HK1015991B - Portable telephone with computer module - Google Patents

Description

Hand-held telephone with computer module

The invention relates to a portable computer and a telecommunication device which are formed as a hand-held telephone with a computer module.

Portable computers and telecommunication devices of this type are used in particular in mobile telephones and in the preparation, transmission of fax messages and access to on-line services, but also as mobile computers.

Mobile telephones, which are often referred to as "handsets" (Handy) as hand-held telephones, and also a number of small devices such as pocket calculators, databases and electronic notebooks are known, which are always suitable for personal use on their own because of their small geometry. Personal computers with text and image displays are known to be of a size as large as so-called hand-held devices or notepads, but they are, after all, approximately as large as a4 paper and have a considerable weight.

In EP 0472361B1 there is disclosed a portable computer and telecommunications device of the same type, in which the computer and the mobile telephone are accommodated in the same housing, and which housing further comprises a keyboard portion for operating the computer and the mobile telephone. In addition, the cover plate attached to the housing may be rotated to cover the display when closed. The cover is constructed such that when it is closed, in addition to part of the display, at least some of the keys on the keyboard are accessible for operating the device as a mobile phone application. On one long side of the housing a microphone and a loudspeaker of the mobile phone are mounted.

A disadvantage of the telecommunication device disclosed in EP 0472361B1 is that the device cannot be applied as a mobile telephone as known in the form of a hand-held telephone, since the telephone keypad as well as the microphone and loudspeaker all adopt other configurations. In particular, it is not possible to operate a telecommunications device with one hand, as is the case with a mobile telephone as a hand-held telephone, since the device must first be rotated through 90 ° about its transverse axis and then again through 90 ° about its longitudinal axis.

Furthermore, the device cannot be expanded in terms of functionality and cannot be equipped with further power supplies in the form of additional power supply modules for a long operating time.

DE 4108169a1 discloses a telephone device which can be operated as a mobile communication device in a wireless telephone manner in conjunction with computer operation and data transmission.

An apparatus which can optionally be mounted on a vehicle or portable and equipped with a personal computer with a keyboard and a radio or car telephone transmitting/receiving unit has, in the case of its portable computer type, a cover with a screen mounted on its front. A holder for a cellular phone is mounted on the back of the cover. The handset protrudes to one side of the cover. When the cover is closed (the PCT keyboard is covered by the cover), the mobile phone can be freely taken off, and the number selection key and the operation key which are arranged on the upper side of the mobile phone can be operated. On the rearwardly tilted closed cover (personal computer keyboard exposed) the handset microphone and earpiece, which is fixed to the back of the cover, is turned towards the viewer of the screen and has a free acoustic path to it.

The disadvantage of this solution is that it is neither possible nor applicable as a mobile phone. Here we refer to two separate devices (a handset and a handheld computer) that are simply put together. Furthermore, because of the protruding portion of the handset, the device is susceptible to impact, particularly when dropped from the top down.

The object of the invention is to provide a portable computer and telecommunication device which is suitable for transmitting and receiving speech, data, text and/or images and for composing and processing these data, text and/or images, that is to say which combines the functions of a mobile telephone and a computer in a single housing. Furthermore, the portable computer and telecommunication device of the present invention are open and scalable for additional applications.

This task is solved by a portable computer and a telecommunication device formed by a hand-held telephone with a computer module according to the first aspect of the present invention. That is, a mobile phone with a built-in computer module, consisting of a wireless telecommunication device and a computer with a computer keyboard and a computer display unit, wherein the mobile phone consists of at least two flat rectangular modules which are rotatably connected to each other and which in the closed state each contact each other with one of their surfaces as an inner surface, wherein the computer keyboard and the computer display unit are mounted on these inner surfaces and have a keyboard for controlling the telecommunication device on the outside of one module, wherein the computer is mounted in a first module and the telecommunication device is mounted together with the keyboard for controlling the telecommunication device in a second module, and wherein a microphone and a loudspeaker are fitted on one of the outer surfaces of at least two modules, characterized in that the first display unit for the computer is mounted on the inside of the second module and the telecommunication device is mounted on the outside of the second module A second display unit for the apparatus, and other modules may be mounted on the first module including the computer, wherein outer surfaces of at least two modules are smoothly closed with each other in a closed state to form a whole.

By dividing the computer and the telecommunication device into two different modules, the two modules or individual components can be developed separately or can be utilized with only minor modifications, for example, of the modules or components of the telecommunication device already developed. This can significantly reduce development and design costs. It is also possible to achieve the greatest flexibility and enjoyment by the user of the portable computer and telecommunication device according to the invention when using the device according to the invention as a fax transmission medium, modem, telephone or computer and all hybrids, and the greatest enjoyment of the easiest operation, the user being able to selectively or simultaneously utilize the functions of both modules, as obtained, for example, in the programming applied by the message when composing and sending a fax message. However, due to the structure of the keypad of the telecommunication device, the user can use the telecommunication device at any time, even with the device of the invention closed, on the outside of the respective module. This allows the simplicity of a typical hand held telephone to be achieved and combines the functionality of a personal computer and telecommunications equipment.

