KR101978959B1 - Mobile terminal - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides a mobile terminal having a key module exposed to the outside through a window, the key module comprising: a key module circuit board having a light emitting diode mounted on one surface thereof; A contact terminal protruding from the other surface, and a key top covering the light emitting diode and exposed to the outside through the window.

Description

[0001] MOBILE TERMINAL [0002]

The present invention relates to a mobile terminal having a key module exposed to the outside through a window.

A mobile terminal is a portable electronic device that is portable and has one or more functions of voice and video call function, information input / output function, and data storage function.

As the functions are diversified, the mobile terminal is implemented as a multimedia player having complicated functions such as photographing, video shooting, playback of music or video file, game, broadcast reception, and the like.

In order to support and enhance the function of the mobile terminal, various attempts have been made in the hardware part and / or the software part of the mobile terminal.

In addition, mobile terminals are regarded as personal items for expressing their personalities, and various design forms are required. The design form includes structural changes and improvements that improve the appearance of the mobile terminal.

As an example of the structural change and improvement, research is being conducted to develop a front key button having a structure different from a front key button of an existing mobile terminal.

The present invention provides a mobile terminal having a home key different from a conventional mobile terminal.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a mobile terminal including a main circuit board including a contact terminal electrically connected to a battery, And a key module disposed between the window and the main circuit board and exposed to the outside through the keyhole, wherein the key module includes: a key module circuit board having a light emitting diode mounted on one surface thereof; A contact terminal protruding from the other surface of the key module circuit board, and a key top covering the light emitting diode and exposed to the outside through the window.

As an example of the present invention, the key module further includes a transparent rubber laminated between the key top and the key module circuit board, and a part of the key rubber is exposed to the outside through the key hole.

As another example of the present invention, the transparent rubber includes protrusions which face the key dome formed on the main circuit board through the key module circuit board.

As another example of the present invention, the contact terminal includes a first terminal and a second terminal arranged on the other surface so as to be symmetrical to each other about the protruding portion.

The first and second terminals may include a first extending portion extending from the other surface toward the contact terminal and having one end formed to be in contact with the contact terminal, 2 extensions.

According to still another embodiment of the present invention, the first and second terminals are elastic bodies formed to be elastically deformable in the direction of the contact terminal.

As another example of the present invention, the light emitting diode includes a first light emitting diode and a second light emitting diode mounted on the one surface so as to be symmetrical with respect to the protruding portion.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the key top may be spaced apart from the boundary of the keyhole and have a recess recessed in the thickness direction, the transparent rubber covering the key module circuit board and overlapping the keyhole And an overhang portion formed to protrude from the overlapped portion to be engaged with the groove.

As another example of the present invention, the key top includes a light projection pattern formed so that the transparent rubber is exposed to the outside of the terminal.

The mobile terminal according to at least one embodiment of the present invention configured as described above may modularize the front keys on the PCB to increase convenience in assembly and production of the mobile terminal.

Further, according to the present invention, it is possible to supply the power to the front key and support the key button without installing a separate structure by using the contact terminal surface mounting technique.

In addition, the present invention enhances the front appearance design through the use of the home key lighting and makes the home key easier to use even in the dark, thereby enhancing user convenience.

Further, the present invention can reduce the material cost by eliminating the FPCB connector structure connecting the LED and the power source.

In addition, the present invention can improve the durability by replacing the existing transparent PC with a rubber to secure a light path and an actuator, thereby preventing damages to the LED upon dropping.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a mobile terminal according to one embodiment disclosed herein.
2A is a perspective view of a mobile terminal 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention.
2B is a rear perspective view of the mobile terminal 100 shown in FIG. 2A.
3 is an exploded view of the mobile terminal of FIG.
Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV in Fig. 3;
5 is an exploded view of the key module of FIG.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals are used to designate identical or similar elements, and redundant description thereof will be omitted. The suffix " module " and " part " for the components used in the following description are given or mixed in consideration of ease of specification, and do not have their own meaning or role. In the following description of the embodiments of the present invention, a detailed description of related arts will be omitted when it is determined that the gist of the embodiments disclosed herein may be blurred. In addition, it should be noted that the attached drawings are only for easy understanding of the embodiments disclosed in the present specification, and should not be construed as limiting the technical idea disclosed in the present specification by the attached drawings.

The mobile terminal described in this specification includes a mobile phone, a smart phone, a laptop computer, a digital broadcasting terminal, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a portable multimedia player (PMP), a navigation device, a slate PC , A tablet PC (tablet PC), and an ultrabook (ultrabook). However, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the configuration according to the embodiments described herein may be applied to a fixed terminal such as a digital TV, a desktop computer, and the like, unless the configuration is applicable only to a mobile terminal.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a mobile terminal according to one embodiment disclosed herein.

The mobile terminal 100 includes a wireless communication unit 110, an audio / video input unit 120, a user input unit 130, a sensing unit 140, an output unit 150, a memory 160, A controller 170, a controller 180, a power supply 190, and the like. The components shown in FIG. 1 are not essential, and a mobile terminal having more or fewer components may be implemented.

Hereinafter, the components will be described in order.

