Patent ID: 7289833

Claim:
An apparatus for controlling opening and closing of a folder in a foldable mobile communication terminal having a main body and a sub-body foldably mounted on the main body, said sub-body being opened or closed either automatically or manually in compliance with a user's selection, said apparatus comprising: a sensor means arranged at one end of the main-body and the sub-body, for detecting a fully open status or a fully closed status of the sub-body on the main-body; a sub-body opening and closing drive unit for automatically opening or closing the sub-body by means of activating a sub-body drive motor rotatably coupled with said one end of the sub-body, under control of a control unit; a current sensing unit coupled to the control unit for sensing an amount of motor drive current applied to the sub-body drive motor and providing the sensed amount of motor drive current to the control unit; and said control unit for taking a measurement of the amount of the motor drive current output from said current sensing unit upon enabling of an automatic opening or closing operation of the sub-body in the sub-body opening and closing drive unit in compliance with the user's selection of automatic sub-body control, and for discontinuing to drive the sub-body drive motor when the measured amount of the motor drive current is larger than a predetermined current threshold value and the sensor means senses one of a fully open status and a fully closed status of the sub-body and discontinuing to drive the sub-body drive motor after driving the sub-body drive motor for at least more than one cycle of the motor when the measured amount of the motor drive current is larger than the predetermined current threshold value and the sensor means senses neither one of a fully open status and a fully closed status of the sub-body.