Network communication system

Abstract

A network communication station has a housing with a housing front and a housing rear side, a plurality of operating elements on the housing front, and a touchscreen display movable on the housing front between a first position and a second position physically offset therefrom for, in a first function state of the display, displaying information of a first kind and/or allowing data of a first kind to be entered on the display and for, in a second function state of the display, displaying information of a second kind and/or allowing data of a second kind to be entered on the display. A controller sets the display in the first function state when in the first position and in the second function state when in the second position.

We claim: 
     
         1 . In a network, a communication station comprising:
 a housing with a housing front and a housing rear side,   a plurality of operating elements on the housing front; and   a touchscreen display on the housing front, the display displaying, in a first function state of the display, information of a first kind and/or allowing data of a first kind to be entered on the display, wherein   the display can be moved relative to the housing between a rest position in which the display is in the first function state and a switching position, and   as a result of moving the display relative to the housing into the switching position, the display enters into a second function state, in which information of a second kind can be displayed and/or data of a second kind can be entered on the display.   
     
     
         2 . The communication station according to  claim 1 , wherein the housing is shaped as a parallelepiped or essentially shaped as a parallelepiped. 
     
     
         3 . The communication station according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one operating element is designed to be programmable. 
     
     
         4 . The communication station according to  claim 1 , wherein the communication station comprises a plurality of touchscreen displays that can each be shifted between the rest position and the switching position. 
     
     
         5 . The communication station according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a sensor for detecting shifting of the display into the switching position.   
     
     
         6 . The communication station according to  claim 5 , wherein the communication station further comprises:
 a control associated with the sensor.   
     
     
         7 . The communication station according to  claim 6 , wherein the control switches the display from its first function state into its second function state. 
     
     
         8 . The communication station according to  claim 6 , wherein the control switches the display from its first function state into its second function state while the display is being briefly or continuously shifted into the switching position. 
     
     
         9 . The communication station according to  claim 1 , wherein the control switches the display from its first function state into its second function state for a one-time shift into the switching position. 
     
     
         10 . The communication station according to  claim 5 , wherein the control switches the display from its first function state into a third function state while shifting the display repeatedly in short succession into the switching position. 
     
     
         11 . The communication station according to  claim 1 , wherein the display is designed to be shifted as a whole or section-wise. 
     
     
         12 . The communication station according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a plurality of ports are on the housing rear side.   
     
     
         13 . The communication station according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a loudspeaker and/or a port for a loudspeaker fixed on the housing front.   
     
     
         14 . The communication station according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a microphone and/or a port for a microphone on the housing front.   
     
     
         15 . The communication station according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a port for a headset on the housing front.   
     
     
         16 . The communication station comprising:
 a housing with a housing front and a housing rear side,   a plurality of operating elements on the housing front; and   a touchscreen display on the housing front, the display displaying, in a first function state of the display, information of a first kind and/or allowing data of a first kind to be entered on the display, wherein   the display can be moved relative to the housing between a rest position in which the display is in the first function state and a switching position, and   as a result of moving the display relative to the housing into the switching position, the display enters into a second function state, in which information of a second kind can be displayed and/or data of a second kind can be entered on the display.   
     
     
         17 . A network communication station comprising:
 a housing with a housing front and a housing rear side;   a plurality of operating elements on the housing front;   a touchscreen display movable on the housing front between a first position and a second position physically offset therefrom for, in a first function state of the display, displaying information of a first kind and/or allowing data of a first kind to be entered on the display and for, in a second function state of the display, displaying information of a second kind and/or allowing data of a second kind to be entered on the display; and   control means for setting the display in the first function state when in the first position and in the second function state when in the second position.   
     
     
         18 . The station defined in  claim 17 , wherein the control means includes a sensor for detecting which position the display is in.