JP4856001B2 - Information communication terminal - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an information communication terminal such as a mobile phone that includes a plurality of housings, and one housing is slidable relative to another housing.

Conventionally, as this type of information communication terminal, a mobile phone that can slide one of a first housing having a display unit and a second housing having an operation unit with respect to the other is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1). . In this cellular phone, the second housing is linearly slid in the longitudinal direction of the first housing from the state in which the second housing entirely overlaps the lower side of the first housing with the display portion of the first housing facing upward. By doing so, the operation part of the second housing can be exposed.
Furthermore, the mobile phone of Patent Document 1 includes a third housing that is slidable with respect to the second housing and has an operation unit. In this cellular phone, the third casing is linearly slid in the longitudinal direction of the second casing from the state in which the entire third casing overlaps the lower side of the second casing with the display portion of the first casing facing upward. By doing so, the operation part of the third housing can be exposed. And in the state which exposed the operation part of the 2nd housing, and the operation part of the 3rd housing, the key operation using the operation part of each of two housings can be performed.

On the other hand, recent mobile phones are not only used for calls, but are also used as terminals for sending and receiving e-mails, and message information sent by e-mail is mainly operated by key operations on the operation unit of the mobile phone. Created by.
In the conventional mobile phone, the mainstream is one in which only one casing is provided with operation keys, or the one in which keys operated when creating a message are concentrated in one casing. With such a mobile phone, it is easy to perform key operations on the operation unit with the thumb of the hand that supports the casing while supporting the casing with one hand.

In addition, in recent years, when it has become common to send and receive e-mails using mobile phones, the manner in which users use e-mails has diversified. There are also users who often create many long messages or create messages that use many decoration functions, not just simple words. When creating a message that uses a lot of such long texts and decoration functions, it takes time to create a message because a conventional mobile phone with a structure suitable for one-handed operation uses only the thumb of one hand. There was a problem.
Specifically, kana input for a normal message is performed using a kana called a numeric keypad or numeric keys 0-9 assigned with alphabets, but conversion from kana to kanji is a candidate using a selection key. This is done by selecting from kanji. In this way, it is necessary to operate multiple types of keys to input kana using the numeric keypad and to convert to kanji using the selection key, and it takes time to create a long message using one finger. End up. When using a decoration function, a key for selecting to use a decoration function different from the numeric keypad is operated, and an operation for selecting a desired decoration function from several types of decoration functions is performed. When creating messages by combining operations that use such decoration functions with operations that create normal messages, you need to operate multiple types of keys. It takes time to create a heavily used message.

  In response to this problem, some users support the mobile phone casing with both hands and perform key operations using the thumbs of both hands, thereby reducing the number of keys operated with one finger and Although the creation time has been shortened, there is a problem that when keys arranged appropriately for one-handed operation are operated with both hands, the spaces through which the fingers can pass overlap each other and are difficult to operate. Therefore, the operability can be improved if a message can be created by performing a key operation using the operation units provided in the two casings as in the mobile phone described in Patent Document 1. . That is, a space in which the fingers of each hand can pass by performing an operation on the operation unit of the second housing with the fingers of one hand and an operation of the operation unit of the third housing with the fingers of the other hand. Can be reduced, and operability can be improved.

JP 2003-319044 A

However, when the mobile phone described in Patent Document 1 is in a state in which the operation units of the second casing and the third casing can be operated, the first casing, the first casing, and the third casing are in the sliding direction, that is, the length of the first casing. The positional relationship is linearly aligned in the direction. The state in which the three casings are in the positional relationship in which they are arranged in the longitudinal direction is a state in which the right hand and the left hand are vertically arranged in front of the user when an operation is performed with both hands. In this way, performing the key operation in a state where the right hand and the left hand are vertically aligned may cause a sense of discomfort for many users and may reduce operability.
Such a problem of deterioration in operability is not limited to the case of inputting a mail message using an information communication terminal. The same problem occurs when information is input by key operation of the information communication terminal, such as when information is input to a website page on the Internet using an information communication terminal or when schedule management is performed on the information communication terminal. is there.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to include a second housing having an operation unit and a third housing in addition to the first housing having a display unit, and to provide a second housing. It is to provide an information communication terminal capable of improving the operability of the operation using the operation unit of the first and third housings.

