Patent Application
20080182442
Mobile terminals may be used in a wide variety of environments. In certain environments, it is advantageous to wear the mobile terminal to free up a user's hands. The terminal may be worn in various locations such as a wrist, a belt, etc. In addition, the mobile terminal may be equipped with further hardware (auxiliary device) that plugs into the mobile terminal. For example, a headset may be worn for voice applications. In another example, a scanner may be used. Further hardware such as headsets may incorporate wireless technologies and would not require hard wiring. However, other further hardware and sometimes headsets are hard-wired into the mobile terminal. The connections required to link the further hardware into the mobile terminal may also differ. When incorporating more than one further hardware, the wiring may create an awkward set up that may hinder proper usage of the mobile terminal.
The present invention relates to a mobile device. The mobile device may include (a) a multi-contact connector configured to couple to a further connector of one of a plurality of auxiliary devices. The further connector has a preset configuration of contact points for each type of the auxiliary devices. The mobile device may also include (b) a detection module which determines a type of the one of the plurality of auxiliary devices as a function of the preset configuration of contact points
a shows a perspective view of a first connector that is insertable into the mobile terminal of
b shows a perspective view of a second connector that is insertable into the mobile terminal of
c shows a first perspective view of the port of the mobile terminal of
a shows a first cross sectional view of the connector of
b shows a second cross sectional view of the connector of
c shows a third cross sectional view of the connector of
d shows a cross sectional view of the connector of
e shows a cross sectional view of the connector of
f shows a cross sectional view of the connector of
a shows a perspective view of a first plug for the connector of
b shows a perspective view of a second plug for the connector of
a shows a second perspective view of the port of the mobile terminal of
b shows a third perspective view of the port of the mobile terminal of
c shows a fourth perspective view of the port of the mobile terminal of
a shows a second pin configuration according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
b shows a third pin configuration according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
c shows a fourth pin configuration according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
d shows a fifth pin configuration according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
e shows a sixth pin configuration according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
The present invention may be further understood with reference to the following description and the appended drawings, wherein like elements are referred to with the same reference numerals. The exemplary embodiments of the present invention show a mobile terminal with dual ports to receive hardware that is independent of the type of hardware. The dual ports and hardware independence will be discussed in detail below.
In the exemplary embodiment, the mobile terminal 105 may be wearable and capable of connecting further hardware devices to increase the functionality of the mobile terminal 105. The mobile terminal 105 may be worn on, for example, a user's wrist or belt. To attach the mobile terminal, a conventional wearing mechanism may be part of the mobile terminal. To facilitate the connection of further hardware, the mobile terminal 105 includes ports 160, 170. The ports 160, 170 will be discussed in more detail below. It should be noted that the use of two ports 160, 170 is only exemplary and the mobile terminal 105 may include further ports to accommodate more than two further hardware devices. The further hardware devices may be, for example, a scanner, an audio input/output device, a disk drive, RFID reader, etc.
In the exemplary embodiment, the ports 160, 170 are located on opposing sides of the mobile terminal 105. Specifically, in the exemplary embodiment, the port 160 is located on a right side of the mobile terminal 105 while the port 170 is located on a left side of the mobile terminal 105. It should be noted that the use of the right and left sides is only exemplary. For example, the ports 160, 170 may be located on a top and bottom side of the mobile terminal 105. In another example, the ports 160, 170 may both be located on the top side of the mobile terminal 105. Those skilled in the art will understand that the location of the ports 160, 170 may depend on the position/orientation of the mobile terminal 105 when worn, the further hardware device that connects to the mobile terminal 105, the location of the further hardware device in relation to the mobile terminal 105, etc. The functionality of the ports 160, 170 will be discussed in more detail below with reference to
The audio device (AD) connector 110 is a unit that connects an audio device (not shown) with the mobile terminal 105. As discussed above, the audio device may be an audio input/output device such as a headset with microphone. The AD connector 110 includes an AD cord 115, an AD plug 120, an AD locking mechanism 125, and an AD break away point 130. The scanner connector 135 is a unit that connects a scanning device (not shown) with the mobile terminal 105. The scanning device may be, for example, a finger scanner, an optical scanner, a bar code scanner, etc. The scanner connector 135 includes a scanner cord 140, a scanner plug 145, a scanner locking mechanism 150, and a scanner break away point 155.
