DE20121689U1 - Portable communication device, in particular cell phone - Google Patents

Description

Oo 103 18.12.2002 -/sd

Applicant: Dipl.-Ing. Rüdiger Otto, Burg Horbell, D-50858 Cologne Title: Portable communication device, in particular mobile phone

The invention relates to a portable communication device such as in particular a mobile phone or a multifunctional mobile phone with a housing having a numeric keypad for entering information such as in particular telephone numbers, and a screen for displaying information.

Generic portable cell phones (portable telephones) that transmit voice, text messages, data, Internet pages, e-mails, etc. via radio frequencies and/or digital technology are well known on the market. The well-known cell phones consist primarily of a multi-shell housing with an elongated, more or less rectangular housing. Some cell phones have a housing head with the screen, which is wider at the sides than the rear housing section that accommodates the keypad. The increasing miniaturization of electronic components, chips, batteries, etc. is leading to ever smaller housing shapes, but the basic, prescribed structure of the housing has not changed to date. The only trend that can be seen at present is that the housing area available for the screens is being widened, as described above, so that Internet content can also be shown on the screen.

The object of the present invention is to achieve a noticeable improvement in the usability of a communication device or a mobile phone.

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This object is achieved according to the invention in that the housing has a preferably ergonomically shaped handle section and a head section having the screen, wherein the keyboard field is arranged outside the handle section, preferably in the transition region between the handle section and the head section.

The inventive design of the housing with the preferably ergonomically designed handle section can, in comparison to the portable telephones known from the prior art, make it considerably easier to make one-handed calls, since the distinctive handle section enables the mobile phone to be carried and held securely, with the particular advantage being that the keypad can be operated naturally with the thumb. To make this possible, it is particularly provided that the keypad consists exclusively of twelve or fourteen keys, of which ten keys are assigned to the numerical numbers 0-9, two keys serve as on/off switches and, if necessary, two further keys are assigned number control functions, namely hash (θ) and (*). The limitation of the keypad to a predetermined number of operating elements or function keys further supports the fact that all operating elements can be arranged on a comparatively small area that can be reached without large movements of the thumb. The interaction of the aforementioned measures can prevent cramps when holding and operating the mobile phone.

Preferably, the handle section has varying cross-sections, widths and/or thicknesses and/or recesses or indentations for the palm of the hand, fingers or the like in order to be ergonomically designed. The ergonomics can be further improved if the keyboard field is arranged in a housing section that is inclined towards the handle section, so that the keys further back are higher for the operator than

the keys further forward are arranged and can thus be reached much more naturally and easily. The inclined keyboard field is particularly suitable for one-handed handling together with the handle section designed according to the invention, which is located in front of the keyboard field as seen by the operator. The housing preferably has a transition zone with a narrow cross-section between the handle section and the keyboard field. In particular, the housing can be concavely curved on the top side and/or convexly curved on the bottom side in the area of the transition zone. Furthermore, the keyboard field can be arranged in a section of the transition zone that increases in height.

The usability of the mobile phone according to the invention can be made even easier if the handle section has no operating elements, such as function keys or buttons, so that the mobile phone can be gripped almost anywhere with a firm and secure grip without causing malfunctions due to inadvertent contact with one of the operating elements. These advantages can also be achieved if no operating elements are arranged at least on the top of the handle section and only one or a few function keys such as a delete key or a dial key are arranged on its underside, preferably in its rear area. The operating elements on the underside can be arranged in such a way that they can only be operated with the little finger located near the rear end of the housing. It is also advantageous if a rechargeable energy storage device such as a battery is arranged in or inside the handle section. Since the battery is usually the heaviest element of the entire mobile phone, the center of gravity of the mobile phone is shifted towards the hand holding it, so that no loads (tilting moments) that worsen the ergonomics and handling of the mobile phone are created. Another advantage of this design is that when the mobile phone is used in cold areas, the operating time of the

Battery life can be extended due to the body heat radiated from the palms of the hands.

Another important aspect of the invention is the design of the head section, which preferably has two lateral and one frontal surface, with at least one of the lateral surfaces having the screen. In particular, the head section can essentially have the shape of a four-sided truncated pyramid stretched parallel to the longitudinal axis of the housing, with the handle section or transition section merging integrally into one of the sides of the truncated pyramid, so that three surfaces of the pyramid can then be used. The lateral surfaces and the front surface are preferably arranged at an angle to the horizontal and have essentially flat surfaces. A web section, preferably accommodating a microphone and/or a loudspeaker, can be provided between the lateral surfaces and the front surface.

In one embodiment of the mobile phone, one of the side surfaces can have the screen and the opposite side surface can have a typewriter-like letter/character keyboard, the letter or character keys of which are preferably so small that they can only be operated with a stylus or the like. Alternatively, both side surfaces can be provided with a screen, so that significantly more information can be displayed at the same time compared to conventional mobile phones. It is particularly advantageous if the screens are aligned in such a way that the information displayed can be read across the longitudinal axis of the housing.

It is also preferably provided that menu keys such as rocker keys, direction keys, confirmation keys or buttons etc. are arranged on the front surface for controlling a cursor and/or for menu navigation on the screen. This design

is particularly suitable if the mobile phone according to the invention is a multifunctional mobile phone that is electronically equipped and equipped to receive Internet content. It goes without saying that for multifunctional operation, ergonomic one-handed operation is no longer the main focus, but rather ergonomic advantages for two-handed operation. For the design as a multifunctional mobile phone, it is therefore particularly advantageous if the housing has several support points arranged on one level, which are preferably provided on the underside and are also preferably equipped as anti-slip surfaces and are provided with slatted or point-shaped rubber cushions, for example. The mobile phone can then be placed on a firm surface such as a table in a non-slip manner for multifunctional operation, for example, whereby the menu navigation and controls can now be carried out with both hands.

In an alternative embodiment of a multifunctional cell phone according to the invention, the screen is arranged in the top of the preferably flattened head section, with the head section also preferably having two lateral and one frontal surface and/or menu keys such as rocker keys, direction keys, confirmation keys or buttons etc. being arranged on the front surface for controlling a cursor and for menu navigation on the screen, and one of the side surfaces preferably having a typewriter-like letter/character keyboard which can be operated, for example, with a stylus or the like. As a result of this design, as in the known embodiments for cell phones, the multifunctional cell phone can have a relatively large screen together with the ergonomic handle section according to the invention. It is particularly advantageous if the transition area or the transition zone is designed as a narrow bridge with a rectangular cross-section and flat upper and lower sides or as a narrow bridge with oppositely curved upper and lower sides, with the upper side preferably being in the transition

transition zone is lower relative to the grip surface of the handle section and/or the keypad is arranged on the top of the bridge and preferably function keys that can be operated with the index finger are arranged on the underside of the bridge. With a corresponding multifunctional mobile phone, the device can be firmly gripped thanks to the ergonomically shaped handle section and both the numeric keypad on the top and the function keys on the bottom can be operated with one hand in a natural hand position. Since all keys are arranged in the transition area, which is also relatively narrow, one-handed operation is further optimized.

Further advantages and embodiments of the mobile phone according to the invention emerge from the subclaims and the following description of the drawing, in which several embodiments of a mobile phone embodying the individual advantages and embodiments according to the invention are shown schematically. In the drawing:

Fig. 1 shows a schematic side view of the mobile phone;

Fig. 2 shows schematically a plan view of a mobile phone according to the invention in accordance with a first alternative embodiment;

Fig. 3 shows schematically a side view of a mobile phone according to a second alternative embodiment;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the mobile phone from Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 schematically shows a side view of a mobile phone according to a third alternative embodiment; and

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the mobile phone from Fig. 5;

In Figures 1 and 2, 10 designates a mobile phone which has a housing, which may be multi-layered and made of plastic, for example, and is designated as 1 in total. The electronic devices of the mobile phone such as chips, circuit boards, etc. are not shown. The housing 1 essentially has three sections, namely a handle section 2, a transition section 3 and a head section 4. The figures schematically indicate that the handle section 2, in which the battery (not shown) for supplying power to the mobile phone 10 is preferably arranged, is ergonomically designed. The handle section 2 is designed to be circular or oval with curved side flanks and flat, stretched-out upper and lower handle surfaces - similar to what is known from hand tools or kitchen tools. The handle surface 5, on which the fingertips rest laterally when the handle is held ergonomically, is designed as a narrow and flat flattened area extending symmetrically to the longitudinal axis L. The handle base 6, however, is convexly shaped starting from the rear end 7A and runs with the convex curve to approximately the middle of the transition section 3. At the transition from the rear end 7A to the handle base 6, a first base support point 8A is formed, with a rubber strip extending across the width of the base. At the end of the convex curvature of the handle base 6, a second base support point 8B is formed, and at the front end 7B, a third base support point 8C is formed, with the base support points 8B and 8C also each being provided with rubber strips. All base support points 8A, 8B, 8C and rubber strips are on one level, so that the cell phone 10 can be placed on a table top or the like in a non-slip and stable manner. Between the middle base support point 8B and the front base support point 8C, the housing base 9 is also convexly curved.

