Patent Publication Number: US-2009240842-A1

Title: Portable electronic apparatus

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The disclosure relates to portable electronic apparatuses and, more particularly, to a portable electronic apparatus including two controllers. 
     GENERAL BACKGROUND 
     Portable electronic apparatuses usually have multiple functional applications, for example, a mobile phone not only has a short messaging service (SMS) function and a call function, but also has a audio/video playing function and a communications function via wireless fidelity (WIFI) technology. Commonly, an audio/video processing module and a WIFI module are integrated in a main central processing unit (CPU) of the mobile phone. However, over-integration of operations degrades the processing ability of the main CPU by slowing down the processing speed of the main CPU. Therefore, integration operations and new functions bring a lot of burden for the developer and lead to a lower work capability of the main CPU. 
     Accordingly, what is needed in the art is a portable electronic apparatus including two controllers that overcomes the aforementioned deficiencies. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the portable electronic apparatus. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram of a hardware infrastructure of a portable electronic apparatus in accordance with an exemplary embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is an exemplary block diagram of the portable electronic apparatus of  FIG. 1  in accordance with an exemplary embodiment. 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic interface view of the portable electronic apparatus of  FIG. 1  in accordance with an exemplary embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
       FIG. 1  is a block diagram of a hardware infrastructure of a portable electronic apparatus in accordance with an exemplary embodiment. The portable electronic apparatus  1  (hereinafter “the apparatus  1 ”) includes a first controller  10 , a second controller  20 , a human interface device (HID)  30 , an input unit  40 , a switch unit  50 , first private peripherals  60 , second private peripherals  70 , and public peripherals  80 . 
     The first controller  10  is configured for performing a first group of functional applications and generating a first group of functional interfaces. The first private peripherals  60 , connected to the first controller  10 , are configured for receiving controls from the first controller  10 . The second controller  20  is configured for performing a second group of functional applications and generating a second group of functional interfaces. The second private peripherals  70 , connected to the second controller  20 , are configured for receiving controls from the second controller  20 . The input unit  40  is configured for generating input signals from a user. The HID  30  is configured for processing the input signals from the input unit  40  and generating a control instruction. 
     The switch unit  50 , connected to the HID  30 , is configured for responding to the control instruction from the HID  30  to switch between the first controller  10  and the second controller  20 , thereafter the first controller  10  and the second controller  20  perform corresponding functional applications. The switch unit  50  includes a plurality of switch circuits (not shown). For example, when the HID  30  generates a first control instruction, the switch unit  50  switches from the first controller  10  to the second controller  20  and the second controller  20  performs the second group of functional applications; when the HID  30  generates a second control instruction, the switch unit  50  switches from the second controller  20  to the first controller  10  and the first controller  10  performs the first group of functional applications. 
     The public peripherals  80 , connected to the switch unit  50 , are configured for receiving controls between the first controller  10  and the second controller  20 . For example, when the switch unit  50  switches from the functional interfaces of the first controller  10  to the functional interfaces of the second controller  20 , the second controller  20  controls the public peripherals  80  and the first controller  10  stops controlling the public peripherals  80 ; when the switch unit  50  switches from the functional interfaces of the second controller  20  to the functional interfaces of the first controller  10 , the first controller  10  controls the public peripherals  80  and the second controller  20  stops controlling the public peripherals  80 . 
     In an exemplary embodiment, the first controller  10  is a media player controller, such as a moving picture experts group audio layer3 (Mp3) controller, a moving picture experts group audio layer4 (Mp4) controller, and the like, for performing functional applications of playing media files. The second controller  20  is a mobile communications controller, such as a global system for mobile communications (GSM) controller, a general packet radio service (GPRS) controller, a code division multiple access (CDMA) controller, and the like, for performing functional applications of communications via wireless protocol. 
     In another exemplary embodiment, the first controller  10  is a wireless fidelity (WIFI) controller, for performing WIFI communications functional applications, and the second controller  20  is another mobile communications controller for performing functional applications of communications via wireless protocol. In other exemplary embodiments, the first controller  10  and the second controller  20  can be further added new functional applications if necessary. 
