Telephone terminal device

Details Telephone terminal device Telephone terminal device

2000-08-18

2004-01-06

Chiang, Jack (Department: 2642)

Telephonic communications

Supervisory or control line signaling

Substation originated

C379S433070

Reexamination Certificate

active

06674854

ABSTRACT:

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a telephone terminal device such as cellular phone.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Recently, the telephone terminal device such as cellular phone is provided with a liquid crystal device as standard equipment for the enhancement of convenience. The telephone number and other numerical data are displayed in the liquid crystal device. For reduction of size of the telephone terminal device itself, operation buttons are made of rubber or other elastic material which can be reduced in thickness and can give a click reaction feel. As display means of numerical data, the operation buttons are illuminated.
The structure of a cellular phone as an example of conventional telephone terminal device is explained by referring to
FIG. 12
to FIG.
16
.
FIG. 12
is an assembly sectional view of a conventional cellular phone, and the cellular phone comprises a back casing
1
, a circuit board
2
, a rubber button main body
3
, key buttons
4
, a liquid crystal device
5
, a liquid crystal device cable
6
, and a front casing
7
. The circuit board
2
is responsible for the function of the cellular phone. The rubber button main body
3
composes an operation button section of the cellular phone. The key buttons
4
are actually pushed by the user. The key buttons
4
are light transmissive. Light transmissive means that transmissivity is not 0 (zero), including transparent and translucent. The liquid crystal device
5
conducts with the circuit board
2
through the liquid crystal device cable
6
. The front casing
7
has button holes
8
, and a liquid crystal device hole
9
. The key button
4
is fitted into the button hole
8
. The liquid crystal device hole
9
is provided so as to coincide with the screen of the liquid crystal device
5
, so that the liquid crystal device
5
is seen from outside through the liquid crystal device hole
9
.
FIG.
13
(
a
) is a view of the rubber button main body
3
of the conventional cellular phone as seen from the side of the key buttons
4
. FIG.
13
(
b
) is a view of the rubber button main body
3
in FIG.
13
(
a
) as seen from the opposite side. In FIG.
13
(
b
), the rubber button main body
3
has contact points
10
and air vents
11
. The contact points
10
are made of conductive material. When the user pushes the key buttons
4
, air is pushed out, and flows into the air vents
11
.
FIG. 14
is a view of the circuit board
2
of the conventional cellular phone as seen from the contact surface side of the circuit board
2
and rubber button main body
3
. Contact circuits
12
are disposed at the same pitches at the contact points
10
of the rubber button main body
3
, and are opened. Illuminating parts
13
such as LEDs are disposed in the circuit board
2
.
FIG. 15
is a sectional magnified view of a key button
4
in a state of the rubber button main body
3
of the conventional cellular phone mounted on the circuit board
2
. The illuminating part
13
is disposed between the circuit board
2
and the key button
4
. A space
14
is formed around the contact point
10
, and the air vent
11
has a height
15
. The height
15
and the sectional area of the air vent
11
are adjusted so that the air staying in the space
14
may flows in smoothly.
FIG. 16
is a diagram showing display states of numerical data in the conventional cellular phone.
The structure of such conventional cellular phone, motion of the operation buttons, and display of numerical data are explained by referring to
FIG. 12
to FIG.
16
.
First, the rubber button main body
3
is fitted to the front casing
7
so that the key buttons
4
may be fitted into the button holes
8
in the front casing
7
. The liquid crystal device
5
is connected to the circuit board
2
through the liquid crystal display device cable
6
. Such circuit board
2
is fitted to the front casing
7
so that the liquid crystal screen of the liquid crystal device
5
may coincide with the liquid crystal device hole
9
. At this time , when the key button
4
is pushed, each contact circuit
12
in the circuit board
2
is disposed at a position contacting with the contact point
10
. Then the back casing
1
is coupled with the front casing
7
.
In the cellular phone thus constructed, an example of procedure of operation of sending a call is explained.
The user first enters the partner's telephone number by pressing the key buttons
4
. At this time, the air staying in the space
14
around the contact point
10
flows into the air vent
11
of the height
15
. Therefore, the contact point
10
is pushed to contact with the contact circuit
12
on the circuit board
2
. Accordingly, the contact circuit
12
which has been an open circuit now becomes a closed circuit by way of the contact point
10
, and the circuit board
2
recognizes that the key button
4
has been pushed. As a result, the numerical data of the pushed key button
4
is displayed in the liquid crystal device
5
.
Thus, after input operation of the telephone number, the user manipulates the key button
4
. By the manipulation of the key button
4
, the illuminating part
13
immediately beneath the key button
4
showing the numeral of the numerical data entered in the first place lights up. Then the illuminating part
13
goes out in a specific time. Similarly, the illuminating part
13
immediately beneath the key button
4
showing the numeral of the numerical data entered next lights up, and goes out in a specific time. In this way, each motion is repeated sequentially by the number of numerals of the numerical data being entered. In the illuminated key button
4
, the light passes and the surface of the key button
4
becomes bright.
This state is shown in FIG.
16
. However, the partner's telephone number may be displayed or not displayed in the liquid crystal device
5
.
Then the user recognizes the numerals of the illuminated key buttons
4
, and confirms the numerals of the partner's telephone number. The user pushes the send button, and the calling operation is done.
An example of procedure of operation of receiving a call is explained.
When called, by the caller's number notice function, the caller's telephone number is displayed in the liquid crystal device
5
as numerical data. Simultaneously when called, the user manipulates the key button
4
, and the illuminating part
13
immediately beneath the key button
4
showing the first numeral of the numerical data lights up, and goes out in a specific time. Then the above calling operation is repeated. Such motion is repeated sequentially one by one by the number of numerals of the numerical data displayed in the liquid crystal device
5
. Thus, the surface of each key button
4
becomes bright.
This state is same as in the calling operation, and is shown in FIG.
16
.
The partner's telephone number may be displayed or not displayed in the liquid crystal device
5
.
The user recognizes the numerals of the illuminated key buttons
4
, and confirms the caller's telephone number, and knows who is calling before receiving the call. The user pushes the receive button, and the receiving operation is done.
However, such cellular phone or telephone terminal device involves the following problems.
The cellular phone or telephone terminal device aims at thickness in 1 mm unit, weight in 1 g unit and volume in 1 cc unit in order to satisfy the market demand for wearable device and seek the ultimate convenience. Therefore, downsizing of the casing of the telephone terminal device is promoted, and the liquid crystal device is further reduced in size.
In such situation, the type size of numerical data displayed in the screen of the liquid crystal device is becoming smaller. Besides, as the number of digits of cellular telephone number is increased, the type size of the numerical data must be further reduced in order to display the numerical data fully on the liquid crystal screen.
As one of means for these purposes, as mentioned in the prior art, each key button showing the numer

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