Apparatus having a display device

• US 20040110526A1
• Filed: 10/15/2002
• Published: 06/10/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Volland, Rainer
• Application Number:
  US10/257,628
• Publication Number:
  US 20040110526A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/550.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0202 Portable telephone sets, e.g. cordless phones, mobile phones or bar type handsets constructional features of telephone transmitters or receivers, e.g. of speakers or microphones H04M1/03
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0283 for providing a decorative aspect, e.g. customization of casings, exchangeable faceplate
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72442 for playing music files
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7246 by connection of exchangeable housing parts

Abstract

The invention relates to a unit provided with a display device and with a housing or housing part that can be changed by the user. The inventive unit comprises means for recognizing the housing or housing part situated thereon. The unit also comprises a control, which controls the display device according to the respective housing or housing part situated on the unit. The invention also relates to a corresponding method for controlling a display device of such a unit.

Claims

1. An appliance (1) having a display device (2) and a casing or casing part (3, 4, 5) which can be interchanged by the user, characterized by means (12, 13) for identifying the casing or casing part (3, 4, 5) which is on the appliance (1) and a controller which actuates the display device (2) on the basis of the respective casing or casing part (3, 4, 5) which is on the appliance (1).

2. The appliance as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the interchangeable casing or casing part (4, 5) comprises a functional element (10, 11).

3. The appliance as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the functional element (11) comprises an input and/or output element.

4. The appliance as claimed in claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the functional element (10) comprises a measuring element.

5. The appliance as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the means for identifying the casing or casing part (3, 4, 5) comprise electrically or mechanically interacting contact elements (12, 13) arranged on the appliance (1) and on the casing or casing part (3, 4, 5).

6. The appliance as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the means for identifying the casing or casing part comprise optical and/or capacitive and/or inductive sensor elements.

7. The appliance as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the means for identifying the casing or casing part (3, 4, 5) comprise coding elements (12, 13).

8. The appliance as claimed in claim 7, characterized by a code store which is on the interchangeable casing or casing part and means for reading the code store which are on the appliance.

9. The appliance as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the appliance (1) is a mobile terminal (1) or a PDA.

10. A method for controlling a display device (2) on an appliance (1) which has a casing which can be interchanged, at least in part, by the user, characterized in that the interchangeable casing or casing part (3, 4, 5) is automatically identified and the display device (2) is actuated on the basis of the respective casing or casing part (3, 4, 5).

11. The method as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that the color and/or graphical representation of a user interface on the display device is matched to the casing or casing part.

12. The method as claimed in claim 10 or 11, characterized in that the interchangeable casing or casing part (3, 4, 5) comprises a functional element (10, 11), and the display device (2) is used for automatically representing information related to the functional element (10, 11).