JP2002354084A - Communication apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a communication apparatus which is easy to identify a calling party or mail contents. SOLUTION: When a body of the communication apparatus lies in a closed state, a mail address from which the mail is received is displayed on a second display section 160. In response to the operation of either a first mail operation section 170 or a second mail operation section 180, each provided on each side of a hinge 3, the mail contents corresponding to the displayed mail address are displayed alternately or scrolled forward or backward on the second display section 160.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a communication device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, some communication devices (for example, portable telephone devices) have not only a telephone call function but also a mail transmission / reception function.

[0003] In addition, a two-fold type portable telephone device having a function of transmitting and receiving mail has been sold.

In such a two-fold type portable telephone device, a first housing having a numeric keypad, a call key, and the like, and a second housing having a display portion are usually connected via a hinge portion 3. Structure.

When the user uses the two-folded portable telephone device, the user operates the numeric keypad, the call key and the like of the first housing while opening the housing and looking at the display section of the second housing. The user can perform operations such as sending and receiving e-mail, calling and answering calls.

When the user does not use the telephone device, the housing is closed to make the display unit invisible from the outside and to make the keys inoperable.

[0007] Such a configuration is provided to protect the display unit and to prevent a key from being operated by mistake.

[0008]

In a two-fold mobile phone, when a call is received, the user must open the housing and look at the display unit one by one in order to confirm the calling side, and from whom the call is immediately made. The call cannot be confirmed.

Further, when reading the received mail, the user needs to perform a series of operations such as opening the housing, selecting the received mail, displaying it on the display unit, and scrolling the screen. It is troublesome.

[0010]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve such a problem, and the invention described in claim 1 is to connect a first housing and a second housing via a hinge portion. A communication device that can be opened and closed with the hinge portion as an axis, the communication device having a display portion that is exposed when the housing is closed, and displaying a mail arrival address on the display portion when the housing is closed. It is characterized by.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a communication device, wherein the first housing and the second housing are connected via a hinge portion, and the communication device can be opened and closed about the hinge portion as an axis. Has a display unit that is exposed when the housing is closed, and displays a received message on the display unit when the housing is closed.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided the communication device according to the first or second aspect, wherein the communication device is operably arranged when the housing is closed, and has a mail arrival address or a mail arrival address displayed on the display unit. It is characterized by having an operation means for operating the display change of the received message.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the communication device according to the third aspect, wherein the operation means performs a switching key for switching a mail address display and a mail content display of a designated mail address. It is characterized by a message key, a feed key for performing a display feed for displaying a message that has been omitted from the display because it exceeds the display area, or a return key for returning the display.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the communication device according to the fourth aspect, wherein the feed key or the return key is provided on a hinge portion.

A communication device according to a sixth aspect is the communication device according to the fourth aspect, wherein the send key or the return key also serves as a message key.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided a communication apparatus according to the first to sixth aspects.
The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the communication device includes a storage unit that stores a mail address and a mail content of the received mail, and the display unit includes a mail address or a mail content stored in the storage unit. And displaying only the mail address or the mail contents which have not been displayed yet.

[0017]

1 and 2 are external perspective views of an apparatus according to an embodiment to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 1 shows a state where the portable telephone device is opened, and FIG. 2 shows a state where the portable telephone device is closed.

The portable telephone device shown in FIGS.
The first housing 1 having the display unit 150 is connected to the second housing 2 having the input unit 140 composed of a numeric keypad or the like via the hinge unit 3. The second housing can be opened and closed about the hinge 3 as an axis.

The first housing 1 has an antenna 4 and an incoming lamp 5, and the hinge portion 3 has a second mail address for displaying a caller's mail address and the contents of a received mail.
A first mail operation unit 170 for sending and displaying the mail contents displayed on the second display unit 160 at both ends of the hinge unit 3 and a display unit 160 for returning and displaying the mail contents. And a second mail operation unit 180. Further, a mail switching key 6 which is a key for switching mail displayed on the second display unit 160 is provided on a side surface of the first housing 1.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an apparatus according to an embodiment to which the present invention is applied.

In FIG. 3, a control unit 100 controls the following circuits.

The transmission / reception unit 110 is connected to the antenna 4 and transmits and receives not only telephone number data and voice data but also mail address data and mail content data.

The mail storage unit 120 is provided with the transmission / reception unit 11
A plurality of mail addresses of the calling side received at 0, mail contents corresponding to the mail addresses, and information (undisplayed information) indicating whether the mail contents have been displayed once can be stored.

The undisplayed information is represented by, for example, a flag of "0" or "1". If the flag is "1", it indicates that the information is not displayed. Indicates that the information is already displayed, and if no mail content is stored, the undisplayed information is not stored in the mail storage unit 120.

The open / close detector 130 detects the open / close state of the housing.

The opening / closing detection unit 130 may be provided on the hinge unit 3 or, when the housing is closed, a convex portion provided on one housing presses a switch provided on one housing. By doing so, it may be configured to detect that the housing is closed.

The input section 140 is arranged in the second housing 2 shown in FIG. 1, and includes a numeric keypad, a call key, an off key, and the like.

The first display section 150 is arranged on the first housing 1 shown in FIG. 1, and can display a telephone number and the like.

The input unit 140 and the first display unit 150
Is invisible from the outside when the housing is closed as shown in FIG.

The second display unit 160 is provided with the mail storage unit 1.
The e-mail address and e-mail contents stored in the e-mail address 20 are displayed.

The first mail operation section 170 is formed at the right end of the hinge section 3 in FIGS.
When the mail content is displayed at 60, the mail content is scrolled (the following mail content is displayed).

The second mail operation section 180 is formed at the left end of the hinge section 3 in FIGS.
When the mail content is displayed at 60, the mail content is back-scrolled (the previous mail content is displayed).

Next, the operation of the present embodiment will be described.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing the operation of the present embodiment. FIG. 5 shows the address data (a) and the mail contents (b) and (c) displayed on the second display section 160. is there.

In step S1 shown in FIG.
A value of 0 determines whether or not the received mail is stored in the mail storage unit 120. If it is determined that the received mail is stored, the process proceeds to step S2.

In step S2, when control section 100 detects a signal indicating that the housing is open from open / close detection section 130, control section 100 proceeds to step S17; otherwise, control section 100 proceeds to step S3.

In step S3, if the control unit 100 determines that the non-display information is stored in the mail storage unit 120, the control unit 100 proceeds to step S4. "No undisplayed data" is displayed, and the process returns to step S1.

In step S4, the control unit 100 causes the second display unit 160 to display only the mail address to which the non-display information is attached as shown in FIG. That is,
Of the mail addresses stored in the mail storage unit 120, only mail addresses corresponding to mail contents that have not been displayed yet are displayed.

In the case where the control unit processes step S3 after processing step S15 described later, a non-displayed mail address or mail content different from the displayed mail address or mail content is switched and displayed.

In step S5, the control unit 100 sets the first
When a signal indicating the presence of a press is detected from the mail operation unit 170, the process proceeds to step S6.
The process proceeds to S10 step.

In step S6, the control unit 100 sets the second
If it is determined that the mail address is not displayed on the display unit 160, the process proceeds to step S7. On the other hand, if it is determined that the mail content is displayed, the process proceeds to step S9.

In step S7, the control unit 100 sets the second
The mail content corresponding to the mail address displayed on the display unit 160 is read from the mail storage unit 120, and the second
It is displayed on the display unit 160. At this time, the second display unit 16
The mail content displayed at 0 is only the number of characters that can be displayed on the second display unit 160. Therefore, when the number of characters in the mail content exceeds the number of characters that can be displayed on the second display unit 160, for example, as shown in FIG.
In 0, only the head of the mail content is displayed.

In step S8, the control unit 100 controls the mail storage unit 120. Undisplayed information corresponding to the currently displayed mail content is deleted, and the process returns to step S5.

In step S9, the control unit 100 sets the second
The text following the mail content (for example, the text shown in FIG. 4B) displayed on the display unit 160 is stored in the mail storage unit 120.
4 is displayed on the second display unit 160 (for example, FIG.
(The sentence (c)), and the process returns to step S5.

As described above, in steps S5 to S9, the control unit 100 displays the mail content corresponding to the address data displayed on the second display unit 160 in response to the operation of the first mail operation unit 170 ( For example, the mail content displayed on the second display unit 160 (see, for example, FIG. 4A) is scrolled (see, for example, FIG. 4B). refer.

In step S10, when control unit 100 detects a signal indicating that a key has been pressed from second mail operation unit 180, control unit 100 proceeds to step S11. Otherwise, control unit 100 proceeds to step S15.

In step S11, if control unit 100 determines that the mail address is not displayed on second display unit 160, the process proceeds to step S12. On the other hand, if it is determined that the mail content is displayed, the process proceeds to step S14.

In step S12, control unit 100 reads the mail content corresponding to the mail address displayed on second display unit 160 from mail storage unit 120, and causes second display unit 160 to display it. At this time, the second display unit 1
The mail content displayed on 60 is only the number of characters that can be displayed on second display section 160. Therefore, when the number of characters in the mail content exceeds the number of characters that can be displayed on the second display unit 160, for example, as shown in FIG.
At 60, only the head of the mail content is displayed.

In step S13, the control unit 100 controls the mail storage unit 120. Undisplayed information corresponding to the currently displayed mail content is deleted, and S10
Return the process to the step.

In step S14, control unit 100 reads the text preceding the mail content displayed on second display unit 160 from mail storage unit 120, causes second display unit 160 to display the sentence, and returns to step S10. .

As described above, in steps S10 to S14, the control unit 100 displays the mail content corresponding to the address data displayed on the second display unit 160 in response to the operation of the first mail operation unit 170 ( For example, FIG.
(See FIG. 4B), or the mail content before the mail content displayed on the second display section 160 (for example, see FIG. 4C) is back-scrolled (for example, see FIG. 4B).

