Abstract:
A flip type or folder type mobile phone for wireless communication with a base station, which includes a movable part so as to define an open or closed position and an opening/closing sensor for generating an open or close signal according to the open or closed position, the opening/closing sensor being enabled or disabled by an enable or disable signal, whereby the mobile phone terminates a communication channel according to said open or close signal. A communication method is also disclosed and includes the steps of establishing a communication channel between the mobile phone and the base station; and generating a disable signal during data communication to disable the opening/closing sensor from generating the close signal thereby maintaining the communication channel.

Description:
CLAIM OF PRIORITY 
     This application makes reference to, incorporates the same herein, and claims all benefits accruing under 35 U.S.C. §119 from an application entitled METHOD OF MAINTAINING OR TERMINATING DATA COMMUNICATION IN A FLIP TYPE MOBILE PHONE earlier filed in the Korean Industrial Property Office on Sep. 24, 1998, and there duly assigned Serial No. 39748/1998. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a method of operating a flip or folder type mobile phone, and more particularly, a method of maintaining or terminating data communication performed in such a mobile phone. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     A flip-up or flip-down type mobile phone has a flip cover plate which, when performing communication, is opened by being flipped up or down from the main body of the phone. A folder type mobile phone comprises two foldable bodies, both containing electronic circuits, one of which holds a main body of the phone while the other holds a speaker or an LCD (liquid crystal display). Thus, both flip type and folder type mobile phones comprise two parts hinged together, one of which may be rotated along the hinge for the mobile phone to assume an open or closed position. Hereinafter, the term “flip type” will be used to also include “folder type”. 
     The open or closed position (operational state) of such a flip type mobile phone can be detected by using various means, for example, a member moveable with the flip as in U.S. Pat. No. 5,185,790, variation of an electromagnetic field as in U.S. Pat. No. 5,493,690, and an optical sensor as in Korean Patent No. 97-78127. When the flip type mobile phone is opened in response to a call signal, a communication channel is established. When the flip is returned to the closed position after completing the call, the communication channel is terminated. 
     As communication technology develops, mobile phones are being provided with additional functions such as facsimile, electronic mail, video, data communications, etc. However, conventional mobile phones do not properly accommodate such additional functions. For example, when the flip of a conventional mobile phone is closed during data communication such as file transfer, the data communication is terminated, despite there being no need for the flip of the mobile phone to be kept open during such data communication. In fact, by having to keep the flip of the mobile phone open during data communication, the portability of the mobile phone is reduced. Furthermore, if the flip of the conventional mobile phone is inadvertently closed before completing data communication, the communication channel is cut off, thereby leading to an additional fee as the data communication needs to be repeated from the beginning, once the channel is re-established. Therefore, allowing the flip of the mobile phone to be closed during data communication would be desirable. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a mobile phone for and a method of maintaining data communication performed in a flip type mobile phone regardless of whether the flip is opened or closed. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a mobile phone for and a method of automatically terminating a communication channel if no change is detected in the operational state of the mobile phone within a given time after completing data communication. 
     It is still another object of the present invention to provide a mobile phone for and a method of informing a user of a mobile phone that data communication is completed. 
     It is still another object of the present invention to provide a mobile phone for and a method of terminating the communication channel if the mobile phone is repeatedly opened and closed. 
     One embodiment of the present invention sets out a mobile phone which includes a movable part capable of being positioned in an open or closed position; a sensor for generating an open or close signal according to the open or closed position, whereby a communication channel is terminated depending on the open or close signal; and a controller for determining whether an established communication represents data communication and for generating a signal for enabling or disabling the sensor from generating the open or close signal, the controller generating the disable signal during data communication to disable the sensor, thereby maintaining the communication channel regardless of the open or close signal. 
     Another embodiment of the present invention sets out a mobile phone which includes a movable part capable of being positioned so as for the mobile phone to be in an open or close position; a sensor for generating an open or close signal according to the open or close position; and a controller for determining whether an established communication represents a data communication and for maintaining the communication channel during the data communication regardless of the open or close signal. 
     The present invention further sets out a communication method comprising the steps of establishing a communication channel between a mobile phone and a base station, and generating a disable signal during data communication to disable an opening/closing sensor from generating a close signal, thereby maintaining said communication channel. 
