Patent Publication Number: US-2004048631-A1

Title: Handheld computer

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001] 1. Field of the Invention  
       [0002] The present invention relates to a handheld computer, and in particular to a handheld computer having a cellular phone function.  
       [0003] 2. Description of the Related Art  
       [0004] Generally, the power switch of a conventional handheld computer, such as a PDA, only controls the power and the monitor backlight thereof. When the conventional handheld computer adds a wireless communication function, the power switch of the conventional handheld computer cannot control the power ON/OFF of the wireless communication function. The wireless communication function can operate, for example, in accordance with GSM or GPRS protocol. Thus, in addition to a power switch, the conventional handheld computer requires another switch to control the power ON/OFF of the wireless communication function when the wireless communication function is added to the conventional handheld computer.  
       [0005] Nevertheless, it is inconvenient for a user to control the conventional handheld computer with wireless communication function by two switches. In addition, the two switches cause increased volume for the conventional handheld computer with wireless communication function.  
       [0006] The invention provides a handheld computer having a monitor backlight and a cellular phone function. The handheld computer has a single power switch to control the power ON/OFF of the handheld computer, the monitor backlight and the cellular phone function.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007] An object of the invention is to provide a handheld computer with a wireless communication function. The handheld computer comprises a main body, a cellular phone device, a monitor and a power switch. The monitor has a backlight. The cellular phone device is disposed in the main body. The monitor is disposed on the main body. The power switch is disposed on the main body and has a pushbutton. The pushbutton moves between a first position, a second position and a third position to control the power ON/OFF of the handheld computers, the backlight of the monitor and the cellular phone device.  
       [0008] Preferably, when the backlight of the monitor is in OFF mode, it is turned on when the pushbutton is moved to the second position and maintained in the second position for a predetermined time.  
       [0009] Preferably, when the backlight of the monitor is in ON mode, it is turned off when the pushbutton is moved to the second position and maintained in the second position for a predetermined time.  
       [0010] Preferably, when the cellular phone device is in OFF mode, it is turned on when the pushbutton is moved to the third position and maintained in the third position for a predetermined time.  
       [0011] Preferably, when the cellular phone device is in ON mode, it is turned off when the pushbutton is moved to the third position and maintained in the third position for a predetermined time.  
       [0012] Preferably, when the power of the handheld computer is in OFF mode, it is turned on when the pushbutton is moved to the third position and immediately released.  
       [0013] Preferably, when the power of the handheld computer is in ON mode, it is turned off when the pushbutton is moved to the third position and immediately released.  
       [0014] A detailed description is given in the following embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0015] The present invention can be more fully understood by reading the subsequent detailed description and examples with references made to the accompanying drawings, wherein:  
     [0016]FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing a handheld computer having a cellular phone device in accordance with the present invention; and  
     [0017]FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a portion of the handheld computer of FIG. 1 indicated by symbol “A”. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
     [0018] Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the present handheld computer  10  comprises a main body  12 , a monitor  14 , a power switch  16  and a cellular phone device (not shown). The monitor  14  has a backlight. The cellular phone device is disposed in the main body  12 . The monitor  14  and power switch  16  are disposed on the main body  12 . The power switch  16  has a pushbutton  161  moving between a first position I, a second position II and a third position III. The pushbutton  161  controls the power ON/OFF of the handheld computer  10 , the backlight of the monitor  14  and the cellular phone device.  
     [0019] As shown in FIG. 2, the pushbutton  161  has a top surface  162 . The top surface  162  identifies the relative position of the pushbutton  161 . When the pushbutton  161  is not actuated or moved, the top surface  162  is located in the first position I. The following is a detailed explanation of the operation of the power switch  16 .  
     [0020] As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, when the backlight of the monitor  14  is in OFF mode, it can be turned on when the pushbutton  161  is moved to the second position II (the top surface  162  is located in the second position II) and maintained in the second position II for four seconds. Similarly, when the backlight of the monitor  14  is in ON mode, it can be turned off when the pushbutton  161  is moved to the second position II and maintained in the second position II for four seconds.  
     [0021] When the cellular phone device is in OFF mode, it can be turned on when the pushbutton  161  is moved to the third position III (the top surface  162  is located in the third position III) and maintained in the third position III for four seconds. Similarly, when the cellular phone device is in ON mode, it can be turned off when the pushbutton  161  is moved to the third position III and maintained in the third position III for four seconds:  
     [0022] When the power of the handheld computer  10  is in OFF mode, it can be turned on when the pushbutton  161  is moved to the third position III (the top surface  162  is located in the third position III) and immediately released. Similarly, when the power of the handheld computer  10  is in ON mode, it can be turned off when the pushbutton  161  is moved to the third position III and immediately released.  
     [0023] Specifically, the power switch  16  is not limited to single control mode. Namely, for example, when the backlight of the monitor  14  is in ON mode, the cellular phone device can be turned on or turned off by operation of the power switch  16  in respect to the third position III. Thus, the power switch  16  can control the backlight of the monitor  14 , the cellular phone device and the power of the handheld computer  10  by multiple control modes.  
     [0024] While the invention has been described by way of examples and in terms of the preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. To the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements (as would be apparent to those skilled in the art). Therefore, the scope of the appended claims should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements.