Portable radiotelephone

An overlapping type portable radiotelephone includes a first housing having at least a display section and speakers, and a second housing having at least a main operation section and a microphone. The first and second housings are coupled each other so as to be opened and closed. The main operation section is covered with the first housing in a closed state and exposed outside in an opened state. A display screen in the display section and the speakers are exposed outside both in the closed state and in the opened state. With this overlapping type portable radiotelephone, conversation can be effected even in the closed state, and there is further provided a communication control section for enabling the conversation to be continued, even though the portable radiotelephone is brought into the opened state from the closed state while the conversation is in progress.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a portable radiotelephone including a plurality of housings which are coupled so as to be overlapped each other.

2. Description of the Related Art

Conventionally, a folding type portable radiotelephone2shown inFIG. 7is generally known as a folding type portable radiotelephone including two housings which can be folded. In the folding type portable radiotelephone2, a display screen12such as LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) for displaying output information and a speaker13are provided on an inner face10of one housing4, and a main operation section17and a microphone15are provided on an inner face14of another housing6.

The main operation section17has a cursor key18for indicating upward, downward, right and left directions so that items displayed on the display screen12can be selected, and ten keys20for inputting numbers, characters, etc., and other keys for various functions.

However, the folding type portable radiotelephone2as shown inFIG. 7has a problem that while the housing4and the housing6are folded, the display screen12cannot be seen unless the housings4and6are opened, and even though information is displayed on the display screen12, the information cannot be browsed in a folded state.

In order to solve such a problem that it is troublesome and annoying to open the housings4and6, there have been proposed some mobile phone sets in which the display screen12is directed outward even in the folded state or in a state corresponding to the folded state. Examples of the mobile phone sets of this type are the overlapping type mobile phone sets disclosed in JP-A-H11-215218, JP-A-2002-141984 and JP-A-2002-135380.

These overlapping type mobile phone sets are so designed that the display screen provided on one of the housings is directed inward in a state where two housings to be coupled are opened, which is substantially same manner as the folding type portable radiotelephone2as shown inFIG. 7. However, different from the above described folding type portable radiotelephone2, the overlapping type mobile phone sets are so designed that one of the housings can be folded and overlapped on another housing by twisting it by 180 degree at a coupling section between the two housings. Therefore, the display screen can be directed outward, even in a state where the two housings are overlapped.

Disclosed in JP-A-H07-288860 is another type of the conventional overlapping type portable radiotelephone. This overlapping type portable radiotelephone is so designed that one housing having the display screen and another housing having the operation section are coupled in an overlapped state which the display screen and the operation section are directed in the same direction, through a shaft which is provided in a direction of passing through these two housings.

This overlapping type portable radiotelephone can be opened, by rotating one housing with respect to another housing around the shaft by such an action as spreading a fan, and also, the two housings can be kept overlapped each other with the display screen directed outward.

Since the two housings can be kept in the overlapped state with the display screen directed outward in these overlapping type mobile phone sets, the information on the display screen can be browsed while the two housings are kept in the overlapped state. However, in the case of starting a call, the two housings must be opened as well as the conventional folding type portable radiotelephone2.

On the other hand, with the overlapping type portable radiotelephone disclosed in JP-A-2000-196720, it is possible to browse the information on the display screen while two housings are in the overlapped state, and it is also possible to start a call while the two housings are in the overlapped state.

However, according to the related arts disclosed in the above JP-A-H11-215218, JP-A-2002-141984, JP-A-2002-135380 and JP-A-H07-288860, when a user receives an incoming call, he must open the two housings to start the telephone conversation.

Therefore, it takes labor to start the conversation. Besides, in the case where the user lately becomes aware of the incoming call, he will be unable to put the portable radiotelephone into a state available for conversation before a person on the other end of the phone disconnects the call. This will make the person on the other end disagreeable, and convenience of the portable radiotelephone cannot be fully achieved.

On the other hand, according to the related art disclosed in the above JP-A-2000-196720, the folding type portable radiotelephone can be brought into a state available for conversation at once, because the conversation can be had even in the closed state. However, there is a problem that because a length of the downsized portable radiotelephone is too short in the closed state, when the speaker comes near the user's ear, the microphone does not close to the user's mouth, which will make the user uneasy.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to provide an portable radiotelephone which can be immediately put into a state available for conversation even in a closed state which two housings are overlapped, and with which a user is free from feeling of uneasiness because a microphone is not close to his mouth during the conversation.

