Patent Publication Number: US-2011053499-A1

Title: Wireless communication device

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present disclosure relates to wireless communication devices, and particularly to a wireless communication device having simplified terminals. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Wireless communication devices, such as mobile phones, personal digital assistants (PDA), and laptop computers, are widely used. Nowadays, most wireless communication devices have become multifunctional. For example, many wireless communication devices can also be used to capture images or play games. However, multifunctional wireless communication devices need more hardware and software installed to perform the additional functions, which makes miniaturization difficult. Thus, multifunctional wireless communication devices having more simplified structures and/or less size are desired. 
     Therefore, there is room for improvement within the art. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Many aspects of the present wireless communication device can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the various drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present wireless communication device. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the figures. 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram of a wireless communication device, according to an exemplary embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is a block diagram of a main terminal of the wireless communication device shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a block diagram of a subsidiary terminal of the wireless communication device shown in  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  shows a wireless communication device  100 , according to an exemplary embodiment. The wireless communication device  100  includes a main terminal  10  and at least one subsidiary terminal  20 . The main terminal  10  can communicate with other wireless communication devices through conventional wireless communication systems, such as Global System for Mobile communication (GSM), Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), etc. The subsidiary terminal  20  can be carried and operated as conventional wireless communication devices, such as mobile phones, personal digital assistants (PDA) and laptop computers. The subsidiary terminal  20  can also have other functions, such as capturing image and playing games. When the distance between the main terminal  10  and the subsidiary terminal  20  is less than a predetermined distance, the main terminal  10  can also communicate with the subsidiary terminal  20  using short distance wireless communication signals, such as Near Field Communication (NFC) signals, bluetooth signals, Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) signals, Ultra-Wideband (UWB) signals, etc. Thus, the main terminal  10  can be controlled to wirelessly communicate with other wireless communication devices using the subsidiary terminal  20 . 
     Also referring to  FIG. 2 , the main terminal  10  includes a main central processing unit (CPU)  11 , a storage module  12 , a baseband processor  13 , a first communication module  14 , and a second communication module  15 . The storage module  12  and the baseband processor  13  are both electrically connected to the main CPU  11 . The first communication module  14  and the second communication module  15  are both electrically connected to the baseband processor  13 . 
     The main CPU  11  can be a conventional CPU of mobile phones or laptop computers. The storage module  12  stores applications and relevant data of the wireless communication device  100 . The first communication module  14  includes a first radio frequency (RF) circuit  141  connected to the baseband processor  13  and a first antenna  142  connected to the first RF circuit  141 . The first antenna  142  can receive/send wireless signals used in conventional wireless communication systems, such as GSM, CDMA, etc., such that the main terminal  10  communicates with other wireless communication devices through the wireless communication systems. The second communication module  15  includes a second RF circuit  151  connected to the baseband processor  13  and a second antenna  152  connected to the second RF circuit  151 . The second antenna  152  can receive/send wireless signals used in short distance wireless communication systems, such as NFC, bluetooth, Wi-Fi, UWB, etc. 
     Also referring to  FIG. 3 , each subsidiary terminal  20  includes a microphone  21 , a speaker  22 , a codec  23 , an operating module  25 , a display  26 , a subsidiary CPU  27 , and a third communication module  28 . The microphone  21  and the speaker  22  are both electrically connected to the codec  23 . The operating module  25  can be a keypad, a touch pad, etc. The display  26  is electrically connected to the operating module  25 . The codec  23 , the operating module  25 , and the third communication module  28  are all electrically connected to the subsidiary CPU  27 . The third communication module  28  includes a third RF circuit  281  connected to the subsidiary CPU  27  and a third antenna  282  connected to the third RF circuit  281 . The third antenna  282  can receive/send wireless signals used in short distance wireless communication systems, such as NFC, bluetooth, Wi-Fi, UWB, etc. When the distance between the main terminal  10  and the subsidiary terminal  20  is less than a predetermined distance, the second antenna  152  and the third antenna  282  can send wireless signals to each other and receive wireless signals from each other. 
