Wireless communication device with additional input or output device

• US 7,912,508 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2006
• Issued: 03/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola Mobility, Inc. (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Lee, Kio, Lee, Sang Soo
• Primary Examiner(s): Kincaid; Lester
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lai; Daniel
• Application Number:
  US11/611,439
• Publication Number:
  US 20080146285A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,558 Days
• Field of Search: 455/566, 4555751-5754, 345 11- 34, 472/133, 463/1, 463/30, D14/138.G, D14/203.7, D14/191
• US Class Current: 455/566
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0266 for a display module assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0279 Improving the user comfort or ergonomics
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/236 including keys on side or rear faces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/16 including more than one display unit
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041

Abstract

A wireless communication device, such as a cellular telephone 2, and a method of displaying information on such a device are disclosed. In at least one embodiment, the wireless communication device includes a primary exterior surface 6 having first and second dimensions 26, 28, and first and second secondary exterior surfaces 14, 16, 18, 20 each having at least one respective dimension 24 that is substantially less than each of the first and second dimensions. The first and second secondary exterior surfaces 14, 16, 18, 20 are substantially non-coplanar relative to one another and with respect to the primary exterior surface 6, and each of the first and second secondary exterior surfaces includes a respective display portion 8. In at least some additional embodiments, the display portions 8 are capable of displaying information 40 in a streaming manner, and/or capable of accepting input commands from an operator 42 when the operator touches the display portions.

Claims

1. A wireless communication device comprising:

a primary exterior surface having first and second dimensions; and

first, second, third, and fourth secondary exterior surfaces each having at least one respective dimension that is substantially less than each of the first and second dimensions,

wherein the first and second secondary exterior surfaces are substantially non-coplanar relative to one another and with respect to the primary exterior surface, and

wherein each of the first, second, third, and fourth secondary exterior surfaces includes a respective display portion,

wherein the primary exterior surface is a front surface and the first, second, third, and fourth secondary exterior surfaces are edge surfaces,

wherein the first and second secondary exterior surfaces are linked by a rounded corner surface,

wherein the respective display portions of the first and second secondary exterior surfaces are each integrally coupled to a further display portion included upon the rounded corner surface, and

wherein the respective display portions and the further display portion together form a single integrated display structure that forms a complete loop around a perimeter of the wireless communication device and that is separate from an additional display structure provided on the primary exterior surface.

2. The wireless communication device of claim 1, wherein the first secondary exterior surface is a side edge surface and the second secondary exterior surface is an end edge surface.

3. The wireless communication device of claim 1, wherein the respective display portions of the first and second secondary exterior surfaces together with the further display portion form at least part of a ticker tape style display.

4. The wireless communication device of claim 3,

wherein the wireless communication device is either a cellular telephone or a personal digital assistant,

wherein information displayed by the display portions streams from a first of the edge surfaces to a second of the edge surfaces, and

wherein the ticker tape style display extends around the perimeter of the wireless communication device.

5. The wireless communication device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the respective display portions also is capable of providing signals in response to pressure applied to the respective display portion.

6. The wireless communication device of claim 5, wherein at least one of the following is true:

at least one of the respective display portions utilizes one of an E INK technology and a cholesteric liquid crystal display (LCD) technology; and

at least one of the respective display portions employs capacitive sensing technology.

7. A cellular telephone comprising:

a front surface having first and second dimensions; and

a plurality of edge surfaces including first, second, third and fourth edge surfaces, each having at least one respective dimension that is substantially less than each of the first and second dimensions,

wherein the edge surfaces include means for displaying information, the means for displaying extending continuously along the edge surfaces so as to form a complete loop around a perimeter of the cellular telephone,

wherein a further display is provided on the front surface, the further display being separate from the means for displaying information, and

wherein the information displayed by the means for displaying streams from a first of the edge surfaces to a second of the edge surfaces.

8. The cellular telephone of claim 7, wherein the respective edge surfaces are substantially perpendicular relative to one another and with respect to the front surface.

9. The cellular telephone of claim 7, wherein the cellular telephone is one of a candy bar type cellular telephone, a slider type cellular telephone, and a clamshell type cellular telephone.

10. The cellular telephone of claim 7, wherein at least one of the following is true:

the means for displaying information operates to display the information in a flowing manner; and

at least a portion of the means for displaying information is touch-sensitive.

11. The cellular telephone of claim 10, wherein the means for displaying information is touch-sensitive, and wherein the displayed information includes at least one icon selected from the group consisting of a volume adjustment icon, a play icon, a stop icon, a fast-forward icon, a reverse icon, an on icon, an off icon, a menu-scrolling icon, a mp3 icon, and a camera control icon.

12. The cellular telephone of claim 7, wherein the cellular telephone is capable of operating in a plurality of modes, and wherein:

when the cellular telephone is operating in a first of the modes, the information is indicative of a message received by the cellular telephone;

when the cellular telephone is operating in one of the first mode and a second of the modes, the information is indicative of an incoming call to the cellular telephone; and

when the cellular telephone is operating in a third of the modes, the information is indicative of at least one of a lyric, a track and an artist identifier pertaining to a music selection.

13. A method of displaying information on a cellular telephone, the method comprising;

providing a first display structure along first, second, third and fourth edge portions of the cellular telephone, the first and second edge portions being non-coplanar with respect to one another;

providing a second display structure on a front surface extending between the first and second edge portions, the second display structure being separate from the first display structure;

receiving at least one signal pertaining to at least one of an incoming call, a voicemail message, a text message and a command to play an audio recording; and

displaying information on the first display structure relating to the at least one signal,

wherein the first display structure extends continuously along the edge portions so as to form a complete loop around a perimeter of the cellular telephone, and wherein the displayed information streams along the first display structure from the first edge portion to the second edge portion.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

receiving an input command provided due to application of pressure to the first display structure; and

providing a signal to a control device of the cellular telephone in response to the receiving of the input command.