Portable electronic device

• US 6,625,475 B1
• Filed: 07/07/2000
• Issued: 09/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation), Toshiba Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Horiguchi, Yoshinori, Iwahara, Hiroki
• Primary Examiner(s): APPIAH, CHARLES NANA
• Application Number:
  US09/612,275
• Time in Patent Office: 1,173 Days
• Field of Search: 455/127, 455/501, 455/574, 455/90, 455/197.1, 455/456, 455/457, 455/70, 455/565, 455/66, 455/95, 455/68, 455/88, 455/67.7, 455/91, 340/551, 340/571, 340/825.3, 340/825.49
• US Class Current: 455/565
• 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

Abstract

A portable electronic device includes a transmitting circuit, an X-ray detector, and a controller. The transmitting circuit includes a power amplifier for amplifying radio waves. The detector is arranged to detect X-rays radiated from an installation arranged on a passageway to an area where radiation of electromagnetic waves is restricted. When X-rays with a certain intensity or more are detected by the detector, a controller recognizes that the device is about to enter the area, and reduce the gain of the power amplifier, so that the transmitting circuit is set to be unable to radiate radio waves.

Claims

1. A portable electronic device comprising:

a main body which is changeable between a first state where the main body is able to generate a first electromagnetic wave at a first intensity or more, and a second state where the main body is unable to generate the first electromagnetic wave at the first intensity or more;

a detector configured to detect a second electromagnetic wave having a frequency different from that of the first electromagnetic wave; and

a controller configured to set the main body at the second state on the basis of detection by the detector;

wherein the controller comprises a comparator configured to compare a detection value of the second electromagnetic wave detected by the detector with a predetermined threshold value, and a control signal generator configured to generate a control signal in accordance with a comparison result obtained by the comparator;

wherein the comparator is configured to output a detection signal when the detection value is larger than the threshold value, and the control signal generator is configured to be triggered at a rising edge of the detection signal and to invert its own output to be the control signal.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the detector is configured to set the main body at the second state, at a first point in time when the second electromagnetic wave detected by the detector has a second intensity or more.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein the detector is configured to detect a third electromagnetic wave having a frequency different from that of the first electromagnetic wave, and the controller is configured to change the main body from the second state to the first state, at a second point in time when the third electromagnetic wave detected by the detector has a third intensity or more after the first point in time.

4. The device according to claim 3, wherein the frequencies of the second and third electromagnetic waves are substantially the same, and the second and third intensities are substantially the same, and the controller is configured to change the main body from the second state to the first state, at the second point in time when the second electromagnetic wave detected by the detector comes back to have the second intensity or more after the first point in time.

5. The device according to claim 1, further comprising an operation section configured to perform an operation for changing the main body from the second state to the first state.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the main body comprises a main circuit for generating the first electromagnetic wave, and an amplifier for amplifying the first electromagnetic wave, and the controller is configured to control gain of the amplifier to change the main body between the first and second states.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein the main body comprises a main circuit for generating the first electromagnetic wave, a radiation member for radiating the first electromagnetic wave, and a switching circuit for selectively connecting the main circuit to the radiation member, and the controller is configured to control the switching circuit to change the main body between the first and second states.

8. The device according to claim 7, wherein the main body comprises a transmitting unit functioning as the main circuit, and a receiving unit, and the switching circuit is configured to selectively connect the transmitting unit and the receiving unit to the radiation member in accordance with the first and second states, respectively.

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein the main body comprises a main circuit, which is able to generate the first electromagnetic wave, and a power supply circuit, and the controller is configured to control a voltage from the power supply circuit to the main circuit to change the main body between the first and second states.

10. The device according to claim 1, wherein the control signal generator comprises a half-divider.

11. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a dummy signal generator configured to supply the control signal generator with a dummy signal similar to the detection signal, and an operation switch configured to turn on/off the dummy signal generator.

12. The device according to claim 1, wherein the first electromagnetic wave comprises a radio wave, and the main body is configured to transmit the first electromagnetic wave.