In the exemplary embodiment, the AD cord 115 and the scanner cord 140 may be a set of wires, fiber optics, etc. encased in a protective sheath such as rubber. The AD cord 115 may exhibit a spring feature that retracts the AD cord 115 when the audio device is not in use. Those skilled in the art will understand that the spring feature keeps the AD cord 115 taut when in use to prevent the AD cord 115 from hanging loosely and, for example, being inadvertently caught on another object. However, it should be noted that the use of the spring feature is only exemplary and the AD cord 115 may be a cord with no spring feature similar to the scanner cord 140. Those skilled in the art will also understand the use for the spring feature because the audio device is likely to be further away from the mobile terminal 105 than the scanning device. For example, the mobile terminal 105 may be worn on a wrist. When worn on the wrist, a finger scanner is relatively close (about the length of a hand) to the mobile terminal 105 while the audio device is relatively far (about the length of an arm, shoulder, and neck). Thus, in the exemplary embodiment, the AD cord 115 exhibits a spring feature while the scanner cord 140 does not include one. However, it should be noted that the scanner cord 140 may also exhibit the spring feature.
In the exemplary embodiment, the AD plug 120 and the scanner plug 145 are units of the AD connector 110 and the scanner connector 135, respectively, that are inserted in the mobile terminal 105 at the ports 160, 170, respectively. The AD plug 120 and the scanner plug 145 will be discussed in more detail below with reference to
The AD locking mechanism 125 and the scanner locking mechanism 150 are units of the AD connector 110 and the scanner connector 135, respectively, that prevents inadvertent disconnection of the respective hardware unit. The AD locking mechanism 125 and the scanner connector 150 may be, for example, a button lock. The button lock is located on a back side of the AD connector 110 and the scanner connector 135. The button lock may be pushed to release, for example, a hook from a loop located on the mobile terminal 105. For example, the mobile terminal 105 may have a corresponding locking mechanism 165, 175 in a substantially close location to the port 160, 170, respectively. The hook portion of the button lock may be angled so a user is not required to push the button lock when inserting the AD connector 110 and/or the scanner connector 135 in the ports 160, 170, respectively. It should be noted that the use of the button lock is only exemplary and the AD connector 110 and the scanner connector 135 may use a different locking mechanism (e.g., magnets, straps, etc.). It should also be noted that the AD connector 110 and the scanner connector 135 may not include a locking mechanism.
The AD connector 110 and the scanner connector 135 may also include break away points 130, 155, respectively. The break away point 130 may be located where the AD cord 115 and the main body of the AD connector 110 meet. The break away point 155 may be located where the scanner cord 140 and the main body of the scanner connector 135 meet. The break away points 130, 155 serve as a safety precaution to prevent any harm to a user if inadvertent force is applied to the AD cord 115 and/or the scanner cord 140. In addition, the break away points 130, 155 allows the relatively cheaper further hardware connection to break off prior to any damage to the mobile terminal 105. The user may then exchange or repair only the peripherals (e.g., further hardware, AD connector 110, scanner connector 135, etc.).
a shows a perspective view of the AD connector 110 that is insertable into the port 160 of the mobile terminal 105.
b shows a perspective view of the scanner connector 135 that is insertable into the port 170 of the mobile terminal 105.
a-b also illustrate that the pins 405 and the pins 410 are complementary with each other. That is, the three pins of the pins 405 correspond to the empty pin slots among the nine pins of the pins 410. Specifically, the pins 405, 410 are arranged to contain two rows, each with 6 positions. Assuming the top left position is position 1 and the bottom left position is position 7, the pins 405 contain a pin in positions 3, 4, and 9. The pins 410 contain a pin in positions 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, and 12. Using this configuration, a common port (e.g., port 160) with twelve pins may be used to receive the AD connector 110 or the scanner connector 135. The port 160 that receives the pins 405 (i.e., AD connector 110) will recognize that when the three pins of the pins 405 are coupled to the complimentary pin holes, the audio device has been connected. In a similar manner, the port 170 that receives the pins 410 (i.e., scanner connector 135) will recognize that when the nine pins of the pins 410 are coupled to the complimentary pins, the scanner has been connected. Because the recognition of the further hardware device is done using the configuration of the pins (e.g., pins 405, 410), those skilled in the art will understand that the AD connector 110 may be insertable into the port 170 while the scanner connector 135 may be insertable into the port 160 and the corresponding hardware device will be recognized regardless of the port into which it is connected. The method in which the further component is recognized will be discussed in more detail below with reference to
c shows an exemplary embodiment of the port 160 of the mobile terminal 105. It should be noted that
c also shows that the housing of the mobile terminal 105 may include a recess 450 in which the port 160 is located. The recess 450 includes a back wall 455 and sidewalls 460. The recess 450 has a generally rectangular shape that is slightly larger than the outline of the port 160. However, those skilled in the art will understand that the recess 450 may take on any shape as will be described in greater detail below. In this example, the port 160 extends out from the back wall 455 and does not contact three (3) of the four (4) sidewalls 460. However, in other embodiments, the port 160 may contact zero, one, two, or three of the sidewalls 460. In this exemplary embodiment, the recess 450 receives a portion of the connector (e.g., scanner connector 135) that is attached to the port 160. For example, a body of the scanner connector 135 may be larger than the port 160 and also shaped to fit snugly into the recess 450. Thus, when the scanner connector 135 is connected to the port 160, the portion of the scanner connector 135 that fits into the recess 450 may provide additional mechanical support for the connection so that the scanner connector 135 does not dislodge from the port 160 and that the connection does not become unstable with use (e.g., through wear or mechanical stress). Thus, as described above, the recess 450 may take any shape that is complimentary to the shape of the connector(s) that are to be connected to the port 160.
