U.S. patent application number 10/499598 was filed with the patent office on 2005-02-17 for removable housing cover for a portable radio communication device.
Invention is credited to Kohnke, Axel.
Application Number | 20050036293 10/499598 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 11004252 |
Filed Date | 2005-02-17 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050036293 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kohnke, Axel |
February 17, 2005 |
Removable housing cover for a portable radio communication
device
Abstract
The invention provides an electronic mobile
communications/entertainment device capable of a plurality of modes
of operation, comprising a basic module having circuitry common to
the operation of the device in said plurality of modes of
operation, and a plurality of supplementary modules, each
supplementary module being provided in the form of a housing cover
for the device and including controlling means configured to
provide for a corresponding mode of operation when coupled to the
basic module, the supplementary modules being interchangeably
attachable/detachable to the basic module so as to provide
respective modes of operation, and the device only being
operational when one of said plurality of supplementary modules is
attached to the device.
Inventors: |
Kohnke, Axel; (Dulmen,
DE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
HARRINGTON & SMITH, LLP
4 RESEARCH DRIVE
SHELTON
CT
06484-6212
US
|
Family ID: |
11004252 |
Appl. No.: |
10/499598 |
Filed: |
October 4, 2004 |
PCT Filed: |
December 18, 2001 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/IB01/02809 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
361/730 ;
361/796 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04B 1/3833 20130101;
H04M 1/72427 20210101; H04M 1/7246 20210101; H04M 1/72445 20210101;
H04M 1/0283 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
361/730 ;
361/796 |
International
Class: |
H05K 005/03 |
Claims
1. An electronic mobile communication/entertainment device capable
of a plurality of modes of operation, comprising: a basic module
having circuitry common to the operation of the device in said
plurality of modes of operation, and one or more supplementary
modules, each supplementary module being provided in the form of a
housing cover for the device and including controller means
configured to provide for a corresponding mode of operation, the
supplementary modules being interchangeably attachable/detachable
to the basic module so as to provide respective modes of operation,
and the device only being operational when one of said plurality of
supplementary modules is attached to the device.
2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the controller means of a
supplementary module includes a mobile phone application for a
telecommunications mode of operation.
3. A device according to claim 1, wherein the controller means of a
supplementary module includes an electronic gaming application for
a gaming mode of operation.
4. A device according to claim 1, wherein the controller means of a
supplementary module includes an internet browsing application for
a browsing mode of operation.
5. A device according to claim 1, wherein the controller means of a
supplementary module includes a pager application for a pager mode
of operation.
6. A device according to claim 1, wherein the controller means of a
supplementary module includes a music application for a music mode
of operation.
7. A device according to claim 1, wherein the controller means of a
supplementary module includes a PDA for a PDA mode of
operation.
8. A device according to claim 1, wherein the controller means of a
supplementary module comprises one or more control elements for
multi- functional modes of operation corresponding to two or more
combinations of the control means of claims 2.
9. A device according to any preceding claim 1, wherein the basic
module includes a microprocessor, a memory, a battery and a
reader.
10. A device according to any preceding claim 1, wherein the
supplementary modules have a user interface dedicated to respective
modes of operation.
11. A device according to claim 1, wherein the controller means is
configured to download a mode of operation from a remote
server/service.
12. A housing cover for an electronic device, the housing cover
being adapted to be removably detachable with respect to the
electronic device, the device having means for interfacing with the
housing cover and being inoperative when a housing cover is not
attached to it, said housing cover being a user selectable one of a
range of different housing covers having different respective
functionalities; each housing cover having a respective control
means, such that when a housing cover is coupled to the electronic
device the control means of the housing cover couples with means
for interfacing of the electronic device, whereby the electronic
device is caused to be operational in accordance with the
functionality associated with the coupled housing cover.
13. An electronic mobile communication/entertainment device capable
of a plurality of modes of operation, and adapted to be couplable
to a housing cover of claim 12.
14. An interface module for the electronic mobile
communication/entertainm- ent device of claim 1.
15. (CANCELED)
16. (CANCELED)
Description
[0001] The present invention relates to a portable radio
communication device, and more particularly to a suite of removable
covers therefor.
