Radio communication terminal with a detachable active housing and related connector

A radio communication terminal includes a data processor for controlling terminal functions and an attachment for releasable attachment of a housing to the terminal. The terminal includes a multipath connector connected to the data processor. The multipath connector includes a terminal system connector, and a housing connector configured to provide a communicative connection of an attached housing to the data processor.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to radio communication terminals having a detachable housing or cover, and to such detachable housings or covers. In particular, the invention relates to releasably attachable active housings devised to provide functional modules for a radio communication terminal.

BACKGROUND

The first commercially attractive cellular telephones or terminals were introduced in the market at the end of the 1980's. Since then, a lot of effort has been made in making smaller terminals, with much help from the miniaturisation of electronic components and the development of more efficient batteries. Today, numerous manufacturers offer pocket-sized terminals with a wide variety of capabilities and services, such as packet-oriented transmission and multiple radio band coverage.

In order to attract customers the terminal manufacturers have therefore taken further measures to strengthen their position in the competition, one such being to offer terminals with detachable covers or housings. If a user wishes to change the outer appearance of his communication terminal, he can simply buy a new cover of the desired kind. The old cover is preferably released by a simple grip without the aid of tools, where after the new cover can be snapped on. A detachable cover is generally a fairly simple element, essentially formed from a single piece of plastic or possibly metal. The cover may represent only the front side of the terminal, i.e. the side of the terminal carrying the user interface generally comprising a terminal display and keypad, a microphone and a loudspeaker. In such a design, the cover forms a separate part of the housing of the terminal, or optionally an auxiliary part to be attached outside the housing. Alternatively, the cover may include more than one piece, e.g. a front piece and a back piece devised to substantially enclose the terminal. The detachable covers are often provided in different colours, and also with more advanced patterns such as logos or images.

The detachable covers of the prior art mainly create an aesthetic effect, changing the visual appearance of the terminal. They do not, however, have any effect on the functions of the terminal. Other solutions for creating this aesthetic effect, without having to change the cover, have also been proposed.

EP 1079584 by Laurikka et al discloses a cover for an electronic device, such as a communication terminal, whose colour can be changed by means of a control signal. That cover is advantageously produced by using a material, which changes its colour as a result of the effect of an electric or electromagnetic control signal. Such a material is for example electronic ink, with which a conventional cover is coated. The appearance of cover can hence be controlled by a signal from the communication terminal. When a call or a text message arrives in the communication terminal, it indicates this to the user by changing the colour of the cover.

Also EP 564127 by Blonder shows an apparatus housing capable of changing colour. The housing has a transparent outer layer, covering a layer of electrically switchable light modulating material. This invention too suggests indicating e.g. a telephone ring by changing the housing colour.

Today there is a market need for a variety of radio communication terminals with different features in different price ranges. However, more different terminal varieties leads to increased costs in development, production, stock, distribution, and marketing. Furthermore, there is a constant or even increasing pace in development of new components, such as electronics, batteries, and displays, rendering the lifetime of a terminal model shorter and shorter before the next model is introduced. Today terminals are sold with different features and at different prices. Such features include e.g. touch-screen, speakerphone, special buttons etc. Normally, the only thing that can be changed for the user is the appearance of the housing, and the software controlling ring signals and displayed images.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A problem with portable communication terminals of today is that it is expensive to produce a wide variety of different phones in order to attract a large market Furthermore, some features or parts of the terminals develop faster than other features, which means that one outdated part might decrease the market value for the entire terminal, even if it is otherwise fully competitive. An object of the present invention is therefore to provide a solution for making portable communication terminals suit a wider range of customers, and more easily adaptable to various functions.

According to a first aspect, this object is fulfilled by a radio communication terminal comprising data processing means for controlling terminal functions, and attaching means for releasable attachment of a housing to the terminal, wherein said terminal comprises a multipath connector connected to the data processing means, said multipath connector including a terminal system connector, and a housing connector for communicative connection of an attached housing to the data processing means.

