Portable electronic terminal apparatus having a plurality of displays

• US 6,297,945 B1
• Filed: 03/29/2000
• Issued: 10/02/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/1999
• Status: Expired

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Katsuhisa
• Primary Examiner(s): Picard, Leo P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Duong, Hung Van
• Application Number:
  US09/537,265
• Time in Patent Office: 552 Days
• Field of Search: 351/681, 351/682, 248/917, 345/169, 345/905, 312/223.1, 312/1.6, 312/223, 312/7, 312/2, 455/450
• US Class Current: 361/679.04
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1647 including at least an additional display G06F1/1692 takes precedence
• 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 1/725 Cordless telephones user interfaces specially adapted therefor H04M1/724
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/16 including more than one display unit
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 345/905 Display device with housing structure

Abstract

A portable electronic terminal apparatus includes a main body, an information input mechanism, a plurality of displays, a communications mechanism, and a flip panel. The main body has a hollow section. The information input mechanism inputs various kinds of information including data and instructions. Each of the displays shows the various kinds of information input through the input mechanism. The communications mechanism transmits and receives the various kinds of information input through the input mechanism. The flip panel is movably mounted on the main body and is configured to rotate to open and close about a side edge portion of the flip panel. This flip panel is retracted in the hollow section of the main body when the flip panel is closed. In addition, one of the displays is mounted on the flip panel.

Claims

1. A portable electronic terminal apparatus, comprising:

a main body having a hollow section;

an information input mechanism by which information including data and instructions can be input;

a plurality of displays which display said input information on a plurality of display screens;

a communications mechanism which transmits and receives said input information; and

a flip panel movably mounted on said main body and configured to rotatably open and close about a side edge portion of said flip panel, said flip panel being retracted into said hollow section of said main body when closed,

wherein one of said plurality of displays is mounted on a side of said flip panel display screen that is exposed when closed.

2. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein another one of said plurality of displays is mounted on a surface in said hollow section of said main body.

3. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein another one of said plurality of displays is mounted on another side of said flip panel.

4. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, each of said plurality of displays is a polymer-film liquid crystal display.

5. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said plurality of displays are selectively used by a user instruction input through said information input mechanism.

6. The apparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein said one of said plurality of displays operates when said flip panel is closed, and said other one of said plurality of displays operates when said flip panel is opened.

7. A portable electronic terminal apparatus, comprising:

a main body having a hollow section;

an information input mechanism by which information including data and instructions can be input;

display means for displaying a plurality of displays of said input information on a plurality of display screens;

a communications mechanism which transmits and receives said input information; and

flip panel means for movably mounted on said main body and for rotatably opening and closing about a side edge portion of a flip panel, said flip panel being retracted into said hollow section of said main body when closed,

wherein one of said plurality of display means is mounted on a side of said flip panel display screen that is exposed when closed.

8. The apparatus as defined in claim 7, wherein another one of said plurality of display means is mounted on a surface in said hollow section of said main body.

9. The apparatus as defined in claim 7, wherein another one of said plurality of display means is mounted on another side of said flip panel.

10. The apparatus as defined in claim 7, each of said plurality of display means is a polymer-film liquid crystal display.

11. The apparatus as defined in claim 7, wherein said plurality of display means are selectively used by a user instruction input through said information input mechanism.

12. The apparatus as defined in claim 9, wherein said one of said plurality of display means operates when said flip panel is closed, and said other one of said plurality of display means operates when said flip panel is opened.