Mechanical rotation and electrical interface combination

• US 20070002543A1
• Filed: 06/29/2006
• Published: 01/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications USA Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications USA Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Nord, Lars
• Granted Patent: US 7,535,722 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/733
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6271 Latching means integral with the housing H01R13/6276, H01R13/6277, H01R13/6278 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/16 for telephony
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 39/64 Devices for uninterrupted current collection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0216 Foldable in one direction, i.e. using a one degree of freedom hinge
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0233 Including a rotatable display body part

Abstract

A mechanical rotation and electrical interface device is provided in a portable electronic device. The interface device includes a hinge having a single signal connection in its interior between a first and a second part of the portable electronic device, a first processing unit connected to the hinge and to a number of parallel conductors in the first part, where the first processing unit receives a number of parallel electrical signals generated in the first part, combines these into a single signal and transmits this single signal over the single signal connection, and a second processing unit connected to the hinge and to a number of parallel conductors provided in the second part, where the second processing unit receives the combined signal, splits it into a number of parallel signals and provides these to the parallel conductors provided in the second part.

Claims

1. A mechanical rotation and electrical interface device for use in a rotatable two part portable electronic device, the interface device comprising:

a hinge providing a rotational axis and having a single signal connection provided between the two parts in its interior,

a first processing unit connected to the hinge and connected to a plurality of parallel conductors provided in a first part of the portable electronic device, said first processing unit being configured to receive a plurality of parallel electrical signals generated in the first part, combine these parallel signals into one first single signal and transmit this first single signal over the single signal connection, and

a second processing unit connected to the hinge and to be connected to a plurality of parallel conductors provided in a second part of the portable electronic device, said second processing unit being configured to receive said first combined signal, split it into a plurality of parallel electrical signals and provide these to the parallel conductors provided in the second part.

2. A mechanical rotation and electrical interface device according to claim 1, wherein the first part of the portable electronic device is to be connected to the hinge in a first plane and the second part of the portable electronic device is to be connected to the hinge in a second plane that is parallel to said first plane, wherein the two parallel planes are provided substantially perpendicular to the rotational axis of the hinge.

3. A mechanical rotation and electrical interface device according to claim 1, wherein the hinge comprises

a first hinging section to be connected to the first part of the portable electronic device and having a first mechanical fastener, and

a second hinging section to be connected to the second part of the portable electronic device and having a corresponding second mechanical fastener for joining the first and second sections to each other.

4. A mechanical rotation and electrical interface device according to claim 1, wherein the single signal connection is provided along the rotational axis of the hinge.

5. A mechanical rotation and electrical interface device according to claim 1, wherein the single signal connection is provided through an optical medium.

6. A mechanical rotation and electrical interface device according to claim 1, wherein the single signal connection is provided through an electrical conductor.

7. A mechanical rotation and electrical interface according to claim 6, further comprising an electrical reference potential conductor in the hinge also provided along the rotational axis.

8. A mechanical rotation and electrical interface according to claim 6, wherein electrical connections are provided via an electrical coaxial connector.

9. A mechanical rotation and electrical interface according to claim 8, wherein the single signal connection is provided in the centre of the coaxial connector aligned with the rotational axis.

10. A mechanical rotation and electrical interface according to claim 8, further comprising a separate electrical feed voltage conductor in the coaxial connector.

11. A mechanical rotation and electrical interface device according to any claim 1, further comprising

a modulating unit connected between the first processing unit and the single signal connection and configured to modulate the combined signal onto a carrier and supply the modulated carrier on said single signal connection, and

a demodulating unit connected between the single signal connection and the second processing unit and configured to demodulate the combined signal from the carrier.

12. A mechanical rotation and electrical interface device according to claim 11, wherein the carrier is a feeding voltage provided from the first part to the second part.

13. A mechanical rotation and electrical interface device according to claim 1, wherein the second processing unit is further configured to receive a plurality of parallel signals generated in the second part, combine these parallel signals into one single signal and transmit this second combined signal over the single connection, and the first processing unit is further configured to receive said second combined signal, split it into a plurality of parallel signals and provide these to the parallel conductors provided in the first part.

14. A portable electronic device comprising:

a first and a second part that can be rotated in relation to each other, and

a mechanical rotation and electrical interface device comprising.

a hinge providing a rotational axis and having a single signal connection provided between the two parts in its interior

a first processing unit connected to the hinge and to a plurality of parallel conductors provided in the first part, said first processing unit being configured to receive a plurality of parallel electrical data signals generated in the first part, combine these parallel signals into one single signal and transmit this first combined signal over the single signal connection, and

a second processing unit connected to the hinge and a plurality of parallel conductors provided in the second part, said second processing unit being configured to receive said first combined signal, split it into a plurality of parallel signals and provide these to the parallel signal conductors provided in the second part.

15. A device according to claim 14, further comprising a portable communication device.

16. A device according to claim 14, further comprising a cellular phone.

17. A method of transferring a plurality of signals from a first part of a portable electronic device to a second part of the device via a hinge, comprising the steps of:

receiving a number of parallel electrical data signals from a number of parallel conductors provided in the first part,

combining these parallel signals into one single signal,

transmitting this first combined signal over a single signal connection provided between the two parts inside the hinge,

receiving said first combined signal from said single signal connection,

splitting the combined signal into a plurality of parallel data signals, and

delivering these parallel signals to a plurality of parallel data conductors provided in the second part.

18. A method according to claim 17, wherein said combined signal is an electrical signal and further comprising the steps of receiving a reference potential from the first part and the step of delivering also comprises delivering the reference potential to the second part via the hinge.

19. A method according to claim 17, further comprising the steps of modulating the single signal on a carrier, the modulated carrier being used in the steps of transmitting and receiving said single signal, and demodulating the received single signal.

20. A method according to claim 19, wherein the carrier is a feeding voltage provided from the first part to the second part.