An information communication terminal according to the present invention includes a first casing having a display section and a second casing having an operation section, and the first casing and a rotating shaft that communicates an end of each casing in the thickness direction. An information communication terminal capable of slidingly rotating one of the second housings with respect to the other, having an operation unit, and capable of slidingly rotating with respect to the first and second housings around the rotation axis A third casing, the operation section of the second casing includes a character input key, the operation section of the third casing includes a numeric input key, the first casing includes an operation section, The operation unit of the chassis is provided with an input character switching key for switching the character type input by the operation unit of the second chassis .
In the information communication terminal according to the present invention, the third housing is slidably rotated with respect to the second housing around the rotation shaft that communicates the end portions of the first housing and the second housing in the thickness direction. If it tries, it can be set as the state which has arrange | positioned diagonally the operation part of the 2nd housing, and the operation part of the 3rd housing, and the state arrange | positioned right and left in front of a user. Therefore, the operation can be performed with the right hand and the left hand shifted in the horizontal direction, and a sense of incongruity during operation can be reduced as compared with the case where the key operation is performed with the right hand and the left hand aligned vertically. .

Further, in the information communication terminal according to the present invention, in addition to the operation unit provided in the second housing and the third housing, the first housing also includes the operation unit, thereby realizing various operations. it can.

Also, in the information communication terminal according to the present invention, the second case is provided with a character input key, and the first case is provided with an input character switching key, thereby displaying a menu screen for switching the character type input with the character input key. There is no need to select the character type to be displayed and used. For this reason, the time for creating a message using a plurality of character types can be shortened. Furthermore, by providing a numeric input key on the third chassis, there is no need to switch the character type input with the character input key from character input to numeric input, as in the case of inputting numbers using a conventional character input key. , You can reduce the time to create a message that interlaces numbers.

  Further, in the information communication terminal, in the state where the first casing and the second casing are rotated to rotation positions opposite to each other about the rotation axis, the third casing is the first casing and the second casing. It is good also as rotational movement to the rotation position which becomes a right angle with respect to a 2nd housing. In this case, a conventional revolver type (rotary type) is used in the operating portion of the second casing with one hand by setting the first casing and the second casing to the rotational positions opposite to each other about the rotation axis. The third housing is rotated at a right angle to the first housing and the second housing, that is, the third housing is operated with respect to the operation portion of the second housing while realizing the same operability as the information communication terminal of FIG. It is possible to operate with the right and left hands shifted horizontally by shifting the part horizontally, making the operation more strange than operating keys with the right and left hands aligned vertically. Can be reduced.

  In the information communication terminal, at least one of the second casing and the third casing has an operation guide character displayed on a surface of an operation portion thereof, and the operation is performed according to a relative rotational position with respect to the first casing. There may be provided an operation unit display direction changing means for changing the direction of the operation guide characters of the unit so as to match the display direction of the display unit of the first casing. In this case, even if the case where the direction of the operation guide character is changed by the operation unit display direction changing unit is oblique to the first case, the direction of the operation guide character of the operation unit of the case and the display part By changing the direction of the operation guide character so as to match the display direction, the direction of the operation guide character on the operation unit can be easily confirmed while the display on the display unit is easily confirmed.

According to the present invention, since the discomfort can be reduced when operating the operation unit of the second housing and the operation unit of the third housing, the second housing other than the first housing having the display unit and the second housing The operability of the operation using the operation unit with the tripod is improved . Furthermore, in addition to what has an operation part in a 2nd housing and a 3rd housing, a further various operation is realizable by having an operation part also in a 1st housing. Further, there is an excellent effect that the time for creating a message using a plurality of character types can be shortened, and the time for creating a message in which numbers are interwoven can be shortened .

Hereinafter, embodiments will be described in which the present invention is applied to a mobile phone (mobile communication terminal) as a portable information communication terminal.
FIG. 1 is a top view showing an example of an external configuration of a mobile phone according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of a schematic configuration of the mobile phone. The mobile phone 100 of this embodiment includes a main control unit 120 as a control unit, an internal memory 121 as a storage unit, a wireless communication unit 122 as a communication unit that performs communication via a mobile phone communication network (not shown), and An antenna 112, a display unit 125 as a display unit, a key operation unit 126 as an operation unit, and a clock unit 127 are provided.

  The main control unit 120 includes, for example, a CPU, a cache memory, a ROM, a system bus, and the like, and transmits and receives data to and from each unit such as the internal memory 121 and the wireless communication unit 122 by executing a predetermined control program. Go and control each part. The main control unit 120 is connected to a microphone 108 as a sound input unit and a speaker 109 as a sound output unit via a sound signal processing unit 123. Further, a display unit 125 is connected to the main control unit 120 via a display control unit 124 as a display control unit. The main control unit 120 is also connected with a key operation unit 126 and a clock unit 127 operated by a user when instructing various processes and inputting various data.

  The wireless communication unit 122 and the antenna 112 as communication means function not only as telephone communication means but also as means for sending and receiving mail.

  The internal memory 121 is configured by a semiconductor memory such as a RAM or a ROM, and stores a control program executed by the main control unit 120 and various data. As these storage means, instead of the internal memory 121, a storage medium such as a memory card or an IC card that can be attached to and detached from the mobile phone body may be used.

  The display control unit 124 controls to display an image on the display unit 125 based on the drawing data sent from the main control unit 120. The display unit 125 is a display 110 including a liquid crystal panel and displays various images based on image data stored in the internal memory 121.

  The speaker 109 receives the analog signal converted from the digital signal by the sound signal processing unit 123, and outputs a voice during a call, or outputs a mail ringtone, a telephone ringing tone, music, or the like. The sound generation means including the speaker 109 and the sound signal processing unit 123 reproduces and outputs a sound effect and music (song, melody) using an attached file attached to the received mail. Can be controlled.

  Note that the speaker 109 may be configured by separately providing a receiver speaker (receiver) for listening to voice during a call and an external output speaker for outputting a ring tone, music, or the like, or these receivers. A single speaker may be used so as to serve as both a speaker for external use and a speaker for external output.

  The microphone 108 converts the user's voice into an electrical signal (analog signal). An audio electrical signal (analog signal) output from the microphone 108 is input to the sound signal processing unit 123 and converted into a digital signal.

  The clock unit 127 is configured using an RTC (real time clock) or the like, and functions as a means for outputting current time data. The current time data output from the clock unit 127 can be used for displaying date and time information on the display unit 125 including the liquid crystal display (LCD) 110.

The key operation unit 126 includes a first operation unit 101, a second operation unit 102, and a third operation unit 103. As shown in FIG. 1, the mobile phone 100 includes a first housing 10, a second housing 20, and a third housing 30, and each housing includes a first operation unit 101, a second operation unit 102, and a third housing. Each has an operation unit 103.
The first operation unit 101 includes a soft key 104, a direction key 106, a character switching key 111, and the like. The second operation unit 102 is a character input key. By switching settings, it is possible to input Japanese kana, alphabets, numbers, and the like. The third operation unit 103 is a numeric input key.

  The soft key 104 of the first operation unit 101 performs an operation corresponding to an operation icon displayed on the lower part of the screen of the display 110, and is a key whose assignment is switched depending on a running application. In the state of FIG. 1, an operation corresponding to “menu” is performed by pressing the soft key 104 on the left side. Similarly, an operation corresponding to “decision” is performed by pressing the center soft key 104, and an operation corresponding to “switching” is performed by pressing the right soft key 104.

The direction key 106 is a mushroom-shaped key, and is mounted so as to protrude from the operation surface to the user side. By tilting this key, the cursor on the display 110 is moved.
The character switching key 111 is a function key mainly used when creating a sentence such as a mail message. The type of character input by pressing the second operation unit 102 that is a character input key becomes the character type corresponding to the button pressed by the character switching key 111. Therefore, it is possible to save the trouble of displaying a screen for selecting the character type on the display 110 and selecting the character type to be used.

On the surface of each key of the character switching key 111 of the first operation unit 101 and the second operation unit 102, operation guide characters indicating functions executed by operating the keys are printed. On the other hand, each key of the third operation unit 103, which is a numeric input key, has a numeric key display unit 103b provided with a light emitting unit therein, and displays operation guidance characters by causing the light emitting unit to emit light. In addition, the display of the operation guidance characters can be switched electrically by the number key display control unit 103a controlling the number key display unit 103b. The numeric key display control unit 103a controls the numeric key display unit 103b to change the display of the operation guide characters of each key of the third operation unit 103, whereby the numeric key display control unit 103a and the numeric key display unit 103b are changed. Acts as an operation unit display orientation changing means. Each key of the third operation unit 103 includes a numeric key touch sensor 103c, detects that the key is pressed, and transmits a detection result to the main control unit 120. The numeric key display unit 103b is, for example, a liquid crystal panel.
Each key of the first operation unit 101 and the second operation unit 102 also includes a touch sensor, detects that the key is pressed, and transmits a detection result to the main control unit 120.

  When the user uses the telephone function of the mobile phone 100, the user can start the call by pressing a call start key (not shown) and can end the call by pressing an end call key (not shown). When the mail function of the mobile phone 100 is used, the display 110 becomes a screen for the mail function when a mail function key (not shown) is pressed, and confirmation of received mail and creation of a message of transmitted mail are performed. be able to. Furthermore, when the cellular phone 100 is connected to the Internet, a display 110 becomes a screen for Internet connection by pressing an Internet connection key (not shown), and various services via the Internet can be used.

