Personal communications device

• US 7,508,411 B2
• Filed: 02/11/2004
• Issued: 03/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Peter V Boesen
• Original Assignee: SP Technologies LLC
• Inventors: Boesen, Peter V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramakrishnaiah, Melur
• Application Number:
  US10/776,493
• Publication Number:
  US 20040160511A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,868 Days
• Field of Search: 348 1401- 1409, 348/14.1, 348/14.11, 348/14.12, 348/14.13, 455/566, 455/575.1, 455/575.2, 455/575.3, 455/575.4, 379/433.12, 379/433.1
• US Class Current: 348/14.02
• 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 1/0237 Sliding mechanism with one degree of freedom
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0247 comprising more than two body parts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0256 wherein the modules are operable in the detached state, e.g. one module for the user interface and one module for the transceiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6041 Portable telephones adapted for handsfree use
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1016 Earpieces of the intra-aural type
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2201/107 Monophonic and stereophonic headphones with microphone for two-way hands free communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/13 Hearing devices using bone conduction transducers

Abstract

A handheld personal communications device includes a housing having at least a first body and a second body. There is a voice transceiver disposed within the housing. User interface elements are positioned on one or more sides of each of the at least two bodies. The user interface elements can include one or more video cameras, displays, or plurality of buttons.

Claims

1. A handheld personal communications device for voice and video communications comprising:

a first body having a display;

a second body having a plurality of manual inputs, the first body adapted for attachment to the second body, the personal communications device having an open position wherein the display of the first body and the manual inputs of the second body are accessibly exposed to face a user, the personal communications device having a closed position wherein the display of the first body is at least partially protected by the second body and the manual inputs of the second body are accessibly exposed to face the user;

a video camera operatively connected to the second body such that in the closed position, the video camera faces the user and in the open position the video camera faces away from the user;

a cellular transceiver is in at least one of the first body or the second body; and

a close range transceiver in at least one of the first body or the second body.

2. The handheld personal communications device of claim 1 wherein the display includes a sub region viewable by the user in the closed position.

3. The handheld personal communications device of claim 1 wherein the first body is removably attached to the second body and each of said first body and said second body includes a close range transceiver.

4. The handheld personal communications device of claim 1 wherein the display is adapted to operate as a view finder associated with the video camera when in an open position.

5. A system for personal voice and video communications, comprising:

a handheld personal communications device comprising a first body having a display and a second body having a plurality of manual inputs, the first body adapted for attachment to the second body, the personal communications device having an open position wherein the display of the first body and the manual inputs of the second body are accessibly exposed to face a user, the personal communications device having a closed position wherein the display of the first body is at least partially protected by the second body and the manual inputs of the second body are accessibly exposed to face the user, and a video camera operatively connected to the second body such that in the closed position the video camera faces the user and in the open position the video camera faces away from the use, the handheld personal communications device having a voice transceiver and a close range transceiver;

an earpiece comprising a bone conduction sensor operatively connected to a second close range transceiver for communication with the handheld personal communications device.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the first body and the second body of the handheld personal communications device are removeably attached.

7. A method of providing video communications comprising:

providing a device comprising a first body having a processor operatively connected to a display, a plurality of buttons, a voice transceiver, and a first close range transceiver and a second body having a video imaging device and operatively connected to a second close range transceiver, the first body removable from said second body;

removing the first body from the second body;

acquiring a video image with the video imaging device and transmitting the video from the second body to the first body;

displaying the video image on the display of the first body.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising storing a representation of the video image.

9. The method of claim 7 further comprising transmitting the video image using the voice transceiver.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein the second body further comprises a microphone operatively connected to the second close range transceiver.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising transmitting audio from the second body to the first body.

12. A cellular phone for voice and video communications comprising:

a cellular phone housing having a first body and a second body;

a cellular transceiver disposed within the cellular phone housing;

the first body having a display;

the second body having a plurality of manual inputs, the first body adapted for attachment to the second body, the personal communications device having an open position wherein the display of the first body and the manual inputs of the second body are accessibly exposed to face a user, the personal communications device having a closed position wherein the display of the first body is at least partially protected by the second body and the manual inputs of the second body are accessibly exposed to face the user;

a video camera operatively connected to the second body such that in the closed position, the video camera faces the user and in the open position the video camera faces away from the user.