Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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TELEPHONE KEYPAD ADAPI'OR
The present invention relates to a telephone
accessory and e~uipment, and in particular to a
telephone accessory and e~uipment for assisting
physically impaired persons to use conventional and/or
mobile telephones.
A problem often encountered by physically impaired
persons, such as the elderly or disabled, is that the
keys of a telephone are too small and close together for
successful operation of the telephone. For example, a
user may accidentally hit two keys together or the wrong
key. This is a particular problem with mobile
telephones, which are designed especially to be small
and compact, and therefore to have small keypads and
keys.
According to the present invention, there i8
provided a telephone keypad adaptor for use with a
telephone having a number storing facility, the adaptor
comprising a keypad having a plurality of keys thereon
arranged such that, when the adaptor is mounted on the
telephone, the keys of the adaptor keypad are able to
operate selected keys of the telephone keypad, including
number retrieval keys of the telephone.
From a further aspect, the present invention
provides a telephone keypad adaptor for a telephone
having a number storing facility, which, when mounted on
the telephone, provides a keypad having fewer keys than
the normal keypad of the telephone, these adaptor keys
operating keys of the telephone which enable numbers
stored by the telephone to be called.
Viewed from a still further aspect, the present
invention provides a telephone with a number storing
facility and a secondary keypad, the secondary keypad in
use extending over the main keypad area of the telephone
and having fewer keys than the main keypad of the
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telephone, these keys of the secondary keypad operating
keys of the main keypad that enable telephone numbers
stored in the memory of the telephone to be called.
The keypad adaptor o~ the present invention is able
to provide a keypad for a telephone having fewer keys
thereon than the normal keypad of the telephone. This
makes the telephone much easier to use, as the correct
keys are much easier to press, and keys not o~ use may
be masked by the adaptor pad so that they cannot be
pressed by accident.
For a similar size of adaptor keypad to that of the
telephone's normal keypad, the use of fewer keys enables
the adaptor keys to be spaced further apart and/or
allows them to be larger, 80 that there may be more of a
strike area for each key and les5 chance of hitting an
adjacent key by accident.
By focusing on the memory keys, not only can the
keys be made larger and more spaced apart, but also the
number o~ actions re~uired to call a number may be
reduced compared to the number of actions required to
actually dial a number. This again increases the ease
o~ use.
By using a telephone with a memory, and by
facilitating the use of such a telephone by selecting
and highlighting the keys needed to call a number in the
memory, and by enabling these keys to be larger in size
and/or spaced ~urther apart, without necessarily
increasing the size of the telephone itself to any great
extent, the invention facilitates the use o~ telephones
by those who would otherwise find their use very
di~ficult, if not impossible.
As the invention is able to provide these features
through the use of an accessory for telephones already
on the market, it does not re~uire the manufacture of
3~ special dedicated telephones.
The invention is especially appropriate for use
with mobile telephones. These tend to have memories
with scroll functions, and, in such cases, the selected
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keys of the telephone may comprise connect ("send"),
disconnect ('~end"), memory scroll up, memory scroll down
and select, as well as for example an on/o~ key and one
of the digit keys, for example the digit ~ive, which
would represent for example the number most frequently
used and stored in the memory.
In use, a user may press e.g. the 5 key to obtain
the most used telephone number, and scroll up or down to
other less frequently used numbers (Preferably, these
other numbers are listed in order o~ their usage, so
that the next two most ~requent numbers are at memories
4 and 6, etc.). Once the required number has been
located by scrolling, the user may press select and then
press connect to call the number. Once ~inished, the
user may press disconnect.
In the case o~ conventional telephones, e.g. those
mounted on desks or walls and connected to a telephone
point by a cable, these may ~or example store up to
twenty numbers, using the keys 0 to 9 to give ten
numbers, and the same digits and a "shi~t" key to give
another ten.
The adaptor keypad may select only some o~ the keys
of these O to 9 digits, e.g. four keys, strategically
placed so that the adaptor keys are able to remain
suitably spaced and sized when mounted above them.
Thus, the adaptor keypad for a conventional telephone
may select a suitable number of the O to 9 digits as
well as the shi~t key and pre~erably also a loudspeaker
key.
O~ course, the precise keys selected by the adaptor
keypad may be different ~rom the above depending on the
telephone's operation and key arrangement.
The keypad adaptor keys and keypad may take any
suitable ~orms to provide the required ~unctions.
