Abstract:
Disclosed is a portable communication apparatus capable of providing data input expandability and thus convenient usability. The portable communication apparatus includes a main housing, a hinge axis extending across the main housing, a fixed housing fixed to a first peripheral portion of the main housing, the first peripheral portion being located at one side of the hinge axis, and a rotational housing rotatable about the hinge axis, the rotational housing being in contact with the fixed housing while surrounding the first peripheral portion of the main housing when the rotational housing is closed on the fixed housing, the rotational housing being most distant from the fixed housing while surrounding a second peripheral portion of the main housing when the rotational housing is completely opened from the fixed housing.

Description:
PRIORITY  
         [0001]    This application claims priority to an application entitled “POTABLE COMMUNICATION APPARATUS HAVING DATA INPUT EXPANDABILITY” filed in the Korean Industrial Property Office on Nov. 27, 2002 and assigned Serial No. 2002-74514, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0003]    The present invention relates to a portable communication apparatus, such as, a cellular phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a hand held phone (HHP), and more particularly to a portable communication apparatus providing data input expandability and thus convenient usability.  
           [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art  
           [0005]    In general, a “portable communication apparatus” refers to an apparatus using which any user can communicate with a counterpart user through wireless means, while carrying such portable communication apparatus. The trends in construction of the portable communication apparatuses have followed a tendency not only toward compactness and light-weight, but also toward functional variability. Thus, a future portable communication apparatus will be used in compact, light-weight, multi-functional and multi-lateral applications, and will be directed or oriented to various multi-media or Internet environments.  
           [0006]    A generalized conventional portable communication apparatus is classified into various types based on its geometry. For example, a wireless terminal is classified into a bar-type, a flip-type or a folder-type in accordance with its geometrical appearance. The bar-type wireless terminal means that a single housing is constructed in a bar shape. The flip-type wireless terminal means that a cover or flip is pivotally connected to a single bar-shaped housing by a hinge device. The folder-type wireless terminal means that a folder is pivotally coupled to a single bar-shaped housing by a hinge device to allow the folder to be folded.  
           [0007]    The portable wireless terminal may be classified into a neck wearable type and a wrist wearable type according to a physical wearable position or the way the user may carry the device. The neck wearable type wireless terminal is a type of the terminal, which a user wears around the neck using a string, while the wrist wearable type wireless terminal means a type of terminal, which a user wears around the wrist.  
           [0008]    Furthermore, the wireless terminal may be classified into a rotation-type and a sliding-type based on an open/close manner of readying the terminal for use. The rotation-type wireless terminal means a type in which two housings are coupled to each other in a manner in which one housing can rotate about the other to be opened or closed. The sliding-type wireless terminal means a type in which two housings are coupled to each other in a manner in which one housing can slide on top of the other to be opened or closed. These foregoing classifications of wireless terminals are easily understood by those skilled in the art.  
           [0009]    A conventional communication apparatuses classified based on their geometrical appearance, the flip-type portable communication apparatus and its hinge device are disclosed in detail in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 6,470,175, titled “FLIP-UP TYPE PORTABLE PHONE AND HINGE MECHANISM THEREOF”.  
           [0010]    There exists a common problem with the above-listed conventional portable communication apparatuses, in that it is inconvenient for the users to input complicated data, because the number of keys which are arranged on the terminal is constricted. To solve this problem and to positively cope with various Internet environments, the conventional portable communication apparatuses may have an increased number of keys. In this case, if the number of keys is excessively increased, these apparatuses encounter another problem in that their compact tendencies deteriorate.  
           [0011]    Even the portable terminal disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,470,175 has a problem accompanying a space restraint to provide data input expandability. In that patent, the flip-up type portable terminal is provided with about 15 to 20 keys for voice communication alone. This incurs no inconvenience to perform voice communication with a counterpart. However, a portable terminal, such as a PDA, in which 20 or more keys are present, leads to a restriction on an arrangement space of its main housing.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0012]    Accordingly, the present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems occurring in the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a portable communication apparatus capable of positively coping with a multimedia environment.  
           [0013]    It is another object of the present invention to provide a portable communication apparatus capable of providing data input expandability and thus convenient usability.  
           [0014]    To accomplish these objects, there is provided a portable communication apparatus comprising: a main housing; a hinge axis extending across the main housing; a fixed housing fixed to a first peripheral portion of the main housing, the first peripheral portion being located at one side of the hinge axis; and a rotational housing rotatable about the hinge axis, the rotational housing being in contact with the fixed housing while surrounding the first peripheral portion of the main housing when the rotational housing is closed on the fixed housing, the rotational housing being most distant from the fixed housing while surrounding a second peripheral portion of the main housing when the rotational housing is completely opened from the fixed housing. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0015]    The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a portable communication apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, in which, in a phone operation mode, a rotational housing is closed;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 2 is a front view of the portable communication apparatus shown in FIG. 1;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a portable communication apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, in which, in a personal digital assistant (PDA) operation mode, a rotational housing is completely opened;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 4 is a front view of the portable communication apparatus shown in FIG. 3;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 5 is a side view of the portable communication apparatus shown in FIG. 3; and  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 6 is a bottom view of a portable communication apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0022]    Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description of the present invention, a detailed description of known functions and configurations incorporated herein will be omitted when it may make the subject matter of the present invention rather unclear.  
         [0023]    As shown in FIGS.  1  to  6 , a portable communication apparatus (hereinafter, referred to as a “communication apparatus”) having data input expandability according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a main housing  10 , a fixed housing  20  integrally provided to the main housing  10 , and a rotational housing  30  connected to the main housing  10  to be rotatable in a direction of going toward or away from the fixed housing  20 . The communication apparatus is a portable apparatus in which both a phone operation mode and a personal digital assistant (PDA) operation mode are compatible. These operation modes are switched according to whether the rotational housing  30  is opened or closed.  
         [0024]    To be specific, the communication apparatus is preferably used in a phone operation mode while the rotational housing  30  is closed on the fixed housing  20 , and it is used in a PDA operation mode while the rotational housing  30  is opened from the fixed housing  20 . FIGS. 1 and 2 show the communication apparatus used in the phone operation mode, while FIGS. 3 and 4 show the communication apparatus used in the PDA operation mode. To this end, the communication apparatus is designed so that two similar-shaped housings, i.e., the fixed housing  20  and the rotational housing  30  are connected to the main housing  10 . In particular, the fixed housing  20  is fixed to the main housing  10  while surrounding a peripheral portion of the main housing  10 , the rotational housing  30  is connected to the main housing  10  to be rotatable about a hinge axis A in a direction of going toward or away from the fixed housing  20 .  
         [0025]    The hinge axis A passes through the main housing  10 . To be more specific, the hinge axis A extends across the main housing  10  (in a direction from right to left, and vice versa, in FIG. 2), and in particular passes through the middle of a display  112  mounted on the upper surface of the main housing  10 . Hinge modules are each arranged in the main housing  10  on both opposite sides of the display  112 . Of two hinge modules, one functions as a driving hinge module, being mounted on one side of the display  112 , while the other functions as an idle hinge module or hinge dummy, being mounted on the other side of the display  112 .  
         [0026]    A first peripheral portion of the main housing  10  is surrounded by the fixed housing  20 , while a second peripheral portion is opened. However, when the rotational housing  30  is completely opened from the fixed housing  20  by 180°, the whole peripheral portion the main housing  10  is fully surrounded by the fixed and rotational housings  20  and  30 . The main housing  10  has an upper surface  10   a,  provided with a first speaker device  110 , a display  112  and one or more first keys  114  in sequence. Further, the main housing  10  has one side provided with a plurality of second keys  116 . The display  112  is constructed for representing information and/or for inputting information.  
         [0027]    The fixed housing  20  surrounds the first peripheral portion of the main housing  10 , particularly approximately half of the whole peripheral portion of the main housing  10 , and includes an upper surface  20   a  and a lower surface  20   b  (shown in FIG. 6). The fixed housing  20  includes a fixed body having upper and lower surfaces  20   a  and  20   b  and a pair of legs  22  extending from both corners of the fixed body  20  in the same direction. The upper surface  20   a  of the fixed housing  20  is provided with a second speaker device  213  and one or more of third keys  211 . The third keys  211  are used to input various numerals or characters. The pair of legs  22  have ends which are positioned under the hinge axis A and mounted nearest to ends of the pair of legs  32  of the rotational housing  30 .  
         [0028]    The rotational housing  30  rotates about the hinge axis A provided on the main housing  10  in a direction moving toward or away from the fixed housing  20 . When the rotational housing  30  is closed on the fixed housing  20 , the rotational housing  30  surrounds the first peripheral portion of the main housing  10 . When the rotational housing  30  is opened from the fixed housing  20 , the rotational housing  30  surrounds the second peripheral portion of the main housing  10 . This is because the rotational housing  30  has an opening taking a specific shape. The opening refers to a space between the pair of legs  32 . A detailed description will be made below regarding a construction of the rotational housing  30 .  
         [0029]    As shown in FIG. 3, the rotational housing  30  includes a rotational body and a pair of legs  32  extending from both corners of the rotational body in one direction. The body of the rotational housing  30  includes an upper surface  30   a  (shown in FIG. 1), a lower surface  30   b  and a central portion. The pair of legs  32  each include an end  32   a  with a curved portion. When the rotational housing  30  is closed on the fixed housing  20 , the lower surface  30   b  of the rotational housing  30  faces the upper surface  20   a  of the main housing  10 . When the rotational housing  30  is opened from the fixed housing  20 , the rotational housing  30  rotates about the hinge axis A to the most remote position from the fixed housing  20 , while the rotational housing  30  surrounds the second peripheral portion of the main housing  10 .  
         [0030]    As shown in FIG. 1, the upper surface  30   a  of the rotational housing  30  is provided with a camera lens  312 , a plurality of fourth keys  310  and a microphone  314 . As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the lower surface  30   b  of the rotational housing  30  is provided with a third speaker device  313  and a plurality of fifth keys  311 . Each of the ends  32   a  of the pair of legs  32  has a curved portion, which has been previously mentioned. The curved portion of the end  32   a  is provided to allow the rotational housing  30  to rotate smoothly while the rotational housing  30  rotates about the hinge axis A. The hinge axis A passes through a rotational center of the end  32   a.    
         [0031]    As shown in FIG. 5, when the rotational housing  30  rotates about the hinge axis A to be completely opened from the fixed housing  20 , the upper surface  10   a  of the main housing  10  protrudes above the fixed and rotational housings  20  and  30 , and the upper surface  20   a  of the fixed housing  20  is flush with the lower surface  30   b  of the rotational housing  30 .  
         [0032]    As shown in FIG. 1, the communication apparatus is designed so that, when the rotational housing  30  is closed on the fixed housing  20 , the plurality of fourth keys  310 , the camera lens  312  and the microphone  314 , which are provided on the upper surface  30   a  of the rotational housing  30 , are exposed outside, and also the first speaker device  110 , display  112  and a plurality of first keys  114 , which are provided on the upper surface  10   a  of the main housing  10 , are exposed outside. These exposed components can be in an available situation for a user of the apparatus.  
         [0033]    As shown in FIG. 3, the communication apparatus is designed so that, when the rotational housing  30  is completely opened, away from the fixed housing  20 , the plurality of third and fifth keys  211  and  311  of the fixed and rotational housings  20  and  30  are exposed to be available for use. Additionally, the first speaker device  110 , display  112  and the plurality of first keys  114 , which are provided on the upper surface  10   a  of the main housing  10 , can be used.  
         [0034]    As shown in FIG. 6, the communication apparatus has a bottom provided with a battery pack  40 . The battery pack  40  is provided with a stylus  42 , which is inserted or withdrawn in the longitudinal direction to the battery pack for its use.  
         [0035]    While the invention has been shown and described with reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by one skilled in the art that various modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.  
         [0036]    As can be seen from the foregoing, the present invention can accomplish data input expandability by providing data input units in the main housing, fixed housing and rotational housing. Further, the present invention can operate with a multimedia environment.