Granted Patent B2

US 9,442,584 · App. 11/830,203 · Granted Sep 13, 2016

Abstract

Claims (29)

1. A mobile computing device comprising:

a first display having a first top flat surface and having a first power consumption;

a keypad display module separate from the first display, the keypad display module comprising a second display, the second display having a second top flat surface and a second power consumption which is less than the first power consumption, and a touch sensor adjacent to the second display for sensing user inputs on the second display;

one or more processors coupled to the first display and the keypad display module, the one or more processors to:

operate a plurality of applications, each of the plurality of applications corresponding to a keypad interface;

receive a selection to operate one of the plurality of applications from a user; and

based on the selected application on the mobile computing device, (i) provide content on the first display corresponding to the operated application, (ii) select a keypad interface corresponding to the operated application from a plurality of keypad interfaces stored in a library of keypad interfaces, the library including at least one of a set of preconfigured keypad interfaces and at least one of a set of keypad interfaces previously configured and stored by the user, and (iii) render the selected keypad interface on the second display.

2. The mobile computing device of claim 1 , wherein the first display comprises a high resolution liquid crystal display (LCD), the second display comprises a low resolution bistable display, the first display comprising a first touch panel, and the touch sensor comprising a second touch panel.

3. The mobile computing device of claim 1 , further comprising a protective film covering both the first top flat surface and the second top flat surface.

4. The mobile computing device of claim 1 , wherein the second display is implemented as a flexible substrate, and the keypad display module further comprises a plurality of tactile switches or metal snap domes between the touch sensor and a body of the mobile computing device, the tactile switches or metal snap domes providing tactile feedback and gate operation of the keypad display module, wherein the plurality of tactile switches or metal snap domes are dispersed below the keypad display module.

5. The mobile computing device of claim 1 , further comprising a common display manager to render on the first display the content corresponding to the application being operated on and to render the corresponding keypad interface.

6. The mobile computing device of claim 1 , wherein the touch sensor comprises a series of mechanical switches provided below the second keypad display module.

7. The mobile computing device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of keypad interfaces comprises a first keypad interface including buttons for receiving inputs for alphabet letters but not numbers, and a second keypad interface including buttons for receiving inputs for the numbers but not the alphabet letters.

8. The mobile computing device of claim 1 , wherein the keypad interface includes a scroll wheel.

9. An electronic device comprising:

a housing comprising a first face;

a first display provided on the first face and having a first top flat surface, and having a first power consumption; and

a keypad display module provided on the first face, separate from and adjacent to the first display, the keypad display module comprising a second display, the second display having a second top flat surface and having a second power consumption which is less than the first power consumption, and a touch sensor for sensing user inputs on the second display;

one or more processors coupled to the first display and the keypad display module, the one or more processors to:

operate a plurality of applications, each of the plurality of applications corresponding to a keypad interface;

receive a selection to operate one of the plurality of applications from a user; and

based on the selected application on the mobile computing device, (i) provide content on the first display corresponding to the operated application (ii) select a keypad interface corresponding to the operated application from a plurality of keypad interfaces stored in a library of keypad interfaces, the library including at least one of a set of preconfigured keypad interfaces and at least one of a set of keypad interfaces previously configured and stored by the user, and (iii) render the selected keypad interface on the second display.

10. The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the first display comprises a high resolution liquid crystal display (LCD), the second display comprises a low resolution bistable display, the first display comprising a first touch panel, and the touch sensor comprising a second touch panel.

11. The electronic device of claim 9 , further comprising a protective film covering both the first top flat surface and the second top flat surface.

12. The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the second display is implemented as a flexible substrate, and the keypad display module further comprises a plurality of tactile switches or metal snap domes between the touch sensor and a body of the mobile computing device, the tactile switches or metal snap domes providing tactile feedback, wherein the plurality of tactile switches or metal snap domes are dispersed below the keypad display module.

13. The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the touch sensor comprises a series of mechanical switches provided below the keypad display module.

14. The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the electronic device is a smartphone.

15. The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of keypad interface comprises a first keypad interface including buttons for receiving inputs for alphabet letters but not numbers, and a second keypad interface including buttons for receiving inputs for the numbers but not the alphabet letters.

16. The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the keypad interface includes a scroll wheel.

Assignments (9)