When scrolling (or back-scrolling) the contents of the mail displayed on the second display section 160, one character can be displayed by keeping the first operation section 170 or the second operation section 180 pressed. May be automatically switched and displayed, or the first operation unit 170 or the second operation unit 1 may be displayed.
Each time the button 80 is pressed once, the characters may be switched and displayed one by one.

In step S15, when detecting a signal indicating that the key has been pressed from mail switching key 6, control unit 100 returns the process to step S3.
The process proceeds to six steps.

In step S16, when the control unit 100 determines that the housing has been opened, as in step S2, the control unit 100 proceeds to step S16.
The process proceeds to step 17; otherwise, the process returns to step S5.

In step S17, the control section 100 suspends the display operation of the second display section 160.

In the following S18 step, the control unit 100
Starts the display operation of the first display unit 150, for example,
The first display unit 15 displays information such as an incoming call or mail reception.
0 is displayed, and the process returns to step S2.

If the control unit 100 determines that there is an operation instruction such as dial transmission or mail transmission while returning the processing from step S18 to step S2, the control unit 100 performs processing according to the operation instruction.

As described above, in the communication device of the present embodiment, the mail address is displayed on the second display section 160 even when the casing is closed. It is possible to check even in the closed state. Further, when the user operates the first operation unit 170 or the second operation unit 180 provided at both ends of the hinge unit 3,
Since the head of the received mail can be displayed, it is possible to know the sender of the mail even if the mail address alone does not make it clear from whom.
This is because the name of the sender is often described at the beginning of the mail text.

Further, the user can scroll (back-scroll) the received mail by operating the first operation unit 170 or the second operation unit 180 provided at both ends of the hinge unit 3. Even without opening the housing, it is possible to check the mail content by a simple operation.

In addition, since only the mail addresses and mail contents that have not yet been displayed are displayed on the second display section 160, when a plurality of mails are stored in the mail storage section 120, the user is not yet displayed. There is no need to open and confirm each email that has never been displayed.

In this embodiment, the mail address is displayed on the second display section 160 after receiving the mail. However, in order to minimize the power supplied to the second display section 160, the mail address is displayed. May be turned on and off at predetermined time intervals.

The second display unit 160 may be configured not to display the mail address after receiving the mail, and to notify the user of the presence of the mail by the lighting state and the emission color of the incoming lamp 5.

Further, in the present embodiment, only the mail addresses and mail contents that have not yet been displayed are displayed on the second display section 160, but the mail addresses and mail contents that have been displayed can also be displayed. Configuration may be adopted. With such a configuration, the user cannot immediately confirm only the mail that has not been opened yet, but can reconfirm previously received mail contents without opening the casing of the mobile phone.

Also, only the undisplayed mail is displayed on the second display section 160.
, Or a mode in which all mails are displayed on the second display unit may be set by the user.

[0066]

According to the present invention, it is possible to easily confirm a caller and mail contents.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of an apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an external perspective view of the apparatus according to the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the apparatus according to the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the apparatus according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a display mode of a second display unit 160.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 1st housing | casing 2 2nd housing | casing 3 Hinge part 6 Mail switch key 120 Mail storage part 130 Open / close detection part 160 2nd display part 170 1st mail operation part 180 2nd mail operation part

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page F term (reference) 5K023 AA07 BB11 DD08 GG08 HH01 HH02 HH07 MM03 5K067 AA34 BB04 BB21 DD13 DD51 EE02 FF07 FF13 FF23 FF25 HH22 KK15 KK17

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A communication device that connects a first housing and a second housing via a hinge portion and that can be opened and closed around the hinge portion, wherein the communication device is exposed when the housing is closed. A communication device, comprising: a display unit that displays an incoming mail address on the display unit when the housing is closed. 2. A communication device, wherein a first housing and a second housing are connected via a hinge, and the communication device is openable and closable about the hinge, and the communication device is exposed when the housing is closed. A communication device, comprising: a display unit configured to display a received message on the display unit when the housing is closed. 3. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the communication device is arranged to be operable when the housing is closed, and operates to change a mail arrival address or a display of a received message displayed on the display unit. A communication device, comprising: an operating unit that performs operation. 4. The communication device according to claim 3, wherein the operation means includes a switch key for switching a mail address display, a message key for displaying a mail content of a specified mail address, and a display area. A communication device, characterized in that the communication device is a feed key for performing a display feed for displaying a message that has been omitted from the display to exceed the display or a return key for performing a display return. 5. The communication device according to claim 4, wherein the feed key or the return key is disposed on a hinge. 6. The communication device according to claim 4, wherein the send key or the return key is also used as a message key. 7. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the communication device has a storage unit for storing a mail address and a mail content of the received mail, and the display unit stores the mail address and the mail content in the storage unit. A communication device characterized by displaying only a mail address or a mail content that has not yet been displayed among the mail addresses or the mail contents displayed.