The adaptor keys themselves may have strike areas
o~ suitable sizes and ~hapes to enable knuckles or ~ists
to be used to strike the keys. In addition, the keys
may be shaped and sized to ~acilitate operation by an
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operating tool, such as for example a rod held in the
mouth of a user.
In a preferred embodiment, the upper surface of
each adaptor key is concave to reduce the chances of a
user's ~inger, hand, etc., or operating tool, from
~lipping from the key.
The adaptor keys may be colour-coded or otherwise
marked and/or shaped, e.g. as up/down scroll arrows, so
as for example to enable a user with limited sight to
more easily select the correct keys.
The adaptor keys may be mounted directly above
respective ones of the telephone keys, so that when
pressed, they in turn press directly onto these
respective telephone keys. This arrangement provides a
particularly simple system. It would, however, be
possible to have the adaptor keys offset from their
respective telephone keys, if necessary, for example
should two required keys be adjacent one another on the
telephone keypad. This may be achieved in any suitable
manner, such as for example by suitable mechanical lever
means.
In one preferred embodiment, the keypad may
comprise a plate having holes therein through which the
adaptor keys are mounted, each adaptor key in use lying
directly above a respective one of the selected keys of
the telephone keypad.
According to a further aspect of the present
invention, there is provided a telephone keypad adaptor
for use with a telephone having memory storing
facilities, the adaptor comprising a plate; means for
locating and securing the plate over the keypad of the
telephone; and a plurality of buttons mounted in the
plate which project through the plate and which are
adapted to move in a direction substantially
perpendicular to the plane of the plate, the buttons
engaging keys of the telephone keypad that allow numbers
stored in the telephone to be called, the buttons having
a greater striking area and/or spacing than the keys of
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the telephone keypad.
Each adaptor key may have an upper portion ~or
operation by the user and a lower portion which engages
the selected telephone key when the adaptor key i8
pressed. For example, the adaptor keys may comprise a
pad providing a striking area for the user on one side
of the plate, a stem passing through the plate, and a
second pad opposite to the selected key of the telephone
keypad.
Means, such as spring means, may be provided ~or
urging the adaptor keys out of contact with the
telephone keys when they are not being pressed The
keys may also be guided and prevented ~rom rotation, by
for example providing splines along the key stems which
engage in corresponding grooves in the holes in the
plate, or for example by suitably shaping the plate
holes and the stems of the keys to include e.g. a
straight side, such as by using square or rectangular
holes and stems.
The adaptor may be mounted on the telephone in any
suitable ~ne~, e.g. in a clip-on or clamped manner.
In one preferred ~orm, one or more brackets are provided
which connect with a plate of the keypad to hold the
plate in place over the telephone keypad.
Alternatively, ~or example, the plate could be held in
place by a strap, which could be elasticated, with
spacer means for holding the adaptor keypad a suitable
distance from the telephone keypad.
In the case o~ a mobile telephone, the adaptor may
form part o~ a cradle in which the telephone is mounted,
e.g., to the seat of a wheelchair or to a wall or a car
mounting unit.
Preferably, the adaptor is removable from the
telephone for e~ample to allow for cleaning of the
telephone and adaptor, and to enable the telephone to be
used normally or to be programmed or reprogrammed by a
user or by a carer of the user. In the ca8e of a mobile
telephone, removal o~ the adaptor may additionally
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facilitate recharging of the battery
It is preferable that the adaptor is configured so
that it enables the continued use of any ear piece
and/or microphone attachments, etc., where provided on
the telephone.
Adaptors could be made specifically for one or more
models of telephone, and different makes of telephone
will often have similar dimensions and keypad
arrangements, so that one adaptor may accommodate a
range of models. The adaptor may also be adjustable to
accommodate variations in telephone design, such as in
respect of their thickness, width and key arrangements.
For example, the adaptor may have a keypad plate on
which the keys are mounted, which has a number of holes
therein, only some of which are used, with the
particular holes used being dependent on the telephone
keypad arrangement on which it i8 to be mounted. Also,
these holes may be elongate, to allow for more accurate
placement of the adaptor keys over the telephone keys.
Further, the adaptor may be mounted to the telephone by
adjustable mounting means, which may accommodate
different sizes, e.g. widths and thicknesses of the
telephone, and also distances of the adaptor keypad from
the telephone. For example, the mounting means could
comprise a strap, which could be elasticated, and
adjustable spacer means between the adaptor keypad and
the telephone keypad.
