Communication terminal apparatus and control method thereof

• US 6,198,948 B1
• Filed: 06/24/1999
• Issued: 03/06/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ironworks Patents LLC
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Ushino, Tatsuji, Terauchi, Toshiro, Sudo, Fukuharu, Kunihiro, Takushi, Kobayashi, Tetsuo, Ajiro, Atsushi, Odaka, Kentaro
• Primary Examiner(s): VO, NGUYEN THANH
• Application Number:
  US09/339,751
• Time in Patent Office: 621 Days
• Field of Search: 455/564, 455/566, 455/575, 455/90, 455/424, 455/550, 455/186.1, 455/95, 455/128, 455/154.1, 455/158.1, 455/351, 455/158.4, 379/428, 379/433-434, 379/367-368, 345/163, 345/167-169, 345/184, 463/37, 273/148.B
• US Class Current: 455/566
• 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 1/236 including keys on side or rear faces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2745 using static electronic memories, e.g. chips
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2747 Scrolling on a display
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72466 with selection means, e.g. keys, having functions defined by the mode or the status of the device
• 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 1/72472 wherein the items are sorted according to specific criteria, e.g. frequency of use

Abstract

A communication terminal apparatus such as a portable telephone apparatus has a main body, a selection operation unit, an operation inputting unit, a display unit, and a controller. The main body has a speaker and a microphone. The selection operation unit is provided on the main body and selects one mode from a plurality of modes of the communication terminal apparatus. The control inputting unit is provided on the main body and changes functions based on the mode selected by the selection operation means. The display unit is provided on the main body and displays information required for selection operation or inputting operation by the selection operation unit and/or the operation inputting unit. The controller sets mode selected based on the input from the selection operation unit, and switches function of the operation input unit based on the input from the selection operation unit. The controller controls display operation of the display unit based on the input form the selection operation unit and/or the operation inputting unit.

Claims

1. A communication terminal apparatus, comprising:

a body having a principal front surface and a side surface extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to said principal front surface;

transmitting and receiving means arranged in said body;

selection operation means having a rotatable disc-like member partially protruding from said side surface of said body, said selection operation means being arranged to be rotated in a first direction, so that said selection operation means is actuated when pressed against said side surface;

operation detection means for detecting operation of said selection operation means is said first direction and in said second direction;

storage means for storing data of communicates;

display means disposed on said principal front surface of said body for displaying a plurality of said communicatees;

display means disposed on said principal front surface of said body for displaying a plurality of said communicatees read out of said storage means; and

control means for controlling said display means so that one of said plurality of said communicatees is selected on said display means in response to a first detection result of said operation detection means when said selection operation means is operated in said first direction, and for controlling said transmitting and receiving means to originate a call to said one of said plurality of said communicatees selected on said display means in response to a second detection results of said operation detection means when said selection operation means is operated in said second direction, wherein said control means controls said transmitting and receiving means to adjust a reception sound volume in response to operating said selection operation means in said first direction during a communication operation.

2. The communication terminal apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said selection operation means is mounted to be clicked upon linear movement in said second direction.

3. The communication terminal apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control means controls said display means to display information related to said one of said plurality of said communicatees selected on said display means when said selection operation means is initially operated in said second direction, and wherein said control means controls said transmitting and receiving means to originate said call to said one of said plurality of said communicatees selected on said display means when said selection operation means is subsequently operated in said second direction.

4. The communication terminal apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said data of said communicatees includes one telephone number of one of said communicatees.

5. The communication terminal apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control means controls said display means to display said plurality of said communicatees and a cursor, so that said cursor corresponds to said one of said plurality of said communicatees selected on said display means.

6. The communication terminal apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said selection operation means is operable in said first direction upwardly and downwardly relative to a top edge of said body and wherein, in response to said selection operation means being moved upwardly in said first direction, said cursor is moved to correspond to another one of said plurality of said communicatees displayed contiguous on an upward side of said one of said plurality of communicatees and, in response to said selection operation means being moved downwardly in said first direction, said cursor is moved to correspond to a further one of said plurality of said communicatees displayed contiguous on a downward side of said one of said plurality of said communicatees.

7. The communication terminal apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control means controls said transmitting and receiving means to adjust a speech sound volume in response to operating said selection operation means.

8. A communication terminal apparatus, comprising:

a body having a principal front surface and a side surface extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to said principal surface;

transmitting and receiving means;

display means mounted on said principal front surface of said body;

storage means for storing a plurality of communicatees arranged in a predetermined sequence;

selection operation means arranged on said side surface of said body for operation by a user in first, second, and third manners;

control means for controlling said display means to display said data of said plurality of communicatees and for selecting one of said plurality of communicatees by scrolling said data of said plurality of communicatees toward and away from ends of said predetermined sequence in response to an operation of said selection operation means in said first manner and said second manner, respectively, and for controlling said transmitting and receiving means to originate a call to said selected one of said plurality of communicatees in response to an operation of said selection operation means in said third manner and to perform a mute operation during said call in response to operating said selection operation means in said third manner.