HANDHELD WIRELESS COMMUNICATION DEVICE
A handheld wireless communication device configured to send and receive text messages. The device is hand cradleable with a body configured to be held in one hand by an operator during text entry. A display is located on a front face of the body and upon which information is displayed to the operator during text entry. A key field is also located on the front face of the body and that includes a plurality of alphanumeric input keys and menu keys. A trackball navigation tool is located on the front face of the body. The alphanumeric input keys include several alphabetic keys with letters arranged in a traditional (QWERTY), but non-ITU Standard E.161 telephone letter layout. A microprocessor is provided that receives operator commands from the keys and the trackball navigation tool and which affects corresponding changes to the display based on user input.
1 . A handheld wireless communication device configured to send and receive text messages, said device comprising:
a hand cradleable body configured to be held in one hand by an operator of said device during text entry;
a display located on a front face of said body and upon which information is displayed to the operator during text entry;
a key field located on the front face of said elongate body, said key field being composed of a plurality of keys selected from a plurality of alphanumeric input keys and at least one menu key;
a trackball navigation tool located on the front face of said body;
a menu key positioned laterally adjacent to said trackball navigation tool and which upon actuation displays an available action menu on said display;
said alphanumeric input keys comprising a plurality of alphabetic keys having letters associated therewith and said letters, in a top row of said alphabetic keys, comprising in consecutive order the letters Q, W, E, R and T; and
a microprocessor configured to receive operator commands from said alphanumeric input keys, said menu keys and said trackball navigation tool and to affect corresponding changes to the display.
2 . The handheld wireless communication device as recited in claim 1 , wherein said letters associated with said alphabetic keys are arranged in a QWERTY layout.
3 . The handheld wireless communication device as recited in claim 1 , wherein said letters associated with said alphabetic keys are arranged in a reduced-QWERTY layout.
4 . The handheld wireless communication device as recited in claim 1 , wherein said letters associated with said alphabetic keys are arranged in a QWERTZ layout.
5 . The handheld wireless communication device as recited in claim 1 , wherein said alphanumeric input keys comprise numeric keys having numerals associated therewith and wherein said associated numerals are arranged in a telephone keypad layout.
6 . The handheld wireless communication device as recited in claim 1 , wherein said body is configured to be held in the hand of the operator with a long axis of said device substantially horizontally oriented during text entry.
7 . The handheld wireless communication device as recited in claim 1 , wherein said body is configured to be held in the hand of the operator with a long axis of said device substantially vertically oriented during text entry.
8 . The handheld wireless communication device as recited in claim 7 , wherein said display is located in an upper portion of the front face of said body during text entry, said key field is located in a lower portion of the front face of said body during text entry and said trackball navigation tool is located substantially between said key field and said display.
9 . The handheld wireless communication device as recited in claim 1 , wherein said trackball navigation tool is at least partially surrounded by said key field.
10 . The handheld wireless communication device as recited in claim 1 , wherein a majority of said trackball navigation tool is surrounded by said key field.
11 . The handheld wireless communication device as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:
said handheld wireless communication device being configured to send and receive voice communications;
wherein at least one key of said key field is positioned adjacent to said trackball navigation tool and said at least one key has a circular arc-shaped edge conformance fitting to a circular arc-shaped boundary about said trackball navigation tool; and
two call keys oppositely and laterally flank said trackball navigation tool, one of said two call keys being a call initiation key and the other being a call termination key.
12 . A handheld wireless communication device configured to send and receive text messages, said device comprising:
a hand cradleable body configured to be held in one hand by an operator of said device during text entry;
a display located on a front face of said body and upon which information is displayed to the operator during text entry;
a key field located on the front face of said elongate body, said key field being composed of a plurality of keys selected from a plurality of alphanumeric input keys and at least one menu key;
a trackball navigation tool located on the front face of said body;
a menu key positioned laterally adjacent to said trackball navigation tool and which upon actuation displays an available action menu on said display;
said alphanumeric input keys comprising a plurality of alphabetic keys having letters associated therewith and said letters being arranged in a traditional, non-ITU Standard E.161 layout; and
a microprocessor configured to receive operator commands from said alphanumeric input keys, said menu keys and said trackball navigation tool and to affect corresponding changes to the display.
13 . The handheld wireless communication device as recited in claim 12 , wherein said letters associated with said alphabetic keys are arranged in a QWERTY layout.
14 . The handheld wireless communication device as recited in claim 12 , wherein said letters associated with said alphabetic keys are arranged in a reduced-QWERTY layout.
15 . The handheld wireless communication device as recited in claim 12 , wherein said letters associated with said alphabetic keys are arranged in a QWERTZ layout.
16 . The handheld wireless communication device as recited in claim 12 , wherein said alphanumeric input keys comprise numeric keys having numerals associated therewith and wherein said associated numerals are arranged in a telephone keypad layout.
17 . The handheld wireless communication device as recited in claim 12 , wherein said body is configured to be held in the hand of the operator with a long axis of said device substantially horizontally oriented during text entry.
18 . The handheld wireless communication device as recited in claim 12 , wherein said body is configured to be held in the hand of the operator with a long axis of said device substantially vertically oriented during text entry.
19 . The handheld wireless communication device as recited in claim 18 , wherein said display is located in an upper portion of the front face of said body during text entry, said key field is located in a lower portion of the front face of said body during text entry and said trackball navigation tool is located substantially between said key field and said display.
20 . The handheld wireless communication device as recited in claim 12 , wherein said trackball navigation tool is at least partially surrounded by said key field.
21 . The handheld wireless communication device as recited in claim 12 , wherein a majority of said trackball navigation tool is surrounded by said key field.
22 . The handheld wireless communication device as recited in claim 12 , further comprising:
said handheld wireless communication device being configured to send and receive voice communications;
wherein at least one key of said key field is positioned adjacent to said trackball navigation tool and said at least one key has a circular arc-shaped edge conformance fitting to a circular arc-shaped boundary about said trackball navigation tool; and
two call keys oppositely and laterally flank said trackball navigation tool, one of said two call keys being a call initiation key and the other being a call termination key.