Patent ID: 7272411

Claim:
A dual-mode keypad for a mobile device, comprising: a keypad surface; and a plurality of dual-mode keys including one or more toggle keys; one or more of the toggle keys being partially covered by a portion of the keypad surface so that one or more of the toggle keys is divided by the keypad surface into a plurality of key surfaces that extend from the toggle key and protrude through the keypad surface, wherein each of the key surfaces include at least one associated text-entry character, and one or more of the key surfaces include at least one associated telephony character; the dual-mode keypad being operable in a telephony mode and a text-entry mode; when the dual-mode keypad is operating in text-entry mode, the dual-mode keys being operable to input the associated text-entry characters, the toggle keys each being operable to input a first text-entry character when a first key surface of the toggle key is pressed and to input a second text-entry character when a second key surface of the toggle key is pressed; when the dual-mode keypad is operating in telephony mode, the dual-mode keys being operable to input the associated telephony characters, the toggle keys each being operable to input one of the associated telephony characters when any portion of the toggle key is pressed.