Patent ID: 7206599

Claim:
A mobile handset keypad of a mobile handset comprising an array of keys positioned on a surface of a mobile housing for user interface with the mobile handset, said array of keys, comprising: a plurality of alphanumeric keys that operate in an alphanumeric mode; a navigation scheme having at least one integral navigation and alphanumeric key configured to navigate through a plurality of menus in a navigation mode; an automatic toggling between said navigation mode and the alphanumeric mode comprising: a mode icon in a display indicative of the current mode the mobile handset is in; at least one illuminatable housing surface area, which is not a key, proximate to the at least one integral navigation and alphanumeric key; and at least one illumination source proximate to and underlying the at least one integral navigation and alphanumeric key and the at least one illuminatable housing surface area, the automatic toggling configured to illuminate the at least one illumination source for lighting the at least one integral navigation and alphanumeric key, without illuminating all of the keys, and the at least one illuminatable housing surface area when in the navigation mode to indicate that the handset is in the navigation mode to a user.