Mobile terminal

• US 8,471,810 B2
• Filed: 08/21/2009
• Issued: 06/25/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kim, Chi-Young, Choi, Hyun-Bo
• Primary Examiner(s): Agustin, Peter Vincent
• Application Number:
  US12/545,233
• Publication Number:
  US 20100053861A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,404 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0283 for providing a decorative aspect, e.g. customization of casings, exchangeable faceplate
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/22 Illumination; Arrangements for improving the visibility of characters on dials
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/236 including keys on side or rear faces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10

Abstract

A mobile terminal is provided that includes a housing having an opening, a display provided in the opening of the housing, a bezel provided on the housing, and at least one sensor or a touch screen/sensor provided at the bezel. The at least one sensor or touch screen detects a user selection on the bezel such that an image on the display changes or a command is performed by the mobile terminal. The sensor or the touch screen/sensor also allows images on the main display to be not hidden because items or commands are selected on the bezel.

Claims

1. A mobile terminal comprising:

a housing having an opening;

a display provided in the opening of the housing;

a bezel provided on the housing;

a plurality of sensors provided at the bezel, at least one of the sensors detecting an input command on the bezel such that an image on the display changes or a command is performed by the mobile terminal; and

a plurality of light-emitting elements respectively associated with the plurality of sensors, the light-emitting elements provided at the bezel and being vertically shifted or adjacent to the sensors, and the light-emitting elements to emit visible light through the sensors, and

wherein at least one of the light-emitting elements generates visible light based on at least one of the sensors detecting the input command, the at least one of the light-emitting elements respectively associated with the at least one sensor detecting the input command, to inform that the at least one sensor is in an active state to receive the input command.

2. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the bezel is transparent.

3. The mobile terminal of claim 2, wherein at least a portion of the housing is transparent with the at least the portion of the bezel that is transparent.

4. The mobile terminal of claim 2, wherein the bezel is transparent at an area where the at least one of the sensors is provided.

5. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the housing includes a front case and a bottom case attached to each other.

6. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the sensors is an optical sensor.

7. The mobile terminal of claim 6, wherein the optical sensor is a photodiode.

8. The mobile terminal of claim 6, wherein the optical sensor emits light to indicate a location for user selection.

9. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the light emitting elements is provided beneath the at least one of the sensors.

10. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein a light guide is provided at the bezel, and the light guide is substantially aligned with the at least one of the sensors.

11. A mobile terminal comprising:

a housing having an opening;

a display in the opening of the housing;

a bezel on the housing;

a plurality of sensors provided at the bezel, each sensor to detect an input command on the bezel to change an image or to perform a command; and

a plurality of light-emitting elements each being associated with a separate one of the plurality of sensors, the light-emitting elements provided at the bezel and each being provided to correspond to a separate one of the sensors, and

wherein a first one of the light-emitting elements to generate visible light based on a corresponding first one of the sensors detecting the input command, to info in that the first one of the sensors is active to receive an input.

12. The mobile terminal of claim 11, wherein each of the light-emitting elements being vertically adjacent to a separate corresponding one of the sensors.

13. The mobile terminal of claim 11, wherein each of the light-emitting elements being adjacent to a separate corresponding one of the sensors.

14. The mobile terminal of claim 11, wherein a portion of the bezel is transparent.

15. The mobile terminal of claim 14, wherein a portion of the housing is transparent with the portion of the bezel that is transparent.

16. The mobile terminal of claim 15, wherein the bezel is transparent at an area where at least one of the sensors is provided.

17. The mobile terminal of claim 11, wherein each of the plurality of sensors is a separate optical sensor.

18. The mobile terminal of claim 17, wherein the optical sensor is a photodiode.

19. The mobile terminal of claim 11, wherein the first one of the light-emitting elements is provided beneath the first one of the sensors.

20. The mobile terminal of claim 11, wherein a light guide is provided at the bezel, and the light guide is substantially aligned with at least one of the sensors.