     An additional embodiment of the present invention sets out a method for wireless communication between a base station and a flip or folder type mobile phone, in which the mobile phone includes two parts connected by a hinge mechanism so as to assume an open or closed position, an opening/closing sensor for generating an open or close signal according to the open or closed position, the opening/closing sensor being enabled or disabled by an enable or disable signal, whereby the flip or folder type mobile phone establishes or terminates a communication channel according to the open or close signal, the method comprising the steps of establishing a communication channel between the base station and the flip or folder type mobile phone, and generating the disable signal so as to maintain the communication channel during data communication even when the flip is closed, while generating the enable signal so as to terminate the communication channel during voice communication when the flip is closed. 
     Yet a further embodiment of the present invention sets out a method for wireless communication between a base station and a flip or folder type mobile phone, in which the mobile phone includes two parts connected by a hinge mechanism so as to assume an open or closed position, an opening/closing sensor for generating an open or close signal according to the open or closed position, the opening/closing sensor being enabled or disabled by an enable or disable signal, whereby the flip or folder type mobile phone establishes or terminates a communication channel according to the open or close signal, the method comprising the steps of establishing a communication channel between the base station and the flip or folder type mobile phone, and maintaining the communication channel during data communication even when the close signal is generated, while terminating the communication channel during voice communication when the close signal is generated. 
     The present invention will now be described more specifically with reference to the drawings attached by way of example only. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 illustrates perspective views of varieties of flip type mobile phones; 
     FIG. 2 is a block diagram for illustrating the structure of a flip type mobile phone according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 3 is a flow chart for illustrating the process of maintaining or terminating a communication channel during data communication according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 4 is a flow chart for illustrating the process of maintaining or terminating the communication channel during data communication according to another embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 5 is a flow chart for illustrating the process of maintaining or terminating the communication channel during data communication according to still another embodiment of the present invention; and 
     FIG. 6 is a flow chart for illustrating the process of maintaining or terminating the communication channel in data communication according to a further embodiment of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to FIG. 1, three types of a flip type mobile phone are shown. A folder type, shown at the right of the drawing, comprises a first part with a speaker and a second part with a key pad and display, which are hinged together so to be capable of being folded together. A flip-down type, shown in the center of the drawing, has a flip cover which turns downward to open the mobile phone. A flip-up type, shown at the left of the drawing, has a flip cover which turns upward to open the mobile phone. Flip type mobile phones may therefore be placed in an open or closed position, and open or close signals may be generated to establish or terminate a communication channel. As mentioned, the term “flip type” will also be used to include “folder type”. 
     Referring to FIG. 2, a controller  100  which controls the functions of the flip type mobile phone is shown. A memory device  130  includes a ROM for storing an operating program, an electrically erasable and programmable read only memory (EEPROM), and a RAM. A display  120  such as a liquid crystal display (LCD) displays an operational state of the mobile phone and a procedural state of the operating program. A key input part  110  includes a plurality of alphanumeric keys and various functional keys to input key data to the controller  100 . A radio frequency (RF) part  150  transmits and receives data to and from a base station through an antenna. A signal processor  140  modulates a sound signal input through a microphone into sound data, and demodulates sound data received from the RF part into a sound signal outputted through a speaker. An opening/closing sensor  160  senses an operational position (open or closed position) of the flip of the mobile phone to generate an open or close signal. The opening/closing sensor  160  is disabled or enabled by a control signal (“DISABLE” or “ENABLE”) of the controller  100 . The sensor may be mechanical as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,185,790, electromagnetic as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,493,690, optical as shown in Korean Patent No. 97-78127, or of yet an alternative type. 
     Describing the process of controlling the establishment or termination of the communication channel in data communication with reference to FIG. 3, the controller  100  proceeds to step  310  to determine whether the flip is opened, if a call signal is detected in step  300 . When the controller  100  detects in step  310  an open signal from the opening/closing sensor  160  or a key signal from the key input part  110  to accept a call signal, the process goes to step  320  to establish the communication channel between the mobile phone and the base station. Subsequently, when a close signal of the opening/closing sensor  160  is detected in step  330 , the process goes to step  340 ; otherwise, if a close signal is not detected in step  330 , the process goes to step  360 . If the flip is closed (i.e., a close signal is detected), the controller  100  determines in step  340  whether the established communication represents data communication. This is achieved by call information predetermined during initialization for establishing the communication channel between the phone and the base station. Table 1 shows the call information of a CDMA mobile phone. Hereinafter, communication not representing data communication shall be called voice communication. 
     
