JPH11187098A - Folding type portable communication equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable communication without opening a casing at the time of call incoming. SOLUTION: Folding type portable communication equipment 1 is composed of an upper casing 2 and a lower casing 3, and the upper and lower casings 2 and 3 are mutually linked so as to be folded by a hinge part 4. The upper casing 2 is provided with a reception part and an information display part on the inside and its side part is equipped with a scroll operating part 7 for controlling the scroll of display contents on the information display part. Besides, the lower casing 3 is provided with a key operating part and a transmission part on the inside. Then, the upper casing 2 is provided with a reception part 10 and a transmission part 11 on the back. With the portable communication equipment 1 folded, the scroll operating part 7 functions as an off-hook operating part and an on-hook operating part. When an incoming call is received with the portable communication equipment 1 folded, a user responds to the telephone call by performing the off-hook operation while pushing the scroll operating part 7 without opening the portable communication equipment 1 and performs communication through the reception part 10 and the transmission part 11.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a foldable portable radio communication device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, portable wireless communication devices represented by portable telephones (hereinafter also referred to as portable communication devices) have been increasingly miniaturized in order to enhance portability. However, as the size of the device is reduced, the size of the key operation unit, the information display unit, and the like is reduced, so that operability has become a problem. In order to solve this problem, a structure has been proposed in which the device is composed of multiple housings that are small when not in use and easy to operate when in use, and these housings are connected by hinges and can be folded. Proposed.

FIG. 4 shows an example of this type of foldable portable communication device. The portable communication device 101 includes an upper casing 1.
02 and the lower housing 103 are hingedly connected to each other via a hinge 104. The upper housing 102 includes a receiver 105 and an information display unit 106, and the lower housing 1
03 is provided with a transmission unit 107 and a key operation unit 108.

[0004]

However, when the portable wireless communication device 101 is folded and closed, the receiving unit 105 and the transmitting unit 107 are hidden. Can not. In particular, since the mobile phone is normally folded in the standby mode, when an incoming call comes in, the operation of opening the upper housing 102 must be performed. It was extremely inconvenient. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve such a problem, the present invention provides a foldable portable communication device that allows a user to make a call without having to open the housing when an incoming call is received.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention comprises first and second housings, and the first and second housings are connected to each other by a hinge so that they can swing. The first and second housings can be swung about the hinge portion so that the inner surfaces of the first and second housings can be folded to abut or substantially abut each other. A portable wireless communication device, wherein a first receiver, a first transmitter, an off-hook operation unit, and an on-hook operation unit are provided on a surface of the communication device which is exposed in a folded state. Is provided. In the foldable portable communication device of the present invention, a first reception unit, a first transmission unit, an off-hook operation unit, and an on-hook operation unit are provided on a surface of the communication device that is exposed in a folded state. Therefore, it is possible to perform an off-hook operation without opening the first and second housings when an incoming call is received, and to make a call through the first receiving unit and the first transmitting unit.

[0006]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described based on embodiments with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a foldable portable communication device according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a state where the foldable portable communication device of FIG. 1 is opened.
As shown in FIG. 2, the foldable portable communication device 1 of the present embodiment is specifically a mobile phone as an example, and includes an upper housing 2 (a first housing according to the present invention) and a lower housing. 3 (a second housing according to the present invention), and the upper housing 2 and the lower housing 3 are connected to each other by a hinge 4 so as to be swingable. FIG. 2 shows a state in which the foldable portable communication device 1 is opened. On the other hand, FIG. 1 shows an example in which the upper housing 2 is swung around a hinge portion 4 so that the inner portions of the upper housing 2 and the lower housing 3 are rotated. It shows a state in which the surfaces 14 are folded until they abut (or nearly abut) each other.

The upper housing 2 has a receiving section 5 (a second receiving section according to the present invention) and an information display section 6 on its inner surface 14.
And a scroll operation unit 7 for controlling the scroll of the display content of the information display unit 6 on the side.
The lower housing 3 has a key operation unit 8 and a transmission unit 9 (a second transmission unit according to the present invention) on the inner surface 14. Then, as shown in FIG.
That is, the receiver 10 (first receiver according to the present invention) and the transmitter 11 (first transmitter according to the present invention) are provided on the surface opposite to the inner surface 14. In this embodiment, the scroll operation unit 7 functions as an off-hook operation unit and an on-hook operation unit when the foldable portable communication device 1 is folded.

Next, the operation of the foldable portable communication device of the present invention will be described. When making a call, the user keeps the foldable portable communication device 1 open as shown in FIG. 2 as before, operates the key operation unit 8 to make a call, receives a call, and receives a call. A call is made through the talker 9. Also, when receiving a call, when the foldable portable communication device 1 is in the open state, the user performs an off-hook operation on the key operation unit 8 to call the telephone as shown in FIG. In response, a call is made through the receiver 5 and the transmitter 9. On the other hand, when a call is received while the foldable portable communication device 1 is folded (FIG. 1), the user presses the scroll operation unit 7 to perform an off-hook operation without opening the foldable portable communication device 1. To answer the telephone call and make a call through the receiver 10 and the transmitter 11. When the call is finished, the on-hook operation is performed by the scroll operation unit 7.

