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Mobile Phone Patent Abstract
A flip type or folder type mobile phone for wireless communication
with a base station, which includes a movable part so as to define
an open or closed position and an opening/closing sensor for generating
an open or close signal according to the open or closed position,
the opening/closing sensor being enabled or disabled by an enable
or disable signal, whereby the mobile phone terminates a communication
channel according to said open or close signal. A communication
method is also disclosed and includes the steps of establishing
a communication channel between the mobile phone and the base station;
and generating a disable signal during data communication to disable
the opening/closing sensor from generating the close signal thereby
maintaining the communication channel.
Mobile Phone Patent Claims
What is claimed is:
1. In a mobile phone for wireless communication, said mobile phone
including a movable part so as to define an open or closed position,
and an opening/closing sensor for generating an open or close signal
according to said open or closed position, said opening/closing
sensor being enabled or disabled by an enable or disable signal,
such that said mobile phone terminates a communication channel upon
detection of said close signal, a communication method comprising
the steps of: determining if said communication comprises data communication;
and generating said disable signal during said data communication
to disable said opening/closing sensor to prevent said sensor from
generating said close signal, thereby maintaining said communication
channel.
2. The communication method as defined in claim 1, including a
further step of generating an alarm message when said data communication
is completed.
3. The communication method as defined in claim 1, including a
further step of terminating said communication channel when input
of key data is not detected within a given time after completing
said data communication.
4. The communication method of claim 1, further comprising the
step of generating said enable signal during a voice communication,
to enable said opening/closing sensor to generate said close signal,
thereby terminating said communication channel depending on the
open or close signal.
5. In a mobile phone for wireless communication, said mobile phone
including a movable part so as to define an open or closed position,
and an opening/closing sensor for generating an open or close signal
according to said open or closed position, a communication method
comprising the step of: maintaining a communication channel during
a data communication when said close signal is generated; and terminating
said communication channel when said close signal is generated during
a voice communication.
6. The communication method as defined in claim 5, including a
further step of terminating said communication channel when said
open and close signals are repeatedly generated or when an end key
data is inputted.
7. The communication method as defined in claim 5, including a
further step of generating an alarm message when said data communication
is completed.
8. The communication method as defined in claim 7, including a
further step of terminating said communication channel when said
open and close signals are repeatedly generated or an end key data
is inputted after generating said alarm message.
9. A communication method as defined in claim 5, including a further
step of terminating said communication channel when a positional
change data corresponding to the position of the movable part of
the mobile phone or a key data are not inputted within a given time
after completion of said data communication.
10. A mobile phone comprising: a movable part capable of being
positioned so as for the mobile phone to be in an open or close
position; a sensor for generating an open or close signal according
to the open or close position, whereby a communication channel is
terminated depending upon the open or close signal; and a controller
for determining whether an established communication represents
a data communication, the controller generating a disable signal
during the data communication to disable the sensor from generating
said close signal, thereby maintaining said communication channel.
11. The mobile phone of claim 10, wherein the controller generates
an enable signal during a voice communication, thereby terminating
the communication channel upon detection of the close signal.
12. The mobile phone of claim 10, wherein the controller further
generates an alarm message upon completion of the data communication.
13. The mobile phone of claim 10, wherein the controller terminates
the communication channel when a key data is not detected within
a given time after completion of the data communication.
14. A flip type or folder type mobile phone comprising: a movable
part capable of being positioned so as for the mobile phone to be
in an open or close position; a sensor for generating an open or
close signal according to the open or close position of the movable
part of the mobile phone; and a controller for determining whether
an established communication represents a data communication and
for maintaining a communication channel during the data communication
regardless of the open or close position of said movable part; wherein
the controller terminates the communication channel during a voice
communication upon detection of the close signal.
15. The mobile phone of claim 14, wherein the controller terminates
the communication channel when the open or close signals are repeatedly
generated or when an end key data is inputted.
16. The mobile phone of claim 14, wherein the controller generates
an alarm message upon completion of the data communication.
