Mobile terminal

• US 9,654,857 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2014
• Issued: 05/16/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kim, Jongho, Park, Sihwa, Kim, Yongsin
• Primary Examiner(s): Zhang, Leshui
• Application Number:
  US14/500,430
• Publication Number:
  US 20150312666A1
• Time in Patent Office: 960 Days
• Field of Search: 381 74, 381 72, 381 731, 381309, 381323, 700 94, 455573, 429 94, 429 90, 37910204, 37910604, 379307, 379322, 379348, 37939501, 379413, 320117, 320119, 320120, 320121, 320122, 307 80
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1025 Accumulators or arrangements for charging secondary cells per se H01M10/00; charging in general H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1041 Mechanical or electronic switches, or control elements switches in general H01H
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/05 Detection of connection of loudspeakers or headphones to amplifiers

Abstract

A mobile terminal according to the present invention, if it is determined that external power is being supplied through an external charging port, a controller controls the power supply unit to charge the cable-type battery by using the external power. If it is determined that the external power is not supplied, the controller controls the power supply unit to charge the main battery by using a cable-type battery embedded in an earphone.

Claims

1. A mobile terminal, comprising:

a power supply unit including a rechargeable main battery;

an earphone port; and

a controller determining whether an earphone with a cable-type battery is connected through the earphone port and external power for charging the rechargeable main battery or the cable-type battery is supplied, controlling the power supply unit to charge the rechargeable main battery by using the external power if it is determined that the external power is being supplied, and controlling the power supply unit to charge the rechargeable main battery by using the cable-type battery embedded in the earphone if it is determined that the earphone is connected through the earphone port while the external power is not supplied,

wherein, if it is determined that the external power is being supplied at the time the earphone is connected, the controller controls the power supply unit to charge the cable-type battery by using the external power.

2. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the external power is supplied through a charging cable connected to a charging port or supplied from the outside according to a predetermined wireless charging method.

3. The mobile terminal of claim 2, wherein, in case the external power is not supplied at the time the earphone is connected, the controller determines whether to charge the rechargeable main battery by using the cable-type battery by taking account of the remaining battery life.

4. The mobile terminal of claim 2, wherein, in case it is determined that the external power is not supplied at the time the earphone is connected and a predetermined condition is met, the controller controls the power supply unit to operate the mobile terminal by using the cable-type battery as a power source rather than using the cable-type battery to charge the rechargeable main battery.

5. The mobile terminal of claim 2, wherein, in case supply of external power through the external charging port is suspended after the earphone is connected, the controller controls the power supply unit to charge the rechargeable main battery by using the cable-type battery.

6. The mobile terminal of claim 2, wherein, in case the rechargeable main battery is removed from the mobile terminal after the earphone is connected, the controller controls the power supply unit to operate the mobile terminal by using the cable-type battery as a power source.

7. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the controller determines charging priorities of the rechargeable main battery and the cable-type battery and controls the power supply unit to charge the rechargeable main battery and the cable-type battery according to the priorities determined.

8. The mobile terminal of claim 1, further comprising a display unit, where the controller displays on the display unit a graphic user interface meant for setting up charging priorities of the rechargeable main battery and the cable-type battery if it is determined that the external power is being supplied at the time the earphone is connected and controls the power supply unit to charge the rechargeable main battery and the cable-type battery according to the priorities set up through the graphic user interface.