KR19980070257A - 3-fold folding cellular phone - Google Patents

Abstract

The three-stage folding cellular telephone 100 includes an upper housing 101, a central housing 102, and a lower housing 103. The upper housing 101 is rotatably coupled to the central housing 102 via the first hinge 115. The central housing 102 includes an indicator 105, a microphone opening behind the microphone, and one or more retaining slots to attach the auxiliary battery 108. The lower housing 103 includes a keypad 107 that allows the user to power on and power off the portable device and to enter and transmit the digits of the telephone number to initiate the call. The upper housing 101 includes a speaker bezel 106 having a recess for the main battery 104 and an opening located behind the speaker.

Description

3-fold folding cellular phone

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention generally relates to wireless telephones, and more particularly to improved three-fold cellular telephones for use in cellular telephone systems.

Portable cellular telephones (or cellular telephones) are becoming increasingly popular due to their light weight and miniaturization. For the convenience of the user, it is important that the portable cellular telephone be as small as possible. This size has been somewhat reduced using a keypad cover that can be folded, such as the cellular telephones exemplified in US Patent Nos. 325,028, 359,734, and 269,598. Although these prior art cellular telephones are being miniaturized, it is necessary to maintain substantially the same length in order to maintain a proper distance from the user's ear to the mouth.

Accordingly, there is a need for a three-stage folding cellular telephone that is smaller than a conventional cellular telephone and that maintains a reasonable distance from the user's ear to the mouth.

1 is a perspective view of a three-stage folding cellular telephone embodying the present invention in an open position;

2 is a perspective view of the three-fold folding cellular telephone of FIG. 1 in a closed position;

3 is a front view of the three-stage folding cellular telephone of FIG. 1;

4 is a right side view of the three-stage folding cellular telephone of FIG. 1;

5 is a block diagram of a radio frequency communication system implementing a portable device having the discharging and charging circuit of FIG.

6 is a side view of another embodiment in which the three-stage folding cellular telephone embodying the present invention is shown in an open position;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the three-stage folding cellular telephone of FIG. 6 in a closed position; FIG.

8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 8-8 of the three-stage folding cellular telephone of FIG. 7; And,

9 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 9-9 of the three-stage folding cellular telephone of FIG.

Explanation of symbols for the main parts of the drawings

101: upper housing

102: center housing

103: lower housing

104: main battery

107: keypad

209: antenna

223 opening

306: controller

1, 2, 3, and 4, the upper, middle, and lower housing portions 101, 102, and 103 are powered and powered by the primary and / or secondary batteries 104, 108 in operation. A three-stage folding cellular telephone 100 is illustrated. The three-stage folding cellular telephone 100 is preferably a handheld device that is small enough to be carried in a shirt pocket or clip attached to a user's belt or clothing. In Figures 6 and 7, the antenna 209 is made of a flexible material, which includes upper, middle, and lower housings 201, 202, and 203, shown in a retracted position in FIG. 6 and in an extended position in FIG. Another embodiment of a three-stage folding cellular telephone 100 is illustrated. In other embodiments, they may be telephones 100 and 200, cordless phones or multi-mode phones. Moreover, the present invention is not limited to a three-fold folded structure, but is intended to encompass a 4-fold or more folded structure. In one embodiment of the four-fold structure, the additional housing portion can be connected to the upper housing 101 of FIG. 1 and rotated in the direction of the field system to close the upper housing 101 through a hinge therebetween.

1 illustrates a three-stage folding cellular telephone 100 with a main battery. The three-stage folding cellular telephone 100 includes a first or upper housing 101, a second or central housing 102, and a third or lower housing 103. The upper housing 101 is rotatably coupled to the central housing 102 through the first hinge 115. The lower housing 103 is rotatably coupled to the central housing 102 through the second hinge 116. Although the upper housing 101 is shown to be closed in a clockwise direction, in other embodiments it may be rotated in the counter-system direction. Since the hinge 115 is substantially separated from the central housing 102 by the thickness of the lower housing 103, the upper housing 101 overlaps and covers the closed lower housing 203.

The central housing 102 includes one or more retaining slots (see FIG. 4) for attaching a control circuit (see FIG. 5), an indicator 105, a microphone opening, and an auxiliary battery 108. According to a feature of the invention, the display portion 105 is recessed in the surface of the central housing 102. The antenna (see FIG. 5) can be retracted into or extend from the interior of the central housing 102 as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. A microphone (not shown) is located behind the microphone of the central housing 102. The indicator 105 displays the user's visible information, including, for example, a telephone number, received signal strength, the name and telephone number of the caller being entered, and the amount of charge current remaining in the primary or secondary battery 108. To provide.

The lower housing 103 includes a keypad 107 (see FIG. 3) that calls the user by powering on and powering off the portable device and entering and transmitting the digits of the telephone number. In accordance with a feature of the invention, the lower housing 103 is rotated through the second hinge 116 to close the indicator 105 in the central housing 102, thereby preventing the indicator from damage, dirt, dust, and other contaminants. 105) protect.

2 illustrates the three-fold cellular phone 100 in a closed position. The main battery 104 is inserted into the corresponding recess of the upper housing 101. Insert the main battery 104 under the lid 218 on the surface of the upper housing 101 and rotate the main battery 104 downward into the recess to rotate the main battery 104 into a three-fold cellular telephone. 100). The main battery 104 is rotated until its latch member engages the corresponding member in the recess. The main battery 104 is detached by pressing the latch member out of the corresponding member in the recess and rotating the main battery 104 upwards from the recess. Corresponding recesses in the main battery 104 and the upper housing 101 are Shaquil H. Bucket, Mach. Filed Oct. 31, 1995 under the heading Apparatus for discharging and charging multiple battery arrays invented by Mortier, and Richard H. Barkat, Matthew D. Mottier, and Richard Ng. The assignee's pending US application Ser. No. 08 / 558,586, incorporated by reference in its entirety, is hereby incorporated in detail.

5 illustrates a block diagram form of a cellular telephone system 300 in which a cellular base station 301 and a three-stage cellular cellular telephone 100 communicate in radio frequency (RF) signals. The three-fold cellular phone 100 includes an antenna 303, a receiver 304, a transmitter 305, a controller 306, and a speaker (not shown), the indicator 105 of FIG. 1, and a microphone (not shown). And a user interface 308 including the keypad 107 of FIG. 1. The controller 306 can be, for example, the microprocessor 68HC11 available from Motorola, Inc. The integrated circuit of the three-stage folding cellular telephone 100 is of the type shown and described in US Pat. No. 5,301,420, incorporated herein in its entirety by direct chip attachment or ball grid array technology to reduce circuit board thickness. It can be attached to a lightweight circuit board.

The three-stage folding cellular telephone 100 is powered by removable primary and secondary batteries 104, 108 and operated in the following manner. The antenna 303 converts the RF signal 302 into an electrical RF reception signal and then couples the electrical RF signal to the receiver 304. The receiver 304 combines the electrical RF signal through the controller 306 and converts it into a received signal output to the user as audible voice through the speaker and as operational information through the indicator 128. Voice and data input by the user through the microphone and keypad 130 are respectively coupled to the transmitter 305 as a data transmission signal. The transmitter converts the data transmission signal by the antenna 303 into an electrical RF transmission signal transmitted as the RF signal 302.

Calling to start / answer and end with a three-stage folding cellular telephone 100 may be accomplished by opening and closing the upper housing 101 or opening and closing the lower housing 103 respectively. The controller detects the opening and closing of the upper housing 101 and the lower housing 103 and starts / responses a call that is formed / received or terminates an ongoing call. The controller 306 may be implemented as shown and described in U. S. Patent No. 4,845, 772, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

The three-stage folding cellular telephone 100 includes a discharge and charge circuit 310, a memory 312, and a coupler 314. The discharging and charging circuit 310 selectively discharges the primary and secondary batteries 104, 108 to power the portable device seamlessly. The discharge and charge circuit 310 also selectively charges the primary and secondary batteries 104 under the control of a program executed by the controller 306. The program is stored in the memory 312. The memory 312 is preferably read only memory (ROM), but may be erasable programmable read only memory (EPROM), random access memory (RAM) or other suitable memory. Although the memory is shown separately from the controller, it will be appreciated that this memory 312 may be internal to the controller 306 and may include other memory as well as the memory 312. The coupler 314 allows the user to operate an external power supply (not shown) to supply power to operate (and store battery charge) the three-stage folding cellular telephone 100 or to charge the primary and secondary batteries 104 and 108. To be attached to the coupler. The operation and circuit of the discharge and charge circuit 310 is described in more detail in U.S. Application No. 08 / 558,586 to the assignee's aforementioned pending application of October 31, 1995.

