Source: https://patents.google.com/patent/US6526296
Timestamp: 2018-04-21 11:37:53
Document Index: 277335688

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 3', 'art 2', 'art 3', 'art 3', 'art 3', 'art 3']

US6526296B1 - Electronic device and a control means - Google Patents
Electronic device and a control means Download PDF
US6526296B1
US6526296B1 US09322789 US32278999A US6526296B1 US 6526296 B1 US6526296 B1 US 6526296B1 US 09322789 US09322789 US 09322789 US 32278999 A US32278999 A US 32278999A US 6526296 B1 US6526296 B1 US 6526296B1
US09322789
Timo T. Nieminen
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, at least one user interface of the electronic device 1 is a CMT user interface. Thereby, the other user interface is for example a PDA interface, as in the wireless communication device 1 according to the invention. For example in the above described communicator, i.e. wireless communication device, to which the invention is applied, the first user interface, i.e. the PDA user interface, is activated in the opened position A of the device 1, and the second user interface, i.e. the CMT user interface is activated in the closed position S of the device 1. The position of the device 1 is recognized with the help of switching means, and the active user interface is selected in a way known as such on the basis of the position. Thus, it is possible to use only the control means of the user interface active at that moment to activate functions, whereas in order to change the user interface, the second housing part 3 and the first housing part 2 of the device have to be moved either to the closed position S or to the opened position A. Furthermore, the wireless communication device 1 is provided with a control device 7, which will be described later, and whose function corresponds to the function of a mouse described above. It should be mentioned that for example the functions to be used in connection with the different user interfaces of the communicator are known as such, wherein it is not necessary to describe them in detail. Moreover, it is obvious that the electronic device can also comprise three or more user interfaces, which each have a keypad section and a display section of their own. Furthermore, it is obvious that the control means can be located in the device 1 also on the side of the outer surface 2 b or 3 b which is substantially transversal with respect to the inner surface 2 a or 3 a.
In the electronic device 1 according to the first preferred embodiment of the invention, at least one control means 7 b or 7 c, located on the outer surface 3 b of the second housing part 3, is formed as a control button, a track ball, a control roll, a control cylinder, or the like. In FIG. 1, the device 1 according to the invention comprises two control buttons 7 b and 7 c. Thus, it is possible to press the control button 7 b and 7 c for example with a finger, but according to the present invention, the control function of each control button 7 b and 7 c corresponds to the user interface of the device 1 active at a time, for example either the PDA user interface or the CMT user interface.
The function of the aforementioned track ball 7 a corresponds to the function of the track ball used in connection with the above-described mouse, wherein its direction of rotation is not limited. The control roll 7 a, which extends through the second housing part 3 and which can be discoidal or elongated, is arranged to rotate around rotation axis which is for example substantially parallel to the inner surface 3 a of the second housing part 3 of the device 1. The function of the control lever 7 a can be arranged for example in such a way that it is in its middle part attached with a hinge to the second housing part 3, wherein the first end of the control lever 7 a extends to the inner surface 3 a and the second end to the outer surface 3 b.
In the specification above, the invention has been discussed when applied in connection with a preferred electronic device, but on the basis of the specification, it is obvious for anyone skilled in the art that the invention can also be applied in connection with other electronic devices within the scope of the claims. For example, it is obvious that in the device presented above, it is also possible to place the control means on the outer surface of the first housing part. Also in that case, the control means can be used in connection with both user interfaces, even though it is on the opposite side of the housing part or the device with respect to the user interfaces.
a first housing part provided with a first inner surface and a first outer surface,
a second housing part provided with a second inner surface and a second outer surface,
hinge means for moving the housing parts to a closed position and to an opened position,
a first user interface for activating functions, the first user interface at least partly located on the inner surface of one or more housing parts, and
a second user interface for activating functions, the second user interface at least partly located on the outer surface of one or more housing parts,
the device comprises at least one control means to be used in connection with the second user interface, and arranged to be used also in connection with the first user interface, and
wherein a control function of said control means is arranged to be determined on the basis of the user interface set active at a time.
the first user interface and a first control function of the control means is arranged to be activated in the opened position of the device, and
wherein the second user interface and a second control function of the control means are arranged to be activated in the closed position of the device.
3. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the control means located on the outer surface of a housing part is at least partly designed button-like, spherical, cylindrical, discoidal, or stick-like.
the control means arranged to be used in connection with the second user interface, is also arranged to be used in connection with the first user interface, and
17. The control means according to claim 16, wherein:
18. The control means according to claim 16, wherein the control means is at least partly designed button-like, spherical, cylindrical, discoidal or stick-like.
a first user interface at least partly located on the inner surface of one or more housing parts,
a second user interface at least partly located on the outer surface of one or more housing parts,
the control device comprises a first control means located on the first user interface, and a second control means located on the second user interface, and
the second control means is arranged to be used in connection with the second user interface and also arranged to be used in connection with the first user interface, and a control function of said second control means is arranged to be determined on the basis of the user interface set active at a time.
26. The control device according to claim 25, wherein the first control means is arranged to be used in connection with the second control means.
US09322789 1998-06-02 1999-05-28 Electronic device and a control means Active US6526296B1 (en)
FI981243 1998-06-02
FI981243A FI109731B (en) 1998-06-02 1998-06-02 The electronic device and the control member
US6526296B1 true US6526296B1 (en) 2003-02-25
ID=8551879
US09322789 Active US6526296B1 (en) 1998-06-02 1999-05-28 Electronic device and a control means
US (1) US6526296B1 (en)
EP (1) EP0963090A3 (en)
FI (1) FI109731B (en)
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EP0963090A3 (en) 2003-02-05 application
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Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:NIEMINEN, TIMO T.;REEL/FRAME:010016/0225