FR2786960A1 - Multiple function mobile telephone construction having main telephone body unit with drop in monoblock/battery and external extra function module external cable main body connected. - Google Patents

Abstract

The multiple function construction has a body section (1) with electronic circuits (2-15), a drop in monoblock (20) and battery section. There are external circuits (34-38) which perform specific customer requested functions. The connection to these external circuits is via a connector (41) to a plug in connector and cable (43,45) which plugs into the main mobile telephone unit.

Description

Universal mobile telephone The present invention relates to a telephone

  mobile usable in multiple ways, that is to say essentially for its known function of telephone communications over the air, but also for other functions representing the current needs of users. The object of the invention is to facilitate the construction of such a mobile telephone, and

  essentially reduce the manufacturing cost.

  A mobile telephone normally includes a body provided with electronic circuits which make it possible to operate the mobile telephone. It also has a battery box on the back. The battery case is generally removable from the body. A mobile phone also has a power connector in the body or case to recharge the battery when its energy is used up. The mobile phones of the current generation also include a connector of base in the body with which it is possible, in addition to the recharging of the

  battery, to make the mobile phone communicate with other devices.

  In particular, it is possible to connect the mobile phone to a micro-

  computer. To make mobile phones as inexpensive as possible implies a rigorous and unchanging definition of the shapes of the body of the phone and of the battery case. It also requires a fixed arrangement and structure of power interface connectors between the battery box and the body of the phone. The consequence of such rigor is then the possibility of manufacturing in very large series, at

  several million copies, each of these parts.

  Marginal needs are emerging for mobile phones. For example, we may want to associate a smart card reader with a telephone

  mobile. We may also want to associate an electronic agenda.

  Alternatively, provision can be made to provide the mobile telephone with a remote control, wireless or infrared function. Or we

  wants to make radio access to local networks.

  Optionally, connection functions, that is to say making several connections available, are sought. Each time, these marginal uses have the disadvantage that, if they must be incorporated into the mobile phone, they induce a complete overhaul of the mechanical structure of the body of the mobile phone. This redesign leads to new approvals of the products concerned and therefore to significant investments. Such an overhaul is only possible if for the manufacturer there is an assurance of being able to sell large quantities of the new embodiments. This is precisely not the case since these new embodiments are just marginal. Their use may be limited to a much smaller population. For example, only a few tens of thousands of users may be interested in a

given function.

  The problem is therefore that of adapting a mobile phone

  existing for multiple uses. We know from the patent application FRA-

  2,750,282 a solution in which, for the purpose of measuring the consumption of telephone units, it is planned to insert an interface block between the body of the mobile telephone and the battery case. This interface block mechanically adapts in an intermediate position between the body of the mobile phone and the power supply unit. However, this intermediate interface block is only capable of measuring current consumption since only wires from an electrical supply bus joining the housing to the body are provided at this interface. Consequently, with such a solution, it is not conceivable to add electronic functions involving signals exchanged by this mobile telephone on its radio channel. In addition, the intermediate interface is mechanically thin, so that it does not offer real possibilities for a user to have commands to act on the operation of the

mobile phone and / or block.

  In the invention, we wanted to solve this marginal manufacturing problem by avoiding having to design differentiated mobile phone bodies for each use. On the contrary, in the invention, an identical mobile telephone body has been chosen, whether the use is a conventional use or a use with a complementary device as mentioned above. In the invention, the battery case is in fact replaced by a more complex monobloc case, comprising the desired electronic function and of course the batteries. This more complex monobloc electronic unit can then comprise, depending on the desired application, a screen, a keyboard or other members. This screen and this keyboard easily find their place on the back of the mobile phone when they would not have found it on the edge of the interface block according to the teaching of the document

Cited above.

  In order to then allow real communication between this monobloc unit and the mobile telephone, an already existing functional connector of the body is used in the invention. This functional connector is either

  socket connector with which all current mobile telephones are fitted.