17. The mobile phone of claim 14, wherein the controller terminates
the communication channel when a key data or a positional change
data corresponding to the position of the movable part of the mobile
phone is not inputted within a given time after completion of the
data communication.
Mobile Phone Patent Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of operating a flip or
folder type mobile phone, and more particularly, a method of maintaining
or terminating data communication performed in such a mobile phone.
2. Description of the Related Art
A flip-up or flip-down type mobile phone has a flip cover plate
which, when performing communication, is opened by being flipped
up or down from the main body of the phone. A folder type mobile
phone comprises two foldable bodies, both containing electronic
circuits, one of which holds a main body of the phone while the
other holds a speaker or an LCD (liquid crystal display). Thus,
both flip type and folder type mobile phones comprise two parts
hinged together, one of which may be rotated along the hinge for
the mobile phone to assume an open or closed position. Hereinafter,
the term "flip type" will be used to also include "folder
type".
The open or closed position (operational state) of such a flip
type mobile phone can be detected by using various means, for example,
a member moveable with the flip as in U.S. Pat. No. 5,185,790, variation
of an electromagnetic field as in U.S. Pat. No. 5,493,690, and an
optical sensor as in Korean Patent No. 97-78127. When the flip type
mobile phone is opened in response to a call signal, a communication
channel is established. When the flip is returned to the closed
position after completing the call, the communication channel is
terminated.
As communication technology develops, mobile phones are being provided
with additional functions such as facsimile, electronic mail, video,
data communications, etc. However, conventional mobile phones do
not properly accommodate such additional functions. For example,
when the flip of a conventional mobile phone is closed during data
communication such as file transfer, the data communication is terminated,
despite there being no need for the flip of the mobile phone to
be kept open during such data communication. In fact, by having
to keep the flip of the mobile phone open during data communication,
the portability of the mobile phone is reduced. Furthermore, if
the flip of the conventional mobile phone is inadvertently closed
before completing data communication, the communication channel
is cut off, thereby leading to an additional fee as the data communication
needs to be repeated from the beginning, once the channel is re-established.
Therefore, allowing the flip of the mobile phone to be closed during
data communication would be desirable.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a mobile phone
for and a method of maintaining data communication performed in
a flip type mobile phone regardless of whether the flip is opened
or closed.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a mobile
phone for and a method of automatically terminating a communication
channel if no change is detected in the operational state of the
mobile phone within a given time after completing data communication.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide
a mobile phone for and a method of informing a user of a mobile
phone that data communication is completed.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide
a mobile phone for and a method of terminating the communication
channel if the mobile phone is repeatedly opened and closed.
One embodiment of the present invention sets out a mobile phone
which includes a movable part capable of being positioned in an
open or closed position; a sensor for generating an open or close
signal according to the open or closed position, whereby a communication
channel is terminated depending on the open or close signal; and
a controller for determining whether an established communication
represents data communication and for generating a signal for enabling
or disabling the sensor from generating the open or close signal,
the controller generating the disable signal during data communication
to disable the sensor, thereby maintaining the communication channel
regardless of the open or close signal.
Another embodiment of the present invention sets out a mobile phone
which includes a movable part capable of being positioned so as
for the mobile phone to be in an open or close position; a sensor
for generating an open or close signal according to the open or
close position; and a controller for determining whether an established
communication represents a data communication and for maintaining
the communication channel during the data communication regardless
of the open or close signal.
The present invention further sets out a communication method comprising
the steps of establishing a communication channel between a mobile
phone and a base station, and generating a disable signal during
data communication to disable an opening/closing sensor from generating
a close signal, thereby maintaining said communication channel.
An additional embodiment of the present invention sets out a method
for wireless communication between a base station and a flip or
folder type mobile phone, in which the mobile phone includes two
parts connected by a hinge mechanism so as to assume an open or
closed position, an opening/closing sensor for generating an open
or close signal according to the open or closed position, the opening/closing
sensor being enabled or disabled by an enable or disable signal,
whereby the flip or folder type mobile phone establishes or terminates
a communication channel according to the open or close signal, the
method comprising the steps of establishing a communication channel
between the base station and the flip or folder type mobile phone,
and generating the disable signal so as to maintain the communication
channel during data communication even when the flip is closed,
while generating the enable signal so as to terminate the communication
channel during voice communication when the flip is closed.
Yet a further embodiment of the present invention sets out a method
for wireless communication between a base station and a flip or
folder type mobile phone, in which the mobile phone includes two
parts connected by a hinge mechanism so as to assume an open or
closed position, an opening/closing sensor for generating an open
or close signal according to the open or closed position, the opening/closing
sensor being enabled or disabled by an enable or disable signal,
whereby the flip or folder type mobile phone establishes or terminates
a communication channel according to the open or close signal, the
method comprising the steps of establishing a communication channel
between the base station and the flip or folder type mobile phone,
and maintaining the communication channel during data communication
even when the close signal is generated, while terminating the communication
channel during voice communication when the close signal is generated.
The present invention will now be described more specifically with
reference to the drawings attached by way of example only.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 illustrates perspective views of varieties of flip type
mobile phones;
FIG. 2 is a block diagram for illustrating the structure of a flip
type mobile phone according to the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a flow chart for illustrating the process of maintaining
or terminating a communication channel during data communication
according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 4 is a flow chart for illustrating the process of maintaining
or terminating the communication channel during data communication
according to another embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 5 is a flow chart for illustrating the process of maintaining
or terminating the communication channel during data communication
according to still another embodiment of the present invention;
and
FIG. 6 is a flow chart for illustrating the process of maintaining
or terminating the communication channel in data communication according
to a further embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to FIG. 1, three types of a flip type mobile phone are
shown. A folder type, shown at the right of the drawing, comprises
a first part with a speaker and a second part with a key pad and
display, which are hinged together so to be capable of being folded
together. A flip-down type, shown in the center of the drawing,
has a flip cover which turns downward to open the mobile phone.
A flip-up type, shown at the left of the drawing, has a flip cover
which turns upward to open the mobile phone. Flip type mobile phones
may therefore be placed in an open or closed position, and open
or close signals may be generated to establish or terminate a communication
channel. As mentioned, the term "flip type" will also
be used to include "folder type".
Referring to FIG. 2, a controller 100 which controls the functions
of the flip type mobile phone is shown. A memory device 130 includes
a ROM for storing an operating program, an electrically erasable
and programmable read only memory (EEPROM), and a RAM. A display
120 such as a liquid crystal display (LCD) displays an operational
state of the mobile phone and a procedural state of the operating
program. A key input part 110 includes a plurality of alphanumeric
keys and various functional keys to input key data to the controller
100. A radio frequency (RF) part 150 transmits and receives data
to and from a base station through an antenna. A signal processor
140 modulates a sound signal input through a microphone into sound
data, and demodulates sound data received from the RF part into
a sound signal outputted through a speaker. An opening/closing sensor
160 senses an operational position (open or closed position) of
the flip of the mobile phone to generate an open or close signal.
The opening/closing sensor 160 is disabled or enabled by a control
signal ("DISABLE" or "ENABLE") of the controller
100. The sensor may be mechanical as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,185,790,
electromagnetic as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,493,690, optical as
shown in Korean Patent No. 97-78127, or of yet an alternative type.
Describing the process of controlling the establishment or termination
of the communication channel in data communication with reference
to FIG. 3, the controller 100 proceeds to step 310 to determine
whether the flip is opened, if a call signal is detected in step
300. When the controller 100 detects in step 310 an open signal
from the opening/closing sensor 160 or a key signal from the key
input part 110 to accept a call signal, the process goes to step
320 to establish the communication channel between the mobile phone
and the base station. Subsequently, when a close signal of the opening/closing
sensor 160 is detected in step 330, the process goes to step 340;
otherwise, if a close signal is not detected in step 330, the process
goes to step 360. If the flip is closed (i.e., a close signal is
detected), the controller 100 determines in step 340 whether the
established communication represents data communication. This is
achieved by call information predetermined during initialization
for establishing the communication channel between the phone and
the base station. Table 1 shows the call information of a CDMA mobile
phone. Hereinafter, communication not representing data communication
shall be called voice communication.
