Communication device for mobile operation having a telephone and notebook with display

• US 5,719,936 A
• Filed: 02/29/1996
• Issued: 02/17/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gigaset Communications GmbH (Gigaset AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Hillenmayer, Stefan
• Primary Examiner(s): Cumming, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ferguson, Keith
• Application Number:
  US08/609,963
• Time in Patent Office: 719 Days
• Field of Search: 379/428, 379/440, 379/433, 379/447, 379/426, 379/56, 379/58, 379/110, 455/90, 455/74, 455/95, 455/128, 455/403, 364/708.1, 364/705.5, 364/705.03, 364/705.01
• US Class Current: 379/447
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1622 with enclosures rotating around an axis perpendicular to the plane they define or with ball-joint coupling, e.g. PDA with display enclosure orientation changeable between portrait and landscape by rotation with respect to a coplanar body enclosure
• 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 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1686 the I/O peripheral being an integrated camera
• 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: H04M 1/0208 characterized by the relative motions of the body parts
• 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 1/0235 Slidable or telescopic telephones, i.e. with a relative translation movement of the body parts; Telephones using a combination of translation and other relative motions of the body parts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0247 comprising more than two body parts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0256 wherein the modules are operable in the detached state, e.g. one module for the user interface and one module for the transceiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0264 for a camera module assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/03 Constructional features of telephone transmitters or receivers, e.g. telephone hand-sets
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/20 including a rotatable camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2007/145 Handheld terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/142 Constructional details of the terminal equipment, e.g. arrangements of the camera and the display
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/147 Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals selecting H04Q

Abstract

A communication device for mobile operation is equipped with a telephone as well as with a notebook with a display. Prior art devices have a housing in "pocket format" and a practically unrestricted mobility only with a greatly restricted range of functions, for example the lack of an integrated telephone part. Further, the built-in computers are usually only designed as "notepads" without a keyboard. The communication device (1) for mobile operation has a telephone and a notebook with a touch-sensitive display (3) that is accommodated in a pocket-format device housing (3) composed of two sub-sections (9,10) connected to one another at a swivelling axis (8). The telephone and the display (3) are accommodated in one sub-section (10), whereas the other sub-section (9) holds an alphanumerical keyboard (14) accessible to the user. The telephone, at least a part (2) thereof that serves as a handset and that is movable, can be wirelessly separated from the device when the communication device (1)is in its unfolded condition. The simultaneous operation of the telephone and the notebook is possible with the display also serving as the telephone keyboard.

Claims

1. A communication device for mobile operation, the communication device having a telephone and notebook with a display, comprising:

a device housing having a pocket format and having first and second sub-sections connected to one another by a swivelling axis so that the device housing is openable, the first sub-section having a receptacle for the telephone, and the display and the second sub-section having a keyboard accessible to a user;

the display being a touch-sensitive display device via which inputs for at least one of the notebook and the telephone can ensue dependent on the operating mode of the communication device;

the telephone having a handset that is removable relative to the first sub-section, the handset being wirelessly separated from the communication device when the communication device is in its unfolded condition, whereby simultaneous operation of telephone and notebook is possible; and

for use of the communication device only as the telephone, the movable handset of the telephone being mechanically connected to the display in the folded condition of the communication device and, together therewith, being extendable in relation to the receptacle, whereby the touch-sensitive display device is operated as a telephone keyboard.

2. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the telephone is a mobile telephone integrated in the communication device, and wherein the removable handset of the telephone is a cordlessly operable handset with respect to the communication device.

3. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the removable handset of the telephone is a complete mobile telephone, except for an input device.

4. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the telephone is a cordless telephone with an external base station that does not belong to the communication device itself.

5. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the notebook has a modem for transmission of data via the telephone.

6. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the removable handset has a transmitter, and wherein sound passages that assure guidance of sound to the transmitter accommodated in the removable handset telephone both in an inserted, as well as, in a removed condition of the removable handset with the communication device folded up are respectively provided in the second sub-section.

7. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the removable handset has a transmitter and wherein a transducer that functions as a microphone instead of the transmitter in the removable handset in the folded position of use of the communication device is provided in the second sub-section.

8. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the communication device has a folding mechanism for the first and second sub-sections of the housing, the folding mechanism being mechanically lockable in the folded condition.

9. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the first and second sub-sections form a continuous, planar operating surface with one another in the folded-open condition.

10. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the communication device is provided with a menu pin with which the touch-sensitive display device is operated, and wherein the first sub-section has a receptacle shaft for the menu pin.

11. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the communication device has a multi-plug jack for connection to external devices.

12. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the communication device is provided with a menu pin with which the touch-sensitive display device is operated, wherein the first sub-section has a receptacle shaft for the menu pin, and wherein the communication device has a multi-plug jack for connection to external devices.

14. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the communication device further comprises:

a camera that is swivellable around a swivelling axis attached to the device housing, the camera, in collaboration with the telephone or, respectively, the notebook enabling mobile video conferences or, respectively, viewing and scanning of subjects.

13. A communication device for mobile operation, the communication device having a telephone and notebook with a display, comprising:

a device housing having a pocket format and having first and second sub-sections connected to one another by a swivelling axis so that the device housing is openable, the first sub-section having a receptacle for the telephone, and the display and the second sub-section having a keyboard accessible to a user;

the display being a touch-sensitive display device via which inputs for at least one of the notebook and the telephone can ensue dependent on the operating mode of the communication device;

the telephone having a handset that is removable relative to the first sub-section, the handset being wirelessly separated from the communication device when the communication device is in its unfolded condition, whereby simultaneous operation of telephone and notebook is possible;

for use of the communication device only as the telephone, the movable handset of the telephone being mechanically connected to the display in the folded condition of the communication device and, together therewith, being extendable in relation to the receptacle, whereby the touch-sensitive display device is operated as a telephone keyboard;

a menu pin with which the touch-sensitive display device is operated, the first sub-section having a receptacle shaft for the menu pin, and the communication device having a multi-plug jack for connection to external devices;

the multi-plug jack being accommodated in the shaft provided for acceptance of the menu pin.

15. A communication device for mobile operation, comprising:

a telephone;

a notebook with a display;

a device housing having a pocket format and having first and second sub-sections connected to one another by a swivelling axis, the first sub-section having a receptacle for the telephone and the display, and the second sub-section having a keyboard accessible to a user;

the display being a touch-sensitive display device via which inputs for at least one of the notebook and the telephone can ensue;

the telephone having a handset that is removable from the first sub-section, the handset being wirelessly separated from the communication device when the communication device is in an unfolded configuration, whereby simultaneous operation of telephone and notebook is possible; and

the handset of the telephone being mechanically connected to the display in a folded configuration of the communication device, whereby the touch-sensitive display device is operated as a telephone keyboard.

16. The communication device according to claim 15, wherein the notebook has a modem for transmission of data via the telephone.

17. The communication device according to claim 15, wherein the removable handset has a transmitter and wherein sound passages that assure guidance of sound to the transmitter accommodated in the removable handset telephone both in an inserted, as well as, in a removed condition of the removable handset with the communication device folded up are respectively provided in the second sub-section.

18. The communication device according to claim 15, wherein the communication device further comprises:

a camera that is swivalable around a swivelling axis attached to the device housing, the camera, in collaboration with the telephone or, respectively, the notebook enabling mobile video conferences or, respectively, viewing and scanning of subjects.

19. A communication device for mobile operation, comprising:

a telephone;

a notebook with a display;

a device housing having a pocket format and having first and second sub-sections connected to one another by a swivelling axis, the first sub-section having a receptacle for the telephone and the display, and the second sub-section having a keyboard accessible to a user;

the display being a touch-sensitive display device via which inputs for at least one of the notebook and the telephone can ensue;

the telephone having a handset that is removable from the first sub-section, the handset being wirelessly separated from the communication device when the communication device is in an unfolded configuration, whereby simultaneous operation of telephone and notebook is possible;

the handset of the telephone being mechanically connected to the display in a folded configuration of the communication device, whereby the touch-sensitive display device is operated as a telephone keyboard;

a menu pin with which the touch-sensitive display device is operated, the first sub-section having a receptacle shaft for the menu pin; and

a multi-plug jack for connection to external devices.

20. The communication device according to claim 19, wherein the multi-plug jack is accommodated in the shaft provided for acceptance of the menu pin.