Patent ID: 8280458

Claim:
A mobile terminal, comprising: a terminal case made of a metal material; input keys disposed in through holes formed on the terminal case, each input key being a single body of substantially transparent material; an elastic support pad within the terminal case and configured to elastically support the input keys such that the input keys are returned to an initial state after being pressed; an input pad disposed within the terminal case, to which a signal is generated according to a touch operation of the input keys; a plurality of visual markers associated with the input keys and being etched or engraved on the terminal case, each visual marker being shaped to denote a type of user input; transparent silicon material inserted at the etched or engraved portions for the visual markers; and a circuit board including circuits configured to perform functions corresponding to selected input keys, wherein the input pad comprises a plurality of sensors or a touch capacitance type pad attached on a surface of the circuit board, said sensors or said touch capacitance type pad configured to generate a signal when the input keys are touched, and wherein upper surfaces of the input keys are substantially flush with an upper surface of the terminal case and lower surfaces of the input keys contact the input pad.