Patent Description:
Portable communication devices, such as portable radios, are utilized in a wide variety of communication environments, such as business, consumer retail, security and the like. Portable communication devices operate using a variety of user interface features, such as a microphone, speaker, and control buttons. There is an increased demand that such portable communication devices provide camera functionality as an additional, without increasing the overall size of the device. The incorporation of additional user interface features is challenging, due not only to the limited size constraints of the portable device, but also due to the fact that the users themselves may interfere or block one device feature while using another device feature. It is desirable that the incorporation of additional user interface features into a portable communication device not cause the user to block or interfere with other user interface features, such as audio porting.

Accordingly, there is a need for a portable communication device with an improved user interface that overcomes the aforementioned challenges.

<CIT> discloses a portable electronic devices having I/O (input/output) assemblies that can include optical and audio components. An exemplary I/O assembly can include a first camera module and a second camera module that can be carried within a camera module housing. A flex connector can carry a strobe that can be positioned between the first camera module and the second camera module. A trim can enclose the first camera, the second camera and the strobe and optically isolates the optical components. Trim can have lips that can define a receptacle that can receive camera cover glass. Receptacle can have a size and shape that is complementary to camera cover glass so that camera cover glass can fit right at receptacle. In some embodiments, I/O assembly can also include an opening for access of an audio transducer such as a microphone carried in I/O assembly.

The accompanying figures where like reference numerals refer to identical or functionally similar elements throughout the separate views and which together with the detailed description below are incorporated in and form part of the specification, serve to further illustrate various embodiments and to explain various principles and advantages all in accordance with the present invention.

Before describing in detail embodiments that are in accordance with the present invention, it should be observed that the embodiments reside primarily in a non-touch user interface for a portable communication device. Accordingly, the components have been represented where appropriate by conventional symbols in the drawings, showing only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments of the present invention so as not to obscure the disclosure with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the description herein.

In this document, relational terms such as first and second, top and bottom, and the like may be used solely to distinguish one entity or action from another entity or action without necessarily requiring or implying any actual such relationship or order between such entities or actions. The terms "comprises," "comprising," or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements does not include only those elements but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. An element preceded by "comprises. a" does not, without more constraints, preclude the existence of additional identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises the element.

Briefly, there is provided herein a portable communication device comprising a housing that provides an elongated aperture having a non-touch user interface residing therein. The non-touch user interface is formed of a single elongated rounded rectangular shaped body corresponding to the shape of the elongated aperture. A plurality of non-touch user interface features are adjacently spaced apart side-by-side along the single elongated rounded rectangular shaped body of the non-touch user interface. The elongated aperture with non-touch user interface residing therein, define a visible non-touch user interface zone on a surface of the portable communication device. The visible non-touch user interface zone advantageously provides a dedicated pill shaped keep-out zone to keep non-touch user features from being inadvertently touched, The visible non-touch user interface zone intuitively trains end users to refrain from touching, altering or manipulating the non-touch features, such as speaker porting, camera and flash features thereby minimizing potential damage.

<FIG> is a first view of a portable communication device <NUM> formed in accordance with the embodiments. The portable communication device <NUM> comprises a housing having a plurality of housing surfaces comprising a top surface <NUM>, a bottom surface <NUM>, a front surface <NUM>, a back surface <NUM>, a first side surface <NUM>, and a second side surface <NUM>. An elongated aperture <NUM> is formed on a surface of the plurality of surfaces, the elongated aperture <NUM> being formed as an elongated rounded rectangular shaped aperture. In accordance with the embodiments, a non-touch user interface <NUM> resides within the elongated aperture <NUM>, the non-touch user interface being formed of a single elongated rounded rectangular shaped body corresponding in shape to the elongated aperture. The elongated aperture <NUM> with non-touch user interface <NUM> residing therein define a visible non-touch user interface zone <NUM> on the surface of the portable communication device <NUM>. In accordance with the embodiments, a plurality of non-touch user interface features <NUM> are adjacently integrated and spaced apart side-by-side along the single elongated rounded rectangular shaped body of the non-touch user interface <NUM>.

The visible non-touch user interface zone <NUM> formed of elongated aperture <NUM> with non-touch user interface <NUM> residing therein are formed of a hard molded plastic as part of the housing thereby providing a monoform form factor.

The visible non-touch user interface zone <NUM> (defined by the elongated aperture <NUM> with non-touch user interface <NUM> residing therein) is elongate and extends along a horizontal axis (x-x') across the front surface <NUM> of the housing between the first and second side surfaces <NUM>, <NUM>. The visible non-touch user interface zone <NUM> may alternatively be located on the back surface <NUM> of the housing between the first and second side surfaces <NUM>, <NUM>.

The portable communication device <NUM> may be a two-way radio device having a push-to-talk (PTT) button <NUM>. The portable communication device <NUM> may further comprise a battery cover <NUM> with battery latch <NUM> located below the visible non-touch user interface zone <NUM>.

The visible non-touch user interface zone <NUM> advantageously provides a dedicated keep-out zone to keep non-touch user features from being inadvertently touched, for example when a user is touching an intended touch user interface feature, such as the battery latch <NUM> located beneath the visible non-touch user interface zone, or other intended touch user interface,.

<FIG> is a partial perspective view of the portable in accordance with the various embodiments. The elongated aperture <NUM> is a walled aperture extending into the housing forming a recess surrounding the non-touch user interface <NUM>. <FIG> shows a break-away view of the non-touch user interface <NUM> in accordance with the various embodiments. As shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, the plurality of non-touch user interface features <NUM> comprise a plurality of speaker holes <NUM>, a camera lens <NUM>, and a flash lens <NUM>. The speaker holes <NUM>, camera lens <NUM>, and flash lens <NUM> are adjacently integrated and spaced apart side-by-side along the single elongated rounded rectangular shaped body of the non-touch user interface <NUM>.

<FIG> shows the non-touch user interface <NUM> formed of the single elongated rounded rectangular shaped body comprising, in accordance with the embodiments, an elongated top planar surface <NUM>, an edge side wall <NUM> descending downward from the elongated top planar surface, and a base platform <NUM> extending from and surrounding the edge side wall. The base platform <NUM> and walled aperture of elongated aperture <NUM> form the recess surrounding the non-touch user interface <NUM>. The non-touch user interface <NUM> shown in <FIG> is understood to be formed as part of the external surface of the housing, while the interior will be shown later in conjunction with <FIG>.

<FIG> shows the speaker holes <NUM> integrated within the edge side wall <NUM> of the non-touch user interface <NUM>, the camera lens <NUM> integrated within the top planar surface <NUM> of non-touch user interface, and the flash lens <NUM> integrated on the top planar surface <NUM> of the non-touch user interface. The plurality of speaker holes <NUM> are formed as a first row of speaker holes on a first side wall of the edge side wall <NUM>, and a second row of speaker holes on an opposing second side wall of the edge side wall <NUM> of the single elongated rounded rectangular shaped body. The first and second rows of speaker holes of edge side wall <NUM> will be shown in later views to align with corresponding first and second rows of speaker openings formed in an interior aperture wall of the elongated aperture <NUM>.

<FIG> is a partial tilted view <NUM> of the portable communication device <NUM> in accordance with the various embodiments. As shown view <NUM>, the base platform <NUM> of the non-touch user interface <NUM> forms a recess <NUM> between the elongated aperture <NUM> and the non-touch user interface. The elongated aperture <NUM> has an interior aperture wall <NUM> that meets with the base platform <NUM> forming the recess surrounding the non-touch user interface <NUM>.

In accordance with the embodiments, speaker porting is located within the recess <NUM>. View <NUM> shows the first row of speaker holes <NUM> on the edge side wall <NUM> (second row of speaker holes on an opposing second side are present but not seen in this view). A plurality of speaker openings <NUM> are located in the interior aperture wall <NUM> of the elongated aperture <NUM>. In accordance with the embodiments, the plurality of speaker openings <NUM> located in the interior aperture wall <NUM> of the elongated aperture <NUM> align with corresponding speaker holes <NUM> of the non-touch user interface <NUM>. An additional row of speaker openings <NUM> (not shown in this view) align with the first row of speaker holes <NUM> on the opposing side. Hence, speaker porting is formed on first and second elongated recessed portions of the visible non-touch user interface zone <NUM> with first row of speaker holes <NUM> aligned with first row of speaker openings <NUM>, and second row of speaker holes <NUM> aligned with second row of speaker openings <NUM>. The camera lens <NUM> and flash lens <NUM> are visible to a user and are considered non-touch user interface elements, while the speaker porting is advantageously concealed from direct view and protected from touch by residing within the side walls of the recess <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, the non-touch user interface features <NUM> are located side by side along the non-touch user interface <NUM>. The speaker holes <NUM> and speaker openings <NUM> are respectively located on the edge side wall <NUM> of the non-touch user interface <NUM> and the interior aperture wall <NUM> of the elongated aperture <NUM> within recess <NUM>. The corresponding speaker holes <NUM> and speaker openings <NUM> form acoustic paths to an internal speaker. The first and second rows of speaker holes <NUM> of side edge wall <NUM> align with corresponding first and second rows of speaker openings <NUM> formed in the interior aperture wall <NUM> of the elongated aperture <NUM>. Accessibility to the speaker porting (by user touch) has advantageously been minimized by placing the porting within the walls (holes <NUM> in edge side wall <NUM>, and openings <NUM> in interior aperture wall <NUM>) of the recess <NUM>. Stacking or overlapping of user interface features has been avoided. The plurality of non-touch user interface features <NUM> are non-overlapping, stationary features, without the need for movable components.