a-d illustrate embodiments relating to static electrical contact points that couple with, for example, spring pins. That is, the pins 405, 410 are spring pins that retract into the connector as the connector is inserted into the port. Specifically,
b shows a second cross sectional view of the scanner plug 145 of
c shows a third cross sectional view of the scanner plug 145 of
d shows a cross sectional view of the AD plug 120 of
It should be noted that because the pins 405, 410 of
e-f illustrate embodiments when the pins 405, 410 are solid, immovable pins and the complimentary pin 415 are corresponding pin holes that receive the pins.
f shows a cross sectional view of the scanner plug 145 of
It should be noted that the use of a pin sensor 420 is only exemplary. Those skilled in the art will understand that there are other methods of detecting a configuration of pins. For example, when the pins are inserted, the pins may push a spring device that provides an electrical contact, thereby creating a connection. In another example, the pin configuration may be detected using optics where, for example, a pin blocks a light's path thereby alerting its presence. In yet another example, the pin lengths may vary. Using a pin sensor that extends the length of the body of the port 160, the varying lengths may determine the further component. Using varying lengths allows devices to exhibit an identical pin configuration but with varying lengths of pins. In another example, the processor (or other hardware device) of the mobile terminal 105 may be able to test the conductivity of the different positions of the port 160 and determine which positions have been connected to the connector of the further hardware device, thereby detecting the configuration of the pins (as is the case with the exemplary embodiments described above with reference to
It should also be noted that the pins extending beyond the port 160 and the pin sensor 420 is only exemplary. Those skilled in the art will understand that the pins may extend beyond the port (as illustrated), may extend the length of the port, or may extend a portion of the length of the port. The different potential lengths of the pins will be discussed in more detail below with reference to
The pin housing 605 provides a protective casing for the pins 610 while the electrical housing 615 provides a protective casing for the wiring that is coupled to the pins 610. The electrical housing 615 may also provide a retraction space for the pins 610, particularly when the pins 610 are spring pins. The pin housing 605 may be manufactured using a rigid plastic to provide a sturdier support. However, it should be noted that the use of rigid plastic is only exemplary and the pin housing 605 may be manufactured using other materials such as rubber, polymers, etc. The pin housing 605 is illustrated as a hollowed out, rectangular solid. However, the pin housing 605 may be manufactured with other features such as rounded corners, tapering sides, etc. In addition, the pin housing includes a solid bottom where the pins 610 are held. However, the solid bottom may be absent so that the pins 610 may protrude directly out of the electronic housing 615.
The pin housing 605 may be designed with various specifications. For example, the walls may exhibit a width necessary to prevent inadvertent mishandling of the pins 610. The width range may vary depending on the substance used to manufacture the pin housing 605. The pin housing 605 may also be designed to house the pins 610 in several different manners. For example, the pins 610 may be housed snugly in the pin housing 605. A snug fit would leave little distance between the walls of the pin housing 605 and the pins 610. Such an embodiment increases the protection provided to the pins 610. In another example, the pins 610 may be housed loosely in the pin housing 605. A loose fit would leave a sufficient distance for a user to manipulate the pins when, for example, a pin bends and is no longer aligned with the corresponding pin hole of a port on the mobile terminal. It should be noted that the manner in which the pin housing 605 houses the pins 610 may depend on the orientation (e.g., pin to pin distance), configuration (e.g., arrangement, number of pins), etc.
