Patent Publication Number: US-6215474-B1

Title: Communication device with mode change softkeys

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention is in general related to communication devices and more particularly to handheld communication devices. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Hand held communication devices appear in a variety of shapes and form factors. Next to pleasant appearance, user ergonomics are among the most important external factors designers consider in designing such products. One aesthetically pleasing form factor uses an extendible section, such as a flip or a clam shell cover. One of the objectives met by these extendible sections is protection of the user interfaces, such as the keypad and the display. Another is the extension of the communication device in the operating mode to provide sufficient length to cover the distance between the ear and mouth of the user. These extendible sections have also been used to respond to an incoming call. In such applications, an incoming call may be answered simply by opening the cover. As such the user does not need to press an answer button to receive a call. A problem with these covers is that operation of the product is greatly hampered when the cover is in the closed mode as neither the keypad nor the display are accessible. Some devices have attempted to partially address this problem by limiting the extendible section to cover only the keypad, hence leaving the display exposed. This approach fails to provide protection to the display which is greatly desired nor would such an approach provide access to the keypad when the cover is closed. Accordingly, a need exists for a device that overcomes the deficiencies of the prior art. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 shows a communication device in a first mode in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 shows a side view of the communication device of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 3 shows a communication device in a second mode in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIG. 4 shows a block diagram of the communication device in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIG. 5 shows a first configuration of the display terminal of the communication device in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIG. 6 shows a second configuration of the display terminal of the communication device in accordance with the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     In order to overcome the deficiencies of the prior art in effectively utilizing communication devices having a cover, the present invention provides for a see-through cover that provides access to the display of the communication device even when the cover is closed. In addition, through access keys are provided to accommodate access to the keypad when the cover is closed. Along with the access keys, the display includes soft key designation areas whose textual contents change depending on the position of the cover. As such, the communication device may be used regardless of the position of the cover. This is particularly useful with dual mode communication devices where the functionality of the device may be optimized by the position of the cover. 
     FIGS. 1,  2 , and  3  show an electronic device, such as a communication device  100  in the open and closed positions, respectively. FIG. 1 shows the communication device  100  in the closed mode and including a moveable housing element  102  on which push buttons  106  are located. Keys  106  are shown preferably directly underneath the display to provide for soft key features. The cover  102  covers at least a portion of the top surface of the device  100 . Included in the coverage zone of the cover  102  is the display  114  and the keypad  118 . The operation of the keypad  118  in this embodiment is similar to the keys of a regular telephone or other communication devices as it known in the art. A speaker  120  presents the received audio to the user while a microphone  122  inputs the audio for transmission. A Push-To-Talk (PTT) button  206  is located preferably on the side of the radio  100  and provides for the initiation of communication in the dispatch mode. Additional buttons  202  and  204  provide such functions as volume control or frequency selection, among other things. In alternative embodiments, the PTT switch may be located on the top surface, similar to the TalkAbout™ family of products being offered by Motorola Inc., Schaumburg, Ill. 
     Although switches  204  and  206  have been shown here to control the volume level, an alternative embodiment may use them as providing a function similar to the soft keys  116 . In such an embodiment, these keys  202  and  204  may be used to provide the user with various functions as guided through the display terminal  114 . e.g. the function of the keys may change from volume control in one mode to ID number locator in another to message scrolling in a third mode. These keys may be placed beneath the display  114  so that their function as soft keys may be enhanced. In such a place, keys  202  and  204  may be used more definitively as soft keys in the Y (vertical) dimension as are keys  116  in the X (horizontal) dimension. This alternative embodiment may provide additional flexibility to the communication device  100  in either mode and has particular benefit in the closed cover mode. 
     The user wishing to place a dispatch call may enter the private ID number of the second party and proceed to talk while the PTT button is pressed. For this, however, the cover must be opened for access to the keypad. The present invention eliminates the need to open the cover by providing pass through keys  106  and the see through window  108 . These keys are available on the cover and may be used to scroll through a list of private IDs. A desired private ID may be searched and chosen from the memory and displayed on the display  114 , seen through the see through area  108 . Once located, the user proceeds to communicate by pressing the PTT switch  206 . As such, the need to open the cover  102  is eliminated. 
     In the preferred embodiment, the two buttons  106  are used as soft keys. A soft key is referred to a key whose function changes depending on the application being run. The functions associated with the keys  106  are those meaningful and appropriate for dispatch operation, such as scrolling through the memory to locate the private ID number of a particular addressee. Alternatively, these keys may be used to access other features, such as changing the mode of operation or the operating zone of the device  100 . To accommodate these soft keys  106 , the display  114  includes soft key designation areas  502  and  504  (FIG.  5 ). These areas are updated with text representing new modes or functions as determined by the operating mode of the device  100 . As the mode of the device  100  is changed, with the cover  102  open or closed, the function of these soft keys  106  change as well. This represents a significant benefit as extended functionality may not be denied when the cover  102  is closed. 
     In an alternative embodiment, the device  100  may include a voice recognition circuitry to be used in locating a particular addressee in either modes of operation. With such a circuit, the user may enter the ID number of a particular addressee simply by requesting it via voice. The recognition circuitry proceeds to recover the voice and locate the ID number associated with the name. 
     The communication device  100  as presented in this preferred embodiment, is capable of providing multiple modes of operation. Namely, the device  100  may operate in telephone or dispatch mode of operation. Alternatively, messaging or data modes may be accommodated. In the messaging mode, the device  100  may be used to receive pages as any other pager available as a stand alone product. In the data mode of operation, the device  100  may be used as a portable data machine. In addition, the device  100  may be used as a telephone. Utilizing the keys  106 , an incoming call may be answered without opening up the cover. In other words, the user may choose to answer an incoming call by either opening the cover  102  or simply pressing one of the keys  106 . In either case the present invention offers a unique advantage over the prior art. This advantage is provided via the see through section  108 . The caller ID feature of the device  100  displays the number of an incoming call on the display  114 . Seen through the clear area  108 , the user may decide whether to answer the incoming call or not. This is not possible in the communication devices of the prior art which are equipped with a traditional cover. These devices all answer an incoming call as soon as the cover is opened. As such, the identity of an incoming call is not known to the user before the call is answered. Conveniently, and in accordance with the present invention, partial access to the device  100  is available even when the cover  102  is closed. 
     In summary, the device  100  provides enhanced functionality by providing access to the display and keypad, even when the cover  102  is closed. The see through section  108  may cover all or a portion of the display  114 . As such, displayed information may be viewed with the cover  102  open or closed. Keys  106  provide access to the keypad  118  when the cover is closed. With such access to the keypad and the display, the user can use the device  100  in any mode with the cover open or closed, hence improving product usability. 
     Referring to FIG. 3, the communication device  100  is shown with the cover  102  open. The communication device  100  includes a body housing element  124  which accommodates the components to provide telephone and dispatch functionality thereto. The housing element  124  includes a top surface  126 , the display  114 , and the keypad  118 . The movable housing element  102  is coupled to the housing element  124  via a hinge  112 . The moveable housing element  102  selectively moves between at least a first position wherein at least a portion of the top surface  126  is covered to provide for selective operation in the dispatch mode and at least a second position wherein the top surface  126  is exposed to provide for selective operation is the telephone mode of operation. The moveable housing element  102  includes the see through section  108  covering at least a portion of the display section  114  when the movable housing element  102  is in the first position in order to protect the display section  114  and simultaneously provide access thereto. In place of the hinge  112  embodiments, other similar mechanisms, such as a railing or a sliding cover may be used to couple the moveable housing element  102  to the housing element  124 . An antenna  110  is used for the efficient transmission and reception of radio frequency signals. 
     In the open mode, the entire keypad  118  is available to the user. As such, the user may place a dispatch call by entering the entire private ID number of an addressee and proceed to communicate using the PTT button  206 . Alternatively, the user may place a telephone call by entering the number in the telephone mode and proceed to communicate. As can be seen more clearly from FIGS. 2 and 3 and in accordance with the preferred embodiment, the keys  106  pass through from the front surface to the back surface of the cover  102 . As such, keys  106 , when pressed, couple with keys  116  which are located directly below them. This coupling communicates a push applied to keys  106  from the front surface of the cover area to the keys  116  on the top surface  126 . By providing the pass through keys  106 , the same number of keys may be used to provide the device  100  with functionality with the cover  102  open or closed. In other words, there is no need to duplicate keys in order to accommodate the various modes in which the device  100  may be used. 
     In summary, the device  100  operates in at least two modes of operation. In a first mode of operation and with the cover open, it is able to place and receive phone calls just as any other wireless telephone. In a second mode of operation and with the cover closed, it can be utilized as a walkie talkie utilizing dispatch operation. A push-to-talk (PTT) bottom is used to facilitate the dispatch mode. A cover  102  is used to selectively cover at least a portion of the top surface  126  when the cover is closed. The cover  102  includes a see-through window  108  which covers the display area  114  in the closed mode in order to protect the display terminal  114  and while at the same time providing access thereto. In this mode of operation, the user can view the names or numbers of parties he is wishing to contact without having to open the cover which is otherwise required in the communication devices of the prior art. In a third mode, a user may retrieve data messages with the cover  102  closed simply by navigating through the application program using soft keys  106 . 
     Referring to FIG. 4, the block diagram of the communication device  100  in accordance with the present invention is shown. Antenna  402  is coupled to transceiver circuits  404  where radio frequency signals received thereby are demodulated to baseband. Audio components of the demodulated signals are coupled to audio circuits  406  and then to enunciator/earpiece  408 . The enunciator may be used to alert the user of a received call independent of the position of the cover  102 . Alternatively, a speaker may be used in place of or in addition to the enunciator  408 . The data components of the demodulated signals are coupled to a display  410 . A keypad  412  provides key entries to a controller  414 . These key entries are then coupled to the transceiver circuits for modulation at the proper frequency before they are transmitted via antenna  402 . In addition to the enunciator  408 , a vibrator  416  may be utilized to indicate to the user the presence of an incoming call. A microphone  418  is used for the coupling of audio to the transceiver circuits  404 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, the display  114  is shown with the cover  102  closed and open, respectively. In the closed mode of the preferred embodiment, the soft key designation area  502  provides a list  506  where the user may scroll for possible names. The soft key designation area  504  is used to provide switching between the modes of operation,  508 . The definition of the soft keys  106  may change as the mode of operation of the device  100  changes. In other words, the text  506  and/or  508  may change when the operating mode transitions from telephone mode to dispatch and so on. 
     When the cover  102  is open, the display soft key definitions change to better represent the best use of the device  100 . As seen in FIG. 6, the text of the designation areas  502  and  504  changes to “Name”  602  and “Mail”  604 , respectively. As such, the device  100  can accommodate features that are commensurate with an open cover. As can be seen, with changes to the definition of the soft keys  106  a user is no longer required to sacrifice the full functionality of the device  100  just because the cover  102  is closed. Now, the device  100  senses the position of the cover and acts to reflect that change in the text of the soft key designation areas  502  and  504 . With the operation of the soft keys  106  being dynamic relative to the position of the cover, the product performance does not have to be sacrificed to create a balance between the closed and open modes. This change in the soft key function relative to the position of the cover  102  is in addition to the changes implemented as the operating mode of the device  100  changes. In the preferred embodiment, the sensor to detect the mode of the cover  102  utilizes a magnet along with a detector. Once the magnet is in the close proximity of the detector, a mode change signal is communicated by the detector to the controller  414  initiating the change to the text of the soft keys. 
     The present invention provides two significant benefits to the users of a two-way communication device. The first benefit is that the display  114  is viewable through a see-through window  108 . This accessibility renders the device  100  more versatile in that multiple modes of operation along with multiple housing configuration can be accommodated without departing from the aesthetics associated and preferred with each mode of operation. With the cover  102  closed, the device  100  may be used with limited access to the keypad  118  through the soft keys  106 . This closed mode is particularly beneficial in dispatch or data modes. In dispatch, the press of the push-to-talk button  206  initiates a transmission. In this mode, the user may desire to locate the private ID number of a particular unit. To do this, the user presses the activators  106  thereby activating keys  116 . In the data mode of operation, keys  106  may be used to retrieve data since the display is accessible via the see-through window  108 . As such, the functions of keys  116  do not have to be duplicated to accommodate the multiple modes the unit  100  provides. 
     In the open mode of operation, conversely, the device  100  can accommodate phone communications as provided by similar devices in the prior art. As can be seen, the versatility of the device  100  has been expanded by providing full functionality in one mode of operation, namely open cover; and limited operation, namely closed cover. Although the closed cover mode has been discussed in a dispatch environment, one can see that limited functionalities over the device  100  in the interconnect mode may be accomplished by the cover in the closed mode. In such circumstances, the access keys  106  may be used to locate a telephone number for a desired party and utilizing a speaker phone mode of operation a call can be traced to that party without having to open the cover  102 .