Abstract:
Disclosed is a portable terminal including a first enclosure having a display unit; a second enclosure having an operation unit; a first connection unit foldably connecting the first enclosure to the second enclosure by being rotated around a first center axis; and a second connection unit connecting the first enclosure to the second enclosure and allowing the first enclosure to be rotated between a first position and a second position and around a second center axis perpendicular to the first center axis, the second center axis located in a position shifted by a predetermined amount from a center of the first enclosure. The first enclosure is displaced from the second enclosure corresponding to the second center axis when the enclosures are folded via the first connection unit in a state where the first enclosure is rotated to the second position in the second connection unit.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present invention contains subject matter related to Japanese Patent Application JP 2006-241885 filed in the Japanese Patent Office on Sep. 6, 2006, the entire contents of which being incorporated herein by reference. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a portable terminal suitably used as a portable telephone terminal, for example. More particularly, the present invention relates to a portable terminal used as a portable telephone terminal having two enclosures connected to each other via a mechanism called a biaxial hinge. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     In recent years, there have been an increased number of portable telephone terminals that include a first enclosure having an operation unit and a second enclosure having a display unit, both of which are foldably connected via a biaxial hinge with two rotation axes located perpendicular to each other. Further, portable telephone terminals capable of receiving television broadcasts have now been widely used, and hence an increased number of portable telephone terminals having the aforementioned shape can receive television broadcasts. Many of portable telephone terminals having such a shape include a first enclosure and a second enclosure foldable with a display unit directed outward to display television broadcasts, in order to watch television broadcasts easily. 
     Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2002-171189 discloses a portable terminal including a first enclosure and a second enclosure foldable with a display unit directed to front. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     When a user watches television broadcasts with a portable telephone terminal in a state where a first enclosure and a second enclosure are folded with a display unit directed outward, a user may watch the broadcasts at an easily viewable angle if a portable telephone terminal is held by his/her hand. However, when the user watches the broadcasts with the portable telephone terminal by placing the terminal on a desk, or the like, the user may have to lay the terminal parallel with a locating plane or raise the terminal perpendicular to the locating plane. Thus, the user may have to place the terminal on a specific stand to watch television broadcasts with the display unit adjusted at an easily viewable angle. 
     According to embodiments of the present invention, there is provided a portable terminal that may be placed in a plane of a desk, or the like, at an easily viewable angle and in a stable manner when a user watches television broadcasts with the portable terminal in a state where a first enclosure and a second enclosure are folded with a display unit directed outward. 
     According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a portable terminal including a first enclosure having a display unit, a second enclosure having an operation unit, a first connection unit to allow the first enclosure and the second enclosure to be folded, and a second connection unit to allow the first enclosure to be rotated around a longitudinal center axis of the first enclosure. The rotation center of the second connection unit is shifted by a predetermined amount from a center of the first enclosure. Furthermore, the first enclosure overlaps the second enclosure in a state where the longitudinal center line of the first enclosure is displaced from a longitudinal center line of the second enclosure, when the first enclosure and the second enclosure are folded via the first connection unit with the display unit of the first enclosure directed outward. 
     According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a portable terminal, where the first enclosure and the second enclosure have side surfaces inclined at a predetermined angle, and where one side surface of the first enclosure almost corresponds to one side surface of the second enclosure and the inclined side surfaces of the enclosures are located almost coplanar with each other when the first enclosure and the second enclosure are folded with the display unit of the first enclosure directed outward. 
     In arranging the portable terminal in this manner, when the first enclosure and the second enclosure are folded with the display unit of the first enclosure directed outward and one side inclined surface of the first enclosure and one side inclined surface of the second enclosure are placed on the bottom, the portable terminal is upright and slightly inclined with the display unit directed outward. 
     According to an embodiment of the present invention, a portable terminal may be located in a plane of a desk or the like at an easily viewable angle and in a stable manner when a user watches television broadcasts with the portable terminal in a state where a first enclosure and a second enclosure are folded with a display unit directed outward. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an oblique view showing an example of a portable telephone terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention in a closed state. 
         FIG. 2  is an oblique view showing an example of a portable telephone terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention in an open state. 
