Folder type mobile telephone and operating method thereof

• US 20050136999A1
• Filed: 01/28/2005
• Published: 06/23/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Jeon, Byung-Su
• Granted Patent: US 7,583,988 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/575.300
• 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 1/0218 The hinge comprising input and/or output user interface means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/233 including a pointing device, e.g. roller key, track ball, rocker switch or joystick constructional details of pointing devices per se G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/236 including keys on side or rear faces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/656 for recording conversations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72445 for supporting Internet browser applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/16 including more than one display unit

Abstract

A folder type mobile telephone and control method therefor are provided which utilize an auxiliary display unit viewable whether the folder is opened or closed. The folder type mobile telephone includes an auxiliary display unit and a main body having a main display unit. The folder type mobile telephone includes an opening at a position corresponding to the auxiliary display unit. The folder type mobile telephone may include a wheel button formed at one side of the main body to input user commands to the auxiliary display unit. A transparent window may be formed at the opening to protect the auxiliary display unit. Regardless of whether the folder is opened or closed, a user can view, and control the auxiliary display unit via wheel button inputs. Since the auxiliary display unit is formed on the main body, the relative thickness of the folder can be reduced to make the folder type mobile telephone compact.

Claims

1. A telephone comprising:

a main body;

a display fixed to the main body; and

a folder rotatably attached to the main body comprising an opening configured to allow the display to be viewed when the folder is open or closed.

2. The telephone of claim 1, wherein the telephone is a mobile telephone.

3. The telephone of claim 2, further comprising a wheel button configured to input a command to the display.

4. The telephone of claim 2, wherein the opening comprises a transparent window configured to protect the display.

5. The telephone of claim 2, wherein the display is fixed at a left upper corner of the main body.

6. The telephone of claim 2, wherein the display is fixed at a right upper corner of the main body.

7. The telephone of claim 2, wherein the display is fixed at an upper middle portion of the main body.

8. The telephone of claim 1, wherein the display comprises an auxiliary display and wherein the folder further comprises a main display.

9. The telephone of claim 8, wherein the telephone comprises a mobile telephone.

10. The telephone of claim 9, wherein the display is configurable to display at least one of a message receiving status, an operation mode, a remaining battery capacity, a current time in a prescribed location, or a mobile telephone standby state.

11. The telephone of claim 9, wherein the display is configured to be switched between displaying search history window for information network searching, and conversation input for chatting.

12. The telephone of claim 9, wherein the folder is hingedly connected to the main body.

13. The telephone of claim 9, further comprising a wheel button positioned at a side of the main body and configured to input a user command to the auxiliary display.

14. The mobile telephone of claim 9, wherein the auxiliary display is positioned on the main body proximate to where the folder and the main body are hingedly connected.

15. An operating method for a telephone, comprising:

connecting to an information network through a telephone;

searching the information network through the telephone, wherein titles corresponding to information network pages found by searching the information network are displayed on a main display on the telephone.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the telephone is a mobile telephone.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein searching the information network comprises:

sequentially displaying titles of information network pages found by searching the information network on an auxiliary display;

selecting a title of an information network page from among the displayed titles; and

displaying a content of the selected information network page on the main display.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein searching the information network further comprises:

sequentially storing addresses of each found information network page in a first history database; and

storing lower addresses of the information network page accessed according to a back command in a second history database.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein if the user moves to a new information network page that does not exist in the history list, the addresses stored in the second history database are deleted.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

chatting on the information network through the telephone, wherein a message inputted in chatting is displayed on the main display on the telephone.

23. The method of claim 15, wherein searching the information network comprises:

entering commands into the telephone causing the telephone to retrieve first search results from the information network;

displaying a first portion of the first search results on a main display on the telephone;

storing a second portion of the first search results in a first memory;

entering commands into the telephone causing the telephone to retrieve second search results from the information network;

displaying a first portion of the second search results on the main display;

displaying the first portion of the first search results on an auxiliary display;

storing a second portion of the second search results in the first memory; and

storing the second portion of the first search results in a second memory.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein searching the information network comprises:

displaying a search history on the auxiliary display.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein entering commands comprises inputs from a keyboard.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein entering commands comprises input from a wheel button.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein the second display is switched to a standby mode if the search is terminated.

21. The method of clam 20, wherein chatting on the information network further comprises:

displaying an inputted message on an auxiliary display; and

selecting a message displayed on the auxiliary display, wherein the selected message is displayed on the main display.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the most recently inputted message is displayed in an upper portion of the auxiliary display.

28. A method to chat on an information network with a mobile telephone, comprising:

determining if the mobile telephone is connected to the information network;

entering chat commands if the mobile telephone is connected to the information network;

displaying chat messages if the mobile telephone is connected to the information network; and

performing telephone call transmission and reception if the mobile telephone is not connected to the information network.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein a main display shows current inputted chat message content and an auxiliary display shows prior chat message content.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein a portion of chat message content displayed on the auxiliary display can be selected and inputed as current inputed chat message content on the main display.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein commands are entered via a wheel button.

32. The method of claim 29, further comprising storing chat message content in a memory.

33. The chat method of claim 29, wherein the auxiliary display is switched to a standby mode if the chat is terminated.

34. An operating method for a telephone having a main display and an auxiliary display, comprising:

determining whether the telephone is connected to an information network;

if the telephone is connected to an information network, determining whether a user has entered commands to enable chatting on the information network through the telephone thereby selecting an Internet chat mode;

if the user has selected the Internet chat mode, enabling the auxiliary display as a conversation input window;

if the user has not selected the Internet chat mode, enabling the auxiliary display to function as a search history window allowing a user to view search results while searching the information network on the main display in a search mode.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the telephone is a mobile telephone.

36. The method of claim 34, further comprising:

performing a telephone call function or a message transmission or reception function if a user is not connected to an information network.

37. The method of claim 34, further comprising, in the search mode:

sequentially displaying titles of information network pages found by searching the information network on a auxiliary display;

selecting a title of an information network page from among the displayed titles; and

displaying a content of the selected information network page on the main display.

38. The method of claim 37, further comprising, in the search mode:

sequentially storing addresses of each found information network page in a first history database; and

storing lower addresses of the information network page accessed according to a back command in a second history database.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein if the user moves to a new information network page that does not exist in the history list, the addresses stored in the second history database are deleted.

40. The method of claim 34, further comprising in the Internet chat mode:

displaying an inputted message on the auxiliary display;

select a message displayed on the auxiliary display; and

displaying the selected message on the main display.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the main display shows current inputted chat message content and the auxiliary display shows prior chat message content.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein a portion of chat message content displayed on the auxiliary display can be selected and inputed as current inputed chat message content on the main display.

43. The method of claim 41, further comprising, in the Internet chat mode:

storing chat message content in a memory.