The wireless communication unit 110 may include one or more modules for enabling wireless communication between the mobile terminal 100 and the wireless communication system or between the mobile terminal 100 and the network in which the mobile terminal 100 is located. For example, the wireless communication unit 110 may include at least one of a broadcast receiving module 111, a mobile communication module 112, a wireless Internet module 113, a short range communication module 114, and a location information module 115 .

The broadcast receiving module 111 receives broadcast signals and / or broadcast-related information from an external broadcast management server through a broadcast channel.

The broadcast channel may include a satellite channel and a terrestrial channel. The broadcast management server may refer to a server for generating and transmitting broadcast signals and / or broadcast related information, or a server for receiving broadcast signals and / or broadcast related information generated by the broadcast management server and transmitting the generated broadcast signals and / or broadcast related information. The broadcast signal may include a TV broadcast signal, a radio broadcast signal, a data broadcast signal, and a broadcast signal in which a data broadcast signal is combined with a TV broadcast signal or a radio broadcast signal.

The broadcast-related information may refer to a broadcast channel, a broadcast program, or information related to a broadcast service provider. The broadcast-related information may also be provided through a mobile communication network. In this case, it may be received by the mobile communication module 112.

The broadcast-related information may exist in various forms. For example, an EPG (Electronic Program Guide) of DMB (Digital Multimedia Broadcasting) or an ESG (Electronic Service Guide) of Digital Video Broadcast-Handheld (DVB-H).

For example, the broadcast receiving module 111 may be a Digital Multimedia Broadcasting-Terrestrial (DMB-T), a Digital Multimedia Broadcasting-Satellite (DMB-S), a Media Forward Link Only And a Digital Broadcasting System (ISDB-T) (Integrated Services Digital Broadcast-Terrestrial). Of course, the broadcast receiving module 111 may be adapted to other broadcasting systems as well as the digital broadcasting system described above.

The broadcast signal and / or broadcast related information received through the broadcast receiving module 111 may be stored in the memory 160.

The mobile communication module 112 transmits and receives radio signals to at least one of a base station, an external terminal, and a server on a mobile communication network. The wireless signal may include various types of data depending on a voice call signal, a video call signal or a text / multimedia message transmission / reception.

The mobile communication module 112 is configured to implement a video communication mode and a voice communication mode. The video call mode refers to a state of talking while viewing a video of the other party, and the voice call mode refers to a state in which a call is made without viewing the other party's video. In order to implement the video communication mode and the voice communication mode, the mobile communication module 112 is configured to transmit and receive at least one of voice and image.

The wireless Internet module 113 is a module for wireless Internet access, and may be built in or externally attached to the mobile terminal 100. Examples of the wireless Internet technology include a wireless LAN (WLAN), a wireless fidelity (WiFi) direct, a DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance), a Wibro (Wireless broadband), a Wimax (World Interoperability for Microwave Access), HSDPA Can be used.

The short-range communication module 114 refers to a module for short-range communication. Bluetooth ™, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), Infrared Data Association (IrDA), Ultra Wideband (UWB), ZigBee, NFC (Near Field Communication), etc. are used as short range communication technology .

The position information module 115 is a module for obtaining the position of the mobile terminal, and representative examples thereof include a Global Position System (GPS) module or a Wireless Fidelity (WiFi) module.

Referring to FIG. 1, an A / V (Audio / Video) input unit 120 is for inputting an audio signal or a video signal, and may include a camera 121 and a microphone 122. The camera 121 processes image frames such as still images or moving images obtained by the image sensor in the video communication mode or the photographing mode. The processed image frame can be displayed on the display unit 151. [

The image frame processed by the camera 121 may be stored in the memory 160 or transmitted to an external device through the wireless communication unit 110. [ Further, the position information of the user and the like can be calculated from the image frame obtained by the camera 121. [ Two or more cameras 121 may be provided depending on the use environment.

The microphone 122 receives an external sound signal through a microphone in a communication mode, a recording mode, a voice recognition mode, or the like, and processes it as electrical voice data. The processed voice data can be converted into a form that can be transmitted to the mobile communication base station through the mobile communication module 112 when the voice data is in the call mode, and output. Various noise reduction algorithms may be implemented in the microphone 122 to remove noise generated in receiving an external sound signal.

The user input unit 130 generates input data according to a control command for controlling the operation of the mobile terminal 100 applied by the user. The user input unit 130 may include a key pad, a dome switch, a touch pad (static / static), a jog wheel, a jog switch, and the like.

The sensing unit 140 may sense the position of the mobile terminal 100 such as the open / close state of the mobile terminal 100, the position of the mobile terminal 100, the presence of the user, the orientation of the mobile terminal, And generates a sensing signal (or sensing signal) for sensing the current state and controlling the operation of the mobile terminal 100. For example, the sensing unit 140 may detect whether the slide phone is opened or closed when the mobile terminal 100 is in the form of a slide phone. The sensing unit 140 may sense whether the power supply unit 190 is powered on, whether the interface unit 170 is connected to an external device, and the like.

The output unit 150 may include a display unit 151, an audio output module 153, an alarm unit 154, a haptic module 155, and the like in order to generate output related to visual, auditory, have.

The display unit 151 displays (outputs) information processed by the mobile terminal 100. For example, when the mobile terminal is in the call mode, a UI (User Interface) or a GUI (Graphic User Interface) associated with a call is displayed. When the mobile terminal 100 is in the video communication mode or the photographing mode, the display unit 151 displays the photographed and / or received video or UI and GUI.

The display unit 151 may be a liquid crystal display (LCD), a thin film transistor-liquid crystal display (TFT LCD), an organic light-emitting diode (OLED), a flexible display display, a 3D display, and an e-ink display.

Some of these displays may be transparent or light transmissive so that they can be seen through. This can be referred to as a transparent display, and a typical example of the transparent display is TOLED (Transparent OLED) and the like. The rear structure of the display unit 151 may also be of a light transmission type. With this structure, the user can see the object located behind the terminal body through the area occupied by the display unit 151 of the terminal body.

There may be two or more display units 151 according to the embodiment of the mobile terminal 100. For example, in the mobile terminal 100, a plurality of display portions 151 may be spaced apart from one another or may be arranged integrally with one another, or may be disposed on different surfaces.

Also, the display unit 151 may be configured as a stereoscopic display unit 151 (152) for displaying a stereoscopic image.

Here, a stereoscopic image represents a 3-dimensional stereoscopic image, and a 3-dimensional stereoscopic image represents a progressive depth and reality in which objects are located on a monitor or a screen, It is an image that makes you feel the same as the space. 3D stereoscopic images are implemented using binocular disparity. The binocular parallax means a parallax caused by the position of two eyes away from each other. When two eyes see two different images and the images are transmitted to the brain through the retina and fused, the depth and real feeling of the stereoscopic image can be felt .

The stereoscopic display units 151 and 152 may be applied to a three-dimensional display system such as a stereoscopic system (eyeglass system), an autostereoscopic system (non-eyeglass system), and a projection system (holographic system). The stereoscopic method, which is widely used in home television receivers, includes a Wheatstone stereoscopic method.

Examples of the autostereoscopic method include a parallax barrier method, a lenticular method, an integral imaging method, and a switchable lens method. The projection method includes a reflection type holographic method and a transmission type holographic method.

Generally, 3D stereoscopic images consist of left image (left eye image) and right image (right eye image). A top-down method of arranging a left image and a right image in one frame according to a method in which a left image and a right image are combined into a three-dimensional stereoscopic image, A checker board system in which pieces of a left image and a right image are arranged in a tile form, a left-to-right (right-side) Or an interlaced method in which rows are alternately arranged, and a time sequential (frame-by-frame) method in which right and left images are alternately displayed in time.

In addition, the 3D thumbnail image can generate a left image thumbnail and a right image thumbnail from the left image and right image of the original image frame, respectively, and combine them to generate one 3D thumbnail image. In general, a thumbnail means a reduced image or a reduced still image. The left image thumbnail and the right image thumbnail generated in this way are displayed on the screen with a difference of the left and right distance by the depth corresponding to the parallax between the left image and the right image, thereby exhibiting a stereoscopic spatial feeling.

The left and right images necessary for realizing the three-dimensional stereoscopic image can be displayed on the stereoscopic display units 151 and 152 by a stereoscopic processing unit (not shown). The stereoscopic processing unit receives a 3D image and extracts a left image and a right image from the 3D image, or receives a 2D image and converts it into a left image and a right image.

On the other hand, when a display unit 151 and a sensor (hereinafter, referred to as 'touch sensor') that detects a touch operation form a mutual layer structure (hereinafter referred to as a 'touch screen' It can also be used as an input device in addition to the device. The touch sensor may have the form of, for example, a touch film, a touch sheet, a touch pad, or the like.

The touch sensor may be configured to convert a change in a pressure applied to a specific portion of the display unit 151 or a capacitance generated in a specific portion of the display unit 151 into an electrical input signal. The touch sensor can be configured to detect not only the position and area where the touch object is touched on the touch sensor but also the pressure at the time of touch. Here, the touch object may be a finger, a touch pen, a stylus pen, a pointer, or the like as an object to which a touch is applied to the touch sensor.

If there is a touch input to the touch sensor, the corresponding signal (s) is sent to the touch controller. The touch controller processes the signal (s) and transmits the corresponding data to the controller 180. Thus, the control unit 180 can know which area of the display unit 151 is touched or the like.

Referring to FIG. 1, a proximity sensor 141 may be disposed in an inner region of the mobile terminal or in the vicinity of the touch screen, which is surrounded by the touch screen. The proximity sensor 141 may be provided as an example of the sensing unit 140. The proximity sensor 141 refers to a sensor that detects the presence of an object approaching a predetermined detection surface or an object existing in the vicinity of the detection surface without mechanical contact using an electromagnetic force or an infrared ray. The proximity sensor 141 has a longer life than the contact type sensor and its utilization is also high.

Examples of the proximity sensor 141 include a transmission type photoelectric sensor, a direct reflection type photoelectric sensor, a mirror reflection type photoelectric sensor, a high frequency oscillation type proximity sensor, a capacitive proximity sensor, a magnetic proximity sensor, and an infrared proximity sensor. When the touch screen is electrostatic, it is configured to detect the proximity of the pointer by a change of the electric field along the proximity of an object having conductivity (hereinafter, referred to as a pointer). In this case, the touch screen (touch sensor) may be classified as a proximity sensor.