Preferably, the multipath connector is positioned such that the system connector is accessible from the outside of the terminal, and such that said housing connector faces a front or rear side of the terminal. In one embodiment said housing connector faces a different direction than the system connector.

Preferably, the multipath connector is positioned at an end of the terminal, such that the system connector is accessible in a longitudinal direction of the terminal, whereas said housing connector faces a front or rear side of the terminal. The multipath connector may comprise two housing connectors, for communicative connection of a front housing and a rear housing.

Advantageously, said multipath connector comprises connector poles that are branched to said system connector and said housing connector.

According to a second aspect, the object of the invention is fulfilled by a disconnectable housing for a radio communication terminal according to what has been outlined above, comprising attaching means for releasable attachment of the housing to the terminal. Said housing comprises a terminal connector devised to provide bus connectivity with said terminal upon attachment, and functional means connected to said terminal connector for affecting the function of an attached terminal.

Preferably, said functional means for affecting the function of an attached terminal comprises a micro controller. Furthermore, said functional means for affecting the function of an attached terminal preferably comprises a functional member, adding a feature to the terminal when the housing is attached thereto. Alternatively, said functional means for affecting the function of an attached terminal comprises a functional member, devised to modify a feature of the terminal when the housing is attached thereto.

In one embodiment said functional member comprises a touch-sensitive display.

In one embodiment said functional member comprises a speaker for hands free operation.

In one embodiment said functional member comprises a digital image recorder.

According to a third aspect, the object of the invention is fulfilled by a radio communication terminal and housing combination, wherein cooperating attaching means are devised for releasable connection of the housing to the terminal, and wherein said housing comprises means for affecting the function of the terminal, and where cooperating housing-to-terminal connector means are provided for communicative connection between the terminal and an attached housing.

Preferably, said radio communication terminal and housing combination comprises a radio communication terminal and a housing according to any of the embodiments and examples given above.

According to a fourth aspect, the object of the invention is fulfilled by a multipath connector for a radio communication terminal, which multipath connector has two separate connector interfaces comprising interconnected poles. Preferably, the multipath connector includes connection pads for connection to a terminal PCB.

In one embodiment, the multipath connector is devised to be fixed to an end of a terminal PCB, such that one connector interface faces outwardly in the longitudinal direction of said PCB, and a second connector interface faces outwardly substantially perpendicular to the PCB. In a variant of that embodiment, the multipath connector has a third connector interface facing outwardly substantially perpendicular to the PCB in the opposite direction from said second connector interface.

The detailed description shows specific features of various embodiments related to the aspects above.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present description relates to the field of radio communication terminals. The term radio terminal or communication terminal, also denoted terminal in short in this disclosure, includes all mobile equipment devised for radio communication with a radio station, which radio station also may be mobile terminal or e.g. a stationary base station. Consequently, the term radio terminal includes mobile telephones, pagers, communicators, electronic organisers, smartphones, PDA:s (Personal Digital Assistants) and DECT terminals (Digital Enhanced Cordless Telephony). Hence, although the structure and characteristics of the antenna design according to the invention is mainly described herein, by way of example, in the implementation in a mobile phone, this is not to be interpreted as excluding the implementation of the inventive antenna design in other types of radio terminals, such as those listed above. Furthermore, it should be emphasised that the term comprising or comprises, when used in this description and in the appended claims to indicate included features, elements or steps, is in no way to be interpreted as excluding the presence of other features elements or steps than those expressly stated.

Exemplary embodiments will now be described with references made to the accompanying drawings.

According to the invention, a terminal is provided with front and rear housings, i.e. shells or covers, that are active. By active is here meant that the housings can include electronics that together with the phone provides additional and/or modified features. For this purpose, the terminal is provided with a housing connector, connectable to a co-operating terminal connector on the releasable housing. Furthermore, means for attaching and securing the housings to the terminal are also included, devised in a co-operating manner, though not shown in all the drawings. The attaching means may be arranged in any suitable shape, several of which are well known to the skilled person and used today. The housings may e.g. be snapped on and maintained in place by a spring force, or be screwed on. The specific manner is not crucial for the present invention.

