Portable terminal

A portable terminal is provided that has a terminal body, a receiver located in the terminal body, the receiver being oriented in a first direction, and a ground unit located in the terminal body. The ground unit includes a first ground portion connected to the receiver, and a second ground portion connected to the first ground portion at a position on the first ground portion at a distance from the receiver. The second ground portion is configured to emit electromagnetic waves in a second direction away from the first direction.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2007-0108001, filed Oct. 25, 2007, and is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a portable terminal having a ground unit that is capable of minimizing interference between electromagnetic waves generated from the portable terminal and a hearing aid.

2. Description of Related Art

Portable terminals are easily carried devices that have one or more of functions such as supporting voice calls and other telephony functions, inputting and/or outputting information, storing data and the like. As the portable terminals become multi-functional, they incorporate additional functions, such as capturing still images or moving images, playing music or video files, playing games, receiving broadcasts, and the like, thereby providing integrated multimedia devices.

Currently, users are increasingly interested in effects of the electromagnetic waves generated from the portable terminal on the human body. In particular, people who use hearing aids are increasingly interested minimizing malfunctions of the hearing aid caused by the electromagnetic waves generated from the portable terminal interfering with the operation of the hearing aid when using the portable terminal.

Accordingly, manufacturers of hearing aids and other wireless devices are required to meet the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) requirements for hearing aid compatibility (HAC) in the United States. Such requirements have also spread throughout the world. The HAC serves to authenticate and evaluate compatibility of hearing aids and portable terminals such that the hearing aids and the portable terminals may be simultaneously used without too much interference therebetween. Generally, the electromagnetic waves generated from a portable terminal are sensed and amplified by a telecoil (i.e., T-coil) of a hearing aid, and thus call sound is transmitted to the hearing aid user. The HAC specifies a method for measuring a magnetic response of the hearing aid and providing a standard value thereof.

One measuring method of the HAC, as shown inFIG. 1, measures the amount of the electromagnetic waves generated at the periphery of a receiver of the portable terminal. The portable terminal includes a first body10, and a second body20coupled to the first body10to be foldable or unfoldable therewith by pivoting the first body10with respect to the second body20.

A receiver11is provided at one end of the first body10, and a measuring region12having a size of 5(cm)×5(cm) centering on the receiver11and having a height of 1(cm) from the surface of the terminal is specified. The measuring region12is divided into nine grids total, one of which is a central grid14, the remaining eight are border grids13. Measurements of the value of electromagnetic waves emitted from each of the grids13,14are taken by an electromagnetic wave measuring probe. The values of three of the eight border grids13emitting the greatest amount of electromagnetic waves are excluded from values of the eight border grids13surrounding the central grid14. The HAC requires that the greatest value among values of the electromagnetic waves from the central grid14and the remaining five border grids13should be below a predetermined reference value.

Accordingly, various attempts have been made to design and fabricate portable terminals that meet the above requirements and reduce the amount of electromagnetic waves generated from the periphery of the receiver of the portable terminal.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, the present invention is directed to minimizing interference between a hearing aid and electromagnetic waves generated from a portable terminal by reducing the amount of electromagnetic waves generated from the periphery of a receiver of the portable terminal.

To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, there is provided a portable terminal having a terminal body, a receiver located in the terminal body, the receiver being oriented in a first direction, and a ground unit located in the terminal body. The ground unit includes a first ground portion connected to the receiver, and a second ground portion connected to the first ground portion at a position on the first ground portion at a distance from the receiver. The second ground portion is configured to emit electromagnetic waves in a second direction away from the first direction.

In accordance with other aspects of the present invention, a portable terminal having a terminal body, a receiver located in the terminal body, an antenna located in the terminal body, and a ground unit located in the terminal body, is also provided. The ground unit includes a first ground portion connected to the antenna, and a second ground portion connected to the first ground portion at a position spaced from the receiver. The second ground portion extends in a direction away from the receiver.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Description will now be given in detail of the exemplary embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 2is a front perspective view of one exemplary embodiment of the portable terminal100in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention. The portable terminal100includes a first body110, and a second body120configured to have at least one side that is folded or unfolded with respect to the first body110. A configuration where the first body110is overlapped with the second body120may be referred to as a closed configuration, and, as shown inFIG. 2, a configuration where at least one portion of the second body120is exposed by the first body110may be referred to as an open configuration. In the closed configuration, the portable terminal100may be mainly operated in a standby mode, which may be released by a user's manipulation. In the open configuration, the portable terminal may be mainly operated in a call mode, but the call mode may be converted into the standby mode by the user's manipulation or after a specified period of time without use of the portable terminal100.