13. The device according to claim 1, wherein the second electromagnetic wave comprises X-rays.

14. A portable electronic device having a communicating unit for communicating with another device by using an electro magnetic wave, comprising:

a main body which is changeable between a first state where the main body is able to generate a first electromagnetic wave at a first intensity or more, and a second state where the main body is unable to generate the first electromagnetic wave at the first intensity or more;

a detector configured to detect a second electromagnetic wave radiated from an installation arranged on a passageway to an area where radiation of electromagnetic waves is restricted, the second electromagnetic wave having a frequency different from that of the first electromagnetic wave;

a controller configured to set the main body at the second state on the basis of detection by the detector;

wherein the controller comprises a comparator configured to compare a detection value of the second electromagnetic wave detected by the detector with a predetermined threshold value, and a control signal generator configured to generate a control signal in accordance with a comparison result obtained by the comparator;

wherein the comparator is configured to output a detection signal when the detection value is larger than the threshold value, and the control signal generator is configured to be triggered at a rising edge of the detection signal and to invert its own output to be the control signal.

15. The device according to claim 14, wherein the controller is configured to recognize that the device is about to enter the area where radiation of electromagnetic waves is restricted, and set the main body at the second state, at a first point in time when the second electromagnetic wave detected by the detector has a second intensity or more.

16. The device according to claim 15, wherein the controller is configured to change the main body from the second state to the first state, at a second point in time when the second electromagnetic wave detected by the detector comes back to have the second intensity or more after the first point in time.

17. The device according to claim 14, further comprising an operation section configured to perform an operation for changing the main body from the second state to the first state.

18. A portable electronic device comprising:

an antenna;

a transceiver coupled to the antenna and configured to output a first radio wave of a predetermined intensity through the antenna for communication; and

a detector configured to detect a second radio wave and output a control signal so as to reduce the intensity of the first radio wave;

wherein said detector comprises;

a controller comprising a comparator configured to compare a detection value of the second radio wave detected by the detector with a predetermined threshold value, and a control signal generator configured to generate a control signal in accordance with a comparison result obtained by the comparator;

wherein the comparator is configured to output a detection signal when the detection value is larger than the threshold value, and the control signal generator is configured to be triggered at a rising edge of the detection signal and to invert its own output to be the control signal.

19. A portable electronic device comprising:

means for communicating with another device by using a first radio wave of a predetermined intensity;

means for detecting a second radio wave; and

means for reducing the intensity of the first radio wave on the basis of detection of the second radio wave;

wherein said means for reducing comprises;

a controller comprising a comparator configured to compare a detection value of the second electromagnetic wave detected by the detector with a predetermined threshold value, and a control signal generator configured to generate a control signal in accordance with a comparison result obtained by the comparator;

wherein the comparator is configured to output a detection signal when the detection value is larger than the threshold value, and the control signal generator is configured to be triggered at a rising edge of the detection signal and to invert its own output to be the control signal.

20. A method of controlling a portable electronic device including a main body which is changeable between a first state where the main body is able to generate a first electromagnetic wave at a first intensity or more, and a second state where the main body is unable to generate the first electromagnetic wave at the first intensity or more, the method comprising the steps of:

detecting by a detector a second electromagnetic wave radiated from an installation arranged on a passageway to an area where radiation of electromagnetic waves is restricted, the second electromagnetic wave having a frequency different from that of the first electromagnetic wave; and

causing a controller to set the main body at the second state on the basis of detection by the detector;

wherein the causing a controller step further comprises the steps of;

comparing a detection value of the second electromagnetic wave detected by the detector with a predetermined threshold value,

generating a control signal in accordance with a comparison result obtained by the comparator by generating an output triggered at a rising edge of a detection signal and inverting said output; and

outputting the detection signal when the detection value is larger than the threshold value.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein the step of causing a controller to set the main body at the second state comprises a step of causing the controller to recognize that the device is about to enter the area where radiation of electromagnetic waves is restricted, and set the main body at the second state, at a first point in time when the second electromagnetic wave detected by the detector has a second intensity or more.

22. The method according to claim 21, further comprising a step of causing the controller to change the main body from the second state to the first state, at a second point in time when the second electromagnetic wave detected by the detector comes back to have the second intensity or more after the first point in time.

23. The method according to claim 20, wherein the second electromagnetic wave comprises X-rays.

24. A method for changing a radio intensity of a portable electric device, comprising the steps of:

communicating with another device by using a first radio wave of a predetermined intensity;

detecting a second radio wave; and

reducing the intensity of the first radio wave on the basis of detection of the second radio wave;

wherein the reducing the intensity step further comprises the steps of;

comparing a detection value of the second electromagnetic wave detected by the detector with a predetermined threshold value;

generating a control signal in accordance with a comparison result obtained by the comparator by generating an output triggered at a rising edge of a detection signal and inverting said output; and

outputting the detection signal when the detection value is larger than the threshold value.