         FIG. 3  is an oblique view showing an example of a rotation state of an enclosure of a portable telephone terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is an oblique view showing a configuration example of a hinge according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a front view showing a configuration example of a hinge according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a side view showing an example of a portable telephone terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention in a closed state. 
         FIG. 7  is a side view showing a locating example of a portable telephone terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 8  is an oblique view showing a locating example of a portable telephone terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 9  is a block diagram showing an internal configuration example of a portable telephone terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 10  is an oblique view showing a locating example of a portable telephone terminal according to another embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to  FIGS. 1 to 9 . 
     In the present embodiment, a portable telephone terminal has a function to receive television broadcasts. First, a whole configuration of the portable telephone terminal of the present embodiment will be described with reference to  FIGS. 1 to 3 . The portable telephone terminal  100  of the present embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1 to 3  is formed as a foldable portable telephone terminal.  FIG. 1  shows a closed state,  FIG. 2  shows an open state, and  FIG. 3  shows a rotation state of an enclosure. 
     The portable telephone terminal  100  in an open state described with reference to  FIG. 2  has a first enclosure  110  and a second enclosure  120  each having an elongated shape and rotatably connected to each other via a hinge  130 . The hinge  130  is a biaxial hinge having a first rotation axis  131   a  around which the first enclosure  110  and the second enclosure  120  may be rotated in a rotational direction θ 1  shown in  FIG. 2 , and a second rotation axis  132   a  around which the first enclosure  110  may be rotated in a rotational direction θ 2 . The first rotation axis  131   a  is at right angles to the second rotation axis  132   a . In the present embodiment, the second rotation axis  132   a  is displaced outward from a center line C 1  formed by uniting center points of a short side of the first enclosure  110 . Details on a configuration of the hinge  130  will be described later. 
     In  FIG. 2 , a display unit  111  includes a liquid display panel, and the like, located in the first enclosure  110 , and a speaker (not shown) is located at an upper end of the first enclosure  110 . In the display unit  111 , a telephone number is displayed when the portable telephone terminal  100  is used as a telephone; a mail text sent or received is displayed when the portable telephone terminal  100  is used as a mailer; and a television broadcast image is displayed when the portable telephone terminal  100  receives television broadcasts. A television broadcast image is vertically displayed in the display unit  111  with vertical as shown in  FIG. 2  or horizontally displayed in the display unit  111  horizontally located as shown in  FIG. 8 . 
     An operation unit  121  includes numeric dialing keys and the like and various function keys located in the second enclosure  120 ; and a microphone (not shown) is located on a lower end of the second enclosure  120 . Function keys prepared for the operation unit  121  include keys used for receiving television broadcasts such as a key to start receiving television broadcasts, a key to designate a channel, and a key to control audio data. Keys for receiving television broadcasts may be assigned to dialing keys or the like and commonly used when the portable telephone terminal  100  is used as a telephone or used for watching television broadcasts. Alternatively, such keys may be located on a surface differing from a surface with keys such as dialing keys. 
       FIG. 1A  is a view showing an example of the portable telephone terminal  100  of the present embodiment in a closed state. As shown in  FIG. 1A , in a closed state, the display unit  111  provided in the first enclosure  110  shown in  FIG. 2 , the operation unit  121  provided in the second enclosure  120 , and the like are stored inside. In the present embodiment, side surfaces S 1  and S 2  of the first enclosure  110  have an inclination shown as θ 3 , respectively, and side surfaces S 3  and S 4  of the second enclosure  120  have an inclination shown as θ 4 , respectively. θ 3  and θ 4  are an approximately identical angle such as 20°. 
       FIG. 3  is a view showing an example of a state where the first enclosure  110  is rotated via the hinge  130 . The first enclosure  110  having the display unit  111  may be rotated around the rotation axis  132   a  of a second connection unit of the hinge  130  in the rotational direction of θ 2 .  FIG. 3  shows a state where the first enclosure  110  is rotated at a predetermined angle around the rotation axis  132   a  in the θ 2  direction. Since the second rotation axis  132   a  is provided as shifted outward from the center line C 1  of the first enclosure  110  as described above, an axis of the first enclosure  110  rotated as shown in  FIG. 3  is displaced in a direction indicated by an arrow A 1  from an axis provided on the center line. The first enclosure  110  may be rotated at 180° around the rotation axis  132   a  of the hinge  130 . When the first enclosure  110  rotated at 180° is inclined toward the second enclosure  120  around the rotation axis  131   a  of a first connection unit of the hinge  130 , the first enclosure  110  and the second enclosure  120  may be closed with the display unit  111  directed outward. 
