A new BlackBerry patent application points to a BlackBerry dual-mode keypad that could switch between QWERTY text-entry mode and a telephone dialpad.

This would make going back and forth between text-entry and phone mode that much easier.

The underlying technology is described in the Abstract for this patent application, which is 20060252454, Dual-Mode keypad for a mobile device.

Let's go over the Abstract, and then get an even more complete idea of what is being proposed here.

The abstract points us to systems and methods provided "for implementing a dual-mode keypad for a mobile device. The mobile device may operate in a telephony mode and a text-entry mode. The dual-mode keypad may include a plurality of dual-mode keys that each include an associated telephony character and at least one associated text-entry character."

"The dual-mode keys may include one or more toggle keys, with each toggle key having a plurality of associated text-entry characters and one associated telephony character.," the Abstract explains further. "When the mobile device is in text-entry mode, the dual-mode keys may be used to input the associated text-entry characters, with the toggle keys each being operable to input a first text-entry character when a first portion of the toggle key is pressed and to input a second text-entry character when a second portion of the toggle key is pressed.

Oh, and what about telephony mode?

"When the mobile device is in telephony mode, the dual-mode keys may be used to input the associated telephony characters," we learn, "with the toggle keys each being operable to input one of the associated telephony characters when any portion of the toggle key is pressed."

Those of you who want to know more, well, as David Lee Roth used to sing, "might as well jump."

According to the Patent app Here's what this diagram shows:

FIG. 1 is a front view of a mobile device 100 having an example dual-mode keypad 102. The dual-mode keypad 102 includes a plurality of dual-mode keys 104-115, a plurality of single-mode keys 116-120, and a plurality of functional keys 121-123. The dual-mode keys 104-115 each include a telephony character and at least one text-entry character. For example, dual-mode key 112 includes the telephony character "9" and the text-entry character "M." The single-mode keys 116-120 each include at least one text-entry character.

In operation, the mobile device 100 is configured to operate in a telephony mode and a text-entry mode. The telephony characters may be input when the mobile device 100 is in telephony mode, and the text-entry characters may be input when the mobile device 100 is in text-entry mode. The functional keys 121-123 may be configured to operate in both the telephony mode and the text-entry mode, or alternatively one or more of the functional keys 121-123 may be operable in only the telephony mode or the text-entry mode. In this manner, the dual-mode keypad 102 has two distinct ergonomics depending upon the mode of the mobile device 100. Preferably, the telephony characters are arranged to provide a traditional telephone keypad layout when the device 100 is in telephony mode, and the text-entry characters are arranged to provide a traditional keyboard layout (e.g., a QWERTY keyboard) when the device 100 is in text-entry mode. The text-entry characters are preferably arranged in the pattern of a QWERTY-style keyboard, but could alternatively be arranged in other keyboard patterns, such as a DVORAK style keyboard pattern, an alphabetic style keyboard pattern, a QWERTZ style keyboard pattern, an AZERTY style keyboard pattern, or others.

In addition, the keypad 102 includes a plurality of toggle keys 104-111, 116-119 that each include two associated text-entry characters. For example, toggle key 104 includes the text-entry characters "E" and "R." For each toggle key 104-111, 116-119, a first text-entry character may be input when a first portion of the key is pressed and a second text-entry character may be input when a second portion of the key is pressed. For example, if the left-hand portion of toggle key 104 is pressed (in text-entry mode), then the text-entry character "E" is input. If the right-hand portion of toggle key 104 is pressed (in text-entry mode), then the text-entry character "R" is input to the device 100. If the toggle key also includes an associated telephony character, then the telephony character may be input while in telephony mode by pressing any portion of the key. For example, if the mobile device 100 is in telephony mode, then the telephony character "1" may be input by pressing any portion of toggle key 104. Example toggle keys are described below in more detail with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4.

The mobile device 100 may also include a predictive text computer program that is used in conjunction with the dual-mode keypad 102. A predictive text computer program may, for example, be used to predict a complete word or phrase from one or more keystrokes. In addition, the predictive text computer program may operate without regard to which portion of a toggle key is pressed. For example, when any portion of the toggle key 104 is pressed, a predictive text computer program may attempt to predict a desired word or phrase that includes either the text-entry character "E" or "R." In this manner, text may be input more quickly while in text-entry mode, without requiring a user to select the proper portion of the toggle keys. If the predictive text computer program does not successfully predict a desired word or phrase, then text-entry characters may be entered more precisely, albeit more slowly, by selecting the appropriate characters on the toggle keys 104-111, 116-119.

Hey BBHub readers, would you buy such a device?