U.S. patent application number 10/382912 was filed with the patent office on 2004-06-24 for electronic card capable of changing communication functionality of a coupled electronic device.
This patent application is currently assigned to C-One Technology Corporation. Invention is credited to Chen, Jui Chung, Cheng, Shih Chieh, Young, Sidney.
Application Number | 20040118912 10/382912 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 27752513 |
Filed Date | 2004-06-24 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040118912 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Cheng, Shih Chieh ; et
al. |
June 24, 2004 |
ELECTRONIC CARD CAPABLE OF CHANGING COMMUNICATION FUNCTIONALITY OF
A COUPLED ELECTRONIC DEVICE
Abstract
An electronic card capable of changing communication
functionality of a coupled electronic device is disclosed. A
removable interface has at least a card detection pin which is set
at a first state or a second state based on the coupled electronic
device. A functional module provides a communication functionality
via an access bus or a specific application bus based on whether
the card detection pin is at the first state or the second state. A
bridge is provided for bridging and converting signals of the
interface bus on the removable interface into signals of the access
bus or the specific application bus, or vice versa. A multiplexer
device selects signals of the access bus or signals of the specific
application bus based on whether the card detection pin is at the
first state or the second state for being switched to the interface
bus.
Inventors: |
Cheng, Shih Chieh; (Hsinchu,
TW) ; Chen, Jui Chung; (Kaohsiung Hsien, TW) ;
Young, Sidney; (Hsin-Chu City, TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BACON & THOMAS, PLLC
625 SLATERS LANE
FOURTH FLOOR
ALEXANDRIA
VA
22314
|
Assignee: |
C-One Technology
Corporation
Hsin-Chu City
CA
Pretec Electronics Corporation
Fremont
|
Family ID: |
27752513 |
Appl. No.: |
10/382912 |
Filed: |
March 7, 2003 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
235/380 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04W 88/02 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
235/380 |
International
Class: |
G06K 005/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Dec 18, 2002 |
TW |
91220576 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An electronic card capable of changing communication
functionality of a coupled electronic device comprising: a
removable interface for being inserted into an electronic device
and coupling to an interface bus, the removable interface having at
least a card detection pin which is set at a first state or a
second state based on the coupled electronic device; a functional
module for providing a communication functionality via an access
bus or a specific application bus based on whether the card
detection pin is at the first state or the second state; a bridge
for bridging and converting signals of the interface bus on the
removable interface into signals of the access bus or the specific
application bus, or bridging and converting the signals of the
access bus or the specific application bus into the interface bus
signals on the removable interface; and a multiplexer device for
selecting signals of the access bus or signals of the specific
application bus based on whether the card detection pin is at the
first state or the second state for being switched to the interface
bus.
2. The electronic card capable of changing communication
functionality of a coupled electronic device as claimed in claim 1,
wherein the multiplexer device switches the signals of the access
bus to the interface bus when the card detection pin is at the
first state, and switches the signals of the specific application
bus and a portion of the signals of the access bus to the interface
bus when the card detection pin is at the second state.
3. The electronic card capable of changing communication
functionality of a coupled electronic device as claimed in claim 2,
wherein the functional module is a GSM/GPRS module, so that, when
the electronic device is an independently operable computer device,
the card detection pin is at the first state to make the GSM/GPRS
module provide wireless communication and Internet access
functionalities via the access bus.
4. The electronic card capable of changing communication
functionality of a coupled electronic device as claimed in claim 3,
wherein, when the electronic device is an LCD/keypad device, the
card detection pin is at the second state to make the GSM/GPRS
module provide wireless communication and Internet access
functionalities via the specific application bus, thereby changing
the LCD/keypad device into a cellular phone.
5. The electronic card capable of changing communication
functionality of a coupled electronic device as claimed in claim 4,
wherein the specific application bus is an LCD/keypad bus.
6. The electronic card capable of changing communication
functionality of a coupled electronic device as claimed in claim 1,
wherein the functional module is a modem module so that, when the
electronic device is an independently operable computer device, the
card detection pin is at the first state to make the modem module
provide a dial-up functionality via the access bus.
7. The electronic card capable of changing communication
functionality of a coupled electronic device as claimed in claim 6,
wherein, when the electronic device is a telephone/keypad device,
the card detection pin is at the second state to make the modem
module provide a dial-up functionality via the specific application
bus, thereby changing the telephone/keypad device into a telephone
set.
8. The electronic card capable of changing communication
functionality of a coupled electronic device as claimed in claim 7,
wherein the specific application bus is a telephone/keypad bus.
9. The electronic card capable of changing communication
functionality of a coupled electronic device as claimed in claim 6,
wherein, when the electronic device is a printer, the card
detection pin is at the second state to make the modem module
provide a dial-up functionality via the specific application bus,
thereby changing the printer into a fax machine.
10. The electronic card capable of changing communication
functionality of a coupled electronic device as claimed in claim 9,
wherein the specific application bus is a printer/keypad bus.
11. The electronic card capable of changing communication
functionality of a coupled electronic device as claimed in claim 1,
wherein the removable interface is a CF interface.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to an electronic card and,
more particularly, to an electronic card capable of changing
communication functionality of a coupled electronic device.
[0003] 2. Description of Related Art
[0004] Electronics technology has known a rapid, spectacular
development leading to an increasing use of communication products
such as telephones, fax machines, cellular phones, etc. Recently,
there is a trend of developing small communication products which
are connectable to computers for adding communication
functionalities thereto. Currently, there is an electronic card
having communication capability (e.g., modem card or GSM/GPRS
(Global System for Mobile/General Packet Radio Service) card
available. The electronic card can provide a dial-up capability to
a coupled PDA or enable the coupled PDA to operate as a cellular
phone. As such, a portable device such as PDA coupled to the
electronic card is able to possess additional communication
features.
[0005] It is understood that the telephone, fax machine, or
cellular phone can operate independently. But the modem card or
GSM/GPRS card has to couple to an independently operable device
such as PDA or notebook computer prior to normally operating
because it is a peripheral based device. However, the electronic
card, as stated above, already has a communication capability.
Hence, in order to fully utilize the hardware resources, how to
fully utilize the electronic card for enabling it to have more
functionalities derived therefrom is still constantly being
sought.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The object of the present invention is to provide an
electronic card capable of changing communication functionality of
a coupled electronic device so as to fully utilize the
communication capability of the electronic card thereby achieving
the purpose of using minimum hardware resource to provide maximum
communication functionality.
[0007] To achieve the above and other objects, the electronic card
in accordance with the present invention includes: a removable
interface for being inserted into an electronic device and coupling
to an interface bus, the removable interface having at least a card
detection pin which is set at a first state or a second state based
on the coupled electronic device; a functional module for providing
a communication functionality via an access bus or a specific
application bus based on whether the card detection pin is at the
first state or the second state; a bridge for bridging and
converting signals of the interface bus on the removable interface
into signals of the access bus or the specific application bus, or
bridging and converting the signals of the access bus or the
specific application bus into the interface bus signals on the
removable interface; and a multiplexer device for selecting signals
of the access bus or signals of the specific application bus based
on whether the card detection pin is at the first state or the
second state for being switched to the interface bus.
[0008] Other objects, advantages, and novel features of the
invention will become more apparent from the detailed description
when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] FIG. 1 schematically illustrates an electronic card
according to the invention and its components where the electronic
card is being coupled to an electronic device;
[0010] FIG. 2 is a schematic circuit diagram showing the
multiplexer device and bridge of the electronic card;
[0011] FIG. 3A schematically illustrates that the electronic card
is served as a wireless card;
[0012] FIG. 3B schematically illustrates that the electronic card
changes an electronic device to a cellular phone;
[0013] FIG. 4A schematically illustrates that the electronic card
is served as a modem card;
[0014] FIG. 4B schematically illustrates that the electronic card
changes an electronic device to a telephone set; and
[0015] FIG. 4C schematically illustrates that the electronic card
changes an electronic device to a fax machine.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0016] With reference to FIG. 1, there is shown an electronic card
10 constructed in accordance with the invention comprising a
removable interface 11, a bridge 12, a multiplexer device 13, and a
functional module 14. The removable interface 11 can be inserted
into a jack 21 of an electronic device 20. The bridge 12 is coupled
to the functional module 14 via an access bus 15 or a specific
application bus 16 so as to bridge and convert signals of the
interface bus 17 of the removable interface 11 into signals of the
access bus 15 or specific application bus 16, or to bridge and
convert signals of the access bus 15 or specific application bus 16
into signals of the interface bus 17 of the removable interface
11.
[0017] In the removable interface 11, there is provided a card
detection pin, such as the Card Detection (CD) pin defined by CF
(Compact Flash). As such, the card detection pin can be set at a
first or second state based on the electronic device 20 coupled to
the removable interface 11. For example, the card detection pin of
the removable interface 11 is at a low level if the electronic
device 20 is an independently operable device such as computer.
Otherwise, the card detection pin of the removable interface 11 is
at a high level.
[0018] The functional module 14 can provide at least one
communication functionality, which is supplied via the access bus
15 or the specific application bus 16 based on whether the card
detection pin is at the first state or the second state.
[0019] The multiplexer device 13 can switch signal communication
from the interface bus 17 to the access bus 15 or the specific
application bus 16. In detail, with reference to FIG. 2, the
multiplexer device 13 comprises a plurality of multiplexers 131,
each including two selection terminals 1311, 1312 respectively
coupled to the access bus 15 and the specific application bus 16
via the bridge 12, and a connection terminal 1313 coupled to the
interface bus 17. As shown, all signals from the specific
application bus 16 and a portion of signals from the access bus 15
are coupled to the multiplexer device 13. Each multiplexer 131 is
controlled by the card detection pin. For example, the multiplexer
device 13 switches signals of the access bus 15 to the interface
bus 17 when the card detection pin is at the first state. As a
result, the functional module 14 can provide a specific
communication functionality through the access bus 15.
Alternatively, the multiplexer device 13 switches signals of the
specific application bus 16 and a portion of the access bus 15 to
the interface bus 17 when the card detection pin is at the second
state. As a result, the functional module 14 can provide another
specific communication functionality via the specific application
bus 16. Accordingly, it is able to achieve the purpose of changing
communication functionality of an electronic device.
[0020] With reference to FIGS. 3A and 3B, an example of the
invention will now be described in detail below wherein the
functional module 14 of the electronic card 10 is implemented as a
GSM/GPRS module, which can provide wireless communication and
Internet access functionalities. In FIG. 3A, once the electronic
card 10 is coupled to an independently operable computer device
such as PDA 31, the card detection pin will be at the first state.
As a result, the GSM/GPRS module can provide wireless communication
and Internet access functionalities to the PDA 31 via the access
bus 15. In other words, the electronic card 10 is served as a
GSM/GPRS card. In FIG. 3B, once the electronic card 10 is coupled
to a LCD/keypad device 32, the card detection pin will be at the
second state. As a result, the GSM/GPRS module can provide wireless
communication and Internet access functionalities to the LCD/keypad
device 32 via the specific application bus 16 (which is a
LCD/keypad bus). Therefore, the LCD/keypad device 32 inserted with
the electronic card 10 is varied and served as a cellular
phone.
[0021] With reference to FIGS. 4A, 4B, and 4C, another example of
the invention will now be described in detail below wherein the
functional module 14 of the electronic card 10 is implemented as a
modem module, which can provide a dial-up functionality. In FIG.
4A, once the electronic card 10 is coupled to an independently
operable computer device such as PDA 41, the card detection pin
will be at the first state. As a result, the modem module can
provide a dial-up functionality to the PDA 41 via the access bus
15. In other words, the electronic card 10 is served as a modem
card. In FIG. 4B, once the electronic card 10 is coupled to a
telephone/keypad device 42, the card detection pin will be at the
second state. As a result, the modem module can provide a dial-up
functionality to the telephone/keypad device 42 via the specific
application bus 16 (which is a telephone/keypad bus). Accordingly,
the telephone/keypad device 42 inserted with the electronic card 10
is varied and served as a telephone set. In FIG. 4C, once the
electronic card 10 is coupled to a printer 43, the card detection
pin will be at the second state. As a result, the modem module can
provide a dial-up functionality to the printer 43 via the specific
application bus 16 (which is a printer/keypad bus). Accordingly,
the printer 43 inserted with the electronic card 10 is varied and
served as a fax machine.
[0022] In view of the forgoing, it is known that the electronic
card capable of changing communication functionality in accordance
with the present invention can be automatically varied and served
as different communication apparatuses in response to the
electronic device in which the electronic card is inserted.
Therefore, the communication capability of the electronic card can
be fully utilized, thereby achieving the purpose of using minimum
hardware resource to provide maximum communication
functionality.
[0023] Although the present invention has been explained in
relation to its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that
many other possible modifications and variations can be made
without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as
hereinafter claimed.
* * * * *