Granted Patent B2

US 7,911,773 · App. 12/317,002 · Granted Mar 22, 2011

Abstract

Claims (40)

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a central part comprising a display; and

two pivotable elements each pivotably linked to the central part such that the pivotable elements are moveable between a compacted configuration and an extended configuration;

both of the pivotable elements being stacked on the central part and adjacent to each other when in the compacted configuration;

both of the pivotable elements extending outward from the central part in the extended configuration;

the pivotable elements each comprising a first surface accessible to a user in the compacted configuration, the first surfaces comprising a first set of keys; and

the pivotable elements each comprising a second surface accessible to the user in the extended configuration but not in the compacted configuration, the second surfaces comprising a second set of keys,

wherein:

the display comprises a first region that is visible to the user in the compacted configuration and a second region that is not visible to the user in the compacted configuration; and

both the first and second regions are visible to the user in the extended configuration.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the central part comprises a third set of keys aligned between the pivotable elements when the pivotable elements are in the compacted configuration and positioned between the keys of the second set when the pivotable elements are in the extended configuration.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and second pivotable elements:

overlaps with the display in the compacted configuration; and

comprises at least a portion of the second set of keys aligned between the display and a portion of the overlapping at least one pivotable element.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the display covers substantially entirely the central part.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the display is a touch screen.

6. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the pivotable elements are aligned on a single perimetric side of the display.

7. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the central part comprises a battery configured to power the display.

8. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is a handheld electronic device.

9. An apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a processor configured to fit content for displaying to the user onto the first region when the pivotable elements are in the compacted configuration and onto the second region when the pivotable elements are in the extended configuration.

10. An apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising common illumination equipment configured to illuminate at least some keys of the first set in the compacted configuration and at least some keys of the second set in the extended configuration.

11. An apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a processor configured to obtain user input from the first set of keys in the compacted configuration and to obtain user input from the second set of keys in the extended configuration.

12. An apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising flexible cabling configured to pass signals between the central part and the pivotable elements.

13. An apparatus, comprising:

a central part means comprising display means; and

two pivotable element means each pivotably linked to the central part such that the pivotable element means are moveable between a compacted configuration and an extended configuration;

both of the pivotable element means being stacked on the central part means and adjacent to each other when in the compacted configuration;

both of the pivotable element means extending outward from the central part in the extended configuration;

the pivotable element means each comprising first surface accessible to a user in the compacted configuration, the first surfaces comprising a first set of keys; and

the pivotable element means each comprising a second surface accessible to the user in the extended configuration but not in the compacted configuration, the second surfaces comprising a second set of keys, wherein:

the display means comprises a first region that is visible to the user in the compacted configuration and a second region that is not visible to the user in the compacted configuration; and

both the first and second regions are visible to the user in the extended configuration.

14. An apparatus comprising:

a central part comprising a display; and

two pivotable elements each pivotably linked to the central part such that the pivotable elements are moveable between a compacted configuration and an extended configuration;

both of the pivotable elements being stacked on the central part and adjacent to each other when in the compacted configuration;

both of the pivotable elements extending outward from the central part in the extended configuration;

the pivotable elements each comprising a first surface accessible to a user in the compacted configuration, the first surfaces comprising a first set of keys; and

the pivotable elements each comprising a second surface accessible to the user in the extended configuration but not in the compacted configuration, the second surfaces comprising a second set of keys, and

a navigation device attached to the central part and at least one of the first pivotable element and the second pivotable element defines an aperture through which the navigation device is accessible in the compacted configuration.

Assignments (10)