Portable phone with auxiliary display

• US 20020086711A1
• Filed: 12/29/2000
• Published: 07/04/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Gateway Incorporated (Acer, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Gateway Incorporated (Acer, Inc.)
• Inventors: Flannery, Michael R.
• Application Number:
  US09/752,971
• Publication Number:
  US 20020086711A1
• 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 1/05 specially adapted for use on head, throat or breast
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/57 Arrangements for indicating or recording the number of the calling subscriber at the called subscriber's set at the operator set in a manual exchange H04M5/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/16 including more than one display unit

Abstract

A portable phone is adapted to attach to a user and has primary and auxiliary displays angled with respect to each other. The auxiliary display is oriented so that, when the phone is attached to the user, the auxiliary display is readable to the user. When the phone receives a call, the auxiliary display preferably shows caller ID information for the call. In another embodiment, a portable phone has a primary display and an auxiliary display, and the phone has two sections that fold together. When the phone is closed, the auxiliary display is readable to the user and preferably displays caller ID information of incoming calls. Preferably, the primary display is covered by the two sections of the phone when it is folded. In another embodiment, a portable phone has a display that comprises two portions that are angled with respect to each other, the display oriented on the phone so that when the phone is attached to a user, one of the portions of the display is readable to the user.

Claims

1. A wireless phone capable of being carried by a user, the phone comprising:

a primary display; and

an auxiliary display, angled with respect to the primary display;

the phone being capable of detachably attaching to the user so that, when the phone is in the attached position on the user, the auxiliary display is viewable to the user.

2. The phone of claim 1, wherein the primary display of the phone is angled at least 45 degrees with respect to the auxiliary display.

3. The phone of claim 1, wherein the phone is capable of receiving an incoming call from a caller, the incoming call having caller ID information, and the auxiliary display is capable of displaying the caller ID information of the incoming call.

4. The phone of claim 3, wherein the caller ID information includes at least one of:

an originating phone number of the incoming call, and a name of the caller assigned to the originating phone number.

5. The phone of claim 1, wherein the auxiliary display is adapted to display alphanumeric characters.

6. The phone of claim 1, wherein the auxiliary display is a liquid crystal display.

7. The phone of claim 1, wherein the phone is capable of being attached to a belt on the user.

8. The phone of claim 1, wherein the auxiliary display is capable of displaying information about the phone including at least one of:

a battery level of the phone, a signal strength of the phone, and a roaming mode of the phone.

9. A portable phone having a first section rotatably attached to a second section, said first section being rotatable with respect to said second section such that said first section makes contact with said second section in a closed position, said phone further comprising:

a primary display on said first section of the phone; and

an auxiliary display viewable to a user when the phone is in the closed position.

10. The phone of claim 9, wherein when the first section of the phone is rotated to contact the second section of the phone, the primary display is covered by the second section.

11. The phone of claim 9, wherein the phone is adapted to receive an incoming call from a caller, the incoming call having caller ID information, and the auxiliary display is capable of displaying the caller ID information of the incoming call.

12. The phone of claim 11, wherein the caller ID information includes at least one of:

an originating phone number of the incoming call, and a name of the caller assigned to the originating phone number.

13. The phone of claim 9, wherein the auxiliary display is adapted to display alphanumeric characters.

14. The phone of claim 9, wherein the phone is capable of detachably attaching to the user when in the closed position.

15. The phone of claim 14, wherein said phone is capable of being attached to a belt on the user.

16. The phone of claim 9, wherein the auxiliary display is capable of displaying information about the phone including at least one of:

a battery level of the phone, a signal strength of the phone, and a roaming mode of the phone.

18. The phone of claim 17, wherein said first portion of the display is angled at least 45 degrees with respect to said second portion of said display.

19. The phone of claim 17, wherein the phone is adapted to receive an incoming call from a caller, the incoming call having caller ID information, and said second portion of the display is capable of showing the caller ID information of the incoming call.

20. The phone of claim 19, wherein the caller ID information includes at least one of:

an originating phone number of the incoming call, and a name of the caller assigned to the originating phone number.

21. The phone of claim 17, wherein said second portion of the display is capable of displaying alphanumeric characters.

22. The phone of claim 17, wherein said phone is capable of being attached to a belt on the user.

23. The phone of claim 17, wherein said second portion of the display is capable of displaying information about the phone including at least one of:

a battery level of the phone, a signal strength of the phone, and a roaming mode of the phone.

17. A wireless phone capable of being carried by a user, the phone comprising:

a display having a first portion and a second portion, said second portion being angled with respect to said first portion; and

said phone being capable of detachably attaching to the user so that, when the phone is in the attached position on the user, said second portion of the display is viewable to the user.