Watch type paging receiver

• US 5,007,105 A
• Filed: 09/04/1990
• Issued: 04/09/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Kudoh, Kazuhiro, Nishiyama, Toshirou, Anma, Sadayuki
• Primary Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Assistant Examiner(s): Smith, Ralph
• Application Number:
  US07/577,847
• Time in Patent Office: 217 Days
• Field of Search: 455/344, 455/347, 455/351, 455/269, 455/280, 455/283, 455/272, 340/311.1, 340/825.44, 340/825.46, 368/205, 343/702, 343/718, 343/720, 343/872
• US Class Current: 455/344
• CPC Class Codes: G04R 60/04 Antennas attached to or integrated in watch bracelets
• CPC Class Codes: G04R 60/06 Antennas attached to or integrated in clock or watch bodies
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/228 combined with other devices having a different main function, e.g. watches
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 6/00 Tactile signalling systems, e.g. personal calling systems
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/273 Adaptation for carrying or wearing by persons or animals
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/24 varying the orientation by switching energy from one active radiating element to another, e.g. for beam switching
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/088 with parts of the receiver detachable or collapsible

Abstract

A watch type paging receiver which may be put on person'"'"'s wrist by a belt includes a body on which a display device such as a liquid crystal display device is provided. An inverted F-shaped main antenna is implemented by a part of the display device. A loop antenna is provided in addition to the main antenna and implemented by the belt. The main and loop antennas are selectively rendered active depending upon the level of a received signal. Even when the length of the belt is changed to suit person'"'"'s wrist, accurate matching is established on the basis of the resulting length of the belt. A primary battery in the form of a solar battery and a secondary battery are associated with the receiver body and the belt, respectively. A vibration source which is adapted for tactual alerting forms a part of the belt.

Claims

1. A portable radio communication apparatus comprising:

a body accommodating a receiving circuit of said apparatus;

display means with an optical reflector provided on said body for displaying information received by said receiving circuit; and

a main antenna including said optical reflector connected to said receiving circuit constituted by a part of structural members of said display means.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said display means comprises a liquid crystal display (LCD) device.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said LCD device comprises a liquid crystal member, electrodes for driving said liquid crystal member, and a conductive reflector having an optical reflecting function.

4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said display means comprises an electroluminescence (EL) device.

5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein said EL device comprises an illuminating member, electrodes for driving said illuminating member, and a semitransparent reflector constituting said optical reflector, said main antenna including said electrodes of said EL device.

6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising belt means for supporting said body.

7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 6, further comprising a loop antenna provided in addition to said main antenna and constituted by said belt means, and antenna switching means for selecting one of said main antenna and said loop antenna depending upon a level of a received signal.

8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein said belt means comprises a plurality of modular elements the number of which is variable, said modular elements which are located at opposite ends of said belt means being individually connected to said body, at least one of said modular elements at opposite ends of said belt means being electrically connected to said receiving circuit of said body.

9. An apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein said modular elements each comprises a pin and a connector for mechanical connection and a pin and a connector for electrical connection, said pin for mechanical connection of one of said nearby modular elements being mechanically connected to said connector for mechanical connection of the other of said nearby modular elements and said pin for electrical connection of said one modular element being electrically connected to said connector for electrical connection of said other modular element.

10. An apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein said body comprises a pin connector engageable with said pin for electrical connection of said modular element which is to be connected to said body, a pin engageable with said connector for mechanical connection of said modular element, a plurality of openings with which said pin for electrical connection of said modular element is to mate, and matching means having matching units which are equal in number to said openings.

11. An apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein said pins for electrical connection of said modular elements which are to be connected to said body each assumes a particular position associated with the number of modular elements which are jointed together and is engageable with one of said openings which is associated with said particular position.

12. An apparatus as claimed in claim 6, further comprising alerting means which forms a part of said belt means.

13. An apparatus as claimed in claim 12, further comprising a vibration source, a casing accommodating said vibration source therein, and a number of vibrators which are connected to said casing, said belt means comprising said casing and said vibrators.

14. An apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein said vibration source comprises an eccentric rotor and a motor for driving said eccentric motor in a rotational motion.

15. An apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein said casing of said alerting means is located remotest from said body.

16. An apparatus as claimed in claim 6, further comprising a first power source provided in said belt means.

17. An apparatus as claimed in claim 16, further comprising a second power source accommodated in said body.

18. An apparatus as claimed in claim 17, wherein said first power source comprises a plurality of miniature cells and said second power source comprises a solar cell, said second and first power sources constituting primary and secondary batteries, respectively.

19. An apparatus as claimed in claim 18, wherein said secondary battery comprises holders each holding a respective one of said miniature cells, connectors jointing said holders to each other, and a positive and a negative common terminal respectively connected to positive and negative output terminals of said miniature cells.

20. An apparatus as claimed in claim 19, wherein said body comprises a positive and a negative input terminal which are electrically connectable to said positive and negative common terminals, respectively.

21. An apparatus as claimed in claim 19, wherein said belt means comprises a belt part in which a bore for accommodating said secondary battery is formed, and a locking member mechanically engageable with said body.

22. An apparatus as claimed in claim 21, wherein said body comprises an opening engageable with said locking member of said belt part.

23. A wristwatch type pager including a belt, comprising:

a body accommodating a receiving circuit and supported by said belt;

display means provided on said body for displaying information received by said receiving circuit;

a main antenna formed as a part of the structural members of said display means;

wherein said belt comprises a loop antenna; and

said pager further comprises antenna matching circuit means coupled to said receiving circuit and to said loop antenna and having an adjustable matching capacitance for matching the loop antenna of said belt to said receiving circuit, said capacitance changing in accordance with the length of said belt.

24. A wristwatch type pager as claimed in claim 23, wherein said belt comprises a plurality of modular elements the number of which is variable, said modular elements which are located at opposite ends of said belt being individually connected to said body, at least one of said modular elements at opposite ends of said belt means being electrically connected to said receiving circuit of said body,

wherein said modular elements each comprises a connector for electrical connection situated at a preselected location on said modular element according to an initial position in said belt, said body comprising an electrical connector for engaging the electrical connector of the modular element to be connected to the body, said electrical connector of said body having a plurality of connection points each connection point for mating with the electrical connector of a predetermined one of said modular elements, said antenna matching circuit means being in said body and comprising a plurality of matching circuits each connection point of said electrical connector of said body being connected to a respective one of said matching circuits.

25. A wristwatch type pager with a body and a belt, comprising:

receiving circuit means accommodated in the body;

loop antenna means to be coupled to said receiving circuit means;

first connecting means coupled to said loop antenna means and representing the length of the belt;

antenna matching circuit means for matching said loop antenna means to said receiving circuit means; and

second connecting means connected to said first connecting means and to said antenna matching circuit means, the resonant frequency of said antenna matching circuit means being determined by the connection of said first and second connecting means.