Abstract:
A trigger operated portable electronic device is provided. A user only needs to insert a touch pen having a first metal contact into a touch pen receiving slot having second metal contacts. When the first metal contact is electrically coupled to the second metal contacts, the portable electronic device can be triggered to perform corresponding operating procedures. Thus, the convenience of operating the portable electronic device is improved.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to a portable electronic device, and more particularly, to a trigger operated portable electronic device. 
         [0003]    2. Related Art 
         [0004]    With the development of electronic technology, various electronic devices are used in people&#39;s daily life. The electronic devices have many excellent functions, such as multimedia playing, wireless communication service, satellite positioning and navigation, image capturing and gaming, which bring much convenience to the daily life. Taking portable electronic devices as an example, the portable electronic devices are highly welcomed in the market due to their portability. 
         [0005]    As for the current portable electronic devices, with the trend of human design of operation interfaces, most portable electronic devices integrate the function of touch operation. Taking a PDA as an example, the PDA uses a handheld computer as a personal digital assistant, which primarily has the basic functions of calendar, schedule, notebook, and address book. So far, the PDA has been developed to realize synchronous data transmission with a computer, and various applications can be installed on the PDA to expand its functions. The expanded functions include online email receiving and sending, stock information browsing, accounting, electronic book browsing, gaming, spreadsheet utilization, database application, life information providing, and wireless communication, and so on. Among others, the wireless communication function requires antennae and wireless signal processing circuits. Currently, most of the portable electronic devices adopt the built-in antenna design, that is, the antenna bodies are disposed inside cases. Thus, though the appearance is improved, to a certain electronic device, the gain of the antenna is affected to some extent in practice. Moreover, when operating on the expanded functions, a user has to click menus on a screen with a touch pen to trigger and execute corresponding applications. Therefore, in case of a multi-layer menu, the user must click the menu sequentially to enter the next layer until a desired functional item appears, so the operation is still not convenient enough. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    Accordingly, the present invention is directed to provide a trigger operated portable electronic device. In order to trigger the portable electronic device to execute corresponding operating procedures, a user only needs to insert a touch pen into a touch pen receiving slot or a sound source output hole. Thus, the convenience of operating the portable electronic device is improved. 
         [0007]    The trigger operated portable electronic device disclosed by the present invention includes a touch pen having a pen body, a pen head, and a first metal contact, and a touch pen receiving slot having an accommodation space for accommodating the touch pen. A plurality of second metal contacts is disposed in the touch pen receiving slot, and each of the second metal contacts at least connects two kinds of circuits. The circuits connected to each of the second metal contacts, for example, can be an earphone sound source circuit, an antenna signal processing circuit, or a charging circuit. When the first metal contact of the touch pen is coupled to the second metal contacts in the touch pen receiving slot, the portable electronic device is triggered to execute at least an operating procedure with the touch pen. 
         [0008]    According to the trigger operated portable electronic device, by inserting the touch pen into the touch pen receiving slot at different positions, the portable electronic device is triggered to execute different operating procedures, so as to improve the convenience of operating the portable electronic device. Meanwhile, the touch pen is made of a metal material, so when the touch pen triggers a wireless communication function of the portable electronic device, the touch pen can also serve as an antenna of the portable electronic device, and the length of the antenna can be adjusted according to a frequency range in which the antenna works. Thus, the cost for manufacturing the antenna of the portable, electronic device is saved, and the functionality of the touch pen is enhanced. 
         [0009]    The features and practice of the preferred embodiments of the present invention will be illustrated in detail below with the accompanying drawings. 
         [0010]    Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]    The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given herein below for illustration only, and thus is not limitative of the present invention, and wherein: 
           [0012]      FIG. 1A  is a system block diagram of a first embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0013]      FIG. 1B  is a system block diagram of a second embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0014]      FIG. 2A  is a schematic view of operations of the first embodiment of the present invention; and 
           [0015]      FIG. 2B  is a schematic view of operations of a third embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0016]      FIG. 1A  is a system block diagram of a first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in  FIG. 1A , the trigger operated portable electronic device of the present invention includes a touch pen  10  and a portable electronic device  100 . 
         [0017]    The touch pen  10  is used to enable a user to operate the portable electronic device  100 . A caller display circuit  11  and a first metal contact  10   c  are disposed in the touch pen  10 , and the caller display circuit  11  is electrically coupled to a pen body  10   b  (as shown in  FIG. 2A ) of the touch pen  10  and the first metal contact  10   c . The pen body  10   b  of the touch pen  10  is used as an antenna to sense an incoming call signal, and is made of a metal material (for example, copper or iron). When the caller display circuit  11  senses the incoming call signal, a display module (not shown) in the caller display circuit  11  produces a luminous effect, so as to remind the user. 
         [0018]    The portable electronic device  100  includes second metal contacts  20   a , an RF circuit  30 , a motor driving circuit  40 , a motor  50 , a CPU  60 , and a power supply unit  70 . The units and circuits will be illustrated in detail below. 
         [0019]    The second metal contacts  20   a  are electrically coupled to the RF circuit  30  and the CPU  60 . When the second metal contacts  20   a  are electrically coupled to the first metal contact  10   c  of the touch pen  10 , the CPU  60  executes at least an operating procedure according to the number of the contacts that are electrically coupled. The material of the second metal contacts  20   a , for example, can be copper, iron, or other conductive materials. 
         [0020]    The RF circuit  30  is electrically coupled to the second metal contacts  20   a , the CPU  60 , and the power supply unit  70  respectively, for processing a wireless signal received by the pen body  10   b  of the touch pen  10 , so as to provide the wireless communication service. 
         [0021]    The motor driving circuit  40  is electrically coupled to the motor  50 , the CPU  60 , and the power supply unit  70  respectively, for generating a control signal and transmitting the control signal to the motor  50 , so as to drive the motor  50  to operate. Here, the control signal is generated according to a control command from the CPU  60 . 
         [0022]    The motor  50  is electrically coupled to the motor driving circuit  40 , for operating according to the control signal output by the motor driving circuit  40 , and drives the touch pen  10  to move in the touch pen receiving slot  20  (as shown in  FIG. 2A ) through the combination of gears or other mechanisms and elements. 
         [0023]    The CPU  60  is electrically coupled to the second metal contacts  20   a , the RF circuit  30 , the motor driving circuit  40 , and the power supply unit  70  respectively, and is responsible for processing signals of various units and circuits. The CPU  60  is the core module of the portable electronic device  100 . 
         [0024]    The power supply unit  70  is electrically coupled to the RF circuit  30 , the motor driving circuit  40 , and the CPU  60  respectively, for supplying the electric power required during the operation of the units and circuits of the portable electronic device  100 . 
         [0025]      FIG. 1B  is a system block diagram of a second embodiment of the present invention. As shown in  FIG. 1B , the trigger operated portable electronic device of the present invention includes a touch pen  10  and a portable electronic device  100 . The difference between the second embodiment and the first embodiment is that a laser indicator circuit  12  and a battery  13  are disposed in the touch pen  10  of the second embodiment. Other parts of the second embodiment are the same as the first embodiment, and will not be described herein again. 
         [0026]    The laser indicator circuit  12  is electrically coupled to the first metal contact  10   c  and the battery  13 , for emitting a laser indication signal. 
         [0027]    The battery  13  is electrically coupled to the first metal contact  10   c  and the laser indicator circuit  12  respectively, for providing the electric power required during the operation of the laser indicator circuit  12 , and the battery  13  is a rechargeable battery. When the first metal contact  10   c  is electrically coupled with the second metal contacts  20   a , the CPU  60  executes a charging procedure according to the number of the contacts that are electrically coupled, such that the power supply unit  70  in the portable electronic device  100  charges the battery  13  in the touch pen  10 . Here, the first metal contacts  10   c  are electrically coupled to the positive pole and the negative pole of the battery  13  for charging. 
         [0028]      FIG. 2A  is a schematic view showing operations of the first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in  FIG. 2A , the trigger operated portable electronic device of the present invention includes the touch pen  10 , the touch pen receiving slot  20 , and the portable electronic device  100 . 
         [0029]    The touch pen  10  has the pen body  10   b , the pen head  10   a , and the first metal contact  10   c . The pen body  10   b , for example, can be made of a material of metal, plastic steel, or acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) resin. When the pen body  10   b  is made of a metal material, it can serve as an antenna of the portable electronic device  100 . 