  Either in GSM type applications, this functional connector is that of a control circuit, called SIM circuit, which is normally related to the mobile phone. In this case, in the invention, the contacts of the body of the telephone are derived so that they end up in the one-piece mixed housing.

  power supply and perform the desired additional function.

  In this way it is easier to design and develop power supply boxes provided with complementary devices. In fact, there are no longer any occupancy constraints for these boxes of a reduced location since it is possible to design a new monobloc volume. Furthermore, as nothing is changed in the constitution of the body of mobile phones, they can continue to keep the same industrialization solutions. At most, a general operating program of the mobile telephone can be modified. But this program is a program saved in memory. Just load at the manufacturing, or even download for old phones, a new program in this

  mobile phone body so that it can accept a new function.

  Under these conditions, we will show that we achieve the desired result that marginal uses become accessible at low cost, and fairly

  quickly from the moment they are commercially requested.

  The subject of the invention is therefore a mobile telephone comprising a body provided with electronic circuits for operating this mobile telephone, a monobloc and removable battery case for supplying the electronic circuits of this body, and a connection for connecting a power connector of the body to a power supply connector of the housing, characterized in that it comprises functional electronic circuits in the housing, a functional connector of the housing, a functional connector of the body, and an additional connection for connecting this functional connector of the II I . I l1

  housing to this functional connector of the body.

  The invention will be better understood on reading the description which follows

  and examining the accompanying figure. These are presented for information only and in no way limit the invention. Figure 1 shows: - a schematic representation of a mobile phone of the state of the art and of the additions which are provided to it so that it meets the

changes requested.

  Figure 1 shows a mobile phone according to the invention. This one

  comprises a body 1 provided with electronic circuits to operate it.

  These electronic circuits schematically comprise a microprocessor 2 connected by a bus 3 to a program memory 4, a

  data memory 5, and circuits 6 for processing speech signals.

  The circuits 6 are symbolically connected to a microphone 7 and a speaker 8 of the mobile phone. The electronic circuits of block 1 are moreover connected to transmission circuits 9 themselves connected to an antenna 10. They are also connected to a set of peripherals. Among these peripherals, a screen 11, control buttons 12 are distinguished in a known manner, and, in modern telephones, a base connector 13. The screen 11 and the buttons 12 serve to use the mobile telephone of a known way. The base connector 13 comprises a fairly complete connector provided with various connections allowing different types of use. For example, a connector 14 of the coaxial type can make it possible to connect the mobile telephone to an external antenna, a car antenna for example. A standardized connector 15, in accordance with the HIROSE standard, makes it possible to connect the mobile telephone to different organs,

  in particular to a microcomputer 16.

  GSM type telephones also have a connector 16 connected to bus 3, and which is intended to enter into communication with metallizations 17 of a removable electronic control circuit 18. This removable control circuit is a so-called SIM micromodule circuit for Secure Identification Module. The bus 3 is also in relation to a power connector 19 intended to receive an electrical distribution produced by an electrical power supply unit 20. The SIM micromodule 18 is placed in a housing located on the internal surface of the

  body 1, that which receives the housing 20.

  l Ix Iil The battery box 20 is removable. For this purpose it may for example have on one side a claw 21 intended to grip in a cavity 22 of a receptacle 23 formed in the body 1. At another end, the housing has a latch 24 intended to engage in a hole 25 made on an edge of the receptacle 23. When the removable housing 20 is in place, electric probes 26 connected to battery elements 27 of the housing 20 come into contact with metallizations 28 of the connector 19. The operations of maintenance of such a mobile phone are particularly simple. It suffices to open the latch 24, and to tilt the housing 20 around the claw 21 to extract it from the receptacle 23. We then have access to the SIM micromodule 18 to change it. In the invention, it was decided to replace the conventional power supply unit 20 with a housing 30 of a particular type. The housing 30 will play, like the housing 20, a power supply function. In particular, it will continue to include the feelers 26 intended to come into contact with the metallizations 28. However, the design of the housing 30 of the invention will be different in the sense that its thickness 31 in particular will no longer be forced to resemble that of the housing 20 The housing 30 will nevertheless have a claw 32 and a latch 33 to play the same role as the claw 21 and the latch 24. The housing 30 will preferably have all the approvals

  necessary for the intended function.

