RIM's patent application for reconfigurable keypad

The beauty of the messaging beast known as the BlackBerry, is, of course, the lovely QWERTY pad layout and giant luscious screen. We have seen a goodly pile of patent applications from RIM in an effort to preserve said keyboard while potentially supplying a new twist on a fairly utilitarian (and a bit long in the tooth) design. This latest application sees your favorite handset fitted with keys in a "garage door" type layout, so if you only need a few keys for watching a video or wandering the interwebs, the extra keys just roll back into the handset's body. Apparently RIM may already know what Apple could discover next week: on screen keyboards can be pretty weak affairs, albeit much easier to keep clean.

[Via Unwired View]

[John @ Jun 21st 2007 11:39AM]

I thought Apple was going to learn that glass breaks when you drop it.

[Fuzz @ Jun 21st 2007 11:57AM]

Man, I totally had this idea like 6 months ago. I should have patented it! I wish I wasn't so lazy.

[Don @ Jun 21st 2007 12:14PM]

That is a REALLY GOOD idea. I love the concept... each key is a mini-stylus.

[guilt+1 @ Jun 21st 2007 12:18PM]

That's just great, it's good to see a company move into new markets like a cellphone company moving into BRICK manufacture. How huge is that going to have to be to have a smooth enough radius for reliable operation. It's a good job RIMs main demographic carry briefcases.

[Constable Odo @ Jun 21st 2007 12:37PM]

WTF. I know it's just a rough idea, but jeez.... a chicklet escalator! A good thing there are lot of CrackBerry addicts out there.

[Gordy @ Jun 21st 2007 12:48PM]

Funny, Apple already has a patent on the underlying technology--the display's interaction with the 'keys'--not ot mention the multitouch patent. Funny.

[Tom @ Jun 21st 2007 2:06PM]

What does this patent have to do with multitouch or any of Apple's technology? These are physical keys here.

And I never thought about the broken-glass issue with the new iPhone. I drop my phone all the time...

[Gordy @ Jun 21st 2007 2:20PM]

I'm just saying...if the keys aren't real keys, in the sense that the keys are not closing a circuit directly, they might have a patent problem. Apple has patented a method of using placeholder 'keys' atop a touch sensitive display to mimick keystrokes already. Regarding Multi Touch...shift key anyone?

If the keys are on a flexible circuit board, well, they have other issues to consider. Apple wisley didn't go that route.

[John Doe @ Jun 21st 2007 2:29PM]

Gordy,

If that's the patent that Apple has then I'm sorry to say that there is PLENTY of prior art to invalidate it. There have been overlays on Palm devices for years.
Ditto with pocket PC's.

[Tom @ Jun 21st 2007 3:16PM]

There are tons of flexible circuit options - ever see a flatbed scanner work? There's a flexible circuit board that runs the length of the scanner lens, and bends at pretty tight radiuses as the scanner lens moves 11+ inches. From what it looks like, this thing uses real keys that rest on a circuit board, not utilizing a touch-screen.

Also, there are gaming keyboards that use moveable keys on a special surface - you can move the key anywhere you want, essentially the "placeholder" key you mentioned. I don't know if this mirrors what the Apple patent entails or not, but pretty similar tech - and if it doesn't violate Apple's patents then there's probably other ways around that.
http://www.thinkgeek.com/computing/input/77ba/
There's the keyboard I mentioned - seems to be what you're talking about, but I could be mistaken. Oh well.

[mike @ Jun 21st 2007 2:10PM]

So this is their way of staying away from SOFTWARE as a configurable input?

Yeesh, what a joke

[John Doe @ Jun 21st 2007 2:27PM]

I'll take a keyboard any day over a glass screen that no matter what the material is going to look like ass 20 minutes after you finished typing out a note to someone.

[John Doe @ Jun 21st 2007 2:25PM]

This is what true innovation is like. Apple? They take existing tech, clean it up, make it pretty and easy to use, and call it OMG revolutionary and innovative.

Apple REAL innovative years were in the 90's. Which is funny since those where the years they hit rock bottom. I don't associate the two in any way but its funny nonetheless.