Display device and portable terminal apparatus

• US 7,197,338 B2
• Filed: 06/18/2003
• Issued: 03/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Ozawa, Ryo
• Primary Examiner(s): Urban; Edward F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): JACKSON, BLANE J
• Application Number:
  US10/463,588
• Publication Number:
  US 20030234897A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,378 Days
• Field of Search: 466/566, 466/575.1, 466/550.1, 466/575.3, 466/575.4, 466/90.2, 466/90.3, 349/56, 349/61, 349/62, 349/68
• US Class Current: 455/566
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133342 for double-sided displays
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133555 Transflectors
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133615 Edge-illuminating devices, i.e. illuminating from the side
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1347 Arrangement of liquid crystal layers or cells in which the final condition of one light beam is achieved by the addition of the effects of two or more layers or cells
• 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 1/0235 Slidable or telescopic telephones, i.e. with a relative translation movement of the body parts; Telephones using a combination of translation and other relative motions of the body parts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0245 using open/close detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/22 Illumination; Arrangements for improving the visibility of characters on dials
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/16 including more than one display unit
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/027 by controlling a display operation or backlight unit
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A display device includes a main LCD, a sub LCD, and a backlight. The main LCD displays information. The sub LCD is arranged to make its rear surface oppose that of the main LCD to display information different from that of the main LCD. The backlight illuminates the main LCD and sub LCD. A portable terminal apparatus is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A portable terminal apparatus comprising:

transmission/reception means for transmitting/receiving a signal;

operation means for performing input;

first display means for displaying information;

second display means, arranged to make a rear surface oppose that of said first display means, for displaying information different from that of said first display means;

one illumination means for illuminating said first display means and second display means;

a housing which can change to obtain a form in which said first display means is covered while said second display means is exposed and a form in which both said first display means and second display means are exposed, said first display means and second display means are illuminated with transmission light from said illumination means;

detection means for detecting whether said first display means is covered; and

illumination control means for controlling a power supply amount to said illumination means on the basis of a signal from said detection means,

wherein said illumination means comprises

a plurality of lighting means arranged at positions outside the through hole of said illumination means, and

light guide means for guiding light from said plurality of lighting means to entire surfaces of said first display means and second display means, and

wherein said illumination control means controls to supply power to only substantially half of said plurality of lighting means in ascending order of distance from the display surface of said second display means on the basis of a signal from said detection means.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said housing comprises

a display-side terminal main body having said first display means and second display means,

an operation-side terminal main body having operation buttons, and

hinge means for connecting said display-side terminal main body and operation-side terminal main body to open or close said terminal main bodies such that said terminal main bodies are folded while making said first display means oppose said operation buttons.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said housing comprises

a display-side terminal main body having said first display means and second display means,

an operation-side terminal main body having operation buttons, and

slide means arranged on one of said display-side terminal main body and operation-side terminal main body, and

slidable support means, arranged on the other of said display-side terminal main body and operation-side terminal main body, for slidably supporting said slide means.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said detection means comprises

a magnet arranged on said housing, and

a magnetic sensing switch which detects on the basis of a distance to said magnet whether a covered state is set.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a support which supports said first display means and illumination means from one surface and said second display means from the other surface and has a through hole through which an entire display surface of said second display means is illuminated with said illumination means, and

wherein a size of the display surface of said second display means is smaller than that of said first display means in vertical and horizontal directions, and

said illumination means is arranged between said first display means and said support to illuminate the entire display surface of said first display means.

6. A portable terminal apparatus, comprising:

a housing;

a signal transmission/reception section within said housing;

an operation section within said housing;

a first liquid crystal display;

a second liquid crystal display facing a surface opposed to that of said first liquid display, said second liquid crystal display displaying information different from that of said first liquid crystal display;

a single illumination means for illuminating said first liquid crystal display and said second liquid crystal display; and

a support within said housing which supports said first liquid crystal display and said illumination means from a first surface and supports said second liquid crystal display from a second surface so that said second liquid crystal display is spaced apart from said illumination means,

wherein said housing is changeable between a first form in which said first liquid crystal display is covered while said second liquid crystal display is exposed and a second form in which both said first crystal display and said second liquid crystal display are exposed,

wherein a size of the display surface of said second liquid crystal display is smaller than that of said first liquid crystal display in vertical and horizontal directions, and

wherein said illumination means is between said first liquid crystal display and said first surface of said support to illuminate the entire display surface of said first liquid crystal display.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising a detector that detects whether said first liquid crystal display is covered.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising an illumination controller that adjusts a power supply amount to said illumination means on the basis of a signal from said detector.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said illumination means comprises:

a plurality of lights arranged at positions outside the through hole of said illumination means, and

light guides that guide light from said plurality of lights to entire surfaces of said first liquid crystal display and said second liquid crystal display.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said illumination controller supplies power to only a predetermined one of said plurality of lights on the basis of a signal from said detector.