As shown in particular in Fig. 1, the transition section 3 is provided on the upper side with a strip-like, concave depression.

see, the transition zone having an area with a relatively narrow cross-section Q approximately in the front third of the transition section 3. The recess 11 in the transition section 3 increases progressively in height, approximately from the narrowest cross-section Q. In the rising section of the recess 11, designated here HA, which is curved in relation to the longitudinal axis but is preferably flat in the transverse direction, the numeric function keys 12' of a numeric keypad designated overall by 12 are arranged. The plan view according to Fig. 2 shows a keypad 12 with a total of ten keys. Not shown, but preferably belonging to the keypad, one or two on/off switches and number control function keys (*, O) should also be arranged in this area, so that the numeric keypad 12 has a maximum of fourteen keys. The on/off switch can be particularly advantageously designed as a slide switch and if necessary with a safety lever or the like. so that incorrect operation can be ruled out, even if the mobile phone is carried in a jacket, trouser or handbag pocket or hanging from a strap. The slide switch can be designed to be relatively stiff in order to minimize the risk of malfunctions.

As can be clearly seen in Fig. 1 and 2, the entire keyboard field 12 can be operated with the thumb without large movements of the thumb. The concave curvature of the depression 11 in the transition section 3 also ensures that the thumb can rest comfortably and naturally in the valley of the depression 11. The convex rear side 6 in the handle section 2 and transition section 3 facilitates a comfortable and pleasant placement of the individual finger joints. As Fig. 2 shows, the keyboard field 12 or the concavely curved depression 11 does not extend over the entire width of the transition section 3, but only over about half the width. Curved side flank sections 13A, 13B are formed on each side of the keyboard field 12, so that the keyboard

door panel 12 is arranged on a shovel-shaped upper side. A slide switch as an on/off switch can be arranged, for example, in the downwardly sloping section of the trough 11.

As the top view in Fig. 2 further shows, the housing 1 widens in the front area of the transition section 3 to the housing width B in the head section 4. The head section 4 essentially has the shape of a four-sided truncated pyramid with a left side surface 14A, a right side surface 14B and a front surface 15. The three surfaces 14A, 14B and 15 correspond to the three sides of the four-sided truncated pyramid, with the fourth side merging integrally into the transition zone or the transition section 3. The side surfaces 14A, 14B are each inclined at a constant angle to a plane passing through the longitudinal axis L. The front side 15, the front edge 16 of which runs at a right angle to the longitudinal axis L, is provided with several direction buttons 17, confirmation buttons 18 and the like and is also arranged at an angle to the horizontal. Between the front edge 16 and the front, lower base support point 8C, a downwardly directed, approximately rectangular housing front side 25 is formed, in which an infrared interface for data exchange with fax machines or computers and/or a paper output opening can be arranged, particularly advantageously, in order to be able to print short faxes, text messages, etc. on a narrow strip of paper. The side surfaces 14A, 14B and the front surface 15 run upwards in an approximately rectangular web 19, in which, for example, the microphone and the loudspeaker for voice input and output can be arranged. Here too, it is advantageous that the web 19 is arranged away from the handle section 2, so that the microphone can be held comfortably and exposed in the direction of speech.

