Mobile terminal and method for controlling the same

• US 10,340,968 B1
• Filed: 05/18/2018
• Issued: 07/02/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Bang, Sooho, Lee, Youngjoon
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Khoi H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hannan, B M M
• Application Number:
  US15/983,642
• Time in Patent Office: 410 Days
• Field of Search: 455572
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3838 Arrangements for reducing RF exposure to the user, e.g. by changing the shape of the transceiver while in use
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0202 Portable telephone sets, e.g. cordless phones, mobile phones or bar type handsets constructional features of telephone transmitters or receivers, e.g. of speakers or microphones H04M1/03
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10

Abstract

The present invention relates to a mobile terminal, including a main body, a communication unit mounted in the main body to perform communication with an external device, a proximity sensor to detect a part of a user'"'"'s body adjacent to the main body when the communication is performed through the communication unit, a signal processing unit to generate primary detection information, indicating the detection result of the part of the user'"'"'s body adjacent to the main body, based on sensing data received from the proximity sensor, and a processor to transmit a request signal to the signal processing unit to request for secondary detection information, indicating the detection result of the part of the user'"'"'s body adjacent to the main body, in response to a reception of the primary detection information from the signal processing unit, and to determine whether or not the part of the user'"'"'s body adjacent to the main body exists, through comparison between the primary detection information and the secondary detection information when the secondary detection information is received through the signal processing unit.

Claims

1. A mobile terminal, comprising:

a main body;

a communication unit mounted in the main body and configured to perform communication with an external device;

a proximity sensor to detect a part of a user'"'"'s body adjacent to the main body when the communication is performed through the communication unit;

a signal processing unit configured to generate primary detection information, indicating a change in a detection result of the part of the user'"'"'s body adjacent to the main body, based on sensing data received from the proximity sensor; and

a processor configured to;

transmit a request signal through a first path to the signal processing unit to request for secondary detection information, indicating the detection result of the part of the user'"'"'s body adjacent to the main body, in response to the primary detection information received from the signal processing unit; and

determine whether or not the part of the user'"'"'s body adjacent to the main body exists, through comparison between the primary detection information and the secondary detection information when the secondary detection information is received through a second path from the signal processing unit,

wherein the signal processing unit comprises;

a switch configured to be short-circuited or opened based on the sensing data received from the proximity sensor; and

a resistor connected to one end of the switch such that a current flows therealong when the switch is opened and a predetermined voltage is applied thereto, and

wherein the signal processing unit is further configured to generate the primary detection information using the predetermined voltage applied to the resistor.

2. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine whether or not the part of the user'"'"'s body adjacent to the main body exists according to the secondary detection information when the primary detection information and the secondary detection information coincide with each other; and

determine that the part of the user'"'"'s body adjacent to the main body exists when the primary detection information and the secondary detection information are different from each other.

3. The terminal of claim 2, wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine that the part of the user'"'"'s body adjacent to the main body exists when both the primary detection information and the secondary detection information indicate that the part of the user'"'"'s body adjacent to the main body is detected; and

determine that the part of the user'"'"'s body adjacent to the main body does not exist when both the primary detection information and the secondary detection information indicate that the part of the user'"'"'s body adjacent to the main body is not detected.

4. The terminal of claim 2, wherein the processor determines that the part of the user'"'"'s body adjacent to the main body exists when the primary detection information indicates that the part of the user'"'"'s body adjacent to the main body is detected and the secondary detection information indicates that the part of the user'"'"'s body adjacent to the main body is not detected.

5. The terminal of claim 2, wherein the processor determines that the part of the user'"'"'s body adjacent to the main body exists when the primary detection information indicates that the part of the user'"'"'s body adjacent to the main body is not detected and the secondary detection information indicates that the part of the user'"'"'s body adjacent to the main body is detected.

6. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the switch is:

short-circuited when the sensing data indicates that the part of the user'"'"'s body adjacent to the main body is detected; and

opened when the sensing data indicates that the part of the user'"'"'s body adjacent to the main body is not detected.

7. The terminal of claim 1, further comprising a power supply unit to supply power to the communication unit,

wherein the processor is further configured to control power supplied from the power supply unit to the communication unit according to the detection result.

8. The terminal of claim 7, wherein the processor is further configured to:

reduce an amount of the power supplied to the communication unit when it is determined that the part of the user'"'"'s body adjacent to the main body exists; and

increase the amount of the power supplied to the communication unit when it is determined that the part of the user'"'"'s body adjacent to the main body does not exist.