Folding-type mobile phone terminal

• US 20050195160A1
• Filed: 03/07/2005
• Published: 09/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Tamura, Kengo
• Application Number:
  US11/072,503
• Publication Number:
  US 20050195160A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0212 with a two degrees of freedom mechanism, i.e. folding around a first axis and rotating around a second axis perpendicular to the first
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0241 using relative motion of the body parts to change the operational status of the telephone set, e.g. switching on/off, answering incoming call
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/23 Construction or mounting of dials or of equivalent devices; Means for facilitating the use thereof by improving visibility H04M1/22
• 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: H04M 2250/16 including more than one display unit

Abstract

A folding-type mobile phone terminal includes a lower unit and an upper unit which are hinged to each other by a universal hinge unit. A lower casing of the lower unit has a manipulation board at a front wall face thereof, and a manipulation system provided at a side wall face thereof. An upper casing of the upper unit has a display panel provided at an inner wall face thereof, and the display panel is controlled by the manipulation board and the manipulation system. By the universal hinge unit, the second unit can occupy at least at a closed position at which the second unit is superimposed on the first unit such that the display panel is viewable, and at an opened position at which both the manipulation board and the display panel are viewable.

Claims

1. A folding-type mobile phone terminal comprising:

a first unit including a first casing having a manipulation board at a front wall face thereof and a manipulation system provided at a side wall face;

a second unit including a second casing having a display panel provided at an inner wall face thereof, said display panel being controlled by manipulating said manipulation board and said manipulation system; and

a universal hinge unit that hinges said first and second units to each other, such that said second unit can be at least occupy at a closed position at which said second unit is superimposed on said first unit such that said display panel is viewable, and at an opened position at which both said manipulation board and said display panel are viewable.

2. The folding-type mobile phone terminal as set forth in claim 1, wherein said manipulation system is associated with a first switch, a second switch, and a third switch so as to independently operate said first, second and third switches.

3. The folding-type mobile phone terminal as set forth in claim 2, wherein said manipulation system includes first, second and third keys that operate the respective first, second third switches.

4. The folding-type mobile phone terminal as set forth in claim 2, further comprising;

a position detection system that detects a relative position of said first unit with respect to said second unit; and

a display control system that controls said display panel by operating said first, second and third switches, a control manner of said display panel by said display control system being different in accordance with a detection result of said position detection system.

5. The folding-type mobile phone terminal as set forth in claim 4, wherein items are displayed on said display panel in a two-dimensional manner by operating said first switch when said opened position is detected as the relative position of said first unit with respect to said second unit by said position detection system, and wherein the items are displayed on said display panel in a one-dimensional manner by operating said first switch when said closed position is detected as the relative position of said first unit with respect to said second unit by said position detection system.

6. The folding-type mobile phone terminal as set forth in claim 5, wherein each of said second and third switches functions as a shift switch for shifting a cursor, which is displayed on said display panel to select one of said items.

7. The folding-type mobile phone terminal as set forth in claim 6, wherein said second and third switches are provided for shifting said cursor in two directions opposite to each other on said display panel.

8. The folding-type mobile phone terminal as set forth in claim 7, wherein said second and third switches functions as respective up-shift and down-shift switches for shifting said cursor upward and downward on said display panel.

9. The folding-type mobile phone terminal as set forth in claim 6, wherein said display control system includes a scroll system that scrolls a screen of said display unit by operating one of said second and third switches when said cursor is at an endmost position in a corresponding direction of said directions on said display panel.

10. The folding-type mobile phone terminal as set forth in claim 6, wherein the manipulation board of said first casing is provided with a shift/determination key which is associated with a determination switch, and at least two shift switches, to thereby control said display panel, and wherein said first, second and third switches have the same functions as said determination switch and said two shift switch when said opened position is detected as the relative position of said first unit with respect to said second unit by said position detection system.