  Next, the change in the display direction of the operation unit accompanying the slide rotation of the casing of the mobile phone 100 will be described. The cellular phone 100 includes a first housing 10 having a display 110 as a display unit and a first operation unit 101, a second housing 20 having a second operation unit 102, and a third housing 30 having a third operation unit 103. And consists of three enclosures.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the display 110, the first operation unit 101, the second operation unit 102, and the third operation unit 103 are exposed upward (in the front direction perpendicular to the paper surface of FIG. 1). Thus, the end portion of the second casing 20 overlaps the lower surface side of the end portion of the first casing 10. Then, the second casing 20 is centered on a rotation axis (rotation axis perpendicular to the paper surface of FIG. 1) that passes through the center of the direction key 106 and communicates the ends of the first casing 10 and the second casing 20 in the thickness direction. The first casing 10 can be slidably rotated. Furthermore, the end of the third casing 30 overlaps the lower side of the end of the second casing at the location where the end of the first casing 10 and the end of the second casing 20 overlap. The third housing 30 is slidably rotatable with respect to the first housing 10 and the second housing 20 around the same rotation axis as the rotation shaft with which the second housing 20 is slidably rotatable with respect to the first housing 10. ing.

3 shows that the second casing 20 and the third casing 30 are rotated around the rotation axis from the state shown in FIG. 1, and the second casing 20 and the third casing 30 are entirely overlapped below the first casing 10. It is explanatory drawing of the state (henceforth "closed state") which meets. 3A is a top view and FIG. 3B is a side view.
As described above, the center portion of the direction key 106 is a portion where the second casing 20 and the third casing 30 overlap with the lower side of the first casing 10, and the rotation axes of the second casing 20 and the third casing 30 are shown in FIG. As shown by the rotation axis P in (b), it is a virtual axis that connects the three housings. The cellular phone 100 is provided with a shaft member (not shown) that is coaxial with the rotation axis P and communicates three housings, and the second housing 20 and the third housing 30 have the first housing 10 around the shaft member. The slide rotation is possible.

  The mobile phone 100 is most compact when in the closed state as shown in FIG. 3, and is preferably carried in the closed state as shown in FIG. In the closed state, the second operation unit 102 is hidden under the first casing 10 and cannot be operated. However, since the first operation unit 101 is exposed, each of the first operation units 101 The key can be operated. Therefore, by giving the function of the call start key and the call end key to one of the keys of the first operation unit 101, the start and end operations of the call can be performed in the closed state. Also, the call start key and the call end key are provided at locations that can be operated in the state shown in FIG. Thus, the start and end operations of the call can be performed in the closed state.

  4 shows a state in which the second operation unit 102 of the second housing 20 is exposed by rotating the second housing 20 and the third housing 30 around the rotation axis P from the closed state shown in FIG. 3 (second operation). It is explanatory drawing of a partial expansion state. 4A is a top view and FIG. 4B is a side view. From the closed state shown in FIG. 3, the second operation shown in FIG. 4 is performed by rotating the slide by 180 [°] in the direction of arrow B in a state where the second housing 20 and the third housing 30 are overlapped around the rotation axis P. Partial development state.

  In the cellular phone 100, the second operation unit is expanded as shown in FIG. 4, and the second operation unit 102, which is a character input key, can be operated to input texts such as messages as in the conventional cellular phone. . At this time, by operating the character switching key 111 of the first operation unit 101, it is possible to select a character type to be input by operating the second operation unit 102 such as Japanese kana, numbers, and alphabets. Since the first operation unit 101 includes the character switching key 111 as a function key, an operation for displaying a menu screen for switching the character type input by the character input key on the display unit and selecting the character type to be used becomes unnecessary. . For this reason, the time for creating a message using a plurality of character types can be shortened.

When the third casing 30 is slid and rotated 90 [deg.] In the direction of arrow A about the rotation axis P from the second operation portion deployed state shown in FIG. 4, the third operation portion 103 is also exposed as shown in FIG. Then, all the operation parts are exposed (all the operation parts are unfolded).
As shown in FIG. 1, the third operation unit 103 of the third housing 30 includes numeric input keys. This eliminates the need to switch the character type input by the character input key from the kana input to the number input as in the case of the conventional mobile phone that inputs the number using the character input key, and creates a message in which numbers are interwoven. Time can be shortened.

  In the mobile phone 100 of this embodiment, the third operation unit 103 of the third casing 30 that does not have the kana input function among the second casing 20 and the third casing 30 other than the first casing 10 having the display 110 is a number. Input key. However, the characters that can be input with an operation unit that does not include a character input key that includes a kana input function are not limited to numbers. For example, a function of inputting alphabets may be provided instead of the function of inputting numbers by the third operation unit 103 of the mobile phone 100. Further, the third operation unit 103 can input numbers and alphabets, the second operation unit 102 can input Japanese kana, and the third operation unit 103 can switch between numbers and alphabets. Good.

  1, the third operation unit 103 is positioned on the left back side, which is an oblique position with respect to the second operation unit 102, and the second operation unit 102 is operated with the right hand. This arrangement is suitable for operating the third operation unit 103 with the left hand. When operating with both hands in this state, it is possible to operate with the right and left hands shifted laterally, and during operation rather than performing key operations with the right and left hands aligned vertically Can reduce the sense of incongruity. For this reason, the operability of the operation using the second operation unit 102 and the third operation unit 103 respectively included in the second housing 20 and the third housing 30 other than the first housing 10 having the display 110 as the display unit is improved. Can be planned.