       
         
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
                 TABLE 1 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
                 VOICE 
                 CAI_SO_VOICE_IS96A 
               
               
                   
                 COMMUNICATION 
                 CAI_SO_VOICE13K 
               
               
                   
                   
                 CAI_SO_VOICE_IS96 
               
               
                   
                   
                 • 
               
               
                   
                   
                 • 
               
               
                   
                   
                 • 
               
               
                   
                 DATA 
                 CAI_SO_ASYNC_DATA 
               
               
                   
                 COMMUNICATION 
                 CAI_SO_FAX_DATA 
               
               
                   
                   
                 CAI_SO_PACKET_DATA 
               
               
                   
                   
                 • 
               
               
                   
                   
                 • 
               
               
                   
                   
                 • 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     If the controller determines from Table 1 that the established communication represents data communication, the process goes to step  350  to detect whether the flip is opened and closed repeatedly. When the flip is repeatedly opened and closed, the communication channel is terminated in step  370 . Otherwise, the process goes to step  360  to detect whether the data communication is completed. Upon detecting that the data communication is completed, the process goes to step  380  to generate an alarm message so as to inform a user of the completion of the data communication; otherwise, the process returns to step  320 . The alarm message may be a statement such as “Data transfer completed! Terminate? Y/N”, displayed on the display  120 . Alternatively, the user may be notified of the alarm message by ringing or synthesized voices broadcast through the speaker. 
     Another embodiment of the invention is depicted in FIG.  4 . When the controller  100  detects a call signal in step  400 , the process in step  401  attempts to detect a signal for establishing the communication channel; otherwise, the process returns to step  400 . The signal for establishing the communication channel may be the open signal of the opening/closing sensor  160  or a key signal inputted through the key input part  110 . Generally, if the flip cover is opened, then the communication channel is to be established. Thus, if the signal for establishing the communication channel is detected in step  401 , the process goes to step  410  to establish communication. Subsequently, if the established communication is not found to be data communication in step  420 , the process goes to step  421 . If the controller  100  detects termination data in step  421 , such as the close signal of the opening/closing sensor  160  or end key data inputted through the key input part  110 , the process goes to step  490  to terminate the communication channel; if the termination data is not detected, the process returns to step  410 . 
     If in step  420  the established communication is found to be data communication, the process goes to step  430 . Even if the controller  100  detects in step  430  the close signal of the opening/closing sensor  160 , the process goes to step  440  to maintain the communication channel for the data communication; otherwise, the process goes to step  431  to attempt to detect an end key signal from the key input part  110 . If the end key signal is detected, the process goes to step  490  and the communication channel is terminated. 
     After maintaining the communication channel in step  440 , the process proceeds to step  450 . In step  450 , the controller  100  checks whether the data communication is completed. If it is completed, the process goes to step  460  to generate the alarm message displayed on the display  120 , and then moves on to step  470 . The message generated in step  460  may be a statement such as “Data transfer completed! Terminate? Y/N”. Alternatively, the user may be notified of the alarm message by ringing or by synthesized voices broadcast through the speaker. If data communication is not complete, the process proceeds to step  451 , where the controller  100  determines if the open/close signal of the opening/closing sensor  160  is detected at a given number of times in a given time period; for example, three times or more in three seconds. If so, the process goes to step  490 , and the communication is terminated; otherwise, the process goes to step  452 , to determine if the end key of the key input part  110  is turned on. If so, the process goes to step  490 ; otherwise, the process returns to step  450 . 
     Returning to step  470 , if the controller  100  detects in step  470  key data from the key input part  110  or data from the opening/closing sensor  160  representing positional change of the flip (“positional change data”), the process goes to step  480 ; otherwise, the process goes to step  471 . In step  471 , if the controller  100  does not detect any key input or the positional change data in a given time after completing the data communication, the process goes to step  490 , and terminates the communication channel; otherwise, the process returns to step  470 . In step  480 , the controller  100  checks whether end data has been input, either by the end key or by repeated signals of opening/closing sensor  160 . If the end data is detected in step  480 , the process goes to step  490  and the communication is terminated; otherwise, the process goes to step  481  to perform the corresponding function. 
     Summarizing the description of the embodiments as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the communication channel is maintained during data communication even when the mobile phone is closed and the close signal is generated by the opening/closing sensor  160 . When the data communication is completed, the alarm message is generated, and then, in FIG. 4, the communication channel is cut off if no key data or positional change data is generated after the lapse of a given time. When the close/open signals are repeatedly generated a given number of times in a given time during data communication, the communication channel is cut off as if the end key had been input. 
     Describing the process of maintaining or terminating the communication channel during data communication in connection with an additional embodiment shown in FIG. 5, if a call signal is detected in step  500  the controller  100  proceeds to step  510  to determine whether the flip is opened. If the controller  100  detects in step  510  the open signal from the opening/closing sensor  160  or detects in step  511  a key signal from the key input part  110  for accepting the call signal, the process goes to step  520  to establish the communication channel between the phone and the base station. Subsequently, if the controller  100  finds in step  530  that the established communication represents data communication, the process goes to step  540  to generate a disable signal to disable the opening/closing sensor  160 ; otherwise, the process goes to step  570  to generate an enable signal to enable the opening/closing sensor  160 . If the controller  100  detects in step  550  the end of the data communication, the process goes to step  560  to generate an alarm message, otherwise, the process returns to step  520 . In step  560 , the user is notified of the alarm message as described in connection with FIG.  3 . If the opening/closing sensor detects in step  580  that the flip is closed, the process goes to step  590  to terminate the non-data communication; otherwise, the process returns to step  520 . 
     A further embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG.  6 . When the controller  100  detects a call signal in step  600 , the process goes to step  601  to establish a communication channel. The signal demanding the establishment of the communication channel may be the open signal of the opening/closing sensor  160  or a communication key signal inputted through the key input part  110 . If the communication channel is established in step  601 , the process goes to step  610  to establish communication. Subsequently, if the established communication is found to be data communication in step  620 , the process goes to step  630  to generate the disable signal to disable the opening/closing sensor  160 ; otherwise, the process goes to step  621  to generate the enable signal to enable the opening/closing sensor  160 . 
     In step  640 , the controller  100  checks whether the data communication is completed. Completion of data communication is indicated by the termination of information transfer between the phone and a base station. Here, the word “information” means substantial data excluding data for connecting and maintaining the call between the phone and the base station. If the data communication is completed, the process goes to step  650  to generate an alarm message displayed on the display  120 ; otherwise, the process proceeds to step  641 . The message may be a statement such as “Data transfer completed! Terminate? Y/N”. Alternatively, the user may be notified of the alarm message by ringing or by synthesized voices broadcast through a speaker. If the controller  100  detects in step  641  that the end key is inputted, the process goes to step  680  to terminate the communication channel; otherwise, the process returns to step  640 . 
     Subsequent to the generation of the alarm message in step  650 , if the controller  100  detects in step  660  the key data input from the key input part  110 , the process goes to step  670 ; otherwise, the process goes to step  661 . In step  670 , if the end key is detected, the process goes to step  680  to terminate the communication channel. If the end key is not detected in step  670 , a function corresponding to the key data is performed in step  675 . In step  661 , if the controller  100  does not detect any key input in a given time after completing the data communication, the process goes to step  680 , and terminates the communication channel; otherwise, the process returns to step  660 . 
     Returning to step  620 , if in step  620  the established communication is found not to be data communication, then the enable signal is generated in step  621 , and the process goes to step  622 . If the controller detects the end data in step  622 , the process goes to step  680  to terminate the communication channel; otherwise, the process returns to step  610 . In this context, the end data means the end key data inputted through the key input part  110  or the close signal generated by the opening/closing sensor. 
     Summarizing the description of the embodiments shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the communication channel is maintained during data communication even when the mobile phone is closed, as the opening/closing sensor  160  is disabled during the data communication. When the data communication is completed, the alarm message is generated. Finally, in FIG. 6, if the end key is inputted, or no key data is generated in a given time, the communication channel is terminated. 
     While the present invention has been described with specific embodiments shown in the attached drawings, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made thereto without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention.