MOBILE TERMINAL HAVING DETACHABLE SUB-MODULE

• US 20100208434A1
• Filed: 02/12/2010
• Published: 08/19/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Yu Guen, Kim, Seog Guen, Hyun, Sang Min, Kim, Yun Su
• Granted Patent: US 8,345,429 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/729
• 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 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1686 the I/O peripheral being an integrated camera
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1692 the I/O peripheral being a secondary touch screen used as control interface, e.g. virtual buttons or sliders
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0254 comprising one or a plurality of mechanically detachable modules
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0264 for a camera module assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0272 for a projector or beamer module assembly constructional features of projectors per se G03B21/00; constructional details of projectors using electronic spatial light modulators per se H04N9/31
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00307 with a mobile telephone apparatus constructional features of portable telephone sets H04M1/0202; mobile radio systems H04W84/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0084 Digital still camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/50 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/57 Mechanical or electrical details of cameras or camera modules specially adapted for being embedded in other devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/631 Graphical user interfaces [GUI] specially adapted for controlling image capture or setting capture parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/661 Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/663 for controlling interchangeable camera parts based on electronic image sensor signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3173 wherein the projection device is specially adapted for enhanced portability

Abstract

A mobile terminal having a detachable sub-module is disclosed. The mobile terminal includes a sub-module having a sub-function configuration unit formed with parts for performing a function and a main terminal having a display unit at a front surface and a connection unit at a rear surface for coupling the sub-module to the main terminal. A magnet is installed at a side surface of the connection unit or the sub-module, and the sub-module is coupled to the main terminal or is detached from the main terminal through the magnet. Enhancement of the portability and function quality of mobile terminals that support various functions is achieved by coupling a sub-module for performing a function to the main terminal having a display unit that allows user interactivity with the mobile terminal.

Claims

1. A mobile terminal, comprising:

at least one sub-module comprising a sub-function configuration unit comprising parts to perform a function; and

a main terminal comprising a display unit at a front surface of the main terminal and a connection unit at a rear surface of the main terminal, the connection unit to detachably couple the sub-module to the main terminal,

wherein a magnet is installed at a side surface of the connection unit or the sub-module, and the magnet detachably couples the sub-module to the main terminal.

2. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the connection unit comprises a sensor to detect whether the sub-module is coupled to the main terminal.

3. The mobile terminal of claim 2, wherein the connection unit further comprises a switch to select operation of the sub-module.

4. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the main terminal further comprises a main controller to control a screen output of the display unit, and the sub-module further comprises a sub-controller to control operation of the sub-function configuration unit so that if the sub-module is coupled to the main terminal, the main controller transmits and receives a control signal to control a screen output of the display unit and to control operation of the sub-function configuration unit through the sub-controller.

5. The mobile terminal of claim 4, wherein the main terminal and the sub-module further comprise a main connection terminal and a sub-connection terminal, respectively, whereby the control signal is transmitted and received when the terminals are in contact.

6. The mobile terminal of claim 4, wherein the main controller controls the display unit to display a menu screen comprising one or more functions, and in response to an input operation performed through the menu screen, the sub-controller receives a control signal to control the sub-function configuration unit corresponding to a control signal generated by the main controller.

7. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the sub-module comprises a camera module.

8. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the sub-module comprises a beam projection module.

9. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the display unit comprises a liquid crystal display (LCD) or an organic light emitting diode (OLED).

10. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the display unit comprises a touch screen.

11. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein at least one of the main terminal and the sub-module further comprises a key input unit.

12. A mobile terminal, comprising:

a sub-module comprising a sub-function configuration unit comprising parts to perform a function; and

a main terminal comprising a display unit on a front surface and a connection unit on a rear surface, the connection unit having a first feature adapted to detachably receive the sub-module.

13. The mobile terminal of claim 12, wherein the sub-module comprises a front surface and a rear surface, the rear surface comprising a second feature adapted to detachably couple to the first feature of the main terminal.

14. The mobile terminal of claim 13, wherein at least one of the first feature and the second feature comprises a magnet, and the sub-module is detachably coupled to the main terminal by a magnetic force.

15. The mobile terminal of claim 12, wherein the sub-module further comprises a front surface and a rear surface, the rear surface comprises a second feature, and the second feature comprises a shape that is complementary to a shape of the first feature of the main terminal, wherein the first feature and the second feature detachably engage at the complimentary shapes.

16. The mobile terminal of claim 12, wherein the sub-module comprises a camera module.

17. The mobile terminal of claim 16, wherein the camera module comprises a lens and a light source.

18. The mobile terminal of claim 12, wherein the sub-module comprises a projector module.

19. The mobile terminal of claim 13, wherein the first feature further comprises a sensor, and the sensor detects if the sub-module is coupled to the main terminal.

20. The mobile terminal of claim 19, wherein the main terminal further comprises a main controller to control a screen output of the display unit, and the sub-module further comprises a sub-controller to control operation of the sub-function configuration unit so that if the sub-module is coupled to the main terminal, the main controller transmits and receives a control signal to control a screen output of the display unit and to control operation of the sub-function configuration unit through the sub-controller.