Further, like the mobile phone 100 of the embodiment, the first casing 10 having the display 110 includes the first operation unit 101, so that the first operation unit 101 performs character type switching in the second operation unit 102. Can do. In addition, since the soft key 104 for performing an operation corresponding to the operation icon displayed on the screen of the display 110 can be arranged close to the display 110, an operation using the soft key function can be easily performed. Further, a certain amount of operation can be performed even in the closed state in which the mobile phone 100 can be in the most compact state.
As described above, since the first casing 10 includes the first operation unit 101, various key operations can be realized as compared with the case where the operation means is only the second operation unit 102 and the third operation unit 103.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 1, the mobile phone 100 according to the present embodiment has the first casing 10 and the second casing 20 rotated to the rotation positions opposite to each other about the rotation axis P. The tripod 30 can be rotationally moved to a rotational position that is perpendicular to the first enclosure 10 and the second enclosure 20. In this case, by setting the first housing 10 and the second housing 20 to the rotation positions opposite to each other about the rotation axis P, the conventional revolver type (rotation type) is used by the second operation unit 102 using the right hand. Operability similar to that of the mobile phone can be realized. Further, by setting the third casing 30 to a rotational position that is perpendicular to the first casing 10 and the second casing 20, the third operating section 103 is shifted laterally with respect to the second operating section 102, so that the right hand And the left hand can be operated in the lateral direction. For this reason, it is possible to reduce a sense of incongruity at the time of operation compared to the case where the key operation is performed in a state where the right hand and the left hand are vertically aligned.

  The arrangement of the second casing 20 and the third casing 30 shown in FIG. 1 is an arrangement suitable for performing character input of the second operation unit 102 with the right hand. However, some users are accustomed to inputting characters with the left hand. For such users, the second operation unit 102 for inputting characters is on the right side in front of the third operation unit 103 for inputting numbers. In the coming arrangement, it is difficult to input characters using the second operation unit 102. In response to such a problem, the mobile phone 100 has the second operation unit 102 positioned on the left side of the third operation unit 103, that is, the third operation unit 103 is positioned on the second operation unit 102. It can arrange | position so that it may become a right back side with respect to a position.

FIG. 5 is a top view of the mobile phone 100 in an unfolded state of all the operation units, which is suitable for performing character input on the second operation unit 102 with the left hand.
As shown in FIG. 5, by rotating the third casing 30 by 90 ° in the direction of arrow C around the rotation axis P from the second operation portion deployed state shown in FIG. 4, the first operation portion 101 and The third operation unit 103 is in an unfolded state of all operation units positioned on the right side with respect to the second operation unit 102.
Thus, by arranging the third operation unit 103 so that the position of the third operation unit 103 is on the right back side with respect to the position of the second operation unit 102, the third operation unit 103 is operated with the right hand and the second operation is performed with the left hand. It becomes easy to input characters in the unit 102.

5 is in a state in which the third casing 30 is rotated 180 [deg.] Around the rotation axis from the state shown in FIG. Here, if the operation guide characters of each key of the third operation unit 103 are printed on each key, the operation guide characters of each key are moved up and down when the third casing 30 is rotated 180 [°]. It will be reversed, making it difficult to confirm the display.
In response to such a problem, the mobile phone 100 according to the present embodiment displays the direction of the operation guide characters of the third operation unit 103 according to the relative rotational position of the third casing 30 with respect to the first casing 10. There is provided an operation unit display direction changing means for changing to match the display direction.

  The cellular phone 100 includes a third casing rotation position sensor 40, a numeric key display control unit 103a, and a numeric key display unit 103b as operation unit display direction changing means. The third casing rotation position sensor 40 is a detection unit that detects a change in the rotation position of the third casing 30 relative to the first casing 10 about the rotation axis P.

  In the mobile phone 100 of the present embodiment, the positional relationship between the first housing 10 and the third housing 30 based on the detection result of the third housing rotation position sensor 40 with respect to the rotational position of the third housing 30 with respect to the first housing 10. Is generated by the main control unit 120 and transmitted to the numeric key display control unit 103a. The numeric key display control unit 103a controls the numeric key display unit 103b based on the positional relationship information between the first casing 10 and the third casing 30 so as to display operation guidance characters suitable for the positional relationship at that time. To do. In this configuration, when the third casing 30 is rotated with respect to the first casing 10, the positional relationship between the first casing 10 and the third casing 30 changes, and the display of operation guidance characters is also suitable for the positional relationship at that time. It changes to become the display. For this reason, according to the relative rotation position of the 3rd housing 30 with respect to the 1st housing 10, the 3rd housing 30 main body is set so that the direction of the operation guidance character of the 3rd operation part 103 may be matched with the display direction of the display 110. In contrast, the direction of the operation guidance characters of the third operation unit 103 can be changed.

