Display with icon row

• US 6,236,443 B1
• Filed: 02/03/1998
• Issued: 05/22/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nokia Mobile Phones UK Limited (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Mobile Phones UK Limited (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Carlsen, Sten
• Primary Examiner(s): Sikes, William L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, DUNG T
• Application Number:
  US09/017,826
• Time in Patent Office: 1,204 Days
• Field of Search: 349/68, 349/139, 349/142, 349/143, 345/127, 345/128, 345/131
• US Class Current: 349/143
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2310/0221 with use of split matrices G09G3/3644 and G09G3/3666 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/0407 Resolution change, inclusive of the use of different resolutions for different screen areas
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/20 for presentation of an assembly of a number of characters, e.g. a page, by composing the assembly by combination of individual elements arranged in a matrix no fixed position being assigned to or needed to be assigned to the individual characters or partial characters
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0295 Mechanical mounting details of display modules
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/247 Telephone sets including user guidance or feature selection means facilitating their use user interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones H04M1/724

Abstract

A display of dot matrix type is used in a portable telephone. The display is divided into a primary display area to show alphanumeric signs and the like, and into an icon area to show predetermined icons. Both display areas show signs by selectively marking a plurality of dots. The primary display area (the dot matrix area) is a so-called graphic display, in which the dots are regular and may be combined to form arbitrary signs. In the icon display area, the dots are shaped according to the icons. The dots are hereby icon-specific, and their irregular shape occurs in practice by slitting the icon concerned in the transverse direction. The icon area will hereby electrically serve as one or more edge rows in the dot matrix area.

Claims

1. A display of a dot matrix type, comprising a voltage-sensitive medium in connection with primary and secondary groups of intersecting conductive paths,

wherein an optical state of the voltage-sensitive medium is changed locally to form a plurality of dot areas when a voltage difference is established by means of said intersecting, conductive paths,

wherein a first group of said dot areas is arranged in a substantially uniform pattern of dots to form a primary display area to display alphanumeric signs,

wherein a second group of said dot areas is arranged in a predetermined pattern to form an icon area to display predetermined icons, a first display dimension of the dot areas of the second group in one direction being substantially a same size as a first display dimension of the dot areas of the first group in the primary display area, and a second display dimension of the dot areas of the second group being adapted to the shape of the icons in another direction,

wherein the primary group of conductive paths passes through both the primary display area and the icon area forming the alphanumeric signs in the primary display area and the icons in the icon area, while at least one conductive path of said secondary group of conductive paths passes through the icon area without passing through the primary display area,

wherein the conductive paths of the primary group of conductive paths passing through both the primary display area and the icon area are integrated into the second group of dot areas, and

wherein the conductive paths of the primary group of conductive paths passing through both the primary display area and the icon area are formed as straight paths passing through an entire active display area constituted by said primary display area and said icon area.

2. A display according to claim 1, wherein the icon area comprises a line of dots, and wherein the second display dimension of a group of dots in the icon area transverse to the line corresponds to a size of an icon which may displayed by the group of dots.

3. A display according to claim 1, wherein the primary group of conductive paths between the primary display area and an associated driver pass through the icon area.

4. A display according to claim 1, wherein the icon area is handled electrically as a dot line of the primary display area.

5. A display according to claim 1, wherein the conductors in the primary and secondary groups of conductive paths are arranged as respective parallel paths, wherein intersection points between two of the conductors from the primary and secondary groups of conductive paths, respectively, form electrodes, and wherein the voltage-sensitive medium is disposed between the paths of the two groups of conductive paths.

6. A display according to claim 1 wherein a majority of the conductive paths of the primary group of the conductive paths pass through the icon area for forming the second group of the dot areas.

7. A display comprising an optical layer, an optical state thereof being sensitive to a potential difference across the layer, and conductive electrodes connected to the optical layer for providing the potential difference, the display having a first region providing a substantially regular matrix capable of displaying images in dependence on the local potential difference across the optical layer at respective elements of the matrix and a second icon region for displaying predetermined icons, icons in the icon region being formed from discrete regions aligned in a direction with respective rows or respective columns of the matrix, the discrete regions taking the form of the icon to be displayed along the direction of alignment, wherein a dimension of the discrete regions transverse to the direction being a same size as a dimension transverse to the direction of the respective row or column of the matrix, wherein a primary group of the conductive electrodes pass through both the first and second regions for forming the images in the first region and the icons in the second region, wherein the conductive paths of the primary group of conductive paths passing through both the first and second regions are integrated into the discrete regions in the second icon region, and wherein the conductive paths of the primary group of conductive paths passing through both the first and second regions are formed as straight paths passing through an entire active display area constituted by said first and second regions.

8. A portable telephone comprising a dot matrix display comprising a voltage-sensitive medium in connection with primary and secondary groups of intersecting, conductive paths,

wherein an optical state of the voltage-sensitive medium is changed locally to form a plurality of dot areas when a voltage difference is established by means of said intersecting conductive paths,

wherein a first group of said dot areas is arranged in a substantially uniform pattern of dots to form a primary display area to display alphanumeric signs,

wherein a second group of said dot areas is arranged in a predetermined pattern to form an icon area to display predetermined icons, a first display dimension of the dot areas of the second group in one direction being a same size as a first display dimension of the dot areas of the first group size in the primary display area, and a second display dimension of the dot areas of the second group being adapted to the shape of the icons in another direction,

wherein said primary group of conductive paths passes through both the primary display area and the icon area forming the alphanumeric signs in the primary display area and the icons in the icon area, while at least one conductive path of said secondary group of conductive paths passes solely through the icon area,

wherein the conductive paths of the primary group of conductive paths passing through both the primary display area and the icon area are integrated into the second group of dot areas, and

wherein the conductive paths of the primary group of conductive paths passing through both the primary display area and the icon area are formed as straight paths passing through an entire active display area constituted by said primary display area and said icon area.