Telephonic communications – Terminal – Housing or housing component
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-19
2001-12-18
Chiang, Jack (Department: 2642)
Telephonic communications
Terminal
Housing or housing component
C379S433040
Reexamination Certificate
active
06332024
ABSTRACT:
TECHNOLOGICAL FIELDS
The present invention relates to a portable terminal, and more specifically to a portable telecommunication terminal applicable, for instance, to a mobile telephone.
BACKGROUND TECHNOLOGY
Mobile telephones having functions for entering and registering telephone numbers and names of parties or the like, and function for retrieving information from the registered directory lists, and function for creating and retrieving personal information as well as schedule and electronic mails (email) are known. Generally, an input device such as a ten-key or the input device disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. HEI 9-34620 is used for registering information in the above mentioned directory list, personal information, schedule, or email. Further, selection means disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. HEI 7-297891 may be used for selecting any one of the plurality parties already registered in the directory list or the like.
Weight and size of the mobile telephone is decreasing, while the functions provided therein are increasing day by day. Considering this fact, the mobile telephone is getting short of space for incorporating therein the input device and the various types of function keys or the like. From the ergonomic point of view, it is disadvantageous to arrange a large number of input devices in a small space, because such an arrangement worsens the operability of the mobile telephone. In order to overcome this disadvantage due to a small space, allocating multiple functions to one input device may be considered. However, when multiple functions are allocated to one input device, the user is required to memorize all the functions allocated to the input device so that the load on the user increases. Further, from the psychological pressure due to remembering the information, the operational procedure becomes complicated. Further, now a days it is common for the mobile telephones to incorporate means for inputting characters for writing an email. However, the method of inputting the characters in the conventional mobile telephone is very complicated.
The present invention has been made for solving the problems described above, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a portable terminal which can realize versatility and downsizing by utilizing minimum entry keys and significantly improve the usability.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
A portable terminal according to the present invention comprises, a case having a control panel surface; a display screen located on the control panel surface of the case for displaying thereon information according to a communication mode; a main soft key located below the display screen, with which main soft key a rotating operation as well as a pressing operation can be performed; and an auxiliary soft key located by the side of the main soft key, with which auxiliary soft key a pressing operation can be performed; wherein a function having the highest frequency of use is allocated to the main soft key for each communication mode and a function having a higher frequency of use is allocated to the auxiliary soft key, and marks representing the functions allocated to the main and auxiliary soft keys are displayed near the respective keys as a main-function icon and an auxiliary-function icon respectively on the display screen.
In the portable terminal described above, one main soft key and one auxiliary soft key is provided. Further, marks representing the functions allocated to the main and the auxiliary soft keys are displayed near the main soft key and the auxiliary soft key respectively on the display screen as a main-function icon and an auxiliary function icon. Therefore, number of required entry keys can be reduced. In addition, operation can be performed while looking at the instructions on the display screen without taking help of manuals, so that operability of the device is improved because of the operation of the input device (main soft key, auxiliary soft key) which is linked to a sense obtained when a scrolling operation is performed on a screen.
In the portable terminal according to another aspect of the present invention, a plurality of icons each having a different function are displayed as the main-function icon, any one of these icons is selected by rotating the main soft key and the selected icon is confirmed by pressing the main soft key.
In the portable terminal described above, a plurality of icons are displayed on the display screen as the main-function icon, and one of these icons can be selected and confirmed by rotating and pressing the main soft key, so that operability of the device is further improved.
The portable terminal according to another aspect of the present invention comprises a ten-key and a power key located below the main soft key and the auxiliary soft key on the control panel surface; and a flip having a size equivalent to the size of the ten-key and the power key which flip covers the ten-key and the power key, wherein ordinary operations are carried out using the main soft key or the auxiliary soft key while the flip is in a closed state.
In the portable terminal described above, the main soft key and the auxiliary soft key are generally operated while keeping the flip closed. Therefore, inconvenience of entering data with ten-key or the like can be eliminated.
The portable terminal according to another aspect of the present invention comprises two the auxiliary soft keys of a first auxiliary soft key and a second auxiliary soft key; wherein functions are selected using the main soft key and the first and second auxiliary soft keys.
In the portable terminal described above, functions can be operated by two auxiliary soft keys of the first auxiliary soft key and the second auxiliary soft key, so that more functions can be allocated to these first and second auxiliary soft keys.
The portable terminal according to another aspect of the present invention comprises a substantially cylindrical soft key provided in place of the main soft key and the first and second auxiliary soft keys, which cylindrical soft key is rotatably located below the display screen, the cylindrical soft key having a rotatable main soft key element which performs switching in response to pressing of the central section thereof, which main soft key element corresponds to the main soft key; and first and second auxiliary soft key elements each performing switching in response to pressing of the two edges of the cylindrical soft key, which first and second soft key elements corresponds to the first and second auxiliary soft keys respectively.
In the portable terminal described above, the functions of the above described main soft key and the first and second auxiliary soft keys are allocated to a single soft key. Therefore, the operability is further enhanced and the usability is significantly improved.
The portable terminal according to another aspect of the present invention comprises a one-touch key used for one-touch operation when the portable terminal is to be connected to the Internet; wherein when the portable terminal is connected to the Internet, a function having the highest frequency of use is allocated to the main soft key and a function having a higher frequency of use is allocated to the auxiliary soft key, and the functions allocated to the main and auxiliary soft keys are displayed near the respective keys as a main-function icon and an auxiliary-function icon respectively on the display screen.
In the portable terminal described above, connection to the Internet can be achieved instantly by pressing the one-touch key. When the portable terminal in connected to the Internet, a function having the highest frequency of use is allocated to the main soft key so that this function can be selected by operating the main soft key. Further, a function having the next highest frequency of use is allocated to the auxiliary soft so that this function can be selected by operating the auxiliary soft key. Thus, most commonly used function can be selected with a very simple ope
Inoue Katsuo
Ito Kensei
Okamoto Satoshi
Tsukada Tomoaki
Chiang Jack
Mitsubishi Denki & Kabushiki Kaisha
Rothwell Figg Ernst & Manbeck
LandOfFree
Portable terminal does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Portable terminal, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Portable terminal will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2585987