WO2003105360A1

WO2003105360A1 - Mobile telephone with image processor installed in upper folder

Info

Publication number: WO2003105360A1
Application number: PCT/KR2003/001015
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jason Hwang
Original assignee: Ontimetek Inc.
Priority date: 2002-06-08
Filing date: 2003-05-23
Publication date: 2003-12-18
Also published as: KR20030094818A; KR100415883B1; AU2003231389A1

Abstract

The present invention provides a folder type or a slide type mobile phone with image processor installed in upper part thereof, wherein the image processor is installed in the upper part or, more preferably, in an LCD module, while the lower part comprises a control part that compresses data to be transmitted to the LCD module. The image processor decompresses the compressed data and then transmits the same to the LCD. If a camera is installed in the upper part, output of the camera is directly connected to the image processor in the upper part. Since an image data from the camera is also compressed by the image processor before it is transmitted to the control part in the lower part, a substantial reduction in the amount of data to be transmitted between the upper part and the lower part can be achieved.

Description

MOBILE TELEPHONE WITH IMAGE PROCESSOR INSTALLED IN UPPER

FOLDER

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a mobile phone with image processor installed in the upper part thereof, in particular, to a folder type or slide type mobile phone, wherein an image processor is installed in an LCD module for the mobile phone or in the upper part of the mobile phone, to enable easy connection between the upper part and the lower part.

BACKGROUND ART

In line with the recent trend of minimizing electronic parts, size of mobile phones continues to be reduced drastically. In constrast thereto, a bigger and bigger display element is demanded for a mobile phone to be compatible with the growing multimedia information. In order to satisfy these conflicting demands, mobile phones consisted of two different parts have been introduced, of which one part accomodates an input keypad as well as circuits for operation of the mobile phone, while the other part accomodates a display element, so that a small sized mobile phone with a big display screen is realized. Examples of such mobile phone are folder type mobile phones and slide type mobile phones.

Figs, la and lb illustrate examples of folder type mobile phones. Each of these folder type mobile phones comprises an upper part 20 and a lower part 10, wherein the upper part 20 includes a display element such as an LCD 30 and a speaker 26 for listening, while the lower part 10 includes a keypad 40 and a microphone 50 for speaking, whereby the upper part 20 and the lower part 10 are combined with one another by a hinge 22 so that they can be folded/unfolded about the A axis.

A slide type mobile phone has the same construction as a folder type mobile phone in that it comprises an upper part that includes a display element as well as a speaker, and a lower part that includes a keypad as well as a microphone. But it differs from a folder type mobile phone in that its display element is installed on a side of the upper part opposite to that of a folder type mobile phone, and that its upper part slides against the lower part instead of folding/unfolding. Moreover, new mobile phones are provided recently, which can be connected to a digital camera, or comprise a digital camera within them. Fig. lb shows a mobile phone with an integrated digital camera 27 installed at the top part of the upper part. Although the digital camera 27 in the drawing is connected to the mobile phone by a connection means 31 in a detachable manner, it can also be installed in a firmly installed manner. In a folder type or slide type mobile phone, the elements in the upper part need to be connected electrically with those in the lower part. Fig. 2 shows an example of such electric connections.

In Fig. 2, an LCD module 30 is electrically connected to a flexible printed circuit 213, while the latter 213 is electrically connected to both a speaker 211 and a vibration motor 212. An extension part 213a of the flexible printed circuit is electrically connected to a main board 212 through the axis of an hinge. A first connector 214 is provided for at one end of the extension part 213a and a second connector 222 is provided for at a predetermined location of the main board 220, so that an electric connection can be established between the LCD module 30 and the main board 220 when the two connectors are connected with one another, transmission of various signals between them are enabled. Further, if a camera shall be installed in the mobile phone, the camera 27 needs to be electrically connected to the main board 220 via the flexible printed circuit 213, though such case is not illustrated in Fig. 2.

Figs. 3 a and 3b are block diagrams showing internal circuit constructions of a conventional folder type or slide type mobile phone, wherein Fig. 3 a shows an internal circuit construction of a general folder type or slide type mobile phone, while Fig. 3b shows an internal circuit construction of a folder type or slide type mobile phone with camera function.

Main board 220 of the lower part 10 comprises a radio circuit part 130 for ^' communication with a base station, an audio circuit part 140 for voice communication, a keypad 120 for inputting by keys, a memory part 110 for storing various programs and data, and a control part 100 for controlling the above parts. In a CDMA mobile phone, a one- chip modem, generally called Mobile Station Modem (MSM), is used for the controll part 100. The control part 100 comprises a Phase Locked Loop (PLL), a CDMA processor, a vocoder, a keypad interface, a serial interface, a processor core, and the like. The lower part 10 further comprises a microphone 50 for converting a user's voice into electric signals, and an antenna for transmission and reception of radio waves.

