Multi-functional mobile terminal for independently operating heterogeneous devices and method for executing independent operation using the same

• US 20040142725A1
• Filed: 01/06/2004
• Published: 07/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Seon-Mi
• Granted Patent: US 7,203,516 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/556.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3287 by switching off individual functional units in the computer system
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0267 by controlling user interface components
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A multi-functional mobile terminal for independently operating heterogeneous devices, including a power-supply unit for selectively providing a power-supply signal for a corresponding module according to a power-supply entry signal; a personal information terminal module for executing a corresponding operation using the power-supply signal received from the power-supply unit, containing a first display, and controlling the first display to display status information of the executed operation; a mobile terminal module for executing a corresponding operation using the power-supply signal received from the power-supply unit, executing a corresponding operation after receiving a prescribed command, and displaying operation status information on a second display in a powered-off state; and a module selector for controlling a power-supply operation of the power-supply unit to selectively provide the power-supply signal for either the personal information terminal module or the mobile terminal module.

Claims

1. A multi-functional mobile terminal providing a phone function, comprising:

a power-supply unit for selectively providing a power-supply signal to a corresponding module according to a power-supply entry signal;

a personal information terminal module including a first display for controlling the first display to display status information of an executed operation according to an entry command using a power-supply signal received from the power-supply unit;

a mobile terminal module including a second display for executing a corresponding operation according to a prescribed command after receiving the prescribed command from the personal information terminal module using a power-supply signal received from the power-supply unit, and displaying operation status information on the first display when the personal information terminal module is in a powered-on state, and displaying the operating status information on the second display when the personal information terminal module is in a powered-off state; and

a module selector for controlling a power-supply operation of the power-supply unit to selectively provide the power-supply signal to at least one of the personal information terminal module and the mobile terminal module.

2. The multi-functional mobile terminal as set forth in claim 1, wherein the mobile terminal module transmits update data created by operations of the mobile terminal module while the personal information module is in a powered-off state, to the personal information module in order to be stored therein, when the personal information module is powered on.

3. The multi-functional mobile terminal as set forth in claim 2, wherein the mobile terminal module includes a command entry section for entering a prescribed command to independently operate the mobile terminal module when the personal information terminal module is in powered-off state, and the second display displays operation status information of the mobile terminal module according to input signal when the signal is input from the command entry section.

4. The multi-functional mobile terminal as set forth in claim 1, wherein the personal information terminal module is a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) module.

5. The multi-functional mobile terminal as set forth in claim 1, wherein the mobile terminal module is a mobile phone module.

6. A multi-functional mobile terminal providing a phone function, comprising:

a power-supply unit for selectively providing an external power-supply signal to a corresponding device according to an entry signal;

a display for displaying operation status information on at least one of devices executing an operation corresponding to an entry command using the power-supply signal received from the power-supply unit;

a personal information terminal module for executing a corresponding operation using a power-supply signal received from the power-supply unit, displaying operation status information received and self-operation status information on the display;

a mobile terminal module for executing an operation corresponding to an inputted command using the power-supply signal received from the power-supply unit outputting operation status information of the executed operation to personal information terminal module, and displaying self-operation status information on the display when the personal information terminal module is in a powered-off state; and

a module selector for controlling a power-supply operation of the power-supply unit to selectively provide the power-supply signal for either the personal information terminal module or the mobile terminal module.

7. The multi-functional mobile terminal as set forth in claim 6, wherein the mobile terminal module transmits update data created by operations of the mobile terminal module while the personal information module is in a powered-off state, to the personal information module in order to be stored therein, when the personal information module is powered on.

8. The multi-functional mobile terminal as set forth in claim 6, wherein the mobile terminal module includes a command entry section for entering a prescribed command to independently operate the mobile terminal module when the personal information terminal module is in a powered-off state, and

if the command entry section is selected, then the mobile terminal module displays operation status information of the mobile terminal module on the display according to a command signal selected by the command entry section.

9. The multi-functional mobile terminal as set forth in claim 6, wherein the personal information terminal module is a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) module.

10. The multi-functional mobile terminal as set forth in claim 6, wherein the mobile terminal module is a mobile phone module.

11. A method for controlling independent operations using a multi-functional mobile terminal incorporated with a personal information terminal module and a mobile terminal module in one body in which the personal information terminal module and the mobile terminal module respectively receive a power-supply signal for executing independent operations, said method comprising the steps of:

if the power-supply signal is applied to both the personal information terminal module and the mobile terminal module, determining whether a command for powering off the personal information terminal module is received;

if the command for powering off the personal information terminal module is received, powering off the personal information terminal module;

executing a corresponding operation of the mobile terminal module according to an entry command in a powered-off state of the personal information terminal module, and displaying operation status information accompanied with the executed operation of the mobile terminal module;

if the mobile terminal module is independently operated, determining whether a command for powering on the personal information terminal module is received; and

if the command for powering on the personal information terminal is received, powering on the personal information module.

12. The method as set forth in claim 11, further comprising the step of:

updating data changed by operations of the mobile terminal module in a powered-off state of the personal information terminal module, and storing the updated data in the personal information terminal module.

13. The method as set forth in claim 12, wherein the personal information terminal module is a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) module.

14. The method as set forth in claim 13, wherein the mobile terminal module is a mobile phone module.

15. A multi-functional mobile terminal having different process, comprising:

a main module for accessing an external device and exchanging a corresponding data if an access signal to the external device connected using input power is input; and

a sub-module independently activated with the main module using the input power, for accessing to the external device and exchanging corresponding data if the access signal to the external device is input, transmitting the data to the main module, and storing the data by itself if the main module is powered off.

16. The multi-functional mobile terminal as set forth in claim 15, wherein the sub-module updates the data, which is accessed from the external device during the power-off state of the main mobile, to the main module if the main module is again powered on.

17. The multi-functional mobile terminal as set forth in claim 15, wherein the main module is a PDA (Personal Digital Assistance) module.

18. The multi-functional mobile terminal as set forth in claim 15, wherein the sub-module is a mobile phone module.

19. The multi-functional mobile terminal as set forth in claim 15, wherein the external device is an external storing media.