System and method for providing an adapter module

• US 20020197911A1
• Filed: 12/31/2001
• Published: 12/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cingular Wireless II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Holmes, David William James, Nelson, Thomas Edwin East, Schmitt, Edward D., Mohamed, Ibrahim
• Granted Patent: US 6,889,065 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 439/638
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3883 Arrangements for mounting batteries or battery chargers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6091 including a wireless interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface

Abstract

Disclosed embodiments include a system and method for adapting a wireless device, such as a Bluetooth-enabled mobile device or other Bluetooth-enabled device to a hands-free car kit or similar system. The adapter module is physically configured so that it can be inserted directly into the cradle in place of the phone. Once inserted into the cradle, the adapter module makes electrical contact with the connector in the cradle with a matching connector on one side of the adapter module. The mated connectors provide power to the adapter module and bi-directional communications between the adapter module and the hands-free car kit. The adapter module includes circuitry for communicating with the Bluetooth-enabled mobile device and the hands-free car kit in order to exchange communications signals between the Bluetooth-enabled mobile device and the hands-free car kit.

Claims

1. A system for use with a Bluetooth-enabled wireless device and a hands-free car kit having a cradle, the cradle having a cradle connector, comprising:

an adapter module, the adapter module further comprising;

Bluetooth logic substantially compatible with at least one Bluetooth standard to wirelessly exchange communication signals with the Bluetooth-enabled wireless device,

hands-free communication logic substantially compatible with the hands-free car kit to exchange communication signals with the hands-free car kit, the Bluetooth logic being communicatively coupled to the hands-free communication logic to exchange communication signals,

an adapter connector corresponding to the cradle connector, the adapter connector being adapted to transfer electrical power from the hands-free car kit to the adapter module and to exchange communication signals between the hands-free communication logic in the adapter module and the handsfree car kit, and

a housing for enclosing at least part of the Bluetooth logic and the hands-free communication logic, the adapter connector being at least partially secured by the housing and wherein the housing is shaped and sized to fit at least partially into the cradle,

wherein the Bluetooth logic, hands-free communication logic and adapter connector are configured to permit communications between the Bluetooth enabled wireless headset and the hands-free car kit.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the adapter module further comprises:

a user control interface, the user control interface controlling at least one light emitting device to indicate a state of the adapter module, and

control logic, the control logic being communicatively coupled to the Bluetooth logic, the hands-free communication logic and the user control interface,

wherein the control logic provides control signals to the Bluetooth logic and the hands-free communication logic to control the exchange of communication signals between the Bluetooth-enabled wireless device and the hands-free car kit.

3. A system for use with a hands-free car kit having a cradle for receiving a wireless device and a Bluetooth-enabled wireless device, comprising:

an adapter module, the adapter module further comprising;

Bluetooth logic substantially compatible with at least one Bluetooth standard to exchange communication signals with the Bluetooth-enabled wireless device,

hands-free communication logic substantially compatible with the hands-free car kit to exchange communication signals with the hands-free car kit,

wherein the Bluetooth logic is communicatively coupled to the hands-free communication logic to exchange communication signals between the Bluetooth-enabled wireless device and the hands-free car kit.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the adapter module further comprises:

a user control interface, the user control interface controlling at least one LED to indicate a state of the adapter module,

control logic, the control logic being communicatively coupled to the Bluetooth logic, the hands-free communication logic and the user control interface,

wherein the control logic provides control signals to the Bluetooth logic and the hands-free communication logic to control the exchange of communication signals between the Bluetooth-enabled wireless device and the hands-free car kit.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the adapter module further comprises a housing for enclosing at least part of the Bluetooth logic and the hands-free communication logic, wherein the housing is shaped and sized to fit at least partially into the cradle.

6. An adapter module for use with a hands-free car kit and a wireless device wherein the wireless device has a primary wireless communications capability for communicating with other wireless devices and secondary wireless communications capability, the adapter module comprising:

wireless transceiver circuitry, the wireless transceiver circuitry being substantially compatible with the wireless device'"'"'s secondary communications capability to exchange communication signals with the wireless handset; and

hands-free communication logic, the hands-free communication logic being substantially compatible with the hands-free car kit to exchange communication signals with the hands-free car kit, the hands-free communication logic being communicatively coupled to the wireless transceiver circuitry logic to exchange communication signals between the wireless handset and the hands-free car kit.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the wireless handset'"'"'s primary wireless communications capability and secondary wireless communications capability operate according to incompatible signaling principles.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the wireless handset'"'"'s primary wireless communications capability and secondary wireless communications capability operate according to compatible signaling principles.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the wireless handset'"'"'s secondary wireless communications capability operates substantially according to IEEE 802.11.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein the wireless handset'"'"'s secondary wireless communications capability operates substantially according to a Bluetooth standard.