The upper part 213 comprises an LCD 30 as an element for displaying letters, images, etc. The LCD 30, being installed normally in module form, comprises an LCD panel and an LCD driver for driving the same. In addition, an LCD controller 150 is installed at the LCD module or at the flexible printed circuit 213 for control of the letters, etc. displayed on the LCD. The upper part 213 further comprises a speaker 26 for outputting voice of a communication partner. A loudspeaker or a piezo element for notifying receiving calls, and a vibration motor for notifying receiving calls in an etiquette mode are normally installed at the upper part as well, though such cases are not illustrated in the drawing.

In a mobile phone with camera function, a camera 27 and a camera interface 170 can be installed at the upper part, as shown in Fig. 3b. In a mobile phone capable of receiving moving images or capable of visual communication using a camera 27, an image processor 160 for processing moving images can be installed at the main board 220 of the lower part 10.

An MPEG4 processor of Toshiba, TC35273XB, for example, can be used as such image processor 160. This image processor enables processing of moving images in a mobile phone, by decoding/encoding moving images that are not processable by the main processor alone. The image processor 160 is normally equipped with ports for connection with LCD module, camera, microphone, speaker, and the like.

A folder type or a slide type mobile phone as above is advantageous in that it provides a big display screen while maintaining a small phone size. However, such construction requires means for establishing electric connection between the upper part and the lower part, while the number of connection lines between them needs to be limited for purposes of easy assembling, of noise reduction, and of enhancing noise tolerance, etc.

Furthermore, as the life cycle of a mobile phone tends to be shorter and shorter, and the forms of display elements supplied become more varified, a new mobile phone construction is demanded which remains compatible with various forms of display elements and with various mutlimedia functions, without or with only slight correction of the main board.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention, conceived in view of the foregoing, aims to provide a mobile phone capable of reducing the number of connection lines between the upper part and the lower part thereof.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide a mobile phone that remains compatible with various forms of display elements and with various mutlimedia functions, without or with only slight correction of the main board.

In order to achieve the above objectives, a mobile phone in accordance with the present invention comprises an image processor in its upper part, more preferably at an

LCD module, and its lower part comprises a control part that compresses data, and then, transmits the same to an LCD module, whereupon the image processor decompresses the data, and then, transmits the same to the LCD. In case a camera is installed at the upper part, output of the camera is connected directly to the image processor in the upper part.

Since the image data from the camera is compressed by the image processor before being trandmitted to the control part in the lower part, the amount of data to be transmitted between the upper part and the lower part is reduced drastically.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figs, la and lb show outer appearances of (conventional) folder type mobile phones. Fig. 2 illustrates internal boards of upper part and lower part in a folder type mobile phone and electric connections between these boards.

Figs. 3a and 3b are block diagrams showing internal circuit constructions of a conventional folder type or slide type mobile phone.

Fig. 4 is a block diagram showing internal circuit construction of a folder type or slide type mobile phone in accordance with the present invention. PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

The preferred embodiments of the present invention are described below in detail, making reference to the accompanying drawings, whereby Fig. 4 is a block diagram showing internal circuit construction of a folder type or slide type mobile phone in accordance with the present invention.

As shown in Fig. 4, in a mobile phone as per the present invention, an image processor 160 is installed at the upper part 20. Although a separate board for the image processor 160 can be provided for in the upper part 20, the image processor 160 is preferably installed at an LCD module or at a flexible printed circuit 213.

When moving image or still image shall be displayed on the LCD, the control part 100 fetches compressed image data from the memory part 110, and then, transmits the same to the image processor 160, whereupon the image processor decompresses the image data, and then, transmits the same to the LCD controller 150. After that, if the LCD controller 150 controls the LCD 30 based on the transmitted data, the desired image is displayed on the LCD 30.

As the data to be transmitted between the control part 100 and the image processor 160, in other words, between the upper part and the lower part are compressed as described above, the amount of signals to be transmitted between the upper part and the lower part is reduced by the rate of such compression.