In Fig. 1, an embodiment is shown in which a screen 21 (Fig. 2) is provided on each of the two side surfaces 14A, 14B.

and 22 (Fig. 1). The information can be displayed on the screens 21 and 22 in such a way that the same information is displayed rotated by 180°, so that the mobile phone according to the invention is suitable for both left-handed and right-handed people. When using the mobile phone as a multifunctional mobile phone, in which the control elements on the front surface 15 are also used, the control of the screens 21, 22 can also be carried out in such a way that the content to be displayed is divided between the two screens, thus displaying different content on the screens, such as different windows on the Internet or the like. The information is preferably displayed in such a way that upright letters are aligned transversely to the longitudinal axis L. In the alternative embodiment according to Fig. 2, a typewriter keyboard 23 is arranged on the right-hand side surface 14B instead of a second screen. The typewriter keyboard advantageously supports the use of the mobile phone according to the invention as a fax and Internet terminal. The mobile phone 10 according to Fig. 2 is preferably designed for operation with the right hand, as indicated by the symbolic representation of the word "screen" and the key designations QWERTZ. For a left-handed person, the keyboard and screen would be swapped accordingly. The typewriter keyboard can be operated with a stylus 24.

3 and 4 show a multifunctional mobile phone 100 according to an alternative embodiment. The same components are provided with reference numerals that are 100 higher. The handle section 102 has the same ergonomic shape and the same structure as the mobile phone 10, in particular a convexly curved handle bottom surface 106. The transition section 103 has a convexly curved bottom side 130 forming a bulge 132 and a concavely curved top side 131 forming a depression 111. The numeric keypad 112 is arranged in the rising section H1A of the depression 111 and can be easily reached with the thumb of the operator's hand.

can be used, and in the bulge 132 a number of function keys 133, 134, 135 are arranged as a field which can be reached and operated with the index finger. The head 104, which is an integral component of the transition section 103, is relatively flat so that a large-area screen 121 can be arranged centrally on the top of the head section 104. The head section has two side surfaces 114A, 114B and a front surface 115 on which menu keys 117, direction keys and the like are arranged. The side surface 114B is provided with a typewriter keyboard 123. A base web 136 is formed in the narrow web 140 in the transition section 103, which creates a barrier that the operating hand can feel for orienting the index finger and also serves as a support surface when the cell phone 100 is resting on it.

5 and 6 show a mobile phone 200 according to a further embodiment. The handle surface 205 and the handle bottom surface 206 of the handle section 202 are each flat. The transition section 203 is formed by a narrow web 240 with a constant, rectangular cross-section, which rises towards the handle section 202 and the head section 204 as a straight or flat surface 211B, 211A. The numeric keypad 212 with the numeric function keys 212' is arranged in the angled recess 211 on the top of the transition section 203, and function keys 233, 234, which can be operated with the index finger, are arranged in the angular bulge 232 on the bottom of the transition section 203. The head section 204 with the large screen 221 is designed similarly to the previous embodiment, but is flatter overall here. The arrangement of the typewriter keyboard 223 and the rocker keys 217 is unchanged, and the mobile phone 200 is very flat overall.

For the person skilled in the art, a number of deviations will emerge from the preceding description which fall within the scope of protection.

The depiction of the ergonomic, roughly bone-shaped handle is an example. Other ergonomic shapes are also conceivable. In the example shown, the buttons are designed as push buttons. Of course, they could also be designed as sensor buttons. One of the screens could also be equipped with a sensor surface that recognizes handwritten letters and processes them as input. Furthermore, at least one function switch could be arranged on the back of the handle section, such as a delete button, so that operating errors when typing a telephone number can be easily corrected even when using one hand.

Claims (17)