A case forming an exterior of the first body110includes a front case111and a rear case112. Electronic components may be disposed in a space formed by the front case111and the rear case112. The cases may be formed of a synthetic resin by injection molding, or formed of a metallic material, such as stainless steel (STS) or titanium (Ti).

A first display portion113and a sound output unit114are disposed at the first body110, particularly, the front case111. The first display portion113visually represents information and may be implemented as a touch screen so that the user can input information in a touching manner. The sound output unit114may be a receiver or a speaker. For purposes of describing the invention, the sound output unit114will be referred to as the receiver114in the following description.

The second body120is pivotally connected to the first body110by a hinge. Similar to the first body110, a case of the second body120includes a front case121and a rear case122. First and second manipulating portions123,124are disposed at the front body120, particularly, a front surface of the front case121. The first and second manipulating portions123,124may be used to transmit commands for controlling the operation of the portable terminal100. A third manipulating portion125, a sound input unit126, and an interface127are disposed on one or the other of the front case121and the rear case122of the second body120. The first to third manipulating portions123,124,125may be referred to as a manipulating portion, which can be configured to be responsive to a user's touch for manipulation. For example, the manipulating portion may be a dome switch, a touch screen, or a touch pad by which a user can input commands or information in a pushing or touching manner. Alternatively, the manipulating portion may be implemented, for example, as a wheel, as a jog switch, or as a joystick.

Functionally, the first manipulating portion123may be configured to input commands such as start, end, scroll, or the like, and the second manipulating portion124may be configured to input numbers, letters, symbols, or the like. Also, the third manipulating portion125can be used as a hot key which performs a specific function, such as activating an image input unit115(shown inFIG. 3).

The sound input unit126may be implemented, for example, as a microphone to receive the user's voice or other sounds.

The interface127may serve as a data path which allows the portable terminal to exchange data with external devices. For example, the interface127may be used in a wired or wireless manner, and may be at least one of a connection terminal to which an earphone is connected, or a port for a local communication (e.g., infrared data (IrDA) port, BLUETOOTH port, wireless LAN port, or the like). The interface127may be a card socket for receiving an external card such as a Subscriber Identification Module (SIM), a User Identity Module (UIM) or a memory card for storing information, or the like. The interface may also be used as a connection terminal to receive power from a power supply terminal.

A power supply portion128is provided at the rear case122to supply power to the portable terminal. For example, the power supply portion128may be a rechargeable battery, which may be detachably coupled to the portable terminal for charging.

FIG. 3is a rear perspective view of the portable terminal100. The image input unit115and a second display portion116are located at the rear case112of the first body110. The image input unit115may be a camera module for capturing still images or moving images. The image input unit115may be located at the first body110or may be rotatably mounted at the hinge portion connecting the first body110to the second body120.

Similar to the first display portion113, the second display portion116operates to visually represent information and may serve as an auxiliary display for the first display portion113. For example, the second display portion116may display a phone number of the other party when receiving a phone call in a standby mode, or display a received message. Additionally, image information inputted through the image input unit115may be outputted through the second display portion116when the user photographs his/her own image.

A second sound output unit129is located at the rear case122of the second body120. In conjunction with the first sound output unit1114(Shown inFIG. 1), the second sound output unit129, may provide a stereo function. The second sound output unit129may also be used for communication in a speaker phone mode.

The rear case122includes an antenna130for receiving broadcast signals in addition to an antenna131(Shown inFIG. 4) for radio communication. While not shown, the antenna130may be installed to be extendable from the second body120.

FIG. 4is a schematic view of a ground unit140of the portable terminal in accordance with a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention. As shown in this figure, arrows indicate electromagnetic waves emitted from the terminal body, and the length of each arrow is representative of the amount of the electromagnetic waves being generated at that location. The receiver114is disposed at one end of the first body110, particularly a portion that comes into contact with a user's ear. An antenna131for transmitting/receiving radio (wireless) signals is disposed at the second body120, so that the portable terminal100can perform a radio communication. In this exemplary embodiment, the antenna is provided at one end of the portable terminal100opposite the receiver114. The ground unit140is electrically connected to the antenna131and is located at the first and second bodies110,120.

