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Chao Chen, Waterloo CA

Chao Chen, Waterloo CA

Patent application numberDescriptionPublished
20080222877COMBINATION OF TUBE ASSEMBLY AND CLIP FOR WIRELESS ANTENNA GROUNDING - An antenna tube configured to accommodate a grounding clip and an antenna, the antenna tube having a cylindrical tube having an upper end and an inner end opposite the upper end; a circumferentially extending groove in the cylindrical tube located between the upper end and the inner end; and a tapered lip at the inner end of the cylindrical tube, wherein the grounding clip fits between the circumferentially extending groove and the tapered lip, and at least a portion of the antenna slidably fits into the upper end of the cylindrical tube.09-18-2008
20090085777KEYPAD FOR A WIRELESS DEVICE - A keypad for a wireless device is disclosed. The keypad comprises one or more key stems, each key stem having an upper key stem surface. The keypad also comprises one or more keycaps configured to be mounted over the one or more key stems, each keycap having a lower keycap surface for bonding to the upper key stem surface of each key stem with adhesive. The upper key stem surface includes at least one depression and at least one groove along a perimeter of the upper key stem surface. The depression and groove can help reduce the risk of adhesive flow to undesirable areas.04-02-2009
20090128368SPLIT KEYBOARD - A keyboard includes a plurality of keys associated with alphanumeric characters including the letters A-Z. The keys are split into a left side section and a right side section. The left side section is oriented at least partially above the right side section, or the right side section is oriented at least partially above the left side section. The keyboard is stationary. A mobile communication device includes the keyboard.05-21-2009
20090135145TACTILE TOUCH SCREEN FOR ELECTRONIC DEVICE - An electronic device includes a base and a touch screen display connected to the base and movable relative thereto. The touch screen display includes a display device and a touch-sensitive input surface overlying the display device. The electronic device includes a feedback mechanism including a switch moveable relative to the base for actuating in response to application of a force to the touch-sensitive input surface causing movement of the touch screen display. Operational components are connected to the touch screen display for operation of the electronic device.05-28-2009
20090144960HANDHELD ELECTRONIC DEVICE INCLUDING MULTI-COMPARTMENT SHIELDING CONTAINER AND ASSOCIATED METHODS - A handheld electronic device may include a portable housing and a shielding container within the portable housing. The shielding container may include a shielding frame and a shielding lid carried thereby. A printed circuit board may be within the shielding container. The shielding frame may include a planar base with at least one opening therein, a pair of opposing side walls integrally formed with the base and extending upwardly therefrom, and a pair of opposing end walls integrally formed with the base and extending upwardly therefrom. Also, the shielding frame may include at least one intermediate partition wall integrally formed with the base and extending upwardly therefrom to define a plurality of container compartments. The partition wall may also extend only partway between the opposing side walls to define at least one partition end gap therewith.06-11-2009
20090178911KEY DOME ASSEMBLY WITH IMPROVED TACTILE FEEDBACK - A dome assembly for use in a keyboard assembly of an electronic device is provided. The dome assembly includes a deflectable dome shaped element having a concave surface terminating at a periphery and a number of elevating members disposed on the element adjacent the periphery and protruding away from the concave surface. The elevating members serve to space the periphery from a mounting surface. The element is movable between an undeflected position and a deflected position.07-16-2009
20090236206KEYPAD WITH WATER AND DUST PROTECTION - A keypad suitable for use with a mobile communication or a handheld device. The keypad includes an actuator component formed from multiple materials and comprises a plurality of actuators, a sealing bead and/or a light guide. The sealing bead is formed from a flexible or compressible material such as silicone rubber. When the keypad is installed the sealing bead is compressed against the mounting surface in the device and provides a seal for the keypad against environmental agents such as moisture, dust and/or electrostatic discharges.09-24-2009
20090268387HANDHELD COMPUTING DEVICE HAVING DROP-RESISTANT LCD DISPLAY - A display for a handheld computing device includes a display panel, a display circuit board carrying display electronics for the display panel, and a light guide coupled to the display panel and the display circuit board. The light guide includes at least one snap clip for securing the display to a circuit board of the handheld computing device. The least one snap clip is configured to allow the display to move relative to the computing device when the display panel is mounted to the computing device.10-29-2009
20100066706METHOD OF MOUNTING THUMBWHEEL SWITCH ON PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD AND HANDHELD ELECTRONIC DEVICE INCORPORATING THE SAME - A thumbwheel switch for a handheld electronic device is mechanically and electrically mounted on the substrate of a printed circuit board using SMT with the thumbwheel seated in a cutout in the substrate and with the top surface of the thumbwheel about flush with the top surface of the substrate so that the thumbwheel is ergonomically positioned on the side of the handheld electronic device at the level of the display.03-18-2010
20100084254SEALED DOME SWITCH FOR MOBILE ELECTRONIC DEVICE - A mobile electronic device has a dome switch assembly secured to the housing of the device, over a recess formed in the housing of device. The dome switch assembly has a substrate with a vent hole communicating between the recess of the housing and the space comprised between the substrate and a dome actuation portion of the dome switch assembly. Upon actuation of the dome switch assembly, air present between the dome actuation portion and the substrate flows into the recess of the housing.04-08-2010
20100085217INPUT KEY SUBASSEMBLY FOR MINIMIZING EMISSION OF LIGHT FROM UNINTENDED PATHS - An input key subassembly for a handheld communication device is dislosed herein. The input key subassembly includes a dome overlay panel and a lightguide panel. The dome overlay panel includes a dome overlay layer and a dome switch having a peak facing frontally. The dome overlay layer has a front face located adjacent to the backside of the lightguide panel. The lightguide panel has at least one keystem and is located above a respective dome switch. A recessed perimeter region about the keystem has a height relative to the backside of the lightguide panel that is less than a height between the front side of the lightguide panel and the backside of the lightguide panel.04-08-2010
20100178957MOBILE DEVICE HAVING AN IMPACT RESISTANT INPUT - A mobile device is disclosed having an impact resistant input located in at least one of the corners. In the event that the mobile device is dropped and lands on the corner input, a shock-absorbing member absorbs the energy of impact to prevent failure to a contact or input cap of the corner input.07-15-2010
20100213041BACKLIT KEY ASSEMBLY HAVING A REDUCED THICKNESS - A backlit key assembly having a reduced thickness for an electronic device, and an electronic device having such a backlit key assembly are provided. The key assembly utilizes a local sink (recess) in a backing plate of the key assembly to lower the light source (e.g. LED) and flexible printed circuit board relative to the backing plate. The key assembly described herein provides a suitable leading space for the light source while permitting the overall thickness of the key assembly to be reduced compared with conventional backlit key designs.08-26-2010
20100213043KEY ASSEMBLY FOR A HANDHELD ELECTRONIC DEVICE HAVING A ONE-PIECE KEYCAP - A key assembly for an electronic device having a one-piece keycap and an electronic device having such a keycap are provided. In accordance with one embodiment, there is provided a key assembly for use in an electronic device, comprising: a keycap having a plurality of rigid key portions separated by mechanically deforming portions; and a flexible member having opposed first and second sides, the first side having a plurality of key stems which are attached to the plurality of key portions, the second side having a plurality of actuators for actuating dome switches of the electronic device.08-26-2010
20100220032COMBINATION OF TUBE ASSEMBLY AND CLIP FOR WIRELESS ANTENNA GROUNDING - An antenna tube configured to accommodate a grounding clip and an antenna, the antenna tube having a cylindrical tube having an upper end and an inner end opposite the upper end; a circumferentially extending groove in the cylindrical tube located between the upper end and the inner end; and a tapered lip at the inner end of the cylindrical tube, wherein the grounding clip fits between the circumferentially extending groove and the tapered lip, and at least a portion of the antenna slidably fits into the upper end of the cylindrical tube.09-02-2010
