Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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RADIO COMMUNICATION DEVICE HAVING A
MOVEABLE HOUSING ELEMENT AND KEYPAD
DISPOSED THEREIN
Field of the Invention
Generally, the present invention relates to radio
communication devices and more specifically to a radio
communication device having a moveable housing element
10 and a keypad disposed therein for operating the radio
communication device.
Back~round of the Invention
Today, radio communication devices provide radio
communication services such as two-way radio service,
radiotelephone service, cellular phone service, cordless
phone service and wireless data communication services
such as wireless fax, electronic mail (e-mail), and short
2 0 message service. These services are generally packaged
individually into a single radio communication service
device, such as a traditional radiotelephone. By packaging
these radio communication services as individual devices,
a manufacturer can offer a portable or hand held radio
2 5 communication device that is relatively easy to use.
However, there is increasing pressure in the marketplace to
provide a multi-functional radio communication devise that
offers more than one of the typical radio communication
services mentioned above. Attempting to combine such
3 0 radio communication services into a single radio
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communication device creates a cumbersome user interface
that is undesired by potential customers. A typical user
interface includes a speaker, a microphone, a display and a
data input device such as a keypad. For some radio
5 communication services a small display and a small data
input area is required. For example, in a portable
radiotelephone often there is a small display and a fixed
data input keypad. On the other hand, a wireless data
service such as e-mail requires extensive display of
10 received messages as well as extensive user data input
from either a pen or a keyboard.
If a manufacturer was to provide an integrated
product that combined a radiotelephone and an e-mail
15 service, the simpler user interface of the radiotelephone
service would be lost in the complex user interface
required for an e-mail service. Thus, it would be
advantageous to provide an integrated data communication
device wherein a user could easily identify the user
20 interface of a first data service from a user interface of a
second data service.
Brief Description of the Drawin~
FIG. 1 is an illustration in blocked diagram form of a
radio communication system in accordance with the
present invention.
FIG. 2 is a detailed illustration of a radio
communication device in a closed position in accordance
3 0 with the present invention.
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FIG. 3 is a detailed illustration of a radio
communication device in accordance with the present
invention.
FIG. 4 is an illustration of a display in the portrait
5 mode in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 5 is an illustration of a display in the landscape
mode in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 6 is an illustration of a cross-sectional view of
the radio communication device of FIG.2 in accordance with
10 the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a detailed illustration of a portion of the
cross-sectional view of FIG. 6.
Detailed Description of a Preferred
1 5 Embodiment.
An embodiment of the present invention
encompasses a radio communication device having a body
housing element and a moveable housing element coupled
2 0 thereto. The moveable housing element is moveable
between an open or extended position and a closed
position. The radio communication device includes a touch
screen display disposed in the body housing element and a
keypad disposed in the moveable housing element. When
25 the moveable housing element is in the closed position, the
moveable housing element covers a portion of the touch
screen display. Additionally, the radio communication
device has a first set of user functions operable by the
keypad. The first set of user functions includes limited
3 0 radiotelephone functions such as phone number input and
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sending and receiving phone calls. The keypad is shaped to
form a plurality of keys. The keys have a first portion
exposed through corresponding apertures in the moveable
housing element, such that when a user depresses the first
5 portion of the keys a second portion of the key provides
pressure against the touch screen display. The provided
pressure activates a portion of the touch screen display.
When the moveable housing element is in the open or
extended position, the radio communication device has a
10 second set of user functions which include radiotelephone
functions, advanced radiotelephone functions, and
messaging functions. The messaging functions include
electronic mail, faxing, and short message service.
Figure 1 is an illustration in blocked diagram form of
a radio communication system 100. The radio
communication system 100 includes a remote transceiver
101. In the radio communication system 100 the remote
transceiver 101 sends and receives radio frequency (RF)
20 signals to and from multiple radio communication devices
within a fixed geographic area. The radio communication
device 103 is one such radio communication device
contained within the geographic area served by the remote
transceiver 101. The RF signals transmitted between the
2 5 remote transceiver 101 and the radio communication
device 103 provide radio communication services such as
radiotelephone service, electronic mail service, wireless fax
service and short message service. Other equally sufficient
embodiments of the present invention may include other
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combinations of these communication services and other
radio communication services.
The radio communication device 103 includes an
antenna 105, a body housing element 107, a moveable
housing element 109, and a hinge 111 for coupling the
moveable housing element 109 to the body housing
element 107. In the preferred embodiment, the body
housing element 107 includes radio circuitry 113, a
processor 115, and a portion of a user interface 117. The
user interface 117 includes a display 119, a microphone
121, a speaker 123, and a keypad 125. The display 119,
the microphone 121, and the speaker 123 are disposed
within the body housing element 107. The keypad 125 is
disposed within the moveable housing element 109 in the
preferred embodiment. Additionally, the radio
communication device 103 includes a switch 127 disposed
within the body housing element 107 and a switch
activation device 129 disposed within the moveable
housing element 109. It is anticipated that other equally
sufficient embodiments of the present invention would
include a radio communication device that equally disposed
components between a body housing element and a
moveable housing. Such an embodiment would dispose at
least a portion of the radio circuitry within the body
housing element.