The ground unit140includes a first ground portion141and a second ground portion142that extends from the first ground portion141. The first ground portion141is electrically connected to the antenna131, and thus emits electromagnetic waves to an outside of the portable terminal100together with the antenna131as the antenna131transmits/receives the signals to/from the outside of the portable terminal100. The second ground portion142serves to induce a certain amount of electromagnetic waves emitted at a periphery of the receiver114to be emitted in a direction different from that of the receiver114. For this purpose, the second ground portion142is connected to the first ground portion141at a position spaced from the receiver114by a certain distance d, (hereinafter, referred to as a ‘diverged point143’) and then extends in a direction that is different from that of the receiver114.

In this exemplary embodiment, the second ground portion142includes an emitting portion144formed at the surface of the first body110, for emitting electromagnetic waves, and a ground connecting portion145extending between the diverged point143in the direction different from that of the receiver114to the emitting portion144. The emitting portion144extends in the direction opposite to that of the receiver114so as to have an emitting region where the electromagnetic waves are emitted at a position distant from the receiver114. Preferably, the second ground portion142is configured to have the emitting portion144generating the amount of electromagnetic waves to be greater than that of electromagnetic waves generated at the periphery of the receiver114. In addition, the first ground portion141may be configured to minimize a current flowing from the diverged point143to the receiver114so that the amount of the electromagnetic waves generated at the periphery of the receiver114can be reduced.

Operation of the present invention will be described based on the above embodiment. Electromagnetic waves are emitted from the portable terminal100when the antenna131of the portable terminal100transmits/receives the signal while performing a radio communication function. The largest amount of electromagnetic waves are generated at the periphery of the antenna131in the portable terminal, but the electromagnetic waves may be generated at the ground unit140electrically connected to the antenna131. Particularly, an end portion of the ground unit140facing the antenna131of the terminal body may emit large amounts of electromagnetic waves. If the second ground portion142were not provided, large amounts of electromagnetic waves could also be generated at the periphery of the receiver114, which would cause interference with a user's hearing aid. However, in this exemplary embodiment, the second ground portion142extends from the diverged point143of the first ground portion141in the direction different from that of the receiver114and the current flowing from the diverged point143to the receiver114is minimized. Accordingly, the amount of electromagnetic waves generated at the periphery of the receiver114can be reduced.

Hereafter, an embodiment of the ground unit140will be described with reference toFIG. 5, which is a partial exploded perspective view of the second body120of the portable terminal100. A circuitry supporting substrate135, such as a printed circuit board, is mounted in the inner space between the front case121and the rear case122of the second body120. The circuitry supporting substrate135is provided with electronic components for operating various functions of the portable terminal100, for example, switches136that are pressable by the first and second manipulating portions123,124to input information. The antenna131may be mounted at one end of the circuitry supporting substrate135.

The antenna131includes an emitting body132formed of a conductive material and a carrier133supporting the emitting body132thereon. The carrier may include a feeding portion supplying the signals received by the emitting body132to the circuitry supporting substrate135by connecting the emitting body132to the circuitry supporting substrate135. The antenna131is mounted at an end portion of the second body120facing the hinge of the second body120so as to minimize interference between the antenna131and other electronic components on the circuitry supporting substrate135and to reduce an overall thickness of the second body120.

The first ground portion141(Shown inFIG. 4) may be formed to cover a partial region of the second body120or the entire second body120, and is electrically connected to the antenna131. The first ground portion141may be a metallic pattern formed at the inside or the surface of the circuitry supporting substrate135, a metallic structure attached to the front case121or the rear case122, an EMI (Electromagnetic Interference) barrier material coated on the front case121or the rear case122, or the like.

FIG. 6is an exploded rear perspective view of the first body110of the portable terminal100. The circuitry supporting substrate117is located between the front case111and the rear case112of the first body110. A liquid crystal display (LCD) module, an organic light emitting diodes (OLED) module, or the like can be located on the front surface of the circuitry supporting substrate117to provide a second display portion116. An installation hole118for installing the second display portion116is formed at the rear case112, and the second ground portion142is located at the lower side of the installation hole118. The receiver114(Shown inFIG. 4) is located at one end of the rear surface of the circuitry supporting substrate117.

As described above, the second ground portion142includes the emitting portion144and the ground connecting portion145. In this exemplary embodiment, the emitting portion144may be formed of a conductive material at a certain region on the rear case112and extends in a direction different from that of the receiver114. The emitting portion144may be configured to have a relatively large area in the rear case112by being implemented as a metallic thin film, an EMI barrier material, or the like that is formed of the conductive material. The ground connecting portion145may extend in a direction toward the rear surface of the rear case112from a region of the emitting portion144so as to be connected to the circuitry supporting substrate117.

