Patent ID: 7561686

Claim:
A mobile terminal for use in a wireless communication system, the mobile terminal comprising: a first housing portion having a first end and a second end, and an inner major surface and an opposed outer major surface; a second housing portion having a first end and a second end, and an inner major surface and an opposed outer major surface; means for providing user input to the mobile terminal, the user input means associated with the inner major surface of the first or the second housing portion; and at least one flexible strap for movably connecting the first housing portion to the second housing portion at one end of each housing portion for relative movement of the housing portions along an axis parallel to the ends of the housing portions, wherein each of the first housing portion and the second housing portion has a longitudinal axis and defines a groove for receiving the strap, the grooves substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis and extending the length of the inner and outer major surface of the housing portions, the housing portions movable from a first position where the inner major surface of the first housing portion is opposite the inner major surface of the second housing portion and the first end of the first housing portion is adjacent the second end of the second housing portion and the second end of the first housing portion is adjacent the first end of the second housing portion for at least partially concealing the user input means, and a second position where the outer major surface of the first housing portion is opposite the outer major surface of the second housing portion and the first end of the first housing portion is adjacent the second end of the second housing portion and the second end of the first housing portion is adjacent the first end of the second housing portion such that the user input means is exposed and accessible to the user, wherein the axis for relative movement of the housing portions from the second position to the first position is selectively between either the second end of the first housing portion and the first end of the second housing portion or the first end of the first housing portion and the second end of the second housing portion, and wherein at least one of the housing portions encloses electronic components operable to transmit and receive telecommunication signals and the user input means is electrically connected to the electronic components in the housing.