[0002] Removable covers, such as that disclosed in the Applicant's
UK patent number 2, 324, 929, afford an end-user of a mobile phone
disclosed in the said patent the facility to swap the front housing
cover of the mobile phone with a different front housing cover
selected by the user as he or she wishes. In this way, the end-user
is empowered to replace the housing cover if he or she wishes to
change the appearance of the mobile phone, or to substitute a
broken or scratched housing cover, without having to employ the
services of a skilled technician.
[0003] Another type of replaceable housing cover is disclosed in
Applicant's co-pending patent application number GB 0030048.3
(published as GB 2,362,071). The invention that is disclosed in
GB0030048.3 relates to a removable housing cover that is adapted to
be detachably connectable to a mobile phone. In one embodiment the
removable cover carries some form of embedded data chip, which data
chip is designed to be read by a reader on the mobile phone which
results in the alteration of the operating characteristics of the
mobile phone, e.g. such as a ringtone or a screensaver.
[0004] Against this background, the present invention in one aspect
provides a removable housing cover adapted to be detachably
connectable to a portable radio communication device, said
removable housing cover being a user selectable one of a range of
different removable housing covers having different respective
functionalities, the arrangement being such that when a removable
housing cover is connected to the portable radio communication
device the device is operationally enabled in accordance with the
functionality associated with the connected removable housing
cover, and when the removable housing) cover is disconnected from
the portable radio communication device the device is operationally
disabled.
[0005] Expressed alternately, the present invention resides in a
removable housing cover for a portable radio communication device,
said removable housing cover being a user selectable one of a range
of different removable housing covers having different respective
functionalities, the removable housing cover having a control
means, the control means providing the operational instructions for
enabling the operation of the portable radio communication device
in accordance with the functionality associated with the connected
removable housing cover, the operational instructions being
arranged to be read by a reader associated with the portable radio
communication device, whereby the presence and absence of the
removable housing cover in relation to the portable radio
communication device renders the device active and inactive
respectively.
[0006] Conveniently, the operational instructions of the removable
housing cover are provided on a memory chip, and said memory chip
is used as a memory extension for the portable radio communication
device when the removable cover is present on the portable radio
communication device. In this sense, the operational instructions
are not read by a reader as such, but are interfaced with the
memory of the portable radio communication device.
[0007] By means of this invention, the absence of presence of the
removable housing cover in relation to the portable radio
communication device determines whether or not the device can be
used. Thus, the user of the portable radio communication device is
able himself/herself not only to change the outward appearance of
the phone, but also to enable/disable the device, which because
this requires the presence/absence of a physical component of the
device (i.e. the removable housing cover), the invention leads to
increased security for the user against unauthorised use of the
device. Also, the portable radio communication device can be
economically produced, as it implements only limited common
functionalities and customisation is achieved with the removable
housing cover.
[0008] In one form of the invention, the control means that is
carried by the removable housing cover comprises a processor for
the portable radio communication device, whereby when the removable
housing cover is placed on the portable radio communication device,
the processor co-operates with the electronic circuitry of the
device thereby to provide for an operational device.
[0009] In a further embodiment, the device is without an operating
system and/or application software, and the removable housing cover
includes an operating system and/or application software for the
device. In this way, the connection of the removable housing cover
with the device renders the device operational.
[0010] The removable housing cover may include the RF circuitry for
the communication device, in which case the RF circuitry would not
be present in the device.
[0011] In general terms, the approach taken in the present
invention is as follows. The removable housing cover is equipped
with one or more application specific elements to provide some
given functionality; the application elements may be embodied in a
readable software module, or connectable electronics hardware. When
the user wishes to change the user interface, or the type of
application, he/she removes the housing cover currently attached to
the phone, for example by using the releasable attachment means
described in the Applicant's patent referenced above, the
releasable attachment aspects of which are incorporated herein by
reference. Then the new housing cover that the user wishes to
install onto the phone is located onto the phone and secured in
position, again making use of the releasable attachment means. Once
in place, the application elements of the removable housing cover
interface in a way that co-operates with a corresponding
interfacing element provided on the device. When the interfacing
element on the device senses the presence of the application
element of the removable housing cover, this enables the device to
be activated and to operate in accordance with the application
element of the removable housing cover.
