters simultaneously to obtain at least one output function or operation.

The device is further possibly characterized in that simultaneous tapping of multiple buttons will lead to a menu or an operation within a single operation as a "short-cut". Short-cut used according to the proposed embodiment as switching between different manuals further reduces operating time especially with several fingers' pressing on buttons together.

The device is further possibly characterized in that the device has an electronic dictionary function.

The device is further possibly characterized in that the device has PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) function.

The device is further possibly characterized in that the device further comprises a keypad or a plural number of keypads. The device is further possibly characterized in that the device further comprises a keypad or a plural number of keypads is/are touch screen device/s.

According to a further aspect of the present invention, a method for using the device is provided. The simultaneous pressing of multiple buttons as an example extends another avenue for keypad typing, which may be faster or more efficient.

Brief Description of the Drawings

While the specification concludes with claims particularly pointing out, which is regarded as the present invention, the advantages of this invention may be more readily ascertained from following descriptions of the invention when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a diagram for the Standard E.161 for the arrangement of notes shared (characters overlaid) alphanumerical keys or buttons;

Figure 2 is a diagram of the top view for a mobile phone with a display screen (1) and a keypad (3) layout as an embodiment;

Figure 3 is a diagram of two sides' extending keypads' (3) arrangement with possible "characters shared" or "notes overlaid" for "single-tap and multi entry technique";

Figure 4 is a diagram of two side-keypads (3) fully extended;

Figure 5 is a diagram of two side-keypads (3) in the process of retracting or extending; Figure 6 is a simplified diagram of the mechanism for retracting, extending and capturing side-keypads (3);

Figure 7 is a diagram of a phone with two keypads (3) rotating out or into the phone body (27) via hinges (37) by an electric motor, a spring, or other mechanical/electrical arrangements;

Figure 8 is a diagram of a mobile phone whose auxiliary keypad (10) can be retracted into or extended outside the phone body or device (27) with a screen (1) on top and a default or main keypad (6) is given;

Figure 9 is a diagram of a mobile phone whose auxiliary keypad (10) can be flipped in and out the main phone body (27) via a hinge (37); and

Figure 10 is a diagram of mobile with two keypads (3) positioned at a bi-stable condition with a camera (39) for videoconference on the top.

Detailed Description of Some Preferred Embodiments

The present inventions will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art.

According to some embodiment, an "operation dependency" enabled keypad is proposed for a mobile phone which enables two hands simultaneous operation for faster data entry and more characters in a small area for convenient accessing. In other words, a keypad with some character-shared buttons/keys enables a character-shared button (e.g., the button "7-p-q-r->" shown in figure 2) to be associated with another button (e.g., the navigation button/s) for a selective note/character input to the phone or output to a display screen.

Referring to figure 1 , a keypad arrangement according to ITU Standard E.161 has multiple alphabets and numerical symbols overlaid or shared on a single button. An example of such implementation is found in Nokia hand-phone 6100 which also provides other buttons, such as button " l>-φ-#" to enable upper case (dictionary mode or non-dictionary mode where the first letter of a sentence is change to upper case / capital letter.). Normally, there is also a navigation button/s provided with four keys shared as "<=>-. Ό--Φ-4>" for a mobile phone. According to the conventional technique called "multi tap (and) single entry technique", a user usually has to strike a particular button alone (e.g., button "3-d-e-f ) multiple times to select an output character (e.g., letter "e"), which is tedious. The time required for selective character input gets even longer when a punctuation mark is the desired output to a screen. For an example, the symbol ")" can only be obtained by striking the button "1-IΣ3" for ten times by using Nokia 6100 phone! "Multi tap single entry technique" thus results a very slow data input process and a lot of users are loath to type SMS on a mobile phone. However, expanding the keypad to contain all alphanumerical and symbols for a mobile phone will result an overly large keypad, which is cumbersome for pocket transportation, etc. Situations get worse when more symbols are required to be keyed in with more types of data, e.g., 48 basic Japanese alphabets are required on the keypad in Japanese market.

In contrast to the existing solution, one embodiment introduces the technology of "character dependency", which can also be termed as "single tap (and) multi entry technique". This means that it enables a plurality of character output options with a single strike of that character-overlaid button. According to the "single tap multi entry technique" or "character dependency technique" based on the keypad arrangement in figure 2 as an example, a user can selectively output a character with a single activation of said button simultaneously with a navigation button. The character output choices are

1. if one finger depressing a button "7-p-q-r->" once, then the default output is "7";

2. if one finger holding down the navigation key "<=■" together with the button "7-p-q-r->" activated by another finger, then the output to screen becomes "p";

3. if one finger holding down the navigation key "ft" and the button "7-p-q- r->" simultaneously triggered, then the input option "q" is selected;

4. if one finger holding down one navigation key "^" and another finger set off the button "7-p-q-r->" at the same time, then the output to the display becomes note "r"; and

5. if one finger holding down one navigation key "-0--O" and another finger set off the button "7-p-q-r->" at the same time, then the output to the display becomes note ">".

The above process can be achieved software programming for a phone. In the above case, a single simultaneous tap of plurality of buttons (e.g., button "7-p-q-r->" and a key of the navigation button) selects a straightforward output choices or input option among "7", "p", "q", "r", or ">". In other words, it avoids the conventional technique of having to striking the button "7-p-q-r->" four times to get the output "r". When not in "single tap multi entry (or choice)" mode or technique, those navigation keys can perform other useful operations, such as navigating or scrolling the display and avoids the requirement of idle toggle keys.

The process for detecting a plurality of buttons' simultaneous activation can be achieved by either software, hardware or in combinations. This can possibly be a simple extended feature for the current common hand-phone operating software packages to a hardware or software design engineer. The above-mentioned operation process effectively enables multiple fingers' or multiple hands' simultaneous operation to get a targeted object at a single tapping with a short time period. Compare to today's "multi tap single entry" alphanumerical note input technique, a user only need to strike a plurality buttons once (e.g., two fingers tapping simultaneously) instead of two to four times or more for output character choices selection.

This technology is equally applicable to symbols, functional characters, etc. The choices of characters, buttons or left/right hand fingers are certainly not limited to the example given above or the keypads based on ITU Standard E.161 , just like the sample keypad given in figure 2.

In figure 2, a mobile phone handset have a screen (1), a character-shared keypad (3), navigation keys/buttons consisting "<P" (13), "ft" (15), "^" (9), & "^-0" (11), a plurality of notes shared buttons, such as buttons "6-m-n-o-=" (5), "#-on-;-:-off" (7), etc. According to "single tap multi entry technique", with this notes/character shared button based keypad, a user can have

1. if one finger depresses the button "4-g-h-i-&", then the default object is "4";

2. if one finger holds down said button "4-g-h-i-&" and another finger depresses the navigation button "<=■", then the output to the screen (or input option) is "g";

3. if one finger holds down the button "4-g-h-i-&" and another finger activates the button "t>", then the output to the screen (or input option) is "h";

4. if one finger holds down the button "4-g-h-i-&" and another finger trigger the button "^■=>", then the output to the phone (or input option) to a screen is "i"; and 5. if one finger holds down the button "4-g-h-i-&" and another finger pushes the button "-Q-0", then the output to the phone (or input option) is "&". If a key/button named "1" allocated together on the same button with punctuation marks in the sequence like "1-z-s-@~$" as shown in figure 2, a phone user may operate as

1. if one finger presses this button "1-z-s-@-$" alone, then the default object is " 1";

2. if one (e.g., left-hand thumb) finger holds down the button "<^" and another (e.g., right-hand thumb) finger depresses the button "1-z-s-@- $", then the input is "z";

3. if one (e.g., left-hand thumb) finger holds down the button "D" and another (e.g., right-hand thumb) finger depresses the button "1-z-s-@- $", then the input is "s";

4. if one (e.g., left-hand thumb) finger holds down the button "¹^" and another (e.g., right-hand thumb) finger depresses the button "1-z-s-@-

$", then the input is "@"; and

5. if one (e.g., left-hand thumb) finger holds down the button "O-" and another (e.g., right-hand thumb) finger depresses the button "1-z-s-@- $", then the input is "$".

