Electricity: circuit makers and breakers – Electric switch details – Indicators
Patent
1998-02-18
1999-09-14
Friedhofer, Michael A.
Electricity: circuit makers and breakers
Electric switch details
Indicators
200311, H01H 916, H01H 918
Patent
active
059508094
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to an apparatus including a keyboard with at least one key that allows light to pass through which indicates a label that admits of being modified.
The invention also relates to a keyboard having at least one key that allows light to pass through which indicates a label that admits of being modified.
The invention finally relates to a method of modifying the label indicated on a key of a keyboard, which key allows light to pass through.
Such a keyboard is notably described in the journal "IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin" vol. 27, No. 11, pp. 6604 and 6605, Apr. 1985. The keyboard described in that document comprises keys formed on the basis of a liquid crystal display unit which is controlled via a specific circuit for displaying the desired character.
Such a keyboard makes it possible to modify the label of each key as desired when one wishes to change font or function. However, the device used, which is based on liquid crystals, is costly and relatively complex.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to propose a simpler, inexpensive keyboard particularly well adapted for electronic apparatus intended for the consumer market, notably for portable apparatus which have small-size keyboards and on which various functions are currently assigned to the same key.
Therefore, an apparatus according to the invention and as defined in the opening paragraph is characterized in that the surface of said key is divided into two parts to which two different labels are associated, and in that it comprises selective lighting means for lighting either part.
In a particularly inexpensive embodiment which is also easy to use, said selective lighting means comprise: associated to said key opposite said parts, light in one of said planes, and being selectively lit for lighting said key.
The invention is advantageously used in a telephone terminal, notably a portable telephone terminal. To reduce the size of this type of apparatus, one is in effect led to limit the number of keys of the keyboard and thus regroup various functions under the same key, which complicates the handling of the apparatus. The invention permits of avoiding any combined handling of keys for selecting the sought function and thus considerably facilitates the handling of this type of apparatus for the consumers.
For another embodiment, said keyboard includes a selection key for selecting a mode of operation, said key permitting of controlling the selective lighting of said keyboard.
Thus, all the labels carried by the multifunction keys are modified when a mode of operation is changed.
These and other aspects of the invention will be apparent from and elucidated with reference to the embodiments described hereinafter.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 represents an example of a telephone apparatus according to the invention,
FIG. 2 and 3 represent two different states of an example of a keyboard according to the invention, and
FIG. 4 represents an embodiment of a keyboard according to the invention.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
In FIG. 1 is represented a mobile telephone 11 which comprises a screen 12, a keyboard 13 with keys, a loudspeaker/receiver 15, a microphone 16, and an antenna 17.
In the embodiment described here by way of example, the keyboard comprises fifteen keys and the terminal has two modes of operation. The key 20 makes it possible to select a mode of operation of the terminal and to transform the keyboard conforming to the selected mode of operation.
The first mode of operation of the terminal is the telephone mode; it provides the conventional telephone functions. The keyboard of the terminal in this mode of operation is represented in FIG. 2. According to FIG. 2, the selection key 20 is labeled "TEL" to indicate that the terminal is in the telephone mode. Two keys 21 and 22 carry the respective labels "LINE" and "END" to indicate the functions of seizing and returning the line. The keys 23 to 34 carry the conventional symbols of a
REFERENCES:
patent: 4131777 (1978-12-01), Bailey et al.
patent: 4609792 (1986-09-01), Levasseur
patent: 5164723 (1992-11-01), Nebenzahl
patent: 5408060 (1995-04-01), Muurinen
patent: 5570114 (1996-10-01), Fowler
patent: 5642929 (1997-07-01), Ushimaru
"IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin" vol. 27, No. 11, pp. 6604 and 6605., 1985.
Friedhofer Michael A.
U.S. Philips Corporation
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