FIG. 1illustrates a radio communication terminal1, in the form of a cellular phone. Terminal1is carried in a chassis16, directly or indirectly supporting the other components of the terminal. Terminal1is devised with a user-input interface, in the displayed embodiment comprising a microphone14and a keypad19. The user input interface may also or comprise a touch-sensitive display in addition to or instead of the keypad19. Furthermore, a user output interface of the terminal1comprises a loudspeaker15and a display18. All of these features are well known in the prior art. Though not shown inFIG. 1, the communication terminal1further includes an antenna, radio transmission and reception electronics, and a power supply in the form of a battery. Communication terminal1is also devised with a computer system, including a microprocessor with associated memory and software. In order to co-operate and communicate with a releasable active housing, the terminal1is further devised with a connector17.

FIG. 2illustrates the terminal1in a sectional view from its left side, as seen inFIG. 1. In this drawing, the different operative parts of the terminal are schematically shown, including those shown inFIG. 1. The chassis16is indicated by the dashed line, and its specific shape is not relevant. A printed circuit board PCB10carries the electronics11of the terminal, preferably including data processing means such as a micro processor system, or the like, with associated memory. An antenna13is further included, the particular type of which is irrelevant to the invention. Typical antenna types include micro strip antennas, Planar Inverted-F Antennas PIFA, and stub antennas. A battery12is included to feed the electronics with electrical energy.

FIG. 3illustrates the terminal1and two releasable housings, a back housing20and a front housing30. The arrows inFIG. 3indicate that housings20and30are attachable to terminal1. The illustration of the terminal1inFIG. 3further includes attaching means27in the purely exemplary shape of recesses formed in the sides of the terminal. Furthermore, the active housings20,30are provided with protruding members26and36, respectively, devised to latch into engagement with the corresponding recesses27in the terminal1. It should be noted that the present invention is not restricted to having both an active housing attached to the rear and the front of terminal1. On the contrary, these two active housings20,30are preferably, but need not be, independent of each other, separately communicating with the terminal1. Therefore, only one of the housings20,30may be attached, the drawing indicating both simply to show this possibility too. The specific character of the active housings20,30is not shown inFIG. 2, but different examples are given below and in the subsequent drawings. Each housing20,30has a shell part21,31, forming part of the exterior housing of the assembled terminal1when attached thereto. The shell part also carries, directly or indirectly, the other members of the respective active housing. Each active housing20,30further includes a terminal connector24,34. Preferably, the terminal connectors24,34and the cooperating housing connector on the terminal offer a full system bus connectivity. Each active housings20,30also comprises a micro controller25,35communicatively connected to the housing connector24,34. A functional member22,32, adding to or modifying the features of the terminal1may also be included, connected to and controlled by the micro controller25,35. The micro controller25,35preferably has a dedicated software stored therein, for the purpose of controlling the interaction with the terminal. The active housing may have its own power supply in the form of a small battery or capacitor, but preferably makes use of the terminal battery12through the terminal connector24,34. In one embodiment, yet another releasable cover may be attached onto a first attached cover, thereby providing a further function to the terminal. For this purpose the covers20,30may also include cover connectors23,33.

FIG. 4illustrates the assembled terminal40, comprising terminal1and the attached housings20,30, but without the separate parts of the terminal1and the active housings20,30indicated. As before, the assembled terminal may also comprise the terminal1and only one active housing20or30. Furthermore, there may be more than two active housings, attached beside or over each other. When the active housings20,30are connected to the terminal1they may fully enclose the terminal1, but they may also occupy only parts of the exterior of the terminal1.

