Information terminal unit

• US 6,466,202 B1
• Filed: 02/23/2000
• Issued: 10/15/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Maxell, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Hoshino, Takeshi, Maruyama, Yukinobu, Suso, Koji, Kashima, Taisuke, Minemoto, Takeshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Shalwala, Bipin
• Assistant Examiner(s): PIZIALI, JEFFREY J
• Application Number:
  US09/511,155
• Time in Patent Office: 965 Days
• Field of Search: 345/1.1, 345/1.3, 345/2.3, 345/3.1, 345/4, 345/5, 345/87, 345/88, 345/901, 345/156, 345/168, 345/169, 345/158, 345/173, 345/864, 345/902, 345/903, 348/14.02, 348/14.03, 379/433-2-4, 455/556, 455/566, 455/557, 455/575
• US Class Current: 345/169
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1637 Details related to the display arrangement, including those related to the mounting of the display in the housing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1647 including at least an additional display G06F1/1692 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1686 the I/O peripheral being an integrated camera
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3265 Power saving in display device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1423 controlling a plurality of local displays, e.g. CRT and flat panel display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/147 using display panels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/023 Display panel composed of stacked panels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2330/021 Power management, e.g. power saving
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/0492 Change of orientation of the displayed image, e.g. upside-down, mirrored
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3611 Control of matrices with row and column drivers
• 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 1/0245 using open/close detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages
• 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 2250/16 including more than one display unit
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/52 including functional features of a camera
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/027 : by controlling a display operation or backlight unit
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 : Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 : in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A portable information terminal unit comprises a first and a second casing, a hinge means for coupling the first and second casing so that the first and second casing are rotatable relative to each other, an opening piercing though the first casing, a first see-thorough liquid crystal display part fitted in the opening, a means for detecting opening of the first and second casing, relative to each other, and a control means for reversing a display on the first see-through liquid crystal display part in response to a detection by the detecting means, wherein monochromatic information is displayed on the first see-through liquid crystal display part so as to reduce power consumption.

Claims

1. A portable information terminal unit comprising a first and a second casing, each of said first and second casings having a longitudinal proximal end and a longitudinal distal end, hinge means for coupling said first and second casings at the respective longitudinal proximal ends thereof with each other so that said first and second casings are rotatable relative to each other, an opening piercing through said first casing, a see-through first liquid crystal display part fitted in the opening, a second liquid crystal display part provided in said second casing, means for detecting opening of said first and second casings relative to each other, control means for longitudinally reversing an image on said see-through liquid crystal display part in response to a detection by said detecting means, a speaker provided in said first casing near to the distal end thereof, and a microphone provided in said second casing near to the distal end thereof, wherein said see-through first liquid crystal display part and said second liquid crystal display part are overlapped with each other when said first and second casings are closed to each other.

2. A portable information terminal unit as set forth in claim 1, wherein said see-through first liquid crystal display part is a monochromatic liquid crystal display part, and said second liquid crystal display part is a multi-colored liquid crystal display part.

3. A portable information terminal unit as set forth in claim 1, wherein said see-through first liquid crystal display part is superposed over its entirety with a part of said second liquid crystal display part so as to allow the part of said second liquid crystal display part to been seen through said see-through first liquid crystal part when said first and second casings are closed to each other.

4. A portable information terminal unit as set forth in claim 3, wherein said see-through first liquid crystal display part is a monochromatic liquid crystal display part, and said second liquid crystal display part is a multi-colored liquid crystal display part.

5. A portable information terminal unit comprising a first and a second casing, each of said first and second casings having a longitudinal proximal end and a longitudinal distal end, hinge means having a center axis for coupling said first and second casings at the respective longitudinal proximal ends thereof with each other so that said first and second casings are rotatable relative to each other, a video-camera rotatably mounted to said hinge means, an opening piercing through said first casing, a see-through first liquid crystal display part fitted in the opening, a second liquid crystal display part provided in said second casing, means for detecting opening of said first and second casings, relative to each other, control means for longitudinally reversing an image on said see-through liquid crystal display part in response to a detection by said detecting means, a speaker provided in said first casing near to the distal end thereof, and a microphone provided in said second casing near to the distal end thereof, wherein said see-through first liquid crystal display part and said second liquid crystal display part are overlapped with each other when the first and second casings are closed to each other, and said video-camera is rotatable around the center axis of said hinge means independent from said first and second casings for picking up an image which is displayed on said second liquid crystal display part.

6. A portable information terminal unit as set forth in claim 5, wherein said see-through first liquid display part is superposed over its entirety with a part of the second liquid display part so that the part of the second liquid crystal display part can be seen through said see-through first liquid crystal display part.

7. A portable information terminal unit as set forth in claim 5, wherein said see-through first liquid crystal display part is a monochromatic liquid crystal display part, and said second liquid crystal display part is a multi-colored liquid crystal display part.

8. A portable information terminal unit as set forth in claim 5, further comprising means for latching said first and second casings at a predetermined angle, wherein said see-through first liquid crystal display part is used as a finder when said first and second casings are opened from each other, and an image picked up by said video-camera is displayed on said second liquid display part.

9. A portable information terminal unit as set forth in claim 5, wherein characters are displayed on said see-through first liquid display part while an image is displayed on said second liquid display part, and the characters on the see-through first liquid crystal display part and the image on said second liquid crystal display part can be seen being overlapped with each other when the first and second casings are closed to each other.

10. A portable information terminal unit as set forth in claim 6, wherein characters are displayed on said see-through first liquid display part while an image is displayed on said second liquid display part, and the characters on the see-through first liquid crystal display part and the image on said second liquid crystal display part can be seen being overlapped with each other when said first and second casings are closed to each other.