Portable telephone device

• US 6,480,726 B1
• Filed: 10/18/2000
• Issued: 11/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Mochizuki, Makoto, Sato, Masaaki, Nagasawa, Naokazu
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Vivian
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee, John J
• Application Number:
  US09/691,378
• Time in Patent Office: 755 Days
• Field of Search: 455/550, 455/567, 455/566, 455/575, 455/90, 455/412, 455/569, 340/815.4, 340/815.53, 340/815.54
• US Class Current: 455/566
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/22 Illumination; Arrangements for improving the visibility of characters on dials
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/656 for recording conversations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A portable telephone device can inform the surroundings unintentionally that a user is talking during speaking on the portable telephone. A speaking state display means 7 that goes on and off during speaking is provided on a back surface side of a body case 1 in relation to an operational surface side thereof and at a position where it is not covered with a hand when a user holds a portable telephone device. When it is detected that the portable telephone device enters on the speaking state, the speaking state display means 7 is turned on and off by a control means 10 at regular intervals while the brightness is being gently increased or gently decreased, whereby the speaking state display means is turned on and off just like a firefly. Further, the brightness is set to a low degree by which a person near the portable telephone device can identify the brightness, whereby the consuming electric power of a battery is suppressed low and a hindrance to the speaking time of the portable telephone is prevented.

Claims

1. A portable telephone device comprising:

a body case;

speaking state display means provided with said body case, that blinks on and off during speaking is provided for a body case thereof; and

control means that turns on and off said speaking state display means at regular intervals when the portable telephone device enters on the speaking state;

wherein when the portable telephone device enters on the speaking state, said speaking state display means is turned on and off with brightness that a person near the portable telephone device can identify while the brightness is being gently increased at regular intervals or gently decreased, whereby said speaking state display means is turned on and off just like a firefly.

2. A portable telephone device comprising:

a body case;

speaking state display means provided with said body case, that blinks on and off during speaking is provided for a body case thereof; and

control means that turns on and off said speaking state display means at regular intervals when the portable telephone device enters on the speaking state;

wherein said speaking state display means is provided on a back surface of a body case and at a position where the speaking state display means cannot be covered with a hand when a user holds the portable telephone device, and when the portable telephone device enters on the speaking state said speaking state display means is turned on and off with brightness that a person near the portable telephone device can identify while the brightness is being gently increased at regular intervals or gently decreased, whereby said speaking state display means is turned on and off just like a firefly.

3. A portable telephone device comprising:

one switch with light emitting means used both as speaking state display means that blinks on and off in a first color during speaking and a memo recording switch that blinks on and off in a second color when a memo recording function is started;

wherein when the portable telephone device enters on the speaking state display means is turned on and off with brightness that a person near the portable telephone can identify while the brightness is being gently increased at regular intervals or gently decreased, whereby said speaking state display means is turned on and off just like a firefly.