Hereinafter, for convenience of explanation, the act of recognizing that the pointer is positioned on the touch screen while the pointer is not in contact with the touch screen is referred to as " proximity touch & The act of actually touching the pointer on the screen is called " contact touch. &Quot; The position where the pointer is proximately touched on the touch screen means a position where the pointer is vertically corresponding to the touch screen when the pointer is touched.

The proximity sensor 141 detects a proximity touch and a proximity touch pattern (for example, a proximity touch distance, a proximity touch direction, a proximity touch speed, a proximity touch time, a proximity touch position, a proximity touch movement state, and the like). Information corresponding to the detected proximity touch operation and the proximity touch pattern may be output on the touch screen.

Dimensional sensors 151 and 152 and a three-dimensional sensor 151 for sensing a touch operation with a touch sensor having a layer structure (hereinafter referred to as a 'three-dimensional touch screen') and a stereoscopic display 151 and 152, The stereoscopic display units 151 and 152 may be used as a three-dimensional input device.

The sensing unit 140 may include a proximity sensor 141, a three-dimensional touch sensing unit 142, an ultrasonic sensing unit 143, and a camera sensing unit 144 as an example of the three-dimensional sensor.

The proximity sensor 141 measures the distance between the sensing surface (for example, a user's finger or a stylus pen) to which the touch is applied without mechanical contact using the force of the electromagnetic field or infrared rays. The terminal recognizes which part of the stereoscopic image has been touched using the distance. In particular, when the touch screen is of the electrostatic type, the proximity of the sensing object is detected by a change of the electric field according to the proximity of the sensing object, and the touch on the three-dimensional is recognized using the proximity.

The stereoscopic touch sensing unit 142 senses the strength or duration of a touch applied to the touch screen. For example, the three-dimensional touch sensing unit 142 senses a pressure to apply a touch, and when the pressing force is strong, recognizes the touch as a touch to an object located further away from the touch screen toward the inside of the terminal.

The ultrasonic sensing unit 143 is configured to recognize the position information of the sensing target using ultrasonic waves.

The ultrasound sensing unit 143 may include, for example, an optical sensor and a plurality of ultrasound sensors. The light sensor is configured to sense light, and the ultrasonic sensor is configured to sense ultrasonic waves. Since light is much faster than ultrasonic waves, the time it takes for light to reach the optical sensor is much faster than the time it takes for the ultrasonic waves to reach the ultrasonic sensor. Therefore, it is possible to calculate the position of the wave generating source using the time difference with the time when the ultrasonic wave reaches the reference signal.

The camera sensing unit 144 includes at least one of a camera 121, a photo sensor, and a laser sensor.

For example, the camera 121 and the laser sensor are combined with each other to sense a touch of a sensing target with respect to a three-dimensional stereoscopic image. When the distance information detected by the laser sensor is added to the two-dimensional image photographed by the camera, three-dimensional information can be obtained.

As another example, a photosensor may be stacked on a display element. The photosensor is configured to scan the movement of the object proximate to the touch screen. More specifically, the photosensor mounts photo diodes and TRs (Transistors) in a row / column and scans the contents loaded on the photosensor using an electrical signal that varies according to the amount of light applied to the photo diode. That is, the photo sensor performs coordinate calculation of the object to be sensed according to the amount of light change, thereby acquiring position information of the object to be sensed.

The audio output module 153 can output audio data received from the wireless communication unit 110 or stored in the memory 160 in a call signal reception mode, a call mode or a recording mode, a voice recognition mode, a broadcast reception mode, The sound output module 153 also outputs sound signals related to functions (e.g., call signal reception sound, message reception sound, etc.) performed in the mobile terminal 100. [ The sound output module 153 may include a receiver, a speaker, a buzzer, and the like.

The alarm unit 154 outputs a signal for notifying the occurrence of an event of the mobile terminal 100. Examples of events generated in the mobile terminal 100 include call signal reception, message reception, key signal input, touch input, and the like. The alarm unit 154 may output a signal for notifying the occurrence of an event by using a form other than the video signal or the audio signal, for example, vibration. The video signal or the audio signal may be output through the display unit 151 or the sound output module 153 so that the display unit 151 and the sound output module 153 may be classified as a part of the alarm unit 154 .

The haptic module 155 generates various tactile effects that the user can feel. A typical example of the haptic effect generated by the haptic module 155 may be vibration. The intensity and pattern of the vibration generated by the hit module 155 can be controlled by the user's selection or setting of the control unit. For example, the haptic module 155 may combine and output different vibrations or sequentially output the vibrations.

In addition to the vibration, the haptic module 155 may be configured to perform various functions such as a pin arrangement vertically moving with respect to the contact skin surface, a spraying force or a suction force of the air through the injection port or the suction port, a touch on the skin surface, contact with an electrode, And various tactile effects such as an effect of reproducing a cold sensation using an endothermic or exothermic element can be generated.

The haptic module 155 can be implemented not only to transmit the tactile effect through the direct contact but also to allow the user to feel the tactile effect through the muscular sense of the finger or arm. At least two haptic modules 155 may be provided according to the configuration of the mobile terminal 100.

