Patent ID: 7250898

Claim:
An information input device, comprising: at least a first functional mode of operation supported by the input device; a domain control for selecting one of multiple domain levels within the first functional mode wherein each domain level is associated with a set of domain-level values; a domain control display for dynamically presenting descriptors associated with the multiple domain levels; a plurality of input keys, separate and distinct from the domain control, assigned to the set of domain-level values, wherein each input key assigned to a domain-level value is associated with a signal, representative of the domain-level value, transmitted by the input device in response to actuation of the input key; and a function-specific display, distinct from the domain control display, indicating a domain-level value associated with each input key for a currently selected functional mode and domain level combination, wherein the input keys and domain control are simultaneously presented by the input device, and wherein the function-specific display dynamically provides a visual indication of a present domain-level value for each of the input keys.