Novel personal electronics device with keypad application

• US 20030153354A1
• Filed: 01/13/2003
• Published: 08/14/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Dualcor Technologies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Dualcor Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Cupps, Bryan T., Glass, Timothy J.
• Application Number:
  US10/340,925
• Publication Number:
  US 20030153354A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/556.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/206 comprising thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/324 by lowering clock frequency
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3293 by switching to a less power-consuming processor, e.g. sub-CPU
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/509 Offload
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5027 the resource being a machine, e.g. CPUs, Servers, Terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/271 controlled by voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• 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 1/72415 for remote control of appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0264 by selectively disabling software applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0267 by controlling user interface components
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/027 : by controlling a display operation or backlight unit
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/028 : switching on or off only a part of the equipment circuit blocks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/029 : reducing the clock frequency of the controller
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 : Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 : in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A novel personal electronic device includes a first (embedded) and second (non-embedded) processors including associated operating systems and functions. In one aspect, the first processor performs relatively limited functions, while the second processor performs relatively broader functions under control of the first processor. Often the second processor requires more power than the first processor and is selectively operated by the first processor to minimize overall power consumption. Protocols for functions to be performed by the second processor may be provided directly to the second processor and processed by the second processor. In another aspect, a display controller is designed to interface with both processors. In another aspect, the operating systems work with one another. In another aspect, the first processor employs a thermal control program. Advantages of the invention include a broad array of functions performed by a relatively small personal electronics device.

Claims

1. A personal electronics device comprising:

a non-embedded processor configured to perform a set of functions;

an embedded processor configured to perform a limited set of functions compared to the non-embedded processor and configured to control operation of the non-embedded processor;

a display coupled to the embedded processor and the non-embedded processor and configured to selectively display information from the embedded processor and the non-embedded processor; and

an input device coupled to the embedded processor and non-embedded processor to allow a user to provide instructions to the embedded processor and non-embedded processor;

wherein the embedded processor is configured to operate a keypad control program that includes a set of application protocols that enable the display using a keypad software application.

2. The personal electronics device of claim 1, wherein the embedded processor is configured to emulate a variety of cellular telephone through the cellular telephone keypad software application.

3. The personal electronics device of claim 1, wherein the embedded processor is configured to execute keypad editor software to alter attributes associated with the keypad.

4. The personal electronics device of claim 3 wherein the attributes include button size and color.

5. The personal electronics device of claim 3 wherein the attributes include a skin.

6. The personal electronics device of claim 1, wherein the embedded processor is configured to execute keypad software that enables the user to utilize a touchscreen, jog dial, and voice commands Man Machine Interface (MMI) to dial a phone number and answer incoming calls.