Therefore, in this embodiment, even when the foldable portable communication device 1 is folded at the time of an incoming call, the user can immediately perform an off-hook operation without opening the foldable portable communication device 1. The user can make a call through the receiver 10 and the transmitter 11. Also,
When making a call, the user can operate the key operation unit 8 with the foldable portable communication device 1 opened to make a call.
It is also possible to make a call through the receiver 10 and the transmitter 11 with the foldable portable communication device 1 folded. In this case, there is no possibility of erroneously operating the key operation unit 8 during a call, and as a result, the user can concentrate on the call.

The present invention has been described based on the embodiments. However, this is merely an example, and the present invention can be implemented in various forms without being limited to this example. For example, the positions of the receiving unit 10 and the transmitting unit 11 may be different from the rear surface of the upper housing 2 and the rear surface of the lower housing 3 or the upper surface as long as a call can be made with the foldable portable communication device 1 folded. It is also possible to dispose it on the side of the housing 2 or the lower housing 3. Further, in the present embodiment, the scroll operation unit 7 serves as the off-hook operation unit and the on-hook operation unit. However, it is of course possible to provide the off-hook operation unit and the on-hook operation unit separately from the scroll operation unit 7. Further, in the case where a recording / reproducing unit (not shown) for recording a call and reproducing the recorded call is provided as in the foldable portable communication device 20 shown in the perspective view of FIG. Control recording start and end,
It is also effective to arrange the recording / playback operation unit 12 for operating the start and end of playback on the side of the upper housing 2 or the like as in the case of the scroll operation unit 7. Even when the portable mobile communication device 20 is folded, it is possible to record and reproduce a call. Therefore, in the foldable portable communication device 20, the user performs an off-hook operation or an on-hook operation with the scroll operation unit 7 in a state where the foldable portable communication device 20 is folded, and furthermore, the transmission unit 11 and the reception unit 10 Can be used to record and play back the call, if necessary.

[0011]

As described above, in the foldable portable communication device of the present invention, the first receiver, the first transmitter, and the off-hook are provided on the surface of the communication device which is exposed in the folded state. Since the operation unit and the on-hook operation unit are provided, even when the first and second housings are folded at the time of an incoming call, an off-hook operation is performed immediately without any change, and the first reception unit and the first reception unit Can make a call through the transmission unit of. Also, when making a call, dial operation is performed with the foldable portable communication device opened, and after connection, the foldable portable communication device is folded and placed in the first position.
It is also possible to make a call through the receiver and the first transmitter. In that case, there is no possibility of erroneously operating various operation keys provided on the inner surfaces of the first and second housings, and as a result, the user can concentrate on the call. .

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a foldable portable communication device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a state in which the foldable portable communication device of FIG. 1 is opened.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing another example of the foldable portable communication device according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing an example of a conventional foldable portable communication device.

[Explanation of symbols]

1. Foldable portable communication device, 2. Upper housing, 3.
Lower housing, 4 hinge part, 7 scroll operation unit,
10: receiving section, 11: transmitting section.

Claims (6)

[Claims] The first and second housings are swingably connected to each other by a hinge portion, and the first and second housings are connected to each other by the hinge. A portable wireless communication device capable of swinging around a portion to fold the inner surfaces of the first and second housings into or out of contact with each other, in a folded state. A first receiving unit, a first transmitting unit, an off-hook operating unit,
A foldable portable communication device comprising an on-hook operation unit. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first receiving section and the first transmitting section are provided on a surface of the first or second housing opposite to the inner surface. The foldable portable communication device according to claim 1. 3. The foldable portable communication device according to claim 1, wherein the off-hook operation unit and the on-hook operation unit are provided on a side of the first or second housing. 4. A recording / reproducing means for recording a call and reproducing the recorded call, a recording / reproducing operation unit for controlling the recording / reproducing means to start and end recording, and to start and end reproduction. 2. The foldable portable communication device according to claim 1, wherein the recording / playback operation unit is provided on a surface of the communication device that is exposed in a folded state. 5. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a second receiver on the inner surface of the first housing, and a second transmitter on the inner surface of the second housing. The foldable portable communication device according to claim 1. 6. An information display unit disposed on the inner surface of the first or second housing, and a scroll operation unit for controlling scrolling of display contents of the information display unit, The foldable portable communication device according to claim 3, wherein the scroll operation unit is provided on a side portion of the first or second housing and serves also as the off-hook operation unit and the on-hook operation unit. Machine.