Classifications

• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M1/00—Substation equipment, e.g. for use by subscribers
  • H04M1/02—Constructional features of telephone sets
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M1/00—Substation equipment, e.g. for use by subscribers
  • H04M1/02—Constructional features of telephone sets
  • H04M1/0202—Portable telephone sets, e.g. cordless phones, mobile phones or bar type handsets
  • H04M1/0206—Portable telephones comprising a plurality of mechanically joined movable body parts, e.g. hinged housings
  • H04M1/0208—Portable telephones comprising a plurality of mechanically joined movable body parts, e.g. hinged housings characterized by the relative motions of the body parts
  • H04M1/0214—Foldable telephones, i.e. with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M2250/00—Details of telephonic subscriber devices
  • H04M2250/22—Details of telephonic subscriber devices including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector

Definitions

• the present invention is related to a cellular handheld telecommunications device, and more specifically to the type of cellular handheld telecommunications device where the device is contained in a first and a second part of a housing with the second part of the housing being connected to the first part of the housing by a hinge means such that the first and second parts of the housing can be folded together or unfolded.
• one part of the housing contains all the essential components (transceiver, battery, keypad, display, microphone, speaker, battery, antenna etc.), while the second part of the housing only serves as a lid or cover of the keypad.
• the second part of the housing is basically provided for cosmetic reasons and does not serve as a containment for components.
• the two halves of the housing entirely conceal the keypad and the display.
• the device is relatively bulky and its shape is not very ergonomic.
• Yet another type of models also has two halves that form the housing. However, in the closed position of the two halves, the display (and the keypad) is not visible. Moreover, the battery is integrated into the upper half of the housing which - in the opened use position - is held against the ear of the user. Thus, this device is relatively unbalanced due to a high centre of gravity. Moreover, in this device, the (extractable) antenna is provided in the lower (other) half of the housing, also resulting in cumbersome handling.
• the problem underlying the present invention is to provide a cellular handheld telecommunications device which is more user friendly and more ergonomic than the prior art devices.
• a cellular handheld telecommunications device having a first and a second part of a housing
• the second part of the housing is connected to the first part of the housing by a hinge means such that the first and second parts of the housing can be folded together or unfolded
• the first part of the housing contains a microphone to receive voice energy, a transceiver to transmit/receive voice and/or data signals to/from a cellular base station, a keypad to enter control commands to control the operation of the device and/or to enter alphanumerical data to determine a party to be called and/or to generate a message to be sent to a party to be called, an alphanumerical display to display alphanumerical data related to a control command entered via said keypad or to a message to be sent or received, a battery to provide electrial power to the components of said device, and the second part of the housing contains a speaker to emit received voice signals, and an rf antenna to transceive rf energy, and the second
• the display is (at least) partly visible, so that incoming messages or the like are readily visible.
• the battery is provided in the same part of the housing as the transceiver, there is no requirement for a flexible (rotatable) power line connecting the two parts of the housing.
• the weight distribution between the two halves of the device is more convenient for the user since in use, the "heavier" half (containing the battery, the keypad, the display and the microphone) lies in the palm of the user's hand.
• the rf energy transmission and reception is improved over a design, where the antenna is virtually surrounded by the user' hand and head.
• the second part of the housing is dimensioned such that when the first and second parts of the housing are folded together, the keypad is at least partly accessible.
• This feature allows for an easy access to the functionality of the device. While in prior art devices having two halves, the user must open the device in order to operate the keypad, the invention allows to operate the keypad (enter messages, edit the telephone directory in the device, select menu items provided in the device etc.) without having to open it. Hence, the device can be put on a table in its closed (less prominent) position while still allowing to access (at least a part of) its features.
• a special key e.g. a cross switch
• the software in the device controlling the menu and its functions is so designed that the user has all options available by selectively operating this special key.
• the keypad is (at least partly) designed as a part of a touch screen. Hence, relevant functions of the device are accessible while the device is in its closed (Standby) mode of operation.