The division of the computer and telecommunications equipment into two distinct modules, and the provision of separate keyboard and display screen structures, minimizes the number of data lines between the computer and the telecommunications equipment. This reduces design costs and minimizes the possibility of failure during data transfer between the computer and the telecommunications equipment.

If the computer display unit is mounted on a module containing telecommunications equipment, a computer keyboard and computer display unit structure can be implemented that is equivalent to a typical notebook structure. This makes it possible to implement a particularly ergonomic working with the computer of the device according to the invention.

The outer surfaces of at least two modules are smoothly closed to each other in the closed state, which improves the ease of application as a hand-held telephone (mobile hand-held telephone) in particular in the closed state, while keeping the computer keyboard and the computer display unit clean. In addition to this, the display unit of the computer can be effectively protected from human damage.

The device of the invention can be expanded arbitrarily by means of further modules, for example by means of additional power supply modules, data memory modules, data processing modules, floppy disk drive modules, hard disk modules, radio or television high-frequency head modules, chip or magnetic card reader modules PCMCIA card modules or other communication devices, for example an additional mobile communication device for mobile communication of future satellite posts, as an alternative to existing telecommunication devices. The power supply unit may be installed outside the computer as a power supply module as a separate module, or may be, for example, a storage battery integrated with the computer module.

If a microphone and a loudspeaker are mounted on one of the outer surfaces of at least two modules and connected to a telecommunications device, the device can be used as a mobile phone with the functional features of a hand-held phone as described. Arranging the microphone and the loudspeaker outside the telecommunications module, that is to say on a plane with the keypad and the display of the telecommunications device, has the advantages as regards the function as described above both in terms of operation and in terms of reducing the design costs for the data lines. In the case of mounting the microphone and the loudspeaker on the rear side of the device, i.e. outside the module comprising the computer, advantages are obtained in respect of the use of the existing mounting space and in respect of the modular design comprising the telecommunications device.

A particular advantage is that if an additional switch is provided, by means of which switching to the intercom module is possible, not only the computer but also the telecommunications device can be used at the same time as a hand-held telephone in the open state of the device according to the invention. Furthermore, this also simplifies the use of the address directory function, which is provided in the computer to facilitate the establishment of a telephone contact by direct selection from the address memory of the computer.

Several preferred embodiments of the invention are described below.

The device of the invention is just like a letter folder; the basic version consists of three modules, which are connected to each other. The uppermost mounted module comprises a telecommunications device and has on its outside a keypad for controlling the telecommunications device, i.e. a telephone keypad, a telephone display, a microphone and a loudspeaker as a listening device. The second module mounted below comprises a computer and a docking station, for example for a check card format card, other types of tape cards, or also for a PCMCIA standard memory card. The upper and lower modules are rotatably connected to each other by a hinge. In addition, the device of the invention has another module, namely a storage battery for supplying power. In addition, the device according to the invention has an antenna which is movably mounted, i.e. can be pulled out or pushed in, on the axis of the hinge connecting the upper and lower modules and which forms part of the hinge. The module comprising the computer also has a knob for adjusting the volume of the loudspeaker and a button for acting as a key for removing the listening device.

Viewing the same inventive device in an open position, the top open module carries a computer display device on its interior surface and a second module attached to the hinge carries a computer keyboard on the side opposite the top module. The rows and columns of the computer keyboard and the display screen of the display device are arranged in such a way that the rows run along the longitudinal extension of the device according to the invention.

At one end face of the device according to the invention there are one or several interface terminals for exchanging data with other computers, for example via serial, parallel interfaces and via infrared interfaces. Since the device of the invention is of modular construction, it is of course possible to extend additional power supply modules, memory modules or other modular components with integrated cards for additional functions of the computer. In addition, functions such as radio or television reception can be provided, the computer display unit being formed by an LCD monitor or a similar sheet-like display screen, and additional functions or command keys can also be implemented and operated as a "touch screen" touch-sensitive. The command keys can of course also be mounted as mechanical operating elements in the vicinity of the respective fields of the display screen.

The device of the invention can be applied like a common handheld telephone in a closed state, and in addition, the computer display screen and the computer display device have line structures and can also be used as normal application of a computer. Data exchange between the telecommunications device and the computer can be performed for automatic control, such as telephone number selection by the computer. In addition, facsimile reports generated by the computer may be transmitted via the telecommunications device by the user program used to generate the reports. In addition, the computer can be used for establishing online contact with the corresponding service organization directly through the telecommunication equipment.

An apparatus of the present invention is similar in construction to that described above in that instead of a power module, a power source, such as a battery, is housed in the computer module. This results in a particularly compact construction and facilitates the installation of the individual components of the computer and the telecommunications equipment. This power supply may also be completely enclosed and hidden by the housing of the computer module.

