MOBILE TERMINAL HAVING SUB-DEVICE

• US 20100227642A1
• Filed: 09/02/2009
• Published: 09/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Suh, Woo-Jin, Oh, Sang-Yun, Kim, Jong-Hwan, Lee, Sang-Hyuck
• Granted Patent: US 8,805,439 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/556.100
• 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: H04M 1/0216 Foldable in one direction, i.e. using a one degree of freedom hinge
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0225 Rotatable telephones, i.e. the body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis perpendicular to the plane they define in closed position combined with translation movement H04M1/0235
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0235 Slidable or telescopic telephones, i.e. with a relative translation movement of the body parts; Telephones using a combination of translation and other relative motions of the body parts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0256 wherein the modules are operable in the detached state, e.g. one module for the user interface and one module for the transceiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 according to context-related or environment-related conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7246 by connection of exchangeable housing parts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724631 by limiting the access to the user interface, e.g. locking a touch-screen or a keypad

Abstract

A mobile terminal includes a sub-device that is attached thereto or detached therefrom, to remotely control the operation and state of the terminal. The mobile terminal includes: a sub-device having an input/output unit and attached to or detached from the terminal; and a controller configured to receive a user input via a certain communication path from the sub-device when the sub-device is separated, and control elements and applications of the terminal according to the user input.

Claims

1. A mobile terminal comprising:

a main device;

at least one sub-device configured to be attached to and detached from the main device such that the sub-device has an attached configuration and a detached configuration; and

a controller configured to determine whether the at least one sub-device is in the detached configuration or the attached configuration, receive a user input from the at least one sub-device via a specific communication path when the at least one sub-device is in the detached configuration and control at least one function of the terminal according to the user input.

2. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to control a different function of the terminal when the at least one sub-device is in the detached configuration than when the at least one sub-device is in the attached configuration.

3. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to control a different function of the terminal when the at least one sub-device is in the attached configuration in a vertical direction than when the at least one sub-device is in the attached configuration in a horizontal direction.

4. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to automatically execute a first specific function when the at least one sub-device transitions to the attached configuration from the detached configuration and to execute a second specific function when the at least one sub-device transitions to the detached configuration from the attached configuration.

5. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the controller at least moves, selects or executes an object on a display according to the user input.

6. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to turn off a display when the at least one sub-device is in the detached configuration and to turn on the display when the at least one sub-device is in the attached configuration.

7. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the controller controls at least a call function, a multimedia reproduction function, an image capturing function, a display function, a game function, a power control function, or a locking function according to the user input.

8. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the at least one sub-device comprises a solar cell and is configured to generate an alarm signal when the at least one sub-device is completely charged by the solar cell.

9. The mobile terminal of claim 8, wherein an internal battery of the mobile terminal is charged by the solar cell when the at least one sub-device is in the attached configuration.

10. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein controller further configured to transmit a user input to the at least one sub-device via the specific communication path when the at least one sub-device is in the detached configuration and control at least one function of the at least one sub-device according to the user input.

11. A method for controlling a mobile terminal comprising a main device and at least one sub-device configured to be attached to and detached from the main device such that the sub-device has an attached configuration and a detached configuration, the method comprising:

establishing a specific communication path with the at least one sub-device when the at least one sub-device is in the detached configuration;

receiving a user input via the specific communication path; and

controlling at least one function of the terminal according to the user input.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising controlling a different function of the terminal when the at least one sub-device is in the detached configuration than when the at least one sub-device is in the attached configuration.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising controlling a different function of the terminal when the at least one sub-device is in the attached configuration in a vertical direction than when the at least one sub-device is in the attached configuration in a horizontal direction.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising automatically executing a first specific function when the at least one sub-device transitions to the attached configuration from the detached configuration and executing a second specific function the at least one sub-device transitions to the detached configuration from the attached configuration.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein controlling the at least one function comprises at least moving, selecting or executing an object on a display according to the user input.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising turning off a display when the at least one sub-device is in the detached configuration and turning on the display when the at least one sub-device is in the attached configuration.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein controlling at least one function comprises controlling at least a call function, a multimedia reproduction function, an image capturing function, a display function, a game function, a power control function, or a locking function according to the user input.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least one sub-device comprises a solar cell and further comprising generating an alarm signal when the at least one sub-device is completely charged by the solar cell,

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising charging an internal battery of the mobile terminal when the at least one sub-device is in the attached configuration.

20. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

transmitting a user input to the at least one sub-device via the specific communication path when the at least one sub-device is in the detached configuration; and

controlling at least one function of the at least one sub-device according to the user input.