6 and 7, a side view of another embodiment of a three-stage folding cellular telephone 200 embodying the present invention is illustrated and shown in the open position in FIG. 6 and in the closed position in FIG. have. The three-stage folding cellular telephone 200 includes a main battery 204 that projects slightly above the surface of the upper housing 201 and provides a larger capacity battery cell because it is more space. The three-stage folding cellular telephone 200 also includes an antenna 209 of telescopic material, shown in the retracted position in FIG. 6 and in the extended position in FIG. Auxiliary battery 204 is shown in FIG. 7 attached to central housing 202. The central housing 202 includes one or more retaining slots for attaching the secondary battery 208.

In FIG. 8, a cross-sectional view of a three-stage folding cellular telephone 200 taken along line 8-8 of FIG. 7 as viewed through hinge 216 is illustrated. The hinge 216 carries the wire 221 between the upper housing 201 and the lower housing 203 to the lower housing 203 where the controller of the central housing 202 interconnects the keypad of the lower housing 203. Where a portion of the wire 221 entering the opening 223 extends through the opening 224 and another portion of the wire 221 entering the opening 223 extends through the opening 225. Another method of electrically connecting the central housing 202 with the upper housing 201 and / or the lower housing 203 is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety with US assignee 5,170,173 incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Being Scott D. Butler, and Brian Jay. United States Patent Application No. 08 / filed May 9, 1995 under the name of a method and apparatus for routing conductors through a hinge invented by Scott D. Beutler and Brian J. Hassemer. 437,344 is shown and described.

In FIG. 9, a cross-sectional view of a three-fold folding cellular telephone cut along line 9-9 of FIG. 7 and showing only the upper member 901 and lower member 902 of the hinge 216 is illustrated. The upper member 901 includes clamps 905 and 906 coupled with the sharp locks 907 and 908 of the lower member 902, respectively. During assembly of the hinge 216, the wires 221 are located in the openings 223, 224, and 225 and the upper member 901 snaps to the lower member 902.

In summary, the unique three-fold foldable cellular telephone with removable primary and secondary batteries is all folded together and the indicator is protected by the folded top and bottom. Since the top and bottom overlap the entire center, the three-fold foldable cellular telephone can be small enough to fit in the shirt pocket of the user or the clip of the user's belt or clothing.

Claims (8)

In a cordless phone, A first housing portion 101; A second housing portion (102) having a first hinge and a second hinge for coupling to the first housing portion, and further including an indicator for displaying the selected information; And A third housing portion (103) coupled to the second hinge of the second housing portion and having a predetermined thickness; The first hinge of the second housing portion is separated from the second hinge by at least a predetermined thickness of the third housing portion, the third housing portion rotates on the second hinge to overlap the entire indicator; And the first housing portion rotates on the first hinge to overlap the entire third housing portion. 2. A cordless telephone as set forth in claim 1, wherein said third housing portion further comprises a keypad (107) for inputting information and controlling the cordless telephone. 3. The method of claim 2 wherein the second housing portion includes a controller 306 and the second hinge includes a plurality of wire openings 223 for interconnecting the keypad and the controller. wireless telephone. The radiotelephone according to claim 1, wherein said first housing portion includes a compartment (104) having a battery for generating a predetermined output voltage. 2. The device of claim 1, wherein the second hinge comprises an upper member 901 and a lower member 902, wherein the upper member includes at least one clamp and the lower member is disposed at least against the at least one clamp. And a shaft lock, wherein at least one clamp of the upper member is clamped in at least one shaft lock upon assembly. The radiotelephone according to claim 1, further comprising an antenna (209) coupled to said second housing portion. 7. A radiotelephone according to claim 6, wherein said antenna (209) is a telescopic antenna having a retracted position and an extended position. A cordless phone that starts and ends phone calls, A first housing portion 101; A second housing portion (102) having a first hinge and a second hinge for coupling to the first housing portion, and further including an indicator for displaying the selected information; A third housing portion 103 coupled to the second hinge of the second housing portion and having a predetermined thickness; And A controller 306 for detecting when the first housing portion is opened or closed and when the third housing portion is opened or closed to initiate and end telephone calls respectively; The first hinge of the second housing portion is separated from the second hinge by at least a predetermined thickness of the third housing portion, the third housing portion rotates on the second hinge to overlap the entire indicator; And the first housing portion rotates on the first hinge to overlap the entire third housing portion.