20110041316HANDHELD ELECTRONIC DEVICE INCLUDING MULTI-COMPARTMENT SHIELDING CONTAINER AND ASSOCIATED METHODS - A handheld electronic device may include a portable housing and a shielding container within the portable housing. The shielding container may include a shielding frame and a shielding lid carried thereby. A printed circuit board may be within the shielding container. The shielding frame may include a planar base with at least one opening therein, a pair of opposing side walls integrally formed with the base and extending upwardly therefrom, and a pair of opposing end walls integrally formed with the base and extending upwardly therefrom. Also, the shielding frame may include at least one intermediate partition wall integrally formed with the base and extending upwardly therefrom to define a plurality of container compartments. The partition wall may also extend only partway between the opposing side walls to define at least one partition end gap therewith.02-24-2011
20110073454 KEY ASSEMBLY FOR AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE HAVING A MULTI-CHARACTER KEYCAP - A key assembly for use in an electronic device is provided. The key assembly includes a plurality of dome switches and a plurality of single-piece keycaps. Each keycap identifies a row of keyboard characters. Each keycap has a plurality of character-representing portions separated by deforming portions. Each character-representing portion is associated with a separate one of the plurality of dome switches. The key assembly further comprises a plurality of actuators for activating the dome switches. Each actuator has a first side which is engaged by one of the character representing portions of the keycap. Each actuator has a second side which engages the dome switch associated with that character-representing portion. In a rest state in which the keycap is not depressed, at least some of the actuators preload at least some of the dome switches by exerting a force upon the dome switches.03-31-2011
20110073456KEY ASSEMBLY FOR AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE HAVING ONE-PIECE KEYCAPS AND MULTI-TOUCH PREVENTING SUPPORTS - According to one aspect, a keypad for an electronic device includes a plurality of switches and a plurality of keycaps. Each keycap has a plurality of external contact portions defining a full row of the keypad. Each external contact portion corresponds to one of the switches and includes at least one of a text-entry character and a functional character. Each of the external contact portions is movable to actuate the corresponding switch. The keypad further includes a plurality of keycap supports. Each keycap support is disposed between adjacent external contact portions. After one of the external contact portions has been moved to actuate the corresponding switch, at least one of the keycap supports engages the keycap having the one of the external contact portions to inhibit the keycap from actuating at least one of the other switches.03-31-2011
20110102205KEYPAD STRUCTURE - A keypad structure comprises a plurality of dome switches. Each of the plurality of dome switches provides a first tactile feedback to a user when pressed. At least one vibratory element is electrically connected to the dome switches to actuate when one of the plurality of dome switches is pressed. The at least one vibratory element provides a second tactile feedback to the user.05-05-2011
20110115652DETECTION OF INTENDED KEY ACTIVATION ON A MOBILE DEVICE - A method and device are provided for preventing unintended activation of one or more hard keys on a mobile device. A capacitive sensor senses a capacitance level at a location on the keyboard, to detect whether a hard key is being actuated by a human hand or human skin. If the sensed capacitance level exceeds a key activation capacitance threshold, a key circuit connection is identified as being associated with an intended hard key activation. If the measured capacitance level is within an uncertainty tolerance below the key activation capacitance threshold, a secondary capacitance level is measured at a non-keyboard location. The key circuit connection is identified as being associated with an intended hard key activation when the measured secondary capacitance level exceeds a key activation confirmation threshold. Additional secondary indicators can be obtained based on size and shape capacitance pattern, timing information, and an active application or device state.05-19-2011
20110140932KEY ASSEMBLY - A mobile device is described herein in which the mobile device has a housing that includes a transition point and an actuator that can be flexible and that can be used to initiate a predetermined action. The actuator can include a transition point. The mobile device can also have a stiffening component that can be configured to engage the actuator and can also have a flexible circuit. In one arrangement, the flexible circuit can be coupled to the stiffening component and the flexible circuit can be configured to relay signals in response to a force being applied to the actuator. In another arrangement, the actuator can be positioned such that the transition point of the actuator substantially aligns with the transition point of the housing of the mobile device.06-16-2011

Patent applications by Chao Chen, Waterloo CA