US5818924A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Combined keypad and protective cover
Assignee: Siemens Business Communication Systems Inc
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Filing: 1996-08-02
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Granted: 1998-10-06
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Expires: 2016-08-02
Abstract
Abstract A mechanical keypad is attached to the outside of a protective cover. A switch allows a personal intelligent communicator to be operated either with the user interface of a mobile telephone handset or with a graphical user interface. When the cover is closed, the mechanical keypad serves for dialing telephone numbers. When the cover is open, the mechanical keypad is disabled, and the graphical user interface is revealed. The microphone and speaker of the personal intelligent communicator together operate as a speaker phone when the cover is open, and as a mobile telephone handset when the cover is closed. By use of an override switch, the personal intelligent communicator can also operate as a speaker phone when the cover is open.
Inventors
- 👤 Neal J. King
- 👤 Eli Jacobi
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 21:43
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04M; H04M1/00; H04M1/02; H04M1/0202; H04M1/0206; H04M1/0241; H04M1/0245; H04M1/60; H04M1/6033; H04M1/6041; H04M1/605; H04M1/0208; H04M1/0214; H04M1/18; H04M2250/00; H04M2250/22
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
74 words
A personal communications device comprising a touch screen; a data processor; telecommunications capabilities including a telephone; a cover that fits over the touch screen, said cover having a bottom surface and a top surface, said bottom surface being adjacent to said touch screen and said top surface including a keypad, wherein when said cover is closed, said touch screen is entirely covered by said cover, and said keypad is operable to dial said telephone.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
74 words
A personal communications device comprising a touch screen; a data processor; telecommunications capabilities including a telephone; a cover that fits over the touch screen, said cover having a bottom surface and a top surface, said bottom surface being adjacent to said touch screen and said top surface including a keypad, wherein when said cover is closed, said touch screen is entirely covered by said cover, and said keypad is operable to dial said telephone.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
18 words
A personal communications device as in claim 1, in which said keypad further comprises means for inputting data.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
A personal communications device as in claim 1, in which said telecommunications apparatus includes facsimile capabilities.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
91 words
A method of operating a personal intelligent communicator, said personal intelligent communicator comprising a touch screen, a data processor, a telephone, a cover that opens and closes to expose and entirely cover, respectively, the touch screen, and a bi-simplex-duplex module for changing the operation of said telephone, said method comprising the steps of: when said cover is open and said touch screen is exposed, operating said telephone in a speaker phone state; and when said cover is closed and said touch screen is covered, operating said telephone in a handset state.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
91 words
A method of operating a personal intelligent communicator, said personal intelligent communicator comprising a touch screen, a data processor, a telephone, a cover that opens and closes to expose and entirely cover, respectively, the touch screen, and a bi-simplex-duplex module for changing the operation of said telephone, said method comprising the steps of: when said cover is open and said touch screen is exposed, operating said telephone in a speaker phone state; and when said cover is closed and said touch screen is covered, operating said telephone in a handset state.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
166 words
A method of operating a personal intelligent communicator, said personal intelligent communicator comprising a touch screen, a data processor, a telephone, a cover that opens and closes to expose and entirely cover, respectively, the touch screen, and a bi-simplex-duplex module for changing the operation of said telephone, said method comprising the steps of: when said cover is open and said touch screen is exposed, operating said telephone in a speaker phone state; and when said cover is closed and said touch screen is covered, operating said telephone in a handset state, wherein when said telephone is in said speaker phone state, the following steps are performed: connecting, by a mode switch, a control path from a keypad signaling module to a numeric signaling module, whereby the touch-sensitive screen can be used for numeric input functions including dialing the telephone; switching, by said mode switch, said bi-simplex-duplex module to bi-simplex operation; and switching, by said mode switch, from a keypad signaling module to a numeric signaling module.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
166 words
A method of operating a personal intelligent communicator, said personal intelligent communicator comprising a touch screen, a data processor, a telephone, a cover that opens and closes to expose and entirely cover, respectively, the touch screen, and a bi-simplex-duplex module for changing the operation of said telephone, said method comprising the steps of: when said cover is open and said touch screen is exposed, operating said telephone in a speaker phone state; and when said cover is closed and said touch screen is covered, operating said telephone in a handset state, wherein when said telephone is in said speaker phone state, the following steps are performed: connecting, by a mode switch, a control path from a keypad signaling module to a numeric signaling module, whereby the touch-sensitive screen can be used for numeric input functions including dialing the telephone; switching, by said mode switch, said bi-simplex-duplex module to bi-simplex operation; and switching, by said mode switch, from a keypad signaling module to a numeric signaling module.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 5 wherein when said mode switch switches said bi-simplex-duplex module to bi-simplex mode, speaker volume control and microphone sensitivity are set to predetermined levels.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
61 words
The method of claim 5 wherein, when said telephone is in said handset state, the following steps are performed: connecting, by a mode switch, a control path from the keypad to a numeric signaling module, whereby the keypad can be used for numeric input functions including dialing the telephone; and switching, by said mode switch, said bi-simplex-duplex module to duplex operation.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 7 wherein when said mode switch switches said bi-simplex-duplex module to duplex mode, speaker volume control and microphone sensitivity are set to predetermined levels.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2001-10-05 | 2002-04-06 | 2002-10-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-10-05 | 2006-04-06 | 2006-10-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-10-05 | 2010-04-06 | 2010-10-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |