{
  "patent_number": "US 8219158",
  "country": "US",
  "title": "BlackBerry Device with QWERTY Keyboard and Trackball Design",
  "original_title": "Handheld wireless communication device",
  "summary": "This 2012 patent describes a handheld device, like an early BlackBerry, with a QWERTY keyboard and a trackball, focusing on the physical arrangement of keys around the navigation tool.",
  "what_it_does": "This patent covers a handheld device designed to be held and used with one hand for typing text messages. It features a display, a keyboard with keys arranged in columns that are offset from each other, and a trackball for navigation. Specifically, it details how at least one key is shaped to fit snugly against the curved edge of the trackball, creating a seamless interface. The device uses a microprocessor to process commands from the keys and trackball to change what's shown on the display. The keyboard layout is a traditional QWERTY, with the top row starting with Q, W, E, R, T.",
  "what_it_does_not_cover": [
    "Devices that do not have a physical keyboard with alphanumeric keys.",
    "Devices where the keys are not arranged in vertically offset columns.",
    "Devices that do not include a trackball navigation tool.",
    "Keyboards that do not use a QWERTY layout where the top row starts with Q, W, E, R, T.",
    "Devices where keys are not shaped to conform to the boundary of the trackball."
  ],
  "filed": "2007-02-06",
  "granted": "2012-07-10",
  "expires": "2027-02-06",
  "status": "active",
  "holder": "Research in Motion Ltd",
  "holder_url": "https://patentbrief.org/company/research-in-motion-ltd",
  "inventors": [
    {
      "name": "Steven Fyke",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/steven-fyke"
    },
    {
      "name": "Jason T. Griffin",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/jason-t-griffin"
    }
  ],
  "times_cited": 0,
  "tags": [
    "consumer_electronics",
    "telecommunications",
    "software"
  ],
  "abstract": "A handheld wireless communication device configured to be hand cradleable by an operator during text entry. A display, key field and trackball navigation tool are located on a front face of the device. At least some keys of the key field are arranged in key-columns and each of the key-columns is vertically offset from adjacent key-columns. Alphanumeric input keys include several alphabetic keys with letters arranged in a traditional (QWERTY), but non-ITU Standard E.161 telephone letter layout. A microprocessor is provided that receives operator commands from the keys and the trackball navigation tool and which affects corresponding changes to the display based on user input. At least one key of the key field is positioned adjacent to the trackball navigation tool and the at least one key has an arcuate-shaped edge conformance fitting to an arcuate-shaped boundary about the trackball navigation tool.",
  "url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/8219158/handheld-wireless-communication-device",
  "markdown_url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/8219158/handheld-wireless-communication-device/md",
  "google_patents_url": "https://patents.google.com/patent/US8219158",
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}