U.S. patent application number 12/902098 was filed with the patent office on 2011-02-03 for method and apparatus for integrating phone and pda user interfaces on a single processor.
This patent application is currently assigned to ACCESS SYSTEMS AMERICAS, INC.. Invention is credited to Sean Mercer, Gordon Onorati, Ed Vertaschitsch.
Application Number | 20110026694 12/902098 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 35452764 |
Filed Date | 2011-02-03 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110026694 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Vertaschitsch; Ed ; et
al. |
February 3, 2011 |
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR INTEGRATING PHONE AND PDA USER INTERFACES
ON A SINGLE PROCESSOR
Abstract
Separate processors, a PDA processor, and a baseband processor
are maintained in a PDA having an integrated telephone device. The
PDA processor runs PDA related programs and a user interface for
the telephone device. A link between the PDA processor and baseband
processor transfers data and commands from the user interface to a
phone control program executing on the baseband processor. The base
band processor is connected to the telephone device, and the phone
control program controls operation of the telephone device. The
separation of processors reduces vulnerability of the telephone
device to hacker rogue applications that invade or program crashes
that occur on the PDA processor.
Inventors: |
Vertaschitsch; Ed;
(Bellevue, WA) ; Mercer; Sean; (Issaquah, WA)
; Onorati; Gordon; (Kent, WA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BERRY & ASSOCIATES P.C.
9229 SUNSET BOULEVARD, SUITE 630
LOS ANGELES
CA
90069
US
|
Assignee: |
ACCESS SYSTEMS AMERICAS,
INC.
Sunnyvale
CA
|
Family ID: |
35452764 |
Appl. No.: |
12/902098 |
Filed: |
October 11, 2010 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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|
11301568 |
Dec 13, 2005 |
7813486 |
|
|
12902098 |
|
|
|
|
09687987 |
Oct 13, 2000 |
6976217 |
|
|
11301568 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
379/93.17 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06F 3/04886
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
379/93.17 |
International
Class: |
H04M 11/00 20060101
H04M011/00 |
Claims
1. A telephone device integrating a first processor and a second
processor, comprising: a main processor for executing a plurality
of user applications including a phone application and at least one
of other applications; a baseband processor for executing a phone
control application of the telephone device; and a communication
link coupling said main processor and said baseband processor for
transferring data and command signals, wherein, the main processor
executes the following steps; allowing a user of the telephone
device to select one of the plurality of the user applications;
booting the selected user application on the main processor; and
booting the phone control application on the second processor if
the selected application is a phone application.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation application of
application Ser. No. 11/301,568, entitled "Method and Apparatus for
Integrating Phone and PDA User Interfaces on a Single Processor,"
filed Dec. 13, 2005, which is a continuation application of
application Ser. No. 09/687,987, entitled "Method and Apparatus for
Integrating Phone and PDA User Interfaces on a Single Processor,"
filed Oct. 13, 2000, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,976,217, the subject
matter in the above-identified co-pending and commonly owned
applications is incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] This invention relates generally to user interfaces. The
invention is more particularly related to user interfaces for phone
and Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs). And, the invention is yet
more particularly related to combining phone and PDA user
interfaces on a single processing device.
[0004] 2. Discussion of Background
[0005] Personal computer systems and their applications have become
common tools in modern society. To organize their lives, many
personal computer users use personal information management
applications such as an address book and a daily organizer on their
personal computers. Although such applications have proven useful
for personal information management, their utility is limited by
the fact that the person must be sitting at their personal computer
system to access the information.
[0006] To remedy this limitation, palmtop computers, electronic
organizers and other handheld devices, commonly known as personal
digital assistants (PDA's), have been introduced. The PDA is a
computer that is small enough to be handheld or placed in a pocket,
and allows a user and run various applications including personal
information management applications such as address books, daily
organizers, etc. These applications make. people's lives
easier.
[0007] The most popular brand of PDA is the Palm.TM.. However, the
Palm.TM. is much more than a simple PDA. A basic configuration of
the Palm.TM. 100 is shown in FIG. 1. This small, slim, device,
about the size of your wallet, can hold 6000 addresses, 5 years of
appointments, 1500 to-do items, 1500 memos, 200 e-mail messages,
and can run many different software applications.
