Portable terminal

• US 20040132499A1
• Filed: 09/29/2003
• Published: 07/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Inventors: Abe, Yasuhiro
• Granted Patent: US 7,865,219 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/566
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0225 Rotatable telephones, i.e. the body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis perpendicular to the plane they define in closed position combined with translation movement H04M1/0235
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0233 Including a rotatable display body part
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0245 using open/close detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72469 for operating the device by selecting functions from two or more displayed items, e.g. menus or icons
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2007/145 Handheld terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/142 Constructional details of the terminal equipment, e.g. arrangements of the camera and the display

Abstract

A portable terminal has a first housing having at least a display unit, a second housing having at least a main input unit, and connected openably and closably to the first housing, and an auxiliary input unit arranged on a surface other than mutually facing surfaces of both of the housings in a closed state. The display unit is visible to user in a closed state and an opened state, a screen on the display unit is able to display a first selection screen which is appropriate for an operation by the auxiliary input unit when both of the housings are in a closed state, and a screen on the display unit is able to display a second selection screen which is appropriate for an operation by the main input unit when both of the housings are in an opened state.

Claims

1. A portable terminal comprising:

a first housing having at least a display unit;

a second housing having at least a main input unit, and connected openably and closably to said first housing; and

an auxiliary input unit arranged on a surface other than mutually facing surfaces of both of said housings in a closed state;

wherein said display unit is visible to user in a closed state and an opened state,

a screen on said display unit is able to display a first selection screen which is appropriate far an operation by said auxiliary input unit when both of said housings are in a closed state, and

a screen on said display unit is able to display a second selection screen which is appropriate for an operation by said main input unit when both of said housings are in an opened state.

2. A portable terminal according to claim 1, wherein said first selection screen arranges items one-dimensionally, and said second selection screen arranges items multi-dimensionally.

3. A portable terminal according to claim 1, wherein items of said first selection screen are characters, and items of said second selection screen are icons.

4. A portable terminal according to claim 1, further comprising:

a state detecting device which detects opening and closing of both of said housings; and

a control device which switches a display screen on said display unit;

wherein said control device switches between said first selection screen and said second selection screen in accordance with a state detected by said state detecting device.

5. A portable terminal according to claim 4, wherein items on said first selection screen are characters while items on said second selection screen are icons, and

when a selection screen has been switched in accordance with an opening action or a closing action from a state in which an item on said first or second selection screen has been selected, said item remains selected in a form of a character or an icon corresponding to said first or second screen.

6. A portable terminal according to claim 1, wherein said main input unit includes a key capable of being two-dimensionally operated, and said auxiliary input unit includes a lever capable of being one-dimensionally operated.

7. A portable terminal according to claim 1, wherein the portable terminal is a personal digital assistant.

8. A portable terminal according to claim 1, wherein the portable terminal is a portable telephone.

9. A portable terminal comprising:

a first housing having at least a display unit;

a second housing having at least a main input unit, and connected openably and closably to said first housing; and

an auxiliary input unit arranged on a surface other than mutually facing surfaces of both of said housings in a closed state;

wherein said display unit is visible to user in a closed state and an opened state,

a screen on said display unit is able to display a first selection screen arranging items one-dimensionally when both of said housings are in a closed state, and

a screen on said display unit is able to display a second selection screen arranging items multi-dimensionally when both of said housings are in a opened state.

10. A portable terminal according to claim 9, wherein said main input unit includes a key capable of being two-dimensionally operated, and said auxiliary input unit includes a lever capable of being one-dimensionally operated,

items on said first selection screen can be selected by said lever operation, and items on said second selection screen can be selected by said key operation.

11. A portable terminal according to claim 9, wherein the portable terminal is a personal digital assistant.

12. A portable terminal according to claim 9, wherein the portable terminal is a portable telephone.