  Further, if only the direction of the operation guide characters of each key of the third operation unit 103 is changed with respect to the third casing 30 main body, the key arrangement is upside down. Specifically, in the state shown in FIG. 1, the key arrangement at the right end of the third operation unit 103 is “1”, “2”, “3” in order from the top. If only the third casing 30 is slid and rotated 180 °, the leftmost key arrangement of the third operation unit 103 is “3”, “2”, “1” in order from the top. turn into.

In order to deal with such a problem, in the cellular phone 100, the display contents of the operation guide characters of each key of the third operation unit 103 are also changed according to the relative rotational position of the third casing 30 with respect to the first casing 10. Yes. Specifically, in the state shown in FIG. 1, the keys displaying “1”, “4”, “7”, “*” respectively change “3”, “6”, “9”, “#”. Change to display. Similarly, the keys displaying “3”, “6”, “9”, and “#” are changed to display “1”, “4”, “7”, and “*”, respectively. In addition, according to the change of the display content of each key, the process in the main control unit 120 based on the input information from the numeric key touch sensor 103c of each key is also changed.
Thereby, even if the position of the third operation unit 103 with respect to the first operation unit 101 is changed, the key arrangement of the third operation unit 103 can be made a key arrangement suitable for the operation.

In the state described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, the third housing 30 is at right angles to the first housing 10 and the second housing 20 that are rotated around the rotation axis P to the rotation positions opposite to each other. The state in which the rotational movement is made to the rotational position has been described. The position of the third housing 30 may be arranged so as to be inclined with respect to the first housing 10 and the second housing 20 arranged on the opposite sides with respect to the rotation axis P.
6 shows the mobile phone 100 in a state where the third casing 30 is disposed so as to be inclined with respect to the first casing 10 and the second casing 20 that are disposed on opposite sides of the rotation axis P. It is a top view.

  Even when the mobile phone 100 is arranged so that the third housing 30 is inclined with respect to the first housing 10 and the second housing 20 as shown in FIG. The rotation position of the third casing 30 relative to the casing 10 can be detected, and the direction of the operation guide characters of the third operation unit 103 can be matched with the display direction of the display 110.

  When the third casing 30 is disposed obliquely with respect to the first casing 10, a part of the keys of the third operation unit 103 is hidden under the second casing 20 and cannot be operated as shown in FIG. With respect to such a problem, the mobile phone 100 of the present embodiment has a positional relationship between the first housing 10 and the third housing 30 and the third operation unit 103 that is hidden under the second housing 20 and cannot be operated. Information with the key is previously input to the internal memory 121. Then, the main control unit 120 performs control so that the key functions that cannot be operated are distributed to other keys according to the detection result of the positional relationship. Specifically, the display by the numeric key display unit 103b is changed as shown in FIG. 6 by controlling the numeric key display control unit 103a.

In the state shown in FIG. 6, since the key displaying “3” in the state shown in FIG. 1 is hidden under the second housing 20, “6”, “9”, The keys displaying “#” are changed to display “3”, “6”, and “9”, respectively. Further, the key displaying “*” is changed to display “*” and “#”. In addition, according to the change of the display content of each key, the process in the main control unit 120 based on the input information from the numeric key touch sensor 103c of each key is also changed. At this time, the key changed so as to display “*” and “#” continuously displays a character that can be input by pressing “*” and a character that can be input by pressing “#”. It can be selected and input by pressing.
Note that a predetermined latch mechanism may be provided in the above-described rotation operation in order to give a predetermined feeling to the user in the most desired angular direction of the third operation unit 103.

[Modification]
In the mobile phone 100 of the embodiment, the operation guide characters of the second operation unit 102 are printed on each key, so the direction of the guide characters changes even if the rotation position of the second housing 20 with respect to the first housing 10 is changed. do not do.
Hereinafter, as a modification, an operation unit that changes the direction of the operation guide characters of the second operation unit 102 to match the display direction of the display 110 according to the relative rotational position of the second housing 20 with respect to the first housing 10. A configuration including a display orientation changing unit will be described.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a schematic configuration of a mobile phone 100 according to a modification.
As shown in FIG. 7, the mobile phone 100 according to the modification is an embodiment in that it includes a second casing rotation position sensor 50, and the second operation unit 102 includes a character key display control unit 102a and a character key display unit 102b. The mobile phone 100 is different. Since other points are common to the mobile phone 100 of the embodiment, the description of common points is omitted.
Like the third operation unit 103, each key of the second operation unit 102 of the mobile phone 100 according to the modified example has a character key display unit 102b including a light emitting unit therein, and the operation guide is obtained by causing the light emitting unit to emit light. The character is displayed. In addition, the character key display control unit 102a can electrically switch the display of the operation guide character by controlling the character key display unit 102b. The character key display control unit 102a controls the character key display unit 102b to change the display of the operation guide characters of each key of the second operation unit 102. Each key of the second operation unit 102 includes a character key touch sensor 102c, detects that the key is pressed, and transmits a detection result to the main control unit 120.

  As described above, in the mobile phone 100 according to the modified example, in addition to the operation unit display direction changing unit of the third operation unit 103, the second casing rotation position sensor 50 is used as the operation unit display direction changing unit of the second operation unit 102. A character key display control unit 102a and a character key display unit 102b. The second casing rotation position sensor 50 is a detecting unit that detects a change in the rotation position of the second casing 20 relative to the first casing 10 about the rotation axis P.

  In the mobile phone 100 of the modification, the positional relationship between the first housing 10 and the second housing 20 is based on the detection result of the second housing rotation position sensor 50 with respect to the rotational position of the second housing 20 with respect to the first housing 10. Information is generated by the main control unit 120 and transmitted to the character key display control unit 102a. The character key display control unit 102a controls the character key display unit 102b based on the positional relationship information between the first housing 10 and the second housing 20 so as to display the operation guidance characters suitable for the positional relationship at that time. To do. In this configuration, when the second casing 20 is rotated with respect to the first casing 10, the positional relationship between the first casing 10 and the second casing 20 changes, and the display of operation guidance characters is also suitable for the positional relationship at that time. It changes to become the display. For this reason, according to the relative rotation position of the second casing 20 with respect to the first casing 10, the second casing 20 main body is aligned with the display direction of the display 110 so that the direction of the operation guide characters of the second operation unit 102 is aligned. On the other hand, the direction of the operation guidance characters of the second operation unit 102 can be changed.

  FIG. 8 shows a mobile phone 100 in which the second casing 20 and the third casing 30 are arranged so that the longitudinal directions of the second casing 20 and the third casing 30 are inclined with respect to the longitudinal direction of the first casing 10. FIG. Even if the second casing 20 is arranged obliquely with respect to the first casing 10 as long as it includes the operation section display direction changing means of the second operating section 102 as in the mobile phone 100 of the modification example, The direction of the operation guidance character of each key of the operation unit 102 can be matched with the display direction of the display 110.

  FIG. 9 shows a cellular phone 100 in which the second casing 20 and the third casing 30 are arranged so that the longitudinal directions of the second casing 20 and the third casing 30 are perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the first casing 10. FIG. Even if the second casing 20 is arranged at right angles to the first casing 10 as long as it includes the operation unit display orientation changing means of the second operation unit 102 as in the mobile phone 100 of the modification example, The direction of the operation guidance character of each key of the operation unit 102 can be matched with the display direction of the display 110.

  As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, in the mobile phone 100 according to the modified example, the second operation is performed regardless of the rotational positions of the second casing 20 and the third casing 30 with respect to the first casing 10. The direction of the operation guidance characters of the keys of the unit 102 and the third operation unit 103 can be matched with the display direction of the display 110. For this reason, since the rotation position of the 2nd housing 20 and the 3rd housing 30 with respect to the 1st housing 10 can be set to the position where a user can operate easily, the 2nd operation part 102 and the 3rd operation part 103 were used. The operability of the operation is improved.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, the third casing 30 having the third operation unit 103 is slidably rotatable with respect to the first casing 10 and the second casing 20 around the rotation axis P. In the mobile phone 100, the third operation unit 103 can be disposed at a position on the left back side that is inclined with respect to the second operation unit 102 that is the operation unit of the second housing 20. At this time, by operating the second operation unit 102 with the right hand and operating the third operation unit 103 with the left hand, the operation can be performed with the right hand and the left hand shifted laterally, It is possible to reduce a sense of incongruity at the time of operation compared to the case where the keys are operated in a state where the keys are arranged vertically. For this reason, an operation using the second operation unit 102 and the third operation unit 103 disposed in the second housing 20 and the third housing 30 other than the first housing 10 in which the display 110 as the display unit is disposed is performed. The operability can be improved.

  Further, by arranging the first operation unit 101 on the first housing 10 on which the display 110 is arranged as in the mobile phone 100 of the embodiment, the operation means is limited to the second operation unit 102 and the third operation unit 103. Various key operations can be realized.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 1, the mobile phone 100 according to the present embodiment has the first casing 10 and the second casing 20 rotated to the rotation positions opposite to each other about the rotation axis P. The three housings 30 can be rotated and moved to a rotational position that is perpendicular to the first housing 10 and the second housing 20. For this reason, the 1st housing 10 and the 2nd housing 20 are made into the rotation position of the mutually opposite side centering on the rotating shaft P, The conventional revolver type | mold (rotation type) is carried out by the 2nd operation part 102 using a right hand. Operability similar to that of the mobile phone can be realized. Further, by setting the third casing 30 to a rotational position that is perpendicular to the first casing 10 and the second casing 20, the third operating section 103 is shifted laterally with respect to the second operating section 102, so that the right hand And the left hand can be operated in the lateral direction. For this reason, it is possible to reduce a sense of incongruity at the time of operation compared to the case where the key operation is performed in a state where the right hand and the left hand are vertically aligned.

  In addition, the second operation unit 102 is a character input key, and the first operation unit 101 is provided with a character switching key 111 that is an input character switching key for switching a character type input by the second operation unit 102. Since the character type input by pressing a second operation unit 102 is the character type corresponding to the button pressed by the character switching key 111, a screen for selecting the character type is displayed on the display 110, and the character type to be used is displayed. It is possible to save the trouble of selecting. Further, since the third operation unit 103 includes a numeric input key, an operation of switching the character type input by the character input key from the kana input to the numeric input as in a conventional mobile phone that inputs a number using the character input key is possible. It is not necessary, and the time for creating a message in which numbers are interwoven can be shortened.

  In addition, a third housing rotation position sensor 40, a numeric key display control unit 103a, and a numeric key display unit 103b are provided as operation unit display orientation changing means, and based on the detection result of the third housing rotation position sensor 40. The numeric key display control unit 103a controls the numeric key display unit 103b, so that the direction of the operation guide character of the third operation unit 103 is changed according to the relative rotational position of the third case 30 with respect to the first case 10. The display 110 can be changed to match the display orientation. Thereby, even if the rotation position of the 3rd housing 30 with respect to the 1st housing 10 changes, the direction of the operation guidance character of the 3rd operation part 103 can be matched with the display direction of the display 110, and an operation guidance character is recognized. Can be maintained easily. Therefore, even if the third casing 30 is slid and rotated to a position where the user can easily operate, the operation guide characters of the third operation unit 103 are easily recognized. Therefore, the operability of the operation using the third operation unit 103 is improved. Can be improved.

The top view which shows an example of the external appearance structure of the mobile telephone which concerns on this embodiment. The block diagram which shows an example of schematic structure of the mobile phone. Explanatory drawing of the closed state where the whole of the 2nd housing and the 3rd housing have overlapped under the 1st housing. 3A is a top view and FIG. 3B is a side view. The top view which shows the 2nd operation part expansion | deployment state of the mobile phone. The top view of the mobile telephone of arrangement | positioning suitable when performing character input of a 2nd operation part with a left hand. The top view of the mobile telephone of the state which has arrange | positioned the 3rd housing so that it might become diagonal with respect to the 1st housing and the 2nd housing. The block diagram which shows an example of schematic structure of the mobile telephone of a modification. The top view of the mobile phone of the modification which has arrange | positioned so that a 2nd housing and a 3rd housing might become diagonal with respect to a 1st housing. The top view of the mobile phone of the modification which has arrange | positioned so that a 2nd housing and a 3rd housing may become a right angle with respect to a 1st housing.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 1st housing | casing 20 2nd housing 30 3rd housing 40 3rd housing rotation position sensor 50 2nd housing rotation position sensor 100 Mobile phone 101 1st operation part 102 2nd operation part 102a Character key display control part 102b Character key display part 102c Character key touch sensor 103 Third operation unit 103a Numeric key display control unit 103b Numeric key display unit 103c Numeric key touch sensor 104 Soft key 106 Direction key 110 Display 111 Character switching key 120 Main control unit 121 Internal memory 124 Display control unit 125 Display part 126 Key operation part

Claims (3)

A first housing having a display unit and a second housing having an operation unit;
In an information communication terminal capable of slidingly rotating one of the first casing and the second casing with respect to the other about a rotation axis that communicates the end of each casing in the thickness direction,
A third housing having an operating portion and capable of slidingly rotating with respect to the first housing and the second housing around the rotation axis ;
Operating portion of the second housing is provided with character input keys,
The operation unit of the third housing is equipped with a numeric input keys,
Said first housing has an operating portion, the operating portion of the first housing is an information communication terminal, characterized in that it comprises an input character switching key for switching the character type to be input by the operation unit of the second housing. In the information communication terminal according to claim 1 ,
The third housing is perpendicular to the first housing and the second housing in a state where the first housing and the second housing are rotated to the rotation positions opposite to each other around the rotation axis. An information communication terminal characterized by being able to rotate to a rotational position. In the information communication terminal according to claim 1 ,
At least one of the second housing and the third housing has an operation guide character displayed on the surface of the operation portion, and the direction of the operation guide character of the operation portion is changed according to a relative rotational position with respect to the first housing. An information communication terminal comprising: an operation unit display direction changing unit configured to change the display direction of the display unit of the first housing to match the display direction.

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