Patent ID: 6873315
Filing Date: 2005-03-29
Classification: G06F,G09F,H04M

Abstract:
1. An electronic input device comprising: a flexible and compactable input means for receiving user input; and a housing defining a space for accommodating said flexible and compactable input means, wherein said electronic input device has a first state, a second state and a third state, and wherein the electronic input device adopts a closed configuration in the first state, adopts a partly opened configuration in the second state, and adopts a fully opened configuration in the third state, and wherein the flexible and compactable input means adopts a compacted spatial configuration in the first state and in the second state, and adopts an extended spatial configuration in the third state, and wherein the electronic input device is configured to be moved from the first state into the second state by an opening movement of a first housing portion of the electronic input device in relation to a second housing portion of the electronic input device in a first direction, and the electronic input device is configured to be moved from the second state into the third state by a pulling movement of a third housing portion of the electronic input device in relation to a fourth housing portion of the electronic input device in a second direction being different that the first direction, and wherein in the first state and in the second state the flexible and compactable input means has been retracted into the housing and the functionality of the flexible and compactable input means is unavailable for a user, and wherein in the third state the flexible and compactable input means has been extracted from the housing by said pulling movement and the functionality of the flexible and compactable input means is available for a user, and wherein in the second state at least part of the functionality of the electronic input device is available for a user, and in the third state the available functionality of the electronic input device is extended.