Mobile terminal

• US 7,869,834 B2
• Filed: 10/25/2007
• Issued: 01/11/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Jang, Chang-Yong, Shin, Ho-Myoung, Seol, Won-Seok, Kim, Byoung-Wook, Kim, Min-Soo
• Primary Examiner(s): Gesesse; Tilahun
• Application Number:
  US11/924,276
• Publication Number:
  US 20080242359A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,174 Days
• Field of Search: 455/550.1, 455/566, 455/567, 455/575.1, 455/90.3, 379/433.01, 379/433.11
• US Class Current: 455/566
• 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 1/1647 including at least an additional display G06F1/1692 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1681 Details related solely to hinges hinge details related to the transmission of signals or power are classified in G06F1/1683
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1686 the I/O peripheral being an integrated camera
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1692 the I/O peripheral being a secondary touch screen used as control interface, e.g. virtual buttons or sliders
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/022 The hinge comprising two parallel pivoting axes
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72445 for supporting Internet browser applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/16 including more than one display unit
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/18 including more than one keyboard unit
• 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: H04M 2250/52 including functional features of a camera constructional features concerning the integration of cameras in portable phones H04M1/0264

Abstract

A mobile terminal including a first body having a first surface and a second surface and a second body having a first surface and a second surface. In addition, the first body includes a first display located at the first surface and configured to display at least one icon, the at least one icon being selectable by touching the first display where the icon is displayed, a second display located at the second surface and configured to display information, and a receiver located in the first body and configured to transmit sound through the first surface. The second body includes an input device located at the first surface thereof to input information and is rotatably connected to the first body such that the first body can be rotated from a first state to a second state.

Claims

1. A mobile terminal comprising:

a first body having a first surface and a second surface, the first body including;

a first display located at the first surface and configured to display at least one icon, the at least one icon being selectable by touching the first display where the icon is displayed;

a second display located at the second surface and configured to display information;

at least one key button disposed at the first surface of the first body; and

a receiver located in the first body and configured to transmit sound through the first surface; and

a second body having a first surface and a second surface, the second body being rotatably connected to the first body such that the first body can be rotated from a first state to a second state, and the second body having an input device located at the first surface thereof to input information,

wherein the first and the second surfaces of the first body are facing in opposite directions, and the second surface of the first body covers the second surface of the second body when the first body and the second body are in the first state, and

wherein the first display is a touch screen, and the at least one key button is an activation button configured to input a signal to activate the touch screen.

2. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the second surface of the first body is adjacent the first surface of the second body in the first state.

3. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the first display extends along a longitudinal direction of the first body.

4. The terminal of claim 1, further comprising:

a microphone located at one of the first surface of the first body and the second surface of the second body; and

a receiver located at one of the first surface of the first body and the second surface of the second body.

5. The terminal of claim 4, wherein the microphone and the receiver are located at the first surface of the first body, each being located near opposite ends of the first display.

6. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the second display is a touch screen.

7. The terminal of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one speaker located at the second surface of the first body.

8. The terminal of claim 7, wherein the at least one speaker includes a pair of speakers located near opposite ends of the second display.

9. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the input device located at the first surface of the second body includes a first key region where keys are arranged in a QWERTY configuration.

10. The terminal of claim 9, wherein the input device includes a second key region having at least one functional key.

11. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the second display is activated in the second state, and the first display is activated in the first state.

12. The terminal of claim 1, further comprising at least one camera, the at least one camera being disposed at one of the second surface of the first body, the first surface of the second body, and the second surface of the second body, and an image captured by the at least one camera being displayable on at least one of the first display and the second display.

13. The terminal of claim 12, wherein the second display includes a plurality of display regions configured to display information, and the image captured by the at least one camera is displayable at one of the display regions.

14. The terminal of claim 1, further comprising a hinge that rotatably connects the first body to the second body, the hinge being located at the second surface of the first body.

15. The terminal of claim 14, wherein the hinge includes at least two spaced apart hinge portions and the second body includes a display located between the spaced apart hinge portions.

16. The terminal of claim 14, wherein the hinge is configured to hold the first body at a plurality of rotation angles with respect to the second body.

17. The terminal of claim 16, wherein the plurality of rotation angles includes two rotation angles,

wherein the first body is freely rotatable from the first state through a first rotation angle, and freely rotatable from the first rotation angle to a second rotation angle.

18. The terminal of claim 17, wherein the first body is substantially parallel with the second body when the first body is rotated to the second rotation angle.

19. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the first surface of the first body includes a main surface and a lateral surface surrounding the main surface.

20. The terminal of claim 1, further comprising a hinge for rotatably connecting the first and second bodies to each other, the hinge including:

a hinge housing located in one of the first and second bodies;

a pair of fixed cams, each fixed cam having one end disposed inside the hinge housing and the other end coupled to one of the first and second bodies, each being rotatable with respect to the hinge housing by the movement of the first body between the first position and the second position; and

a pair of movable cams supported inside the hinge housing and configured to cooperate with the pair of fixed cams.

21. A mobile terminal comprising:

a first body having a first surface and a second surface, the first body including;

a first display located at the first surface and configured to display at least one icon, the at least one icon being selectable by touching the first display where the icon is displayed;

a second display located at the second surface and configured to display information; and

at least one key button disposed at the first surface of the first body; and

a second body having a first surface and a second surface, the second body being rotatably connected to the first body along a longitudinal edge of the first body such that the first body can be rotated from a first state to a second state, and the second body having an input device located at the first surface thereof to input information,

wherein the first and the second surfaces of the first body are facing in opposite directions, and the second surface of the first body covers the second surface of the second body when the first body and the second body are in the first state, and

wherein the first display is a touch screen, and the at least one key button is an activation button configured to input a signal to activate the touch screen.

22. A mobile terminal comprising:

a first body having a first surface and a second surface, the first body including;

a first display located at the first surface and configured to display at least one icon, the at least one icon being selectable by touching the first display where the icon is displayed;

at least one key button disposed at the first surface of the first body; and

a receiver located in the first body and configured to transmit sound through the first surface; and

a second body having a first surface and a second surface, the second body being rotatably connected to the first body such that the first body can be rotated from a first state to a second state, and the second body having an input device located at the first surface thereof to input information,

wherein, when the first body and the second body are in the first state, the second surface of the first body substantially covers the second surface of the second body, and when the first body and the second body are in the second state, the second surface of the first body and the second surface of the second body are substantially coplanar,

wherein the first and the second surfaces of the first body are facing in opposite directions, and

wherein the first display is a touch screen, and the at least one key button is an activation button configured to input a signal to activate the touch screen.

23. A mobile terminal comprising:

a first body having a first surface and a second surface, the first body including;

a first display located at the first surface and configured to display at least one icon, the at least one icon being selectable by touching the first display where the icon is displayed;

a second display located at the second surface and configured to display information; and

a receiver located in the first body and configured to transmit sound through the first surface; and

a second body having a first surface and a second surface, the second body being rotatably connected to the first body such that the first body can be rotated from a first state to a second state, and the second body having an input device located at the first surface thereof to input information; and

a hinge for rotatably connecting the first and second bodies to each other, the hinge including;

a hinge housing located in one of the first and second bodies;

a pair of fixed cams, each fixed cam having one end disposed inside the hinge housing and the other end coupled to one of the first and second bodies, each being rotatable with respect to the hinge housing by the movement of the first body between the first position and the second position; and

a pair of movable cams supported inside the hinge housing and configured to cooperate with the pair of fixed cams.