Multifunction mobile communications device with slidable display screen

Claim 1

A combination of a personal digital assistant and a mobile telephone device for operation in multiple applications, comprising: a body having upper and lower faces relative to usage and a longitudinal axis; a text keyboard mounted for use on said upper face for use with said personal digital assistant; a panel connected to the body of the device on said upper surface, said panel having a screen for presenting a display to the user for communicating information for each of said personal digital assistant and said mobile telephone, said panel slidably mounted above said text keyboard for movement, transverse to said longitudinal axis, between a first position aligned with said body in which said display is exposed for use with said mobile telephone and a second position extending outward from said body in which said display is used for said personal digital assistant, wherein said panel covers said text keyboard in the first position and said text keyboard is exposed in the second position, and further wherein said panel is connected to said body by means which allow said panel to be pivoted, when in the second position, in a full range of motion that enables said panel to be reversed so that said display faces said upper surface for protection; and a pair of side decks constructed in the body on either side of said text keyboard, at least one of said side decks having a keypad for use with said mobile telephone.