Cellular telephone with built-in battery and antenna

• US 5,703,932 A
• Filed: 02/28/1995
• Issued: 12/30/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nippondenso Co., Ltd. (DENSO Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nippondenso Co., Ltd. (DENSO Corporation)
• Inventors: Oda, Teruo
• Primary Examiner(s): Bost, Dwayne
• Assistant Examiner(s): MAUNG, NAY AUNG
• Application Number:
  US08/396,435
• Time in Patent Office: 1,036 Days
• Field of Search: 379/58, 379/368, 379/433, 379/428, 379/434, 379/355, 455/89, 455/90, D14/137, D14/138
• US Class Current: 455/566
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2223/05 composed of hingedly connected sections
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/401 for selecting or indicating operating mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0202 Portable telephone sets, e.g. cordless phones, mobile phones or bar type handsets constructional features of telephone transmitters or receivers, e.g. of speakers or microphones H04M1/03
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/236 including keys on side or rear faces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6075 adapted for handsfree use in a vehicle H04M1/6058 takes precedence; arrangements for holding telephones in a vehicle B60R11/0241

Abstract

A cellular telephone which is compact, slim in shape and convenient for the one touch signal transmission is disclosed. On the right hand side of the front surface of a case, numeral keys of 0 through 9 are provided in a row while, on the left hand side, function keys are provided in a row. That is, keys are aligned in the double row layout. On the rear surface of the case a slide switch which allows to set the one touch transmission mode is provided. At the center between the two rows of the keys, a groove, which runs longitudinally over the case, is provided for the ease of grip. A speaker and a microphone are provided in the groove portion. Further, small protrusions are formed on the front surface of the case to enable built-touch operation of the numeral keys.

Claims

1. A cellular telephone for use in an automobile including a cradle having a control circuit receiving power from said automobile, a hands-free microphone and a hands-free speaker, said automobile having an antenna mounted thereon comprising:

a built-in battery;

a generally rectangular case, housing said battery, with a rear surface thereof adapted to be placed on a left hand palm when held by a left hand;

a built-in antenna protruding from a top end of said case;

a groove portion, formed longitudinally between a right hand side and a left hand side on a front surface of said case and running from said top end of said case to a bottom end of said case in a longitudinal direction of said case, to provide hilly portions at right and left side portions of said groove portion;

a speaker formed in said groove portion at a top portion of said case close to said built-in antenna;

a microphone formed in said groove portion at a bottom portion of said case away from said built-in antenna;

operation keys arranged in only two rows along a longitudinal direction on a front surface of said case, said operation keys including

numerical keys of 0 through 9 in one row at a left hand side when said case is held by a left hand with said built-in antenna at a top position, and

function keys having at least keys for transmission and terminating a call at a right hand side of said case, said function keys being disposed on a right hand side of said case in a vicinity of said built-in antenna;

a liquid crystal display, disposed on said front surface of said case on a right hand side of said case on said side of said function keys opposite said built-in antenna and extending in a longitudinal direction on said front surface of said case, for displaying a destination telephone number of a telephone call; and

a switch provided on a rear surface of said case in the vicinity of said built-in antenna for enabling a one touch signal transmission setting, said switch being moveable between right and left side positions to a position for one touch signal transmission setting and to another position for a one touch transmission release operation;

wherein said liquid crystal display is further for displaying an indication of said one touch signal transmission setting when said switch is in said position for said one touch signal transmission setting; and

when said telephone is mounted in said cradle, said one touch signal transmission setting can be confirmed using said liquid crystal display and a telephone call can be placed by actuating one of said numerical keys; and

said telephone is capable of placing and receiving calls using said hands-free microphone and said hands-free speaker when in a hands-free mode and mounted in and connected to said cradle and is capable of placing and receiving calls using said built-in battery and said built-in antenna when held in a palm.

2. A cellular telephone as claimed in claim 1, wherein formed as a row of button switches arranged in a slanted form with its right hand side directed upward.

3. A cellular telephone as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

three protrusions formed on said groove portion along said numerical keys to designate positions of particular ones of said numerical keys, a middle one of said protrusions having a different shape from the other two of said protrusions to provide a different finger touch sensation.

4. A cellular telephone as claimed in claim 1, wherein said cradle is for charging said built-in battery.

5. A cellular telephone as claimed in claim 4, wherein:

said cradle has electrodes connected to a battery in said automobile;

said telephone has a connector for delivering charging power to said built-in battery; and

when said telephone is mounted in said cradle, said cradle electrodes make contact with said connector to deliver said automobile battery power to said built-in battery as said charging power.

6. A cellular telephone as claimed in claim 1, wherein when said telephone is mounted in said cradle, a telephone call can be placed using said built-in antenna when said telephone is in an independent mode.

7. A cellular telephone as claimed in claim 1, wherein said telephone operates off of power from said built-in battery when in said independent mode.