Handheld electronic device with positioning function

Disclosed is a handheld electronic device with positioning function that includes a device body that contains a transceiver circuit module, a positioning element, and a counterpart positioning element that corresponds to the positioning element in order to effect mutual positioning with respect to each other. The positioning element and the counterpart positioning element are both mounted to one side of the device body. Through rotating or putting up-side down one of two handheld electronic devices, the two handheld electronic devices can be positioned with respect to each other through the positioning elements and the counterpart positioning elements so as to have the transceiver circuit modules of the two handheld electronic devices precisely aligning with each other.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a handheld electronic device, and in particular to a handheld electronic device with positioning function that allows transceiver circuit modules of two handheld electronic devices to precisely correspond to each other in order to facilitate bidirectional wireless charging and wireless discharging.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Charging of a battery contained in a handheld electronic device has been evolved from wired charging to unidirectional wireless charging, and even bidirectional wireless charging, which means both wireless charging and wireless discharging can be done.

Bidirectional wireless charging employs a transceiver circuit module to effect wireless transmission and wireless reception in order to allow electrical power of a first handheld electronic device to be transmitted to and stored in a second handheld electronic device, or oppositely, to allow the electrical power of the second handheld electronic device to be transmitted to and stored in the first handheld electronic device.

Such bidirectional wireless charging is convenient, but there is always loss of electrical power in the process of wireless transmission and reception. To provide the maximum efficiency of wireless charging/discharging, proper alignment between two transceiver circuits is very critical.

A conventional positioning structure that is used for unidirectional wireless charging comprises a magnetic attraction body mounted to a charger and having the positive pole facing outward and a magnetic attraction body mounted to a handheld electronic device with the negative pole facing outward. To proceed with charging, the positive pole of the magnetic attraction body of the charger is positioned close to the negative pole of the magnetic attraction body of the handheld electronic device to allow positioning to be done by the positive pole of the magnetic attraction body attracting the negative pole of the magnetic attraction body together.

However, such a positioning structure for unidirectional wireless charging is not applicable to bidirectional wireless charging/discharging. For example, the positive pole of the magnetic attraction body of the charger can attract and attach to the negative pole of the magnetic attraction body of a first handheld electronic device for wireless charging, but if the already-charged first handheld electronic device is to wirelessly charge a second handheld electronic device, due to the repulsion induced between poles of identical polarity, the negative pole of the magnetic attraction body of the first handheld electronic device is expelled from attach to the negative pole of the magnetic attraction body of the second handheld electronic device, leading to improper positioning and thus poor charging efficiency due to improper positioning.

Thus, the challenge that the present invention intends to overcome is to provide a handheld electronic device that has a positioning function and the positioning function is applicable to bidirectional wireless charging/discharging.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide a handheld electronic device with positioning function, which employs an arrangement of a positioning element and a counterpart positioning element in combination with a transceiver circuit module to allow two handheld electronic devices to be positionable with respect to each other via the positioning elements and the counterpart positioning elements thereby by simply rotating or putting up-side down one of the two handheld electronic devices thereby having the transceiver circuit modules of the two handheld electronic devices precisely aligned with each other to minimize power loss incurring in the process of wireless transmission and wireless reception and thus satisfying the need for bidirectional wireless charging and discharging.

To achieve the above object, the present invention provides a handheld electronic device with positioning function, which comprises a device body, a bidirectional wireless charging/discharging unit, at least one positioning element, and at least one counterpart positioning element. The bidirectional wireless charging/discharging unit is arranged inside the device body and comprises a transceiver circuit module. The positioning element is mounted to one side the device body in such a way that the positioning element and the transceiver circuit module are spaced from each other by a spacing distance. The counterpart positioning element is also mounted to the side of the device body and the counterpart positioning element corresponds to the positioning element so as to be positionable with respect to each other. The location where the counterpart positioning element is set on the side corresponds to the location where the positioning element is set.

