Portable radio communication apparatus

• US 20010011029A1
• Filed: 01/24/2001
• Published: 08/02/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Inventors: Dohata, Masayoshi, Iwabuchi, Kazuhiro
• Granted Patent: US 7,089,040 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/566
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0214 Foldable telephones, i.e. with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position combined with translation movement H04M1/0235
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0245 using open/close detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/22 Illumination; Arrangements for improving the visibility of characters on dials
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/16 including more than one display unit
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

An object is to provide a portable radio communication apparatus which allows a user to easily view displayed contents when the apparatus is folded even in the nighttime or in a dark place, and which can extend the battery life. A second case 4 is connected to a first case 2 so as to be in open and closed positions with respect to the first case 2. A main display section 11 which is exposed when the second case 4 is in the open position, a sub-display section 12 which is exposed whether the second case 4 is in the open or closed position, a main illuminating device 23A which illuminates the main display section 11, and a sub-illuminating device 23B which illuminates the sub-display section 12 are provided. A driver 24 which selects a line to supply electric power for illumination to the main illuminating device 23A or the sub-illuminating device 23B, and a detecting switch 22 which detects whether the second case 4 is in the open or closed position, are also provided. A control section 25 is also provided which controls the driver 24, with reference to the detected result, to supply electric power to the main illuminating device 23A when the second case 4 is in the open position, and to supply electric power to the sub-illuminating device 23B when the second case 4 is in the closed position.

Claims

1. A portable radio communication apparatus (1) which has a sound input device (15) for inputting sound, a sound output device (13) for outputting sound, an input device (14) for inputting various signals, and a communication device (26) for communicating various communication data such as audio data, text data, and image data, the portable radio communication apparatus (1) including:

a first case (2),

a second case (4) which is rotatably connected to the first case (2) and which can be in open and closed positions with respect to the first case (2),

a first display (11) which is exposed when the second case (4) is in the open position,

a second display (12) which is exposed whether the second case (4) is in the open or closed position,

a first illuminator (23A) which illuminates the first display (11),

a second illuminator (23B) which illuminates the second display (12),

an electric power supply switch (24) which can switch between lines to supply electric power for illumination to the first illuminator (23A) and the second illuminator (23B),

an open/closed position detector (22) which detects whether the second case (4) is in the open or closed position, and

a controller (25) which controls the electric power supply switch (24), with reference to what the open/closed position detector (22) has detected, to supply electric power to the first illuminator (23A) when the second case (4) is in the open position, and to supply electric power to the second illuminator (23B) when the second case (4) is in the closed position.

2. A portable radio communication apparatus (31) which has a sound input device (15) for inputting sound, a sound output device (13) for outputting sound, an input device (14) for inputting various signals, and a communication device (56) for communicating various communication data such as audio data, text data, and image data, the portable radio communication apparatus (31) including:

a first case (2),

a second case (4) which is rotatably connected to the first case (2) and which can be in open and closed positions with respect to the first case (2),

a first display (41) which is exposed when the second case (4) is in the open position, and

a second display (42) which is exposed whether the second case (4) is in the open or closed position,

wherein the first display (41) and the second display (42) are constituted by a unitary display device (51) which can display on both a front side and a back side.

3. A portable communication apparatus (31) according to

claim 2

, wherein the display device (51) is provided in either the first case (2) or the second case (4), and the first case (2) or the second case (4) in which the display device (51) is provided has a window (11a) for the first display in the inner face and has a window (12a) for the second display in the outer face.

4. A portable radio communication apparatus (31) according to

claim 3

, wherein the display device (51) has a first reflective plate (52) on the opposite side to the window (11a) for the first display and has a second reflective plate (53) on the opposite side to the window (12a) for the second display.

5. A portable radio communication apparatus (61) which has a sound input device (15) for inputting sound, a sound output device (13) for outputting sound, an input device (14) for inputting various signals, and a communication device (86) for communicating various communication data such as audio data, text data, and image data, the portable radio communication apparatus (61) including:

a first case (2),

a second case (4) which is rotatably connected to the first case (2) and which can be in open and closed positions with respect to the first case (2),

a first display (71) which is exposed when the second case (4) is in the open position,

a second display (72) which is exposed whether the second case (4) is in the open or closed position,

an open/closed position detector (82) which detects whether the second case (4) is in the open or closed position,

a display controller (84) for directing display driving supply, which controls the first display (71) and the second display (72) to be turned on and off, with reference to what the open/closed position detector (82) has detected, and

a controller (85) which controls the display controller (84) for directing display driving supply to turn off the second display (72) if the open/closed position detector (82) has detected the second case (4) being in the open position.

6. A portable radio communication apparatus according to

claim 5

, wherein the second display (72) is disposed on the opposite side to the first display (71), and either the first case (2) or the second case (4) has a window (11a) for the first display in the inner face and has a window (12a) for the second display in the outer face.