A connector134is mounted at the lower portion of the second display portion116on the circuitry supporting substrate117, and a flexible circuitry supporting substrate139, such as a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB), electrically connects the first body110and the second body120to the connector134. In this exemplary embodiment, the flexible circuitry supporting substrate139is connected to the circuitry supporting substrate135(Shown inFIG. 5) located in the second body120through a hinge connecting unit137. The connector134may be configured to minimize the current flowing toward the receiver114.

A ground contact portion146may be provided at the connector134, and the ground connecting portion145may contact the ground contact portion164such that the emitting portion144of the second ground portion142is electrically connected to the first ground portion141(Shown inFIG. 4). In this exemplary embodiment, the ground contact portion146performs the same function as that of the diverged point143described above.

The first ground portion141may be a conductive material formed as a metallic pattern at the inside of or on the surface of the circuitry supporting substrate117, a metallic structure attached to the front case111, a EMI (Electromagnetic Interference) barrier material coated on the front case111, or the like. Preferably, the structure formed by the conductive material disposed at the region for the receiver114and the region of the periphery of the receiver114is minimized.

As described above, because the second ground portion142is formed opposite to a side of the portable terminal100that contacts a user's face, the electromagnetic waves may be directed away from the user's face.

A cover151is additionally mounted on a front surface of the rear case112to cover the rear case112and the second ground portion142. A transparent window152is formed at the cover151so that information displayed on the second display portion116can be seen through the cover151.

FIG. 7is a front perspective view showing a portable terminal200in accordance with a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention, andFIG. 8is an exploded rear perspective view of the portable terminal200. The portable terminal200of this exemplary embodiment includes a terminal body210forming an exterior of the terminal200. The terminal body210includes a front case211and a rear case212. A receiver213is located at one end of the front case211. The front case211also includes a display portion214, a first image input unit216, and a first manipulating portion217mounted at the front case211. A second manipulating portion218, a sound input unit215, an interface219, and a power supply unit220are mounted at least one of the front case211and the rear case212. A circuitry supporting substrate230is located between the front case211and the rear case212. An antenna231may be mounted at one end of the circuitry supporting substrate230.

The rear case212includes a second image input unit221. The second image input unit221is oriented substantially opposite to that of the first image input Unit216, and may be a camera having different number of pixels from the number of pixels of the first image input unit216. For example, the first image input unit216may have a low number of pixels so that the user can photograph himself/herself to transmit to another party, and the second image input unit221may have a high number of pixels for capturing images or video that is not intended to be transmitted during a call. A flash211and a mirror223are disposed adjacent to the second image input unit221. When photographing the subject by using the second image input unit221, the flash222directs light onto the subject. When the user photographs himself/herself by using the second image input unit221, the mirror portion223can be used for the user to look at himself/herself therein.

A ground unit of this exemplary embodiment is similar to that of the ground unit140of the first embodiment, and, in particular, a second ground portion242is formed at the rear case212of the terminal body210. The second ground portion242includes an emitting portion244for emitting electromagnetic waves out of the terminal body210, and a ground connecting portion245electrically connecting the emitting portion244to a first ground portion (not shown). The emitting portion244may be disposed at the rear case212or at an upper portion of the power supply unit220. The emitting portion244extends in a direction opposite to that of the receiver213. The ground connecting portion245extends from one region of the emitting portion244so as to contact the circuitry supporting substrate230. A ground contact portion246is formed at the surface of the circuitry supporting substrate facing the rear case212, and the ground connecting portion245contacts the ground connecting portion245. A cover251is provided on the rear case212to cover the emitting portion244. The operation of ground unit in accordance with this embodiment is similar to that of the previous embodiment, and thus will be omitted.

In the above description, the present invention is described based on a folder-type and a bar-type portable terminal, but it is not limited thereto. The portable terminal according to the present invention may be applied to various types of portable terminals such as a slide-type p, a swivel-type, a swing-type portable terminal, and the like.

As described above, the portable terminal in accordance with the present invention is provided with the second ground portion connected to the first ground portion at a position spaced from the receiver by a certain distance and thus extends in a direction different from that of the receiver. As a result, the amount of the electromagnetic waves generated from the periphery of the receiver can be reduced, thereby minimizing interference between the hearing aid and the electromagnetic waves generated from the portable terminal.

Further, the portable terminal in accordance with the present invention may be provided with the second ground portion formed at the rear case of the first body and extended in the direction opposite to that of the receiver. As a result, the emitting region of the electromagnetic waves can be formed at a region which is as far as possible from the hearing aid.