GB2227350A

GB2227350A - Paging receiver display

Info

Publication number: GB2227350A
Application number: GB8901239A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Peter Peters; William Charles Croft
Original assignee: Multitone Electronics PLC
Current assignee: Multitone Electronics PLC
Priority date: 1989-01-20
Filing date: 1989-01-20
Publication date: 1990-07-25
Also published as: GB8901239D0

Abstract

A paging receiver includes an arrangement e.g. a flap 12 for concealing and protecting a display 16 and movable between positions respectively concealing and enabling reading the display. The flap may be pivotable about an edge and having the display disposed on one face thereof. Alternatively it may include a mirror for reflecting an inverted display formed in the depression 14 of the housing. The display may be of a received signal or of stored data interrogated by the user. A slidable cover portion may be provided in place of the flap. <IMAGE>

Description

DISPLAY PAGING RECEIVERS This invention relates to display paging receivers, that is to paging receivers provided with a display.

It is known for paging receivers (pagers) to be provided with a display such that paged information can be readily read from the display. The display-is, in many cases, disposed on the top or end face of the pager, together with other user interface elements such as control buttons, sound producing means and the like. This has the advantage of grouping all the user interface elements together.

However, the space available on the top face is limited, and thus it is only possible to provide a relatively small display. In other cases, the display is provided on the front face of the pager, leaving the top face free for the other facilities. This allows for bigger and/or more display characters to be accommodated, but has the disadvantage that, when the receiver is worn, for example, on a belt, the display window is vulnerable to being scratched or otherwise damaged by brushing against waist-hig objects. Another disadvantage is that any received messages are readily visible to other people.

According to the present invention there is provided a paging receiver provided with a display, the receiver including means for concealing and protecting the display, the means being movable from a secure position concealing the display to a display reading position.

In one arrar.gement, the concealing and protecting means is in the form of a portion of the housing such as a lid or flap which can be hinged away from the remainder of the housing to reveal the display.

The display can be on the flap itself, or on the portion of the housing left exposed when the flap is opened. In the latter case, the exposed side of the flap can be made reflective to facilitate reading of the display from the top of the pager; if this feature is provided, it is necessary to reverse the information shown on the display in order that it can be read correctly via the reflective flap arrangement. When the flap is arranged to hinge away from a major face of the pager, the display area can be larger than that of a top mounted display pager while retaining the advantage that the display can be readily seen even if the pager is attached to a belt or the like.

In another arrangement, the pager housing has a top portion which can slide away from the remainder of the housing to reveal the display which is located beneath the top portion in its closed or secure position.

In both of these arrangements, the display is protected from damage when the concealing and protecting means is in its secure position. Also, message security is provided since a message cannot be seen by others without the user first having chosen to reveal the display.

The invention will now be further described, by way of illustrative and non-limiting example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a pager according to one embodiment of this invention; and Figures 2A and 2B are perspective views of a pager according to another embodiment of this invention, respectively in closed and open states.

Referring to Figure 1, a pager according to one embodiment of the invention includes a housing 10 with a display flap 12 pivotally attached to the housing 10 so that, in a closed position (not shown), the display flap 12 fits into a complementary depression 14 formed in the housing 10. When the display flap 12 is in its closed position, it preferably fits in the depression 14 so as to be flush with the housing 10. The display flap 12 is arranged to pivot about an axis A-A substantially coincident with one of its edges, thereby providing a hinged movement.

In one arrangement, as shown in Figure 1, the inner face of the display flap 12 carries a display 16 which is connected by means of a flexible multi-way strip (not shown) or the like to the pager circuitry within the housing 10.

The housing 10 also includes user interface means such as control buttons, sound producing means and similar, but these are not shown in the interests of simplicity. They will generally be grouped on the top of the pager.

In use, the pager is normally maintained in the closed state with the display flap 12 in the depression 14 so as to be flush with the housing. The display 16 is then protected from damage and also concealed. If a message is received and the user alerted such as by an audible signal, or if the user wishes to interrogate the pager for stored data, the display flap 12 is opened to the position shown in Figure 1. Even if the pager is being worn on a belt or the like, the display 16 will be readily visible, since the line of sight is similar to that of a top mounted display pager. The display flap 12 need not be very thick and will therefore not detract significantly from the space available on the pager top for the controls and similar.

In another arrangement, a flap similar to the display flap 12 shown in Figure 1 is used. However, in this case the display is not mounted on the flap but in the depression 14. Thus protection and concealment of the display is still achieved. An advantage of this arrangement is that a flexible electrical connector is no longer required. If it is desired to provide ready visibility from the top, such as when belt mounting is used, a reflective surface such as a mirror can be provided on the inner face of the flap. The display will then be reflected in the mirror so as to be visible from the top.

Since the display will be reversed when seen in the mirror, means are required to reverse the message shown on the display so that the message can be read correctly via the mirror. That is, any displayed characters should be reversed in order and each individual character should be back to front so as to produce a full mirror image. This can be achieved by suitable alteration of the display signal processing, such as by reading stored message information from the message memory in the reverse order to that used normally.

The pager shown in Figure 1 (and also its modification having the display within the depression rather than on the flap) can be used in either belt-worn or pocket-worn configurations if fitted with a reversible clip. The clip is fitted on the rear face (the face opposite the flap) when the pager is to be mounted on a belt, or fitted on the front face underneath the flap when the pager is to be carried in the top pocket of a shirt, jacket or the like.

Figures 2A and 2B show a pager according to another embodiment of the invention. The pager includes a housing 20 and a top portion 22 arranged for sliding movement with respect to the housing. In a closed state, as shown in Figure 2A, the top portion 22 fits flush with the housing 20 and effectively forms an extension of the housing. In an open state, as shown in Figure 2B, the top portion 22 slides in the direction of the pager's major dimension to reveal a display 24 arranged on a projecting portion 26 of the housing 20. The pager is normally carried in the closed state. When the user is alerted that a message has been received, or when it is desired to interrogate the pager for stored data, the top portion 22 is pulled upwards to reveal the display 24. After use, the top portion 22 is pushed shut. This arrangement also provides protection for the display and message security.

Claims

1. A paging receiver provided with a display, the receiver including means for concealing and protecting the display, the means being movable from a secure position concealing the display to a display reading position.

2. A paging receiver according to claim 1, wherein the concealing and protecting means comprises a cover member arranged to cover the display in the secure position.

3. A paging receiver according to claim 2, wherein the cover member is mounted for pivotable movement about an edge thereof to a housing of the receiver.

4. A paging receiver according to claim 3, wherein the cover member comprises a flap.

5. A paging receiver according to claim 2, claim 3 or claim 4, wherein the display is disposed on the cover member so as to be visible in the display reading position.

6. A paging receiver according to claim 2, claim 3 or claim 4, wherein the display is arranged beneath the cover member when in the secure position, such that the display is visible when the cover member is in the display reading position.

7. A paging receiver according to claim 6 when dependent on claim 3 or claim 4, wherein the cover member includes a reflective surface for reflecting a message on the display, and wherein the paging receiver includes circuit means for reversing the order of messages to be displayed.

8. A paging receiver according to claim 6 when dependent on claim 2, wherein the cover member is arranged to be slidable between the secure and display reading positions with respect to a housing of the receiver.

9. A paging receiver substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 1 or Figures 2A and 2B of the accompanying drawings.