Foldable portable communication terminal device

• US 7,031,743 B2
• Filed: 11/09/2001
• Issued: 04/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Original Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Otsuka, Shuji, Kawasaki, Hideji, Kashu, Hiroomi
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz, Curtis
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pham, Tuan
• Application Number:
  US09/986,575
• Publication Number:
  US 20020058527A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,621 Days
• Field of Search: 455/127.1, 455/550.1, 455/572, 455/575.1, 455/573.1, 455/575.3
• US Class Current: 455/550.1
• 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 1/575 Means for retrieving and displaying personal data about calling party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/16 including more than one display unit
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0254 detecting a user operation or a tactile contact or a motion of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/027 by controlling a display operation or backlight unit
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

The present invention provides a foldable portable communication terminal device including a main body case and a lid case openably connected. The main body case has a side portion provided with an up key and a down key. The portable communication terminal device has a secondary battery, power supplying switch, and a control circuit incorporated therein. The control circuit switches the power supply switch to on/off when the up key and the down key are held depressed at the same time for at least the predetermined period of time. This starts or stops power supply from the secondary battery to the device body to switch the power source of the device body to on/off. Accordingly, the foldable portable communication terminal device can be realized which is adapted to turn off the power source of the device body with the main body case and the lid case folded together.

Claims

1. A foldable portable telephone comprising a casing having a main body case and a lid case openably connected thereto and having a power source circuit for supplying power to a device body, an on/off circuit for turning on/off power supply from the power source circuit to the device body, and a power supply control circuit for controlling operation of the on/off circuit, the casing having a plurality of manual keys so arranged in positions whereby said manual keys can be depressed with the casing closed, the power supply control circuit turning off the on/off circuit when the plurality of manual keys are simultaneously held depressed for at least a predetermined period of time following detection of the lid case being closed, and not turning off the on/off circuit following detection of the lid case being open.

2. A foldable portable communication terminal device according to claim 1 wherein the plurality of manual keys each are changed over between different functions depending on whether the casing is opened or closed.

3. A foldable portable communication terminal device according to claim 2 wherein the plurality of manual keys comprises two manual keys, the casing has a display exposed to the outside with the casing closed, and the two manual keys each perform a function of a volume up key or a volume down key for adjusting volume of incoming speech with the casing opened, while the keys each perform a function of a scroll up key or a scroll down key for scrolling the display with the casing closed.