The invention provides a portable radiotelephone including: a first housing having at least a display section and a speaker section; a second housing having at least a main operation section and a microphone; wherein both of said housings are openably and closably coupled together so that said main operation section is covered with said first housing in a closed state and is exposed outside in an opened state, and said display section and said speaker section are exposed outside in both of the closed state and the opened state, a communication control section for enabling a communication in the closed state, and enabling the communication to be continued even after both of said housings are brought into the opened state from the closed state while the communication is in progress.

Furthermore, the portable radiotelephone further includes: at least one auxiliary operation section provided on other surface of said first and second housings than surfaces where said first and second housings are opposed each other in the closed state, wherein said communication control section controls to connect a communication line when an incoming call is received and then said auxiliary operation section is operated in the closed state.

Furthermore, said speaker section has a first speaker and a second speaker which are arranged on a surface provided with said display section of said second housing interposing said display section, said first housing and said second housing are coupled each other to be rotated around a shaft which is provided in a direction of passing through the first and second housings, once the communication line is connected in the closed state, said communication control section controls said first speaker which is arranged furthest from said microphone to function as a receiver, but controls said second speaker not to function, and once said portable radiotelephone is brought into the opened state from the closed state while the communication is in progress, and said communication control section controls said second speaker to function as a receiver, but controls said first speaker not to function.

Furthermore, said communication control section controls said portable radiotelephone to disconnect the communication once the portable radiotelephone is brought into the closed state again while the communication is in progress in the opened state.

Furthermore, the portable radiotelephone further includes: an opened/closed state detecting section for detecting the opened/closed state of said first housing and said second housing.

Furthermore, said first and second speakers sound an incoming call sound when an incoming call is received.

Furthermore, each of said first and second speakers independently sounds when an incoming call is received, to make stereo effects.

Furthermore, said first housing and said second housing are coupled each other so as to be opened and closed by sliding motion.

The invention provides a portable radiotelephone including a second housing having a main operation section, a first housing to be overlapped on said second housing so as to cover said main operation section, and a coupling section which couples respective one ends of said first and second housings in such a manner that said first and second housings are relatively rotated around a shaft extending in a direction of overlapping, in which said portable radiotelephone is designed so as to be shifted between a closed state which said first and second housings are overlapped and an opened state which said first or second housing is rotated by 180 degree from this closed state, a microphone is provided on the other end of said second housing, a first speaker is provided at one end of said first housing which is directed in same direction with a face thereof provided with said main operation section, and a second speaker is provided at the other end of said first housing which is directed in same direction with a face thereof provided with said main operation section, and a communication control section controls communication to perform in either said closed state and said opened state, and controls communication to be continued even after the portable radiotelephone is brought into the opened state from the closed state while the communication is in progress.

Furthermore, the communication is performed by means of said first speaker and said microphone in the closed state, and the communication is performed by means of said second speaker and said microphone in the opened state.

Furthermore, said first and second speakers sound an incoming call sound when an incoming call is received.

Furthermore, each of said first and second speakers independently sounds when an incoming call received, to make stereo effects.

Furthermore, the portable radiotelephone further includes: a communication control section for controlling functions of said first and second speakers and said microphone; and at least one auxiliary operation section provided on other face of said first and second housings than surfaces where said first and second housings are opposed each other in the closed state wherein said communication control section controls to connect a communication line when an incoming call is received and then said auxiliary operation section is operated in the closed state.

Furthermore, said communication control section controls said portable radiotelephone to disconnect the communication once the portable radiotelephone is brought into the closed state again while the communication is in progress in the opened state.

Furthermore, the portable radiotelephone further includes a gain adjusting section for adjusting sensitivity of said microphone, wherein said communication control section controls said gain adjusting section to increase gain of said microphone during the communication in the closed state to be higher than gain of said microphone during the communication in the opened state.

According to the portable radiotelephone of the invention, the communication can be made even in the closed state which the two housings are overlapped, and therefore, when an incoming call is received, the user can start the communication at once by operating the auxiliary operation section without opening the two overlapped housings, unlike the conventional portable radiotelephone. For this reason, even though the user lately become aware of the incoming call, he can receive the incoming call before the person on the other end disconnects the call.

Moreover, in the case where the user feels uneasy because the microphone is not close to his mouth during the communication in the closed state, it is possible to elongate the portable radiotelephone by bringing it from the closed state into the opened state after he stated a call or received an incoming call in the closed state. Therefore, while the conversation can be continued, even after the microphone is close to his mouth. As a result, it is possible to continue the communication without uneasy feeling as well as with the conventional portable radiotelephone

Moreover, in the case where the portable radiotelephone is carried after the communication is finished, an action of bringing the portable radiotelephone from the opened state into the closed state which achieves good portability with disconnection at the same time. Therefore, operability of the portable radiotelephone can be enhanced.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

An embodiment of the portable radiotelephone according to the invention will be specifically described referring to the drawings.

FIGS. 1 to 6are drawings to be referred for explaining an overlapping type portable radiotelephone30according to one embodiment of the invention. An overlapping type portable radiotelephone30as shown in these drawings will be described with the same reference numerals for the substantially same sections in the conventional folding type portable radiotelephone2, and duplicate description of the substantially same structure will be omitted.

As shown inFIGS. 1 and 2, this overlapping type portable radiotelephone30includes a first housing32and a second housing34which are rotatably coupled around a shaft36provided in a direction of passing through the first housing32and the second housing34which are overlapped.

In the overlapping type portable radiotelephone30, a display section11is provided on a surface, which is in an opposite side to the second housing34, of the first housing32, so that a display screen12can be seen from outside even in a state that the first housing32and the second housing34are overlapped. Moreover, a side key42and a three way lever key44as an auxiliary operation section are provided on each side faces38and40of the first housing32and the second housing34, so that the portable radiotelephone30can be operated in the state that the first housing32and the second housing34are overlapped.

Further, speakers13aand13bare provided on the surface, where the display section11is provided, of the first housing32, so that sounds uttered from the speakers13aand13bcan be heard even in the state that the first housing32and the second housing34are overlapped. The speakers13aand13bare arranged in such a manner that a distance of the speaker13afrom the shaft36is greater than a distance of the speaker13bfrom the shaft36. In the overlapping type portable radiotelephone30of the embodiment, the speaker13aand the speaker13bare arranged in respective positions at both ends of the first housing32interposing the display section11.

The microphone15is provided at an end of the second housing34which is in an opposite side to the shaft36. In the embodiment, the microphone15is provided at an end face of the second housing34which is opposite to the shaft36, so that the microphone15is not covered with the first housing32even in the case where the first housing32and the second housing34are overlapped.

By rotating the first housing32by 180 degree around the shaft36in the direction shown by an arrow mark “a”, from the state that the first housing32and the second housing34are overlapped, the overlapping type portable radiotelephone30can be brought into an opened state that the main operation section17can be seen from outside as shown inFIGS. 3 and 4.

On this occasion, because the display screen12and the speakers13a,13brotate with a state that these are directed in the substantially same direction as the main operation section17. Therefore, it is possible to see the display screen12from outside even in the opened state, and it is also possible to hear the sound uttered from the speakers13aor13b.

Although the overlapping type portable radiotelephone30of the embodiment is so designed that the first housing32rotates around the shaft36, it might be designed in such a manner, as another embodiment, that by providing rails or the like, the first housing32slides with respect to the second housing34in a direction as shown by an arrow mark “b” from the state as shown inFIG. 1.

Alternatively, the overlapping type portable radiotelephone might be designed in such a manner that the first housing32and the second housing34are coupled, and can perform both folding motion and twisting motion at this connected part, as disclosed in the above JP-A-2002-141984.

Therefore, even though the overlapping type portable radiotelephone is constructed in the above described manner, it can be brought into the state as shown inFIGS. 1 and 2and the state as shown inFIGS. 3 and 4, as well as the overlapping type portable radiotelephone30of the embodiment. For this reason, the state as shown inFIGS. 1 and 2is referred to as “an overlapped state” or “a closed state”, while the state as shown inFIGS. 3 and 4is referred to as “an opened state” in this invention. And it is referred to as “an opening motion” to bring the overlapping type portable radiotelephone from “the closed state” into “the opened state”.

As shown inFIG. 4, the overlapping type portable radiotelephone30further includes a camera46, a mirror48and a microphone50for picture recording on its back face. These members can be operated both in the opened state and in the closed state.

Then, the main operation section17, the side key42, the three way lever key44, and so on will be explained. As shown inFIG. 3, the cursor key18and the ten keys20, which are included in the main operation section17, provided on an inner face of the second housing34of the overlapping type portable radiotelephone30can be operated in the opened state. In order to prevent miss operation in this state, the side key42and the three way lever key44should be inoperative.

As shown inFIG. 5, the three way lever key44which is used in the closed state can be tilted upward of the drawing (in the direction of an arrow mark “c”) and can be tilted downward (in the direction of an arrow mark “d”), and further can be pushed toward the center (in the direction of an arrow mark “e”).

Then, by utilizing telephone directory function of the overlapping type portable radiotelephone30, while a list of names and telephone numbers is displayed on the display screen12in the closed state, a user can select someone with whom the user wishes to talk from the list by tilting the three way lever key44upward or downward ofFIG. 5. In a state that someone is selected, when the three way lever key44is pushed toward the center of the drawing, the user can start a call to the selected person. On the other hand, when the user receives an incoming call in the closed state, he can put the mobile phone in a state available for conversation by pushing the three way lever key44toward the center of the drawing.

The side key42as shown inFIGS. 1 to 4is so designed that push-in action only can be conducted. While the conversation is in progress in the closed state, the user can push the side key42to disconnect the communication when he wishes to finish the conversation.

FIG. 6shows a circuit diagram of the overlapping type portable radiotelephone30. A section, including various functions represented by reference numeral60, and the display section11are controlled by a control section62to perform the functions. In the case where the main operation section17, the three way lever key44and the side key42are operated, signals corresponding to the operations are outputted to the control section62.

Moreover, the speakers13aand13band the microphone15which function during the conversation are controlled particularly by a communication control section63in the control section62. The speakers13a,13bare separately controlled by the communication control section63, so that they can perform respectively independent functions. The microphone15is controlled by the communication control section63by way of a gain adjusting section16so that sensitivity of the microphone can be adjusted.

An opened/closed state detecting section64in this circuit diagram, although not shown inFIGS. 1 to 4, will detect whether the first housing32and the second housing34are in the closed state or in the opened state, and will output corresponding signals to the control section62.

The opened/closed state detecting section64might be constituted to have a conductor, which is formed around the shaft36, to be conducted by the rotation of the first housing32, and contacts which contact/non-contact with the conductor. Otherwise, mechanical switches or sensors might be used.

Now, movement of the overlapping type portable radiotelephone30will be described.

When the overlapping type portable radiotelephone30is brought into the closed state, the opened/closed state detecting section64detects this state and outputs a signal showing the closed state to the control section62. In order to start a call in this state, after the list of the names and the telephone numbers has been displayed on the display screen12by utilizing the telephone directory function, the three way lever key44is tilted upward or downward inFIG. 5to select a person with whom the user wishes to talk, and then, the three way lever key44is pushed toward the center in the drawing to start a call. On the other hand, when an incoming call is received, the three way lever key44is pushed toward the center to connect a communication line, and thus, the overlapping type portable radiotelephone30can be brought into condition for conversation.

When the overlapping type portable radiotelephone30is brought into condition for conversation by starting a call or receiving an incoming call in the closed state, the communication control section63in the control section62controls the speaker13anot to function, but controls the speaker13bto function as a receiver, and controls the microphone15to function as a transmitter. Moreover, when the speaker13bcomes near the user's ear, the microphone15is not close to the user's mouth. Therefore, the communication control section63controls the gain adjusting section16to increase the gain thereby to enhance sensitivity of the microphone15.

Further, in the case where the user feels a sense of incongruity because the microphone15is not close to his mouth during the conversation in the closed state, and he has made the opening operation, the opened/closed state detecting section64detects the opened state and outputs a signal showing the opened state to the control section62. On this occasion, the communication control section63in the control section62controls the speaker13ato function as the receiver, and at the same time, controls the microphone15to function as the transmitter, but controls the speaker13bnot to function. Moreover, in order to restore the sensitivity of the microphone15to normal level, the communication control section63controls the gain adjusting section16to decrease the gain.

Then, in the case where the user wishes to finish the conversation in the opened state, he will make a closing operation to return the overlapping type portable radiotelephone30to the closed state. The opened/closed state detecting section64detects the closed state and outputs a signal showing the closed state to the control section62, and the communication control section63in the control section62will automatically disconnect the communication.

It is taken for granted that the overlapping type portable radiotelephone30according to the embodiment can start a call, receive an incoming call, and disconnect communication by operating the main operation section17in the opened state, in the same manner as the conventional overlapping type portable radiotelephone30. In addition, in the case where telephone conversation starts in the closed state after starting a call or receiving an incoming call in the closed state, the communication can be disconnected by pushing the side key42.

In the overlapping type portable radiotelephone30of the embodiment, the auxiliary operation section is provided on the respective side faces38and40of the first housing32and the second housing34. Alternatively, the auxiliary operation section might be provided on other surface than the surfaces where the first housing32and the second housing34are opposed to each other in the closed state, for example, on the face of the first housing32where the display section11is provided, or an end face of the second housing34adjacent to the face where the main operation section17is provided.

However, considering operability of the portable radiotelephone by one hand in the closed state, it would be preferable to provide the auxiliary operation section on the side face of the first housing32adjacent to the face provided with the display section11, and/or the side face of the second housing34adjacent to the face provided with the main operation section17.

The embodiments of the overlapping type portable radiotelephone according to the invention have been described. It is taken for granted that the invention can be also applied to the case where the overlapping type portable radiotelephone includes three or more housings, on the basis of the similar technical concept.