MULTI-MODULE COMBINATION TYPE PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE

• US 20090034209A1
• Filed: 01/28/2008
• Published: 02/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Park, Bo-oun, Joo, Jong-sung
• Application Number:
  US12/020,614
• Publication Number:
  US 20090034209A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/729
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0254 comprising one or a plurality of mechanically detachable modules
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7246 by connection of exchangeable housing parts

Abstract

A multi-module combination type portable electronic device includes a display module having a display unit to display an image, a control module having a plurality of buttons, and a connection unit to connect the display module and the control module, thereby transmitting a data signal and power from the control module to the display module, and thus, enabling use in a plurality of modes according to a combination position of the display module and the control module.

Claims

1. A multi-module combination type portable electronic device, comprising:

a display module comprising a display unit to display an image;

a control module comprising a plurality of buttons; and

a connection unit to connect the display module and the control module, and to transmit a data signal and power from the control module to the display module,

wherein the multi-module combination type portable electronic device is used in a plurality of modes according to a combination position of the display module and the control module.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein one side of the display module is combined with one side of the control module to be used as a video player.

3. The multi-module combination type portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein one side of the display module is combined with another side of the control module to be used as a music player.

4. The electronic device of claim 3, wherein the control module comprises a plurality of buttons relating to DMB (Digital Multimedia Broadcasting).

5. The electronic device of claim 3, wherein the control module comprises a plurality of buttons relating to a game.

6. The electronic device of claim 2, wherein the control module comprises a plurality of buttons relating to DMB.

7. The electronic device of claim 2, wherein the control module comprises a plurality of buttons relating to a game.

8. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the connection unit is installed respectively in the display module and the control module, comprises short-range wireless communication chips respectively comprising magnet units, attaches the display module and the control module to each other by using magnetism between the magnet units, and exchanges power and data signals by using the short-range wireless communication chips.

9. The multi-module combination type portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the connection unit exchanges power and data signals between the display module and the control module by a USB (Universal Serial Bus) terminal located in the display module, and a USB terminal reception unit which is located in the control module to be connected to the USB terminal.

10. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the control module further comprises a detection unit to detect the combination position between the display module and the control module.

11. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the control module further comprises a detection unit to detect the combination position between the display module and the control module.

12. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the connection unit exchanges power and data signals between the display module and the control module by a first connection unit located in the display module and comprising a plurality of reception terminals, a second connection unit and a third connection unit respectively located in a first side and a second side of the control module and comprising a plurality of transmission terminals to be combined with the plurality of reception terminals.

13. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein:

the transmission terminals comprise one or more current transmission terminals to transmit current, one or more data transmission terminals to transmit a data signal, and one or more mode detection terminals to detect the modes; and

the reception terminals comprise one or more current reception terminals, one or more data reception terminals, and one or more mode detection terminals.

14. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein the first connection unit is slidably installed in the display module such that the first connection unit protrudes out of the display module when the first connection unit is connected with the second and third connection units.

15. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the first connection unit is slidably installed in the display module such that the first connection unit protrudes out of the display module when the first connection unit is connected with the second and third connection units.

16. A multi-module combination type portable electronic device, comprising:

a display module comprising a display unit to display an image; and

a control module connectable to the display module to control the display module according to a combination position of the display module and the control module.

17. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the control module comprises a button unit having a character to represent a function of one of the display module and the control module, and the character is disposed in a same reading direction regardless of the combination position of the display module and the control module.

18. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the control module comprises a button unit having a reading direction to read a character of the button unit, and the display module comprises a screen having a width and a height represent a ratio, and the combination position of the display module and the control module comprises a position wherein the reading position is parallel to a direction of the height of the display module and a second position wherein the reading position is parallel to a direction of the width of the display module.

19. The electronic device of claim 16, further comprising:

a connection unit to connect the display module and the control module, and to transmit a data signal and power from the control module to the display module.

20. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the combination position of the display module and the control module comprises:

a first combination position of a side of the display module and a first side of the control module; and

a second combination position of the side of the display module and a second side of the control module.

21. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein:

the display module comprises a display interface;

the control module comprises a first interface and a second interface; and

the combination position of the display module and the control module comprises a first combination of the display interface of the display module and the first interface of the control module, and a second combination of the display interface of the display module and the second interface of the control module.

22. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein:

the display module comprises a display interface;

the control module comprises a button unit in a reading direction, and a control interface to communicate with the display interface; and

the combination position of the display module and the control module comprises a first combination wherein the display interface of the display module and the first interface of the control module are disposed parallel to the reading direction, and a second combination where the display interface of the display module and the second interface of the control module are disposed perpendicular to the reading direction.

23. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein:

the display module comprises a first ratio and a second ratio to display an image; and

the control module generates a first signal to correspond to the first ratio of the image and a second signal to correspond to the second ratio of the image to the display module according to the combination position of the display module and the control module.

24. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein:

the image comprises a first image having a first ratio and a second image having a second ratio; and

the control module outputs a first image signal and a first power signal to correspond to the first image, and a second image signal and a second power signal to correspond to the second image.

25. The electronic device of claim 24, wherein the first image signal and the second image signal are different, and the first power signal and the second power signal are same.