KR20100012086A - Portable terminal - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention is formed to extend along the edge of the main body is formed with a housing that can accommodate a battery, at least one conductor for transmitting and receiving wireless electromagnetic waves, and electrically connected to the conductor and the wireless electromagnetic waves It provides a portable terminal including a control unit for processing a signal corresponding to the.

Description

Mobile terminal {PORTABLE TERMINAL}

The present invention relates to a portable terminal having an antenna unit for transmitting and receiving wireless electromagnetic waves.

A portable terminal is a portable electronic device that is portable and has one or more functions such as voice and video call, information input and output, and data storage.

As the functions are diversified, for example, the portable terminal is implemented in the form of a multimedia player having complex functions such as taking a picture or a video, playing a music or a video file, playing a game, or receiving a broadcast.

Many new attempts are being applied to these multimedia devices in terms of hardware or software to implement complex functions. For example, a user interface environment is provided for a user to search for or select a function easily and conveniently.

In addition, while the portable terminal is regarded as a personal portable device for expressing its own personality, various design forms are required. The design form also includes structural changes and improvements for the user to use the mobile terminal more conveniently.

One of such structural changes and improvements can be considered for the antenna portion.

An object of the present invention is to provide a portable terminal having an antenna unit implemented in a manner different from the conventional.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a slimmer antenna unit.

In order to achieve the above object of the present invention, a portable terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a main body, a conductor, and a controller. The main body is provided with a receiving portion that can accommodate the battery. At least one conductor for transmitting and receiving wireless electromagnetic waves is disposed in the accommodation portion. The conductor is formed to extend along the edge of the receiver. The controller is electrically connected to the conductor to process a signal corresponding to the wireless electromagnetic wave. The conductor may be covered by an insulating material.

According to one aspect of the invention, the conductor may be formed including a connection terminal. The connection terminal protrudes from one end of the conductor and is electrically connected to the controller. The accommodation portion may be formed including a seating portion and a receiving end. The seating part in which the battery is seated is formed in the center of the receiving part. The receiving end to which the conductor is mounted is formed in an area adjacent to the edge of the receiving part so as to form a step with the seating part. The main body may be provided with a through hole formed in the receiving end portion to penetrate a portion of the main body. The connection terminal may be electrically connected to the controller through the through hole.

According to another aspect of the invention, the inside of the main body may be equipped with a built-in conductor for transmitting and receiving wireless electromagnetic waves. The built-in conductor is connected to the control unit and transmits and receives wireless electromagnetic waves of the first frequency band. The conductor is connected to the control unit and transmits and receives wireless electromagnetic waves of a second frequency band different from the first frequency band. The control unit may further include a switching unit for selectively transmitting and receiving one of the wireless electromagnetic waves of the first or second frequency band. The second frequency band may be a frequency band associated with a Bluetooth or global positioning system (GPS).

According to another aspect of the invention, the conductor may include first and second conductors disposed on both sides of the receiving portion. The first conductor is connected to the control unit and transmits and receives wireless electromagnetic waves of the first frequency band. The second conductor is connected to the control unit and transmits and receives wireless electromagnetic waves of a second frequency band different from the first frequency band.

The present invention can form a slimmer antenna portion by disposing a conductor that transmits and receives wireless electromagnetic waves in the battery accommodating portion.

According to the present invention, an antenna unit having a slimmer multi-frequency band can be formed by disposing conductors in the body and the battery housing.

The present invention can form a conductor suitable for transmitting and receiving wireless electromagnetic waves of a multi-frequency band.

EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION Hereinafter, the portable terminal which concerns on this invention is demonstrated in detail with reference to drawings. In the present specification, the same or similar reference numerals are assigned to the same or similar components in different embodiments, and the description thereof is replaced with the first description.

1 is a perspective view of a portable terminal 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The mobile terminal 100 is formed by the front case 111 and the rear case 112 forming a terminal body 110 (hereinafter referred to as a 'body') forming an appearance. Various electronic components are embedded in the internal space defined by the front case 111 and the rear case 112.

At least one intermediate case may be further disposed between the front case 110 and the rear case 112.

The front case 111 and the rear case 112 may be formed by injecting a synthetic resin or may have a metal material such as stainless steel (STS) or titanium (Ti).

The front case 111 may include a display unit 113, a first sound output unit 114, a first image input unit 115, or a first manipulation unit 116.

The display unit 113 includes a display module such as a liquid crystal display (LCD) module and an organic light emitting diode (OLED) module that visually express information. The display unit 113 further includes a touch screen. It is also possible to input information by touch.

The first sound output unit 114 may be implemented in the form of a receiver or a speaker, and the first image input unit 115 may be in the form of a camera module for capturing an image or a video for a user. Can be implemented.

The first operation unit 116 receives a command for controlling the operation of the mobile terminal 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The second manipulation unit 117, the sound input unit 118, and the interface 119 may be disposed on at least one of the front case 111 and the rear case 112.

The first and second manipulators 116 and 117 may be collectively referred to as manipulating portions, and may be employed in any manner as long as the user is tactile in a tactile manner.

For example, the operation unit may be implemented as a dome switch or a touch pad that may receive a command or information by a user's push or touch operation, or may be implemented by a wheel or jog method that rotates a key, or a method such as a joystick. Can be.

In functional terms, the first manipulation unit 116 may be for inputting a command such as a start, end, scroll, or the like, or for inputting numbers, letters, symbols, and the like. The second manipulation unit 117 may operate as a hot-key that performs a special function such as activation of the first image input unit 115.

The sound input unit 118 may be implemented in the form of, for example, a microphone to receive a user's voice, other sounds, and the like.

The interface 119 serves as a passage for allowing the mobile terminal 100 according to the present invention to exchange data with an external device. For example, the interface 119 is wired or wirelessly, a connection terminal for connecting to an earphone, a port for short-range communication (for example, an infrared port (IrDA port), a wireless LAN port, etc.), Or at least one of power supply terminals for supplying power to the portable terminal 100.

The interface 119 may be a card socket for receiving an external card such as a subscriber identification module (SIM) or a user identity module (UIM), a memory card for storing information.

2 is a perspective view illustrating the bottom of the portable terminal 100 of FIG. 1.

Referring to FIG. 2, a second image input unit 141 may be additionally mounted on the bottom of the rear case 112. The second image input unit 141 may be a camera having a photographing direction substantially opposite to that of the first image input unit 115 (see FIG. 1) and having different pixels from the first image input unit 115.

For example, the first image input unit 115 has a low pixel so that it is easy to take a picture of a user and transmit it to a counterpart in a video call, and the second image input unit 141 immediately photographs a general subject. It is preferable to have a high pixel because it is not transmitted in many cases.

The flash 142 and the mirror unit 143 are further disposed adjacent to the second image input unit 141. The flash 142 shines light toward the subject when the subject is photographed by the second image input unit 143. The mirror unit 143 allows the user to see the user's face or the like when the user wants to photograph himself (self-photographing) using the second image input unit 141.

The terminal body may be provided with an antenna unit for a call, Bluetooth communication, or GPS communication. The rear case 112 may include an antenna 144 for receiving broadcast signals in addition to the antenna unit. The antenna 144 may be installed to be pulled out of the terminal body 110.

The power supply unit 120 for supplying power to at least one component of the portable terminal 100 is configured at the rear case 112 side. The power supply unit 120 may include, for example, a rechargeable battery to supply power. The battery may be detachably coupled for charging or the like.

3 is a perspective view illustrating a state of a power supply unit 120 for the portable terminal 100 of FIG. 1.

