Folding communicaion terminal and display control method therefor

• US 20020039914A1
• Filed: 09/24/2001
• Published: 04/04/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Original Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Kiyota, Kenji, Emoto, Tadahiro, Hama, Mitsuji
• Granted Patent: US 7,162,274 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/566
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/039 Selective or different modes of illumination
• 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 1/575 Means for retrieving and displaying personal data about calling party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72445 for supporting Internet browser applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/048 Arrangements providing optical indication of the incoming call, e.g. flasher circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/16 including more than one display unit

Abstract

The folding communication terminal of the present invention is composed of a display device which is visible to the user when the folding communication terminal is in a folded state, and which is capable of multicolor display. The user knows by glancing at the illumination color, without reading characters displayed on the display device and without straining their eyes, whether a caller'"'"'s telephone number is notified or not. Furthermore, the display is illuminated in a color which is specified and registered in advance in correspondence with the caller'"'"'s telephone number. The user is thus able to know at a glance who a call is from. Furthermore, the display device is illuminated in a color distinguishing between whether there is notification information which is yet to be displayed or not. The user can judge whether it is necessary to check notification information with a glance at the illumination color.

Claims

1. A foldable communication terminal which receives caller information during reception of an incoming-call, and has a detection function for detecting whether a main body of the communication terminal is in a folded state or in an unfolded state, comprising:

a main display device which is visible to a user only when the main body is in the unfolded state, and which is capable of multicolor illumination display;

a sub-display device which is visible to the user when the main body is in the folded state, and which is capable of multicolor illumination display; and

display control means for, when the incoming-call is received while the main body is in the folded state,

(a) having the sub-display device illuminated in a first color when the caller information does not show a caller telephone number, and

(b) having the sub-display device illuminated in a second color, which is different to the first color, when the caller information shows the caller telephone number, and having the main display device illuminated when the detection function subsequently detects that the main body is in the unfolded state.

2. The communication terminal of claim 1,

wherein, when the display control means has the main display device illuminated, the main display device is illuminated in a color which is substantially a same color as the second color.

3. The communication terminal of claim 1,

wherein, when the detection function detects that the main body is in the unfolded state, the display control means stops the sub-display device being illuminated.

4. The communication terminal of claim 3,

wherein, when the display control means has the main display device illuminated, the main display device is illuminated in a color which is substantially a same color as the second color.

5. A foldable communication terminal which receives caller information during reception of an incoming-call, and has a detection function for detecting whether a main body of the communication terminal is in a folded state or in an unfolded state, comprising:

a telephone directory memory for storing at least one telephone number;

a main display device which is visible to a user only when the main body is in the unfolded state, and which is capable of multicolor illumination display;

a sub-display device which is visible to the user when the main body is in the folded state, and which is capable of multicolor illumination display;

registration judgement means for judging, when the incoming-call is received while the main body is in the folded state and if the caller information shows a caller telephone number, whether a same telephone number as the caller telephone number is stored in the telephone directory memory; and

display control means for

(a) having the sub-display device illuminated in a first color, when the registration judgement means judges that the same telephone number is not stored in the telephone directory memory, and

(b) having the sub-display device illuminated in a second color, which is different to the first color, when the judgement means judges that the same telephone number is stored in the telephone directory memory, and having the main display device illuminated when the detection function detects subsequently detects that the main body is in the unfolded state.

6. The communication terminal of claim 5,

wherein, when the display control means has the main display device illuminated, the main display device is illuminated in a color which is substantially a same color as the second color.

7. The communication terminal of claim 5,

wherein, when the detection function detects that the main body is in the unfolded state, the display control means stops the sub-display device being illuminated.

8. The communication terminal of claim 7,

wherein, when the display control means has the main display device illuminated, the main display device is illuminated in a color which is substantially a same color as the second color.

9. A communication terminal which receives caller information when receiving an incoming-call, and has a detection function which detects whether a main body of the communication terminal is in a folded state or an unfolded state, comprising:

a telephone directory memory for storing at least one telephone number in correspondence with color specification information;

a main display device which is visible to a user only when the main body is in the unfolded state, and which is capable of multicolor illumination display;

a sub-display device which is visible to the user when the main body is in the folded state, and which is capable of multicolor illumination display;

registration judgement means for judging, when the incoming-call is received while the main body is in the folded state and if the caller information shows a caller telephone number, whether a same telephone number as the caller telephone number is stored in the telephone directory memory; and

display control means for

(a) having the sub-display device illuminated in a first color, when the registration judgement means judges that the same telephone number is not stored in the telephone directory memory, and

(b) having the sub-display device illuminated, when the registration judgement means judges that the same telephone number is stored in the telephone directory memory, in a color specified by the color specification information that is stored in correspondence with the same telephone number, and having the main display device illuminated when the detection function subsequently detects that the main body is in the unfolded state.