The memory 160 may store a program for the operation of the controller 180 and temporarily store input / output data (e.g., a phone book, a message, a still image, a moving picture, etc.). The memory 160 may store data on vibration and sound of various patterns outputted when a touch is input on the touch screen.

The memory 160 may be a flash memory type, a hard disk type, a multimedia card micro type, a card type memory (for example, SD or XD memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), a static random access memory (SRAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), a programmable read- And may include a storage medium of at least one type of disk and optical disk. The mobile terminal 100 may operate in association with a web storage that performs a storage function of the memory 160 on the Internet.

The interface unit 170 serves as a path for communication with all external devices connected to the mobile terminal 100. The interface unit 170 receives data from an external device or supplies power to each component in the mobile terminal 100 or transmits data to the external device. For example, a port for connecting a device equipped with a wired / wireless headset port, an external charger port, a wired / wireless data port, a memory card port, An audio I / O port, a video I / O port, an earphone port, and the like may be included in the interface unit 170.

The identification module is a chip for storing various information for authenticating the use right of the mobile terminal 100 and includes a user identification module (UIM), a subscriber identity module (SIM) A universal subscriber identity module (USIM), and the like. Devices with identification modules (hereinafter referred to as "identification devices") can be manufactured in a smart card format. Therefore, the identification device can be connected to the terminal 100 through the interface unit 170. [

The interface unit 170 may be a path through which power from the cradle is supplied to the mobile terminal 100 when the mobile terminal 100 is connected to an external cradle, And various command signals may be transmitted to the mobile terminal 100. The various command signals or the power source input from the cradle may be operated as a signal for recognizing that the mobile terminal 100 is correctly mounted on the cradle.

The controller 180 typically controls the overall operation of the mobile terminal 100. For example, voice communication, data communication, video communication, and the like. The control unit 180 may include a multimedia module 181 for multimedia playback. The multimedia module 181 may be implemented in the control unit 180 or may be implemented separately from the control unit 180. [

 In addition, the control unit 180 may perform a pattern recognition process for recognizing handwriting input or drawing input performed on the touch screen as characters and images, respectively.

In addition, if the state of the mobile terminal meets a set condition, the controller 180 can execute a lock state for restricting input of a control command of the user to the applications. In addition, the controller 180 may control the lock screen displayed in the locked state based on a touch input sensed through the display unit 151 in the locked state.

The power supply unit 190 receives external power and internal power under the control of the controller 180 and supplies power necessary for operation of the respective components.

The various embodiments described herein may be embodied in a recording medium readable by a computer or similar device using, for example, software, hardware, or a combination thereof.

According to a hardware implementation, the embodiments described herein may be implemented as application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), digital signal processors (DSPs), digital signal processing devices (DSPDs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), field programmable gate arrays , Microprocessors, microprocessors, microprocessors, and other electronic units for carrying out other functions. In some cases, the embodiments described herein may be implemented by the controller 180 itself.

According to a software implementation, embodiments such as the procedures and functions described herein may be implemented with separate software modules. Each of the software modules may perform one or more of the functions and operations described herein.

The software code may be implemented in a software application written in a suitable programming language. The software code is stored in the memory 160 and can be executed by the control unit 180. [

2A is a perspective view of a mobile terminal 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The disclosed mobile terminal 100 includes a bar-shaped terminal body. However, the present invention is not limited thereto and can be applied to various structures such as a watch type, a clip type, a spectacle type, or a folder type, a flip type, a slide type, a swing type and a swivel type in which two or more bodies are movably coupled have.

The body includes a case (frame, housing, cover, etc.) which forms an appearance. In this embodiment, the case may be divided into a front case 101 and a rear case 102. [ A variety of electronic components are embedded in the space formed between the front case 101 and the rear case 102. At least one intermediate case may be additionally disposed between the front case 101 and the rear case 102. A battery cover 103 covering the battery 191 may be detachably attached to the rear case 102 have.

The cases may be formed by injection molding of synthetic resin, or may be formed of metal such as stainless steel (STS), aluminum (Al), titanium (Ti), or the like.

A first sound output module 153a, a first camera 121a, a first operation unit 131 and the like are disposed on the front surface of the terminal body, and a microphone 122, an interface unit 170 ), A second operation unit 132, and the like.

The display unit 151 is configured to display (output) information processed by the mobile terminal 100. The display unit 151 may include a liquid crystal display (LCD), a thin film transistor-liquid crystal display (TFT LCD), an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) ), A flexible display, a 3D display, and an e-ink display.

The display unit 151 may include touch sensing means for receiving a control command by a touch method. When a touch is performed on any one of the display units 151, the touch sensing unit senses the touch and the content corresponding to the touched position is input. The content input by the touch method may be a character or a number, an instruction in various modes, or a menu item that can be designated.

The touch sensing means may be formed of a translucent material so that the visual information output from the display unit 151 can be seen, and a structure for enhancing the visibility of the touch screen in a bright place. 2A, the display unit 151 occupies most of the front surface of the front case 101.