[0012] For instance, a user may purchase a removable housing cover
with games software functionality. On connecting the housing cover
to the phone, the phone is enabled with the ability to allow
playing of the particular game. In this way, the phone conveniently
is accompanied with a dedicated User Interface that is adapted to
game playing.
[0013] In another aspect, the invention provides an electronic
mobile communication/entertainment device capable of a plurality of
modes of operation, comprising
[0014] a basic module having circuitry common to the operation of
the device in said plurality of modes of operation, and
[0015] a plurality of supplementary modules,
[0016] each supplementary module being provided in the form of a
housing cover for the device and including controlling means
configured to provide for a corresponding mode of operation when
coupled to the basic module,
[0017] the supplementary modules being interchangeably
attachable/detachable to the basic module so as to provide
respective modes of operation.
[0018] and the device only being operational when one of said
plurality of supplementary modules is attached to the device.
[0019] This alleviates the problem experienced when using
conventional personal communication devices which typically offer a
variety of different applications, but in which any one particular
User Interface (UI) cannot facilitate all functionalities
corresponding to the different applications in an optimal
manner.
[0020] In addition, since the basic module includes only a base
level of common circuitry and the attachable/detachable
supplementary modules contain much of the componentry required to
support the particular application, the cost of the basic module
can be relatively modest.
[0021] Hence, this aspect of the invention offers the possibility
to purchase a basic module for a comparatively low price, and add
to this, at the choice of the user, one or more supplementary
modules in the form of housing covers, thereby providing for
applications and functions that the user wishes to have. This
aspect of the invention further benefits in that because for a
given application the attached housing cover provides a UI that is
specially dedicated to that application, the user is able to use
the application in the most convenient and user friendly way.
Furthermore, any particular housing cover may provide some very
basic functionalities for other applications.
[0022] In order to aid a more detailed understanding of the present
invention, various embodiments of the invention will now be
described. These should not be construed as necessarily limiting
the invention but merely as examples of specific ways of putting
the invention into effect. In particular, the invention will be
described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
[0023] FIG. 1 illustrates one embodiment of the invention;
[0024] FIG. 2 illustrates a second embodiment of the invention;
[0025] FIG. 3 illustrates a third embodiment of the invention;
[0026] FIG. 4 illustrates a fourth embodiment of the invention;
[0027] FIG. 5 illustrates a mechanical form of the invention;
[0028] FIG. 6 illustrates a further embodiment of the invention
and
[0029] FIG. 7 illustrates a further mechanical form of the
invention.
[0030] FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention
comprising a basic module 12 in the form herein termed a Standard
Entertainment Module (SEM) which in and of itself is inoperative.
FIG. 1 also shows a first supplementary attachable module 14 in the
form of a removable housing cover 16 which is provided with an
application controller 18 providing phone functionality. When the
removable cover 16 is attached to the SEM the application
controller 18 interfaces with the SEM so as to render it operative
in accordance with the application controller, thereby to provide
standard phone functionality. FIG. 1 further shows a :second
supplementary attachable module 20 in the form of a removable
housing cover 22 which is provided with an application controller
24 providing games functionality. When the removable cover 22 is
attached to the SEM the application controller 24 interfaces with
the SEM so as to render it operative in accordance with the
application controller, thereby to provide games functionality.
Thus it can be seen that the removable housing covers 16 and 22 can
be interchangeably attached to the SEM to provide for phone and
gaming functionalities respectively.
[0031] The features of the SEM 12 include:
[0032] Microprocessor MCU 26,
[0033] Software storage SW 28,
[0034] Interface 30
[0035] Battery 32,
[0036] Card Reader 34.
[0037] It is preferred to include the card reader 34 in the SEM
because this may be constructional more practical than placing the
card reader in the housing cover. The card reader 34 of the SEM
might also be useful for taking other kinds of memory cards for
memory extension and the like.
[0038] The SEM may contain other components and circuitry common to
the different modes of operation of the SEM. For instance, the SEM
may include RF circuitry for a particular cellular communication
mode of operation. Equally, the SEM may include fewer components
than those described above if certain components can be dispensed
with. For instance, the RF circuitry may be absent from the SEM in
which case the SEM is adapted to operate in different
telecommunication protocols by connecting different covers having
for instance GSM, TDMA, UMTS capabilities.
