Telecommunications – Transmitter and receiver at same station – Radiotelephone equipment detail
Reexamination Certificate
1998-02-26
2001-08-14
Vo, Nguyen T. (Department: 2682)
Telecommunications
Transmitter and receiver at same station
Radiotelephone equipment detail
C455S349000, C455S575100, C345S007000, C379S433020
Reexamination Certificate
active
06275714
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the field of telecommunications and more particularly to phones which carry virtual image displays allowing users to view documents and graphics.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recent advances in technology have allowed cellular phone manufacturers to provide phones which contain virtual image displays. Virtual image displays use a real image which may be smaller than the size of a stamp and use optics to provide the user with a magnified virtual image of the real image. Phones including these displays can be used to view documents or other digital displays such as e-mail, faxes or web pages. Due to their small size, virtual image displays are suitable for attachment to cellular phone.
At present, most phones which include virtual image displays have the display mounted on the phone. If a consumer wishes to use a virtual image display with a phone, the consumer must purchase a new phone which includes a virtual image display. A need exists for an accessory which can be used with existing phones to provide virtual image display abilities to the phone.
Kopin Corp. has recently developed Cyber Display, a cellular phone with a virtual image display screen to one side of the mouthpiece. The phone has an asymmetrical design and is thus adapted for left or right handed use but not use with either hand. A need exists for a phone suitable for ambidextrous use. This and other needs are provided by the phone accessory and phone of the present invention.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a phone accessory including an insert which can be positioned between a phone and power source. The insert has a first side with a first set of electrical contacts which contact electrical contacts on the phone when the phone is attached to the insert. The insert also has a second side with a second set of electrical contacts which contact electrical contacts on the power source when the power source is attached to the insert. When the insert is positioned between the phone and the power source, the phone is in electrical communication with the power source through the insert. The insert also includes an insert dataport which couples with a dataport on the phone when the phone is attached to the insert. A virtual image display is attached to the insert and in electrical communication with the insert dataport for receiving image data from the phone through the phone and insert dataports.
The present invention also relates to a phone with a virtual image display attached to phone. The virtual image display is connected to the phone so as to receive image data from the phone. In one embodiment, the virtual image display is positioned along a longitudinal axis passing through the center of the phone between the earpiece and mouthpiece on the phone.
According to this embodiment, the phone and virtual image display are preferably sufficiently symmetrical about the longitudinal axis so as to allow ambidextrous usage. The phone accessory or phones of the present invention can include at least one user input positioned on the insert or on the phone. At least one user input can be a positioning device for controlling a position of a cursor on the virtual image display or an input device for providing an input at a position of a cursor on the virtual image display. The one or more inputs are preferably arranged sufficiently symmetrically on the phone accessory or phone so that the one or more inputs can be used in a similar manner regardless of whether the phone is in the left or right hand.
In any of the above embodiments, the virtual image display can be attached to the accessory or phone by a mechanism which allows the display to rotated around the longitudinal axis of the phone and or angularly relative to the longitudinal axis.
In any of the above embodiments, the accessory or phone can include logic in communication with a sensor for detecting whether the phone is being held in a user's left or right hand; the logic controls the orientation of the virtual image produced by the virtual image display as well as the functions performed by the user inputs in response to the detected orientation of the phone.
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Patent Abstract Of Japan, vol. 097, No. 011, Nov. 28, 1997; JP 09 198352.
Kintz Gregory J.
Phillips David L.
Inviso, Inc.
Ramos-Feliciano Eliseo
Vo Nguyen T.
Weitz David J.
Wilson Sonsini Goodrich and Rosati
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