  We have shown here in a composite way a set of functions. It is of course not necessary for all the functions to be carried out on the same housing 30. It is indeed possible to provide housings 30 of different type, each of them having only one of the functions shown on that of Figure 1. The housing 30 will have inside an electronic circuit of the same type as that of the body 1. It may also have, connected to this electronic circuit, a set of control buttons 34 and a display screen 35. This screen 35 may be significantly larger than the screen 11 of the mobile telephone which is generally relatively small in size. In this case, the box 30 will be able to perform the functions of a desk organizer: that is to say to contain a diary function, a calculator function, a directory memorization function, a notes function as well as all types of 'possible use. Simply the program memory of the circuit

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  electronics of the housing 30 will include functions corresponding to these uses. As a variant, or in addition, the box 30 may include an infrared diode 36, a radio transmission circuit (preferably on a frequency band different from the frequency band used by the aerial 10), as well as a reader 38 of a smart card 39 40. The reader 38 comprises a connector of the same type as the connector 16. All these circuits are connected to the address and data control bus of the circuit

housing electronics 30.

  In the invention, the housing 30 is not only pressed against the rear of the body 1 of the mobile telephone. In particular the box 30 does not only share with the latter the batteries it contains. In fact, in the invention, the information processed and created in the box 1 is intended to be transmitted to, or received from the electronic circuit 2- 16 of the body 1. For this purpose in the invention, a connector is also connected functional 41 of the housing 30 to a functional connector of the body 1. In one example, this functional connector is the connector 15. In doing so, in addition to a conventional connection 42, resulting from the contacting of the feelers 26 with the metallizations 28 supply, an additional connection 43 is made

functional.

  The connection 43 comprises in one example a cable provided with two connectors of complementary type to the type of connectors 15 and 41 respectively. If these connectors 15 and 41 are male connectors, the cable 43 will have two female sockets 44 and 45 respectively. It can be seen that by doing so, the body 1 of the mobile telephone has not been modified in any way. On the other hand, all the power of the interconnection is obtained by means of the link 43. In this case, the link 43 is external to the body 1 and to the housing 30. In particular, it uses the socket outlet 15. It is possible by elsewhere to provide that the plug 45 is permanently mounted, without possibility of extraction, in the connector 41. In this case preferably the length and the shape of the cable 43 will be adapted so that it is not

  floating at the location of the base 46 of the mobile telephone.

  Alternatively, the housing 30 can mechanically integrate a connection to the connector 15 so as not to have an external cable. In this case, the connector 15 lets appear coupled pins near the il1 1 I I cavity 22. In this case the claw 32 can be provided with means for connecting to these coupled pins. Not all mobile phones

  however, have no such ability.

  In the context of use in GSM type telephony, when a SIM 18 micromodule is used, it is possible to proceed in another way. The micromodule 18 is replaced either by a connection circuit 47 or by a flexible circuit 48. The connection circuit 47 has mechanically the same dimension as the micromodule 18. It comprises for example a double-sided printed circuit board. It has on one side, here not visible, metallizations 49 arranged in accordance with the arrangement of metallizations 17 of the micromodule 18. On another face it will include metallizations 50. Internally, in the body of the wafer 47 are made connections 51 to connect the metallizations 50, individually to metallizations 49. The metallizations 50 of the wafer 47 appear in a place of the latter which is visible and accessible in the receptacle 23. In fact, for the micromodule 18 to be able to be removed, be able to grab it. The metallizations 50 are located at the location of these gripping parts, where

  they are visible at interface 23.

  In this case, the housing 30 will include other feelers 52 to connect to the metallizations 50 when the housing 30 is engaged in the body 1 above the wafer 47. In this case, the housing 30 includes a housing for introduce the SIM micromodule 18 there. If necessary, the SIM micromodule 18 can be introduced into the reader 38 for a card 39 with a chip 40. Preferably, the housing 30 will for this purpose have a housing provided under the underside 53 of the housing 30. This housing will have the same shape and will also have electric probes like housing 54 located

  at the bottom of the receptacle 23 and which normally receives the SIM micromodule 18.