     In use, the subsidiary terminal  20  is carried by the user, the distance between the main terminal  10  and the subsidiary terminal  20  should be less than the predetermined distance. Thus, the subsidiary terminal  20  can be used as conventional portable wireless communication terminals, such as mobile phones or laptop computers. When the subsidiary terminal  20  is used to call other conventional wireless communication devices (e.g., mobile phones or laptop computers) or send messages to them, audio signals are input into the subsidiary terminal  20  by the microphone  21 , and the operating module  25  and the display  26  can be used to operate the subsidiary terminal  20  to edit messages or input other instruction into the subsidiary terminal  20 . The audio signals received by the microphone  21  are transformed into electronic signals by the codec  23 , and the electronic signals are transmitted into the subsidiary CPU  27 . The operating actions on the operating module  25  generate electronic signals corresponding to messages or other instruction, and the electronic signals are transmitted into the subsidiary CPU  27 . The subsidiary CPU  27  controls the third communication module  28  to transform the electronic signals corresponding to the audio signals and/or the operating actions into wireless signals and send the wireless signals to the main terminal  10  by the third antenna  282 . 
     When the second antenna  152  receives the wireless signals sent by the subsidiary terminal  20 , the second RF circuit  151  and the baseband processor  13  transform the wireless signals into electronic signals corresponding to the original audio signals and/or operating actions. The electronic signals are then transmitted to the main CPU  12 . The main CPU  12  controls the baseband processor  13  and the first communication module  14  to transform the electronic signals corresponding to the audio signals and/or operating actions into wireless signals and send the wireless signals to other conventional wireless communication devices (e.g., mobile phones or laptop computers) by the first antenna  141 . 
     When other conventional wireless communication devices call the wireless communication device  100  or send messages to it, wireless signals are received by the first antenna  142 . The main CPU  11  controls the first communication module  14 , the baseband processor  13 , and the second communication module  15  to process the wireless signals and send the wireless signals to the subsidiary terminal  20  by the second communication module  15 . The wireless signals are received and transformed into audio signals and/or messages by the third communication module  28 , the codec  23 , and/or the subsidiary CPU  27 . The audio signals are played by the speaker  22 , and the messages are displayed by the display  26 . 
     As above-detailed, the wireless communication device  100  can communicate with other conventional wireless communication devices. Furthermore, when the first communication module  14  receives wireless signals from other communication devices, the main terminal  10  can also first process the wireless signals using the first RF circuit  141 , the baseband processor  13 , and the main CPU  11  to transform the received wireless signals into files, and store the files in the storage module  12 . The stored files can be sent to the subsidiary terminal  20  or other conventional wireless communication devices at predetermined times. 
     The wireless communication device  100  can includes a plurality of subsidiary terminals  20  that share the main terminal  10  and work according to the above-detailed working method. The subsidiary terminals  20  can also communicate with each other through the main terminal  10 . Additionally, the subsidiary terminals  20  can also be used to send instruction to the main terminal  10  using the operating module  25 , the display  26 , the subsidiary CPU  27  and the third communication module  28 , thereby controlling the main terminal  10  to perform desired functions. 
     In the present exemplary disclosure, the storage module  12  for storing relevant data and the first communication module  14  for communicating with other wireless communication devices are installed in the main terminal  10 . The microphone  21 , the speaker  22 , the codec  23  (i.e., configured for calling), the operating module  25 , and the display  26  (i.e., configured for operating the wireless communication device  100 ) are all installed in the subsidiary terminal  20 . Neither the main terminal  10  nor the subsidiary terminal  20  needs all hardware of conventional wireless communication devices installed therein. Thus, the subsidiary terminal  20  can be used as conventional portable wireless communication terminals, such as mobile phones or laptop computers, and have less hardware than the conventional portable wireless communication terminals. Therefore, the subsidiary terminal  20  has more space to install additional hardware, such as digital camera modules or game modules. In this way, the subsidiary terminal  20  can be used as conventional multifunctional wireless communication devices, and it does not adversely influence the miniaturization of the subsidiary terminal  20 . Compared with the conventional multifunctional wireless communication devices, the subsidiary terminal  20  has more simplified structure and/or smaller size. 
     It is to be further understood that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present embodiments have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of structures and functions of various embodiments, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the present invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.