It is clear that two fingers / hands operation for the simultaneous activation of plurality of buttons is the preferred mode. Different from a typical mobile phone in the current market, single-fingered access (one pressing at a time) is commonly used and it is slow for text entry. Some embodiments create a linkage of object/notes output associated with two or more button simultaneous activation. This association is certainly not limited to navigation characters only (e.g., "^>", "<?>", "t?" & 'V) in connection with alphanumerical characters for outputting of alphanumerical objects; this rule of "operation dependency" enables the association of any two character/note/function overlaid buttons' simultaneous activation for multiple outputs, regardless whether it is numerical, alphabetical, symbol, navigational, or functional (e.g., change from "message mode" to "phone book" mode", turn the phone volume larger/smaller, etc), etc. For an example, a user may move the "joy stick" (a type of navigation key) down together with the depression of a button "#-on-;- :~off" for the output of tuning "off' the phone. For another example, one may hold the button "*-?-+-.-/" simultaneously with another button "#-on-;-:-off" to achieve a function of switching from English to Chinese mode (see figure 2). While pressing the button "*-?-+-.-/" alone multiple times, a user may still able to have the choice of each optional note or character output of this input options overlaid button. Figure 2 gives an example of sequential association where the fifth character of each character-overlaid button is a symbol other than alphanumerical notes.

If mathematic operations are required, a user can realize that the same number of buttons with "operation dependency" (or character dependency) will be able to create more object output options than the scheme of one button dedicated to one character / object information for a single "key strike/stroke". For an example, the character output possibility for today's typical mobile phone keypad with a single pressing on alphanumerical keys is limited to about ten. With same number of buttons, a user is able to achieve more than double (two fingers simultaneous operation) output options via "operation dependency" technology using multi tapping single entry technique. As an example, the possibly most commonly used mathematical operation is illustrated. In principle, the key dependency may be established by a navigation button ("R>-<?>-<^-tf") (four input options) with operators as "+,-,x,÷" overlaid on a button "£Q,+,-,x,÷". Pressing the button "ffl,+,-,x,÷" alone once may enable the default output/option to the phone as "help".

1. if one finger presses the navigation button at "^>" position and another finger depresses the button overlaid with "GQl₁+, -,x,÷", then the input option is "+"; 2. if one finger holds down the navigation button at "<?"" and another finger depresses the button overlaid with "ffl,+,-,x,÷", then the input option becomes "-"; 3. if one finger holds down the button 'V and another finger depresses the button overlaid with "£Q,+,-,x,÷", then the output is "x"; and

4. if one finger holds down the button "_?" and another finger depresses the button "CQ,+,-,x,÷", then the output is "÷".

Mode transformation is another example of "operation dependency" technology and it further helps to expand the capability of "single tap and multi entry technique". For an example, a mobile can use its alphanumerical notes overlaid keypad for its normal telephony operation at the default mode. A user can also switch the telephone to SMS mode via a switch or certain procedure (e.g., a sequence of buttons, pulling, depressions or rotational operations). For an example, a user can press the button "2-a-b-c-%" and "O-" to switch to mathematical or statistical operation mode when the phone is not in SMS mode. This embodiment of the invention in fact does not require "solely dedicated" button (toggle keys) for alphabet selection purposes. The benefit is to reserve more space for more useful buttons, functions, etc as multiple toggle keys operated in a computer like fashion is clearly excluded by manufacturers for today's products.

