Foldable communication device and method

• US 6,304,765 B1
• Filed: 11/16/1999
• Issued: 10/16/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Cosgrove, Steven John, Lim, Kim Hock
• Primary Examiner(s): Hunter, Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): LE, LANA N
• Application Number:
  US09/440,961
• Time in Patent Office: 700 Days
• Field of Search: 455/567, 455/550, 455/90, 455/575, 455/566, 340/7.57, 340/7.58, 340/7.59, 340/7.62, 379/433, 379/434
• US Class Current: 455/575.3
• 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 1/0245 using open/close detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/04 the ringing-current being generated at the substations

Abstract

A foldable communication device (10) with a housing having two portions (11,12) pivotably mounted to each other to allow relative movement therebetween. This relative movement is about an axis (13) and enabled by mounting portion (11) to two mounts (14,15) of portion (12). Device (10) has a transceiver (17) housed in the housing, an alert transducer (18) associated with transceiver (17) to provide an audible alert at a predetermined volume when a communication call for device (10) is received by transceiver (17) and a controller (19) coupled to transducer (18). In response to the relative movement of portions (11,12), controller (19) reduces the volume of the audible alert without the communication call being answered.

Claims

1. A foldable communication device comprising:

a housing having at least two portions pivotably mounted to each other to allow relative movement therebetween;

a transceiver housed in said housing;

an alert transducer associated with said transceiver;

a controller coupled to said transducer,

wherein, in use, said transducer provides an audible alert having a predetermined volume when a communication call for said device is received by said transceiver and wherein, in response to said relative movement, said volume of said audible alert is reduced without said communication call being answered.

2. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said relative movement is between a closed position and an open position.

3. The device as claimed in claim 2 further comprising an electronic display, wherein said display is hidden from view in said closed position and wherein said display is viewable when in said open position.

4. The device as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a detector to detect said relative movement.

5. The device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said detector has an output coupled to said controller.

6. The device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said detector is a switch.

7. The device as claimed in claim 4, wherein said switch is a magnetically activated switch.

8. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said predetermined volume is adjustable by a user of said device.

9. The device as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a mechanical shutter, said shutter being movable to at least partially cover an outlet of said housing, said outlet being associated with said transducer.

10. The device as claimed in claim 7, wherein said mechanical shutter is movable in association with said relative movement.

11. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said volume is reduced such that said audible alert is muted.

12. A method to control an audible alert of a foldable communication device, said device having a housing with two portions pivotably mounted to each other, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving an alert request in response to reception of a communication call for said device;

determining respective positions of said portions based-on relative movement of said portions, said positions being a closed position and an open position; and

controlling, in response to said step of determining, a predetermined volume of an audible alert without said communication call being answered.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein said step of controlling comprises the step of reducing said volume.

14. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein said step of controlling comprises the step of muting said audible alert.

15. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein said step of controlling comprises the step of determining whether a mute flag is set.

16. The method as claimed in claim 15, wherein said step of controlling further comprises the step of setting said mute flag.

17. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein said step of controlling further comprises the step of checking whether to end said communication call.

18. The method as claimed in claim 15, wherein said step of controlling further comprises the step of resetting said mute flag when said communication call is ended.