Conventionally, if specification of an LCD is changed in the process of developing a new product, this change frequently requires corresponding change in programs or in design of the main board, because the physical as well as logical interfaces between the image processor 160 and the LCD controller should also be changed correspondingly. However, according to the present invention, when specification of an LCD is changed, only the corresponding program or board design of the upper part needs to be changed, without requiring any changes in the programs and in design of the main board in the lower part, thus leading to substantial reductions in development time and development cost. In particular, when the image processor is installed at an LCD module, the development time and the development cost can be reduced drastically, since, in this case, only an LCD module needs to be changed.

In a mobile phone equipped with a camera 26 at its upper part 20, signals outputted from the camera 27 are transmitted to the image processor 160 via the camera interface 170, whereupon the image processor 160 compresses the signals, and then, transmits the same to the control part 100. Then, the control part 100 transmits the compressed image signals to a mobile communication base via the radio circuit part 130, and thus, enables visual communication with a communication partner.

Since a mobile phone with a camera 27 as described above does not require any additional signal connections between the upper part 20 and the lower part 10, the amount of connection lines between the upper part 20 and the lower part 10 can be reduced.

Although the speaker 26 is connected to an audio circuit part 140 in the lower part 10 in Fig. 4, it can be connected directly to the image processor 160 as well. In such case, a protocol for exchanging voice signals between the control part 100 and the image processor 160 is provided for, voice signals from the radio circuit part 130 are converted into digital signals by the control part 100, and then, transmitted to the image processor 160, so that these signals are converted into analog electric signals by the image processor 160, and then, applioed to the speaker 26.

In the case of motion pictures that comprise audio signals such as MPEG, the audio signals are decoded when the moving images are decoded. Such audio signals can be transmitted directly to the speaker 26 by the image processor, instead of being transmitted to the control part 100.

In a construction of mobile phone as above, the amount of signal connections between the upper part 20 and the lower part 10 can be reduced, since signal connections between the upper part 20 and the lower part 10 relative to the speaker can be saved in such construction.

It is also possible that a vibration motor, not illustrated in the drawing, is driven directly by the image processor 160. In such case, a protocol for exchanging driving signals of the vibration motor between the control part 100 and the image processor 160 is provided for, a control signal for driving the vibration motor is transmitted by the control part 100 to the image processor 160 if the vibration motor is desired to be driven, and then, the image processor 160 drives the vibration motor. Since such construction does not require any additional signal connection between the upper part 20 and the lower part 10 relative to the vibration motor, a reduction in the amount of connection lines between these two folders can be achieved. It is also possible that the image processor 160 is embodied with the LCD controller 150 in a single chip.

Furthermore, the image processor 160 can also be embodied with the camera interface 170 in a single chip.

INDUSTRIAL APLIC ABILITY

As described above, the present invention allows signal circuits between the upper part and the lower part to be simplified by locating the image processor in the upper part of a mobile phone. In this manner, the present invention enables easy assembling, reduction of noise from signal circuits between the upper part and the lower part, and reduction of noise generation due to interferences between the signal circuits. Here, since the image processor in the upper part decompresses the transmitted image data compressed by the main board, and then, transmits the same to the LCD installed also at the upper part, the amount of data to be transmitted between the upper part and the lower part is substantially reduced, a reduction of electromagnetic waves generated thereby is also achieved.

Moreover, with installment of the image processor at an LCD module, a mobile phone developer is allowed to change only the LCD module, without the necessity of designing separate image processor circuits for each LCD module, saving developing time as well as developing cost for eventual change of the display elements or for eventual addition of multimedia functions.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A mobile phone consisting of an upper part with a display part and a lower part with a keypad, wherein said lower part comprises a radio circuit part for communication with a base station, an audio circuit part for voice communication, a keypad for inputting by keys, a memory part for storing various programs and data, and a control part for controlling the said parts; and said upper part comprises an image processor that decompresses image data transmitted from said control part, and then, transmits the same to said display part.

2. The mobile phone of Claim 1, wherein said upper part additionally comprises a camera of which the output is connected to said image processor, whereby said image processor compresses image signals from said camera, and then, thansmits the same to said control part.

3. The mobile phone of Claim 1, wherein said upper part additionally comprises a vibration motor, whereby said image processor drives said vibration motor while it is connected to said vibration motor in accordance with control data from said control part.

4. The mobile phone of Claim 1, wherein said upper part comprises a speaker which is connected to said image processor, whereby said image processor converts audio data transmitted from said control part into analog signals, and then, transmits the same to said speaker.

5. The mobile phone of Claim 1, wherein said display part comprises an LCD and an LCD controller for driving said LCD.

6. The mobile phone of Claim 5, wherein said LCD controller and said image processor are embodied in a single chip.