Hand-held electronic device with a keyboard optimized for use with the thumbs

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9367141-B2
Application number	US-201313791311-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 8, 2013
Priority date	Jun 26, 1998
Publication date	Jun 14, 2016
Grant date	Jun 14, 2016

Abstract

A hand-held electronic device with a keyboard optimized for use with the thumbs is disclosed. In order to operate within the limited space available on a hand-held electronic device, the present invention optimizes the placement and shape of the keys, preferably using keys that are oval or oblong in shape, and that are placed at angles designed to facilitate thumb-typing. The angles at which keys on either side of the keyboard are placed is complimentary.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A handheld electronic mobile device configured for sending and receiving wireless email messages comprising:
a keyboard comprising a plurality of letter keys;
a display;
a processor; and
a memory comprising instructions executable by the processor to:
detect a key down event, the key down event being associated with a first key being depressed;
display a letter in a non-capitalized version associated with the first key on the display;
determine th…

Assignees

• Blackberry Ltd

Inventors

• Griffin Jason T
• Holmes John A
• Lazaridis Mihal
• Little Herb A
• Major Harry R

Classifications

• G06F1/1671

  Physics · mapped topic

• G06F3/0216 Primary

  Physics · mapped topic

• H04M1/23

  Electricity · mapped topic

• G06F3/0362

  Physics · mapped topic

• G06F3/0219

  Physics · mapped topic