Patent application number | Description | Published |
20110009174 | MOVING CONTROL BAR FOR A FLIP-STYLE WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS DEVICE - A wireless handheld device is provided comprising a lid, a lower casing, and a slideable control bar. The lower casing has a bottom end and a top end. The lid has a bottom end and a top end. The top end of the lid is rotatably coupled to the top end of the lower casing with at least one hinge component such that the handheld device is rotatable from a closed position to an open position and from the open position to the closed position. The lid and the lower casing have adjacent facing surfaces when in the closed position. The slideable control bar is provided on the lower casing. When the wireless handheld device is opened, the slideable control bar is slideable along the facing surface of the lower casing towards the top end of the lower casing. | 01-13-2011 |
20110086681 | HANDHELD ELECTRONIC DEVICE HAVING A SLIDE-AND-TWIST MECHANISM - A handheld electronic device having a slide-and-twist mechanism for changing between multiple device positions is provided. A slide-and-twist style form factor allows the device configuration and/or exposed input devices to be changed by the device user. The different device positions may support different operational modes or uses of the device by exposing different input devices. In accordance with one embodiment, there is provided a handheld electronic device, comprising: a first body having a first face and a second face; a second body having a first face and a second face, the first and second input devices being located on the first face of the second body; the first body being connected to the second body for sliding movement between a closed position and a first open position, wherein in the closed position the first body covers at least a portion of the second body, and wherein in the first open position the first input device is exposed on the first face of the second body; and wherein the second body is rotatable relative to the first body between the first open position and a second open position, wherein in the second open position the second input device is exposed on the first face of the second body. | 04-14-2011 |
20110103631 | SHAPE-ADAPTABLE SURFACE FOR AN AUDIO PORT - A method and apparatus for providing a shape-adaptable surface for an audio port of a device includes an audio port, a shape-adaptable surface having a plurality of portions, a plurality of sensors coupled to the shape-adaptable surface, wherein the plurality of sensors are operative to sense a plurality of distances between the object and the shape-adaptable surface, and a processor operatively coupled to the shape-adaptable surface and the plurality of sensors, said processor configured to control some of the plurality of portions of the shape-adaptable surface to adjust the plurality of distances and to provide a channel between a sound receiver of the object and the audio port. An improved audio coupling is formed by adjusting the distances between the shape-adaptable surface and the object, thereby transmitting sounds directly from the audio port of the device to a sound receiver of the object. | 05-05-2011 |
20110148768 | CUSTOMIZABLE KEYBOARD - A customizable keyboard for a handheld electronic device is provided. The keys of the keyboard are rotatable, either individually or in groups, either under manual control of a user of the device or by means of one or more micro-motors or solenoids controlled by a microprocessor running software on the device. The keyboard may be integrated in the device or may be detachable therefrom. | 06-23-2011 |
20110205370 | METHOD, DEVICE AND SYSTEM FOR IMAGE CAPTURE, PROCESSING AND STORAGE - A method for image data capture and storage is provided, where a reference and an image are optically captured and then processed. The reference is used to assist in determining a normalization operation that can be performed in order to correct for skew, rotation, and other events that can occur during capture of an image. The reference is also used to determine a data schema which is used for storing the normalized image. | 08-25-2011 |
20110294470 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DETECTING AND AMPLIFYING NOTIFICATION SIGNALS - A holster for a mobile electronic device, comprising at least one input for detecting at least one notification signal generated by the mobile electronic device, at least one output for generating at least one amplified notification signal, and a processor connected to the input and output for causing the output to generate the amplified notification signal in response to detection of the least one notification signal generated by the mobile electronic device. | 12-01-2011 |
20120008300 | MOBILE DEVICE CASE - A removable case for a mobile device is provided, the mobile device having a front face and a side edge, and an input button located on the side edge. The case includes a main body defining a region in which the mobile device can be removably received, and an actuator on the main body having a user interface and a button interface, wherein the actuator translates an input force received on the user interface into a button activating force applied by the button interface in a different direction than the input force. | 01-12-2012 |
