Patent ID: 8854306

Claim:
An apparatus, comprising: a key pad device, comprising: a light-transmissive actuator having a plurality of dome-shaped first areas and a plurality of second areas adjacent each of the plurality of first areas, wherein the plurality of dome-shaped first areas comprise an exposed surface to permit direct user contact with each of the plurality of dome-shaped first areas; a conductive coating layer formed of a light-transmissive material and disposed on an inner surface of the actuator; a light-transmissive base having a first light-transmissive electrode pattern and a second light-transmissive electrode pattern formed on a top side of the base, the first light-transmissive electrode pattern being configured to always be in contact with first areas of the coating layer corresponding to edge portions of the plurality of first areas, and the second light-transmissive electrode pattern being configured to be in contact with second areas of the coating layer corresponding to substantial portions of the plurality of first areas only when the actuator is pressed; a display comprising a top side and an opposing bottom side, wherein the display is light-transmissive and is coupled to a bottom side of the base; and a touch sensing layer coupled to the bottom side of the display, wherein the display is configured to display visual information that is simultaneously viewable from both the top side and the bottom side of the display, such that the visual information is viewable through the actuator, the coating layer, and the base, wherein the visual information is also viewable through the touch sensing layer, wherein the visual information comprises a plurality of key marks accessible via the plurality of dome-shaped first areas and the touch sensing layer wherein a first set of key marks, of the plurality of key marks, is displayed when a first application is executed at the apparatus, wherein the first set of key marks is dynamically changed to a second set of key marks that is different from the first set of key marks when the apparatus terminates the first application, wherein the first set of key marks relate to functions associated with the first application and the second set of key marks relate to functions associated with a second application executed at the apparatus, wherein the first application is different from the second application, wherein the keypad device, with the light-transmissive actuator formed on top of the keypad device and the touch sensing layer formed on bottom of the keypad device, is configured to receive a push type input on the top of the keypad device simultaneously with a tactile input to the bottom of the keypad device, and wherein a portion of the first light-transmissive electrode pattern brought into contact with edges of dome parts of the actuator is thicker than other portions of the first light-transmissive electrode pattern so that it is not abraded due to a repeated pressing of the actuator.