• the second part of the housing contains an rf shielding to protect a user's head against rf radiation when the device is held at user's head with the first and second parts of the housing unfolded. While this feature is relatively difficult to achieve in a device where the antenna is in the part of the housing containing all relevant parts of the telephone, the device according to the invention allows for this option very easily.
• a conventional rod type antenna could be provided the first part of the housing and rf shielding in the second part of the housing provides some protection against radiation into the user's head.
• the present invention teaches that the hinge means connecting the first and second parts of the housing is formed by two joints, and that the joints are provided at two opposite walls of the first and second parts of the housing, respectively.
• one of said joints comprises a rotatable rf connection to connect said rf antenna and said transceiver, and another of said joints comprises a rotatable electrical connection to connect said speaker and said transceiver.
• the rotatable rf connection can be formed by a coaxial male/female rf coupling.
• the connection for the speaker can be formed in a similar manner.
• Fig. 1 is a schematic top view of the cellular handheld telecommunications device according to the present invention in its opened state.
• Fig. 2 is a schematic side view of the cellular handheld telecommunications device of Fig. 1.
• Fig. 3 is a schematic top view of the cellular handheld telecommunications device of Fig. 1 in its closed state.
• Fig. 4 is a schematic side view of the cellular handheld telecommunications device of Fig. 3.
• the drawings show a cellular handheld telecommunications device which is mounted in a a first part (10) and a second part (12) of a housing.
• the second part (12) of the housing is connected to the first part (10) of the housing by a hinge (14, 16).
• the first and second parts (10, 12) of the housing can be folded together (as shown in Fig. 3 and 4) or unfolded (as shown in Fig. 1 and 3).
• the first and second parts (10, 12) of the housing have a generally rectangular shape and the hinge 14, 16 connects the first and second parts (10, 12) of the housing at a short edge of the two halves (10, 12), respectively.
• the shapes of the first and second parts (10, 12) respectively are more rounded or oval.
• the first part (10) of the housing contains a microphone (18) to receive voice energy from a user, a transceiver (not shown in the Figs.) to transmit/receive voice and/or data signals to/from a cellular base station, a keypad (20) to enter control commands to control the operation of the device and/or to enter alphanumerical data to determine a party to be called and/or to generate a message to be sent to a party to be called, and an alphanumerical display (24) to display alphanumerical data related to a control command entered via said keypad or to a message to be sent or received.
• a battery (22) is removably attached to the first part (10) of the device to provide electrial power to the components of the device.
• the second part (12) of the housing contains a speaker (26) to emit voice signals received by the transceiver, and an rf antenna (28) to transceive rf energy.
• the second part (12) of the housing is provided with a cutout (30) having essentially the size and the shape of the display (24).
• a cutout (30) having essentially the size and the shape of the display (24).
• the second part (12) of the housing is dimensioned and shaped such that when the first and second parts (10, 12) of the housing are folded together, a cross-switch (34) of the keypad (20) is accessible. This is achieved by an opening (32) in the second part (12) of the housing allowing the cross-switch (34) of the keypad (20) to project through through the second part (12) of the housing.
• the second part (12) of the housing contains an rf shielding (40) provided adjacent to the wall (42) of the second part (12) of the housing which in use is oriented towards the user's head.
• the user's head is at least partially protected against rf radiation when the device is held at user's head with the first and second parts (10, 12) of the housing unfolded.
• the hinge (14, 16) which connects the first and second parts (10, 12) of the housing is formed by two joints which are provided at two opposite walls (46, 48; 50, 52) of the second part and of the first part of the housing, respectively.
• One of said joints (16) (the right joint in Fig. 1) comprises a rotatable rf connection to connect the rf antenna 28 and the transceiver.
• the other of the joints (14) the left joint in Fig. 1) comprises a rotatable electrical connection to connect the speaker 26 and said transceiver.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Signal Processing (AREA)
• Telephone Set Structure (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=10807610

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (4)

Families Citing this family (15)

Family Cites Families (7)

• 1997
  • 1997-10-31 AU AU47902/97A patent/AU4790297A/en not_active Withdrawn
  • 1997-10-31 WO PCT/GB1997/003010 patent/WO1999023800A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1997-10-31 EP EP97910558A patent/EP1027799A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 1997-10-31 KR KR1020007004460A patent/KR20010031429A/ko not_active Application Discontinuation

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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