As such, two handheld electronic devices are positionable with respect to each other via the positioning elements and the counterpart positioning elements thereof to have the transceiver circuit modules of the two handheld electronic devices precisely aligned with each other.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention provides a handheld electronic device with positioning function, which allows transceiver circuit modules of two handheld electronic devices to be set in precise alignment through positioning in order to facilitate bidirectional wireless charging or discharging. Shown inFIGS. 1-4is a first embodiment according to the present invention and shown inFIGS. 5,6,7, and9are respectively second, third, fourth, and fifth embodiments according to the present invention. It is noted that bidirectional wireless charging/discharging unit2is omitted fromFIGS. 3 and 5.

First Embodiment

Referring toFIGS. 1-4, which show a first embodiment according to the present invention, the first embodiment of the present invention comprises a device body1, a bidirectional wireless charging/discharging unit2, a positioning element3, and a counterpart positioning element4. The bidirectional wireless charging/discharging unit2is arranged inside the device body1and the bidirectional wireless charging/discharging unit2comprises a transceiver circuit module21for wireless transmission and wireless reception. The positioning element3can be mounted to any side of the device body1(such as a front face12(reference being shown inFIG. 3), a back face11, and lateral sides15) and is, as shown in the drawings, illustratively mounted to the back face11. The transceiver circuit module21is also located close to the back face11, and a spacing distance is set between the positioning element3and the transceiver circuit module21. The counterpart positioning element4is set to correspond to the positioning element3and they are positionable with respect to each other. The counterpart positioning element4is also mounted to the back face11of the device body1. The location where the counterpart positioning element4is mounted to the back face11is corresponding to the location where the positioning element3is mounted so that the transceiver circuit module21is located at a center position between the positioning element3and the counterpart positioning element4.

The back face11of the device body1forms two cavities111,112in which the positioning element3and the counterpart positioning element4are respectively embedded. The positioning element3can be a magnetic attraction body having a positive pole facing outward and the counterpart positioning element4corresponding to the positioning element can be a magnetic attraction body having a negative pole facing outward, so that the positioning element3and the counterpart positioning element4are magnetically attractable to each other. This is because opposite magnetic polarities attract each other while identical magnetic polarities expel each other.

With the above components properly assembled, two handheld electronic devices are positionable with respect to each other by means of the positioning element3and the counterpart positioning element4so that the transceiver circuit modules21of the two handheld electronic devices can precisely correspond to each other, thereby minimizing power loss during the process of wireless transmission and wireless reception. In other words, as shown inFIGS. 2,3, and4, to proceed with charging and discharging between two handheld electronic devices, the first handheld electronic device100is held normally in such a way that a top13thereof faces upward and the second handheld electronic device200is held up-side down so that a bottom thereof face upward. Under this condition, the positioning element3and the counterpart positioning element4of the first handheld electronic device100exactly and respectively correspond to the counterpart positioning element4and the positioning element3of and the second handheld electronic device200, whereby the positioning elements3(the positive poles of magnetic attraction bodies) of two devices are respectively attracted by the counterpart positioning elements4(the negative poles of magnetic attraction bodies) to effect positioning by which the two transceiver circuit modules21can be precisely aligned with each other.FIG. 3is a schematic planar view showing the second handheld electronic device200which is located on the top with the front face12facing upward (but up-side down) overlappingly stacked on the first handheld electronic device100which is located on the bottom with the back face11facing upward.

Second Embodiment

Referring toFIG. 5, a handheld electronic device with positioning function according to the second embodiment of the present invention is similar to the first embodiment but, as compared to the first embodiment, the second embodiment additionally comprises a second positioning element3A and a second counterpart positioning element4A. The second positioning element3A is identical to the positioning element3that has been described above. The second counterpart positioning element4A is identical to the counterpart positioning element4that has been described above.

