초록

A hand-held, electronic, bi-directional, wireless electronic communication device having a physical configuration which includes a relatively large, constantly visible display and an alphanumeric keyboard that can be concealed until needed.

대표청구항 ▼

We claim: 1. A hand-held, electronic computing device having a physical configuration comprising: a body portion having a front surface and a back surface; a keyboard carried by the body portion on the front surface thereof; a display portion having a front surface and a back surface; a constantl

We claim: 1. A hand-held, electronic computing device having a physical configuration comprising: a body portion having a front surface and a back surface; a keyboard carried by the body portion on the front surface thereof; a display portion having a front surface and a back surface; a constantly visible display carried by the display portion on the front surface thereof; wherein the keyboard is at least partially concealed by the display portion when the hand-held device is in a closed state, and wherein the keyboard is exposed when the hand-held device is in an open state; and at least one coupling between the body portion and the display portion back surface, wherein the coupling is concealed by the display portion when the display is viewed with the device in either the closed state or the open state, and wherein the coupling allows the display portion to move relative to the body portion in a plane that is generally parallel to the keyboard. 2. The hand-held, electronic computing device according to claim 1, wherein the display portion completely conceals the keyboard when the device is in the closed state. 3. The hand-held, electronic computing device according to claim 1, wherein the display portion slides relative to the body portion in a plane that is generally parallel with the keyboard. 4. The hand-held, electronic computing device according to claim 1, wherein the display portion slides between the open state and the closed state. 5. The hand-held, electronic computing device according to claim 1, wherein the display portion slides relative to the body portion along a non-planar path. 6. The hand-held, electronic computing device according to claim 1, wherein the display portion moves in a direction that reveals the bottom portion of the keyboard first. 7. The hand-held, electronic computing device according to claim 1, wherein the display is a high-resolution color display. 8. The hand-held, electronic computing device according to claim 1, further comprising: at least one push pad disposed on the body portion to aid in moving the display portion relative to the body portion. 9. The hand-held, electronic computing device according to claim 1, further comprising: at least one push pad disposed on the display portion to aid in sliding the display portion relative to the body portion. 10. The hand-held, electronic computing device according to claim 1, further comprising: at least one protective bumper disposed on the body portion. 11. The hand-held, electronic computing device according to claim 1, further comprising: at least one protective bumper disposed on the display portion. 12. The hand-held, electronic computing device according to claim 1, further comprising: at least one input/output component from the following group: a. a light; b. an LED; c. a button; d. a joystick; e. a touch pad; f. a directional or"D" pad; g. a jog wheel; h. a scroll wheel; i. a speaker; j. a headphone jack; k. a microphone; l. an infrared port; m. a DC adapter port; n. an antenna; o. an on/off switch; p. an analog responder; and q. a conductive power terminal. 13. The hand-held, electronic computing device according to claim 12, wherein the input/output components are carried by the body portion. 14. The hand-held, electronic computing device according to claim 12, wherein the input/output components are carried by the display portion. 15. The hand-held, electronic computing device according to claim 12, wherein the input/output components are carried by both the body portion and the display portion. 16. The hand-held, electronic computing device according to claim 12, wherein the input/output components are located to facilitate interaction with the device while the device is in the closed state. 17. The hand-held, electronic computing device according to claim 12, wherein the LED is a full-spectrum color LED. 18. The hand-held, electronic computing device according to claim 1, wherein the coupling comprises a first portion attached to the display portion back surface and a second portion attached to the body portion front surface. 19. The hand-held electronic computing device according to claim 1, wherein the coupling comprises at least one groove in the display portion back surface. 20. The hand-held electronic computing device according to claim 1, wherein the coupling comprises at least two grooves in the display portion back surface. 21. The hand-held electronic computing device according to claim 1, wherein the coupling comprises interlocking grooves in the display portion back surface and the body portion front surface. 22. The hand-held electronic computing device according to claim 1, wherein the coupling comprises support rails attached to the body portion and to the display portion back surface. 23. The hand-held electronic computing device according to claim 1, wherein the coupling comprises at least one groove in the body portion front surface. 24. The hand-held, electronic computing device according to claim 1, wherein the keyboard is selected from the group of a qwerty, a Fitaly, a Dvorak or a twelve-key keyboard. 25. A hand-held electronic computing device having a physical configuration comprising: a body portion; a keyboard carried by the body portion; a display portion; a constantly visible display carried by the display portion; wherein the keyboard is at least partially concealed by the display portion when the hand-held device is in a closed state, and wherein the keyboard is exposed when the hand-held device is in an open state; and at least one coupling between the body portion and the display portion, wherein the coupling is concealed by the display portion when the display is viewed with the device in either the closed state or the open state, and wherein the coupling allows the display portion to move relative to the body portion in a plane that is generally parallel to the keyboard. 26. A device as in claim 25, wherein the display portion is slideably coupled to the body portion. 27. The hand-held, electronic computing device according to claim 26, wherein the display portion slides relative to the body portion in a plane that is generally parallel with the keyboard. 28. The hand-held, electronic computing device according to claim 26, wherein the display portion slides relative to the body portion along non-planar path. 29. The hand-held, electronic computing device according to claim 25, wherein the display portion completely conceals the keyboard when the device is in the closed state. 30. The hand-held, electronic computing device according to claim 25, wherein the display is a high-resolution color display. 31. The hand-held, electronic computing device according to claim 25, further comprising: at least one input/output component from the following group: a. a light; b. an LED; c. a button; d. a joystick; e. a touch pad; f. a directional or"D" pad; g. a jog wheel; h. a scroll wheel; i. a speaker; j. a headphone jack; k. a microphone; l. an infrared port; m. a DC adapter port; n. an antenna; o. an on/off switch; p. an analog responder; and q. a conductive power terminal. 32. The hand-held, electronic computing device according to claim 31, wherein the input/output components are carried by the body portion. 33. The hand-held, electronic computing device according to claim 31, wherein the input/output components are carried by the display portion. 34. The hand-held, electronic computing device according to claim 31, wherein the input/output components are carried by both the body portion and the display portion. 35. The hand-held, electronic computing device according to claim 31, wherein the input/output components are located to facilitate interaction with the device while the device is in the closed position. 36. The hand-held, electronic computing device according to claim 25, wherein the keyboard is selected from the group of a qwerty, a Fitaly, a Dvorak or a twelve-key keyboard. 37. A hand-held electronic computing device having a physical configuration comprising: a body portion; a display portion; a constantly visible display carried by the display portion; and a keyboard carried by the body portion, wherein the keyboard is at least partially concealed by the display portion when the hand-held device is in a closed state, and wherein the keyboard is exposed when the hand-held device is in an open state; wherein the display portion has first and second sides oppositely spaced across the display, wherein the sides are non-parallel, and wherein the display portion slides between the open state and the closed state. 38. The hand-held, electronic computing device according to claim 37, wherein the display portion completely conceals the keyboard. 39. The hand-held, electronic computing device according to claim 37, wherein the display portion slides relative to the body portion in a plane that is generally parallel with the keyboard. 40. The hand-held, electronic computing device according to claim 37, further comprising: a connector between the body portion and the display portion for supporting the display portion when the device is in the open state. 41. The hand-held, electronic computing device according to claim 40, wherein the connector is not visible while the display is being viewed in the open state. 42. The hand-held, electronic computing device according to claim 37, wherein the display portion slides relative to the body portion along a non-planar path. 43. The hand-held, electronic computing device according to claim 37, wherein the keyboard is selected from the group of a qwerty, a Fitaly, a Dvorak or a twelve-key keyboard.