Abstract:
Even though battery packs are removed abruptly from portable electronic apparatuses with their semiconductor memories contained therein before power switches are turned off, data stored in the semiconductor memories are protected. There is provided a portable telephone apparatus including a portable telephone unit and a battery pack mounted thereto, wherein the battery pack including a battery for supplying the portable telephone unit and components in the battery pack with electric power, an opening from which a semiconductor memory is removably inserted, and a memory controller for controlling the operation of reading data stored in the semiconductor memory inserted from the opening in accordance with a control signal from the portable telephone unit, and wherein the portable telephone unit including means for reproducing the data read out from the semiconductor memory.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The present invention relates to a battery pack for supplying an electronic apparatus with electric power, and a wireless telephone set which is supplied with electric power by the battery pack mounted thereto.  
           [0003]    2. Description of Related Art  
           [0004]    Portable electronic apparatuses, such as a wireless telephone set, a personal digital assistance (PDA) and a digital still camera, have a battery pack mounted thereto, and those portable electronic apparatuses are supplied with electric power by the battery pack. Recently, such portable electronic apparatuses have a removable IC card or memory card having at least semiconductor memories to store character data, image data and audio data.  
           [0005]    When the battery packs are removed abruptly from the portable electronic apparatuses with their IC cards contained therein before power switches are turned off, data stored in the semiconductor memories of the IC cards are sometimes broken or lost.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0006]    It is therefore an object of the present invention to overcome the above-mentioned drawbacks by providing a battery pack for supplying an electronic apparatus with electric power which can protect data stored in the semiconductor memories of the IC card, and a wireless telephone set which is supplied with electric power by the battery pack.  
           [0007]    According to the present invention, there is provided a portable telephone apparatus including a portable telephone unit and a battery pack mounted thereto, wherein the battery pack including:  
           [0008]    a battery for supplying the portable telephone unit and components in the battery pack with electric power;  
           [0009]    an opening from which a semiconductor memory is removably inserted; and  
           [0010]    a memory controller for controlling the operation of reading data stored in the semiconductor memory inserted from the opening in accordance with a control signal from the portable telephone unit,  
           [0011]    and wherein the portable telephone unit including:  
           [0012]    means for reproducing the data read out from the semiconductor memory.  
           [0013]    According to the present invention, there is provided a battery pack for supplying a portable telephone unit of a portable telephone apparatus with electric power, which is mounted to the portable telephone unit, the battery pack including:  
           [0014]    a battery for supplying the portable telephone unit and components in the battery pack with electric power;  
           [0015]    an opening from which a semiconductor memory is removably inserted;  
           [0016]    a memory controller for controlling the operation of reading audio data stored in the semiconductor memory inserted from the opening in accordance with a control signal from the portable telephone unit; and  
           [0017]    means for reproducing the audio data read out from the semiconductor memory.  
           [0018]    According to the present invention, since the battery pack has the semiconductor memory, the battery pack and the wireless telephone set can protect data stored in the semiconductor memory.  
           [0019]    Still more, since the battery pack includes a music playback device, the portable telephone unit becomes independent of the compression standards, such as the MPEG 3, ATRAC, etc., which makes the portable telephone unit compatible with various standards.  
           [0020]    Furthermore, since the battery pack includes the music playback device, codes peculiar to the wireless telephone set used for managing copyrights and securities can be separated easily. Thus, the codes do not have to be copied, and the codes are not undesirably read out to outside.  
           [0021]    Furthermore, since the battery pack includes the music playback device, the wireless telephone set itself can be reduced in size. 
       
    
    
       [0022]    These objects and other objects, features and advantages of the present intention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.  
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0023]    [0023]FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a first embodiment of the wireless telephone set according to the present invention.  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 2 shows a schematic view of a portable telephone unit and a battery pack mounted thereto of the first embodiment of the wireless telephone set.  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 3 shows a schematic view of the battery pack and a semiconductor memory contained therein of the first embodiment of the wireless telephone set.  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 4 shows a block diagram of the portable telephone unit and battery pack mounted thereto of the first embodiment of the wireless telephone set.  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 5 shows a schematic view of a second embodiment of the wireless telephone set according to the present invention.  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 6 shows a schematic view of a portable telephone unit and a battery pack mounted thereto of the second embodiment of the wireless telephone set.  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 7 shows a schematic view of the battery pack and a semiconductor memory contained therein of the second embodiment of the wireless telephone set.  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 8 shows a block diagram of the portable telephone unit and battery pack mounted thereto of the second embodiment of the wireless telephone set.  
         [0031]    [0031]FIG. 9 shows a schematic view of a third embodiment of the wireless telephone set according to the present invention.  
         [0032]    [0032]FIG. 10 shows a schematic view of the wireless telephone set and a car stereo which receives a radio signal of music therefrom. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0033]    Preferred embodiments according to the present invention will further be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.  
         [0034]    FIGS.  1  to  4  show a first embodiment of the wireless telephone set according to the present invention. As schematically shown in FIG. 1, the wireless telephone set includes a portable telephone unit  1  and a battery pack  2 . The battery pack  2  supplies the portable telephone unit  1  with electric power, and has a removable IC card having semiconductor memories  3  contained therein. The removable IC card having semiconductor memories  3  will be refereed to the semiconductor memory  3  hereinafter.  
         [0035]    The portable telephone unit  1  includes a music playback device to reproduce an audio signal which has a memory, an amplifier and a DSP. Having the semiconductor memory  3  contained therein, the battery pack  2  provides the music playback device with audio data Da stored in the semiconductor memory  3  in accordance with a control signal CNT from the portable telephone unit  1 .  
         [0036]    The portable telephone unit  1  further includes a connector to receive data from the semiconductor memory  3 , a jack for a head receiver  4  adapted for listening to music reproduced by the music playback device, and an input operation unit such as keys or a numeric keypad.  
         [0037]    When the control signal CNT generated based on a reproduction operation of the input operation unit of the portable telephone unit  1  is sent to the battery pack  2  via the connector, the audio data Da stored in the semiconductor memory  3  is read out and sent to the music playback device. The audio data Da is stored in the memory of the music playback device, and is reproduced from the memory.  
         [0038]    [0038]FIG. 2 shows the wireless telephone set with its battery pack  2  mounted to the portable telephone unit  1 . The semiconductor memory  3  will be inserted to the battery pack  2  from an opening  5 . The portable telephone unit  1  further includes a jack  6  for the head receiver  4  and a jog dial  7  to register telephone numbers and retrieve a telephone number from registered telephone numbers. The portable telephone unit  1  further includes a cover  8 , and the portable telephone unit  1  is of the folding structure. The cover  8  in the folded state is unfolded when using the portable telephone unit  1 .  
         [0039]    [0039]FIG. 3 shows the battery pack  2  with the semiconductor memory  3  contained therein. The battery pack  2  has a secondary battery  9  contained therein.  
         [0040]    [0040]FIG. 4 shows a block diagram of the wireless telephone set with its battery pack  2  mounted to the portable telephone unit  1 . The portable telephone unit  1  includes a CPU  11 , a digital signal processor (DSP)  10  to reproduce an audio signal, an audio device  14 , a ROM  12 , a RAM  13 , an input device  15 , a display device  16  and a telephone block  19 . The DSP  10  is connected to the CPU  11 . The audio device  14  has an amplifier, speaker, head receiver jack, etc., and is connected to the DSP  10 . The ROM  12 , RAM  13 , input device  15 , display device  16  and telephone block  19  are connected to the CPU  11 . On the other hand, the battery pack  2  includes a memory controller  17  to control the operation of reading/writing data from/to the semiconductor memory  3 .  
         [0041]    The CPU  11  of the portable telephone unit  1  performs a series of control programs stored in the ROM  12  in accordance with key operation by the user using the input device  15  to generate the control signal CNT, and sends the control signal CNT to the memory controller  17  of the battery pack  2  via a connector  18 . The memory controller  17  of the battery pack  2  reads the audio data Da from the semiconductor memory  3  in accordance with the control signal CNT, and sends the audio data Da to the CPU  11  via the connector  18 . The CPU  11  stores the audio data Da in the RAM  13 , and the DSP  10  processes the audio data Da and outputs an audio signal to the audio device  14 , and the audio device  14  amplifies the audio signal and outputs an audio sound. The display device  16  displays information according to key operation using the input device  15 , and also displays music titles, the time, etc.  
         [0042]    The telephone block  19  has a reception system and a transmission system. First, the reception system will be explained. An RF signal is received by an antenna, and the received RF signal is sent to a reception unit. At the reception unit, the RF signal is down-converted, filtered and demodulated by a local oscillating signal from a local oscillator to generate a baseband signal. The reproduced baseband signal from the reception unit is sent to a speech processing unit, and a processed signal is sent to a speaker. Next, the transmission system will be explained. A speech signal from a microphone is sent to a transmission unit via the speech processing unit. At the transmission unit, the speech signal is modulated and up-converted to generate a transmitting RF signal. The transmitting RF signal is sent to the antenna and transmitted. The speech processing unit and speaker can be shared with those of the audio device  14 .  
         [0043]    The portable telephone unit  1  is supplied with electric power by the secondary battery  9  of the battery pack  2  having the semiconductor memory  3  contained therein. Accordingly, even though the battery pack  2  is removed from the portable telephone unit  1 , the semiconductor memory  3  is kept supplied with electric power by the secondary battery  9 . Thus, the data recorded in the semiconductor memory  3  is not broken or lost. Furthermore, even though a semiconductor memory of another shape or of another standard is used, or even though the shape or standard of the semiconductor memory  3  is modified, the wireless telephone set can be used by replacing the battery pack  2  to another one capable of containing a desired semiconductor memory, which does not have to change the portable telephone unit  1 .  
         [0044]    FIGS.  5  to  8  show a second embodiment of the wireless telephone set according to the present invention. As schematically shown in FIG. 5, the wireless telephone set includes a portable telephone unit  21  and a battery pack  22 . The battery pack  22  supplies the portable telephone unit  21  with electric power, and has the removable semiconductor memory  3  contained therein.  
         [0045]    The portable telephone unit  21 , being different from the portable telephone unit  1 , does not include the music playback device to reproduce an audio signal, such as the memory, amplifier or DSP. Instead, the battery pack  22  includes a reproducing device  23  which works as the music playback device. The battery pack  22  further includes a jack for the head receiver  4 .  
         [0046]    [0046]FIG. 6 shows the wireless telephone set with its battery pack  22  mounted to the portable telephone unit  21 . The semiconductor memory  3  also will be inserted to the battery pack  22  from an opening  24 . The battery pack  22  includes a jack  25  for the head receiver  4 . The portable telephone unit  21  includes a jog dial  26  to register telephone numbers and retrieve a telephone number from registered telephone numbers. The portable telephone unit  21  further includes a cover  27 , and an input operation unit such as keys or a numeric keypad is protected by the cover  27 .  
         [0047]    [0047]FIG. 7 shows the battery pack  22  with the semiconductor memory  3  contained therein. The battery pack  22  has a secondary battery  28  contained therein.  
         [0048]    [0048]FIG. 8 shows a block diagram of the wireless telephone set with its battery pack  22  mounted to the portable telephone unit  21 . The portable telephone unit  21  includes a CPU  31 , a ROM  32 , a RAM  33 , an input device  35 , a display device  36  and a telephone block  37 . The ROM  32 , RAM  33 , input device  35 , display device  36  and telephone block  37  are connected to the CPU  31 . On the other hand, the battery pack  22  includes an audio device  38 , a memory controller  45  to control the operation of reading/writing data from/to the semiconductor memory  3 , a CPU  41 , a ROM  42 , a RAM  43  and a digital signal processor (DSP)  44  to reproduce an audio signal. The audio device  38  has an amplifier, speaker, head receiver jack, etc., and is connected to the DSP  44 . The memory controller  45 , ROM  42 , RAM  43  and DSP  44  are connected to the CPU  41 .  
         [0049]    The CPU  31  of the portable telephone unit  21  performs a series of control programs stored in the ROM  32  in accordance with key operation by the user using the input device  35  to generate the control signal CNT, and sends the control signal CNT to the CPU  41  of the battery pack  22  via a connector  39 . The CPU  41  sends the control signal CNT to the memory controller  45 . The memory controller  45  of the battery pack  22  reads the audio data Da from the semiconductor memory  3  in accordance with the control signal CNT, and sends the audio data Da to the CPU  41 . The CPU  41  stores the audio data Da in the RAM  43 , and the DSP  44  processes the audio data Da and outputs an audio signal to the audio device  38 , and the audio device  38  amplifies the audio signal and outputs an audio sound. The display device  36  of the portable telephone unit  21  displays information according to key operation using the input device  35 , and also displays music titles, the time, etc. The telephone block  37  of the portable telephone unit  21  has a reception system, transmission system, controller, antenna, etc.  
         [0050]    The portable telephone unit  21  is supplied with electric power by the secondary battery  28  of the battery pack  22  having the semiconductor memory  3  contained therein. Accordingly, even though the battery pack  22  is removed from the portable telephone unit  21 , the semiconductor memory  3  is kept supplied with electric power by the secondary battery  28 . Thus, the data recorded in the semiconductor memory  3  is not broken or lost.  
         [0051]    Still more, since the battery pack  22  includes the reproducing device  23 , the portable telephone unit  21  becomes independent of the compression standards, such as the MPEG 3, ATRAC, etc., which makes the portable telephone unit  21  compatible with various standards.  
         [0052]    Conventionally, music playback device manages copyrights and securities by the use of plural codes stored in a music playback block. So, when the wireless telephone set is out of order, or the wireless telephone set itself is changed, the codes peculiar to the wireless telephone set have to be copied. At this time, there occurs a possibility that the codes are undesirably read out to outside. Thus, the management system for preventing the copying has to be built. On the other hand, since the portable telephone unit  21  can be separated from the battery pack  22  including the music playback block, the copy-preventing management system does not have to be built.  
         [0053]    Furthermore, conventionally, in case the battery pack is shared with a model which does not reproduce an audio signal, the wireless telephone set can hardly be reduced in size since the space for the music playback block is an extra space. On the other hand, since the battery pack  22  includes the music playback block, the wireless telephone set can be reduced in size.  
         [0054]    When a delivery notice information is included in the control signal CNT generated by the CPU  31 , the user can know the delivery notice while listening to music.  
         [0055]    FIGS.  9  shows a third embodiment of the wireless telephone set according to the present invention. As schematically shown in FIG. 9, the wireless telephone set includes a portable telephone unit  51  and a battery pack  53 . The battery pack  53  supplies the portable telephone unit  51  with electric power, and has the removable semiconductor memory  3  contained therein.  
         [0056]    The portable telephone unit  51  includes a radio communication unit  52 , and the battery pack  53  includes a radio communication device  55 . So, the portable telephone unit  51  can transmit a radio signal of the control signal CNT, and the battery pack  53  can receive the radio signal. The battery pack  53  further includes a reproducing device  54 . So, the battery pack  53  can transmit a radio signal of the audio data Da reproduced from the semiconductor memory  3  to the portable telephone unit  51 .  
         [0057]    In case the radio communication unit  52  of the portable telephone unit  51  can receive only a weak radio signal transmitted from adjacent apparatuses, the portable telephone unit  51  can be accessible to plural battery packs. So, the portable telephone unit  51  can freely choose and reproduce an audio signal without changing the semiconductor memory  3  of the battery pack  53  by the key operation of the portable telephone unit  51  when the user carries plural battery packs including plural music playback blocks.  
         [0058]    Still more, having a battery contained therein, the portable telephone unit  51  can transmit a reproduction request signal to a nearby reproducing apparatus capable of transmitting/receiving a radio signal which is other than the portable telephone unit  51 . FIG. 10 shows a car stereo  60  or a navigator having a radio communication device  61  mounted thereto, and loud speakers  62 . The radio signal of music to which the user is listening by means of the portable telephone unit  51  is transmitted to the car stereo  60 , and the music is output from the loud speakers  62 .