Portable information terminal

• US 5,646,649 A
• Filed: 08/16/1995
• Issued: 07/08/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Iwata, Yuji, Takemoto, Makoto, Nakasu, Jiro
• Primary Examiner(s): LIANG, REGINA
• Application Number:
  US08/515,955
• Time in Patent Office: 692 Days
• Field of Search: 345/168, 345/169, 345/173, 345/901, 345/905, 345/156, 341/22, 341/23, 348/734, 178/18, 178/19, 379/59, 379/58, 379/110, 379/368-370, 379/102, 379/422, 379/428, 379/433, 455/89, 361/680, 361/681, 235/1 D, 235/145 R, 235/146, 364/188, 364/189, 364/708.01, 364/709.1, 364/709.11-709.16
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1632 Pen holder integrated in the computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1634 Integrated protective display lid, e.g. for touch-sensitive display in handheld computer
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/84 characterised by ergonomic functions, e.g. for miniature keyboards; characterised by operational sensory functions, e.g. sound feedback legends H01H13/83
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2217/022 Part of keyboard not operable
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2217/026 Pencil operated
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/012 programmable
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/026 with programming switches
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2221/082 Superimposed actuators
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2223/044 Protecting cover
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2231/042 Briefcase; Note-book
• 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 1/0245 using open/close detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041

Abstract

In a unit body of a portable information terminal is assembled a display and a pressure-sensitive input device overlying the display. An opening and closing cover is attached to the unit body for covering the pressure-sensitive input device. An operating button device provided in the cover exposes, when the cover is closed, its operating surface from the surface of the cover. The operating button device exerts a pressing force applied to the operating surface onto the surface of the pressure-sensitive input device. Thus, with the cover closed, major function entry or data entry can be carried out.

Claims

1. A portable information terminal comprising:

a unit body including a display and a pressure-sensitive input device overlying said display, said display and said pressure-sensitive input device being assembled in said unit body;

said pressure-sensitive input device having a pressure-sensitive surface;

a cover pivotally attached to said unit body for covering said pressure-sensitive device;

an operating button device provided in the cover, an operating surface of the operating button device being exposed from a surface of the cover when the cover is in a closed position, the operating button device exerting a pressing force applied to said operating surface onto the pressure-sensitive surface;

a detection switch provided between said unit body and said cover for detecting a closed state of said cover; and

a CPU provided in the terminal for changing entry modes of said pressure-sensitive input device when the detection switch detects the closed state, wherein

closing operation of said cover causes a change-over of operations for the terminal, wherein;

the cover has a pen receptacle formed therein;

the terminal further includes an input pen having a protrusion thereon, and

said input pen being received in said pen receptacle, whereby when said cover is in the closed position, the protrusion is brought into contact with the pressure-sensitive surface.

2. A portable information terminal according to claim 1, wherein said cover is removably attached to said unit body by way of a hinge mechanism.

3. A portable information terminal according to claim 2, wherein said hinge mechanism includes:

a recess defined in the unit body, said recess having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, the first surface having a first hole and the second surface having a second hole, the first and second holes being coaxial to each other;

a support provided on the cover, the support to be received in the recess;

a pair of coaxial mounting shafts provided on the support, each mounting shaft being displaceable between a mounting position and a removing position;

each mounting shaft to be received by one of the holes, respectively, when in the mounting position and each mounting shaft spaced apart from the respective hole when in the removing position; and

biasing means for urging each coaxial mounting shaft away from each other.

4. A portable information terminal according to claim 3, wherein the biasing means comprises a spring.

5. A portable information terminal according to claim 2, wherein said hinge mechanism comprises:

a recess defined in the unit body, said recess having a first surface having a first hole;

a support provided on the cover, the support to be received in the recess;

a mounting shaft provided on the support, said mounting shaft being displaceable between a mounting position and a removing position;

the mounting shaft to be received by the hole when the mounting shaft is in the mounting position; and

biasing means for urging the mounting shaft into the mounting position.

6. A portable information terminal according to claim 5, wherein the biasing means comprises a spring.

7. A portable information terminal according to claim 1, wherein said CPU is connected to said display for changing display modes of said display.

8. A portable information terminal according to claim 7, wherein said CPU changes the display modes of said display when said detection switch detects the closed position of the cover.

9. A portable information terminal according to claim 1, wherein a resilient member is mounted on said operating button device at a portion coming into contact with the surface of said pressure-sensitive input device.

10. A portable information terminal, comprising:

a unit body including a display and a pressure-sensitive input device overlying said display, said display and said pressure-sensitive input device being assembled in said unit body;

said pressure-sensitive input device having a pressure-sensitive surface;

a cover, pivotally attached to said unit body for covering said pressure-sensitive input device; and

a protrusion for exerting, when said cover is in a closed position, a pressing force onto the pressure-sensitive surface, wherein;

the cover has a pen receptacle formed therein; and

the terminal further includes an input pen having said protrusion thereon,

said input pen being received in said pen receptacle, whereby when said cover is in the closed position, the protrusion is brought into contact with the pressure-sensitive surface to exert the pressing force onto the surface of said pressure-sensitive input device.

11. A portable information terminal according to claim 10, wherein said protrusion has a tip;

and a resilient member for resiliently coming into contact with the pressure-sensitive surface is mounted on the tip.

12. A portable information terminal according to claim 10, wherein the protrusion is on a back surface of the cover.