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I am building a cell phone-like device and I was wondering what types of parts a regular cell phone (like the LG Cosmos touch) contain.

Thanks

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Did you finish your camera? – stevenvh Aug 5 '12 at 17:43
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@stevenvh yes I did. Thanks for asking. It turned out pretty well – Coder404 Aug 5 '12 at 17:47
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Yeah, right. Anyway, that's fine, because for a regular cell phone you'll have to do the same thing, only in less than 1 cm\$^3\$. – stevenvh Aug 5 '12 at 18:02
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You will probably find people more willing to answer if you stated that you are curious about what parts are contained in a cell phone and how they work together. I believe that anybody who can answer that question knowledgeably will find the idea of cooking up a cell phone in a basement too far out there to take the question seriously. - After all there is a reason that cell phones are made by companies with teams of engineers and not by small start-ups operating from a garage. – Arik Raffael Funke Aug 5 '12 at 18:51
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This question is the poster child for overly broad. – Olin Lathrop Aug 5 '12 at 20:35

closed as not a real question by Olin Lathrop, Leon Heller, Kellenjb, W5VO♦ Aug 6 '12 at 1:08

It's difficult to tell what is being asked here. This question is ambiguous, vague, incomplete, overly broad, or rhetorical and cannot be reasonably answered in its current form. For help clarifying this question so that it can be reopened, see the FAQ.

1 Answer

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Take a look at the specifications of Neo FreeRunner (schematics available) to see what is involved in a cellphone. Basically you need:

  • CPU and its associated circuitry (to drive a display, receive touchscreen events etc...)
  • RF and baseband circuitry; design circuit boards, antenna etc...
  • other hardware (Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS etc...)
  • writing software to make it all go together (even if you use Android you will probably need to write drivers).

Some of those devices might be covered by non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) and not be easily available for hobbyists.

If you can do with something very simple (only voice and nothing else), check the DIY Cellphone, which also is open hardware.

enter image description here

The initial prototype combines a custom electronic circuit board with a laser-cut plywood and veneer enclosure. The phone accepts a standard SIM card and works with any GSM provider. Cellular connectivity is provided by the SM5100B GSM Module, available from SparkFun Electronics. The display is a color 1.8″, 160×128 pixel, TFT screen on a breakout board from Adafruit Industries. Flexures in the veneer allow pressing of the buttons beneath. Currently, the software supports voice calls, although SMS and other functionality could be added with the same hardware. The prototype contains about $150 in parts.

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