Referring to this figure, the rear case 112 is formed with a receiving portion 121 of the recessed form. In the center of the accommodating part 121, a seating part 121a in which the battery 122 is mounted is formed. The mounting part 121a is configured to have a size corresponding to the appearance of the battery 122 so that the battery 122 may be seated. The battery 122 supplies electricity to at least one component of the mobile terminal 100. A connection terminal 124 connected to the battery 122 may be installed in the seating part 121a. As such, the accommodating part 121 and the battery 122 accommodated in the accommodating part 121 may form the power supply part 120.

At least one conductor 123 for transmitting and receiving wireless electromagnetic waves is disposed in the accommodation unit 121. The conductor 123 may be formed of a conductive material, for example, copper. The conductor 123 is electrically connected to the controller 160 (see FIG. 9) for processing a signal corresponding to the wireless electromagnetic wave. The conductor 123 forms an antenna of the portable terminal.

The conductor 123 is formed to extend along the edge of the receiving portion 121. The body 123a of the conductor 123 may be formed in the form of a metal foil long in one direction. One end of the body 123a protrudes a connection terminal 123b electrically connected to the controller 160. The connection terminal 123b may be formed in a shape in which one end of the body 123a is bent.

The receiving end 121b is formed in an area adjacent to the edge of the receiving part 121 to form an end with the seating part 121a. As shown, the receiving end 121b may be formed in a long shape along one edge of the seating portion 121a. The receiving end 121b increases the structural strength of the rear case 112 surrounding the battery 122 and may also serve to protect the battery 122 from external shock.

The conductor 123 is mounted on the receiving end 121b. Such mounting can be implemented in a variety of ways. For example, there is a method in which the conductor 123 is disposed on the receiving end 121b and the body 123a is fused to the receiving end 121b by the heat applied to the body 123a. Mounting of the conductor 123 may be implemented by a double injection method in which the conductor 123 is inserted into an injection mold and the rear case 112 in which the receiving end 121b is formed is injected.

An insulating material 125 may be disposed on one surface of the conductor 123 to cover the conductor 123. This has the advantage of letting the user out of the charge flowing in the conductor 123. The insulating material 125 may be, for example, an insulating tape or the like.

As shown in the drawing, a lid 126 for opening and closing the housing 121 is mounted to the rear case 112. A locking device 127 that fixes the cover 126 to the terminal body 110 is installed in association with at least one of the cover 126 and the terminal body 110. The locking device 126 may be formed of, for example, a hook part that may be provided and fitted on the upper side of the accommodating part 121 and the upper side of the cover 126, for example.

4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line IV-IV of FIG. 1, and FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line V-V of FIG. 1.

Referring to FIG. 4, a window 113a is coupled to one surface of the front case 111. The window 113a covers one surface of the display module 113b such that visual information output from the display module 113b is recognized externally. The display module 113b and the window 113a form the display unit 113 (refer to FIG. 1).

An operation pad 116a may be formed in the front case 111 to correspond to the first operation unit 116. The operation pad 116a is an object to be touched or pressed by the user.

The circuit board 118 may be configured as an example of the controller 160 for operating various functions of the portable terminal 100. The circuit board 118 may be configured in plural as shown.

The display module 113b may be disposed on the circuit board 118 to correspond to the window 113a. At least one switch 116b may be mounted on the circuit board 118 to correspond to the operation pad 116a. Information may be input according to a pressing operation of the switch 116b operation pad 116a. The switch 116b and the operation pad 116a may be classified into the first operation unit 116 (see FIG. 1).

The circuit board 118 may be equipped with a first camera module 115a constituting the first image input unit 115 and a second camera module 141a constituting the second image input unit 141 (see FIG. 1).

The rear case 112 is provided with a through hole 121c formed in the receiving end 121b to penetrate the rear case 112. The connecting terminal 123b of the conductor 123 is electrically connected to the circuit board 118 through the through hole 121c.

In general, one end 123c of the conductor 123 constituting the antenna unit should be spaced apart from other surrounding conductive materials by a predetermined distance so as not to be electrically grounded. Since the conductor 123 is connected to the circuit board 118 through the through hole 121c, the rear case 112 is disposed between the conductor 123 and electronic components such as the circuit board 118. Accordingly, one end 123c of the conductor 123 is formed to be spaced apart from the electronic components of the portable terminal 100, for example, the circuit board 118. The antenna part having a slim structure may be formed by the conductor 123 and the receiving end 121b of this type.

Referring to FIG. 5, a battery 122 includes a battery cell 122a and a cover 122b. In the battery cell 122a, electricity is charged to be a power source of the portable terminal. In general, the battery cell 122a may include a metal material therein and may be surrounded by the metal material. The exterior of the battery 122 is formed by a cover 122b surrounding the battery cell 122a. The cover 122b is formed of a non-conductive material such as synthetic resin, for example. Therefore, one end 123c of the conductor 123 mounted on the receiving end 121b is spaced apart from the metal by at least the thickness of the cover 122b.

6 is a cross-sectional view of a portable terminal according to another embodiment of the present invention taken along the line IV-IV of FIG. 1.

Inside the terminal body 210, a built-in conductor 231 for transmitting and receiving wireless electromagnetic waves is mounted. The internal conductor 231 may be attached to the carrier 232 in a patterned form to form the internal antenna 230. The carrier 232 may be formed to have a hollow inside to form a space for transmitting and receiving wireless electromagnetic waves.

A connection terminal electrically connected to the controller 160 may be formed at an end of the built-in conductor 231. Referring to this figure, the controller 160 is implemented with a circuit board 218.

The built-in conductor 231 may be connected to the circuit board 218 to be configured to transmit and receive wireless electromagnetic waves of a first frequency band. For example, the filter unit of the circuit board 218 connected to the internal conductor 231 filters the frequency of 900 to 1800 Mhz, the internal conductor 231 is in a form suitable for transmitting and receiving the frequency of 900 to 1800 Mhz Form. The shape of the built-in conductor 231 may be selected by experiment or simulation.

The conductor 223 may be connected to the circuit board 218 to be configured to transmit and receive wireless electromagnetic waves of a second frequency band different from the first frequency band. The first frequency band may be a frequency band other than a frequency band related to Bluetooth or GPS, for example, a frequency band for a call of a portable terminal. The second frequency band may be a frequency band associated with a Bluetooth or global positioning system (GPS).

As the built-in conductor 231 and the conductor 223 are formed in a form suitable for transmitting and receiving the first and second frequency bands, respectively, an antenna unit suitable for transmitting and receiving multiple frequency bands may be formed.

7 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a switching unit formed in the control unit of FIG. 6.

The circuit board 218 may be provided with a switching unit 240 for selectively transmitting and receiving one of the wireless electromagnetic waves of the first or second frequency band.

The conductor 223 and the built-in conductor 231 are connected to the RF switch 241, respectively. The RF switch 241 is formed to select any one of a plurality of frequency bands. In addition, the RF switch 241 may be formed so that the frequency band is selected by a signal input to the portable terminal.

In general, the frequency band for the call of the mobile terminal is different for each country. By providing the switching unit 240, an antenna unit corresponding to different frequency bands used in different countries may be formed. For example, the built-in conductor 231 is formed to be suitable for transmitting / receiving a frequency band used in one station, and the conductor 223 is formed to be suitable for transmitting / receiving a frequency band used in another station.

The RF switch 241 may be connected to a diplexer 242 which may branch a transmission signal and a reception signal. However, the configuration of the switching unit 240 is not limited thereto, and may be implemented in the form of a front end module (FEM) including the RF switch 241 and the diplexer 242.

8 is a cross-sectional view of a portable terminal according to another embodiment of the present invention taken along the line V-V of FIG.

The conductor 353 is formed of first and second conductors 353a and 353b disposed on both sides of the accommodation portion. Referring to this drawing, first and second receiving ends 321a and 321b are formed at both sides of the receiving part, and the first and second conductors 353a and 353b are mounted at each receiving end.