A first sound output module 153a and a first camera 121a are disposed in an area adjacent to one end of both ends of the display unit 151 and a first operation unit 131 and a microphone 122 . The second operation unit 132 (see FIG. 2B), the interface unit 170, and the like may be disposed on the side of the terminal body.

The first sound output module 153a may be implemented in the form of a receiver for delivering a call sound to a user's ear or a loud speaker for outputting various alarm sounds or multimedia playback sounds.

The sound generated from the first sound output module 153a may be configured to be emitted along the assembly gap between the structures. In this case, the hole formed independently for the apparent acoustic output is hidden or hidden, so that the appearance of the mobile terminal 100 can be simplified. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and a hole for emitting the sound may be formed in the window.

The first camera 121a processes an image frame such as a still image or moving image obtained by the image sensor in the video communication mode or the photographing mode. The processed image frame can be displayed on the display unit 151. [

The user input unit 130 is operated to receive a command for controlling the operation of the mobile terminal 100 and may include first and second operation units 131 and 132. The first and second operation units 131 and 132 may be collectively referred to as a manipulating portion and may be any type of tactile manner such as touch, push, scroll, etc., .

In the figure, the first operation unit 131 is a touch key, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the first operation unit 131 may be a mechanical key, or a combination of a touch key and a touch key.

The contents input by the first and / or second operation units 131 and 132 may be variously set. For example, the first operation unit 131 receives a command such as a menu, a home key, a cancellation, a search, and the like, and the second operation unit 132 adjusts the size of the sound output from the first sound output module 153a And a switch to the touch recognition mode of the display unit 151 and the like.

The microphone 122 is configured to receive a user's voice, other sounds, and the like. The microphone 122 may be provided at a plurality of locations to receive stereophonic sound.

The interface unit 170 is a path for allowing the mobile terminal 100 to exchange data with an external device. For example, the interface unit 170 may include a connection terminal for connecting to an earphone by wire or wireless, a port for short-range communication (for example, an IrDA Port, a Bluetooth Port, a Wireless LAN LAN Port) or the like, or power supply terminals for supplying power to the mobile terminal 100. [ The interface unit 170 may be implemented as a socket for receiving an external card such as a SIM (Subscriber Identification Module) or a UIM (User Identity Module) or a memory card for storing information.

FIG. 2B is a rear perspective view of the mobile terminal 100 shown in FIG. 2A.

Referring to FIG. 2B, a second camera 121b may be additionally mounted on the rear surface of the terminal body, that is, the rear case 102. The second camera 121b may have a photographing direction substantially opposite to that of the first camera 121a (see FIG. 2A), and may be a camera having different pixels from the first camera 121a.

For example, the first camera 121a has low pixels so that it is easy to capture a face of a user in the case of a video call or the like and transmit the face to the other party. The second camera 121b photographs a general object and immediately transmits It is preferable to have a high pixel. The first and second cameras 121a and 121b may be installed in the terminal body so as to be able to rotate or pop-up.

A flash 123 and a mirror 124 are further disposed adjacent to the second camera 121b. The flash 123 shines light toward the subject when the subject is photographed by the second camera 121b. The mirror 124 enables the user to illuminate the user's own face or the like when the user intends to photograph the user himself / herself (self-photographing) using the second camera 121b.

And a second sound output module 153b may be further disposed on the rear surface of the terminal body. The second sound output module 153b may implement the stereo function together with the first sound output module 153a (see FIG. 2A) and may be used for implementing the speakerphone mode in a call.

An antenna (not shown) for receiving a broadcast signal may be additionally disposed on the side of the terminal body in addition to an antenna for a call or the like. An antenna constituting a part of the broadcast receiving module 111 (see FIG. 1) can be installed to be able to be drawn out from the terminal body.

The terminal body is provided with a power supply unit 190 (see FIG. 1) for supplying power to the mobile terminal 100. The power supply unit 190 may include a battery 191 built in the terminal body or detachable from the outside of the terminal body. This figure illustrates that the battery cover 103 is coupled to the rear case 102 so as to cover the battery 191 to restrict the detachment of the battery 191 and to protect the battery 191 from external impact and foreign matter .

3 is an exploded view of the mobile terminal of FIG.

Referring to FIG. 3, a main circuit board 182 is disposed inside the main body of the terminal. The main circuit board 182 may be mounted to the rear case 102 as shown or may be installed in a separate internal structure. The main circuit board 182 may be configured as an example of a controller for operating various functions of the mobile terminal 100. [ The first sound output unit, the first camera unit, and the like may be mounted on the main circuit board 182. [

On one side of the terminal body, a display unit 151 for displaying information processed by the mobile terminal 100 is disposed. The display unit 151 may be arranged to occupy most of the front surface of the terminal main body. The display unit 151 includes a display and a window 151a covering the display.

The mobile terminal 100 has a frame for receiving a display. In this embodiment, it is shown that the frame is formed of the front case 101 forming the outer appearance of the terminal body. In contrast to this figure, the frame may be formed as a separate internal structure different from the front case 101.

The front case 101 may have a seat portion. The seat portion is recessed from one surface of the front case 101 to form a space for mounting the window 151a. A hole 121a corresponding to the first camera portion and an acoustic hole 153a corresponding to the first sound output portion are formed in the seating portion. The acoustic hole 153a may be disposed adjacent to the side wall of the front case 101. [

The window 151a is mounted on the seat portion. The portion through which the light is transmitted in the window 151a may have an area corresponding to the display. Through this, the user can recognize the time information output from the display from the outside.

