WO2004019597A1

WO2004019597A1 - Mobile phone with display disposed below the keyboard

Info

Publication number: WO2004019597A1
Application number: PCT/CZ2003/000047
Authority: WO
Inventors: Otto DURDÁK; Petr SLÁMEKA
Original assignee: Durdak Otto; Slameka Petr
Priority date: 2002-08-22
Filing date: 2003-08-21
Publication date: 2004-03-04
Also published as: CZ20022854A3; AU2003266097A1

Abstract

More ergonomic operation of cellular phone apparatus (4) and remedy of the current drawbacks of the design are enabled by mobile phone apparatus (4) where by the arrangement of the apparatus along the longitudinal axis (3) the front side with the display (1) and keys (2) for its operation is arranged in that way, that when viewed to the front side in its operable position the display (1) is in lower part of the phone and majority of keys (2) for its operation is above the upper edge of the display (1). Such arrangement of the cellular phone face represents a more convenient way of pressing the keys. As the phone is mostly operated with one hand and the keys are pressed with the thumb, the ergonomic features of the thumb are better utilised with the keys not in the palm as before.

Description

MOBILE PHONE WITH DISPLAY DISPOSED BELOW THE KEYBOARD

Technology area

The invention concerns a convenient arrangement of the control elements of a mobile phone apparatus in relation to its display, especially with regard to the ergonomics of the human hand. The invented arrangement is applicable by all manufacturers to all types of mobile phone apparatuses.

State of the art

The basic construction and outer arrangement of most mobile phone apparatuses are based on a single concept. The front side of the mobile phone is of a rectangular shape and contains most or all of the controls, including the display.

Because of the orientation of the display and description of the keys the operator holds the apparatus with the control elements wrapped in the palm and the display is projecting out. From the viewpoint of the operator the control elements are closer to the operator^'s body than the display above them. No reverse grasp of the apparatus is possible when you want to operate it, because in such case the description, including the displayed data, would be viewed upside down.

The mutual arrangement of the display above the control elements was taken over by the cellular phone apparatus designers from manual calculators. These, however, are used either lying on the table or with both hands at least, with one hand holding the calculator and the other pressing the keys. Extended use of mobile phones anywhere in the public and with the operator in motion makes the operators to hold and control the apparatus with one hand. The operator must therefore hold the apparatus to be able to press the buttons with the thumb of the hand holding it. This inevitably leads to a very unstable grasp of the bottom part of the body of the apparatus. The portion of the apparatus wrapped in the palm is very small ad the thumb is not used for pressing the apparatus against the palm for increased stability. This increases the risk of the apparatus falling down and hitting the ground during operation resulting in damage to it. Using the phone in the street or in a public transport vehicle even increases the risk of the phone loss or burglary. When using the phone the operator watches the controls and the display and pays little attention to the environment, most of the phone body protrudes from the palm to the open space around it and the apparatus in fact lies loose on the palm, not in it.

Other great disadvantages of the currently used constructions of cellular phones include the fact that operation with one hand, representing the most frequent way of mobile phone use, requires non-ergonomic and unnatural movements from the thumb holding and operating the phone.

There are also exceptions from the general construction trend. These, however, mostly represent fashion extremes rather than attempts to adjust mobile phone apparatus to human hand ergonomics, facilitate its operation and reduce the risk of fall, loss or burglary of the phone. For example Nokia have developed a phone where the longitudinal axis is not perpendicular to the lines of the display but parallel and the display is situated in the middle of the apparatus, with the keys to the right and to the left of it. This, however, makes the apparatus operable with both hands only, lying on the table. This design by no means increases comfort of the phone operation.

Feature of the invention

More ergonomic operation of cellular phone apparatus and remedy of the current drawbacks of the design are enabled by the invention where by the arrangement of the apparatus along the longitudinal axis the front side with the display and keys for its operation is arranged in that way, that when viewed to the front side in its operable position the display is in lower part of the phone and majority of keys for its operation is above the upper edge of the display.

Such arrangement of the cellular phone face represents a more convenient way of pressing the keys. As the phone is mostly operated with one hand and the keys are pressed with the thumb, the ergonomic features of the thumb are better utilised with the keys not in the palm as before, but in the finger area of the hand as with the present invention. The location of the keys below the display was taken over from the design of pocket calculators. These, however, are mostly operated lying on a horizontal surface, where the existing location of the keys is well grounded. Mobile phones, however, are not used in this way.

Figures and drawings

The feature of the invention is evident from the attached two figures. Fig. 1 shows general arrangement of the front side of the mobile phone apparatus. Fig. 2 shows the same with actual descriptions of the individual keys.

Examples of embodiment

The phone apparatus shown in figs. 1 and 2 is a good example of application of the invention in question. The figure shows the front side of the apparatus 4 with mutually exchanged position of the display 1 and the keys 2 in contrast to the existing types in the arrangement along the longitudinal axis 3. The apparatus is designed for operation in the position with the keyboard above the display with the letters and figures on the keys oriented to be legible in this way, as well as the data displayed on the display 1. The apparatus is designed for operation with one hand, with the user having the display 1 inside the palm and the keys 2 for the phone operation outside to be operated with the thumb without any ergonomic limitation. The thumb may conveniently reach all the keys.

Claims

PATENT CLAIM

Mobile phone apparatus with display and majority of keys for its operation on one side characterized by that by the arrangement of the apparatus along the longitudinal axis (3) is the front side (4) with the display (1) and keys (2) for its operation arranged in that way, that when viewed to the front side (4) in its operable position the display (1) is in lower part of the phone and majority of keys (2) for its operation is above the upper edge of the display (1).