Abstract:
Described is a tactile input arrangement for a computing device. A portable computing device comprises a housing, a first input arrangement forming at least a portion of a first external surface of the housing and receiving input data from a user and a second input arrangement forming at least a portion of a second external surface of the housing and receiving further input data from the user, the second external surface facing in a direction substantially opposite to the first external surface.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates generally to a tactile input arrangement for a computing device. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Conventional mobile computing units (MUs) such as bar code scanners, mobile phones, PDAs, etc. include keypads and/or touch screens for receiving user input. For example, a user may hold the MU in one hand and press keys on the keypad or enter input on the touch screen with the other hand. Although these examples describe two-handed use of the MU, some operations (e.g., dialing a phone number) may be accomplished by single-handed use where the MU is held in the same hand that is used to enter input. For example, a user may hold the MU in his palm and reach his thumb around to press keys on the keypad. However, only a limited number of operations can be performed by single-handed use due to size/shape/weight of the MU, location of the keypad or touch screen, etc. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    The present invention relates to a tactile input arrangement for a computing device. A portable computing device comprises a housing, a first input arrangement forming at least a portion of a first external surface of the housing and receiving input data from a user and a second input arrangement forming at least a portion of a second external surface of the housing and receiving further input data from the user, the second external surface facing in a direction substantially opposite to the first external surface. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0004]      FIG. 1  shows a front view of an exemplary embodiment of a mobile computing unit according to the present invention; and 
           [0005]      FIG. 2  shows a rear view of an exemplary embodiment of a mobile computing unit according to the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0006]    The present invention may be further understood with reference to the following description and the appended drawings, wherein like elements are referred to with the same reference numerals. The present invention describes a tactile input arrangement for a computing device. According to the exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the tactile input arrangement is disposed on an external surface of the computing device which is opposite a surface containing a display screen and/or a keypad. In this manner, when the computing device is held in a user&#39;s hand, the user may interface with the tactile input using, for example, a forefinger, and interface with the keypad and/or the display screen using a thumb. Thus, the exemplary embodiments of the present invention provide for single-handed operation of the computing device, allowing the user to maintain a free hand for other purposes. 
         [0007]      FIG. 1  shows an exemplary embodiment of a computing device according to the present invention. The computing device may be a mobile computing unit (MU)  5  which includes, for example, a laser-/imager-based scanner, an RFID reader, a mobile phone, a PDA, a digital camera, a digital media player, etc. The MU  5  may include various components (hardware and/or software) for performing functions typical of conventional MUs. For example, the MU  5  may include a processor, memory and circuitry for wireless and/or wired communications. The MU  5  may also include hardware/software specific components for performing specific tasks, e.g., scanning bar codes, querying RFID tags, etc. 
         [0008]    The MU  5  includes a housing  10  comprising one or more structures which, as a composite structure, is generally rectangular in shape having three pairs of opposite sides, e.g., a front surface  15  opposite a rear surface  20 , a top surface  25  opposite a bottom surface  30  and opposing side surfaces  35 ,  40 . Those of skill in the art will understand that geometric shape and dimensions of the MU  5  may vary depending upon, for example, applications of the MU  5 , portability, packaging, manufacturing, user-based requests, etc. For example, a digital media player may have an integrally formed housing, while a mobile communication device may include one structure housing a display screen and a second structure housing an alphanumeric keypad, control keys, etc. 
         [0009]    The MU  5  includes at least one first input receiving arrangement such as, for example, a keypad  45  and/or a touch screen  50  disposed on the front surface  15  so that the first arrangements may be simultaneously viewable when entering data. The keypad  10  may be a conventional keypad including alphanumeric keys for entering data and, optionally, hot-keys for launching specific applications on the MU  5 , controlling operation of the MU  5 , etc. As is known in the art, one or more hot-keys may be disposed along one (or both) of the side surfaces  35 ,  40  of the MU  5 . For example, hot-keys controlling an output volume of the MU  5  and/or a brightness level of the touch screen  50  may be disposed on the side surface  35  of the MU  5  so that, when the MU  5  is held in the user&#39;s palm, these settings can be adjusted with his thumb. 
         [0010]    The touch screen  50  may be implemented using conventional touch screen technology (e.g., infrared, capacitive, inductive, etc.) and receive user input via the user&#39;s finger and/or a stylus. The touch screen  50  may be used in conjunction with or exclusive of the keypad  45 . For example, the MU  5  may not include the keypad  45  if the touch screen  50  is configured to present an alphanumeric keypad. In another embodiment, the MU  5  may include a passive display screen rather than the touch screen  50 , and user input may be exclusively received via the keypad  45 . 
         [0011]    The touch screen  50  and the keypad  45  may be disposed on substantially the same surface of the MU  5  (e.g., on the front surface  15 ) so that when the user is interfacing with the MU  5  both the touch screen  50  and the keypad  45  are simultaneously viewable. While the exemplary embodiment of  FIG. 1  shows the MU  5  as being formed as an integral unit, those of skill in the art will understand that the touch screen  50  may be disposed on a first structure which is physically coupled to a second structure housing the keypad  45 . For example, the first and second structures may be hingedly, rotatably, or slidably connected, allowing the MU  5  to have a lower profile and take up less space. While not being disposed on the same surface in these embodiments, the touch screen  50  and the keypad  45  may be disposed in substantially the same plane when, for example, the keypad  45  is being used to enter text. 
         [0012]      FIG. 2  shows an exemplary embodiment of the rear surface  20  of the MU  5  according to the present invention which includes a second input receiving arrangement. In the exemplary embodiment, the second input receiving arrangement is a touch pad  55  which receives and interprets tactile input. The user may trace movements on the touch pad  55  to move a cursor shown on the touch screen  50 . Those of skill in the art will understand that, in other exemplary embodiments, the second input receiving arrangement may be, for example, a joystick, a ball, a wheel, a switch, a button(s), etc. The touch pad  55  may have any shape and/or size and be disposed on any portion of the rear surface  20 . Preferably, the touch pad  55  is positioned so that when the MU  5  is held in the user&#39;s palm, the user&#39;s forefinger can easily reach over an entire area of the touch pad  55 . 
         [0013]    The user may input a predetermined tactile sequence (e.g., a double-tap) on the touch pad  55  to select items shown on the touch screen  50 . The touch pad  55  may also be responsive to pressure changes and/or traced movements for adjusting volume, screen brightness/contrast, etc. For example, the user may select a volume control icon presented on the touch screen  50  using the double-tap sequence and then trace a line on the touch pad  55  indicative of an increase or decrease in the volume. Optionally, one or more selectors  60  may be disposed on the rear surface  20  of the MU  5  adjacent the touch pad  55  so that, once the cursor is positioned over a desired item on the touch screen  50 , the user may engage one of the selectors  60  to select the item. The selectors  60  may be, for example, buttons, dials, switches, knobs, etc. 
         [0014]    The user may prevent inadvertent touches on the touch pad  55  by utilizing a lock mechanism. For example, when the user is scanning bar codes or carrying the MU  5 , an inadvertent touch of the touch pad  20  may unintentionally launch an application or select an item. The user may be required to stop a current activity to reset the MU  5 . Or, the user may believe that the MU  5  is malfunctioning because no intentional tactile input was provided. 
         [0015]    In one exemplary embodiment, the lock mechanism may be an electronic lock whereby the touch pad  55  may be selectively enabled/disabled by the user and/or automatically after a predetermined time period. A predetermined tactile sequence, an authorization code entered via the keypad  45 , a gesture input, etc. may be utilized to enable/disable the touch pad  55 . In another exemplary embodiment, a timer may be initialized to a predetermined time period which, upon expiration, sends a signal to the processor of the MU  5  to cease receiving input from the touch pad  55 . The user may “wake up” the touch pad  55  to receive tactile input using the predetermined tactile sequence, the authorization code, etc. As understood by those of skill in the art, the lock mechanism may be employed for the first and/or second input arrangements so that the user can selectively activate the first and second input arrangements to receive input. 
         [0016]    In another exemplary embodiment, the locking mechanism may be a physical lock which prevents access to the touch pad  55 . For example, the physical lock may be a hard cover which attaches to the rear surface  20  of the MU  5  and covers the touch pad  55 . In this embodiment, the touch pad  55  may receive tactile input while the MU  5  is powered and require the user to cover the touch pad  55  to prevent inadvertent input. The hard cover may be a separate item or be coupled to the MU  5  via a hinge (door-like), a sliding cover (window-like), etc. 
         [0017]    Those of skill in the art will understand that the exemplary embodiments of the present invention may provide for true-single handed use of the MU  5 . That is, when the MU  5  is held in the user&#39;s palm, the user may interface with the MU  5  by providing tactile input to the touch pad  55  with his forefinger. Tracing a movement on the touch pad  55  results in a corresponding movement of a cursor on the touch screen  50 . Double-tapping on or applying pressure to the touch pad  55  may indicate a selection of an item, while tracing movements may adjust values, scroll through content presented on the touch screen  50 , etc. 
         [0018]    It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made in the present invention, without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, it is intended that the present invention cover the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.