10. The communication terminal of claim 9

wherein, when the display control means has the main display device illuminated, the main display device is illuminated in a color which is substantially a same color as the second color.

11. The communication terminal of claim 9

wherein, when the detection function detects that the main body is in the unfolded state, the display control means stops the sub-display device being illuminated.

12. The communication terminal of claim 11 wherein, when the display control means has the main display device illuminated , the main display device is illuminated in a color which is substantially a same color as the second color.

17. The display control method of claim 16

wherein, when the second illumination step has the main display device illuminated, the main display device is illuminated in a color which is substantially a same color as the second color.

18. The display control method of claim 16, further comprising:

a turning-off step for stopping, when the detection function detects that the main body is in the unfolded state, the sub-display device being illuminated.

19. The display control method of claim 18

wherein, when the second illumination step has the main display device illuminated, the main display device is illuminated in a color which is substantially a same color as the second color.

13. A foldable communication terminal which has a function for displaying notification information, comprising:

a switch for receiving an operation from a user when a main body of the communication terminal is in a folded state;

judgement means for judging, consequent to the operation of the switch, whether there is notification information that is yet to be displayed;

selection means for selecting

(a) a first color, when the judgement means judges that there is no notification information that is yet to be displayed, and

(b) a second color, which is different to the first color, when the judgement means judges that there is notification information that is yet to be displayed; and

a display device which is visible to the user when the main body is in the folded state, and which illuminates in the color selected by the selection means.

14. A foldable communication terminal which has a function for displaying a plurality of types of notification information, comprising:

a switch for receiving an operation from a user when a main body of the communication terminal is in a folded state;

judgement means for judging, consequent to the operation of the switch and if there is notification information that is yet to be displayed, a type of notification information that is yet to be displayed;

selection means for selecting a color according to the type judged by the judgment means; and

a display device which is visible to the user when the main body is in the folded state, and which illuminates in the color selected by the selection means.

15. A foldable communication terminal which has a function for displaying a plurality of types of notification information, comprising:

a switch for receiving an operation from a user when a main body of the communication terminal is in a folded state;

counting means for counting, consequent to the operation of the switch and if there is notification information that is yet to be displayed, a number of types of notification information that are yet to be displayed;

selection means for selecting a color according to the number counted by the counting means; and

a display device which is visible to the user when the main body is in the folded state, and which illuminates in the color selected by the selection unit.

16. A display control method for use with a communication terminal, the communication terminal (a) receiving caller information when receiving an incoming-call, (b) being foldable, (c) being composed of (i) a main display device which is visible to a user only when a main body of the communication terminal is in an unfolded state and which is capable of multicolor illumination display, and (ii) a sub-display device which is visible to the user when the main body is in a folded state and which is capable of multicolor illumination display, and (d) having a detection function for detecting whether the main body is in the folded state or in the unfolded state, the display control method comprising:

a first illumination step for having the sub-display device illuminated in a first color when the caller information does not show a caller telephone number; and

a second illumination step for having the sub-display device illuminated in a second color, which is different to the first color, when the caller information shows the caller telephone number, and having the main display device illuminated when the detection function subsequently detects that the main body is in the unfolded state.

20. A display control method for use with a communication terminal, the communication terminal (a) receiving caller information when receiving an incoming-call, (b) being foldable, (c) being composed of (i) a telephone directory memory for storing at least one telephone number, (ii) a main display device which is visible to a user only when a main body of the communication terminal is in an unfolded state and which is capable of multicolor illumination display, and (iii) a sub-display device which is visible to the user when the main body is in a folded state and which is capable of multicolor illumination display, and (d) having a detection function for detecting whether the main body is in the folded state or in the unfolded state, the display control method comprising:

a registration judgement step for judging, when the incoming-call is received while the main body is in the folded state and if the caller information shows a caller telephone number, whether a same telephone number as the caller telephone number is stored in the telephone directory memory;

a first illumination step for having the sub-display device illuminated in a first color, when the registration judgement step judges that the same telephone number is not stored in the telephone directory memory; and

a second illumination step for having the sub-display device illuminated in a second color, which is different to the first color, when the registration judgement step judges that the same telephone number is stored in the telephone directory memory, and having the main display device illuminated when the detection function subsequently detects that the main body is in the unfolded state.

