Radio handset

• US 7,433,466 B2
• Filed: 08/30/2004
• Issued: 10/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nokia Mobile Phones UK Limited (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Mobile Phones UK Limited (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Mason, Mark Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz; Curtis
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TUAN DUC
• Application Number:
  US10/931,133
• Publication Number:
  US 20050025310A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,499 Days
• Field of Search: 379/428.01, 37943301-43308, 379/434, 455/90.3, 455/575.1, D14/138, D14/147, D14/248
• US Class Current: 379/433.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0281 for providing single handed use or left/right hand conversion

Abstract

A rear cover of a radio handset having a scooped recess for improving the ergonomics of the phone for single-handed operation.

Claims

1. An electronic device housing providing at least a portion of a cover for an electronic device, the electronic device having a front operating face including an earpiece section and a microphone section, the housing at least partially forming a rear side of the cover and comprising a recessed surface at least partially constrained by at least one bank at a junction of the bank with the recessed surface, the recessed surface being sized and positioned so as to receive and support a plurality of fingers of a user to properly orient the electronic device relative to a user'"'"'s ear during a telephone call with the electronic device, wherein the recessed surface extends across a majority of a width of the housing for receiving the plurality of fingers, and wherein the recessed surface forms an open finger contact surface for the fingers.

2. An electronic device housing as in claim 1 wherein the housing comprise a rear casing of a battery and a rear cover member of the housing.

3. A telephone handset housing providing at least a portion of a cover of a telephone handset, the telephone handset having a front operating face including an earpiece and a microphone, the housing at least partially forming a rear side of the cover and comprising a recess at least partially constrained by banks at a junction of the recess with the banks, the recess being sized and positioned so as to receive and support fingers of a user, wherein the recess extends across a majority of a width of the rear side and the recess is sized and positioned to receive and support a plurality of the fingers of the user to properly orient the telephone handset during a telephone call, and wherein the recess comprises a finger contact surface bordered by the banks which extends across an entire width of the recess, the finger contact surface being open for the fingers of the user to contact.

4. A telephone handset housing as in claim 3 wherein the housing comprise a rear casing of a battery and a rear cover member of the housing.

5. An electronic device housing providing at least a portion of a cover of an electronic device, the electronic device having a front operating face including an earpiece section and a keypad, the housing at least partially forming a rear side of the cover and comprising a recessed surface area at least partially surrounded by a bank area of the cover with at least one curved wall at a junction of the bank area with the recessed surface area, the recessed surface area extending across a majority of a width of the rear side of the cover, wherein the recessed surface area is sized and shaped such that a finger of a user is adapted to be supported in the recessed surface area adjacent the bank area along the curved wall to properly orient the electronic device during use with the earpiece section proximate an ear of the user, and wherein the recessed surface area comprises a finger contact surface which extends across a majority of a width of the recessed surface area and is open to allow the fingers of the user to contact any area on the finger contact surface.

6. An electronic device housing as in claim 5 wherein the housing comprise a rear casing of a battery and a rear cover member of the housing.

7. An electronic device housing providing at least a portion of a cover for an electronic device, the electronic device having a front operating face including an earpiece section, the housing at least partially forming a rear side of the cover and comprising a recessed surface at least partially constrained by at least one relatively raised bank at a junction of the bank with the recessed surface, the recessed surface being sized and positioned so as to receive and support a finger of a user at a plurality of different locations to properly orient the earpiece section of the electronic device relative to a user'"'"'s ear during a telephone call with the electronic device, wherein the recessed surface extends across a majority of a width of the housing for receiving the finger at any one of the plurality of different locations on the recessed surface, wherein the recessed surface forms an open finger contact surface for the finger.

8. An electronic device housing as in claim 7 wherein the housing comprise a rear casing of a battery and a rear cover member of the housing.

9. An apparatus housing providing at least a portion of a cover for an apparatus, the apparatus having a front operating face including a user output device, the housing at least partially forming a rear side of the cover and comprising a recessed surface at least partially constrained by at least one bank at a junction of the bank with the recessed surface, the recessed surface being sized and positioned so as to receive and support a plurality of fingers of a user to properly orient the apparatus relative to a user during use, wherein the recessed surface extends across a majority of a width of the housing for receiving the plurality of fingers, and wherein the recessed surface forms an open finger contact surface for the fingers.

10. An apparatus as claimed in claim 9 wherein the user output device is a display.

11. An apparatus as claimed in claim 9 wherein the user output device is an earpiece.