Portable telephone with flap hinged to its casing

Details Portable telephone with flap hinged to its casing Portable telephone with flap hinged to its casing

2000-02-17

2004-03-09

Tran, Sinh (Department: 2681)

Telecommunications

Transmitter and receiver at same station

Radiotelephone equipment detail

C455S569100, C455S090300

Reexamination Certificate

active

06704585

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a portable telephone having a casing and a flap pivotable relative to the casing.
The flap can assume various angular positions relative to the casing between two extreme positions:
a retracted position, in which the flap is retracted against the casing, for example to cover an alphanumeric keypad; and
a deployed position, in which the flap is at an angle of substantially 180° to the casing.
The flap generally protects the keys in the retracted position and allows access to them in the deployed position.
The portable telephone also includes means for sensing the position of the flap and a switch connected to the sensing means to select an “off-hook” mode enabling a telephone call to be conducted when the flap is in the retracted position or an “on-hook” mode interrupting the telephone call in progress when the flap is in the retracted position.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The expression “portable telephone” refers to any type of cordless telephone, for example telephones which are connected by radio to a base station connected to a public switched network, and to cellular telephones of a mobile telephone network, in particular a GSM network.
Many portable telephones have a “hands-free” mode enabling a call to be conducted without the user having to hold the telephone near the ear or mouth.
The sound level of the telephone is amplified so that the user can hear the conversation comfortably.
It is therefore essential for the hands-free mode to be activated only if the telephone is away from the ear or mouth.
Fixed systems are available, in particular for use in vehicles, which automatically select the hands-free mode immediately the telephone is placed on the fixed system.
However, this has the disadvantage of requiring the presence of an additional device.
In the absence of such fixed systems, the hands-free mode is activated or de-activated by selecting it using a key or a specific menu.
This is complicated, however, and activation is not automatic.
Other portable telephones have an infrared sensor adapted to sense the distance between the telephone and the user's mouth or ear. Threshold distances condition activation or de-activation of the hands-free mode.
Those telephones have the drawback of requiring additional components, which increases their size and cost.
OBJECT AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the invention is therefore to eliminate the above drawbacks.
To this end, it proposes a portable telephone of the aforementioned type wherein the switch further includes means for selecting a “hands-free” mode when the flap is in a particular intermediate position.
Because this intermediate position of the flap during a call is uncomfortable for the user, it automatically causes the user to hold the telephone away from the head while the “hands-free” mode is activated.
In one particular embodiment of the invention, in the intermediate position the flap is at an angle of substantially 60° to 120° to the casing.
The means for sensing the position of the flap relative to the casing can be mechanical and/or electromagnetic.
The invention also provides a method of controlling a “hands-free” circuit of a portable telephone having a casing and a flap pivotable on the casing between a retracted position and a deployed position, wherein the “hands-free” circuit is activated when the flap is in a particular intermediate position and the “hands-free” circuit is de-activated when the flap is in the retracted position or the deployed position.


REFERENCES:
patent: 4845772 (1989-07-01), Metroka et al.
patent: 5111498 (1992-05-01), Guichard et al.
patent: 5175759 (1992-12-01), Metroka
patent: 5465401 (1995-11-01), Thompson
patent: 5507013 (1996-04-01), Weadon
patent: 5649309 (1997-07-01), Wilcox
patent: 5715524 (1998-02-01), Jambhekar et al.
patent: 5828965 (1998-10-01), Brown et al.
patent: 6088240 (2000-07-01), Steinhoff
patent: 6104808 (2000-08-01), Alameh
patent: 6115620 (2000-09-01), Colonna
patent: 6215993 (2001-04-01), Ulveland
patent: 6314183 (2001-11-01), Pehrsson
patent: 6349225 (2002-02-01), Lands et al.
patent: 6434371 (2002-08-01), Claxton
patent: 6434404 (2002-08-01), Claxton et al.
patent: 197 08 120 (1998-06-01), None
patent: 0 607 038 (1994-07-01), None
patent: 0 661 824 (1995-07-01), None
patent: 0 796 026 (1997-09-01), None
patent: 2 768 011 (1999-03-01), None
patent: WO 91/07836 (1991-05-01), None
patent: WO 93/07680 (1993-04-01), None

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

Portable telephone with flap hinged to its casing 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 telephone with flap hinged to its casing, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Portable telephone with flap hinged to its casing will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3273741