Mobile terminal comprising a display rotable about a casing

• US 9,609,097 B2
• Filed: 09/17/2013
• Issued: 03/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Hosoda, Yasuhide
• Primary Examiner(s): Eisner, Ronald
• Application Number:
  US14/419,687
• Publication Number:
  US 20150207908A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,288 Days
• Field of Search: 4555501- 903
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/017 Head mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1649 the additional display being independently orientable, e.g. for presenting information to a second user
• 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: 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 1/0233 Including a rotatable display body part
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0245 using open/close detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0266 for a display module assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/11 Supports for sets, e.g. incorporating armrests
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/236 including keys on side or rear faces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/16 including more than one display unit

Abstract

There is provided a mobile terminal including a casing that includes an audio output unit that outputs audio, and a transmissive display unit provided rotatable about the casing. The transmissive display unit is disposable in a plane intersecting a principal face of the casing while the audio output unit is outputting audio.

Claims

1. A mobile terminal comprising:

a casing that includes audio output circuitry that outputs audio;

a transmissive display that is rotatable about the casing and is disposed, when the audio output circuitry outputs the audio, in a plane that intersects a front face of the casing; and

circuitry configured to;

acquire content data;

generate information related to the content data;

display, on the transmissive display, the information and a cover image of a URL (Uniform Resource Locator) that is associated with the information; and

access the URL to acquire web information, wherein

the transmissive display includes;

a base rotatable about the casing,

a light guide, provided on a surface of the base, which guides light from an image display element to an exit when the light guide totally reflects the light, and

an air layer formed between the base and the light guide.

2. The mobile terminal according to claim 1, wherein

the circuitry is further configured to make a phone call, and

the transmissive display is disposable in the plane that intersects the front face of the casing when the circuitry is on the phone call.

3. The mobile terminal according to claim 1, wherein

the transmissive display rotates about the casing between a closed state and an open state, and

a display face of the transmissive display, when the transmissive display is positioned in the closed state, is positioned on a same face as the front face of the casing.

4. The mobile terminal according to claim 1, wherein

the transmissive display rotates about the casing between a closed state and an open state, and

a display face of the transmissive display, when the transmissive display is positioned in the closed state, is parallel to the front face of the casing.

5. The mobile terminal according to claim 1, wherein

the transmissive display is disposable in the plane that intersects the front face when positioned in a first open state rotated in a first direction about the casing, or when positioned in a second rotated state rotated in a reverse direction of the first direction.

6. The mobile terminal according to claim 1, wherein

the transmissive display includes a non-transmissive second display.

7. The mobile terminal according to claim 6, wherein

the second display displays date and time information when the transmissive display is positioned in a closed state with respect to the casing.

8. The mobile terminal according to claim 1, wherein

the circuitry is further configured to:

detect a rotated state of the transmissive display; and

control display of the transmissive display, according to the rotated state.

9. The mobile terminal according to claim 1, wherein

the circuitry is further configured to generate and display, on the transmissive display, a summary of the content data.

10. The mobile terminal according to claim 1, wherein the circuitry is further configured to:

make a phone call;

acquire action information related to an action by a person on a phone when the circuitry is on the phone call; and

generate and display, on the transmissive display, navigation information based on the action information.

11. The mobile terminal according to claim 10, wherein

the circuitry is further configured to:

acquire gesture information of the person on the phone as the action information, and

display, on the transmissive display, navigation information based on the gesture information.

12. The mobile terminal according to claim 10, wherein

the circuitry is further configured to:

acquire speech spoken by the person on the phone as the action information, and

display, on the transmissive display, navigation information based on the speech.

13. The mobile terminal according to claim 1, wherein

the light guide includes:

a first light guide provided on a first surface of the base, and

a second light guide provided on a second surface on an opposite side of the first surface of the base, and

the air layer includes;

a first air layer formed between the first surface of the base and the first light guide, and

a second air layer formed between the second surface of the base and the second light guide.

14. The mobile terminal according to claim 13, wherein

the base is positioned in a first open state rotated in a first direction about the casing, or a second open state rotated in a reverse direction of the first direction,

when the base is positioned in the first open state, the first light guide guides light from the image display element to an exit and the first light guide reflects the light, and

when the base is positioned in the second open state, the second light guide guides light from the image display element to an exit and the second light guide totally reflects the light.

15. The mobile terminal according to claim 1, wherein the circuitry is further configured to:

determine whether a user of the mobile terminal places a fingertip of the user over the cover image to select the cover image;

determine whether the fingertip, when the fingertip is placed over the cover image, and the cover image have been overlapping for a predetermined period;

when the fingertip and the cover image have been overlapping for the predetermined period, access the URL and acquire the web information therefrom; and

display, on the transmissive display, the web information.

16. The mobile terminal according to claim 1, wherein

the content data includes speech or an image.