Portable terminal

• US 7,865,219 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2003
• Issued: 01/04/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Inventors: Abe, Yasuhiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel; Ajit
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, KHAI MINH
• Application Number:
  US10/673,890
• Publication Number:
  US 20040132499A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,654 Days
• Field of Search: 455/575.1, 455/575.3, 455/575.4, 455/550.1, 455/566, 455/567, 455/90.3, 455/347
• US Class Current: 455/575.3
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0225 Rotatable telephones, i.e. the body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis perpendicular to the plane they define in closed position combined with translation movement H04M1/0235
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0233 Including a rotatable display body part
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0245 using open/close detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72469 for operating the device by selecting functions from two or more displayed items, e.g. menus or icons
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2007/145 Handheld terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/142 Constructional details of the terminal equipment, e.g. arrangements of the camera and the display

Abstract

A portable terminal has a first housing having at least a display unit, a second housing having at least a main input unit, and connected openably and closably to the first housing, and an auxiliary input unit arranged on a surface other than mutually facing surfaces of both of the housings in a closed state. The display unit is visible to user in a closed state and an opened state, a screen on the display unit is able to display a first selection screen which is appropriate for an operation by the auxiliary input unit when both of the housings are in a closed state, and a screen on the display unit is able to display a second selection screen which is appropriate for an operation by the main input unit when both of the housings are in an opened state.

Claims

1. A portable terminal comprising:

a first housing having at least a display unit;

a second housing having at least a main input unit, and connected openably and closably to said first housing; and

an auxiliary input unit arranged on a surface other than mutually facing surfaces of both of said housings in a closed state;

wherein said display unit is visible to a user in a closed state and an opened state,

a screen on said display unit is able to display a first selection screen which displays items and allows a selection to be made using said auxiliary input unit, and which is appropriate for an operation by said auxiliary input unit when both of said housings are in said closed state, and

a screen on said display unit is able to display a second selection screen which is different from said first selection screen, and which is appropriate for an operation by said main input unit when both of said housings are in said opened state, and

the portable terminal further comprising;

a state detecting device which detects opening and closing of both said housings; and

a control device which switches a display screen on said display unit;

wherein said control device switches between said first selection screen and said second selection screen in accordance with a state detected by said state detecting device.

2. A portable terminal according to claim 1, wherein said first selection screen arranges said items one-dimensionally, and said second selection screen arranges items multi-dimensionally.

3. A portable terminal according to claim 2, wherein said main input unit includes a key capable of being operated in a direction of an arrangement of said items on said second screen, and said auxiliary input unit includes a lever capable of being operated in a direction of an arrangement of said items on said first selection screen.

4. A portable terminal according to claim 1, wherein said items of said first selection screen are characters, and items of said second selection screen are icons.

5. A portable terminal according to claim 1, wherein said items on said first selection screen are characters while items on said second selection screen are icons, and when a selection screen has been switched in accordance with an opening action or a closing action from a state in which an item on said first or second selection screen has been selected, said item remains selected in a form of a character or an icon corresponding to said first or second screen.

6. A portable terminal according to claim 1, wherein said main input unit includes a key capable of being two-dimensionally operated, and said auxiliary input unit includes a lever capable of being one-dimensionally operated.

7. A portable terminal according to claim 1, wherein the portable terminal is a personal digital assistant.

8. A portable terminal according to claim 1, wherein the portable terminal is a portable telephone.

9. A portable terminal according to claim 1, wherein, when said housings are in said opened state, said control device locks said auxiliary input unit so that operations of said auxiliary input unit are invalid.

10. A portable terminal according to claim 1, wherein said second selection screen displays at least one of said items and allows a selection to be made using said main input unit.

11. A portable terminal comprising:

a first housing having at least a display unit;

a second housing having at least a main input unit, and connected openably and closably to said first housing; and

an auxiliary input unit arranged on a surface other than mutually facing surfaces of both of said housings in a closed state;

wherein said display unit is visible to a user in a closed state and an opened state,

a screen on said display unit is able to display a first selection screen arranging items one-dimensionally when both of said housings are in a closed state, and

a screen on said display unit is able to display a second selection screen arranging items multi-dimensionally when both of said housings are in a opened state, and

the portable terminal further comprises;

a state detecting device which detects opening and closing of both said housings;

a control device which switches a display screen on said display unit;

wherein said control device switches between said first selection screen and said second selection screen in accordance with a state detected by said state detecting device.

12. A portable terminal according to claim 11, wherein said main input unit includes a key capable of being two-dimensionally operated, and said auxiliary input unit includes a lever capable of being one-dimensionally operated, items on said first selection screen can be selected by said lever operation, and items on said second selection screen can be selected by said key operation.

13. A portable terminal according to claim 11, wherein the portable terminal is a personal digital assistant.

14. A portable terminal according to claim 11, wherein the portable terminal is a portable telephone.