The window 151a may be made of a material that can transmit light, for example, a light transmitting synthetic resin, a tempered glass, or the like. The window 151a is divided into a central region corresponding to the display and an edge region surrounding the central region. An edge region is supported by being seated on the seat portion, and a color ink layer may be formed in the edge region for distinguishing the central region from the edge region.

A key button portion may be formed in the edge region. The key button section includes a pictorial area (Pict part), and the pictorial part can form an image by a light projection pattern formed on the colored ink layer. Since no ink layer is formed in the light-transmitting pattern region, light is transmitted as in the central region of the window 151a. That is, the user can see the inside of the pictorial portion.

In the window, a keyhole on which the key module is mounted is formed. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the keyhole may be formed larger than the area of the key top. In other words, the key top is formed not to engage the key hole exactly but to be spaced apart from the boundary of the key hole with a clear space. Thus, light generated in the key module can be emitted to the outside. That is, when the key module is operated, the periphery of the key top is illuminated.

The structure of the key module will be described in more detail with reference to FIG. 4 and FIG. 5. FIG.

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV in Fig. 3;

Referring to FIG. 4, a key module may be mounted on the mobile terminal.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the key module is modularized by using a hardness PCB of a rigid material to provide convenience of a mobile terminal manufacturing process. That is, a space for mounting the key module may be formed in the mobile terminal, and the key module may be mass-produced separately from the mobile terminal and may be provided at the time of assembling the mobile terminal.

More specifically, a key module mounting portion is formed between the main circuit board and the window of the mobile terminal. The key module mounting portion is formed at a lower portion of the edge region of the window, and may form a part of the key button portion.

The main circuit board under the key module mounting part is formed with a key dome for transmitting the key module input signal to the control part and a contact terminal electrically connected to the battery. The contact terminals may be formed to be symmetrical with respect to each other about the key dome. The contact terminal is a passage for transmitting the power of the battery to the key module.

The key module includes a key module circuit board, a contact terminal, a key top, and a transparent rubber.

The key module circuit board includes a key module control circuit, a light emitting diode, and a contact terminal.

The key module control circuit can control the light emitting diodes to be turned on, off, or lit up at intervals. For example, the key module control circuit may control the light emitting diode to light when the user presses the key module, and to turn off the light after a certain time.

The light emitting diode is mounted on one side of the key module circuit board so that the key module emits light. The light emitting diodes are composed of a plurality of light emitting diodes so that light can be more efficiently transmitted to the boundary of the key module.

The contact terminal is mounted on the other surface of the key module circuit board. That is, a light emitting diode is mounted on one surface of the key module control circuit, and a contact terminal for transmitting electric power to the light emitting diode is mounted on the opposite surface. The contact terminal electrically connects the light emitting diode and the contact terminal.

The keytop is exposed to the outside through the keyhole of the window. The key top is arranged to be spaced from the boundary of the keyhole. In other words, the width of the key top is smaller than the width of the key hole. In addition, a groove recessed in the thickness direction is formed on one surface of the key top. A light emitting pattern may be formed on one side of the key top, such that the transparent rubber is exposed to the outside of the terminal.

The transparent rubber is laminated between the key top and the key module circuit board. That is, the key module circuit board, the transparent rubber, and the key top are stacked in this order. Referring to FIG. 4, an insertion groove into which a light emitting diode is inserted is formed on the bottom surface of the transparent rubber.

The transparent rubber provides a path through which light from the light emitting diode travels.

The transparent rubber includes an overlapped portion extending in the width direction of the key module circuit board so as to cover the key module circuit board and overlap the key hole, and a protrusion protruding in the thickness direction from the overlapped portion to engage with the groove of the key top.

The transparent rubber includes protrusions protruding to press the key dome. One end of the protrusion passes through the key module circuit board and faces the key dom. More specifically, referring to FIG. 4, a hole corresponding to the protrusion is formed in the key module circuit board, and the protrusion protrudes to the lower portion of the key module circuit board through the hole.

In other words, the transparent rubber is composed of three major parts as follows. An overlapped portion covering the key module circuit board and serving as a travel path of light generated from the light emitting diode, a protruding portion protruding in the thickness direction from the overlapped portion so as to engage with the key top, And the protruding portion facing the above three portions.

The operation of the key module will be described with reference to FIG.

The key top, the transparent rubber, the key module circuit board and the contact terminal are combined to form one key module. According to an embodiment of the present invention, in the initial state, the contact terminal is separated from the contact terminal. When the user presses the key top, the projection of the transparent rubber presses the key dome and the input signal is transmitted to the control unit. As the protrusion pushes the key dome, the contact terminal comes into contact with the contact terminal. That is, when the user presses the key top, the key module body moves downward to supply power to the light emitting diode, and a key input signal is transmitted to the control unit.

