The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 02, 2004
Filed:
Mar. 12, 2001
Shinya Haraguchi, Tokyo, JP;
Akira Ogihara, Kanagawa, JP;
Sony Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
In a portable information terminal, a display screen is provided on one surface of an upper half portion, and keys for inputting characters are provided at a surface of a lower half portion. The upper half portion can be pivoted to overlay the lower half portion. An operating unit for performing the control operation of the display content of the screen is provided at a portion of the lower half portion that is exposed even when the upper half portion overlays the lower half portion. A controller for controlling the display screen and other control processing is equipped in the lower half portion. The upper half portion and the lower half portion are rotatably joined to each other around a first rotational axis so as to be opened from the overlap state. The upper and lower half portions are also joined to each other so as to be rotatable around a second rotational axis perpendicular to the first rotational axis. A detector determines whether the display screen of the upper half portion faces the key-arranged surface of the lower half portion or whether the back side of the upper half portion faces the key-arranged surface side. In accordance with the detection result, the controller rotates the display image on the display screen by 180 degrees.