         [0030]    The pen head  10   a  is fixed to one end of the pen body, and the pen head  10   a , for example, can be made of a material of plastic steel or ABS resin. 
         [0031]    The first metal contact  10   c  is inlaid in the surface of the touch pen  10 , for electrically coupling the second metal contacts  20   a  in the touch pen receiving slot  20 , so as to trigger the portable electronic device  100  to execute at least an operating procedure with the touch pen  10 . The operating procedure, can be, for example, starting a broadcast signal playing application (for example, TV or radio), or starting a wireless communication system (for example, a cell phone communication system (GSM/GPRS) or a wireless local area network (WLAN)). 
         [0032]    The touch pen receiving slot  20  has an accommodation space for accommodating the touch pen  10 , and a plurality of second metal contacts  20   a  is disposed in the touch pen receiving slot  20 . Each of the second metal contacts  20   a  at least connects two kinds of circuits. The circuits connected to each of the second metal contacts  20   a  of the touch pen receiving slot  20 , for example, can be an earphone sound source circuit, an antenna signal processing circuit, or a charging circuit. 
         [0033]    When the user intends to start the broadcast signal playing application (for example, TV or radio), the motor  50  will push the touch pen  10  to a first predetermined position in the touch pen receiving slot  20 , such that the first metal contact  10   c  of the touch pen  10  is electrically coupled to the second metal contacts  20   a . Thus, the touch pen  10  serves as an antenna of the portable electronic device  100 . Similarly, when the user starts the wireless communication system (for example, the cell phone communication system (GSM/GPRS)), the motor  50  will push the touch pen  10  to a second predetermined position in the touch pen receiving slot  20 , so as to adjust the length of the antenna. 
         [0034]      FIG. 2B  is a schematic view showing operations of a third embodiment of the present invention. As shown in  FIG. 2B , the trigger operated portable electronic device of the present invention includes a touch pen  10 , a touch pen receiving slot  20 , a sound source output hole  80 , and a portable electronic device  100 . The difference between the third embodiment and the first embodiment is that metal contacts  80   a  of the third embodiment are disposed in the sound source output hole  80 . Other parts of the third embodiment are the same as the first embodiment, and will not be described herein again. 
         [0035]    The touch pen receiving slot  20  has an accommodation space for accommodating the touch pen  10 . 
         [0036]    A plurality of metal contacts  80   a  is disposed in the sound source output hole  80 , and each of the metal contacts  80   a  at least connects two kinds of circuits. The circuits connected to each of the metal contacts  80   a  in the sound source output hole  80 , for example, can be an earphone sound source circuit, an antenna signal processing circuit, or a charging circuit. 
         [0037]    When the user intends to start the broadcast signal playing application (for example, TV or radio), the touch pen  10  is drawn out of the touch pen receiving slot  20 , and is inserted into the sound source output hole  80  at a first predetermined position. Thus, the first metal contact  10   c  of the touch pen  10  is electrically coupled to the metal contacts  80   a , so as to trigger the portable electronic device  100  to execute the broadcast signal playing application, and the touch pen  10  serves as an antenna of the portable electronic device  100 . Similarly, when the user intends to start the charging procedure, the touch pen  10  is inserted into the sound source output hole  80  at a second predetermined position. Thus, the first metal contact  10   c  of the touch pen  10  is electrically coupled to other metal contacts  80   a , so as to trigger the portable electronic device  100  to execute the charging procedure, such that the portable electronic device  100  charges the battery  13  in the touch pen  10 . 
         [0038]    In view of the above, according to the trigger operated portable electronic device of the present invention, by inserting the touch pen into the touch pen receiving slot at different positions, the portable electronic device is triggered to execute different operating procedures, so as to improve the convenience of operating the portable electronic device. Meanwhile, as the touch pen is made of a metal material, when the touch pen triggers the wireless communication function of the portable electronic device, the touch pen also serves as an antenna of the portable electronic device. The length of the antenna can be adjusted according to a frequency range in which the antenna works. Thus, the cost for manufacturing the antenna of the portable electronic device is saved, and the functionality of the touch pen is enhanced. 
         [0039]    The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims.