Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US7834853?dq=6629163
Timestamp: 2017-12-14 01:49:15
Document Index: 142683545

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 100', 'art 104', 'art 100', 'art 100', 'art 104', 'Application No. 07840382']

Patent US7834853 - Handset keypad - Google Patents
A keypad (1200) includes a plurality of keys (1202) and a plurality of key dividers (1204-1210) wherein each of the key dividers includes a plurality of raised guide portions (1212-1214) and at least one tactile cue portion (1214) that is interposed between the plurality of raised guide portions (1212-1214)....http://www.google.com/patents/US7834853?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US7834853 - Handset keypad
Publication number US7834853 B2
Application number US 11/459,446
Also published as CN101495944A, EP2049973A2, EP2049973A4, US20080037765, WO2008014110A2, WO2008014110A3
Publication number 11459446, 459446, US 7834853 B2, US 7834853B2, US-B2-7834853, US7834853 B2, US7834853B2
Inventors Mark D. Finney, Steve C. Emmert
Patent Citations (44), Non-Patent Citations (14), Referenced by (87), Classifications (17), Legal Events (5)
US 7834853 B2
an elastomeric sheet comprising the plurality of arced key dividers, a keypad dome array that supports the elastomeric sheet and a keypad sheet having key pad indicia thereon and slots operatively sized to receive the plurality of arced dividers.
This application is related to co-pending applications entitled “HANDSET DEVICE WITH LAMINATED ARCHITECTURE”, filed on Jul. 24, 2006, having Ser. No. 11/459,460, having inventor Steve Emmert, owned by instant Assignee and Is incorporated herein by reference; and “USER INTERFACE SUBSTRATE FOR HANDSET DEVICE”, filed on Jul. 24 2006, having Ser. No. 11/459,451, having inventors Steve Emmert and John Boos, owned by instant Assignee and is incorporated herein by reference.
Keypads are known to be used in many types of devices, including but not limited to, handheld devices such as cell phones, non-handheld devices such as desktop phones, and any other device that employs keys as part of a user interface. Problems can arise with keypad usability in mobile devices and other devices where, for example, a user is not looking at the keypad. Some handset devices are known that include bell keypad layouts that include the numbers 0-9 in addition to other function keys such as “send” keys and other function keys and include tactile key dividers. One example may be found on the PEBL™ flip phone sold by Motorola, Inc. Such phones may include raised silicone portions that are in s-curve shapes and corresponding mirrored s-curve shapes. The two shapes are separated down the center of the keypad such that non-horizontal numbers 1, 5 and 3 are surrounded by a plurality of the s-curve and mirrored s-curve raised silicone protrusions. As such, the raised protrusions may be in a parallel orientation above and below non-horizontal keypad numbers 1, 5 and 3 with a space between the s-portion and mirrored s-portion centered below center number of the phone such as numbers 2, 5, 8 and 0. This configuration can assist a user when they are not looking at the phone to provide suitable vertical tactile separation between numbers in a vertical direction. In a horizontal direction however since the raised silicone portion is curved a user may inadvertently slip down to a next row of numbers instead of selecting the number in the horizontal row. For example, numbers in the horizontal row 1, 2 and 3 versus numbers in the second horizontal row 4, 5 and 6 can potentially be inadvertently selected since the raised tactile separations curve down and between horizontal rows.
The user interface substrate 56 includes a top surface 96 and a bottom surface 204 (see FIG. 2). The user interface substrate 56 further includes an upper part 100 and a lower part 104. The display 52 is operatively coupled to the upper part 100 of the user interface substrate 56. The display 52 is coupled to a display electrode pattern 604 (see FIG. 6, discussed below) that is formed on the top surface 96 of the upper part 100 of the user interface substrate 56. A keypad contact array 108 is formed in the lower part 104 of the user interface substrate 56. The keypad contact array 108 may be a patterned, conductive material such as exposed copper or other electrically conductive material from a layer of the user interface substrate 56, such as a printed circuit board. The user interface substrate 56 may be a printed circuit board (PCB) comprising a resin-based material, such as FR4, or any other suitable material. For example, the user interface substrate 56 may be a PCB with a patterned copper alloy layer on the top surface 96. The user interface substrate 56 may have a patterned, conductive material on both the top surface 96 and the bottom surface 204. Other substrate materials may also be used, such as resin-based composite material, polyester, flexible substrate material, ceramic, or any other suitable substrate material as is known in the art. The patterned conductive material may alternatively include a conductive ink layer. Other materials for the user interface substrate 56 include FR4 Type No. MCL-E-67, manufactured by Hitachi Chemical Co. or Pyralux® manufactured by DuPont. Other materials for the keypad contact array 48 include ESP-10 Tactile Sheets manufactured by Panasonic or SK5AB Series Contact Sheets manufactured by Alps Electric, Inc.
Operative indicia 226 may be applied to the sheet 36. For example, decorative ink may be applied to the bottom surface 224 of the sheet 36 to provide color and decoration to the front of the handset and to provide operative indicia 226, such as graphics, to aid operation of the handset device 10. An opening in the decorative ink provides a viewing window for the display 52. Alternatively, decals, appliqués, or other graphic films, paints, or coatings may be used as known in the art.
FIG. 7 is an exploded assembly view, shown from the front perspective, of part of the handset device of FIG. 1 depicting one embodiment of the invention. The top surface 96 of the user interface substrate 56 includes the display electrode pattern 604. The display electrode pattern 604 defines shapes, numbers, and pictures that will appear on the display 52 when appropriate voltage is applied across the display 52 and the display electrode 616 and electrodes pattern 604 (the front and back electrodes). The “background” of the display is, itself, an active electrode, so it can be driven to white or black. The keypad contact array 108 is shown in greater detail. The speaker audio port 276 is defined by the back barrier film 508. Also, there are labels 628 and 624 in FIG. 7. The speaker audio port 278 is defined by the user interface substrate 56. The display 52 is assembled to the user interface substrate 56. The front barrier film 516 is assembled to the display 52. The dispensed sealant 512 is disposed around the perimeter of the display 52. A cutout 708 in the layers of the display is adapted to at least partially surround the area of the user interface substrate audio port 278. While a radius cutout 708 is depicted, it will be recognized by those skilled in the art that various cutout shapes may be used, including shapes that completely surrounding the audio port 278. Lamination of an electrophoretic display 52 to a display electrode pattern 604 makes this design feature possible.
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U.S. Classification 345/169, 200/513, 455/556.2, 200/521, 345/173, 200/5.00A, 463/37, 341/21, 341/22, 345/168, 455/575.8, 455/575.7, 455/556.1, 341/20
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:FINNEY, MARK D.;EMMERT, STEVE C.;REEL/FRAME:018641/0934;SIGNING DATES FROM 20060913 TO 20061206
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:FINNEY, MARK D.;EMMERT, STEVE C.;SIGNING DATES FROM 20060913 TO 20061206;REEL/FRAME:018641/0934