FIG. 5illustrates the connector17and a cut-off portion of the PCB10to which it is connected. The connector17comprises a number of connecting elements or poles preferably made from a suitable metal, such as copper, carried in an insulating support structure of e.g. plastic. In a preferred embodiment, connector17includes, on one side, the system connector of the terminal1. InFIG. 5the system connector50is arranged on the bottom side of the terminal1, which is a common approach in radio communication terminals of today. The system connector50is accessible from the outside of the terminal1, and comprises a set of poles that for instance are usable for connecting the terminal to a battery charger without having to dismantle the battery12from the terminal1. Furthermore, the system connector50includes poles for data communication with the terminal1, which e.g. can be used for attaching auxiliary components to the terminal1, such as audio or video players or recorders, extra keypads, and so on. The poles indicated in the drawing are merely exemplary, and the invention is in no way restricted to the shown shape and layout of the poles.

The connector17also includes one or more housing connectors51,52and53, for connecting to active housings, each comprising a set of one or several electric poles. Consequently, the connector17is a is a multipath connector. Preferably, the housing connector52is identical to the opposite housing connector51. According to the displayed embodiment ofFIG. 5, the connector17consequently carries both the system connector50and the housing connectors51,52,53. The sideways facing connector53need not be included.

FIG. 6further illustrates a more specific version of the embodiment ofFIG. 5. Herein, a piece of the connector17is cut out, such. that one connector pole60is laid open. FromFIG. 6it is evident that this embodiment includes poles60, which are included in both the system connector50and in one or more housing connectors51,52. The pole60includes a conductive member with contact parts61,62,63which are accessible from different sides. The connector pole60is connected to the PCB10, e.g. by a solder pad64.

Consequently, the system connector50as it is hitherto known is modified such that it comprises connector faces also to the releasable active housings. Therefore, the active housings make use of the same electrical interface as is defined by the system connector50. The housing connectors51,52may have one or more poles in common with the system connector, but preferably all, although all of them need not be used by the attached active housing.

It should be noted that the system connector50need not necessarily face outwardly in the longitudinal direction of the terminal, as is illustrated inFIGS. 5 and 6. Instead, it may face outwardly from e.g. the rear of the terminal, i.e. being substantially parallel to the rear housing connector52. The active housings could in such an embodiment merely be devised not to cover the system connector50.

FIGS. 7A to 11illustrate in a schematic manner some different embodiments of active housings to a terminal1. These rather simple drawings indicate the co-operating housing and terminal connectors, and the member providing the optional feature, included in the active housing.

FIG. 7Aillustrates a side view of a front housing70carrying a large touch-sensitive display71, which housing70is connectable to terminal1.FIG. 7Billustrates the assembled terminal72from the front, clearly showing the display71. A stylus72can be used to input data to the terminal1,72through the display71.

FIG. 8Aillustrates a side view of a front housing80carrying an enlarged speaker81for hands free functionality, which housing80is connectable to terminal1.FIG. 8Billustrates the assembled terminal82from the front, showing the hands free speaker81. In the displayed embodiment the speaker81adds to the length of the terminal. Optionally, the speaker may be arranged to be positioned such that it instead adds to the height, i.e. thickness of the terminal. A different speakerphone arrangement is illustrated inFIG. 11, described below.

FIG. 9Billustrates a side view of a rear housing90carrying a digital image recorder91, which housing90is connectable to terminal1.FIG. 9Aillustrates the assembled terminal92from the rear, indicating a lens of the digital image recorder91.FIG. 9Cillustrates the assembled terminal92from the front, where only the terminal1itself is visible since no front active housing has been attached. The digital image recorder may be a snapshot camera and/or a video recorder.

FIG. 10Aillustrates a side view of a rear housing100, carrying an auxiliary remote control101, which housing100is connectable to terminal1.FIG. 10Billustrates the assembled terminal102from the front, showing the face of terminal1. The remote control sender, and possibly receiver,101is also indicated even though it may not be visible from the front. Such a remote control101may e.g. comprise an infrared transmitter, or a bluetooth chip.