1. Portable communication device, in particular a mobile phone or multi-function mobile phone, with a housing ( 1 ) having a numeric keypad ( 12 ; 112 ; 212 ) for entering information such as in particular telephone numbers and a screen ( 21 ; 121 ; 221 ) for displaying information, characterized by a preferably ergonomically shaped handle section ( 2 ; 102 ; 202 ) and a head section ( 4 ; 104 ; 204 ) having the screen ( 21 ; 121 ; 212 ), wherein the keypad ( 12 ; 112 ; 212 ) is arranged outside the handle section ( 2 ; 102 ; 202 ), preferably in the transition region ( 3 ; 103 ; 203 ) between the handle section ( 2 ; 102 ; 202 ) and the head section (4; 104; 204). 4 ; 104 ; 204 ) is arranged. 2. Communication device according to claim 1, characterized in that the keypad ( 12 ) can be operated in a natural hand position with the thumb and/or the keypad ( 12 ) consists of a total of ten to fourteen keys ( 12 '), of which 10 keys are assigned to numerical numbers, two keys serve as on/off switches and optionally two keys are assigned to number control functions. 3. Communication device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the handle section ( 2 ) is ergonomically designed by changing cross-sections, widths and/or thicknesses and/or indentations or protrusions for the ball of the hand, fingers and the like. 4. Communication device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the keypad ( 12 ) is arranged in a housing section ( 11A ) which is inclined to the handle section ( 2 ), preferably in a progressively curved housing section. 5. Communication device according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the housing ( 1 ) has a transition zone with a narrow cross-section (Q) between the handle section ( 2 ) and the keypad ( 12 ). 6. Communication device according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the housing ( 1 ) in the region of the transition zone ( 3 ) is concavely curved on the upper side and/or convexly curved on the lower side ( 6 ), wherein the keypad ( 12 ) is preferably arranged in a section ( 11A ) of the transition zone which increases in height. 7. Communication device according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the handle section ( 2 ) has no operating elements such as function keys or buttons or, apart from a function key provided on the underside of the handle section, preferably in its rear region, such as a delete key or a selection key, no operating element is arranged in the handle section. 8. Communication device according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that a rechargeable energy storage device such as a battery is arranged in the handle section ( 2 ). 9. Communication device according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the head section ( 4 ) has two lateral and one frontal surface ( 14 A, 14 B, 15 ), wherein at least one of the lateral surfaces ( 14 A; 14 B) has the screen (21), wherein preferably the head section ( 4 ) has essentially the shape of a four-sided truncated pyramid stretched in the longitudinal direction (L) and/or the handle section ( 2 ) or transition section ( 3 ) merges integrally into one of the sides of the truncated pyramid. 10. Communication device according to claim 9, characterized in that the side surfaces ( 14 A, 14 B) and the front surface ( 15 ) are arranged obliquely to the horizontal and have substantially flat surfaces and/or a web section ( 19 ) accommodating a microphone and/or a loudspeaker is preferably provided between the side surfaces ( 14 A, 14 B) and the front surface ( 15 ). 11. Communication device according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that one of the side surfaces ( 14 A) has a screen (21) and the opposite side surface ( 14 B) has a typewriter-like letter/character keyboard ( 23 ), which can preferably be operated with a stylus ( 24 ) or the like. 12. Communication device according to one of claims 9 to 11, characterized in that both side surfaces ( 14 A; 14 B) are provided with a screen and/or the screen(s) is/are aligned such that the information displayed is/are shown transversely to the longitudinal axis of the housing. 13. Communication device according to one of claims 9 to 12, characterized in that menu keys such as rocker keys, direction keys ( 17 ), confirmation keys ( 18 ) or buttons and the like for controlling a cursor and for menu navigation on the screen are arranged on the front surface (15). 14. Communication device according to one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the operating elements such as buttons and the like are designed as pressure switches or as sensor switches. 15. Communication device according to one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that the housing ( 1 ) has several support base points ( 8 A, 8 B, 8 C) arranged on a plane, which are preferably designed as anti-slip surfaces and are provided, for example, with strip-shaped or point-shaped rubber cushions. 16. Communication device according to one of claims 1 to 8, 14 or 15, characterized in that the screen ( 121 ; 221 ) is arranged in the top of the preferably flattened head section ( 104 ; 204 ), wherein further preferably the head section ( 104 ; 204 ) has two lateral and one frontal surface ( 114A , 114B , 115 ; 215 ) and/or menu keys such as rocker keys, direction keys ( 117 ; 217 ), confirmation keys ( 18 ) or buttons and the like are arranged on the front surface ( 115 ; 215 ) for controlling a cursor and for menu navigation on the screen and/or one of the side surfaces ( 114B ) has a typewriter-like letter/character keyboard ( 123 ; 223 ) which preferably operable with an operating pen ( 24 ) or the like. 17. Communication device according to claim 16, characterized in that the transition region ( 103 ; 203 ) or the transition zone is designed as a narrow web ( 240 ) with a rectangular cross-section and flat upper and lower sides ( 230 , 231 ) or as a narrow web ( 140 ) with oppositely curved upper and lower sides ( 130 , 131 ), wherein preferably the upper side ( 231 ) in the transition zone is lower relative to the grip surface ( 205 ) of the handle section ( 202 ) and/or the keyboard field ( 112 ; 212 ) is arranged on the upper side of the web and preferably function keys ( 134 , 135 ; 234 , 235 ) operable with the index finger are arranged on the lower side ( 130 ; 230 ) of the web.