       FIG. 1B  shows an example in which the first enclosure  110  and the second enclosure  120  are folded in such a state.  FIG. 1B  shows a state where the first enclosure  110  and the second enclosure  120  are folded with the display unit  111  provided in the first enclosure  110  and directed outward. Details on a shape of the folded enclosures will be described later. 
     Next, details on a configuration of the hinge  130  of the portable telephone terminal  100  of the present embodiment will be described with reference to  FIGS. 4 and 5 .  FIG. 4  shows an example of a configuration of the hinge  130  to connect the first enclosure  110  to the second enclosure  120 . In  FIG. 4 , the first connection unit  131  connects the first enclosure  110  to the second enclosure  120  so that the enclosures may be rotated around the rotation axis  131   a  in the θ 1  direction. The second connection unit  132  connects the first enclosure  110  to the second enclosure  120  so that the first enclosure  110  may be rotated around the rotation axis  132   a  in the θ 2  direction. 
       FIG. 5  is a view showing a locating example of the rotation axis  132   a  of the second connection unit  132  of the hinge  130 .  FIG. 5  shows a state where the rotation axis  132   a  is provided as displaced by a predetermined amount M 1  to outward from the center line C 1  formed by uniting the center points of the short side of the first enclosure  110 . 
     In arranging the portable terminal in this manner, as shown in  FIG. 6A , in a state where the first enclosure  110  and the second enclosure  120  are folded with the display unit  111  of the first enclosure  110  directed outward, the first enclosure  110  is displaced in a direction indicated by an arrow A 2  relative to the second enclosure  120  by a displacement amount M 2  twice the displacement amount M 1  in  FIG. 5 . The side surface S 1  of the first enclosure  110  and the side surface S 4  of the second enclosure  120  have an inclination angle as described above, respectively, and the inclination angle is adjusted to locate the inclination surfaces shown in  FIG. 6A  almost coplanar with each other. In contrast, as shown in  FIG. 6B , the first enclosure  110  is connected to the second enclosure  120  without displacement when the first enclosure  110  and the second enclosure  120  are folded in a state where the display unit  111  of the first enclosure  110  and the operation unit  121  of the second enclosure  120  are stored inside. 
       FIG. 7  is a view showing an example of a state where the portable telephone terminal  100  is raised with the side surface S 4  of the second enclosure  120  on the bottom.  FIG. 7A  is a view showing an example of a state where the first enclosure  110  and the second enclosure  120  are folded with the display unit  111  directed outward, and  FIG. 7B  is a view showing an example of a state where the first enclosure  110  and the second enclosure  120  are folded with the display unit  111  directed to inside. 
     In  FIG. 7A , the first enclosure  110  is displaced in the direction indicated by the arrow A 2  relative to the second enclosure  120 , and hence a center of gravity G 1  of the first enclosure  110  is low with an amount of the displacement. In  FIG. 7B , since the first enclosure  110  is connected to the second enclosure  120  without displacement, a center of gravity G 2  of the first enclosure  110  is higher than the center of gravity G 1  of the first enclosure  110  in  FIG. 7A . Thus, a rotation moment acting on a fulcrum F 1  in an inclination direction B 1  of the portable telephone terminal  100  in  FIG. 7A  is smaller than a rotation moment acting on a fulcrum F 2  of the portable telephone terminal  100  shown in  FIG. 7B . Therefore, the state shown in  FIG. 7B  is more stable. 
       FIG. 8  is a right front oblique view of the portable telephone terminal  100  shown in  FIG. 7A .  FIG. 8  shows a state where the display unit  111  is horizontally inclined at an angle shown as θ 5  from a plane perpendicular to a locating plane. The angle shown as θ 5  in  FIG. 8  is an inclination angle provided on the side surface S 1  of the first enclosure  110  or an inclination angle provided on the side surface S 4  of the second enclosure  120 . 
     Next, an internal configuration example of the portable telephone terminal  100  of the present embodiment will be described with reference to  FIG. 9 . The portable telephone terminal  100  of the present embodiment has a radiotelephone communication antenna  11  to perform radiocommunication with a radiotelephone base station, and the antenna  11  is connected to a radiotelephone communication unit  12  and controlled by a control unit  13  to perform radiocommunication with a base station. When communication is performed for conversation in the communication unit  12 , received voice data are supplied to and output from a speaker  17 . The data are processed in a audio processor  19  for outputting the data from the speaker  17 . Voice data picked up by a microphone  18  are supplied to and transmitted from the communication unit  12 . Also in this transmission, voice processing is performed in the audio processor  19  to convert an input from the microphone  18  into transmission voice data. A later-described television speaker  23  to output television broadcast voice is also connected to the audio processor  19 . Description of the display unit  111  and the operation unit  121  is omitted here, because the display unit  111  and the operation unit  121  are already described with reference to the configuration example of  FIG. 2 . 
     Each of these blocks in the portable telephone terminal  100  is connected to the control unit  13  or the like via a control line  25 . Data may be transmitted via a data line  26 , and data for use may be stored in a memory  16 . The memory  16  includes a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), or the like. The memory  16  stores a control program for the control unit  13  to control each unit and various initialization values, and is also used as a work area for the control unit  13  to perform various data processing. Apart from the memory  16 , a hard disk drive used as a high-capacity data storage device may also be provided and used as part of a storage device. 
     The control unit  13  includes an arithmetic and control unit (processor) such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), for example. The control unit  13  implements predetermined processing according to each computer program recorded in the memory  16  using the memory  16  as a work area for various processing to control each unit in the portable telephone terminal  100 . 
     The portable telephone terminal  100  has an antenna  20  to receive radio waves from a television broadcasting station, and a tuner  21  to obtain broadcast signals of a particular channel from the radio waves obtained by the antenna  20 , so that the portable telephone terminal  100  may receive television broadcasts. In the tuner  21 , a channel is selected based on a command generated in the control unit  13  according to an operation input from the operation unit  121 . Broadcast signals obtained in the tuner  21  are demodulated into image signals and voice signals in a demodulator  22 . 
     Voice signals obtained in the demodulator  22  are supplied to the audio processor  19 , are processed for speaker outputting in the audio processor, and are then output from the television speaker  24 . Image signals obtained in the demodulator  22  are supplied to the image processor  23 , subjected to various image corrections such as white balance correction and gamma correction in the image processor  23 , and then displayed on the display unit  111 . The portable telephone terminal  100  of the present embodiment may receive any of analog terrestrial television broadcasts and digital television broadcasts. 
     When the first enclosure  110  and the second enclosure  120  are folded with the display unit  111  directed to front and the portable telephone terminal  100  is raised on a desk or the like with the longitudinal side surfaces of the enclosures on the bottom as described above, television broadcasts may be watched at an easily viewable angle, because the portable telephone terminal  100  is inclined backward according to an inclination provided on the side surfaces of the enclosures. 
     When the first enclosure  110  and the second enclosure  120  are folded with the display unit  111  directed outward and the portable telephone terminal  100  is raised on a desk or the like with the longitudinal side surfaces of the enclosures on the bottom, the portable telephone terminal  100  may be placed in a stable manner, because a center of gravity of the first enclosure  110  is low. 
     The present embodiment is described above illustrating an example where operation keys to designate a television channel and control audio data are located as part of the operation unit  121  provided in the second enclosure. However, as shown in  FIG. 10 , such operation keys may be collectively located in a step portion formed by the first enclosure  110  and the second enclosure  120  folded with displacement. In  FIG. 10 , operation keys  123  to designate a channel and control voice and a speaker  24  for television broadcasts are located on an upper end of a second enclosure  120 . In such a configuration, it may not be necessary for a user to open and close or rotate an enclosure when a channel or volume is changed during watching television broadcasts, and usability is improved. 
     In the aforementioned embodiment, a portable terminal is used as a portable telephone terminal; however, the portable terminal is not limited to a portable telephone terminal and may be widely used as any of various devices such as PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants) or portable game consoles having a function to receive television broadcasts and other devices having a similar function. 
     It should be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications, combinations, sub-combinations and alterations may occur depending on design requirements and other factors insofar as they are within the scope of the appended claims or the equivalents thereof.