As shown, the second positioning element3A and the second counterpart positioning element4A are mounted to the back face11of the device body1, and a second spacing distance is set between the second positioning element3A and the transceiver circuit module21. The location where the second counterpart positioning element4A is mounted to the back face11is corresponding to the location where the second positioning element3A is mounted so that the transceiver circuit module21is located at a center position between the positioning element3and the counterpart positioning element4and between the second positioning element3A and the second counterpart positioning element4A.

As such, to proceed with charging and discharging, the first handheld electronic device100that is located on the bottom is held normally and the back face11faces upward and the second handheld electronic device200that is located at the top and the front face12faces upward and is rotated by 90 degrees. Under this condition, the positioning element3and the counterpart positioning element4and the second positioning element3A and the second counterpart positioning element4A of the first handheld electronic device100respectively correspond to the second counterpart positioning element4A and the second positioning element3A and the counterpart positioning element4and the positioning element3of the second handheld electronic device200so that the positioning element3and the second positioning element3A (the positive poles of magnetic attraction bodies) are respectively attracted to and thus fixed to the counterpart positioning element4and the second counterpart positioning element4A (the negative poles of magnetic attraction bodies) to effect positioning by which the two transceiver circuit modules21can be set in precise alignment with each other.

Preferably, the second spacing distance (such as the distance from the second positioning element3A to the transceiver circuit module21) is identical to the spacing distance (such as the distance from the positioning element3to the transceiver circuit module21).

Third Embodiment

As shown inFIG. 6, a handheld electronic device with positioning function according to the third embodiment of the present invention is similar to the first embodiment, but, as compared to the first embodiment, the third embodiment additionally comprises a rotation mechanism113.

As shown, the rotation mechanism113is mounted to the back face11of the device body1, so that the rotation mechanism113is rotatable around the transceiver circuit module21(a circumference of the rotation mechanism being movably fit to an inner circumference of an opening defined in the back face11). The positioning element3and the counterpart positioning element4are mounted to the rotation mechanism113. Particularly, to achieve magnetic attraction and fixing, the embodiments described above require rotation of the handheld electronic device itself, while the third embodiment needs only to rotate the rotation mechanism113.

Apparently, the rotation mechanism113is also applicable to the second embodiment (not shown) by simply mounting the second positioning element3A and the second counterpart positioning element4A to the rotation mechanism113.

Also referring toFIG. 6A, which is a perspective view showing an alternative form of the third embodiment of the present invention, the rotation mechanism114comprises an elongate plate that is pivotally mounted to the back face11of the device body1by an axle115. The elongate plate has two ends that are rotatable around the transceiver circuit module21and the two ends of the elongate plate are respectively provided with a positioning element5and a counterpart positioning element6, wherein the positioning element5is a projection member (such as a peg or a snap-on block) and the counterpart positioning element6is a recessed member (such as a cavity or a snap-on hole) corresponding to the projection member, so that the positioning element5can be fit into the counterpart positioning element6to effect positioning.

Fourth Embodiment

As shown inFIG. 7, a handheld electronic device with positioning function according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention is similar to the first embodiment except that the positioning element5and the counterpart positioning element6are different from the positioning element3and the counterpart positioning element4of the first embodiment.

As shown, the positioning element5is a projection member (such as a peg or a snap-on block) and the counterpart positioning element6is a recessed member (such as a cavity or a snap-on hole) corresponding to the projection member, so that the positioning element5can be fit into the counterpart positioning element6to effect positioning.

Apparently, the projecting positioning element5and the recessed counterpart positioning element6are applicable to the first embodiment illustrated inFIGS. 1-4, the second embodiment shown inFIG. 5, and the third embodiment shown inFIG. 6by replacing the magnetic attraction bodies with projecting and recessed members.