[0008] The front of the PalmR3 100 is a large LCD screen 110 which
is touch-sensitive and allows a user to enter and manipulate data.
A stylus (not shown) is provided with the Palm.TM. to help in
making touch screen inputs. By using the stylus (or another
handheld pointer) to interact with a touch-sensitive screen, a
palmtop user can easily navigate through a host of built-in
programs, software, and other applications.
[0009] Today, the Palm.TM., PDA and other handheld computing
devices offer Internet connectivity capabilities, as well as a vast
array of hardware and software choices. Palmtops have evolved from
simple organizers into a new kind of handheld that people use to
instantly manage all kinds of information, from email, to medical
data, to stock reports.
[0010] Mobile telephones (cell phones, PCS, satellite phones, etc)
are also common tools in today's world. Many cell phones include
rudimentary functionality for maintaining call lists, or phone book
information, to help alleviate the burdens associated with managing
contacts and tracking phone numbers.
[0011] However, despite the great capabilities and conveniences of
the modern PDA, and the cell phone, many innovations are needed for
expanding the capabilities and for increasing the convenience of
using PDAs and cell phones.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0012] The present inventors have realized that the integration of
mobile telephone technology into a PDA is one area where
innovations are greatly needed to improve the performance,
convenience, and usability of PDA and/or other devices having
mobile telephone capabilities. The present inventors have also
realized that the integration of cell phones into a PDA have some
drawbacks that make operation of the combined devices less
efficient. For example, a PDA having an integrated cell phone has
more processing capability than needed, if the cell phone is simply
added to the PDA. A PDA having integrated cell phone capability
which uses a single processor to run both the cell phone and PDA is
subject to invalid, spurious, rogue, or hacker initiated signals if
the PDA processor runs user programs and controls the radio
functions of the cell phone.
[0013] The present invention is a PDA or other electronic device
having integrated cell phone technology. The user interfaces for
the cell phone and the PDA are run on a single main processor (PDA
processor, for example). A second, phone control processor controls
the radio functions of the cell phone. A proprietary link is
established for communications between the PDA processor and phone
control processor. The proprietary link isolates the phone control
processor and radio equipment of the cell phone from spurious
commands instituted because of hacker's programs, program crashes,
etc., that occur on the PDA processor.
[0014] The invention may be embodied as a handheld computer or
electronic device comprising, a display screen, a first processor
configured to run user applications and send outputs of the user
applications to the display screen, the user applications including
a telephone user interface configured to capture user inputs for
telephone related operations and display current telephone
operations information on the display screen, a telephone device, a
baseband processor connected to the telephone device and configured
to control operations of the telephone device, and a communications
link between the first processor and the baseband processor for
communicating user inputs and selections from the telephone user
interface to the baseband processor.
[0015] The invention includes an electronic device comprising
display means, a first processing means for running user
applications and sending outputs of the user applications to said
display screen, said user applications including a user interface
means for at least capturing user inputs for telephone related
operations and displaying current telephone operations information
on said display means, a telephone communication means, a baseband
processing means for controlling operations of said telephone
communication means, and a link means for communicating data
between said first processing means and said baseband processing
means, said data including user inputs and selections from said
user interface means to said baseband processing means.
[0016] The present invention includes a method of operating an
electronic device having an integrated telephone device, comprising
the steps of, running a telephone user interface program on a first
processing device, running a telephone device control program on a
second processing device, communicating user data and actions from
the telephone user interface program to the telephone device
control program via a communications link between the first
processor and the second processor, and controlling operation of
the integrated telephone device via the telephone device control
program according to the user data and actions communicated.