TABLE 1 VOICE CAI_SO_VOICE_IS96A COMMUNICATION CAI_SO_VOICE13K
CAI_SO_VOICE_IS96 .cndot. .cndot. .cndot. DATA CAI_SO_ASYNC_DATA
COMMUNICATION CAI_SO_FAX_DATA CAI_SO_PACKET_DATA .cndot. .cndot.
.cndot.
If the controller determines from Table 1 that the established
communication represents data communication, the process goes to
step 350 to detect whether the flip is opened and closed repeatedly.
When the flip is repeatedly opened and closed, the communication
channel is terminated in step 370. Otherwise, the process goes to
step 360 to detect whether the data communication is completed.
Upon detecting that the data communication is completed, the process
goes to step 380 to generate an alarm message so as to inform a
user of the completion of the data communication; otherwise, the
process returns to step 320. The alarm message may be a statement
such as "Data transfer completed! Terminate? Y/N", displayed
on the display 120. Alternatively, the user may be notified of the
alarm message by ringing or synthesized voices broadcast through
the speaker.
Another embodiment of the invention is depicted in FIG. 4. When
the controller 100 detects a call signal in step 400, the process
in step 401 attempts to detect a signal for establishing the communication
channel; otherwise, the process returns to step 400. The signal
for establishing the communication channel may be the open signal
of the opening/closing sensor 160 or a key signal inputted through
the key input part 110. Generally, if the flip cover is opened,
then the communication channel is to be established. Thus, if the
signal for establishing the communication channel is detected in
step 401, the process goes to step 410 to establish communication.
Subsequently, if the established communication is not found to be
data communication in step 420, the process goes to step 421. If
the controller 100 detects termination data in step 421, such as
the close signal of the opening/closing sensor 160 or end key data
inputted through the key input part 110, the process goes to step
490 to terminate the communication channel; if the termination data
is not detected, the process returns to step 410.
If in step 420 the established communication is found to be data
communication, the process goes to step 430. Even if the controller
100 detects in step 430 the close signal of the opening/closing
sensor 160, the process goes to step 440 to maintain the communication
channel for the data communication; otherwise, the process goes
to step 431 to attempt to detect an end key signal from the key
input part 110. If the end key signal is detected, the process goes
to step 490 and the communication channel is terminated.
After maintaining the communication channel in step 440, the process
proceeds to step 450. In step 450, the controller 100 checks whether
the data communication is completed. If it is completed, the process
goes to step 460 to generate the alarm message displayed on the
display 120, and then moves on to step 470. The message generated
in step 460 may be a statement such as "Data transfer completed!
Terminate? Y/N". Alternatively, the user may be notified of
the alarm message by ringing or by synthesized voices broadcast
through the speaker. If data communication is not complete, the
process proceeds to step 451, where the controller 100 determines
if the open/close signal of the opening/closing sensor 160 is detected
at a given number of times in a given time period; for example,
three times or more in three seconds. If so, the process goes to
step 490, and the communication is terminated; otherwise, the process
goes to step 452, to determine if the end key of the key input part
110 is turned on. If so, the process goes to step 490; otherwise,
the process returns to step 450.
Returning to step 470, if the controller 100 detects in step 470
key data from the key input part 110 or data from the opening/closing
sensor 160 representing positional change of the flip ("positional
change data"), the process goes to step 480; otherwise, the
process goes to step 471. In step 471, if the controller 100 does
not detect any key input or the positional change data in a given
time after completing the data communication, the process goes to
step 490, and terminates the communication channel; otherwise, the
process returns to step 470. In step 480, the controller 100 checks
whether end data has been input, either by the end key or by repeated
signals of opening/closing sensor 160. If the end data is detected
in step 480, the process goes to step 490 and the communication
is terminated; otherwise, the process goes to step 481 to perform
the corresponding function.
Summarizing the description of the embodiments as shown in FIGS.