       FIG. 2  is an exemplary block diagram of the portable electronic apparatus of  FIG. 1  in accordance with an exemplary embodiment. In the exemplary embodiment, the first controller is an Mp3 controller  10 , and the second controller is a GSM controller  20 . The apparatus  1  includes two work modes, e.g., an Mp3 work mode and a GSM work mode. The Mp3 controller  10  works in the Mp3 work mode, and the GSM controller  20  works in the GSM work mode. 
     The first private peripherals include a first storage unit  62 , a universal serial bus (USB) interface  64 , and a secure digital (SD) card port  66 . The first storage unit  62  is configured for storing programs of functional applications of the first controller  10  and media contents. The media contents include, but are not limited to, a plurality of Mp3 audio files. The second private peripherals include a second storage unit  72 , an antenna  74 , and a subscriber identity module (SIM)  76 . The second storage unit  72  is configured for storing programs of functional applications of the second controller  20  and communication data. The communication data include, but are not limited to, a plurality of short messages and a phonebook. 
     The public peripherals  80  include a display unit  82 , a speaker  84 , and an earphone port  86 . When the switch unit  50  switches from one controller to the other controller, the display unit  82  switches from functional interfaces of one controller to functional interfaces of the other controller. For example, when the apparatus  1  enters the Mp3 work mode, the Mp3 controller  10  controls the display unit  82  to display the Mp3 player interface, the speaker  84  to output sound corresponding to an audio file, and the earphone port  86  to receive the audio signals for an earphone (not shown). When the apparatus  1  enters the GSM work mode, the GSM controller  20  controls the display unit  82  to display the functional interfaces of short messages and phonebook, the speaker  84  to output a ring tone when the antenna  74  receives an incoming call signal from an external wireless communications system (not shown), and the earphone port  86  to receive voice from a called party for the earphone. 
     When the HID  30  receives a turn-on input signal from the input unit  40 , the display unit  82  displays a public functional interface. For example, in the exemplary embodiment as shown in  FIG. 3 , the public functional interface is configured for displaying basic information of the apparatus  1  when the apparatus  1  is in a standby state, for example, signal strength, battery capacity, current time and date (e.g., 09:30 am, and Sep. 10, 2008), a service provider of the apparatus  1  (e.g., China Mobile Communication Corporation (CMCC)), and a media player function (e.g., Mp3 player). The public functional interface further provides two optional icons corresponding to the two work modes for entering the two work modes. In addition, when the apparatus  1  is in the standby state, the GSM controller  20  is in a standby state and the Mp3 controller  10  is in an inactivate state. 
     When the HID  30  receives an instruction for entering the Mp3 work mode in response to a press operation on the Mp3 icon from the input unit  40 , the switch unit  50  switches the apparatus  1  to the Mp3 work mode, thereafter the Mp3 controller  10  enters an active state, and performs corresponding functional applications, for example, playing an Mp3 audio file. Furthermore, in the Mp3 work mode, the first private peripherals  60  and the public peripherals  80  also enter the activate state. For example, when the input unit  40  receives a play operation, the Mp3 controller  10  fetches an audio file from the first storage unit  62  and controls the speaker  84  to output sound, and the display unit  82  displays the play interface. 
     When the HID  30  receives an instruction for entering the GSM work mode in response to an input operation on the Phone icon from the input unit  40 , the switch unit  50  switches the apparatus  1  to the GSM work mode, thereafter, the GSM controller  20  enters an activate state, and performs corresponding functional applications, for example, writing a short message. Furthermore, in the GSM work mode, the second private peripherals  70  and the public peripherals  80  also enter the activate state as well as the GSM controller  20 . For example, when the input unit  40  receives a calling operation, the GSM controller  20  controls the antenna  74  to outgo a call, and the display unit  82  displays the calling interface. 
     When the antenna  74  receives an incoming call signal from the external wireless communications system while the apparatus  1  is playing an audio file, the Mp3 controller  10  stops playing the audio file, and the switch unit  50  switches the current work mode from the Mp3 work mode to the GSM work mode, that is, the switch unit  50  switches the controller of the apparatus  1  from the Mp3 controller  10  to the GSM controller  20 , thereafter, the Mp3 controller  10  enters the inactivate state, and the GSM controller  20  enters the activate state and controls the speaker  84  to output a ring tone. 
     It is understood that the invention may be embodied in other forms without departing from the spirit thereof. Thus, the present examples and embodiments are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and the invention is not to be limited to the details given herein.