An electronic input device has a flexible keyboard for receiving user input and a housing defining a space for accommodating the keyboard. The input device has a compacted state and an extended state. The keyboard adopts a compacted spatial configuration in the compacted state and adopts an extended spatial configuration in the second state. In the compacted state the keyboard is wound on a roll. The input device additionally has a retractable, flexible display having corresponding compacted and extended states so that both the keyboard and the display can be rolled in and out together.
1. An electronic input device comprising:
flexible input means for receiving user input; and
flexible output means for outputting information;
a first housing defining a space for accommodating said input means; and
a second housing defining a space for accommodating said output means; wherein
said device has a first state, a second state and a third state;
wherein the electronic device adopts a closed configuration in the first state, adopts a partly opened configuration in the second state, and adopts a fully opened configuration in the third state;
wherein the electronic device is folded cylindrically around hinge means towards a first direction for adopting the partly opened configuration; and
wherein the electronic device with the partly opened configuration is pulled with a sliding movement towards a second direction being substantially orthogonal to the first direction, for adopting the fully opened configuration.
2. An electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein the input means has an input surface having touch sensitive areas.
3. An electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein the extended spatial configuration is planar.
4. An electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein the compacted spatial configuration is non-planar.
5. An electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein in the compacted spatial configuration the input means is wound into a roll.
6. An electronic device according to claim 1 further comprising: means for moving said input means between said first and second states; and
means for moving said input means between said second and third states.
7. An electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein said input means is a keyboard.
8. An electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein said input means and output means are integrated.
9. An electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein said output means is a display.
10. An electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein said output means is arranged parallel with said input means so that the device has three states corresponding to the first, second and third states of both input means and output means.
11. An electronic device according to claim 1 further comprising said hinge means for foldingly connecting the second housing defining the space for accommodating said output means to the first housing defining a space for accommodating input means.
12. An electronic device according to claim 11 further comprising:
two elements, which are foldable around said hinge means between an open 25 configuration and a closed configuration;
a speaker located in one element, and
a microphone in another element so that the electronic device is unfoldable for separating the microphone and the speaker.
13. An electronic input device according to claim 1 , wherein the electronic device is a telecommunications device.
14. An electronic device according to claim 13 further comprising:
a stop for resisting an opening of the two elements of the device over a certain maximum opening angle; and
means for changing the maximum opening angle when the configuration of the device is changed between the closed configuration and the partly opened configuration.