Patent Application
20090257203
This application claims the benefit of Taiwan Patent Application No. 097113522, filed on Apr. 14, 2008, which is hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes as if fully set forth herein.
1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a mobile communication device with replaceable function modules, and more particularly to a mobile communication device capable of externally connecting a functional module by replacing the external connected device.
2. Related Art
Along with the increasing popularization of the technology, the mobile communication device with various functions emerges quickly in succession and gradually becomes an indispensable part in the modern life. Currently, for a common mobile communication device, no matter in a folded, slide, or integrally formed type, the functional modules and content programs configured therein are all fixed, and it is only possible to download different function programs to realize corresponding operations at the most.
In addition, the mobile communication device may only externally connect with a few types of devices, for example, an earphone, a Bluetooth transmitter, and a microphone, and their configured functional modules fail to enable a keyboard, a mouse, or other devices of a personal computer to be replaced at will. Moreover, when the mobile communication device in use accidentally drops to the ground, a joint portion formed by a catch structure is easily broken to cause unavailability and result in great difficulty in using.
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a mobile communication device with replaceable function modules by connecting a functional module externally through the peripherally arranged hybrid joints.
In order to solve the above problems, in an embodiment of the present invention, a mobile communication device with replaceable function modules is provided. The mobile communication device includes a main body formed by a screen, a processor, and a radio frequency (RF) input/output module. The screen and the RF input/output module are coupled to the processor. The main body further includes at least one main hybrid joint coupled to the processor. The main hybrid joint includes an electrical contact for transmitting signals and a magnetic joint with magnetic properties.
In another embodiment of the present invention, a mobile communication device with replaceable function modules is provided. The mobile communication device includes a main body and a first combining device. The main body includes a screen, a processor, an RF input/output module, and at least one main hybrid joint. The screen, the RF input/output module, and the main hybrid joint are coupled to the processor, and the main hybrid joint includes an electrical contact and a magnetic joint. The first combining device has at least one first hybrid joint. The first hybrid joint includes an electrical contact and a magnetic joint, and is magnetically joined to and electrically coupled to the main body.
In still another embodiment of the present invention, a mobile communication device with replaceable function modules is provided. The mobile communication device includes a main body, a first combining device, and a second combining device. The main body includes a screen, a processor, an RF input/output module, and at least one main hybrid joint. The screen, the RF input/output module, and the main hybrid joint are coupled to the processor, and the main hybrid joint includes an electrical contact, a magnetic joint, and a first positioning member. The first combining device includes at least one first hybrid joint. The first hybrid joint includes an electrical contact, a magnetic joint, and a second positioning member, and the first hybrid joint is magnetically joined to and electrically coupled to the main body. The second combining device includes at least one second hybrid joint. The second hybrid joint includes an electrical contact, a magnetic joint, and a third positioning member, and the second hybrid joint is magnetically joined to and electrically coupled to the main body or the first combining device.
The mobile communication device with replaceable function modules provided by the present invention may be a mobile phone or a personal digital assistant (PDA). The first combining device or the second combining device may be a press-key panel, a multimedia playing controller, a game controller, a loudspeaker, a memory expansion device, or a second electric power supply device upon actual requirements. The first combining device, the second combining device, and the main body are joined with one another by means of lap joint. Besides joined to the main body, the first combining device and the second combining device may also be magnetically joined to and electrically coupled to each other through the hybrid joints thereof by means of lap joint.
In the mobile communication device with replaceable function modules according to an embodiment of the present invention, the main body serving as the central member can be coupled to different devices upon actual requirements. When coupled to an externally connected device, the main body activates a functional module of the externally connected device for operation. Further, the main body is joined to the externally connected device through the magnetic joint and/or the positioning member. When separated by accidentally falling onto the ground, the mobile communication device can be rejoined through the magnetic joints, and thus it is unnecessary to worry about the unavailability due to the break-down of the joint portion. In addition, the main body and the externally connected devices or the externally connected devices are lap-joined to each other, so as to obtain the device capable of externally connecting working modules.
The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given herein below for illustration only, and thus are not limitative of the present invention, and wherein:
In order to have a further understanding of the content of the present invention, a detailed description is given below by embodiments with the accompanying drawings.
The screen 100 may be a touch panel. The main hybrid joint 102 includes an electrical contact 1020 and a magnetic joint 1021. The main hybrid joint 102 further includes a first positioning member 1022. The first combining device 11 has at least one first hybrid joint 110, and the first hybrid joint 110 includes an electrical contact 1100 and a magnetic joint 1101. The first hybrid joint 110 further includes a second positioning member 1102. The second positioning member 1102 is capable of being positioned relative to the first positioning member 1022 to bring about accurate electrical coupling when joined to the main body 10. The second combining device 12 has at least one second hybrid joint 120, and the second hybrid joint 120 includes an electrical contact 1200 and a magnetic joint 1201. The second hybrid joint 120 further includes a third positioning member 1202. The third positioning member 1202 is capable of being positioned relative to the first positioning member 1022 or the second positioning member 1102 to bring about accurate electrical coupling when joined to the main body 10 or the first combining device 11. The main body 10 is joined to the externally connected devices (11 and 12) through the magnetic joints (1021, 1101, and 1201) and the positioning members (1022, 1102, and 1202). The main body 10 is closely joined to the externally connected devices (11 and 12) or the externally connected devices (11 and 12) are closely joined to each other on a specific relative position through the positioning members (1022, 1102, and 1202), such that the electrical contacts (1020, 1100, and 1200) may accurately and correspondingly contact with one another. Therefore, the externally connected devices and the main body 10 may not easily be detached from one another when falling onto the ground, and even if a detachment does occur by accident due to fall-off, these devices may be joined again through the magnetic joints (1021, 1101, and 1201). Signal transmission can be performed between the main body 10 and the externally connected devices (11 and 12) or between the externally connected devices (11 and 12) through the electrical contacts (1020, 1100, and 1200).
One or more sets of hybrid joints may be disposed on the main body 10, the first combining device 11, and the second combining device 12 upon actual requirements. In an example, according to different requirements, the main body 10 is magnetically joined to and electrically coupled through the main hybrid joint 102 thereof to the first combining device 11 or the second combining device 12. In another example, the first combining device 11 and the second combining device 12 are first magnetically joined to and electrically coupled to each other through the first hybrid joint 110 and the second hybrid joint 120, and then magnetically joined to and electrically coupled to the main hybrid joint 102 of the main body 10. The main body 10 receives and transmits a control instruction to the processor to control the first combining device 11 or the second combining device 12, and the first combining device 11 or the second combining device 12 may also perform signal transmission with the main body 10 through the electrical contacts (1020, 1100, and 1200).
The communication device with replaceable function modules of the present invention may be a mobile phone or a personal digital assistant (PDA). The main body 10, the first combining device 11, and the second combining device 12 are joined by means of lap joint.
When not joined to any externally connected device, the mobile communication device with replaceable function modules of the present invention may operate through the working module of the main body 10. The main body 10 receives and transmits a control instruction to the processor to control the operation of the main body 10. For example, a number is dialed through the touch panel of the screen 100. Then, the processor 103 controls the RF input/output module 104 to emit a signal so as to make a call, or the RF input/output module 104 receives a signal encoded/decoded by the processor 103 so as to receive a call. When the main body 10 is joined to an externally connected device, the processor 103 activates the functional module of the externally connected device to make the externally connected device operate.
In view of the above, the mobile communication device with replaceable function modules of the present invention is divided into a plurality of different members, and is coupled to different devices through the peripherally arranged hybrid joints on the main body 10 thereof as the central member. One or more externally connected devices may be coupled according to actual requirements. When coupled to different devices, the main body 10 activates the functional module corresponding to the individual externally connected device. In addition, by using the magnetic joint, the mobile communication device may not be separated after falling onto the ground, thereby preventing the unavailability.
It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the structure of the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. In view of the foregoing, it is intended that the present invention cover modifications and variations of this invention provided they fall within the scope of the following claims and their equivalents.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 097113522 | Apr 2008 | TW | national |
