IP Library Patent Application 12067019
Patent Application
App. No. 12/067,019

PORTABLE TERMINAL

Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US None
App. No.
12/067,019
Abstract

A portable terminal capable of obtaining an input device having an intuitive and delicate instantaneous responsibility is provided by performing a manipulation of a second housing while viewing a display unit of a first housing. This portable terminal 10 includes a first housing 11 where a display 14 is provided; and a second housing 12 where a control unit 16 is provided. The second housing 12 is coupled to the first housing 11 in a freely pivotally rotatable manner along two directions perpendicular to each other around a first coupling shaft 18 and a second coupling shaft 19 , which are two shafts intersected perpendicular to each other. In the portable terminal, the first housing 11 is griped by, for example, a left hand, and also the second housing 12 is griped by, for instance, a right hand corresponding to one's dominant hand. Since the second housing 12 is manipulated along a direction perpendicular to the first housing 11 , an operation of an application program within the display is controlled while the display of the first housing 11 is viewed.

Claims (33)

1 . A portable terminal, comprising:

a first housing and a second housing;

a coupling portion which couples the first housing to the second housing, and guides both the first housing and the second housing from a first condition under which the first housing and the second housing are stacked with each other up to a second condition under which the first housing and the second housing are relatively moved along a separation direction from each other;

a display unit provided on the first housing;

a control unit which displays an image on the display unit, the image being interlinked to an application program; and

a detecting section which detects a relative moving speed of the second housing with respect to the first housing,

wherein the control unit controls the application program based upon the relative moving speed detected by the detecting section.

2 . A portable terminal, comprising:

a first housing and a second housing;

a coupling portion which couples the first housing to the second housing, and guides both the first housing and the second housing from a first condition under which the first housing and the second housing are stacked with each other up to a second condition under which the first housing and the second housing are relatively moved along a separation direction;

a display unit provided on the first housing;

a control unit which displays an image on the display unit, the image being interlinked to an application program; and

a detecting section which detects a relative position and a relative moving speed of the second housing with respect to the first housing,

wherein the control unit controls the application program based upon the relative moving speed detected by the detecting section.

3 . The portable terminal as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the coupling portion includes:

a first coupling shaft which is provided along a stacking direction of both the first housing and the second housing; and

a second coupling shaft which is orthogonally arranged with respect to the first coupling shaft; and

wherein the detecting section includes:

a first angle detecting unit which detects a first relative angle between the first housing and the second housing centering on the first coupling shaft; and

a second angle detecting unit which detects a second relative angle between the first housing and the second housing centering on the second coupling shaft.

4 . The portable terminal as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the coupling portion includes:

a rail provided on any one of a rear plane of the first housing and a front plane of the second housing; and

an engaging portion provided on the other of the rear plane of the first housing and the front plane of the second housing, for being engaged with the rail; and

wherein the detecting section includes a position detecting unit which detects a relative position between the rail and the engaging portion.

5 . A portable terminal, comprising:

a first housing on which a display unit is provided;

a second housing arranged adjacent to the first housing;

a coupling shaft orthogonally arranged with respect to a boundary plane between the first housing and the second housing, for coupling the first housing to the second housing with each other in a pivotally rotatable manner;

a plurality of operation units provided on different outer faces of the second housing, respectively;

a control unit which displays an image on the display unit, the image being interlinked to an application program;

a detecting section which detects a rotating angle and a rotating speed of the second housing with respect to the first housing; and

wherein any of the plural operation units can be selectively arranged on the same side as the displaying unit by relatively rotating the first housing and the second housing centering on the coupling shaft; and

wherein the control unit controls the application program based upon the rotating angle and the rotating speed detected by the detecting section.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Nov 11, 2008
From: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
To: PANASONIC CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 021818/0725 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 27, 2008
From: TORII, MIKA
To: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 021162/0035 →