Referring toFIG. 7A, which is a perspective view showing an alternative form of the fourth embodiment of the present invention, the positioning element7and the counterpart positioning element8are respectively set in two recessed sections116(a recessed hole as shown in the drawing) formed in the back face11of the device body1, and the positioning element7and the counterpart positioning element8are both depressible button mechanisms (similar to pushbutton switch that is vertically depressible and is resiliently extendible and retractable). As shown, the positioning element7is a depressible button mechanism before being depressed so as to show a projecting configuration, while the counterpart positioning element8is a depressible button mechanism after being depressed so as to show a recessed configuration. The positioning element7that shows a projecting configuration before being depressed is insertable into the counterpart positioning element8that shows a recessed configuration after being depressed to effect positioning.

Referring toFIG. 8A, which is a perspective view showing a first illustrative alternative form of the embodiment illustrated inFIG. 7A, the positioning element7and the counterpart positioning element8are each made a slidable member, and the slidable member comprises a recessed section116formed in the back face11of the device body1. A cavity116A is formed in one end of the recessed section116and a slide block117is received in an opposite end of the recessed section116. The slide block117forms a projection117A that corresponds to cavity116A for positionability with respect to each other. In other words, the positioning element7is a slidable member of which the slide block117is moved to the left, while the counterpart positioning element8is a slidable member of which the slide block117is moved to the right, whereby the cavity116A and the projection117A of the positioning element7are respectively positionable with respect to the projection117A and the cavity116A of the counterpart positioning element8.

Referring toFIG. 8B, which is a perspective view showing a second illustrative alternative form of the embodiment illustrated inFIG. 7A, the positioning element7and the counterpart positioning element8are each a slidable member, and the slidable member comprises a recessed section116formed in the back face11of the device body1. A slide block117that is movable leftward and rightward is received in one end of the recessed section116. In other words, the slide block117that is located at one end of the positioning element7is insertable into an opposite end of the recessed section116of the counterpart positioning element8.

Referring toFIG. 8C, which is a perspective view showing a third illustrative alternative form of the embodiment illustrated inFIG. 7A, the positioning element7and the counterpart positioning element8are each a seesaw mechanism (similar to a seesaw switch). The seesaw mechanism comprises a recessed section116formed in the back face11of the device body1and a seesaw body119is received in and pivotally mounted to the recessed section116and is capable of seesaw operation in the recessed section116to selectively raise or lower either end thereof. In other words, the seesaw body119of the positioning element7of which one end is raised is insertable into the lowered end of the seesaw body119of the counterpart positioning element8to effect positioning.

Fifth Embodiment

As shown inFIG. 9, a handheld electronic device with positioning function according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention is similar to the first embodiment but is different from the first embodiment by arranging the positioning element3, the counterpart positioning element4, and the transceiver circuit module21at a lateral side15of the device body1. Thus, the first handheld electronic device100and the second handheld electronic device200are positionable with respect to each other via the lateral sides15thereof, whereby the two positioning elements3(the positive poles of magnetic attraction bodies) can be respectively attracted to and fixed to the two counterpart positioning elements4(the negative poles of magnetic attraction bodies) to effect positioning by which the two transceiver circuit modules21are set in precise alignment with each other. Apparently, the positioning elements5,7, the counterpart positioning elements6,8, and the transceiver circuit modules21shown inFIGS. 7 and 7Aare also applicable to being mounted to the lateral side15of the device body1.

Further, the handheld electronic device according to the present invention can be for example a mobile phone, but is not limited to mobile phone and can alternatively be a satellite navigator, an electronic dictionary, or a multimedia player.

In summary, the present invention provides a handheld electronic device with positioning function of which the features are that in the process of charging or discharging a handheld electronic device, for positioning with respect to another handheld electronic device, through rotation or putting up-side down of one of the handheld electronic devices, mutual positioning can be realized between the positioning elements and the counterpart positioning elements of the devices thereby making the transceiver circuit modules of the two handheld electronic devices precisely aligning with each other, so that power loss incurring in the process of wireless transmission and wireless reception can be minimized and the drawbacks of the conventional devices can be overcome to satisfy the needs for bidirectional wireless charging and discharging.