Patent Application
20140312712
1. Technical Field
The disclosure generally relates to laser pens, and particularly to an environmental laser pen, a portable electronic device mating with the laser pen, and a laser indicating system with the laser pen.
2. Description of the Related Art
Laser pens are widespread used in offices, classrooms, or meeting rooms. A typical laser pen is powered by an inner battery. However, the battery will occupy space of the laser pen, and which is unfavorable to miniaturization of the laser pen. Furthermore, once a capacity of the battery is exhausted, the battery must be replaced with a new battery, which leads to a waste.
Therefore, there is room for improvement within the art.
Many aspects of the present embodiments can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present embodiments. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers are used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like elements of an embodiment.
The portable electronic device 100 includes an earphone jack 10 and a power management microchip 20 electronically connected to the earphone jack 10.
The earphone jack 10 includes a first channel pin, a second channel pin, a microphone pin MIC, and a grounding pin GND. In this exemplary embodiment, the first channel pin is a left channel pin AUDIO_L. The second channel pin is a right channel pin AUDIO_R. The right channel pin AUDIO_R and the grounding pin GND are both grounded. The power management microchip 20 includes a detecting pin ADC and a controlling pin LDO. The detecting pin ADC is electronically connected to the microphone pin MIC. The controlling pin LDO is electronically connected to the left contact pin AUDIO_L.
The laser pen 200 includes a laser diode D, a resistor R, and a plug 30.
The laser pen 200 can be electronically connected to the portable electronic device 100 through the plug 30 being received in the earphone jack 10. When the plug 30 of the laser pen 200 plugs into the earphone jack 10, the first connecting contact 31, the second connecting contact 32, the third connected contact 33, and the fourth connecting contact 34 are electronically connected to the left channel pin AUDIO_L, the right channel pin AUDIO_R, the microphone pin MIC, and the grounding pin GND, respectively. In this way, the anode of the laser diode D is electronically connected to the left channel pin AUDIO_L through the first connecting contact 31. The cathode of the laser diode D is electronically connected to the right channel pin AUDIO_R through the second connecting contact 32. An end of the resistor R is electronically connected to the microphone pin MIC through the third connecting contact 33. Another end of the resistor R is electronically connected to the grounding pin GND through the fourth connecting contact 34.
The earphone jack 10 of the portable electronic device 100 can also receive an earphone plug, e.g., a four pin earphone plug including a left channel point, a right channel point, a microphone point, and a ground point orderly formed thereon. When the typical four pin earphone plug is received in the earphone jack 10, the microphone point of the four pin earphone plug equals to a field effect transistor, and a voltage of the microphone point satisfies a bias voltage range, such as 0.3 volts (V) to 0.8V.
Therefore, a resistance of the resistor R can be selected to make a voltage of the resistor R out of the bias voltage range (e.g., 1V). In this way, the detecting pin ADC can detect a type of a periphery device connected to the portable electronic device 100 (e.g., the typical four pin earphone or the laser pen 200) according to a voltage of the microphone pin MIC. That is, if the voltage of the microphone pin MIC satisfies the bias voltage range, the detecting pin ADC determines that the four pin earphone plug is received in the earphone jack 10. If the voltage of microphone pin MIC does not satisfy the bias voltage range (e.g., 1V), the detecting pin ADC determines that the plug 30 of the laser pen 200 is received in the earphone jack 10. Furthermore, when the detecting pin ADC determines that the laser pen 200 is electronically connected to the portable electronic device 100, the controlling pin LDO provides power to the laser pen 200 through the left contact pin AUDIO_L.
In use, when a periphery device is electronically connected to the portable electronic device 100, the portable electronic device 100 detects a type of the periphery device through the detecting pin ADC. In detail, if the detecting pin ADC detects that a voltage of the microphone pin MIC satisfies the bias voltage range, the portable electronic device 100 determines that the typical four pin earphone plug is received in the earphone jack 10. In this way, the portable electronic device 100 performs a common function, that is, receiving signals from or sending signals to the plugged in earphone through the earphone jack 10.
Once the detecting pin ADC detects that the voltage of the microphone pin MIC does not satisfy the bias voltage range, the portable electronic device 100 determines that the plug 30 of the laser pen 200 is received in the earphone jack 10. In this way, the portable electronic device 100 performs an additional function, i.e., providing power to the laser pen 200 through the controlling pin LDC and the left contact pin AUDIO_L to turn on the laser diode D.
In other exemplary embodiments, the first channel pin can be a right channel pin AUDIO_R and the second channel pin is a left contact pin AUDIO_L.
In summary, due to the laser pen 200 including the plug 30, the laser pen 200 can be electronically connected to the portable electronic device 100 and obtains power from the portable electronic device 100. In this way, the laser pen 200 does not need to be equipped with a battery, which is advantageous for a miniaturization of the laser pen 200. Furthermore, the laser pen 200 also does not need battery replacement, which decreases a cost of the laser pen 200 and is environmental.
In the present specification and claims, the word “a” or “an” preceding an element does not exclude the presence of a plurality of such elements. Further, the word “comprising” does not exclude the presence of elements or steps other than those listed.
It is to be also understood that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of exemplary embodiments have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structures and functions of the embodiments, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of arrangement of parts within the principles of this disclosure to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 102114283 | Apr 2013 | TW | national |
