Key with integral biometric input device

1. A mobile communication device comprising:

an input device including:

a key; and

a biometric input device integral with said key; and

a processor adapted to:

receive first input from said key;

determine that said first input comprises a candidate biometric from a biometric input device integral with said key and then:

determine if said mobile communication device is locked or unlocked;

responsive to determining that said mobile communication device is locked, process said candidate biometric; and

responsive to determining that said mobile communication device is unlocked, ignore said candidate biometric;

receive second input from said key;

determine that said second input does not comprise candidate biometric;

determine that said second input comprises an indication of a depression event from said key and then:

determine if said mobile communication device is locked or unlocked;

responsive to determining that said mobile communication device is locked, ignore said indication of said depression event; and

responsive to determining that said mobile communication device is unlocked, process said indication of said depression event.

2. The mobile communication device of claim 1 wherein said key comprises a spacebar.

3. The mobile communication device of claim 1 wherein said biometric input device comprises a fingerprint scanner.

4. The mobile communication device of claim 1 wherein said key comprises a key top and a key plunger.

5. The mobile communication device of claim 1 wherein said biometric input device comprises a scanner, a flex board and a flex connector for connecting said scanner and said flex board to a mobile communication device main circuit board.

6. The mobile communication device of claim 5 wherein said scanner is mounted flush with an exposed surface of said key top.

7. A method of handling input from a key of a mobile communication device, said method comprising:

receiving first input from a key;

determining that said first input comprises a candidate biometric from a biometric input device integral with said key and then:

determining if said mobile communication device is locked or unlocked;

responsive to determining that said mobile communication device is locked, processing said candidate biometric; and

responsive to determining that said mobile communication device is unlocked, ignoring said candidate biometric;

receiving second input from said key;

determining that said second input does not comprise candidate biometric;

determining that said second input said input comprises an indication of a depression event from said key and then:

determining if said mobile communication device is locked or unlocked;

responsive to determining that said mobile communication device is locked, ignoring said indication of said depression event; and

responsive to determining that said mobile communication device is unlocked, processing said indication of said depression event.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said processing said indication of said depression event further comprises arranging insertion of a space character in a document being edited.

9. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

receiving an indication of a locking trigger event; and

responsive to said receiving said indication, locking said mobile communication device.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said indication of said locking trigger event comprises an indication that said mobile communication device has entered a protective covering.

11. The method of claim 7 further comprising storing, on the mobile communication device, a policy specifying requirements for unlocking the mobile communication device.

12. The method of claim 7 wherein processing said candidate biometric comprises comparing a stored biometric template to said candidate fingerprint.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

determining that said candidate biometric does not match said stored biometric template;

incrementing a count of unsuccessful scans;

determining that said count of unsuccessful scans exceeds a threshold; and

responsive to said determining that said count of unsuccessful scans exceeds a threshold, erasing a memory of said mobile communication device.