21. The display control method of claim 20

wherein, when the second illumination step has the main display device illuminated, the main display device is illuminated in a color which is substantially a same color as the second color.

22. The display control method of claim 20

a turning-off step for stopping, when the detection function detects that the main body is in the unfolded state, the sub-display device being illuminated.

23. The display control method of claim 22

wherein, when the second illumination step has the main display device illuminated, the main display device is illuminated in a color which is substantially a same color as the second color.

25. The display control method of claim 24

wherein, when the second illumination step has the main display device illuminated, the main display device is illuminated in a color which is substantially a same color as the second color.

26. The display control method of claim 24, further comprising:

a turning-off step for stopping, when the detection function detects that the main body is in the unfolded state, the sub-display device being illuminated.

27. The display control method of claim 26

wherein, when the second illumination step has the main display device illuminated, the main display device is illuminated in a color which is substantially a same color as the second color.

24. A display control method for use with a communication terminal, the communication terminal (a) receiving caller information when receiving an incoming-call, (b) being foldable, (c) being composed of (i) a telephone directory memory for storing at least one telephone number in correspondence with color specification information, (ii) a main display device which is visible to a user only when a main body of the communication terminal is in an unfolded state and which is capable of multicolor illumination display, and (iii) a sub-display device which is visible to the user when the main body is in a folded state and which is capable of multicolor illumination display, and (d) having a detection function for detecting whether the main body is in the folded state or in the unfolded state, the display control method comprising:

a registration judgement step for judging, when the incoming-call is received while the main body is in the folded state and if the caller information shows a caller telephone number, whether a same telephone number as the caller telephone number is stored in the telephone directory memory;

a first illumination step for having the sub-display device illuminated in a first color, when the registration judgement step judges that the same telephone number is not stored in the telephone directory memory; and

a second illumination step for having the sub-display device illuminated, when the registration judgement step judges that the same telephone number is stored in the telephone directory memory, in a color specified by the color specification information that is stored in correspondence with the same telephone number, and having the main display device illuminated when the detection function subsequently detects that the main body is in the unfolded state.

28. A display control method used for a communication terminal, the communication terminal (a) being foldable, (b) being composed of (i) a switch for receiving an operation from a user when a main body of the communication terminal is in a folded state, and (ii) a display device which is visible to the user when the main body is in the folded state and which is capable of multicolor illumination display, and (c) having a display function for displaying notification information, the display control method comprising:

a judgement step for judging, consequent to the operation of the switch, whether there is notification information that is yet to be displayed;

a selection step for selecting

(a) a first color, when the judgement step judges that there is no notification information that is yet to be displayed, and

(b) a second color, which is different to the first color, when the judgement step judges that there is notification information that is yet to be displayed; and

a display control step for having the display device illuminated in the color selected by the selection step.

29. A display control method used for a communication terminal, the communication terminal (a) being foldable, (b) being composed of (i) a switch for receiving an operation from a user when a main body of the communication terminal is in a folded state, and (ii) a display device which is visible to the user when the main body is in the folded state and which is capable of multicolor illumination display, and (c) having a display function for displaying a plurality of types of notification information, the display control method comprising:

a judgement step for judging, consequent to the operation of the switch and if there is notification information that is yet to be displayed, a type of the notification information that is yet to be displayed;

a selection step for selecting a color according to the type judged in the judgement step; and

a display control step for having the display device illuminated in the color selected by the selection step.

30. A display control method used for a communication terminal, the communication terminal (a) being foldable, (b) being composed of (i) a switch for receiving an operation from a user when a main body the communication terminal is in a folded state, and (ii) a display device which is visible to the user when the main body is in the folded state and which is capable of multicolor illumination display, and (c) having a display function for displaying a plurality of types of notification information, the display control method comprising:

a counting step for counting, consequent to the operation of the switch and if there is notification information yet to be displayed, a number of the types of notification information yet to be displayed;

a selection step for selecting a color according to the number judged in the judgement step; and

a display control step for having the display device illuminated in the color selected by the selection step.