Mobile terminal with a solar cell

• US 6,847,834 B1
• Filed: 06/30/2000
• Issued: 01/25/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sung-Muk Leem
• Original Assignee: Sung-Muk Leem
• Inventors: Leem, Sung-Muk
• Primary Examiner(s): Kincaid, Lester G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): QUINONES, ISMAEL C
• Application Number:
  US09/926,433
• Time in Patent Office: 1,670 Days
• Field of Search: 455/573, 455/572, 455/574, 455/575.1, 455/575.3, 455/573.4, 455/343.1, 455/343.2, 455/343.5, 455/343.6, 379/423.01, 379/433.08, 379/433.11, 379/433.12, 379/433.13, 320/101, 320/108, 320/114, 320/110, 320/103, 136/244, 136/245, 136/293, 136/251, 323/906
• US Class Current: 455/572
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0214 Foldable telephones, i.e. with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position combined with translation movement H04M1/0235
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 136/293 Circuits
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 323/906 Solar cell systems

Abstract

A mobile terminal with a solar cell is disclosed. The mobile terminal has a main body, a battery and a flip cover. A receiver portion, a data display and a keypad are formed on the upper surface of the main body. The improvement comprises a solar cell attached to the outer surface of the flip cover to be exposed to the outside. According to the present invention, there is provided the mobile terminal having a solar cell, which is capable of providing sufficient electric power to the mobile terminal while the mobile terminal is positioned in a normal state where the upper surface of the mobile terminal is directed upward.

Claims

1. A mobile terminal comprising:

a main body;

a receiver portion;

a data display and a keypad formed on an upper surface of said main body;

a flip cover for covering or exposing said keypad;

a battery attached to a lower surface of said main body;

a solar cell attached to an outer surface of said flip cover so as to be exposed to an external environment for generating a voltage when light is received;

a connection element electrically connecting said solar cell to said main body;

a comparator for comparing the voltage generated by said solar cell with a predetermined voltage;

a voltage booster circuit for boosting said voltage generated by said solar cell; and

a semiconductor relay coupled to said voltage booster circuit and to said comparator, said semiconductor relay, in response to said voltage generated by said solar cell being greater than the predetermined voltage, for rendering said solar cell so as not to supply electricity to said battery and simultaneously rendering said solar cell to supply the boosted voltage from said voltage booster circuit to said main body for signal reception standby.

2. The mobile terminal as set forth in claim 1, wherein said connection element is a flexible cable.

3. The mobile terminal as set forth in claim 1, wherein said connection element includes a fixed contact on a lower end of said main body upper surface, and a movable contact on a lower inner end of said flip cover so as to be movable along said flip cover and in electrical contact with said fixed contact.

4. The mobile terminal as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a second solar cell attached to a rear surface of said battery so as to be exposed to an external environment.

5. The mobile terminal as set forth in claim 1, wherein said predetermined voltage is an output voltage of said battery.

6. The mobile terminal as set forth in claim 1, further comprising at least one diode coupled between said voltage booster circuit and said main body, said solar cell being rendered to supply electricity to both said battery and said main body through said diode if said voltage generated by said solar cell is greater than an output voltage of said battery.