11. The system of claim 6, wherein the wireless handset'"'"'s secondary wireless communications capability operates substantially according to a wireless networking protocol.

12. The system of claim 6, wherein the wireless handset'"'"'s secondary wireless communications capability operates substantially according to at least one standard associated with contactless smart cards.

13. The system of claim 6, wherein the wireless handset'"'"'s secondary wireless communications capability operates substantially according to at least one IrDA standard.

14. The system of claim 6, wherein the wireless handset'"'"'s secondary wireless communications capability operates substantially according to a Home RF standard.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

an adapter connector means for transferring electrical power from the hands-free car kit to the adapter module and for exchanging communication signals between the hands-free communication means in the adapter module and the hands-free car kit.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the adapter module further comprises control means for providing control signals to the Bluetooth communication means and the hands-free communication means for controlling the exchange of communication signals between the Bluetooth-enabled wireless device and the hands-free car kit.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the adapter module further comprises a housing that at least partially encloses the Bluetooth communication means, the hands-free communication means and the control means, wherein said housing is designed to mate with said cradle.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the adapter module further comprises control means for providing control signals to the Bluetooth communication means and the hands-free communication means in order to control the exchange of communication signals between the Bluetooth-enabled wireless device and the hands-free car kit.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the adapter module further comprises a housing means for substantially enclosing Bluetooth communication means, the hands-free communication means, and the control means, the housing means being adapted to mate with said hands free car kit.

15. A system for adapting a hands-free car kit having a cradle, comprising:

an adapter module, the adapter module further comprising;

Bluetooth communication means for wirelessly exchanging communication signals with a Bluetooth-enabled wireless device, and

hands-free communication means for exchanging communication signals with the hands-free car kit, the Bluetooth communication means being communicatively coupled to the hands-free communication means for exchanging communication signals.

19. A system for adapting a hands-free car kit for communications with a Bluetooth-enabled wireless device, comprising:

an adapter module, the adapter module further comprising Bluetooth communication means for exchanging communication signals with the Bluetooth-enabled wireless device, hands-free communication means for exchanging communication signals with the hands-free car kit, the Bluetooth communication means being communicatively coupled to the hands-free communication means for exchanging communication signals between the Bluetooth-enabled wireless device and the hands-free communication means.

22. A method of adapting a hands-free car kit for communications with a Bluetooth-enabled wireless device, comprising:

receiving communication signals from the hands-free car kit with hands-free communication logic;

passing the communication signals from the hands-free communication logic to Bluetooth logic;

converting the communication signals from a first form used by the handsfree car kit to a second form used by the Bluetooth-enabled wireless device; and

transmitting the communications signals in the second form to the Bluetooth-enabled wireless device.

27. The adapter module of claim 26, further comprising a connector for providing electrical power to the mobile device.

28. The adapter module of claim 26, further comprising a fastener for holding the mobile device.

29. The adapter module of claim 28, wherein said fastener is a button.

30. The adapter module of claim 28, wherein said fastener is a clip.

31. The adapter module of claim 26, further comprising an adapter cradle for holding the mobile device.

23. A computer-readable medium whose contents cause control logic in an adapter module to perform a method to adapt a hands-free car kit for communications with a Bluetooth-enabled wireless device, the method comprising:

receiving communication signals from the Bluetooth-enabled wireless device with Bluetooth logic;

passing the communication signals from the Bluetooth logic to hands-free communication logic;

converting the communication signals from a first form used by the Bluetooth-enabled wireless device to a second form used by the hands-free car kit under the direction of control logic; and

transmitting the communications signals in the second form to the hands-free car kit.

24. A system for use with a Bluetooth-enabled wireless device, comprising:

a hands-free car kit,

an adapter module, the adapter module further comprising;

Bluetooth logic substantially compatible with at least one Bluetooth standard to exchange communication signals with the Bluetooth-enabled wireless device,

hands-free communication logic substantially compatible with the hands-free car kit to exchange communication signals with the hands-free car kit,

wherein the Bluetooth logic is communicatively coupled to the hands-free communication logic to exchange communication signals between the Bluetooth-enabled wireless device and the hands-free car kit.

25. A method for manufacturing an adapter module, comprising:

integrating Bluetooth logic, hands-free communication logic and control logic into an adapter module, and

at least partially enclosing the Bluetooth logic, hands-free communication logic and control logic in a housing adapted to fit into a hands-free car kit cradle.

26. An adapter module, for use with a hands-free car kit having a cradle, comprising:

communication logic for adapting said hands-free car kit to at least some capabilities of a mobile device; and

a housing that substantially encloses said communication logic, wherein said housing is conformed to mate with the cradle of the hands-free car kit.