Mobile Communications Device having Moveable Housings

• US 20090149223A1
• Filed: 05/19/2008
• Published: 06/11/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Williams, Luke G., Friedman, Jon D.
• Application Number:
  US12/123,206
• Publication Number:
  US 20090149223A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/566
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72415 for remote control of appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 according to context-related or environment-related conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7246 by connection of exchangeable housing parts
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

Mobile communications devices are described. In an implementation, a mobile communications device includes a first housing that is approximately square and that includes a display device. The mobile communications device also includes a second housing that is approximately square, includes a keyboard and is rotatable with respect to the first housing at respective corners of the first and second housing. The second housing is rotatable with respect to the first housing between a first configuration in which the first housing substantially covers the second housing such that the keyboard is covered and a second configuration in which the keyboard is exposed.

Claims

1. A mobile communications device comprising:

a first housing that is approximately square and that includes a display device; and

a second housing that is approximately square, includes a keyboard and is rotatable with respect to the first housing, at respective corners of the first and second housings, between;

a first configuration in which the first housing substantially covers the second housing such that the keyboard is covered; and

a second configuration in which the keyboard is exposed.

2. A mobile communications device as described in claim 1, wherein:

the first housing is substantially square along a plane that is parallel to an outer surface of the display device; and

the second housing is substantially square along a plane that is parallel to an outer surface of the keyboard.

3. A mobile communications device as described in claim 1, wherein the first configuration results in a substantially square form factor of the mobile communications device along a plane that is parallel to an outer surface of the keyboard and an outer surface of the display device.

4. A mobile communications device as described in claim 1, wherein the second configuration results in a substantially rectangular form factor of the mobile communications device.

5. A mobile communications device as described in claim 1, wherein the display device is viewable when in the first configuration and when in the second configuration.

6. A mobile communications device as described in claim 1, wherein a plurality of keys of the keyboard is arranged accordingly to a QWERTY configuration.

7. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the second housing is further configured with a camera and an input device that is manipulable by a user when in the first configuration to place the camera in an operational mode.

8. A mobile communications device as described in claim 1, further comprising one or more modules that are configured to provide telephonic functionality.

9. A mobile communications device as described in claim 8, wherein the telephonic functionality is configured to be accessed by a user when in the first configuration and when in the second configuration.

10. A mobile communications device as described in claim 1, further comprising one or more modules that are configured to:

display text on the display device; and

change orientation of the display of the text with respect to the first housing when in the second configuration in comparison with the first configuration.

11. A mobile communications device as described in claim 10, wherein the orientation of the display of the text is changed by rotating the display of the text approximately ninety degrees in relation to the display device.

12. A mobile communications device comprising:

a first housing; and

a second housing that;

includes a keyboard;

is moveable with respect to the first housing between a first configuration that exposes the keyboard and a second configuration that covers the keyboard;

includes a camera disposed on an opposing side of the second housing from the keyboard; and

an input device that is manipulable by a user in the first and second configurations to place the camera in an operational mode.

13. A mobile communications device as described in claim 12, further comprising one or more modules that provide telephonic functionality.

14. A mobile communications device as described in claim 12, further comprising one or more modules that are configured to:

display text on the display device; and

change orientation of the display of the text with respect to the first housing when in the second configuration in comparison with the first configuration.

15. A mobile communications device comprising first and second housings that are moveable with respect to each other in a plurality of configurations such that:

an orientation of a display device on the first housing rotates with respect to the second housing; and

an orientation of text displayed on the display device of the first housing with respect to the second housing matches in at least two said configurations.

16. A mobile communications device as described in claim 15, wherein the orientation of text displayed on the display device of the first housing remains orientated with respect to the second housing for at least three said configurations.

17. A mobile communications device as described in claim 15, wherein the orientation of text displayed on the display device of the first housing does not remain orientated with respect to the second housing for at least one said configuration.

18. A mobile communications device as described in claim 15, further comprising one or more modules that provide telephonic functionality.

19. A mobile communications device as described in claim 15, further comprising:

a camera disposed on an opposing side of the second housing from the keyboard; and

an input device that is manipulable by a user in first and second said configurations to place the camera in an operational mode.

20. A mobile communications device as described in claim 15, wherein:

the first housing is approximately square; and

the second housing is approximately square and is rotatable with respect to the first housing, at respective corners of the first and second housings, to form the plurality of configurations.