In one embodiment of the device according to the invention, the microphone and the loudspeaker are located outside the computer module, whereas the telecommunication device according to the invention is located in the uppermost module. Depending on the space provided by the above two modules, it may be advantageous to place the microphone and the loudspeaker in a module comprising telecommunications equipment or in a module comprising a computer.

Another device of the invention, which device as mentioned above is also formed by a first module comprising telecommunications units and a second module comprising computers and a module comprising a power supply unit, for example a battery. In addition to the above-described device, a further device is proposed, which is expanded by an add-on module. This module may for example comprise an additional memory consisting of memory chips. However, the add-on module can also be formed by a further power supply, by means of which the operating duration of the computer and the telecommunications device can be significantly extended.

In another embodiment, the uppermost module comprises a microphone which is directed both to the outside and to the inside of the module. This allows the device to be used as a normal hand-held telephone when the device is closed, and to be switched to the talk-over function by means of the switch when the device is open, so that a recording can be made by means of the microphone directed to the inside of the uppermost module. The loudspeaker of the uppermost module can be used as a listening device in a telephone working mode and can also be used as a loudspeaker in a computer working mode. The volume of which can be changed by a volume adjuster.

Another embodiment of the device according to the invention provides, in the closed state, a keyboard and a display on the outwardly directed surface of the uppermost module for representing the appearance of a normal hand-held telephone, for example a call sign or a call function, and an operating face. Headphones or earphones or speakers adapted to these can be connected to an audio socket. A companion handset with microphone/earpiece may also be connected through a combined input/output audio jack. In all the embodiments described above, a whip antenna is used. If the telecommunication device is not used, the antenna can be inserted in stages along its longitudinal axis into the hinge accommodating it, which is not the case when the antenna is completely embedded in the housing, because there is still the possibility of transmission and reception even in the completely embedded state.

Claims (14)

1. A mobile phone with a built-in computer module, comprising a wireless telecommunication device and a computer with a computer keyboard and a computer display unit, wherein the mobile phone is composed of at least two flat rectangular modules which are rotatably connected to each other and which, in the closed state, each contact each other with one of their surfaces as an inner surface, wherein the computer keyboard and the computer display unit are mounted on these inner surfaces and have a keyboard for controlling the telecommunication device on the outside of one module,

wherein the computer is mounted in a first module and the telecommunications device is mounted in a second module together with a keyboard for controlling the telecommunications device, and wherein a microphone and a loudspeaker are mounted on one of the outer surfaces of at least two of the modules,

it is characterized in that the preparation method is characterized in that,

a first display unit for a computer is mounted on the inside of the second module and a second display unit for a telecommunications device is mounted on the outside of the second module, and further modules can be mounted on the first module including the computer, wherein the outer surfaces of at least two of the modules are smoothly closed to each other in the closed state to form an entirety.

2. A hand-held telephone according to claim 1, characterised in that the keypad for controlling the telecommunications equipment and/or the second display unit for the telecommunications equipment is mounted such that the display of the keypad for controlling the telecommunications equipment and the second display unit is mounted in rows and possibly columns, wherein the rows run perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the module.

3. A handset as claimed in claim 1, wherein a power supply module is mounted on and/or in the module comprising the computer.

4. A handset as claimed in claim 3, wherein the power module is mounted on the module outside of the module including the computer module, and the outer surfaces of the two modules are smoothly closed to each other to form a unitary body.

5. The handset of one of claims 3 or 4, wherein the power module is a battery.

6. Hand-held telephone according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the module comprising the computer and/or the other modules have a power supply module, a data memory module, a data processing module, a radio or television high-frequency head module, an additional telecommunications transmission and reception unit, a floppy or hard disk drive, a chip or tape card reader, a PCMCIA memory card plug-in connection, plug-in contacts for parallel and/or serial interfaces and/or other interfaces.

7. A handset as claimed in at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the modules are connected to each other by a hinge.

8. A handset as claimed in claim 7, wherein a movable antenna is provided in the hinge.

9. A handset as claimed in claim 1, wherein one antenna is completely embedded in the module with the telecommunications equipment.

10. Hand-held telephone according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the module comprising the computer has a switch for switching to the talk-back mode and/or a volume regulator for the loudspeaker.

11. A hand-held telephone according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the telecommunications device is a radio device.

12. A hand-held telephone according to any preceding claim, wherein the computer keyboard and computer display unit are used to control and test the telecommunications equipment.

13. The handheld telephone of at least one of the preceding claims wherein the computer display unit is a flat touch screen.

14. A hand-held telephone according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the computer keyboard and the computer display unit are arranged in a row or column direction on the inner sides of the two modules facing each other such that the rows of the computer keyboard and the computer display unit coincide with the longitudinal run of the modules.