<FIG> is a partial interior view <NUM> of the portable communication device housing in accordance with the various embodiments. In this view the interior housing includes first and second cavities <NUM>, <NUM> for receiving a flash module and a camera module (shown later in <FIG>). First and second cavities <NUM>, <NUM> are formed within the housing as part of the interior of the non-touch user interface <NUM>.

This view <NUM> shows the plurality of speaker holes <NUM> forming acoustic paths with corresponding speaker openings <NUM>. Two rows of acoustic paths are provided. The two rows of speaker holes <NUM> with corresponding speaker openings <NUM> form part of the visible non-touch user interface zone <NUM>, as shown in other views. The interior housing further comprises a speaker mount <NUM> formed therein as part of the housing, the speaker mount surrounding the two rows of acoustic paths.

<FIG> is a partial cross-sectional interior view <NUM> of portable communication device in accordance with the various embodiments. A speaker <NUM> is seated upon the speaker mount <NUM> to align the speaker with the acoustic paths formed by the visible non-touch user interface zone <NUM>. A camera module <NUM> is located beneath the camera lens of the visible non-touch user interface zone <NUM>. A flash module is coupled beneath the flash lens <NUM> of the visible non-touch user interface zone <NUM>.

View <NUM> also shows the elongated top planar surface <NUM>, the edge side wall <NUM> descending downward from the elongated top planar surface, and the base platform <NUM> extending from the edge side wall. View <NUM> also shows the recess <NUM> formed of the interior aperture wall <NUM> meets with the base platform <NUM>.

In accordance with some embodiments, the portable communication device <NUM> may further comprise a protective rubberized coating <NUM> forming a monoform form factor over portions of the hard plastic housing of the portable communication device. The protective rubberized coating <NUM> may be overmolded to cover portions of the plastic housing. such that the rubber surrounds the visible non-touch user interface zone <NUM>, leaving the non-touch user interface <NUM> exposed as hard plastic. The delineation of rubberized coating and hard plastic provides a further visual emphasis to the user to handle the rubberized portions of the devices while refraining from touching the exposed hard plastic of non-touch user interface <NUM>.

The monoform form factor of the speaker grill as part of the communication device housing wherein the speaker grill is a hard plastic and the portion of the housing surrounding the speaker grille is an overmolded rubberized coating beneficially provides an intuitive keep-out zone while providing both convenient access and protection to the non-touch user interface elements. The keep-out zone prevents inadvertent blocking of the speaker porting, the camera or the flash by a user while the portable communication device is being handed by the user.

Claim 1:
A portable communication device (<NUM>), comprising:
a housing having a non-touch user interface (<NUM>) residing within an elongated aperture (<NUM>) having an interior aperture side wall (<NUM>), the non-touch user interface being formed of an elongated top planar surface (<NUM>) having an edge side wall (<NUM>) descending therefrom and extending into a base platform (<NUM>) surrounding the edge side wall (<NUM>), the base platform (<NUM>) and edge side wall (<NUM>) forming a recess (<NUM>) with the interior aperture wall (<NUM>) of the elongated aperture (<NUM>);
speaker porting residing within the recess (<NUM>), the speaker porting being formed of speaker holes (<NUM>) formed within the edge side wall (<NUM>) and speaker openings (<NUM>) formed within the interior aperture wall (<NUM>); and
a non-touch user interface feature residing on the top planar surface of the non-touch user interface (<NUM>).