Communication terminal apparatus

• US 7,058,426 B2
• Filed: 11/08/2002
• Issued: 06/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Takizawa, Kazuyuki, Nishimoto, Junichi, Masuda, Kozo, Arai, Ikuya
• Primary Examiner(s): Trost, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Doan, Kiet
• Application Number:
  US10/290,445
• Publication Number:
  US 20030092467A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,306 Days
• Field of Search: 455/572, 455/573, 455/90, 455/574, 455/575.1, 455/575.3, 455/566, 340/7.38, 340/10.1, 379/93.17, 348/14.02, 349/143, 307/18, 399/88
• US Class Current: 455/566
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1423 controlling a plurality of local displays, e.g. CRT and flat panel display
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2330/022 in absence of operation, e.g. no data being entered during a predetermined time
• 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 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72427 for supporting games or graphical animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72442 for playing music files
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/16 including more than one display unit
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/027 by controlling a display operation or backlight unit
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0274 by switching on or off the equipment or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0296 switching to a backup power supply
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A communication terminal apparatus which improves the a quality of an additional function such as image processing, music reproduction etc. over repressing power consumption is provided. The communication terminal apparatus has a transmission and reception unit adapted to transmit or receive a signal including a voice signal or an image signal, a decode processing unit adapted to decode a received signal, a first control circuit for controlling the transmission and reception unit and the decode processing unit, a second control circuit for processing an image signal which is outputted from the decode processing unit, a first power supply unit adapted to supply electric power to the first control circuit, and a second power supply unit adapted to supply electric power to the second control circuit, and in case that the communication terminal apparatus is not operated for a given length of time, the second power supply unit reduces electric power to the second control circuit.

Claims

1. An open/close communication terminal apparatus including a first case with a display unit and a second case with an input unit connected with the first case, the apparatus comprising:

a transmission and reception unit which transmits or receives a signal including a voice signal or an image signal;

a first control unit which controls the transmission and reception unit and processes voice communication processes;

a second control unit which controls the display unit and processes expansion processes of compressed image data;

a first power supply unit adapted to supply electric power to the first control circuit;

a second power supply unit adapted to supply electric power to the second control circuit; and

an open/close detection unit which detects an open/close status of the communication terminal apparatus;

wherein the control of the display unit is switched from the second control unit to the first control unit responsive to the communication terminal apparatus being opened for a given period of time.

2. A communication terminal apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first control unit and the second control unit are different chips.

3. A communication terminal apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first control unit controls the display unit through an internal bus in the second control unit.

4. A communication terminal apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the second control unit includes a control circuit and a peripheral circuit, and

the first control unit controls the display unit through the peripheral circuit of the second control unit.

5. A communication terminal apparatus according to claim 4, wherein power supplies for the control circuit and the peripheral circuit are controlled separately.

6. A communication terminal apparatus according to claim 1, wherein power supplied to the second control circuit is reduced responsive to the communication terminal apparatus being in a closed status.

7. A communication terminal apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first control unit supplies image data to the display unit responsive to the communication terminal apparatus being opened for a given period of time.

8. A communication terminal apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the communication terminal apparatus is a folding type apparatus.

9. An open/close type communication terminal apparatus including a first case with a display unit and a second case with an input unit connected with the first case, the communication terminal apparatus comprising:

a transmission and reception unit which transmits or receives a signal including a voice signal or an image signal;

a first control unit which controls the transmission and reception unit, and processes voice communication processes;

a second control unit which controls the display unit and processes expansion processes of compressed image data;

a first power supply unit adapted to supply electric power to the first control circuit;

a second power supply unit adapted to supply electric power to the second control circuit; and

an open/close detection unit which detects an open/close status of the communication terminal apparatus;

wherein the control of the display unit is switched from the second control unit to the first control unit responsive to the communication terminal apparatus being in a closed status.

10. An open/close type communication terminal apparatus including a first case with a display unit and a second case with an input unit connected with the first case, the communication terminal apparatus comprising:

a transmission and reception unit which transmits or receives a signal including a voice signal or an image signal;

a first control unit which controls the transmission and reception unit and processes voice communication processes;

a second control unit which controls the display unit and processes expansion processes of compressed image data;

a first power supply unit adapted to supply electric power to the first control circuit;

a second power supply unit adapted to supply electric power to the second control circuit; and

an open/close detection unit which detects an open/close status of the communication terminal apparatus;

wherein the display unit is controlled by the first control unit responsive to the communication terminal apparatus being in a closed status.

11. An open/close type communication terminal apparatus with a first case and a second case which is capable of transmitting and receiving a voice signal or an image signal, the communication terminal apparatus comprising:

a transmission and reception unit which transmits or receives a signal including a voice signal or an image signal;

a first display unit;

a second display unit;

a first control unit which controls the transmission and reception unit and processes voice communication processes; and

a second control unit which controls the first display unit and the second display unit, and processes expansion processes of compressed image data;

a first power supply unit adapted to supply electric power to the first control circuit; and

a second power supply unit adapted to supply electric power to the second control circuit;

wherein;

responsive to the communication terminal apparatus being in an opened status, a display function of the communication terminal apparatus is performed by the second display unit controlled by the second control unit, and

responsive to the communication terminal apparatus being in a closed status, control of the display function is switched form the second control unit to the first control unit, and the display function is performed by the first display unit controlled by the first control unit.

12. A communication terminal apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the first display unit displays mainly characters and the second display unit displays mainly an image.