FIG. 11illustrates a rather different embodiment of a releasable active housing110, although it relates to the embodiment ofFIGS. 8A and 8B. First of all, this drawing illustrates another way of attaching the terminal1to the housing110, more or less by sliding the terminal1into the housing110as indicated by the arrow. The active housing110is in this embodiment devised to provide conference telephone capabilities to a portable terminal1. The active housing110may be devised to rest on a desktop or the like, and has a bottom rest surface for this purpose, facing downwards in the drawing. In alternative embodiments the active housing may of course be devised with the rest surface such that the terminal is maintained in a different position, such as straight up or at a tilted angle. The active housing10ofFIG. 11is shaped to receive the terminal1in a horizontal arrangement, as indicated in the drawing, where a side view of the terminal1is given. The active housing110has an enlarged speaker111, or at least a more powerful speaker111than the ordinary terminal speaker, and the speaker111is therefore selected to be suitable for conveying sound to a wider audience than just one user holding the terminal to the ear. Preferably, the terminal1is placed in the active housing110with the front of the terminal1facing upwards, such that the terminal display and keypad can be conveniently used. The conference telephone active housing110may also be devised with suitable conference phone controls112. Such controls include volume control and a secrecy function, such that the terminal is set to a listen only mode. The conference phone controls112preferably comprise buttons, the triggering of which is relayed to the terminal through the co-operating connectors of the housing110and the terminal1.

The embodiments described above in conjunction with the drawings represent examples of how active housings according to the invention may be devised. However, many other examples are possible, a few of which are outlined here without reference to any specific drawing.

A front housing could be include a user input interface adapted to suit a certain category of users, such as children or elderly people. Such an active housing can have only a few large buttons with custom images and/or text, like “Nurse”, “Daughter”, “Taxi”, “Mum”, “Dad”, “Home”, “Work” etc. Preferably the logic contained in the software for the housing micro controller is also devised to set up the terminal1in a special way upon attachment. For instance, the housing software may be triggered by the attachment of the active housing to the terminal to reject all incoming messages, only allow incoming calls from certain numbers, and so on.

In one embodiment the active housing may be adapted for playing games on the terminal, having dedicated gaming buttons and an analog joystick.

An active housing may also include particular alarm functions for indicating incoming calls or messages, by illuminating the shell of the cover.

Some terminals include a calculator function. However, it is generally quite simple, and in one embodiment an active housing may include a more advanced calculator with buttons for more complex operations, such as logarithmic calculation and integration.

One embodiment of an active housing includes a Memory Stick reader, and can thus provide an increased memory for the terminal.

The active housing may be a media player, such as an FM radio, or a digital music player capable of retrieving audio either from a carrier or from a software memory. Today such digitally stored audio systems include the Mini Disc system and the MP3 format, but the future will of course provide other alternatives.

In one embodiment the active housing is adapted to interact with a further component. For instance, an active housing may be devised to interact with a cordless headset through a suitable channel, such as by IR or radio, e.g. bluetooth. This way the terminal can easily be adapted to be able to cooperate with such a cordless headset even though that feature was not included when the terminal was purchased. The headset could even be packaged and sold together with the active housing. Such an active housing may also include a holder for the headset, and or a charger for the headset, such that the headset may be charged by either a special battery or capacitor in the active housing, or by the battery of the terminal.

The principles of the present invention have been described in the foregoing by examples of embodiments or modes of operations. However, the invention should not be construed as being limited to the particular embodiments discussed above. A skilled person would realise that the accommodation of an active housing with full system bus connectivity to the terminal having a multipath connector gives rise to many fierier advantages or possibilities than those listed in the instant specification. Thus, the above described embodiment should be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive, and it should be appreciated that variations may be made in those embodiments by persons skilled in the art, without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.