Furthermore, overlaid input options can be switched if the mode of operation is changed. As a result, some buttons previously used for other functions or notes can be replaced by another set of functions or notes. This is "operation dependency" also helps the software or hardware to enter certain sub-routine to enable operation dependency with single tap as mode change. For an example, the button overlaid with "3-d-e-f-[" as the default can be replaced with another set of overlaid options as "j3 -»-©-(*-□" if the mode of operation is changed to a multimedia mode. As "operation dependency" is enabled for multi-buttons' single-tap, faster data entry can be achieved especially when a few notes/characters shared same button compared to today's single button multi-tap technology. Looking to a typical computer keyboard, a spacious area for data entry (button pressing) is vital for the efficiency and comfort. Some hand-phones have been extended to gamming application and they require two hands / fingers for fast and comfortable activations. In this type of application, two keyboards locates at each side of the display screen is very much desired. In the Nokia N-Gage QDTM hand-phone, it is actually distribute the alphanumerical characters buttons and navigation keys to both sides of the screen. This arrangement creates some distance between two hands for a display, which is comfortable for two hands' operating. According to one preferred embodiment, those two keypads are the most favoured to be retracted into the hand phone screen bearing body to reduce its size during transportation to further facilitate the portability. In Nokia 6800 phone, a flip-open keypad is offered to contain most characters like a computer keyboard. This mobile phone uses a typical alphanumerical keypad for normal phoning operation. Upon flip opening the cover, the exposed internal surface of the cover together with exposed inner surface of the exposed body, an almost complete computer-like keyboard is provided. This is to facilitates convenient SMS operations and alike. However, a user also realises that the button allocated are very small and one also has to trace each every appropriate button to character in the data. The screen size of this model is limited due to this flip open arrangement. This embodiment offers the majority of the top surface region for the large screen while two keypads are extended out of the main body for typing, retracted into the main body for transportation.

In a preferred embodiment as shown in figure 3, the plurality of keyboard (3) arrangement is arranged at opposite sides of the device (27) so that a user is able to key-in the data using both hands while still have the full view of the screen (1). This arrangement enables a user to hold the device (27) steady and safe with two hands in use. The full screen (1), which typically occupies the entire hand phone top surface, provides a large area for information display so that the ease of communication is maximised. On this phone (27), many features can be provided, such as microphone (21), video taking (23), earphone or loudspeaker (17), internet (19), etc. A feature can be noticed that alphanumerical notes overlaid buttons (16) and some other buttons (8) (25) are at a different keypad (3) for two hands operation because this arrangement facilitates the left hand holding navigation buttons (13, 15, 9, 12) to cooperate with the right alphanumerical keys (16) for "single tap and multi tap technique" to take its full advantage.

Referring to figure 4, the retractable keypads (3) can be flexible as well as rigid. This means that the keypad (3) can take the form of rectangular, round, triangular or other geometries of shape in a rigid form as a normal keypad, such as the keypad like the computer keyboard, including foldable types. This also means that such keypad (3) can be rolled up, bent, twisted etc so that it can follow the contour of body shape (27), such as wrapping around a forearm or upper arm. In this arrangement, the portability is further enhanced, especially for GPS related operations. Figure 4 gives the example where the keypads (3) can be glided into the phone body (27) with guiding rails (29) and buttons (5, 7) of different input options are distributed. Figure 5 shows such a phone with gliding keyboards (3) in the process of sliding.

Figure 6 is a diagram of the simplified mechanism of retracting and extending for keypads (3) with respective to the body (27). The two sides' keypads (3) are equipped with mechanical sockets/slots (holes) (31) catches (wedges) (33) and they are loaded with contracting springs (35). Upon release, such as by pressing a button or electromagnet's de-energising, those two keypads (3) will be pulled out by those springs (35) to reach their end position. When an external force is exerted to compress these two keypads (3) back into the body (27), such as by human hands, those two keypads (3) will meet each other inside the phone body and these mechanical catches (wedges) will jump into the slots / sockets (holes) to hold the keypads inside the body for transportation. Figure 7 is a diagram of a phone with two keypads (3) rotating out/into the phone body (27) via hinges (37). Those rotation movements can be executed via motor, spring, or other mechanical / electrical arrangements.

Figure 8 is a diagram of a mobile phone whose auxiliary keypad (10) can slide into or slip outside the phone body (27) bearing a screen (1). The characters/buttons keypad / keyboard (6) on the main body can carry normal phone alphanumerical notes for telephony function or even SMS. However, once required for faster "character dependency" or "single-tap multi entry" operation, as the auxiliary keypad (10) is preferred, this auxiliary keypad (10) can glide out of the main body (27) for two hands' operation. Therefore, faster alphanumerical notes key-in becomes possible.

Figure 9 is a diagram of a mobile phone whose auxiliary keypad (10) can be rotated in and out the main phone body (27) via a hinge (37). The characters/buttons (5) on the main body can carry normal phone alphanumerical notes for telephony function or even SMS. However, once required for faster "character dependency" operation, as the auxiliary keypad

(10) needed fro the other hand to join in typing, this auxiliary keypad (10) can rotate out of the main body (27) via a spring or motor for operation. Therefore, faster alphanumerical notes key-in becomes possible.

Figure 10 is a diagram of mobile with two keypads (3) at bi-stable condition supporting the phone on a tabletop. This mobile phone with a camera (39) rests horizontally on a tabletop supported by two slightly over-bent keypads (3) for video conferencing or TV/movie viewing, etc. The keypads are bent at two hinges (37) with respective to the main body (27). Those two more keypads can also be bent to attach to the phone body (27) to reduce its size for transportation. In other words, there are multiple positions possible for various operational requirements. The extension and retraction motions can be achieved via rotating, swivelling / revolution (e.g., shown in tablet PC Toshiba's model Protege M200, or US 2004/0 198 474 A1), folding (e.g., shown in US 2002/0 097 226 A1 , EP 1 263 192 A2), flipping (e.g., shown in US 6 088 240 A), sliding, rolling, ejecting, pulling, collapsing (e.g., shown in US 6 331 850 B1), etc.

For an example, the extraction motion via sliding can be performed via rails at the internal sides of the screen body (27) and rails (29) at the external sides of the keypads (3). In the transportation mode when keypads (3) rest inside the screen body (27) and held by mechanical catches (33), the entire mobile phone (27) only exposes the a body frame (27) slightly larger than the screen (1). When required for data character in via keypads (3), one can press a button to release the catches (33) so that two keypads (33) can glide out of the screen body (27) via a spring/s (35) or a motor/s propelled belt with some artificial friction to create smooth sliding motion ("mechanical damping"). Upon reaching extended position, the keypads (3) provide typing places at both sides of the screen (1) and the entire surface area used for operation is much larger than the screen (1) alone. After typing, those keypads (3) are pushed back into the screen body (27) via hand/s or motor propelled pulley till they come back to the original locations for transportation. The folding, rotating or swivelling etc motions can be done in a similar manner.

Although two sides' extension is a preferred mode as it provides much smaller phone body for transportation, a manufacturer one may also allow to extend a keypad only from one side. Referring to figure 8 and 9, this single sided extension is possibly performed via rotating, gliding, flipping, etc. For an example, one may split the two halves where the top half carries a display screen (1) and a normal phone keypad. Upon activation, one can push the top half to a certain distance so that the lower half, which carries other keypad for "operation dependency", can join the operation using new technique. This sliding type of exposing can take the mechanism as disclosed in US 2004/0 203 496 A1 except where the upper half can bear an alphanumerical keypad while the lower (after-sliding exposed) half can carry navigation buttons for "operation dependency" action. Adopting the rotational motion as manifested in Samsung phone SGH-p735 or handset Nokia7370, the other/auxiliary keypad or keyboard are exposed by rotating the normal alphanumerical keypad together with the screen. The rotating, folding, etc can be achieved by certain hinges (e.g., elastic hinges disclosed by US 6 625 011 B2), gears, hingeless (e.g., the mechanism disclosed by US 2004/0 203 507 A1) and pulleys operation.

Claims

1. A portable electronic device for communication comprising: a housing; an electronic or electrical circuit; a screen for displaying output; an user interface having a plurality of input buttons for data entry, such as a keypad; at least one of the input buttons is overlaid with multiple input options of a distinctive entry technique; wherein the button with multiple input options can be activated with another input button or dial simultaneously for selecting an input option.

2. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the distinctive entry technique is to tap the button with multiple input options alone for selecting an input option.

3. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the distinctive entry technique is to tap the button with multiple input options simultaneously with another input button for selecting an input option.

4. The device according to any one of the proceeding claims, wherein the input options include a function, a mode; an alphanumerical note, a symbol, a punctuation mark, a mathematical operator, a language character, a part of the language character, a currency symbol, an icon, a characters of other types, or any of these combinations.

5. The device according to any one of the proceeding claims, wherein a category of symbols is located at the same sequential positions of the buttons with multiple input options as a sequential association.

6. The device according to any one of the proceeding claims, wherein a category of input options is overlaid or linked together with another category of input options as a group association.

7. The device according to claims 5 or 6, wherein the sequential or group association changes with different modes of operation.

8. The device according to any one of the proceeding claims, wherein the device has a telephony function, a bi-directional radio transceiver (walkie-talkie) function, or other wireless communication functions.

9. The device according to any one of the proceeding claims, wherein the device has a portable electronic dictionary or translator function.

10. The device according to any one of the proceeding claims, wherein the device has a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) function, or the like.

11. The device according to any one of the proceeding claims, wherein the input button which can be activated simultaneously with the multiple input options overlaid button to select an input option is a navigation button.

12. The device according to any one of the proceeding claims, wherein the plurality of buttons with multiple distinctive input options can be activated simultaneously for selecting an input option.

13. The device according to any one of the proceeding claims, wherein the device further comprises a plurality of keypads spaced apart for two manual operations.

14. The device according to claim 13, wherein the keypad with alphanumerical notes overlaid buttons is on a different keypad from the input button being activated simultaneously with it for selecting an input option.

15. The device according to claim 13 or 14, wherein the two manual operations are two hands operation.

16. The device according to claim 13 or 14, wherein the two manual operations are a hand's operation together with another body part, such as a leg.

17. The device as according to any one of the proceeding claims, wherein the input button is formed by a touch screen.

18. The device according to any one of the proceeding claims, wherein the keypad with the plurality of input buttons can be extended outside or retracted into the device.

19. The device according to any one of the proceeding claims, wherein the keypad with the plurality of input buttons is rigid.

20. The device according to any one of the proceeding claims, wherein the keypad with the plurality of input buttons is foldable.

21. The device according to any one of the proceeding claims, wherein the keypad with the plurality of input buttons is flexible, resilient, twistable, bendable, or in any of these combinations.

22. The device according to any one of the proceeding claims, wherein the keypad with the plurality of input buttons is suitable to be fitted to a human's body part, such as a forearm, a leg, etc.

23. The device according to any one of the proceeding claims, wherein the keypad with the plurality of input buttons is elastic, expandable, water resistant, shock resistant, heat resistant, corrosion resistant, haphazard resistant, etc, or in any of these combinations.

24. The device according to any one of the proceeding claims, wherein the device can be supported by the keypad with the plurality of input buttons.

25. The device according to any one of the proceeding claims, wherein the device can be suspended by the keypad with the plurality of input buttons.

26. A portable electronic device with telephony function, the device comprising: a housing; electronic circuitries; a display; and a user interface comprising alphanumerical characters, symbols, functional, or other character buttons; characterized in that the user interface is adapted to allow two or more simultaneous activation of buttons to obtain at least one output function or operation under a pre-determined mode.

27. A method for using the device according to any one of the proceeding claims.