Back to results
US 7,107,018 B2Granted
Communication device having multiple keypads
AssigneeMotorola, Inc.
InventorRoger J. Jellicoe
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A communication device having a front housing and first and second independent keypad housings having respective keypads functionally connected to the front housing. The front housing has a speaker, a microphone, and a display panel. Each keypad has a key configuration that is different than the other. The front housing, first keypad housing, and second keypad housing are constructed to overlap and stack in a nested configuration in which each of the keypads is concealed by the front housing. The front housing is movable relative to each of the keypad housings from the nested configuration to an extended position in which one of the keypads is exposed and physically accessible by a user.
Claims25
A communication device, comprising:
- a front housing having a display panel that displays characters in at least two orientations;
- a first keypad housing including a first keypad being functionally connected to the front housing and having a plurality of keys arranged in a first configuration;
- and
- a second keypad housing including a second keypad being functionally connected to the front housing and having a plurality of keys arranged in a second configuration;
- wherein the first configuration is different from the second configuration;
- wherein the front housing, first keypad housing, and second keypad housing are adapted to overlap and stack in a nested configuration in which the first and second keypads are at least partially concealed by the front housing, and the front housing is movable relative to each of the first and second keypad housings from the nested configuration to an extended position in which at least one of the first and second keypads is exposed.
3 more elements
A communication device, comprising:
- a front housing having a display panel that can display characters in a first and second orientations relative to the front housing;
- a first keypad housing having a first keypad functionally connected to the front housing, the first keypad having keys having a third orientation and arranged in a first key configuration;
- and
- a second keypad housing having a second keypad functionally connected to the front housing, the second keypad being structurally arranged between the front housing and the first keypad housing, and telescopically connected to the front housing and the first keypad housing, the second keypad including keys having a fourth orientation and arranged in a second key configuration;
- wherein the first key configuration is different from the second key configuration;
- wherein the front housing, the first keypad housing and the second keypad housing are adapted to telescopically slide to overlap and stack in a nested configuration in which the first and second keypads are concealed underneath the front housing, and the front housing can telescopically slide relative to each of the first and second keypad housings from the nested configuration to an extended position to selectively expose one of the first and second keypads;
- wherein the first and third orientations are the same and the second and fourth orientations are the same;
- and
- wherein the display panel displays characters in the first orientation when the first keypad housing is in the extended position and the display panel displays characters in the second orientation when the second keypad housing is in the extended position.
6 more elements
A communication device, comprising:
- a front housing having a display panel that can display characters in a first and second orientations relative to the front housing;
- a first keypad housing having a first keypad functionally connected to the front housing and having keys having a third orientation and arranged in a QWERTY key configuration or a game pad configuration;
- and
- a second keypad housing having second keypad functionally connected to the front housing, the second keypad housing being structurally arranged between the front housing and the first keypad housing, and telescopically connected to the front housing and the first keypad housing, the second keypad including keys having a fourth orientation and arranged in a telephone keypad configuration;
- wherein the front housing, the first keypad housing and the second keypad housing are adapted to telescopically slide to overlap and stack in a nested configuration in which the first and second keypads are concealed underneath the front housing, and the front housing can telescopically slide relative to each of the first and second keypad housings from the nested configuration to an extended position to selectively expose one of the first and second keypads;
- wherein the first and third orientations are the same and the second and fourth orientations are the same;
- wherein the display panel displays characters in the first orientation when the first keypad is in the extended position and the display panel displays characters in the second orientation when the second keypad housing is in the extended position;
- and
- wherein the front housing and second keypad housing are connected by opposed pairs of cooperating slides arranged on the widthwise-extending edges of the front housing and second keypad housing, and the second keypad housing and first keypad housing are connected by opposed pairs of cooperating slides arranged on the lengthwise-extending edges of the first and second keypad housings.
6 more elements
A communication device, comprising:
- a display panel that displays characters in a first orientation and a second orientation;
- a first keypad functionally connected to the display panel and having a plurality of keys arranged in a first configuration, the first keypad being slidable from a nested position to an extended position along a first path of travel;
- and
- a second keypad functionally connected to the display panel and having a plurality of keys arranged in a second configuration, the second keypad being slidable from a nested position to an extended position along a second path of travel;
- wherein the first configuration is different from the second configuration and the first path of travel is transverse to the second path of travel.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.