Interface switching control methods, and portable terminals and portable mobile devices using the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9588927-B2
Application number	US-201113993261-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 29, 2011
Priority date	Dec 13, 2010
Publication date	Mar 7, 2017
Grant date	Mar 7, 2017

Abstract

An interface switching control method, a portable terminal and a portable mobile device using the method are disclosed. The method is applied in a portable terminal including a first device and a second device. The first device is connected to a shared device via a first interface, and the second device is connected to the shared device via a second interface. The portable terminal has a first state in which the first device and the second device are connected, and a second state in which the first device and the second device are disconnected. The method includes detecting a state of the portable terminal; and when the detection result indicates that the portable terminal is in the first state, controlling the first interface to be in an enabled state and controlling the second interface to be in a disabled state. The method achieves a real-time switching control over the interfaces for the shard device, and optimizes the interface control for the hybrid-system portable terminal. It is possible to meet various system performance requirements of different devices and reduce the system power consumption by enabling the interfaces required by the respective devices according to the different state of the portable terminal.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An interface switching control method applied in a portable terminal including a first device and a second device, wherein the first device is connected to a shared device via a first interface, and the second device is connected to the shared device via a second interface, the portable terminal has a first state in which the first device and the second device are connected, and a second state in which the first device and the second device are disconnected, the method comprises:
detecting a state of the portable terminal, and generating a detection result; and
when the detection result indicates that the portable terminal is in the first state, controlling the first interface to be in an enabled state and controlling the second interface to be in an disabled state so that the first device responds to information inputted from the shared device,
wherein the first interface conforms to a system requirement or specification of the first device, the second interface conforms to a system requirement or specification of the second device, and the first interface is different from the second interface.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
when the detection result indicates that the portable terminal is in the second state, controlling the second interface to be in an enabled state so that the second device responds to information inputted from the shared device.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
controlling the first interface to be in a disabled state while controlling the second interface to be in an enabled state.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein detecting a state of the portable terminal comprises:
receiving a level signal transmitted from an interface connector; and
determining the portable terminal to be in the first state when the level signal is a high level signal, and determining the portable terminal to be in the second state when the level signal is a low level signal.

5. A portable terminal comprising a first device, a second device and a shared device, wherein the first device is connected to a shared device via a first interface, and the second device is connected to the shared device via a second interface, the portable terminal has a first state in which the first device and the second device are connected, and a second state in which the first device and the second device are disconnected, the second device further comprises:
a detection unit configured to detect a state of the portable terminal and generate a detection result; and
a control unit configured to, when the detection result indicates that the portable terminal is in the first state, control the first interface to be in an enabled state and control the second interface to be in an disabled state so that the first device responds to information inputted from the shared device,
wherein the first interface conforms to a system requirement or specification of the first device, the second interface conforms to a system requirement or specification of the second device, and the first interface is different from the second interface.

6. The portable terminal of claim 5 , wherein the control unit is further configured to, when the detection result indicates that the portable terminal is in the second state, control the second interface to be in an enabled state so that the second device responds to information inputted from the shared device.

7. The portable terminal of claim 6 , wherein the control unit is further configured to control the first interface to be in a disabled state while controlling the second interface to be in an enabled state.

8. The portable terminal of claim 5 , wherein the detection unit further comprises:
a level signal reception unit configured to receive a level signal transmitted from an interface connector; and
a terminal state determination unit configured to determine the portable terminal to be in the first state when the level signal is a high level signal, and determine the portable terminal to be in the second state when the level signal is a low level signal.

9. A portable mobile device comprising a shared device and a connection port, the shared device having a first interface and a second interface, wherein the connection port is configured to connect with an electronic device, and the first interface is connected to the electronic device via the connection port when the portable mobile device is connected with the electronic device, the portable mobile device further comprises:
a detection unit configured to detect a state of the portable mobile device and generate a detection result; and
a control unit configured to, when the detection result indicates that the portable mobile device is connected with the electronic device, control the first interface to be in an enabled state and control the second interface to be in an disabled state so that the electronic device responds to information inputted from the shared device,
wherein the first interface conforms to a system requirement or specification of the electronic device, and the first interface is different from the second interface.

10. The portable mobile device of claim 9 , wherein the control unit is further configured to, when the detection result indicates that the portable mobile device is disconnected from the electronic device, control the second interface to be in an enabled state so that the portable mobile device responds to information inputted from the shared device.

11. The portable mobile device of claim 10 , wherein the control unit is further configured to control the first interface to be in a disabled state while controlling the second interface to be in an enabled state.

12. An input device comprising:
a first interface configured to connect with a first electronic device;
a second interface configured to connect with a second electronic device;
an input unit provided for an operation by an operator;
an obtaining unit connected to the input unit and configured to obtain input information when the operator operates the input unit; and
a control unit connected to each of the obtaining unit, the first interface and the second interface, and configured to transmit the input information obtained by the obtaining unit to the first and second interfaces, and control according to a predetermined policy one of the first and second interfaces to be in an enabled state and the other one to be in a disabled state,
wherein the first interface conforms to a system requirement or specification of the first electronic device, the second interface conforms to a system requirement or specification of the second electronic device, and the first interface is different from the second interface.

13. The input device of claim 12 , wherein the control unit comprises:
a command reception unit configured to receive an key enable command; and
an enable control unit configured to, based on instruction of the key enable command, control one of the first and second interfaces to be in an enabled state and the other one to be in a disabled state.

14. The input device of claim 12 , wherein the control unit comprises:
a message reception unit configured to receive a connection state message transmitted from any one of the first and second electronic devices when the first and second electronic devices are connected or disconnected; and
an enable control unit configured to control the first interface to be in an enabled state and the second interface to be in a disabled state when the connection state message indicates that the first and second electronic devices are connected, and to control the first interface to be in

Assignees

• Li Guangbin
• Beijing Lenovo Software Ltd
• Lenovo Beijing Ltd

Inventors

• Li Guangbin

Classifications

• G06F13/385 Primary

  for adaptation of a particular data processing system to different peripheral devices · CPC title

• G06F13/4027 Primary

  using bus bridges (G06F13/4022 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G06F1/1626

  with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs] · CPC title

• Y02B60/1228

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic

• Y02B60/1235

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic