CELLULAR PHONE APPARATUS

• US 20110237307A1
• Filed: 10/08/2009
• Published: 09/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Tanaka, Motoshi
• Application Number:
  US13/124,678
• Publication Number:
  US 20110237307A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/566
• 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 1/233 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 2250/18 including more than one keyboard unit

Abstract

Cursor keys and enter keys are smoothly operated with both hands. Cellular phone apparatus 1 includes image display surface 3, first enter key 6a that is located on operation surface 10, at least four cursor keys 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d for moving a cursor in any desired direction on the operation surface, the cursor keys being located on the operation surface such that the cursor keys surround the first enter key, and second enter key 6b that is located outside virtual annular line c that connects four cursor keys 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d on operation surface 10.

Claims

1. A cellular phone apparatus comprising:

an image display surface;

a first enter key that is located on an operation surface;

at least four cursor keys for moving a cursor in any desired direction on the image display surface, the cursor keys being located on the operation surface such that the cursor keys surround the first enter key; and

a second enter key that is located outside a virtual annular line, the virtual annular line connecting the four cursor keys on the operation surface.

2. The cellular phone apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a distance between a cursor key that is closest to the second enter key among the at least four cursor keys and the second enter key is larger than a distance between a cursor key that is farthest from the first enter key among the at least four cursor keys and the first enter key.

3. The cellular phone apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for inactivating key functions that temporarily inactivates functions of either the first enter key or the second enter key.

4. The cellular phone apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for allocating a second enter key that selectively allocates one key out of two keys as the second enter key, the two keys being located on both sides with respect to an axis that connects a center of the image display surface and a center of the operation surface, respectively,

wherein the second enter key is one of the two keys, the one being allocated by the means for allocating the second enter key.

5. The cellular phone apparatus according to claim 1, wherein one second enter key is provided on one side and another second enter key is provided on the other side with respect to an axis that connects a center of the image display surface and a center of the operation surface.