Method for integrating an intelligent docking station with a handheld personal computer

• US 20030149822A1
• Filed: 02/01/2002
• Published: 08/07/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Synosphere LLC (iBiz Technology Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Synosphere LLC (iBiz Technology Corp.)
• Inventors: Scott, Bryan, Divakaran, Saneesh, Perales, Ramon
• Application Number:
  US10/061,997
• Publication Number:
  US 20030149822A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/303
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations

Abstract

The invention transfers a data element from a device to a handheld computer. In general, the method receives a device-enabled data element at a docking station enabled co-processor, performs a driver conversion to convert the device-enabled data element into a bus-enabled data element, and places the bus-enabled data element on a handheld compatible bus. The method may also transform a data packet by detecting an input packet, retrieving a packet identifier (ID) from the input packet, and dispatching the input packet to a device driver enabled on the packet ID, the device driver capable of converting the input packet from a handheld computer packet type to a device packet type. The invention is also the systems that enable the method. As a device, the invention is an intelligent docking station. The intelligent docking station includes a co-processor capable of converting a hand held-enabled data element into a device enabled data element, a bus interface coupled to the coprocessor, and a port coupled to the co-processor. The invention is also a system that incorporates the intelligent docking station.

Claims

1. A method of transferring a data element from a device to a handheld computer, the method comprising:

receiving a device-enabled data element at an intelligent docking station enabled co-processor;

performing a driver conversion to convert the device-enabled data element into a bus-enabled data element; and

placing the bus-enabled data element on a handheld compatible bus.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving the bus-enabled data element, and converting the bus-enabled data element into a handheld data element.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising detecting a docking condition, and activating a communication driver in response to the docking condition.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the device is a keyboard.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the device is a network interface card.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the act of receiving receives the device data element at a low-level device driver.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising transferring the data element from the low-level device driver to a top-level device driver.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein placing comprises using a communication driver to control the placement of the data element on the bus.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising the act of receiving the bus-enabled data element at a handheld device.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising transferring the bus-enabled data element to a communication driver capable of converting the bus-enabled data element into a handheld-enabled data element.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising sending the handheld enabled data element to a operating system within the handheld.

12. A method of transferring a data element from a handheld computer to a device, the method comprising:

converting a handheld-enabled data element into a bus-enabled data element;

placing the bus-enabled data element on a handheld compatible bus;

receiving the bus-enabled data element at an intelligent docking station enabled co-processor; and

performing a driver conversion to convert the bus-enabled data element into a device-enabled data element.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising placing the device-enabled data element on an output.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the device is a monitor.

15. The method of claim 12 further comprising employing a top-level device driver to send the device enabled data element to the device.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein the act of converting uses a communication driver located in the handheld computer.

17. A method of transforming a data packet from a handheld computer packet type to a device packet type, the method comprising:

detecting an input packet having a packet identifier (ID), the input packet being a packet that is received by an intelligent docking station from a handheld device;

retrieving the packet ID from the input packet; and

dispatching the input packet to a device driver enabled based on the packet ID, the device driver capable of converting the input packet from a handheld computer packet type to a device packet type.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising detecting a connect condition.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein dispatching sends the output packet to a device.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein dispatching employs a coprocessor to convert the input packet from a handheld computer packet type to a device packet type.