[0039] As indicated above, the first supplementary attachable
module 14 takes the form of a removable housing cover 16 which is
provided with an application controller 18 providing phone
functionality. Because the removable cover 16 is designed to
provide phone functionality, the User Interface (UI) of the
removable cover consists of features necessary for carrying out
phone operations. Thus the UI includes a microphone and earpiece, a
keypad, a display and menu and control buttons. The application
controller 18 associated with the removable cover 16 has components
necessary for making and receiving calls, both voice and data, and
thus includes e.g. RF circuitry, baseboard software, drivers etc.
When the removable cover 16 is snapped onto the SEM 12 the
components of the application controller 18 connect up and
cooperate with the components of the SEM to enable phone
functionality.
[0040] Also as indicated above, the second supplementary attachable
module 20 takes the form of a removable housing cover 22 which is
provided with an application controller 24 providing games
functionality. In this case because the removable cover 22 is
designed to provide games functionality, the User Interface (UI) of
the removable cover 22 consists of features necessary for carrying
out gameplay operations. Thus the UI directions keys (or a
joystick), a display, and other control buttons. The application
controller 24 associated with the removable cover 22 has components
necessary for playing computer/video games, and thus includes e.g.
memory for games software, drivers etc. When the removable cover 22
is snapped onto the SEM 12 the components of the application
controller 24 connect up and cooperate with the components of the
SEM to enable games functionality.
[0041] Turning to FIG. 2, there is shown a second embodiment of the
invention in which there is an SEM 12 of the type described above,
along with two supplementary modules 36 and 38 which can be
interchangeably attached to the SEM 12. Supplementary module 36
comprises a removable housing cover 40 which is provided with an
application controller 42 providing browsing functionality, so that
when the removable cover 40 is attached to the SEM 12 the
application controller 42 interfaces with the SEM so as to provide
for browsing of the internet. Thus, the removable cover 40 has a UI
designed for allowing user friendly browsing, and hence may include
a wide display and a QWERTY keypad, as well as control keys. The
application controller 42 correspondingly includes browser software
and RF circuitry, etc.
[0042] Supplementary module 38 comprises a removable housing cover
44 which is provided with an application controller 46 providing
combined games and pager functionalities, so that when the
removable cover 44 is attached to the SEM 12 the application
controller 46 interfaces with the SEM so as to allow, for gaming
and pager functions. Thus, the removable cover 44 has a UI designed
for allowing user friendly gaming and pager messaging, and hence
may include a display, games control keys, etc. The application
controller 46 correspondingly includes gaming software and pager
componentry, etc.
[0043] Supplementary modules that provide for combined applications
may be advantageous in particular circumstances, for example for a
child who is allowed by his parents to use the SEM with a games
cover may find a pager functionality useful for receiving short
messages (e.g. "Lunch is ready, come home!"). Analogously, in
another embodiment, a music application cover might also offer some
basic phone functionalities to handle phone calls.
[0044] FIG. 3 illustrates a further embodiment of the invention in
which there is an SEM 12 of the type described above, and two
supplementary modules 48 and 50 which can be interchangeably
attached to the SEM 12. Supplementary module 48 comprises a
removable housing cover 52 which is provided with an application
controller 54 providing music functionality, so that when the
removable cover 52 is attached to the SEM 12 the application
controller 54 interfaces with the SEM so as to provide music
applications. Thus, the removable cover 52 has a UI designed for
allowing user friendly music controls, and hence may include
control keys such as PLAY, SKIP, EDIT, MP3, RADIO etc. The
application controller 54 correspondingly includes a broadcast
radio receiver, MP3 software and storage, etc.
[0045] Supplementary module 50 is a further example of a combined
application module which comprises a removable housing cover 56
with an application controller 58 that is capable of providing both
games and phone functionalities, so that when the removable cover
56 is attached to the SEM 12 the application controller 58
interfaces with the SEM so as to allow for gaming and phone
functions. Thus, the removable cover 56 has a UI designed for
allowing user friendly gaming and call handing, and hence may
include a display, games control keys, etc. The application
controller 46 correspondingly includes gaming software and mobile
phone componentry, etc.
[0046] FIG. 4 illustrates a further embodiment of the invention in
which there is an SEM 12 of the type described above, and two
supplementary modules 60 and 62 which can be interchangeably
attached to the SEM 12. Supplementary module 60 comprises a
removable housing cover 64 which is provided with an application
controller 66 providing music and phone functionality, so that when
the removable cover 64 is attached to the SEM 12 the application
controller 66 interfaces with the SEM so as to provide music and
phone applications. Thus, the removable cover 64 has a UI designed
for allowing user friendly music and phone controls, and hence may
include control keys such as PLAY, SKIP, EDIT, MP3, RADIO, as well
as an earpiece and loudspeaker etc. The application controller 66
correspondingly may include a broadcast radio receiver, MP3
software and storage, RF circuitry, baseboard software etc.
[0047] Supplementary module 68 is a general representation of an
unspecific module which illustrates the mechanical and electrical
sub components of a module.
[0048] In use there are possibilities of overlap of functionality.
For example, the phone function cover might provide a convenient
way of storing phone numbers in a phonebook that could be stored in
a memory of the SEM. The internet cover offers a convenient
keyboard for adding names to the phonebook entries which may also
be stored on the SEM. When the user elects to use the music
application cover he might be content just to access the phonebook
with some keystrokes and choose a name for dialling and making a
phone call. Also the cover,, may allow for voice dialling which
enables to make phone calls without having a keyboard for
number/name selection while using the games or music cover.
[0049] Referring to FIG. 5, there is shown a schematic arrangement
for connecting a supplementary module 72 to the basic module 74. In
this arrangement the supplementary module receives the basic module
within a cavity or recess 76 that is defined by the walls of the
removable cover supplementary module.
[0050] FIG. 6 illustrates a further variant of the invention; in
this variant the SEM is modified in that it also includes a radio
transceiver 78 which is desirable for a user who wishes to have
communication possibility always enabled. In this case the
supplementary attachable modules do not require to have
transceiver, but may simply have UI features that allow use sending
and receiving calls. Thus FIG. 6 illustrates two supplementary
modules 78 and 80 both of which (although separately providing
Internet/PDA and Music applications) can be used to place and
receive calls. Supplementary module 78 is an Internet/PDA removable
cover optimised in its design for Browsing and PDA operations. This
is particularly advantageous because the QWERTY keyboard preferred
for internet browsing also provides good capability 20 for entering
text and other PDA software functions and therefore it is
beneficial to add PDA functionality to the cover because a user
might wish to use the device for calendar applications, extended
phone book function, document control and other functions
associated with a PDA. The SEM may contain basic phone SW, while
the application SW of the phone for internet browsing and aural
communication is conveniently provided in the cover.
[0051] The embodiment of FIG. 6 has a bus structure like connection
between the modules in the SEM which provides for more simplified
interconnection. The interface between cover and SEM can be named
Application Programming Interface API. The SEM interfaces the
removable housing cover through a dedicated Application Programming
Interface (API). The API specifies how the functionalities of the
removable housing cover and the standard functionalities provided
by the SEM work together in order to form a product that operates
according to the users needs. The API may consist of a set of
pre-defined messages that can be exchanged between the SEM and the
removable housing cover in order to access the provided functions
in the SEM and cover.
[0052] Furthermore, in the embodiment of FIG. 6, there is a block
labelled "Memory" which corresponds to the blocks labelled SW in
the SEM of the embodiments of FIGS. 1 to 4. This indicates that the
"Memory" of the SEM of the Figure embodiment, without an attached
cover, may not contain SW as such, but instead provides the storage
capacity for the SW from the cover. The same can apply to all the
previously described embodiments, meaning that rather than storing
SW in a memory, they provide only memory which can be loaded with
SW from the attached cover. Additionally, it is, in further
variants, possible for the SEMs to contain no memory as such, since
in such variant it is possible for the MCU of the SEM to access the
SW in the cover through the API, in which case the API is a
hardware interface comprising a wired connection between the MCU of
the SEM and the memory chip in the cover. In such a variant the SW
API is a portion of a more extensive hardware and software
interface.
[0053] The SEM may also comprise a display and in this case the
removable covers simply provide the display lens. This is
illustrated in FIG. 7 which shows a display 82 being provided with
the SEM 84, and a display lens 86 being provided with the removable
cover 88. Alternatively, the SEM might also contain a display with
an integrated lens, in which the housing cover does not cover the
display and merely has an aperture configured for alignment with
the lens.
[0054] For all embodiments, it may be that the SW relating to an
attached cover is erased from the SEM memory upon removal of the
cover.
[0055] Thus, it can be seen that the SEM holds functionality common
to a wide variety of different applications, while the removable
cover adds specific functionality that adapts the SEM plus cover to
the user's needs.
[0056] In another form of the invention, the application controller
comprises in a memory chip patch that carries data associated with
the particular removable cover. The memory chip patch may be
embedded during manufacture in the inside surface of the removable
cover.
[0057] When a new removable cover is installed onto the SEM and
secured in position, the memory chip patch of the removable housing
cover are brought into registration with a sensor in the form of a
reader provided in the SEM. This reader detects the memory chip
patches of the removable housing cover and proceeds to read data
from it.
[0058] Hence, the reader reads information of the memory chip and
certain predefined functionality is transferred to a
controller/processor of the SEM. This transfer of data causes the
SEM to become operational in accordance with the data transferred
from the chip patch.
[0059] Thus, it can seen that a user can personalise and customise
the SEM by the means of choice of removable cover. By combining the
SEM with a given cover, the user can generate a usable product that
meets his/her particular current requirements. In addition to the
embodiments described above, further examples include:
1 SEM + cover with ITU-Keypad Phone centric usage (Phone Keypad)
SEM + cover with Joystick dedicated for playing games SEM + cover
with SENSORS dedicated for special purposes
[0060] Depending on the sensor, there will be a dedicated design
and dedicated SW to process the sensor data. Some examples
include:
[0061] Noise meter- Special design of the cover and special
functionality to perform noise measurements,
[0062] Distance meters- Special design and functionality to perform
distance and area measurements; may be useful for builders and
architects,
[0063] Humidity, Temperature, Air Pressure- Wearable weather
station,
[0064] GPS Sensor- For navigation, this may require to have a
dedicated display for map display,
[0065] Sunshine Intensity sensor- personal device to measure the
exposure to UV-Rays to prevent sunburn.
2 SEM + cover with specific Memory Memory Extension (e.g. for MP3)
Device SEM + cover with ROM Cover + Game inside as a bundle (Game
inside) SEM + cover with extra Extension of device functionality
MCU + Memory This provides a flexible and substantially
future-proof variant of the SEM. The MCU allows the cover to
execute its applications without exposing any load to the SEM
Microcontroller. SEM + cover with Adaptation unit Smart Adapter
[0066] The adaptation unit may be for example some means for
connecting to other devices such games consoles, PCs, PDAs, TVs,
USBs etc.
[0067] In an advantageous embodiment, a cover may contain some
functionality that entitles the user do download applications or
games from a remote server/service, e.g. Club Nokia. Thus, the SEM
may be equipped to download data e.g. from the Internet and
transfer this data to a supplementary module application
controller. E.g. it may be possible to download a JAVA applet into
a Virtual Machine in the Cover MCU. The grant to download of
applications may be included in the purchase of the cover. In this
case the user can customise his device via the Web.
[0068] Thus, according to the invention, the user can build up a
suite of removable covers relating to the different applications
which the user is interested in owning.
[0069] The present invention may be embodied in other specific
forms without departing from its essential attributes For instance,
the mobile phone covers could comprise touchscreen keys rather than
a keypad. Reference should thus be made to the appended claims and
other general statements herein rather than to the foregoing
description as indicating the scope of invention.
[0070] Furthermore, each feature disclosed in this specification
(which term includes the claims) and/or shown in the drawings may
be incorporated in the invention independently of other disclosed
and/or illustrated features. In this regard, the invention includes
any novel feature or combination of features disclosed herein
either explicitly or any generalisation thereof irrespective of
whether or not it relates to the claimed invention or mitigates any
or all of the problems addressed.
[0071] The appended abstract as filed herewith is included in the
specification by reference.
* * * * *