IP Library Granted Patent US 8,315,677
Granted Patent B2
US 8,315,677 · App. 11/908,356 · Granted Nov 20, 2012

Folding mobile phone

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,315,677
App. No.
11/908,356
Granted
Nov 20, 2012
Kind
B2
Abstract

A folding mobile phone is provided that improves the antenna characteristics of both of a main antenna and a sub-antenna. The folding mobile phone comprises at least an upper housing 1 , a lower housing 2 , a hinge unit 3 , a main antenna 4 located in the vicinity of the hinge unit 3 of the lower housing 2 , a sub-antenna 5 located at the lower end of the lower housing 2 , and a control unit for selecting an antenna to be used, the folding mobile phone comprising: an upper-and-lower-connections switching circuit 10 for connecting to a lower circuit board 7 ; and an upper-and-lower-boards connecting means 9 for connecting an upper circuit board 6 with the upper-and-lower-connections switching circuit 10 , wherein, at the upper-and-lower-connections switching circuit 10 , an electrical connection state between the upper circuit board 6 and the lower circuit board 7 is switched by turning the PIN diode on and off based on the antenna selection signal from the control unit. This provides an appropriate connection state for the selected antenna and thus improves the antenna characteristics of both antennas.

Claims (8)

1. A folding mobile phone comprising:

an upper housing;

a lower housing;

a hinge unit which connects the upper housing and the lower housing;

a first antenna disposed in the upper housing;

a second antenna disposed in the lower housing;

a control unit configured to select one of the first antenna and the second antenna to be used and to transmit an antenna selection signal;

wherein, the control unit controls to electrically connect and electrically disconnect a component in the upper housing with a component in the lower housing based on the antenna selection signal, such that when the antenna selection signal indicates selection of the second antenna, the control unit controls to electrically connect the component in the upper housing to the component in the lower housing, and when the antenna selection signal indicates selection of the first antenna, the control unit controls to electrically disconnect the component in the upper housing from the component in the lower housing.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 11, 2014
From: NEC CORPORATION
To: LENOVO INNOVATIONS LIMITED (HONG KONG)
Reel/Frame 033720/0767 →