Telecommunications – Transmitter and receiver at same station – Radiotelephone equipment detail
Reexamination Certificate
1998-11-24
2001-10-09
Trost, William (Department: 2683)
Telecommunications
Transmitter and receiver at same station
Radiotelephone equipment detail
C455S566000, C455S569200, C379S370000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06301487
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an information terminal unit incorporating a cellular phone function. More particularly, the invention relates to an ON/OFF-hook method of the information terminal unit incorporating the cellular phone function.
2. Description of the Related Art
Corresponding to spreading of cellular phone system corresponding to personalizing of recent electric communication and personalization of information owing to down-sizing and reduction of weight of a portable computer according to development of computer and storage device, information terminal unit incorporating cellular phone function have been developed one after another. Conventionally, most of the information terminal unit incorporating cellular phone function of this kind has directly installed a microphone and a speaker to use with placing a face close thereto similarly to a general cellular phone. In this case, when the information terminal unit is too bulky, a difficulty may be encountered to use like a telephone receiver. Therefore, such type of the information terminal unit is inherently restricted in enlargement of a display portion, in installation of a keyboard and so forth. Therefore, the conventional hand set for cellular phone has been provided in the information terminal unit. However, for enlarged body of the information terminal unit, it is inherent to use a earphone microphone.
For example, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. Heisei 7-107148, there has been disclosed a cellular phone, in which the earphone microphone also serves as an antenna and the earphone is taken up and stored within a casing.
As ON/OFF-hook method of such cellular phone, a switch for ten key is assigned for this purpose or a dedicated switch is provided.
However, in the conventional cellular phone or the information terminal unit incorporating the cellular phone function, it is typical that a switch for ten key is assigned for this purpose or a dedicated switch is provided. In the cellular phone disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. Heisei 7-107148, there has been proposed to use an ON-hook switch as well as a take-up operator for releasing engagement between an engaging claw and an engaging plate engaging with the former in a cable storage means. ON-hook is assigned to an icon button.
However, upon call during travel with storing the main body of the information terminal unit within a bag, unwanted trouble should be caused for those around unless response to the call can be done with simple operation. As well, harmful influence should be caused on the user.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide an information terminal unit incorporating a cellular phone function having a cellular phone function with simplified operation procedure and improved operability and an ON/OFF-hook method therefor.
According to the first aspect of the present invention, an information terminal unit incorporating a cellular phone function comprises:
an information processing terminal portion;
a cellular phone portion;
a control portion;
a cable connected with an earphone microphone for the cellular phone at a tip end portion and connected to an internal circuit of the information terminal unit at the other end;
a cable take-up mechanism for taking up the cable;
holding means for holding the cable take-up mechanism at an extraction end position of the cable;
switch means for closing contacts by the cable take-up mechanism held by the holding means and opening contacts at the cable take-up mechanism, the switching means switching ON-hook and OFF hook of the cellular phone portion.
In the preferred construction, the cable take-up mechanism may comprise:
a reel taking up the table to store thereon;
a pinion fixed on the reel in coaxial with a rotary shaft of the reel;
rack gear held for movement with meshing with the pinion and having an engaging portion engaging with an engaging portion of the holding means and a switching operation portion for actuating the switch means in closing direction at the extraction end position of the cable; and
a spring biasing the rack gear in extracting direction of the cable, and
the holding means may comprise:
an engaging portion engageable with the engaging portion provided on the rack gear;
an operating portion operable of the holding means from output side of the information terminal unit in engagement releasing direction; and
a spring biasing the engaging portion in an engaging direction.
The rack gear may be a sectorial sector gear pivotably supported. In the alternative, the rack gear may be a linear-type gear slidably supported.
The switch means for switching ON-hook and OFF-hook state of the cellular phone may be a push button switch closing contacts by depression by the switching operation portion provided in the rack gear, a lead switch closing contacts by approaching of the switching operation portion provided in the rack gear, or an optical sensor switch closing contacts by shutting off of an optical path by the switching operating portion provided in the rack gear.
According to the second aspect of the present invention, an information terminal unit incorporating a cellular phone function comprises:
an information processing terminal portion;
a cellular phone portion;
a control portion;
a cable connected with an earphone microphone for the cellular phone at a tip end portion and connected to a plug for electrical connection with the information terminal unit;
a jack provided on a main body of the information terminal unit, electrically connectable with the plug, and having contacts closing upon mating with the plug and opening upon removal of the plug, for switching ON-hook and OFF hook of the cellular phone portion by opening and closing of the contacts.
According to the third aspect of the present invention, an ON/OFF-hook method of a cellular phone in an information terminal unit incorporating a cellular phone function for communication with an earphone, comprises the steps of:
placing a cellular phone portion in the information terminating unit in ON-hook state for establishing call connection in response to external calling in and calling out by extracting the earphone microphone connected with the information terminal unit through a cable from a retracted position housed within the information terminal unit in a predetermined length and holding the cable at the extracted position by holding means; and
placing the cellular phone portion in OFF-hook state by depressing an operating portion of the holding means provided in the information terminal unit, retracting the earphone microphone into the information terminal unit.
According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, an ON/OFF-hook method of a cellular phone in an information terminal unit incorporating a cellular phone function for communication with an earphone, comprises the steps of:
placing a cellular phone portion in the information terminating unit in ON-hook state for establishing call connection in response to external calling in and calling out by mating a plug connected to one end of a cable which is connected to the earphone microphone at the other end, which plug establishes electrical connection with an internal circuit of the information terminal unit, with a jack having contacts closing upon mating with the plug; and
placing the cellular phone portion in OFF-hook state by releasing the plug from the jack.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3904843 (1975-09-01), Kendechy
patent: 4901938 (1990-02-01), Cantley et al.
patent: 5475872 (1995-12-01), Sato
patent: 5724667 (1998-03-01), Furuno
patent: 6002945 (1999-12-01), McDuffee
patent: 6011686 (2000-01-01), Grasso et al.
patent: 6144864 (2000-11-01), Lands et al.
patent: 2 293 726 A (1996-04-01), None
patent: 4 056530 (1992-02-01), None
patent: 7 107148 (1995-04-01), None
patent: 7-107148 (1995-04-01), None
patent: 7-177208 (1995-07-01), None
patent: 8-111703 (1996-04-01), None
patent: 9-8691 (1997-01-01), None
patent: 9-64952 (1997-03-01), None
McGuireWoods LLP
NEC Corporation
Tran Congvan
Trost William
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