Wireless selective call receiver operable in cover closing state

• US 5,956,656 A
• Filed: 03/25/1997
• Issued: 09/21/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Yamazaki, Yasuyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Vo, Nguyen
• Assistant Examiner(s): Orgad, Edan
• Application Number:
  US08/829,815
• Time in Patent Office: 910 Days
• Field of Search: 455/403, 455/550, 455/575, 455/90, 455/556, 455/566, 455/567, 455/38.1, 455/38.2, 455/38.4, 345/169, 345/901, 345/903, 345/905, 340/825.44, 379/433, 379/428, 379/429
• US Class Current: 340/7.55
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 3/1058 Pager holders or housings casings for electric apparatus H05K5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/228 combined with other devices having a different main function, e.g. watches

Abstract

A wireless selective call receiver includes a body section composed of a display panel, a control section having a memory and built in the body section, and an operation unit, and a cover section connected to the body section and composed of a hinged cover for protecting the display panel and a transparent window provided in correspondence with the display panel such that a display on the display panel can be seen through the transparent window in the cover when the cover is closed. The control section controls the display panel in response to an operation of the operation unit such that a message data is displayed on the display panel. The operation unit is operable in the cover closed state. The operation units may include some switches or a single switch for achieving the functions of the switches.

Claims

1. A wireless selective call receiver comprising:

a body section composed of a display panel, control means having a memory in said body section, and an operation unit, wherein said control means controls said display panel in response to an operation of said operation unit such that a message data is displayed on said display panel;

a cover section connected to said body section and comprising a cover for protecting said display panel, a hinge for moving said cover between open and closed states, and a transparent window in said cover in correspondence with said display panel such that a display on said display panel can be seen through said transparent window in a cover closed state, said operation unit being operable in the cover closed state; and

a pen operable with said display panel to indicate data and instruction, said pen being operable with said display panel when said cover is in the closed state.

2. A wireless selective call receiver according to claim 1, wherein said operation unit includes a control switch for instructing stop of a call receiving operation to said control means, and for instructing display of a message to said control means.

3. A wireless selective call receiver according to claim 2, wherein said control switch further instructs power off to said control means.

4. A wireless selective call receiver according to claim 1, wherein said operation unit includes a first control switch for instructing stop of a call receiving operation to said control means, and a second control switch for instructing display of a message to said control means.

5. A wireless selective call receiver according to claim 4, wherein said operation unit includes a third control switch further instructs power off to said control means.

6. A wireless selective call receiver according to claim 1, wherein said control means includes:

first determining means for determining whether a call is received in a call wait state; and

informing means for informing to a user that the call is received when the call is received in the call receiving state.

7. A wireless selective call receiver according to claim 6, wherein said control means includes means for control said display panel to display a latest message data when said operation unit is operated in the call wait state.

8. A wireless selective call receiver according to claim 6, wherein said control means includes:

second determining means for determining whether said operation unit is operated during the informing operation; and

means for stopping the informing operation, for storing in said memory a message data received subsequently to the call, and for control said display panel to display the message data received subsequently to the call as a current message data, when said operation unit is operated during the informing operation.

9. A wireless selective call receiver according to claim 8, wherein said control means includes means for storing the message data received subsequently to the call in said memory, wherein said control means is set to the call wait state after the storing of the message data, when said operation unit is not operated during the informing operation.

10. A wireless selective call receiver according to claim 8, wherein said control means includes:

third determining means for determining whether said operation unit is operated while the current message data is displayed; and

means for controlling said display panel to sequentially display as current message data message data which have been already received and stored in said memory, each time said operation unit is operated while the current message data is displayed.

11. A wireless selective call receiver according to claim 10, wherein said control means is set to the call wait state when said operation unit is not operated while the current message data is displayed.

12. A wireless selective call receiver according to claim 10, wherein said control means includes:

fourth determining means for determining whether said operation unit continues to be operated during a first predetermined time period; and

means for controlling said display panel to display a power-off message data when said operation unit continues to be operated during the first predetermined time period.

13. A wireless selective call receiver according to claim 12, wherein said control means includes:

fifth determining means for determining whether said operation unit is operated while the power-off message data is displayed; and

means for turning off a power supply when said operation unit is not operated while the power-off message data is displayed, for controlling said display panel to perform a clock display when said operation unit is operated while the power-off message data is displayed, and for turning off the power supply when said operation unit is operated while the clock display is performed or after the clock display is performed during a second predetermined time period.

14. A method of receiving a call with a message data in a wireless selective call receiver, comprising the steps of:

informing reception of a call with a message data to a user when the call is received in a call wait state;

displaying a message data on a display panel that the user can see through a transparent window in a hinged cover when the cover is closed, wherein the transparent window is provided in correspondence with the display panel, and the cover is movable between open and closed states;

stopping the informing operation in response to an operation of a first control switch which is operable in the cover closed state; and

writing data and instructions to the display panel with a pen when the cover is in a closed state.

15. A method according to claim 14, further comprising the step of displaying message data which have been previously received and stored in a memory on the display panel in response to an operation of a second control switch.

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein a single control switch is used in common as the first and second control switches.

17. A method according to claim 15, further comprising the step of turning off a power supply of the wireless selective call receiver in response to an operation of a third control switch.

18. A method according to claim 17, wherein a single control switch is used in common as the first to third control switches.