20120026098 | PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE HAVING TABLETOP MODE - A portable electronic device for facilitating user input, the portable electronic device having a display screen on a front face thereof, a side edge substantially orthogonal to the front face, and a side input button located on the side edge having an associated input function. When a predetermined trigger condition is detected, a user input interface accessible on the front face of the device is enabled to provide the input function associated with the side input button. | 02-02-2012 |
20120134077 | MULT-PLANE ACTIVATION SIDE KEY FOR A MOBILE ELECTRONIC DEVICE - An input mechanism for a mobile electronic device is disclosed. A cap shaped to wrap around an edge of the mobile electronic device is moveable in a first direction and a second direction. A first switch for activating a first function is covered by the cap and actuatable upon movement of the cap in the first direction toward the first switch. A second switch for activating a second function is covered by the cap and actuatable upon movement of the cap in the second direction toward the second switch. | 05-31-2012 |
20120146790 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR GENERATING A SUBLIMINAL ALERT - A method and apparatus for generating a subliminal alert at a computing device is provided. A first audio file comprising a subliminal alert is selected, the first audio file enabled for processing by a processing unit to control a speaker at the computing device. The first audio file is at least one of: a subliminally audible length; a subliminally audible volume; and chosen based on previous conditioning of a user to the first audio file. The first audio file is associated with at least one alert condition, such that when the alert condition is met, the processing unit controls the speaker to play the first audio file thereby providing the subliminal alert. | 06-14-2012 |
20120156901 | Portable Electronic Device Having a Concealed Jack Socket - The present disclosure provides a portable electronic device having a concealed jack socket. In accordance with one example embodiment, the portable electronic device comprises: a housing including a main body and a hatch movable between a fully open position and a fully closed position; a jack socket received within the housing, the jack socket defining a cavity for receiving a jack plug; wherein the hatch is pivotably connected to the main body to move from the fully closed position to the fully open position in response to insertion of the jack plug, wherein the jack socket is hidden in the fully closed position and exposed in the fully open position. | 06-21-2012 |
20120156907 | TWO-PART JACK SOCKET FOR A PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE - The present disclosure provides a two-part jack socket for a portable electronic device and a portable electronic device having the same. In accordance with one example embodiment, the jack socket comprises: a first part having a contact surface; a second part having a contact surface and being moveable with respect to the first part between a first position and a second position, the contact surfaces of the first part and second part defining a cavity, the cavity having a retracted state when the second part is in the first position and an expanded state for receiving a jack plug when the second part is in the second position; and one or more contacts located in the contact surface of the first part or second part. | 06-21-2012 |
20120275086 | ELECTRONIC DEVICE AND METHOD OF PROVIDING TACTILE FEEDBACK - A portable electronic device comprising a display, an actuator actuatable to impart a force on the display, an input device moveable from a first position in which the input device is disengaged from the display to a second position in which the input device is engaged with the display, wherein when the input device is moved to the second position, the actuator is actuated to provide tactile feedback to the input device through the display. | 11-01-2012 |
20130033431 | HANDHELD DEVICE HAVING PIVOTALLY RETRACTABLE KEYPAD ASSEMBLY - A handheld device includes a housing and a keypad assembly configured within the housing. The keypad assembly includes one or more groups of keys configured for movable positioning between a first orientation in which a top surface of an individual key is exposed to a user, and a second orientation in which the top surface of the key pivotally retracts into the housing so as to expose an edge surface of the key. | 02-07-2013 |
20130033844 | HANDHELD ELECTRONIC DEVICE HAVING A FLEXIBLE DISPLAY - A handheld electronic device includes a housing, a flexible display associated with the housing, and an input portion linked to the flexible display. The input portion is movable relative to the housing between a first position and a second position. The flexible display has a first viewing area when the input portion is in the first position and a second viewing area when the input portion is in the second position. The second viewing area is smaller than the first viewing area. | 02-07-2013 |