Upon reception of RF signals, the radio
communication device 103 receives the RF signals through
the antenna 105. The antenna 105 converts the received
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RF signals into electrical RF signals for use by the radio
circuitry 1 13. The radio circuitry 1 13 demodulates the
electrical RF signals and recovers the data transmitted
using the RF signals. Additionally, the radio circuitry 1 13
outputs the data to the processor 115. The processor 115
includes at least a main microprocessor such as an
MC68040 available from Motorola, Inc., and associated
memory as well as other control circuits including
integrated circuits or other known technologies. The
processor 115 formats the data output from the radio
circuitry 1 13 into a recognizable voice or messaging
information for use by the user interface 11 7 . The user
interface 1 17 communicates the received information or
voice to a user through the use of the speaker 123 and the
1 5 display 1 19.
Upon transmission of RF signals from the radio
communication device 103 to the remote transceiver 101,
the user interface 117 transmits user input data to the
2 0 processor 11 5 . Such data may include voice data and/or
messaging information. The processor 115 formats the
information obtained from the user interface 1 17 and
transmits the formatted information to the radio circuitry
113. The radio circuitry 1 13 converts the formatted
2 5 information into electrical RF modulated signals to the
antenna 105 for transmission back to the remote
transceiver 101.
In the preferred embodiment, the moveable housing
element 109 has a first position and second position, also
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referred to as an open position and a closed position. FIG. 2
is a detailed illustration of the radio communication device
103 of FIG. 1 in the closed position. When the moveable
housing element 109 is in the closed position, it covers a
portion of the touch screen display 119 and the radio
communication device 103 has a limited first set of user
functions available. The limited set of user functions
include only radiotelephone functions such as inputting
telephone numbers, initiating and ending telephone calls
and recalling phone numbers from a memory. This limited
set of user functions is related to the functions available on
a low tier radiotelephone available today. In the closed
position a portion of the touch screen display 119 is
exposed to the user. This exposed portion contains a data
display area 20 1 for displaying radiotelephone feedback
such as a telephone number, a signal strength, a battery
level, and roaming information. The information displayed
in the data display area is oriented vertically, hereinafter
referred to as a portrait mode, as illustrated in FIG. 4.
2 0 In the preferred embodiment, the moveable housing
element 109 includes a keypad 125. The keypad 125
includes a plurality of individual keys including a limited
number of function keys and a number pad containing
individual keys numbered 0-9. Each individual key is
disposed within the moveable housing element 109. Each
key has a first portion of the key exposed on a first side of
the moveable housing element 109 and a second portion of
the key is exposed on a second side of the moveable
housing element 109. The keys are arranged such that
3 0 when the moveable housing element 109 is in the closed
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position, the plurality of keys are arranged adjacent to a
user data area (not shown) of the touch screen display 1 19.
The user data area of the touch screen display 11 9 is
covered by the moveable housing element 109 and is
5 divided up into multiple user data sub-areas which
correspond to the plurality of keys of the keypad 125.
When the first portion of a first key is depressed by a user,
the second portion of the first key provides a pressure
against the touch screen display and activates a
10 corresponding user data sub-area. This activation of the
particular user data sub-area of the touch screen display
1 19 creates a corresponding signal that is sent back to the
processor 11 5 to interpret the meaning of the activation.
This signal is sent via the display bus 133.
FIG. 3 is a detailed illustration of the radio
communication device 103 of FIG. 1 in the opened position.
As the moveable housing element 109 is moved to the
open or extended position the switch activation device 129
20 in conjunction with the switch 127 creates a mode change
signal 131 that is sent to the processor 115, as illustrated
in FIG. 1. The mode change signal 131 indicates to the
processor 11 5 that the moveable housing element 1 09 is
being opened and a second set of user functions becomes
2 5 available to the user. In the preferred embodiment, the
second set of user functions includes advanced
radiotelephone control functions and messaging functions
such as wireless faxing, electronic mail and short messaging
service.
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With the moveable housing element 109 in the open
or extended position, the radio communication device 103
has a second set of user functions. This second set of user
functions includes advanced radiotelephone control
functions and messaging functions. The advanced
radiotelephone functions include a menu for storing and
recalling telephone numbers as well as progr~mming the
user' s preferences for controlling the radiotelephone. All of
the radiotelephone control functions, including the
advanced and the limited radiotelephone control functions,
are displayed in a radiotelephone display configuration.
