Docking station for wireless communication device

• US 20020119800A1
• Filed: 02/28/2001
• Published: 08/29/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Jaggers, Christopher M., McMahan, Robert L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,076,270 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/556.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3877 Arrangements for enabling portable transceivers to be used in a fixed position, e.g. cradles or boosters
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72409 by interfacing with external accessories hands-free H04M1/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72445 for supporting Internet browser applications

Abstract

A docking station for a wireless communications device includes a support structure that includes a cradle for the wireless telephone. The docking station includes a switch, sensor or other detection mechanism that detects when the wireless communication device is docked. When the wireless communication device is docked, the detection mechanism sends a signal to the wireless communication device. A set of instructions stored in the processor determines which display and which input to use, depending on whether or not the signal is received from the detection mechanism. Embodiments include a display, USB hub, and modem in the docking station. Another embodiment includes a USB connector in the wireless communication device. Finally, an embodiment of the invention includes a docking station with equivalent features for a cellular telephone or Personal Digital Assistant (PDA).

Claims

1. A docking system for a wireless communication device, the docking system comprising:

a docking station, the docking station further comprising;

a support structure including a first surface on which is disposed a cradle, the support structure further comprising;

a detector mechanism, the detector mechanism detecting when the wireless communication device is docked in the docking station, the detector mechanism sending a signal to the wireless communication device when the wireless communication device is docked, the signal operative to determine the format of a wireless data stream in a wireless communication device.

2. The docking system as recited in claim 1, wherein the docking station further comprises a dock display.

3. The docking system as recited in claim 2, wherein the set of instructions stored in the memory of the wireless communication device causes the wireless communication device to display a first data stream the dock display when the wireless communication device is docked.

4. The docking system as recited in claim 2, wherein the set of instructions stored in the memory of the wireless communication device causes the wireless communication device to display the first data stream and a second data stream on the dock display when the wireless communication device is docked.

5. The docking system for a wireless communication device as recited in claim 4, wherein the first data stream is a Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) data stream.

6. The docking system for a wireless communication device as recited in claim 4, wherein the second data stream is Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP).

7. The docking system for a wireless communication device as recited in claim 1, wherein the wireless communication device is a cellular telephone.

8. The docking system for a wireless communication device as recited in claim 1, wherein the wireless communication device is a personal digital assistant (PDA).

9. The docking system for a wireless communication device as recited in claim 1, wherein the wireless communication device is a personal computer.

10. The docking system for a wireless communication device as recited in claim 1, wherein the docking station further comprises a connector, the connector coupling the docking station to the wireless communication device.

11. The docking system for a wireless communication device as recited in claim 10, wherein the connector is a Universal Serial Bus (USB) connector, wherein the USB connector electrically couples the docking station to the wireless communication device.

12. The docking system for a wireless communication device as recited in claim 10, further comprising:

a keyboard, wherein the keyboard is electrically coupled to the docking station.

13. The docking system for a wireless communication device as recited in claim 10, further comprising:

a video camera, wherein the video camera is electrically coupled to the docking station.

14. The docking system for a wireless communication device as recited in claim 10, further comprising:

a printer, wherein the printer is electrically coupled to the docking station.

15. The docking system for a wireless communication device as recited in claim 10, further comprising:

a floppy disk drive, wherein the floppy disk drive is electrically coupled to the docking station.

16. The docking system for a wireless communication device as recited in claim 15, wherein the data connection is a connection to the Internet.

17. The docking system for a wireless communication device as recited in claim 1, wherein the docking station further comprises:

a connector, wherein the connector couples the docking station to a data connection, wherein the data connection provides data to and receives data from the wireless communication device when the wireless communication device is docked.

18. The docking system for a wireless communication device as recited in claim 1, wherein the docking station further comprising a modem.

19. The docking system for a wireless communication device as recited in claim 18, wherein the modem is coupled to a data connection, wherein the data connection is coupled to the Internet.

20. The docking system for a wireless communication device as recited in claim 1, wherein the docking station further comprises:

a dock I/O interface controller.

21. The docking system for a wireless communication device as recited in claim 1, wherein the docking station further comprises:

a battery.

22. The docking system for a wireless communication device as recited in claim 1, wherein the docking station further comprises:

a charging circuit.

23. The docking system for a wireless communication device as recited in claim 1, wherein the wireless communication device further comprises:

an I/O interface controller.

24. The docking system for a wireless communication device as recited in claim 1, wherein the wireless communication device further comprises:

a key pad.

25. The docking system for a wireless communication device as recited in claim 1, wherein the wireless communication device further comprises:

a battery.

26. The docking system for a wireless communication device as recited in claim 1, wherein the wireless communication device further comprises:

a charging circuit.

30. The method as recited in claim 29, wherein the first data stream is received from the data network.

31. The method as recited in claim 29, wherein the first data stream is a stream of HTML data.

32. The method as recited in claim 29, further comprising:

displaying a second data stream on a second display, the second display smaller than the first display.

33. The method as recited in claim 32, wherein the second data stream is data in Wireless Application Protocol.

35. The method as recited in claim 34, further comprising:

displaying data on a second display, the second smaller than the first display.

38. A method as defined in claim 37, wherein HTTP data is received from the docking station I/O interface controller when a determination is made that the docking station is connected to an external data connection.

39. A method as defined in claim 37, wherein HTTP data is directed from the WCD to the docking station display when a determination is made that the docking station is not connected to an external data connection.

27. A docking system for a wireless communication device, the docking system comprising:

a docking station, the docking station further comprising;

a support structure including a first surface on which is disposed a cradle, the support structure further comprising;

means for detecting when the wireless communication device is docked in the docking station;

means for sending a signal to the wireless communication device when the wireless communication device is docked;

a wireless communication device, the wireless communication device receiving a signal from the detector mechanism when the wireless communication device is docked in the docking station, the wireless communication device further comprising;

an RF transceiver;

a display;

a non-volatile memory, the non-volatile memory storing a set of instructions; and

a processor, wherein the processor executes instructions stored on the memory.

28. The docking system for a wireless communication device, the docking station further comprising:

means for displaying data.

29. A method of operating a wireless communication device, comprising:

coupling the wireless communication device to a docking station;

coupling the docking station to a data network, the docking station receiving data from the data network, the docking station transmitting the data to the wireless communication device; and

displaying a first data stream on a first display, the first display electrically coupled to the docking station.

34. A method of receiving information from a data network, comprising:

coupling a wireless communication device to a docking station;

coupling the docking station to a data network, the docking station receiving data from the data network, the docking station transmitting the data to the wireless communication device; and

displaying data on a first display, the first display electrically coupled to the docking station.

36. A docking system for a WCD, the docking system comprising:

a docking detector for detecting when the WCD is docked at the docking system and sending a DOCK_DET signal to the WCD when the WCD is docked;

an interface controller having an input for receiving a video signal from the WCD and having a port for receiving data from and transmitting data to the WCD;

a display coupled to the interface controller;

a battery having a first output coupled to the interface controller and a second output for coupling to the WCD;

a USB hub coupled to the interface controller for coupling the interface controller to a peripheral device; and

a modem coupled to the interface controller for coupling the interface controller to a communications link.

37. A method of operating a wireless communications device at a docking station, the method comprising:

detecting whether a WCD is docked;

determining that an I/O device is connected to the docking station and transferring data from a docking station interface controller;

determining that the locking station display capabilities are preferable to the display capabilities of the WCD; and

determining whether the docking station is connected to an external data connection.

40. A docking system for a wireless communication device, the docking system comprising:

a docking station, the docking station further comprising;

a support structure including a first surface on which is disposed a cradle, the support structure further comprising;

a detector mechanism, the detector mechanism detecting when the wireless communication device is docked in the docking station, the detector mechanism sending a signal when the wireless communication device is docked, the signal operative to determine the format of a wireless data stream in a wireless communication device;

a wireless communication device, the wireless communication device receiving a signal from the detector mechanism when the wireless communication device is docked in the docking station, the wireless communication device further comprising;

an RF transceiver;

a display;

a non-volatile memory, the non-volatile memory storing a set of instructions; and

a processor, wherein the processor executes instructions stored on the memory.