Handset

DETAILED DESCRIPTION According to the present invention there is provided a communication terminal handset having a translucent outer casing and a light source arranged for illumination of a substantial area of the casing.
The light source is suitably capable of illuminating the casing in any of a plurality of colours.
The light source is suitably capable of illuminating different portions of the casing in different colours.
The light source may comprise one or more individual light emitters such as LEDs or fluorescent devices such as fluorescent tubes.
The said substantial area is suitably greater than 30% of the exterior surface area of the handset, preferably greater than 40% of the exterior surface area of the handset and most preferably greater than 50% of the exterior surface area of the handset.
The handset preferably comprises control means for controlling the light source in dependence on a state of the handset.
That state may, for example, be any one or more of: whether there is an incoming call to the handset (such a call preferably including a message or voice or data call) and optionally whether that call is unanswered, the detected input to a microphone, a factor internal to the handset and/or the communication terminal such as battery charge or internal temperature, or an external factor such as ambient temperature.
The light source may be controlled so as to vary the colour and/or intensity and/or spatial pattern of illumination of the cover in dependence on the state of the handset, and optionally to vary any of those features over time in dependence on that status.
The illumination of the casing may form part of the user interface of the terminal.
The handset suitably includes diffusion means for diffusing light from the light source for diffuse illumination of the said area of the casing.
That means may be a rough inner or outer surface of the cover.
The handset is suitably arranged so that the illumination of the casing causes emission of light from the handset over a distributed area of the casing, and preferably substantially all the area of the casing