This configuration includes orienting the display in the
portrait mode as discussed above and illustrated in FIG. 4.
All of the messaging functions including electronic mail,
faxing and short message service are displayed in a
messaging display configuration. This configuration
includes orienting the display in the horizontal direction,
hereinafter referred to as the landscape mode, as
illustrated in FIG. 5. Additionally, when the moveable
housing element 109 is in the opened position, the display
arrangement for the touch screen display 11 9 is
reconfigured. This reconfiguration includes increasing the
data display area 301 to include the entire touch screen
display 119 and it also changes the number of user data
2 5 sub-areas 305 in the user data area 303. In the preferred
embodiment the data display area 301 and the user data
area 303 overlap each other when the moveable housing
element 109 is in the extended or opened position.
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Additionally, the radio communication device 103
performs additional functions responsive to the moveable
housing element 109. Specifically, as the moveable housing
element 109 moves from the closed position to the opened
5 position, the radio communication device 103 can perform
an off-hook function. As the moveable housing element
109 moves from the opened position to the closed position,
the radio communication device 103 can perform an on-
hook function. Furthermore, any other predetermined
10 radio communication device control function can be
performed in response to moving the moveable housing
element between the first position and the second position.
Alternatively, the first set of user functions may
15 include exclusively radiotelephone control functions and
the second set of user functions may include exclusively
messaging functions. In this alternative embodiment,
when the moveable housing element 109 is in the closed
position, the radio communication device 103 functions
2 0 only as a radiotelephone. When the moveable housing
element 109 is in the open or extended position, the radio
communication device 103 operates solely as a messaging
communication system. Consequently, the touch screen
display would be oriented in the portrait mode while the
2 5 flip is closed and in response to moving the moveable
housing element 109 to the open position, the touch screen
display 11 9 would be reconfigured to the landscape mode,
as illustrated in figure 4.
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In the detailed illustration of the portable radio
communication device 103 in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the
moveable housing element 109 is a flip. It is anticipated
that other equally sufficient embodiments of a moveable
5 housing element 109 may be substituted therefor. These
other embodiments include: a clam shell type housing
element, a swivel type housing element and a sliding type
housing element.
FIG. 6 is an illustration of a cross-sectional view of
the radio communication device 103 of FIG. 2. Specifically,
FIG. 6 illustrates the moveable housing element 109 in the
closed position, the hinge 111 coupling the moveable
housing element 109 to the body housing element 107.
15 Here, the body housing element 107 includes a radio board
611 and a display 119. The radio board 611 the radio
circuitry 113 and the processor 115 of FIG. 1. The display
119 is disposed in the body housing element 107 in a
manner such that a first portion of the display 119 is
20 exposed on a first side of the body housing element 107.
In the preferred embodiment, the display 119 is a touch
screen display. The touch screen display 119 includes a
traditional display apparatus 605 for displaying display
data for the radio communication device and a resistive
film 607 for indicating to the processor 115 when the touch
screen display 119 has been activated.
In the preferred embodiment, the keypad 125 is
made of a single piece of plastic webbed material. The
single piece of plastic webbed material is shaped to form a
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plurality of keys 601 of the keypad 125 . It is anticipated
that other materials including: plastic, silicon, rubber etc..
could be used to provide a suitable material for the keypad
125 . The moveable housing element 109 includes a
5 plurality of apertures 603 corresponding to the plurality of
keys 601. The plurality of apertures allow a first portion
of the plurality of keys to be exposed on an outer side of
the moveable housing element 109. The keypad 125 is
coupled to an underside of the moveable housing element
1 0 109. In the preferred embodiment, the keypad is coupled
to the moveable housing element 109 using a sonic weld,
however, other couplers may be used such as mechanical
couplers or adhesive couplers.
The keypad 1 25 is operative when the moveable
housing element 109 is in the closed position. FIG. 7 is an
exploded view of the moveable housing element 109, the
keypad 125 and the touch screen display 119 of FIG. 6. In
the preferred embodiment, when the moveable housing
20 element 109 is in the closed position, the plurality of keys
601 of the keypad 125 are adjacent to the display 119. A
first portion 701 of the plurality of keys is exposed on a
first side of the moveable housing element 109 through the
apertures 603. A second portion 703 of the plurality of
2 5 keys is exposed on a second side of the moveable housing
element 109. The keypad operates as follows: First, the
first key of the keypad is at rest in a first position 705
substantially flush with the first side of the moveable
housing element 109; second, a user depresses the first
3 0 portion of the first key of the keypad 125 exposed on the
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first side of the moveable housing element; third,
responsive to the depression the first key moves to a
second position 707 indicated by the dashed lines of FIG. 7;
and fourth, a pressure, indicated by the arrows 709 of FIG.
7, is applied to the resistive film 607 of the display 11 9,
thereby activating the display 11 9 .
What is claimed is:
