PORTABLE TERMINAL

• US 20090079664A1
• Filed: 03/02/2006
• Published: 03/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Nagai, Michio, Mitsuhashi, Hideo
• Granted Patent: US 8,253,648 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/1.300
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13336 Combining plural substrates to produce large-area displays, e.g. tiled displays
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133526 Lenses, e.g. microlenses or Fresnel lenses
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/026 Video wall, i.e. juxtaposition of a plurality of screens to create a display screen of bigger dimensions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/022 The hinge comprising two parallel pivoting axes
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0222 Foldable in two directions, i.e. using a two degree of freedom hinge
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0247 comprising more than two body parts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/027 including magnifying means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/16 including more than one display unit

Abstract

A portable terminal comprises a first body 104 on which the first display surface 102 is formed, a second body 108 on which the second display surface 106 is formed, and hinge units which combine the first body 104 and the second body 108 in a foldable way. The first display surface 102 and the second display surface 106 form a combined display 112 continuously at a time of opening the first body 104 and the second body 108, and it further comprises a display control unit which displays one information on the whole combined display 112. Two display screens respectively formed in the individual bodies are used effectively.

Claims

1. A portable terminal, comprising:

a first body having a first display surface and a second body having a second display surface, which first body and second body are jointed through a hinge unit in a foldable way, and which first display surface and second display surface form one combined display continuously at a time of opening said first body and said second body; and

a display control unit which displays information throughout said combined display.

2. The portable terminal according to claim 1, wherein

said hinge unit is positioned at back surfaces of said combined display in said first body and said second body at a time of opening said first body and said second body.

3. The portable terminal according to claim 2, wherein

said hinge unit comprises

a first shaft member set in said first body,

a second shaft member set in said second body, and

a link member whose both ends are connected to said first shaft member and said second shaft member in a rotatable way.

4. The portable terminal according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein

a boundary portion between said first display surface and said second display surface in said combined display is positioned at end portions of said first display surface and said second display surface of said first body and said second body, and

a first display unit which is arranged inside said first body isolatedly from the outer shell,

a first optical element which projects lights irradiated from said first display unit on the whole forming area of said first display surface,

a second display unit which is arranged inside said second body isolatedly from the outer shell, and

a second optical element which projects lights irradiated from said second display unit on the whole forming area of said second display surface, are comprised.

5. The portable terminal according to claim 4, wherein

said first display unit is arranged in parallel with said first display surface and is a first flat display element which is smaller than said first display surface from view of flat surface,

said second display unit is arranged in parallel with said second display surface and is a second flat display element which is smaller than said second display surface from view of flat surface, and

said first optical element and said second optical element project images displayed on said first display element and said second display element on said first display surface and said second display surface in an enlarged way.

6. The portable terminal according to claim 4, wherein

said first display unit is arranged in parallel with said first display surface and is a first flat display element which has almost the same size as said first display surface from a view of flat surface,

said second display unit is arranged in parallel with said second display surface and is a second flat display element which has almost the same size as said second display surface from a view of flat surface, and

said first optical element and said second optical element project the images displayed on said first display element and said second display element on said first display surface and said second display surface in a way of deviating in a view of flat surface.

7. The portable terminal according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein

said display control unit switches between a one screen display mode for displaying one information on said whole combined display and an individual screen display mode for displaying individual information separately on said first display surface and said second display surface forming said combined display, based on a predetermined condition at a time of opening said first body and said second body.

8. The portable terminal according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein

said first display surface and said second display surface are positioned back to back at a time of folding said first body and said second body.

9. The portable terminal according to claim 8, in which

said display control unit displays information on said first display surface at a time of folding said first body and said second body.

10. The portable terminal according to claim 9 comprising

a first audio output unit which outputs sound vibrating said first display surface,

a second audio output unit outputs sound vibrating said second display surface, and

a sound control unit which outputs the sound by using said first audio output unit at a time of folding said first body and said second body and outputs the sound by using said first audio output unit and said second audio output unit at a time of opening said first body and said second body.

11. The portable terminal according to any one of claims 1 to 10, further comprising

a third body including operation keys, which is joined with said first body through a hinge unit in a foldable way.