[0017] Portions of the present invention may be conveniently
implemented on a general purpose computer, such as a modern PDA,
Palm.TM., cell phone, satellite phone, or networked computers, and
the results may be displayed on an output device connected to any
of the general purpose, PDA, Palm.TM., networked computers, or
transmitted to a remote device for output or display.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0018] A more complete appreciation of the invention and many of
the attendant advantages thereof will be readily obtained as the
same becomes better understood by reference to the following
detailed description when considered in connection with the
accompanying drawings, wherein:
[0019] FIG. 1 is a Palm" handheld computer;
[0020] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of selected components of a
possible design integrating cell phone technology into a PDA
device;
[0021] FIG. 3 is a block diagram of selected components of a design
according to an embodiment of the present invention for integrating
cell phone technology into a PDA device;
[0022] FIG. 4 is a flow chart illustrating process flows of a main
PDA processor executing PDA and cell phone user interfaces;
[0023] FIG. 5 is a flow chart illustrating an embodiment of process
flows of a cell phone user interface and communications of the cell
phone user interface to a phone control processor according to the
present invention;
[0024] FIG. 6 is a flow chart illustrating an embodiment of a phone
control program according to the present invention;
[0025] FIG. 7 is an electronic device running a PDA application
according to an embodiment of the present invention; and
[0026] FIG. 8 is an electronic device running a phone application
according to an embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0027] Referring again to the drawings, wherein like reference
numerals designate identical or corresponding parts, and more
particularly to FIG. 2 thereof, there is illustrated a block
diagram of selected components of a handheld computer 200 that
includes cell phone technology. The handheld computer 200 includes
a processing device 210, for executing applications and an
operating system of the computer 200, a memory device 220 for
storing the operating system, data, and the applications. A memory
bus 225 is utilized to transfer programs and data from memory to
the processing unit 210.
[0028] A display screen 230 is provided (preferably a touch
sensitive screen) for display of Operating System prompts, buttons,
icons, application screens, and other data, and for providing user
inputs via tapping or touching (or drawing in the Graffiti" area
120) via a stylus or other touch mechanism. Hardware interface 235
connects to physical hard buttons and switches located on a body of
the computer 200 and provides signals to applications running on
the processing unit 210.
[0029] A mobile radio device 240 provides connectivity to a
cellular telephone network (not shown). A system bus 255 carries
data and commands to/from the processing unit 210 from/to other
devices within the computer 200. For example, user applications
running on the computer 200 send application screens and other data
outputs to display screen 230 for display via the system bus 255.
User inputs (Graffiti" area drawing, or tap selection, for example)
are detected by the screen 230 and sent to the processing unit 210
via the system bus 255.
[0030] In addition to the operating system and user selected
applications, another application, a phone device, executes on the
processing unit 210. Phone calls from the network directed toward
the mobile radio device 240 are detected by the mobile radio device
and sent, in the form of an incoming call notification, to the
phone device (executing on the processing unit 210). The phone
device processes the incoming call notification by notifying the
user by an audio output such as ringing (not shown).
[0031] The phone device also includes a method for the user to
answer the incoming call. For example, tapping on a phone icon, or
pressing a hard button designated or preprogrammed for answering a
call signals the phone device to send instructions (via system bus
255) to the mobile radio device 240 to answer the call.
[0032] Outgoing calls are placed by a user by entering digits of
the number to be dialed and pressing a call icon, for example. The
dialed digits are sent to the mobile radio device 240 along with
instructions needed to configure the mobile radio device 240 for an
outgoing call. The instructions may include, for example, 1. Access
a base station, 2. Send digits, 3. Retrieve and forward ring
indication (if any), 4. Connect call, 6. manage call, and 7. await
further instructions. Many other instructions may be utilized. For
example, in the AT command set more than 100 commands are
available. Similar instructions may be sent for handling an
incoming call by the phone device after receiving and processing an
incoming call indication from the mobile radio device 240.
[0033] The mobile radio device 240 is a device configured send
signals on exact frequency requirements (FCC certified, for
example). Base stations that communicate with the mobile radio
device 240 are also precision devices sending and receiving on
specified radio frequency channels. One difficulty arising with the
design as shown in FIG. 2 is that application program crashes on
processor 210 can cause unwanted or inconsistent signals to be
generated on system bus 255 and potentially causing problems with
the mobile radio device 240, such as spurious radio emissions. In
addition the design of FIG. 2 also is susceptible to hacker or
rogue programs that may be executing on processing unit 210, also
potentially causing spurious radio emissions from mobile radio
device 240. The potential spurious emissions, might, for example,
cause radio broadcasts in an unintended or unapproved frequency
range, potentially cause problems at one or more base stations
(unintentionally causing a base station re-boot, for example), or
cause interfere with other mobile radio devices.
