Communication terminal apparatus and control method thereof

• US RE39,959 E1
• Filed: 12/03/2001
• Issued: 12/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ironworks Patents LLC
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Terauchi, Toshiro, Sudo, Fukuharu, Kunihiro, Takushi, Kobayashi, Tetsuo, Ajiro, Atsushi, Odaka, Kentaro, Ushino, Tatsuji
• Primary Examiner(s): Vuong, Quochien B.
• Application Number:
  US10/007,104
• Time in Patent Office: 2,213 Days
• Field of Search: 455/564, 455/566, 455/575, 455/90, 455/424, 455/550, 455/186.1, 455/95, 455/128, 455/154.1, 455/158.1, 455/351, 455/158.4, 345/169, 345/163, 345167-168, 345/184, 379/428, 379433-434, 379/367, 379/368, 463/37, 273/148.B
• US Class Current: 455/564
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/233 including a pointing device, e.g. roller key, track ball, rocker switch or joystick constructional details of pointing devices per se G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2745 using static electronic memories, e.g. chips
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/274525 Retrieving by scrolling on a display
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72519 Portable communication terminals with improved user interface to control a main telephone operation mode or to indicate the communication status
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7258 by using keys with multiple functionality defined by the current phone mode or status

Abstract

A communication terminal apparatus such as a portable telephone apparatus has a main body, a selection operation unit, an operation inputting unit, a display unit, and a controller. The main body has a speaker and a microphone. The selection operation unit is provided on the main body and selects one mode from a plurality of modes of the communication terminal apparatus. The operation inputting nit is provided on the main body and changes functions based on the mode selected by the selection operation unit. The display unit is provided on the main body and displays information required for selection operation or inputting operation by the selection operation unit and/or the operation inputting unit. The controller sets a mode selected based on the input from the selection operation unit, and switches a function of the operation inputting unit based on the input from the selection operation unit. The controller controls display operation of the display unit based on the input from the selection operation under and/or the operation inputting unit.

Claims

1. A communication terminal apparatus comprising:

a body;

transmitting and receiving means arranged in said body;

selection operation means arranged on said body operable by a user in a first direction along a surface of said body and in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction;

operation detection means for detecting an operation of said selection operation means in said first direction and in said second direction;

storage means for storing data of a plurality of communicates;

display means for displaying said plurality of communicatees read out of said storage means; and

control means for controlling said display means so that one of said plurality of communicatees is selected on said display means in response to a detection result of said operation detection means when said selection operation means is operated in said first direction, and for controlling said transmitting and receiving means to originate a call to said plurality of communicatees selected on said display means in response to a detection result of said operation detection means when said selection operation means is operated in said second direction, and perform a mute operation in response to operating said selection operation means in said second direction,

wherein

said control means controls said transmitting and receiving means to adjust a reception sound volume in response to operating said selection operation means in said first direction during a communication operation, and wherein

said control means controls said transmitting and receiving means to perform a mute operation in response to operating said selection operation means in said second direction.

2. A communication terminal apparatus, comprising:

body;

a microphone rotatably mounted on said body and positionable in an opened state and a closed state, said microphone used in the opened state during a communication-operation;

transmitting and receiving means arranged in said body;

selection operation means arranged on said body for operation by a user in a first direction and in a second direction, said first and second directions being substantially perpendicular to each other;

operation detection means for detecting the operation of said selection operation means in the first and second directions;

storage means for storing data of a plurality of communicatees;

display means for displaying said data of said plurality of communicatees read form said storage means; and

control means operable when said microphone is in the opened state for reading the data of the plurality of communicatees from said storage means and for displaying read out data on said display means in response to a detection result of said operation detection means when said selection operation means is operated in the second direction a first time, said control means controlling said display means so that one of said communicatees is selected on said display means in response to a detection result of said operation detection means when said selection operation means is operated in the first direction, and said control means controlling said transmitting and receiving means to originate a call to the communicatee selected on said display means in response to a detection result of said operation detection means when said selection operation means is operated in the second direction a second time.

3. A communication terminal apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the first direction is along a surface of said body and the second direction is substantially perpendicular to the surface of said body.

4. The communication terminal apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said selection operation means is mounted to be rotatable in said first direction and to be clicked upon linear movement in said second direction.

5. A portable communication terminal apparatus comprising:

a body;

transmitting and receiving means arranged in said body;

a rotatable jog dial selection device arranged on said body operable by a user in a first direction along a surface of said body and in a second direction substantially perpendicular to said first direction;

operation detection means for detecting an operation of said selection device in said first direction and in said second direction;

storage means for storing data of a plurality of selection items which are hierarchically arranged;

display means for displaying said plurality of selection items read out of said storage means; and

control means for controlling a position of a pointer to indicate a desired item out of said plurality of selection items displayed on said display means when said selection device is operated in said first direction and changing a display layout when said selection device is operated in said second direction to change from a display listing selection items of high hierarchy in a first format to a display listing selection items of low hierarchy that are linked with said desired selection item in a second format, said first and second formats being recognizably different, wherein

said first direction is circumferential relative to said jog dial;

said second direction is radial relative to said jog dial; and

said control means causes said display means to display a selection item to said high hierarchy on said display together with said items of said low hierarchy that are linked with said selection item.