20130199908 | MOBILE DEVICE CASE - A removable case for a mobile device is provided, the mobile device having a front face and a side edge, and an input button located on the side edge. The case includes a main body defining a region in which the mobile device can be removably received, and an actuator on the main body having a user interface and a button interface, wherein the actuator translates an input force received on the user interface into a button activating force applied by the button interface in a different direction than the input force. | 08-08-2013 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20130033432 | HANDHELD DEVICE HAVING RETRACTABLE KEYPAD ASSEMBLY - A exemplary key assembly for a handheld device includes one or more L-shaped key structures each having a first member configured to receive an input keystroke and a second member substantially orthogonal to the first member; and a frame configured to receive the one or more L-shaped key structures, the frame having a wall aligned with the second member of the key structure, with the wall further comprising a switch for each of the one or more L-shaped key structures associated with an inner surface of the wall, wherein each switch is associated with an actuator associated with the second member of the corresponding key structure such that depression of a given key structure causes the actuator of the second member of the key structure to engage the switch of the wall. | 02-07-2013 |
20130093576 | TACTILE INDICATOR FOR A PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE - A method includes determining a status associated with a function of a portable electronic device; and actuating a tactile status indicator to change a texture at a surface of the portable electronic device for a period of time to indicate the status. | 04-18-2013 |
20130120912 | HANDHELD ELECTRONIC DEVICE HAVING A FLEXIBLE DISPLAY - A handheld electronic device includes a housing, a flexible display associated with the housing, and an input portion linked to the housing. The flexible display has a folded arrangement in which the flexible display defines a first portion and a second portion. The device is configured to sandwich the input portion in-between the first portion of the flexible display and the second portion of the flexible display when the flexible display is in the folded arrangement. | 05-16-2013 |
20130187894 | ELECTRONIC DEVICE AND METHOD OF FACILITATING INPUT AT THE ELECTRONIC DEVICE - An electronic device includes a first housing component coupled to a second housing component, a first touch-sensitive display mounted in the first housing component, the first touch-sensitive display in electrical communication with a processor, and a second touch-sensitive display mounted in the second housing component, the second touch-sensitive display in electrical communication with the processor, wherein the second housing component is movable to a second position in which the second housing component is stacked above the first housing component and a gap is provided between the first touch-sensitive display and the second touch-sensitive display. | 07-25-2013 |
20130273785 | TWO-PART JACK SOCKET FOR A PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE - The present disclosure provides a two-part jack socket for a portable electronic device and a portable electronic device having the same. In accordance with one example embodiment, the jack socket includes a first part having a contact surface; a second part having a contact surface and being moveable with respect to the first part between a first position and a second position, the contact surfaces of the first part and second part defining a cavity, the cavity having a retracted state when the second part is in the first position and an expanded state for receiving a jack plug when the second part is in the second position; and one or more contacts located in the contact surface of the first part or second part. | 10-17-2013 |
20130298080 | MOBILE ELECTRONIC DEVICE FOR SELECTING ELEMENTS FROM A LIST - A mobile electronic device for selecting elements from a list is provided. The mobile electronic device comprises a communication interface enabled to communicate with an output device, the output device enabled to provide feedback for selecting elements from a list; a first input element which, when actuated, causes the communication interface to transmit a coarse selection of the elements of the list, the coarse selection provided at the output device; and a second input element which, when actuated, causes the communication interface to transmit a fine selection of the elements of the list, the fine selection provided at the output device. | 11-07-2013 |
20130303191 | NON-VISUAL REPRESENTATION OF A CURRENT GAUGE VALUE OF AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE ON A CONTINUUM - A quantity that falls within a defined continuum defined by first and second end points of a gauge is communicated. Non-visual notifications indicate where on the continuum a current gauge value associated with a function of an electronic device resides relative to at least one end point of the first and second end points of the continuum. The non-visual notifications include a non-visual notification of the at least one end point of the continuum and a non-visual notification of the current gauge value. | 11-14-2013 |
20140024308 | HANDHELD ELECTRONIC DEVICE THAT HAS A KEYPAD WHICH CAN BE RENDERED INEFFECTIVE, AND ASSOCIATED METHOD - An improved handheld electronic device is movable among a retracted configuration and a deployed configuration. Several different exemplary embodiments are described, some having two members, others having more. In one embodiment, certain features or objects are unavailable in a retracted configuration but are available in a deployed configuration or an overtravel configuration. A method of responding to predetermined events comprises detecting a movement of a handheld electronic device away from a first configuration toward a second configuration without reaching the second configuration. | 01-23-2014 |