Telecommunications – Transmitter and receiver at same station – Radiotelephone equipment detail
Reexamination Certificate
1998-08-31
2001-06-19
Le, Thanh Cong (Department: 2749)
Telecommunications
Transmitter and receiver at same station
Radiotelephone equipment detail
C455S090300, C455S575100, C379S433020, C379S428030
Reexamination Certificate
active
06249684
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the field of communication devices. More particularly, this invention relates to an improved telephone device including an improved and more ergonomic grip or handle.
2. Background of the Invention
Early wireless telephones including cellular telephones, satellite phones, CDMA or PCS type phones, and the like, included large housings which contained large and heavy batteries and extensive electronic circuitry. The weight and size of such wireless telephones have steadily decreased over the years. This weight and size decrease results in part, from the integration of electronic functions and operations of a wireless telephone into semiconductor integrated devices such as digital signal processors. Also, smaller more powerful batteries have been developed and utilized in such telephones.
In spite of their smaller size, many wireless telephones are still too large to be carried in a coat or shirt pocket of a user. The user, therefore, must either carry the telephone in a bag or brief case, carry the telephone in his hand, or carry the telephone in a case which is attached to, for example, an article of clothing such as a belt or pants. However, these methods of carrying such a telephone are not as convenient as carrying it in the user's coat or shirt pocket. Thus, wireless telephone manufacturers continue to make their telephones smaller and easier to carry.
Form and function requirements related to the operation of wireless telephones limit how small such a telephone can be. For example, one such limiting operational requirement is that such a telephone must be long enough so that a user's mouth and ear can be simultaneously disposed proximate to a microphone and a speaker, respectively. Another limiting operational requirement is that such a telephone must be large enough so that its display and its keypad are large enough to allow a user to efficiently perform operations and/or enter or read alphanumeric data.
In order to make wireless telephones smaller, such telephones of the prior art are constructed with panels that are moveable so as to configure a cellular telephone from a storage configuration to an operational configuration, and vice versa. More specifically, a wireless telephone is constructed such that the interface devices (e.g., speaker, microphone, display, and keypad) are disposed on one or more moveable panels which are pivotally joined or slidably attached to a main body. When such a telephone is to be stored, the moveable panels are folded onto, slid over, or slide into the main body thereby placing it into the storage configuration which is small enough to fit into a coat or shirt pocket of a user. When the wireless telephone is to be operated as a telephone, the moveable panels are folded out from or slide out of the main body thereby placing it into the operational configuration that is large enough to permit a user to efficiently use the interface devices of the telephone.
FIG. 1
schematically depicts a user
10
grasping a wireless telephone
12
with a hand
11
. When using the telephone
12
as a telephone (i.e., simultaneously disposing the speaker and the microphone of the telephone
12
proximate to the ear and mouth, respectively, of the user
10
), the user
10
generally grasps the telephone
12
along the edges
13
so as to not block the interface devices such as microphone or speaker, or so as not to engage interface devices such as the keypad or function keys. Grasping the telephone in this manner urges the wrist of the user
10
out of its neutral position and rotates the wrist backward into an awkward position causing an uncomfortable flexing in the forearm and tension in the shoulder of the user. When using telephones, keyboards and the like, it is highly desirable to maintain one's wrists in the neutral position so as to relieve stress and tension in one's arms and wrists, thereby reducing fatigue and avoiding physical injury. When the arms of a user are dangled straight down by his side, the user's wrists are straight and disposed in the so called “neutral” position. What is needed, is a wireless telephone which is small enough to slide into a user's coat or shirt pocket, includes adequately sized displays and keypad, and, when used as a telephone, maintains the user's wrist in the neutral position.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved wireless telephone having a small enough form factor to fit into a user's shirt or coat pocket.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved wireless telephone having a small form factor and having an adequately sized display and keypad.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an improved wireless telephone having a small form factor and capable of being grasped by a hand of a user in such a manner such that a wrist of the user is maintained in a neutral position while the wireless telephone is operated as a telephone.
Briefly, a preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a main body having a generally rectangular shape, the main body further including a first surface and a first width. The first surface having disposed thereon a plurality of input data entry keys, a visual display, a plurality of function entry keys, and a microphone. A speaker is mechanically coupled to the main body. A means for grasping the wireless telephone or a grasping device is coupled to the main body. The means for grasping or the grasping device also includes a first surface and a second surface, the first surface having an undulating surface including a plurality of alternately disposed flat and concave portions, and the second surface being generally convex or curved. The means for grasping or the grasping device is rotatably connected to the main body, is aligned along or parallel to a longitudinal axis of the wireless telephone, and further includes a second width which is narrower than the first width. It is an advantage of the present invention that the means for grasping or the grasping device is attached to the wireless telephone in such a manner such that a wrist of a user of the wireless telephone is maintained in a neutral position while the wireless telephone is operated as a telephone.
In another embodiment of the present invention, a grasping device is coupled to a wireless telephone having a first width, the grasping device including means for grasping the wireless telephone such that a wrist of a user of the wireless telephone, is maintained in a neutral position while the wireless telephone is operated as a telephone. The means for grasping also includes a first surface and a second surface, the first surface having an undulating surface including a plurality of alternately disposed flat and concave portions, and the second surface being generally convex or curved. The means for grasping is rotatably connected to the main body, is aligned along or parallel to a longitudinal axis of the wireless telephone, and further includes a second width which is narrower than the first width. It is an advantage of the present invention that the means for grasping is attached to the wireless telephone in such a manner such that a wrist of a user of the wireless telephone is maintained in a neutral position while the wireless telephone is operated as a telephone.
In still other embodiments of the present invention, the means for grasping or grasping device may have a generally rectangular cross-section shape, a generally cylindrical cross-section shape, or a generally oval cross-section shape.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following description of the invention.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5259019 (1993-11-01), Stilley
patent: 5327584 (1994-07-01), Adachi et al.
patent: 5507013 (1996-04-01), Weadon et al.
patent: 5640690 (1997-06-01), Kudrna
patent: 5649306 (1997-07-01), Vannatta et al.
patent: 5678206 (19
Card Ronald C.
Cong Le Thanh
Sony Corporation
Tran Pablo
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