Mobile terminal having information recognition module

• US 8,814,049 B2
• Filed: 06/17/2010
• Issued: 08/26/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bluebird Soft Incorporated (Bluebird,Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bluebird Soft Incorporated (Bluebird,Inc.)
• Inventors: Lee, Jang Won, Min, Woong Ki
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Michael G
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHEDEKEL, TABITHA F
• Application Number:
  US13/378,510
• Publication Number:
  US 20120088547A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,531 Days
• Field of Search: 235/462.3, 235/462.43, 235/462.45, 235/462.48
• US Class Current: 235/462.3
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10881 constructional details of hand-held scanners
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/23 Construction or mounting of dials or of equivalent devices; Means for facilitating the use thereof by improving visibility H04M1/22
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/236 including keys on side or rear faces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2755 by optical scanning
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/04 including near field communication means, e.g. RFID

Abstract

The present invention relates to a mobile terminal having an information recognition module. The mobile terminal having an information recognition module of the present invention comprises: a terminal casing with a front casing and a rear casing coupled with each other; an information recognition module coupled to the terminal casing; and an information recognition module drive unit, which has a trigger provided at the terminal casing in such a manner that the trigger is exposed outside of the terminal casing, and an operation switch, which generates an electrical signal for operating the information recognition module by a trigger pull motion. According to the present invention, procedures for operating the information recognition module can be improved in convenience and stability.

Claims

1. A mobile terminal comprising:

a terminal casing comprising a front casing and a rear casing coupled to each other;

an information recognition module coupled to the terminal casing; and

an information recognition module drive unit comprising;

a trigger provided in the terminal casing and exposed outside of the terminal casing through an opening on the rear casing;

an operation switch to generate an electrical signal for operating the information recognition module as the trigger is pulled; and

a sealing member configured to prevent the trigger from being in direct contact with the operation switch, push the operation switch by being pushed by the trigger as the trigger is pulled, and prevent water coming into the terminal casing through the opening from reaching the operation switch.

2. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the information recognition module comprises a barcode reader module coupled to the terminal casing, and the information recognition module drive unit comprises a barcode reader module drive unit.

3. The mobile terminal of claim 2, wherein the barcode reader module drive unit comprises a trigger cover coupled to the rear casing to cover the trigger within the terminal casing, and the sealing member is made of a soft material and placed between the trigger cover and the trigger.

4. The mobile terminal of claim 2, wherein the trigger comprises:

a pulling unit exposed to the outside through the opening so as to be pulled by a user'"'"'s finger;

a rotary unit rotatably coupled to the rear casing; and

a switch pressing unit protruding from the pulling unit so as to press the operation switch by pushing the sealing member.

5. The mobile terminal of claim 3, wherein the sealing member is accommodated in and supported by the trigger cover so that the trigger can be elastically biased in a direction opposed to a direction of pulling the trigger when the trigger is pulled.

6. The mobile terminal of claim 4, wherein the sealing member is shaped to cover an inner side of the trigger cover and surround the switch pressing unit as being spaced apart from the inner side of the trigger cover at a position corresponding to the switch pressing unit so that the trigger can be elastically biased in a direction opposed to a direction of pulling the trigger when the trigger is pulled.

7. The mobile terminal of claim 6, wherein the sealing member comprises:

a first part covering the inner side of the trigger cover;

a second part surrounding an end part of the switch pressing unit of the trigger;

a third part recessed along a circumference of the second part; and

a fourth part bent from the first part and extended toward the third part.

8. The mobile terminal of claim 7, wherein the third part is thicker than the other parts.

9. The mobile terminal of claim 7, wherein the sealing member comprises a groove line in which a projection line formed on an inner side of the rear casing is inserted, in a part being in close contact with the inner side of the rear casing.

10. The mobile terminal of claim 3, wherein the sealing member comprises:

a main body part covering an inner side of the trigger cover;

a contact part being in contact with and pressed by the operation switch as the trigger is pulled; and

an inclined part connecting the main body part and the contact part so that the contact part can be elastically biased in a direction opposed to a direction of pressing the contact part when the contact part is pressed.

11. The mobile terminal of claim 10, wherein the trigger comprises:

a pulling unit exposed to the outside through the opening so as to be pulled by a user'"'"'s finger;

a rotary unit rotatably coupled to the rear casing; and

a switch pressing unit being in contact with and coupled with the contact part of the sealing member.

12. The mobile terminal of claim 11, wherein the operation switch comprises:

a contact switch coupled to a lower side of the contact part; and

a trigger printed circuit board (PCB) formed with a point contact circuit with which the contact switch becomes in contact when the trigger is pulled.

13. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein a part of the rear casing adjacent to the opening is recessed.

14. The mobile terminal of claim 1, further comprising an information recognition speaker which is provided inside the terminal casing and generates a signaling sound when the information recognition module operates, wherein the rear casing comprises a guide partition wall surrounding a circumference of the information recognition speaker on the inner side thereof.

15. The mobile terminal of claim 2, further comprising a window placed in an upper part of the rear casing and transmitting light emitted from the barcode reader module, wherein a part of the rear casing adjacent to the window is shaped like an inclined plane.

16. The mobile terminal of claim 2, further comprising a main printed circuit board (PCB) provided inside the terminal casing, wherein the barcode reader module and the operation switch are mounted to the main PCB.

17. The mobile terminal of claim 3, wherein the sealing member comprises silicon rubber, the trigger cover comprises a synthetic resin, and the operation switch comprises a tact switch.

18. The mobile terminal of claim 1, further comprising:

a keypad unit provided in one area of the front casing; and

a display unit provided adjacent to the keypad unit on the front casing.

19. The mobile terminal of claim 18, wherein the keypad unit comprises:

a plurality of letter and numeral keys;

a plurality of function keys; and

a navigation key.

20. The mobile terminal of claim 18, wherein the display unit comprises a touch panel.

21. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the information recognition module comprises a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader module coupled to the terminal casing, and the information recognition module drive unit comprises an RFID reader module drive unit.

22. The mobile terminal of claim 21, further comprising a main printed circuit board (PCB) provided inside the terminal casing, wherein the RFID reader module comprises:

an RFID reader antenna to receive external information from an RFID tag;

an RFID casing coupled to the terminal casing and coupling with the RFID reader antenna; and

a bridge PCB arranged between the RFID reader antenna and the main PCB and electrically connecting the RFID reader antenna and the main PCB.

23. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the information recognition module comprises:

a barcode reader module coupled to the terminal casing; and

an RFID reader module coupled to the terminal casing.