[0034] FIG. 3 is a block diagram of selected components of a design
according to an embodiment of the present invention for integrating
cell phone technology into a PDA device 300. The PDA device 300 is
a handheld computer such as a Palm.TM., Palm III.TM., or Palm
V.TM., or Palm VII.TM. organizers, manufactured by Palm, Inc. Other
embodiments of the invention can include Windows CE.TM. and
Visor.TM. handheld computers, or other handheld computers and
personal digital assistants (PDAs).
[0035] Preferably, the PDA 300 has interactive hardware and
software that perform functions such as maintaining calendars,
phone lists, and at least one voice or audio related functions
integrated or attachably integrated (via a connector device, for
example, not shown) so as to be configured for use with cellular
telephone capabilities of the PDA. Several examples of a
configuration and details of connector devices for connecting or
integrating voice function devices to a PDA are described in Maes
et al., application Ser. No. 09/675,872, attorney docket no.
24530.00100, entitled, "INTEGRATING VOICE FUNCTION INTO A PDA,"
filed Sep. 29, 2000, the contents of which are incorporated herein
by reference in their entirety.
[0036] The software, including a phone user interface, operating
system, and other applications (word processors, spreadsheets,
databases, etc.) 322 are stored in memory device 320, along with
program data, graphics, and other data 324, and executed on a
processing device 310. A touch sensitive display device 230 and
hard button interface 235 are also provided as similarly discussed
above. A system bus 255 provides data, command, and possibly other
types of communication, as directed, by any one of the devices,
including display screen 230, hardware interface 235, and
processing unit 310, to the other devices.
[0037] Processing unit 310 runs applications, including the
operating system (OS, including a User Interface (UI) of the OS),
and other user applications (word processor 313 and word processor
user interface 314, for example) as directed by user inputs. The
user applications display outputs on the display screen 230 and
receive inputs from taps, tap & hold, and writing operations on
the display screen and from programmed hard buttons attached to
hardware interface 235.
[0038] FIG. 3 includes a mobile radio device 340, and a phone
control processor 315. The mobile radio device 340 receives
instructions and other control data from the phone control
processor 315 (also referred to as a baseband processor),
implementing those instructions and using the data so as to operate
the mobile radio device 340. The phone control (baseband) processor
315 sends instructions and data to the mobile radio device based on
programming of a phone control application 318.
[0039] A phone application 311 and phone application user interface
312 are provided and execute on the processing unit 310. The main
function of the phone application 311 is to service the phone
application user interface 312 and transfer required data to and
from the phone control application 318 running on the phone control
(baseband) processor 315.
[0040] A PDA/baseband link 330 is used to communicate data between
the phone application 311 (on processing unit 310) and the phone
control application 318 (on phone control (baseband) processor
315). The PDA/baseband link 330 is an AT Command interface over a
serial link. The PDA/baseband link 330 separates processing
performed on processing unit 310 and processing performed on the
phone control (baseband) processor 315, providing a separation that
reduces chances that a hacker program, other rogue application, or
a program crash on the processing unit 310 has any improper
influence on the phone control (baseband) processor 315 or the
phone control application 318, hence providing a more stable
environment for operation of the mobile radio device 340 and
assuring no adverse impact on the operation of the cellular network
(e.g., preventing unwanted interference signals that could
adversely affect other users).
[0041] In one embodiment, the AT Command over serial link used on
the PDA/baseband link 330 is proprietary to Palm.TM. and/or
utilizes other protocol stacks. In other embodiments, the
PDA/baseband link 330 is a parallel interface. In the embodiments
using a proprietary link (proprietary protocol and/or proprietary
protocol stack), the format of the important over and above
proprietary link is not particularly normal protocol considerations
(byte economy, ease of use, etc), but keeping the link proprietary
assures that rogue applications affecting operation of other PDA
devices are unlikely to have the present invention. The protocol
that is updateable any effect on a device according to PDA/baseband
link 330 includes a by downloading an updated protocol from a
vendor web site and installing the updated protocol on each of the
processing unit 310 and phone control (baseband) processor 315.
[0042] The type of interface used over the PDA/baseband link 330
may be selected based on criteria of the phone control (baseband)
processor 315 which may already have communication ports configured
for either parallel or serial communications. The selected protocol
is a choice between the available protocols for a particular
baseband processor, or a protocol that may be developed by the
producer of the baseband processor and the producer of a device
utilizing the present invention. No advantage in the type of
protocol utilized is envisioned, except that an industry standard
protocol (such as the AT command interface discussed above) may be
more familiar to development engineers implementing a product, and
may reduce development time.
[0043] FIG. 4 is a flow chart illustrating process flows of a main
PDA processor executing PDA and cell phone user interfaces. At step
400, the system (handheld computers, Palm.TM., etc.) is powered on
and the Palm.TM. 0S is booted. The Palm OS.TM. is used as an
example, other handheld or full service operating systems (NT,
Windows, Linux, etc.) may be utilized. Steps 410 and 420 are
combination steps.
[0044] At step 410 any user operation may be performed (power down,
set preferences, arrange icons, etc.) or user selected application
(word processor, Internet, etc.) may be invoked and used. Step 420
identifies that the user has selected a phone application that is
intended to control mobile phone capabilities built into the system
(mobile radio 340, for example).
[0045] When the phone application is started, it sends a signal
across the PDA/baseband link 330 that signals the phone control OS
to boot and start a phone control application that runs on the
phone control processor (step 430). Alternatively, the phone
control OS is booted upon power up of the system and waits in a
hibernation state until a signal is received to start the phone
control application. In the former case, an on/off recognizer
identifies whether a signal on the PDA/baseband link 330 is an
on/off command and boots or shuts down the phone control OS and
processor accordingly. In the latter case, the phone control OS
recognizes start and shut down commands that are applied to the
phone control application.
[0046] Once started, the PDA processor unit and phone control
processor begin communicating from phone application to phone
control application over the PDA/baseband link 330 (step 440). User
actions (step 450) controlling PDA functions or directly phone
operations (step 460) are implemented.
[0047] FIG. 5 is a flow chart illustrating some example phone
operations. The user initiates various phone operations (step 500)
by tapping phone application icons, graphics, enters control data
into the Graffiti.TM. area, or other input method (attached
keyboard, hard buttons, etc.). Phone operations may include, for
example, sub-launching a phone related application (step 505) and
performing the sub-application processed (sub-launching an address
book or note taking function (step 505), and updating/creating an
address book entry or taking/updating a note (step 510), for
example. One example of a note taking application is described in
Maes et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,442,251, application Ser. No.
09/675,363, attorney docket no. 24530.00200, entitled, "METHOD AND
APPARATUS FOR TAKING A NOTE WHILE IN A CALL," filed Sep. 29, 2000,
the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their
entirety.
[0048] Another example phone operation is making a call,
illustrated in steps 525-535. First, the phone application collects
digits entered by the user via the phone application user interface
(running on PDA processing unit 310) (step 525). A step of sending
a wake up or configuration signal (step 530) to the phone control
application (running configuration signal (step 530) to the phone
control application (running on phone control processor 315) may be
performed to "wake" the phone control application 318 (in the case
where the phone control application 318 is in a sleep mode from a
period of in-operation, for example) and signal the phone control
application 318 to configure the mobile radio device 340 so as to
be ready to make a call (power up, awake form sleep, etc.). Step
530 may be performed as soon as the phone application knows that a
call is being made, such as upon phone application boot, or when a.
first digit of a phone number is received (as in step 525, for
example). At step 535, the digits collected at step 525 are
communicated from the phone application to the phone control
application, signaling the phone control application to initiate a
call to that number.
[0049] Another example phone application is receiving an incoming
call as illustrated in steps 545-560. At step 545, an incoming call
indication is received by the phone application from the phone
control application (running on ph call processor). At step 550,
the phone application is configured to receive the call (set up
audio channels, "wake" phone applications, etc.). At step 555, the
phone application presents an incoming call notification to the
user (ringing, vibration, visual display, combination, etc.).
Finally at step 560, a user acts to answer the call (presses a talk
button or icon, for example), which directs the phone application
to connect the call, or, a user acts to send the call to voicemail
(or ignore), by pressing an end button or icon, for example.
Alternatively, if a user does nothing, the call is left unattended
(call directed to voicemail by network, for example), or, if the
user has preferences set, the preferences are used to direct
operations of the phone application. Examples of user preferences
for directing phone operations during periods of user inaction (and
other conditions, such as how to notify a user of an incoming call)
are described in Maes et al., application Ser. No. 09/675,874,
attorney docket no. 24530.00500, entitled, "METHOD AND APPARATUS
FOR SETTING AND USING USER PREFERENCES, filed Sep. 29, 2000, the
contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their
entirety.
[0050] FIG. 6 is a flow chart illustrating an embodiment of a phone
control program according to the present invention. Several
processes are shown, as sequential processes initiated by an event
or control signal. One example operation, configuring the mobile
radio device 340 to make a call, is initiated, for example, by a
control signal received (step 605) via the PDA/baseband link 330
from the phone application. The phone control processor 315
performs the configuration (step 610). Another example includes
signals received by the phone control processor directing it to
answer a call (step 615), and the operations of the control
processor needed to connect the call (step 620) are performed.
Similarly, a signal may be received to hang-up a current call (step
625), and the phone control processor disconnects the current call
accordingly (step 630).
[0051] Another example operation of the phone control processor is
shown in steps 635-645, for making a call. The phone control
processor receives a communication from the phone application
having the digits of a user entered telephone number (step 635),
the phone control processor programs the mobile radio device 340 to
contact a base station and initiate the call (step 640), and the
phone control application administers (performs any functions
needed to maintain the connection) the call (step 645).
[0052] A final example operation, answering an incoming call, is
illustrated in steps 650-670. An incoming call indication is
received from the network (step 650). The phone control processor
configures the mobile radio device to answer the call (step 655)
and sends an incoming call notification to the phone application
(step 660). If a user action prompted action message (hang-up, send
to voicemail, or answer, for example) is returned from the phone
application, a phone control application process is then initiated
(downstream from connector A) to perform that process. If no user
action is occurs, the incoming call notification is resent (no
branch of Step 670).
[0053] Alternatively, the phone application is pre-programmed to
continue any ringing (or other notification) until a lost call
signal is received from the phone control application indicating
that there is no longer an incoming call (already diverted to voice
mail by the network, or caller hung-up, for example). The above
processes are examples, and other features or processes may also be
performed by the phone control processor (periodic network checks,
or sending network ID information to the phone application, for
example).
[0054] FIG. 7 is an `electronic device running an example PDA
application according to an embodiment of the present invention.
The example PDA application is a word processor 705 that runs on
processing unit 310. The word processor includes an identification
banner 710, a set of pull down menus 720 for file management and
other features of the word processor 705. The document being
processed 730 is displayed, and user inputs are received via
tapping the touch sensitive screen, writing or other actions in the
Graffiti" area 740, tapping virtual buttons 750, or pressing one or
more hard buttons 760 (some of which may be connected via Hardware
interface 235 and initiating a specific function of the word
programmed for processor, for example). The document being
processed is saved as storyl.txt (as shown by document identifier
735) in memory device 320.
[0055] Concurrently hosted on the Palm.TM. (or electronic or
computer device) 300 is the phone application. An example phone
application 800 is shown in FIG. 8. The phone application 800
includes a dialer screen 815 that includes keypad digits 1-9, *,
and #, and a set of operation keys. The operation keys include Talk
820, Note 825, Mute 830, and End 835. In one embodiment, user
activation of the Talk key 820 initiates a phone call of previously
entered digits, or answers an incoming call. User activation of the
Mute key 830 mutes the caller at the other end of the line (other
caller), which keeps the other caller from hearing any conversation
initiated at the users side of the call. User activation of the End
key 835 terminates the call that the user is currently
participating, or immediately transfers an incoming call to
voicemail other opt ions as specified in user preferences, for
example). Other functions may be assigned or programmed into the
keys, and additional or alternative keys and functions may also be
provided. The Palm OS.TM. (or other operating system) decides which
of the concurrent applications is currently being executed on the
processing device 310, the remain application(s) in an inactive
state.
[0056] While on a call, the Note key 825 activates an in-call note
taking service, allowing the user to take notes about the call and
return to the dialer screen for control of other telephone options
after completing the note. Details of a note taking program and
other options are described in co-pending U.S. patent application
Ser. No. 09/675,363, entitled "METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TAKING A
NOTE WHILE IN A PHONE CALL," attorney docket number 24530.00200,
filed Sep. 29, 2000, the contents of which are incorporated by
reference in their entirety.
[0057] A voicemail flag 845 (envelope icon, for example) indicates
a voicemail or other message (short messaging service, for example)
received by the phone application or network administering the
telephone capabilities of the Palm.TM. 300. Ringer preferences are
shown as two icons 840 (a bell with a line drawn through it, and a
vibrator icon) illustrating the current options for notification of
incoming calls. Either the bell icon or vibrator icon may be tapped
to change the status of the option. For example tapping the bell
with a line drawn through it changes it to bell without a line.
Tapping the vibrator icon changes it to a no vibrate icon. In this
manner, user preferences, or options, may be changed. The phone
application 810 is one example of a phone application that may be
utilized in conjunction with the present invention. However, it
should be understood that variations and/or other phone
applications may be utilized.
[0058] FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate concurrent applications, and their
respective user interfaces, executing on the processing unit 310.
However, control of the mobile radio device 340 is maintained by
the phone control processor, and the phone control application. In
effect, separating user applications and interfaces and the phone
application user interface from having any influence over the
operation of the phone control application, thereby isolating the
phone control application for any ill effects of a rogue
application or program crash on the processing unit 310.
[0059] Although the present invention has been described using the
specific example of integrating phone and PDA user interfaces on
one processor and maintaining phone control on a separate
processor, the invention may be applied to applications other than
phone and PDA based systems. For example, combining a wireless
internet device (replacing 340) and another electronic device
(e.g., PDA, electronic inventory system, etc.), or any other
wireless communication system and another electronic device, each
having a user interface.
[0060] Portions of the present invention may be conveniently
implemented using a conventional general purpose or a specialized
digital computer or microprocessor programmed according to the
teachings of the present disclosure, as will be apparent to those
skilled in the computer art.
[0061] Appropriate software coding can readily be prepared by
skilled programmers based on the teachings of the present
disclosure, as will be apparent to those skilled in the software
art. The invention may also be implemented by the preparation of
application specific integrated circuits or by interconnecting an
appropriate network of conventional component circuits, as will be
readily apparent to those skilled in the art.
[0062] The present invention includes a computer program product
which is a storage medium (media) having instructions stored
thereon/in which can be used to control, or cause, a computer to
perform any of the processes of the present invention. The storage
medium can include, but is not limited to, any type of disk
including floppy disks, mini disks (MD's), optical discs, DVD,
CD-ROMs, micro-drive, and magneto-optical disks, ROMs, RAMS,
EPROMs, EEPROMs, DRAMS, VRAMs, flash memory devices (including
flash cards), magnetic or optical cards, nanosystems (including
molecular memory ICs), RAID devices, remote data
storage/archive/warehousing, or any type of media or device
suitable for storing instructions and/or data.
[0063] Stored on any one of the computer readable medium (media),
the present invention includes software for controlling both the
hardware of the general purpose/specialized computer or
microprocessor, and for enabling the computer or microprocessor to
interact with a human user or other mechanism utilizing the results
of the present invention. Such software may include, but is not
limited to, device drivers, operating systems, and user
applications. Ultimately, such computer readable media further
includes software for performing the present invention, as
described above.
[0064] Included in the programming (software) of the
general/specialized computer or microprocessor are software modules
for implementing the teachings of the present invention, including,
but not limited to, placing and receiving telephone calls,
transferring audio and voice data, serial, parallel and proprietary
communications between processors, user interfaces, and the
display, storage, or communication of results according to the
processes of the present invention.
[0065] Obviously, numerous modifications and variations of the
present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It
is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended
claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as
specifically described herein.
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