It should be noted that the use of the pin housing 605 is only exemplary. The present invention may utilize a connector that does not have the pin housing 605. In an embodiment where the pin housing 605 is absent, the pins 610 may be manufactured of sturdier materials or be manufactured with a larger cross-sectional width.
In the exemplary embodiment, for illustration purposes that correspond to the above description, the pins 610 include twelve pins. However, as discussed above, the pins 610 may exhibit various configurations. Since a zero pin configuration does not exist, the maximum number of configurations may follow the basic formula of 2N−1, where N is the number of complimentary pins. For example, when there are twelve pin holes in a port, the number of configurations may be up to 4,095 (i.e., 212−1); when there are fourteen pin holes in a port, the number of configurations may be up to 16,383 (i.e., 214−1); etc.
The overall layout of the pins 610 shows two parallel rows of pins, each row containing at most six pins. The pins are aligned so that the first column of pins (six total) (e.g., first pin of the first row and the first pin of the second row) is disposed perpendicularly to either row. However, the use of two rows of parallel pins aligned perpendicularly (also illustrated in
In a first example,
In a second example,
In a third example,
In a fourth example,
In a fifth example,
It should be noted that the above described examples are exemplary only and the pin configuration may include further embodiments not shown. In addition, any one of the above described examples may also include the features of the other examples. For example, the staggered pattern of configuration 905 may be included in any of the other configurations 920, 940, 960, 980.
a-b show perspective views of a first plug 700 and a second plug 750 for the connector of
The first plug 700 includes the pins 710 that remain completely within the pin housing 705. The pins 710 remain completely within the pin housing 705 by making the exposed portions of the pins 710 shorter than the height of pin housing 705. As discussed above, such an embodiment prevents potential damage to the pins 710. The second plug 750 includes the pins 710 that are exposed beyond the pin housing 755. Assuming the pin housing 755 has like dimensions as the pin housing 705, then the pins 760 may be elongated to pass beyond the height of the pin housing 755. If the type of pin used for the pins 710, 760 are identical, the pins 760 may simply be exposed more than the pins 710 (e.g., a smaller portion of the pins of pins 760 remains in the electrical housing 615).
a shows a second perspective view of the port of the mobile terminal of
As was illustrated in
The port of
In the exemplary embodiment of
In the exemplary embodiment of
As discussed above with reference to
The identical configurations of the ports 160, 170 also eliminates the crossing of wires and/or other encumbrances so that the most convenient usage of the mobile terminal 105 with the further hardware may be had. Furthermore, those skilled in the art will understand that the mobile terminal 105 may be expensive. Therefore, there may be multiple users of the same mobile terminal 105. Each user is likely to feel more comfortable with a different orientation of the mobile terminal 105 with the further hardware. The identical ports 160, 170 with corresponding connectors allow each user to freely orient the mobile terminal 105 as desired.
In the above description, the exemplary embodiments showed the connectors of the further hardware devices to include male pin connectors and the connectors of the ports of the mobile device to include female pin connectors. Those skilled in the art will understand that any type of connectors may be used. For example, the further hardware device connector may include female pin connectors and the port connectors of the mobile device may include male pin connectors. The male pins may be solid or hollow. The connectors may not be pins, but may be spring contacts, leads, conducting plates, strip connectors, etc.
It should also be noted that as described above, the exemplary embodiments allow any further hardware device to be connected to any port of the mobile device. The mobile device may then detect the type of hardware device that is connected to the ports. The mobile device may further include a configuration element or module that may configure the mobile device to operate with the attached further hardware device. The configuration module may be a hardware component, a software component or a combination thereof. In one example, the configuration module is a set of configuration instructions that are executed by a processor of the mobile device based on the type of detected further hardware devices.
The configuration may include, for example, selecting the proper driver for the attached device. It may also include, for example, configuring other components of the mobile device for operation based on the attached hardware device such as preparing the processor to receive a specific type of data, e.g., data from a scanner, data from an RFID reader, etc.
The configuration may also determine for example, if an integral display of the mobile device should be configured for left handed or right handed operation. For example, if the mobile device determines that a scanner is connected to a first port and an audio device is connected to a second port, this may indicate that the wearable mobile device has been attached to a right arm of the user. The configuration module may then configure the integral display of the mobile device for right-handed operation. However, if the connections were opposite, the configuration module may configure the device for left-handed operation. Other types of configuration settings that may be set based on the detection of the further hardware device will be apparent to those skilled in the art.
It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made in the present invention, without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, it is intended that the present invention cover the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.
