Portable communicator

• US 7,274,480 B2
• Filed: 12/05/2003
• Issued: 09/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ADC Technology Inc. (Republic Services Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: ADC Technology Inc. (Republic Services Incorporated)
• Inventors: Enmei, Toshiharu
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, MADELEINE ANH VINH
• Application Number:
  US10/728,597
• Publication Number:
  US 20040085298A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,390 Days
• Field of Search: 358/1.15, 358/405, 358/442, 358/479, 358/1.13, 358/468, 455/3.06, 455/404.1, 455/344, 349/100.01, 345/174, 345/169, 379/100.01
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• 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 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1643 the display being associated to a digitizer, e.g. laptops that can be used as penpads details related to the relative motion of the display enclosure with respect to the body enclosure, e.g. to move between laptop and tablet PC configuration G06F1/1615
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/165 the additional display being small, e.g. for presenting status information
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1686 the I/O peripheral being an integrated camera
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1688 the I/O peripheral being integrated loudspeakers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1698 the I/O peripheral being a sending/receiving arrangement to establish a cordless communication link, e.g. radio or infrared link, integrated cellular phone details of antennas disposed inside a computer H01Q1/2266
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/02 manually operated with input through keyboard and computation using a built-in program, e.g. pocket calculators
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1632 Pen holder integrated in the computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/083 Shipping
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/00 Substation equipment, e.g. for use by subscribers subscriber services or facilities provided at exchanges H04M3/00; prepayment telephone coin boxes H04M17/00; current supply arrangements H04M19/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/066 Telephone sets adapted for data transmision
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00127 Connection or combination of a still picture apparatus with another apparatus, e.g. for storage, processing or transmission of still picture signals or of information associated with a still picture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00204 : with a digital computer or a digital computer system, e.g. an internet server programmed control between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device H04N1/32561
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00206 : Transmitting or receiving computer data via an image communication device, e.g. a facsimile transceiver H04N1/00236 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00281 : with a telecommunication apparatus, e.g. a switched network of teleprinters for the distribution of text-based information, a selective call terminal details of transmission H04N1/00095; establishing a communication with one of a facsimile machine or another apparatus sharing a single line H04N1/32704; interfacing cordless telephone terminals with an accessory to increase the functionality of user interface H04M1/72409
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00302 : with a telephonic apparatus, e.g. telephone answering machine or videotex terminal H04N1/00307 takes precedence; telephonic communication H04M
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00307 : with a mobile telephone apparatus constructional features of portable telephone sets H04M1/0202; mobile radio systems H04W84/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00315 : with a radio transmission apparatus with a cordless telephone H04N1/00305; systems or arrangements for the transmission of a picture signal specially adapted for transmission via radio H04N1/00103; H04N1/00307 takes precedence; radio transmission systems H04B7/00; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00323 : with a measuring, monitoring or signaling apparatus, e.g. for transmitting measured information to a central location
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00326 : with a data reading, recognizing or recording apparatus, e.g. with a bar-code apparatus arrangements for the associated working of recording or reproducing apparatus with related apparatus G11B31/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00392 : Other manual input means, e.g. digitisers or writing tablets
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00408 : Display of information to the user, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00477 : Indicating status, e.g. of a job for control or supervision between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device H04N2201/3219
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0063 : Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0093 : Facsimile machine H04N2201/0094 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0096 : Portable devices

Abstract

This communicator makes it possible for the user to do telephone, facsimile, and data communication at any location. On a pen input device, a space eye 2, a telephone control system, a facsimile control system, and a data transmission system are mounted. All of them are operated by an input pen 55 or the space eye 2. The pen input device is connected to a wireless telephone equipment 7, and can be connected to a desired party through the public communication channel. In order to make the most of the equipment of a GPS user, the GPS user device 8 is connected to the pen input device 3. The current location of the GPS user is found through the GPS user device 8, and the data on the current location is transmitted to the party. Further, to make this communicator usable in any country, it is provided with means to connect it to a wireless telephone network of an individual service area of the country.

Claims

1. A portable communicator comprising:

a wireless communication device which is wirelessly connected to a communication channel;

a portable computer device to enter data from the communication channel through the wireless communication device, and to transmit data to the communication channel through the wireless communication device;

an image input device to input an image; and

a telephone device which conducts transmission and reception between a telephone network and the portable communicator,

wherein a body of the portable communicator equipped with the portable computer device comprises a switch, a display unit for showing a menu screen to command to input an image using the image input device, and a direction changing device which holds the image input device and enables the image input device to change directions in comparison with the direction of the body; and

the image input device is a camera.

2. The portable communicator according to claim 1, further comprising a location detection device which detects an actual location of the portable communicator.

3. The portable communicator according to claim 2, wherein the location detection device detects the actual location using a Global Positioning System.

4. The portable communicator according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the wireless communication device, the portable computer device, the camera and the telephone device is an individual device connected to the other device.

5. The portable communicator according to claim 1, further comprising a housing which contains the wireless communication device, the portable computer device, the camera and the telephone device assembled therein.

6. A portable communicator comprising:

a wireless communication device being wirelessly connected to a communication channel;

a portable computer device for entering data from the communication channel through the wireless communication device, and for transmitting data to the communication channel through the wireless communication device;

an image input device for capturing a photographic image;

a telephone device for conducting transmission and reception between a telephone network and the portable communicator, and

a body of the portable communicator being equipped with the portable computer device comprising a switch, a display unit for showing a menu screen to command capture of a photographic image using the image input device, and a direction changing device for maintaining the image input device and directing movement of the image input device in relation with to the body; and

the image input device is a camera.

7. The portable communicator according to claim 6, further comprising a location detection device for detecting an actual location of the portable communicator.

8. The portable communicator according to claim 7, wherein the location detection device detects the actual location using a Global Positioning System.

9. The portable communicator according to claim 6, wherein at least one of the portable computer device, the camera, the telephone device comprises as an individual device connected to the wireless communication device.

10. The portable communicator according to claim 6, wherein a housing contains the wireless communication device, the portable computer device, the camera, and the telephone device.

11. A portable communicator comprising:

a body including a display device and a direction changing device;

a wireless communication device that is capable of wireless connection to a communication channel, wherein the wireless communication device is positioned on the body;

a portable computer device capable of receiving data from the communication channel through the wireless communication device, and to transmit data to the communication channel through the wireless communication device, wherein the portable computer device is positioned on the body;

an image input device capable of inputting an image, wherein the image input device includes a camera and is positioned on a first portion of the body; and

a telephone device which is capable of sound signal transmission and sound signal reception between a telephone network and the portable computer device, wherein the display device is capable of providing a menu screen having an option to command the inputting of an image using the image input device, further wherein the direction changing device enables the image input device to change directions in relation to a second portion of the body.

12. The portable communicator according to claim 11, wherein the display device includes a first portion and a second portion.

13. The portable communicator according to claim 12, wherein the body further includes a reception status device, a microphone and a speaker.

14. The portable communicator according to claim 12, further comprising a global positioning device capable of navigating a user by use of position information received by a global positioning device and map information processed by a map information reader device.

15. The portable communicator according to claim 14, further comprising a document data input device capable of inputting document data, wherein the display device is capable of displaying the map information processed by the map information reader device and the document data entered by the document data input device.

16. The portable communicator according to claim 11, wherein the display device is capable of displaying the map information on the first portion of the display device and a reception status on the second portion of the display device.