The idea of a second keypad which allows larger
keys to be used is itself inventive, without necessarily
having to use only memory ~unction keys, and, viewed
from a further aspect, the present invention provides a
keypad adaptor for a telephone comprising keys o~ larger
size than those of the telephone keypad, the adaptor
keys operating respective ones of the keys o~ the
telephone keypad. In this case, the adaptor keypad may
include the same number of keys as the telephone keypad,
or a significant number of them. The adaptor keypad may
therefore be larger than the keypad o~ the telephone.
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Also, the telephone need not then ~e one which stores
telephone numbers, as the keys of the adaptor could be
selected to operate the dialling digit keys of the
telephone. As the adaptor keys would be larger,
dialling would still be easier than when using the
original telephone keypad without the adaptor The
invention also extends to a telephone with such an
adaptor.
An embodiment o~ the present invention will now be
described, by way o~ example only, with re~erence to the
accompanying drawings, in which:
Fiy. 1 shows a plan view o~ an adap~or according to
one embodiment of the present invention; and
Fig. 2 shows a side elevation of the adaptor of
Fig. 1.
Referring to both figures, a keypad adaptor 1 is
mounted on a mobile telephone 2.
The mobile telephone 2 has a keypad 3 comprising
keys 4, and a display screen 5.
Adaptor 1 has a keypad plate 6 which is mounted on
the telephone 2 by a U-shaped mounting bracket 7 shown
by dashed lines in Fig. 2 in order that the other
~eatures of the adaptor 1 may be clearly seen.
Adaptor 1 includes 8iX buttons 8 mounted on the
plate 6 above selected ones o~ the keys 4 of the
telephone 2, the keys 4 being chosen so as to allow a
user to call telephone numbers stored in a memory o~ the
telephone 2.
Each button 8 of the adaptor comprises an outer
portion 9 (shown in cross-section in Fig. 2), which the
user presses to operate the corresponding opposite key 4
o~ the telephone, a central shaft lO passing through the
plate 6, and an inner portion 9 which contacts with the
opposing key 4 when the button 8 is pressed.
3~ Central shaft lO is cross-shaped in section, and is
able to move relative to the plate 6 through a
correspondingly cross-shaped hole in the plate 6. The
cross-shaped section helps to guide the buttons 8 and to
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prevent their rotation.
The inner portion lO is pre~erably ~ormed ~rom a
resilient material such as rubber or the like. Means,
such as a spring mounted between the outer portion 9 and
the plate 6, may be provided to bias the buttons 8 up
out o~ contact with the keys 4 when the buttons 8 are
not pressed.
The striking sur~aces 12 of the buttons 8 are
concave. Some users need to use an aid such as a rod
held in the mouth to press the buttons 8, and the
concave surfaces 12 help to prevent slippage of these
rods.
In this embodiment, the keys 4 selected are the
connect, disconnect, display list o~ memory numbers,
scroll memory numbers up, scroll memory numbers down,
and select memory number keys.
The contact sur~aces 12 o~ each button are larger
and their centres more spaced apart than those of the
keys 4 o~ the telephone, and thus enable a user to more
easily make a telephone call without ~or example
pressing a wrong key or two keys together. Keys not
required are masked by the plate 6, and so cannot be
pressed by accident.
The mounting bracket 7 may be connected to the
plate 6 in any suitable manner, and may provide a clip-
on and/or screw construction. It may ~orm part o~ a
cradle by which the mobile telephone 2 is mounted to a
vehicle seat, a wheelchair, wall or some other
structure.
Various alternatives and modi~ications on the above
design are o~ course possible, and the adaptor keypad
and mounting means may take any suitable ~orms and be
made ~rom any suitable materials. The mounting bracket
7 may ~or example be integral with plate 6, and/or plate
6 may be pivotally mounted to one side o~ the bracket 7.
Alternatively, the bracket 7 may be separate ~rom plate
6, but attached by screws, or in a clip manner or the
like. The bracket 7 could be replaced e.g. by side arms
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on the plate 6 having flange portions which clip behind
the body of the telephone, or could be replaced by an
elasticated strap, with spacer means provide between the
plate and the telephone.
The preferred embodiment of the invention is shown
in use with a mobile telephone, and this provides a
particularly advantageous system. The invention is
however also suited to use with a conventional telephone
e.g. mounted on a desk or a wall and connected to a
telephone point by a cable, suitable changes being made
as appropriate, such as which keys are selected and the
mounting arrangement used.
In a further variation, the adaptor keypad may have
buttons 8 for the dialling keys o~ the telephone keypad,
and possible other keys o~ the telephone also. This
could make the keypad larger, but would still provide
the advantage of larger press buttons.