3 and 4, the communication channel is maintained during data communication
even when the mobile phone is closed and the close signal is generated
by the opening/closing sensor 160. When the data communication is
completed, the alarm message is generated, and then, in FIG. 4,
the communication channel is cut off if no key data or positional
change data is generated after the lapse of a given time. When the
close/open signals are repeatedly generated a given number of times
in a given time during data communication, the communication channel
is cut off as if the end key had been input.
Describing the process of maintaining or terminating the communication
channel during data communication in connection with an additional
embodiment shown in FIG. 5, if a call signal is detected in step
500 the controller 100 proceeds to step 510 to determine whether
the flip is opened. If the controller 100 detects in step 510 the
open signal from the opening/closing sensor 160 or detects in step
511 a key signal from the key input part 110 for accepting the call
signal, the process goes to step 520 to establish the communication
channel between the phone and the base station. Subsequently, if
the controller 100 finds in step 530 that the established communication
represents data communication, the process goes to step 540 to generate
a disable signal to disable the opening/closing sensor 160; otherwise,
the process goes to step 570 to generate an enable signal to enable
the opening/closing sensor 160. If the controller 100 detects in
step 550 the end of the data communication, the process goes to
step 560 to generate an alarm message, otherwise, the process returns
to step 520. In step 560, the user is notified of the alarm message
as described in connection with FIG. 3. If the opening/closing sensor
detects in step 580 that the flip is closed, the process goes to
step 590 to terminate the non-data communication; otherwise, the
process returns to step 520.
A further embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 6. When
the controller 100 detects a call signal in step 600, the process
goes to step 601 to establish a communication channel. The signal
demanding the establishment of the communication channel may be
the open signal of the opening/closing sensor 160 or a communication
key signal inputted through the key input part 110. If the communication
channel is established in step 601, the process goes to step 610
to establish communication. Subsequently, if the established communication
is found to be data communication in step 620, the process goes
to step 630 to generate the disable signal to disable the opening/closing
sensor 160; otherwise, the process goes to step 621 to generate
the enable signal to enable the opening/closing sensor 160.
In step 640, the controller 100 checks whether the data communication
is completed. Completion of data communication is indicated by the
termination of information transfer between the phone and a base
station. Here, the word "information" means substantial
data excluding data for connecting and maintaining the call between
the phone and the base station. If the data communication is completed,
the process goes to step 650 to generate an alarm message displayed
on the display 120; otherwise, the process proceeds to step 641.
The message may be a statement such as "Data transfer completed!
Terminate? Y/N". Alternatively, the user may be notified of
the alarm message by ringing or by synthesized voices broadcast
through a speaker. If the controller 100 detects in step 641 that
the end key is inputted, the process goes to step 680 to terminate
the communication channel; otherwise, the process returns to step
640.
Subsequent to the generation of the alarm message in step 650,
if the controller 100 detects in step 660 the key data input from
the key input part 110, the process goes to step 670; otherwise,
the process goes to step 661. In step 670, if the end key is detected,
the process goes to step 680 to terminate the communication channel.
If the end key is not detected in step 670, a function corresponding
to the key data is performed in step 675. In step 661, if the controller
100 does not detect any key input in a given time after completing
the data communication, the process goes to step 680, and terminates
the communication channel; otherwise, the process returns to step
660.
Returning to step 620, if in step 620 the established communication
is found not to be data communication, then the enable signal is
generated in step 621, and the process goes to step 622. If the
controller detects the end data in step 622, the process goes to
step 680 to terminate the communication channel; otherwise, the
process returns to step 610. In this context, the end data means
the end key data inputted through the key input part 110 or the
close signal generated by the opening/closing sensor.
Summarizing the description of the embodiments shown in FIGS. 5
and 6, the communication channel is maintained during data communication
even when the mobile phone is closed, as the opening/closing sensor
160 is disabled during the data communication. When the data communication
is completed, the alarm message is generated. Finally, in FIG. 6,
if the end key is inputted, or no key data is generated in a given
time, the communication channel is terminated.
While the present invention has been described with specific embodiments
shown in the attached drawings, it will be appreciated by those
skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be
made thereto without departing from the scope and spirit of the
present invention.
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