Granted Patent B2

US 7,009,599 · App. 09/988,740 · Granted Mar 7, 2006

Abstract

Claims (71)

1. A portable electronic device, comprising:

a display screen on a front face of the portable device,

a first linear input device affixed along a first side of the display screen;

a second linear input device affixed along a second side of the display screen;

a third linear input device affixed along a third side of the display screen;

a planar input device on a back face of the portable device; and

control logic for manipulating content displayed on the display screen responsive to user input via the first, second, third, and planar input devices,

wherein the control logic causes the portable device to identify a horizontal position on the display screen responsive to input received through the first linear input device;

wherein the control logic causes the portable device to identify a vertical position on the display screen responsive to input received through the second linear input device;

wherein the control logic causes the portable device to enlarge and reduce an image displayed on the display screen responsive to input received through the third linear input device; and

wherein the control logic causes the portable device to horizontally and vertically scroll the image on the display screen responsive to input received through the planar input device.

2. The portable device of claim 1 , wherein the planar input device covers substantially the same amount of space on the back face as the display screen covers on the front face of the portable device.

3. The portable device of claim 1 , wherein the display screen covers substantially all of the front face of the device.

4. The portable device of claim 1 , wherein each of the linear input devices is located on the front face of the portable device.

5. The portable device of claim 1 , wherein each of the linear input devices is affixed on a side face of the portable device.

6. The portable device of claim 5 , wherein the first linear input device is affixed on a first side face of the portable device, the second linear input device is affixed on a second side face of the portable device, and the third linear input device is affixed on a third side face of the portable device.

7. The portable device of claim 1 , wherein each input device comprises a touch-sensitive input device.

8. The portable device of claim 7 , wherein one of the linear input devices senses pressure exerted by a user for detecting input.

9. The portable device of claim 1 , wherein the first and second linear input devices are substantially perpendicular to each other.

10. The portable device of claim 1 , wherein the second and third linear input devices are substantially perpendicular to each other.

11. The portable device of claim 1 , wherein the horizontal position and vertical position are identified by a crosshair display element.

12. The portable device of claim 1 , further comprising a microphone.

13. The portable device of claim 1 , wherein the vertical position and the horizontal position identify a selected point on the display screen, and wherein the control logic causes the portable device to detect the selected point as input.

14. The portable device of claim 13 , wherein when the selected point corresponds to one of a plurality of selectable icons displayed on the display screen, the input comprises data associated with the one icon.

15. The portable device of claim 14 , wherein each icon represents an alphanumeric character, and the input comprises an alphanumeric character corresponding to the one icon.

16. The portable device of claim 13 , wherein the portable device highlights one of a plurality of selectable icons displayed on the display screen when the selected point corresponds to the one selectable icon, and wherein the portable device receives input comprising data associated with the one selectable icon responsive to confirmation input received via one of the linear input devices.

17. The portable device of claim 1 , wherein the control logic causes the portable device to display a selectable icon along an edge of the display screen corresponding to a side of the display screen on which is affixed a linear input device, and

wherein when a user touches the linear input device on the corresponding side at a position corresponding to the displayed selectable icon, data associated with the selectable icon is input.

18. The portable device of claim 1 , comprising a mobile telephone.

19. The portable device of claim 1 , wherein the planar input device comprises an optical sensor touchpad.

20. The portable device of claim 1 , wherein the first linear input device is affixed to the bottom side of the display screen, and the second linear input device is affixed to one of the right and left sides of the display screen.

21. The portable device of claim 1 , further comprising a touch-sensitive planar input device used in conjunction with and extending beyond a displayable area of the display screen, and

wherein at least one of the first, second, and third linear input devices comprise a region of the touch-sensitive planar input device extending beyond the displayable area of the display screen.

22. The portable electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the planar input device comprises an optical sensor touchpad.

23. A portable electronic device, comprising:

a display screen on a front face of the portable device,

a first linear input device affixed along a first side of the display screen;

a second linear input device affixed along a second side of the display screen;

a third linear input device affixed along a third side of the display screen;

a planar input device on a back face of the portable device;

control logic for manipulating content displayed on the display screen responsive to user input via the first, second, third, and planar input devices, and

a speaker that outputs sound through at least one hole extending through the back face and the planar input device, wherein each hole in the planar input device is slightly larger than a corresponding hole in the back face.

24. A portable electronic device, comprising:

a display screen on a front face of the portable device,

a first touch-sensitive linear input device affixed along a first side of the display screen on the front face of the portable device;

a second touch-sensitive linear input device affixed along a second side of the display screen on the front face of the portable device;

a third touch-sensitive linear input device affixed along a third side of the display screen on the front face of the portable device;

a planar touch-sensitive input device on a back face of the portable device, said planar input device covering substantially the same amount of space as the display screen on the front face of the portable device;

a speaker from which the output is directed through at least one hole in the planar input device;

control logic for manipulating content displayed on the display screen responsive to user input via the first, second, third, and planar input devices,

wherein the control logic causes the portable device to identify a horizontal position on the display screen responsive to input received through the first linear input device;

wherein the control logic causes the portable device to identify a vertical position on the display screen responsive to input received through the second linear input device;

wherein the control logic causes the portable device to zoom in and out of an image displayed on the display screen responsive to input received through the third linear input device; and

wherein the control logic causes the portable device to horizontally and vertically scroll the image responsive to input received through the planar input device.

25. A method for operating a portable device, comprising steps of:

(i) altering a size of content displayed on a display screen responsive to input received through a first linear input device;

(ii) identifying a horizontal position on the display screen responsive to input received through a second linear input device;

(iii) identifying a vertical position on the display screen responsive to input received through a third linear input device; and

(iv) panning content on the display screen responsive to input received through a planar input device.

26. A portable electronic device, comprising:

a casing;

a speaker housed within the casing; and

a touch-sensitive sound resistant planar input device comprising a touch-sensitive sound-resistant touchpad covering a first face of the casing, wherein the planar input device comprises at least one hole through which sound emitted from the speaker passes, wherein the at least one hole of the touch-sensitive sound-resistant planar input device is larger than a corresponding hole in the casing of the portable electronic device.

27. A portable electronic device, comprising:

a casing;

a speaker housed within the casing; and

a touch-sensitive sound resistant planar input device comprising a touch-sensitive sound-resistant touchpad covering a first face of the casing, wherein the planar input device comprises at least one hole through which sound emitted from the speaker passes, wherein the touch-sensitive sound-resistant planar input device has sufficient rigidity such that the diameter of the at least one hole does not change to a degree that distorts sound waves emitted from the speaker.

28. A portable electronic device, comprising:

a casing;

a speaker housed within the casing; and

a touch-sensitive sound resistant planar input device comprising a touch-sensitive sound-resistant touchpad covering a first face of the casing, wherein the planar input device comprises at least one hole through which sound emitted from the speaker passes, wherein the touch-sensitive sound resistant planar input device has sufficient rigidity such that the thickness of the touch-sensitive sound resistant planar input device does not change to a degree that distorts sound waves emitted from the speaker.

Assignments (11)