The first conductor 353a is connected to the control unit 160 to transmit and receive wireless electromagnetic waves of the first frequency band. The second conductor 353b is connected to the control unit 160 to transmit and receive wireless electromagnetic waves of a second frequency band different from the first frequency band.

By forming the first and second conductors 353a and 353b in this manner, the same antenna unit as the embodiment described with reference to FIG. 6 may be provided. This will be fully understood by those skilled in the art without further explanation.

Meanwhile, the bar type portable terminal 100 has been described above, but the present invention can be applied to various types of portable terminals such as a slide type, a folder type, a swing type, and a swivel type.

9 is a block diagram of a portable terminal according to the present invention.

9, the mobile terminal 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a wireless communication module 161, an operation unit 116, 117, an image input unit 115, 141, an audio input unit 118, a display unit 113, The sound output unit 114, the sensing unit 166, the interface 119, the broadcast receiving module 165, the memory 164, the power supply unit 120, and the controller 160 are included.

The controller 160 typically controls the overall operation of the mobile terminal. For example, it performs related control and processing for voice call, data communication, video call and so on.

The wireless communication module 161 transmits / receives a radio signal with a mobile communication base station through an antenna unit. For example, under the control of the controller 160, the transmitter 162 is responsible for transmitting and receiving voice data, text data, video data, and control data, and modulates and transmits a signal to be transmitted, and a receiver for demodulating the received signal. 163).

The operation units 116 and 117 are configured as shown in FIG. 1 to provide the control unit 160 with key input data input by the user for controlling the operation of the terminal. The operation units 116 and 117 are composed of a dome switch, a touch pad (static pressure / capacitance), a jog wheel, a jog switch, and the like.

The image input units 115 and 141 process image frames such as still images or moving images obtained by the image sensor in a video call mode or a photographing mode. The processed image frame is converted into image data displayable on the display unit 113 and output to the display unit 113.

The image frames processed by the image input units 115 and 141 are stored in the memory 144 or transmitted to the outside through the wireless communication module 161 under the control of the controller 160.

The sound input unit 118 receives an external sound signal by a microphone in a call mode, a recording mode, a voice recognition mode, etc., and processes the external sound signal into electrical voice data. The processed voice data is converted into a form transmittable to the mobile communication base station through the wireless communication module 161 and output to the wireless communication module 161 in the call mode. In the recording mode, the processed voice data is output to be stored in the memory 164.

The sound input unit 118 may implement various noise removing algorithms for removing noise generated in the process of receiving an external sound signal.

The display 113 displays and outputs information processed by the portable terminal. For example, when the mobile terminal is in a call mode, the control unit 160 displays and outputs a user interface (UI) or a graphic user interface (GUI) related to the call. When the mobile terminal is in the video call mode or the photographing mode, the mobile terminal displays and outputs the captured image, UI, or GUI under the control of the controller 160. When the display unit 113 includes a touch screen, the display unit 113 is used as an input device in addition to the output device.

The sound output unit 114 controls the sound data or the memory 164 received from the wireless communication module 161 under the control of the control unit 160 in a call signal reception, a call mode or a recording mode, a voice recognition mode, and a broadcast reception mode. The stored sound data is converted and output to the outside.

In addition, the sound output unit 114 outputs a sound signal related to a function (for example, a call signal reception sound, a message reception sound, etc.) performed by the portable terminal 100.

The sensing unit 166 detects a current state of the portable terminal such as an open / closed state of the portable terminal, a position of the portable terminal, presence or absence of a user contact, and generates a sensing signal for controlling the operation of the portable terminal. For example, when the portable terminal is in the form of a slide phone, whether the slide phone is opened or closed is sensed so as to output a sensing result to the controller 160 to control the operation of the terminal. In addition, it is responsible for sensing functions related to whether the power supply unit 120 is supplied with power or whether the interface 119 is coupled to an external device.

