Portable radio telephone set

• US 5,937,360 A
• Filed: 10/23/1997
• Issued: 08/10/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: FIPA Frohwitter Intellectual Property AG
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Nishiyama, Takanori, Itakura, Sakae, Yanagisawa, Kazunori
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz, Curtis A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TROST IV, WILLIAM GEORGE
• Application Number:
  US08/956,787
• Time in Patent Office: 656 Days
• Field of Search: 379/428, 379/433, 379/434, 455/550, 455/566, 455/575, 455/90
• US Class Current: 455/566
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0236 using selection techniques to select from displayed items
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0362 with detection of 1D translations or rotations of an operating part of the device, e.g. scroll wheels, sliders, knobs, rollers or belts
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2019/146 Roller type actuators
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2223/05 composed of hingedly connected sections
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 25/008 Operating part movable both angularly and rectilinearly, the rectilinear movement being perpendicular to the axis of angular movement
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 3/162 associated with a hinge of the closing member
• 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 1/0218 The hinge comprising input and/or output user interface means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0247 comprising more than two body parts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/233 including a pointing device, e.g. roller key, track ball, rocker switch or joystick constructional details of pointing devices per se G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2747 Scrolling on a display
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2748 by matching character strings
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72469 for operating the device by selecting functions from two or more displayed items, e.g. menus or icons
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/725 Cordless telephones user interfaces specially adapted therefor H04M1/724
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/70 methods for entering alphabetical characters, e.g. multi-tap or dictionary disambiguation

Abstract

A portable radio telephone set provided with a display section includes a rotary selector which turns to select various functions. A menu displayed on the display section is selected by the rotary selector during a non-conversation time, and the sound volume can be adjusted during the conversation time. The adjusting operation can be performed from both the front and, the rear sides of the telephone set. The rotary selector and button keys are arranged within the operation range of the thumb, and ordinary dial functions performed by operating these rotary selector and button keys are provided.

Claims

1. A portable radio telephone set comprising:

an operation section, having a plurality of button keys;

a microphone;

a display section for displaying a menu of telephone functions;

an output section for outputting received voice messages;

a telephone case housing said operation section, said microphone, said display section, and said output section, and having a front side with said button keys, said microphone said display section, and said output section thereon, and having a rear side; and

a rotary selector member having an axis, and mounted on said telephone case for rotary movement about said axis, to select a telephone function from the menu displayed on said display section, and for linear movement with respect to said axis, to activate the selected telephone function.

2. A portable radio telephone set as claimed in claim 1, wherein said rotary selector member is positioned to permit operation thereof by a user'"'"'s thumb.

3. A portable radio telephone set comprising:

a key panel section having a plurality of button keys for controlling operation of said telephone set;

a display section for displaying a menu of telephone functions;

a telephone case housing said key panel section and said display section and having a front side with said button keys and said display section thereon and having a rear side; and

a selector member having an axis, and mounted on said telephone case for rotary movement about said axis, to select a telephone function from the menu displayed on said display section, and for linear movement with respect to said axis, to activate the selected telephone function.

4. In a portable radio telephone set including an operation section having a plurality of button keys thereon, a display section for displaying a menu of telephone functions, a receiver section for receiving and outputting received voice messages, and a selector member for selecting and activating functions for said portable radio telephone set from the menu displayed on said display section, the improvement wherein said selector member is a rotary selector member having an axis, said rotary selector member being rotatable about said axis to select a function from the menu and being movable linearly with respect to said axis to activate the selected function.