When the key top is pressed, power is supplied to the light emitting diode through the contact terminal, and the light emitting diode generates light. Light generated in the light emitting diode is transmitted through the transparent rubber. As shown, the transparent rubber includes an overlapped portion having a wider width than the keyhole to overlap with the entire keyhole. The key top is seated on the projecting portion projecting in the key hole direction from the overlap portion. The key top has a smaller width than the key hole. That is, when the key top is inserted into the key hole, the key top is spaced from the boundary of the key hole, and a path is formed between the key top and the key hole.

When the light emitting diode is lit, light is emitted to the outside of the terminal along the arrow as shown in FIG. The path marking of the light through the arrows is only shown for the sake of clarity, and the light need not go through the illustrated path. The light travels along both sides of the transparent rubber along the overlap portion. Light traveling to both sides of the transparent rubber is emitted to the outside of the mobile terminal through the keyhole.

A diffuse reflection pattern of light can be formed on the bottom surface of the transparent rubber (the surface in contact with the key module circuit board). For example, irregularly recessed grooves may be formed in the bottom surface of the transparent rubber.

According to another embodiment, a reflective sheet may be disposed between the transparent rubber and the key module circuit board. The reflective sheet allows light to be reflected from the bottom of the keyhole in the direction of the keyhole. A diffusive reflection pattern may be formed on the reflection sheet.

The diffuse reflection pattern may include a first layer and a second layer stacked with different refractive indexes. A plurality of grooves having irregular patterns are formed in the first layer or the second layer so that incident light is dispersed in various directions. In addition, a plurality of protrusions protrude from the surface of the first layer or the second layer to disperse light in various directions.

5 is an exploded view of the key module of FIG.

Referring to FIG. 5, a contact terminal, a key module circuit board, a transparent rubber, and a key top are sequentially laminated to form a key module of the present invention.

As shown, a hole 203a is formed at the center of the key module circuit board, and a light emitting diode is mounted on the top surface of the key module circuit board with the hole 203a therebetween.

A contact terminal is attached to a lower surface of the key module circuit board. The contact terminal is electrically connected to the light emitting diode. The contact terminal is electrically connected to the battery in contact with the contact terminal of the main circuit board.

The contact terminals include a first terminal and a second terminal which are mounted on the lower surface of the key module circuit board so as to be symmetrical with respect to each other around the hole 203a (or protruding portion of the transparent rubber).

The first terminal and the second terminal may be an elastic body formed to be elastically deformable in the contact terminal direction (downward direction). For example, the terminals may have the shape of a spring.

According to another embodiment, the first terminal and the second terminal may include a first extension extending from a lower surface of the key module circuit board toward the contact terminal and having one end formed to be in contact with the contact terminal, And may include a second extension. The first extension extends obliquely from the lower surface of the key module circuit board toward the lower side (main circuit board direction), the second extension is bent at the end of the first extension, Direction). The contact terminal having the first extending portion and the second extending portion as described above has elasticity in the vertical direction.

The mobile terminal according to at least one embodiment of the present invention configured as described above can increase the convenience of assembly and production of mobile terminals by modularizing a front key on a PCB, It is possible to support the key button in addition to supplying power to the front key without having to install it. With this structure, the present invention improves the front appearance design through the home key lighting and makes the home key easier to use even in a dark place, thereby enhancing user convenience.

The mobile terminal described above can be applied to not only the configuration and method of the embodiments described above but also all or some of the embodiments may be selectively combined so that various modifications may be made to the embodiments It is possible.

Claims (9)

A main circuit board including a contact terminal electrically connected to the battery;
A window formed to overlap the main circuit board and having a key hole; And
And a key module disposed between the window and the main circuit board and exposed to the outside through the keyhole,
The key module includes:
A key module circuit board on which a light emitting diode is mounted;
A contact terminal protruding from the other surface of the key module circuit board so as to be in contact with the contact terminal; And
And a key top covering the light emitting diode and exposed to the outside through the window. The method according to claim 1,
The key module includes:
Further comprising a transparent rubber laminated between the key top and the key module circuit board and partially exposed to the outside through the key hole. 3. The method of claim 2,
The transparent rubber includes:
And a protrusion that faces the key dome formed on the main circuit board through the key module circuit board. The method of claim 3,
The contact terminal includes:
And a first terminal and a second terminal disposed on the other surface so as to be symmetrical with respect to the protruding portion. 5. The method of claim 4,
Wherein the first and second terminals are electrically connected to each other,
A first extending portion extending from the other surface toward the contact terminal and having one end formed to be in contact with the contact terminal; And
And a second extension portion that is bent and extended at the one end. 5. The method of claim 4,
Wherein the first and second terminals are electrically connected to each other,
And is elastically deformable so as to be elastically deformable in the direction of the contact terminal. The method of claim 3,
The light-
And a first light emitting diode and a second light emitting diode mounted on the one surface to be symmetrical with respect to the protruding portion. 3. The method of claim 2,
In the keytop,
And a groove which is arranged to be spaced from the boundary of the keyhole and is recessed in the thickness direction,
The transparent rubber includes:
An overlapped portion covering the key module circuit board and overlapping the key hole; And
And a protrusion protruding from the overlapped portion so as to engage with the groove. 3. The method of claim 2,
In the keytop,
And a transparent pattern formed so that the transparent rubber is exposed to the outside of the terminal.

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