  In this case, inside the housing 30, electrical connections make it possible to connect the feelers 52 to the feelers of this housing. By doing so, we derive the connections of bus 3 which arrived on the

probes 16.

  It is possible that, for security reasons, at the location of the connection of the probes 16 to the bus 3, there is a circuit 55 for protocol mutation. It may be useful in this case to modify the operating parameters of circuit 55. It is quite easy since these parameters are

software type parameters.

  In another embodiment, the printed circuit board

  double-sided 47 can also contain the microcircuit of the SIM micromodule.

  The SIM micromodule 18 is then replaced by another SIM micromodule, mechanically identical, but comprising on one face the metallizations 49 arranged in accordance with the arrangement of the metallizations 17 and connected to the SIM microcircuit, and on another face the metallizations 50 connected to the metallizations 49 This embodiment avoids placing a micro SIM connector in the housing 30 to accommodate the SIM micromodule 18. In the case where the connection circuit is a flexible circuit 48, it will include a plate 56 of the same type as the plate 47. Metallizations 57, which also occupy positions comparable to metallizations 17 of circuit 18, are connected to a ply 58 of flexible connections. The connections of the sheet 58 are connected at another end to another plate 59 having metallizations 60. In this case, the housing 30 will include an additional cavity, for example of the same type

  as the cavity 54, to receive the wafer 58 instead of the feelers 52.

  As another additional function, the connector 41 can be split into a connector 61 so as to allow the connection of the housing 30 to a microcomputer 16, simultaneously with the connection to the connector 15. The

  connector pads 41 and 61 are matched.

  The advantage of the solutions of the chips 47 and 56 is that the presence of the functional link is internal to the interface between the body 1 and

  the box 30: it does not protrude outside like the link 43.

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Claims (8)

  1 - Mobile telephone comprising a body (1) provided with electronic circuits (2-15) for operating this mobile telephone, a monobloc and removable battery case (20) for supplying the electronic circuits of this body, and a link (42 ) to connect a connector (19) supplying the body to a connector (26) supplying the housing, characterized in that it comprises functional electronic circuits (34-38) in the housing (30), a connector functional (41) of the housing, a functional connector of the body, and an additional link (43, 51, 58) for connecting this   functional connector of the housing to this functional connector of the body.   2 - Telephone according to claim 1, characterized in that the additional link connects the functional connector of the housing to an outlet base (15) of the body.   3 - Telephone according to claim 2, characterized in that the connection of the functional connector of the housing to the socket of the body is outside the body.   4 - Telephone according to one of claims 2 or 3, characterized in that   that the connection of the functional connector of the box to the socket   of the body is produced in an internal space (22) between the body and the housing.   - Telephone according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that   that it comprises in an internal space (23), between the body and the housing, a housing (54) for incorporating therein a removable electronic control circuit (18), and in that it comprises in place of this removable circuit a double-sided circuit (47) playing the role of the additional connection and having on one side, towards the body, first contact metallizations (49) connected, on the other face, to second metallizations (50) of contact. 6 - Telephone according to claim 5 characterized in that the double-sided circuit comprises a security control microcircuit connected to first metallizations.   7 - Telephone according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that   that it comprises in an internal space (23), between the body and the housing, a housing (54) for incorporating therein a removable electronic circuit (18), and in that it comprises in place of this removable circuit a flexible circuit (48) II. I I i playing the role of the additional link and having at one end towards the body, first contact metallizations (57) connected to the other   end towards the housing, at second contact metallizations (60).   8 - Telephone according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that   that the housing comprises a smart card reader (38) (39) (40).   9 - Telephone according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that   the housing includes an infrared communication circuit (36) or by radio.   - Telephone according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that   that the housing includes a remote control circuit (37).   11 - Telephone according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in   that the housing includes a circuit (61) for connection to an assembly   IT split of the functional connector of the box. I He 1 Ii