The interface 119 may be connected to a mobile terminal such as a wired / wireless headset, an external charger, a wired / wireless data port, a card socket (eg, a memory card, a SIM / UIM card), or the like. It serves as an interface with the device. The interface 119 receives data from an external device or receives power and transmits the data to each component inside the portable terminal or transmits data within the portable terminal to the external device.

The memory 164 may store a program for processing and controlling the control unit 160, and provides a function for temporarily storing input / output data (for example, a phone book, a message, a still image, a video, etc.). Can be done.

In addition, the memory 164 stores a program for controlling the operation of the mobile terminal 100 according to the present invention.

This memory 164 includes concepts such as hard disks, card type memory (eg, SD or XD memory, etc.), flash memory, RAM, ROM, and the like, which are generally known.

The broadcast receiving module 165 receives a broadcast signal transmitted through a satellite or terrestrial wave, converts the broadcast signal into a broadcast data format that can be output to the sound output unit 114 and the display unit 113, and outputs it to the control unit 160. In addition, the broadcast receiving module 165 receives additional data related to the broadcast (for example, an EPG (electric program guide), a channel list, etc.). The broadcast data and additional data converted by the broadcast receiving module 165 may be stored in the memory 164.

The power supply unit 120 receives an external power source and an internal power source under the control of the controller 160 to supply power for operation of each component.

The portable terminal is not limited to the configuration and method of the embodiments described above, but the embodiments may be configured by selectively combining all or some of the embodiments so that various modifications can be made.

1 is a perspective view of a mobile terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention.

2 is a bottom perspective view of a mobile terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention;

3 is a perspective view illustrating a power supply unit of the portable terminal of FIG. 1;

4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line IV-IV of FIG. 1.

5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line V-V of FIG. 1.

6 is a cross-sectional view of a portable terminal according to another embodiment of the present invention taken along the line IV-IV of FIG.

7 is a conceptual diagram of a switching unit formed in the control unit of FIG. 6.

8 is a cross-sectional view of a portable terminal according to another embodiment of the present invention taken along the line V-V of FIG.

9 is a block diagram of a portable terminal according to the present invention;

Claims (11)

A main body in which an accommodating part may be accommodated; At least one conductor formed to extend along an edge of the accommodation portion to transmit and receive wireless electromagnetic waves; And And a controller electrically connected to the conductor and processing a signal corresponding to the wireless electromagnetic wave. The method of claim 1, The conductor includes a connection terminal protruding from one end of the conductor and electrically connected to the controller. The method of claim 2, The receiving portion, It is formed in the center of the accommodating portion, the seating portion on which the battery is mounted; And And a receiving end formed in an area adjacent to an edge of the receiving part to form an end with the seating part, and on which the conductor is mounted. The method of claim 3, The main body is provided with a through hole formed in the receiving end portion to penetrate a portion of the main body, And the connection terminal is electrically connected to the control unit through the through hole. The method of claim 1, The portable terminal further comprises an insulating material disposed to cover the conductor. The method of claim 1, And a built-in conductor mounted inside the main body to transmit and receive wireless electromagnetic waves. The method of claim 6, The built-in conductor is connected to the control unit, and transmits and receives wireless electromagnetic waves of a first frequency band, The conductor is connected to the control unit, characterized in that for transmitting and receiving wireless electromagnetic waves of a second frequency band different from the first frequency band. The method of claim 7, wherein The control unit further comprises a switching unit for selectively transmitting and receiving one of the wireless electromagnetic waves of the first and second frequency bands. The method of claim 7, wherein The second frequency band is a portable terminal, characterized in that the frequency band associated with Bluetooth or global positioning system (GPS). The method of claim 1, The conductor, A first conductor disposed on one side of the accommodation portion; And A portable terminal comprising a second conductor disposed on the other side of the receiving portion. The method of claim 10, The first conductor is connected to the control unit, and transmits and receives wireless electromagnetic waves of a first frequency band, The second conductor is connected to the control unit, characterized in that for transmitting and receiving wireless electromagnetic waves of a second frequency band different from the first frequency band.

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