Novel personal electronics device with common application platform

• US 20030163601A1
• Filed: 01/13/2003
• Published: 08/28/2003
• 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:
  US10/340,923
• Publication Number:
  US 20030163601A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 719/319
• 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 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3293 by switching to a less power-consuming processor, e.g. sub-CPU
• 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: 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: 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 method of coordinating the launching of a software application among two operating systems, where the second operating system is more powerful than the first operating system, comprising the steps of:

using the second operating system;

(a) gathering information regarding a number of file types and applications associated therewith; and

(b) creating a physical file including information for selecting an associated application based at least in part on a file name identifier;

transferring the physical file from the first operating system to the second operating system; and

using the first operating system;

(a) parsing the physical file to identify information stored in the physical file; and

(b) registering each file types and applications associated therewith.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the registering step includes the step of:

comparing new file information to existing file information; and

updating new file information.

3. The method of claim 2, repeating the steps of using the second operating system, transferring the physical file and using the first operating system.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

a user requesting a file to be executed;

retrieving information associated with the requested file;

checking the application associated with the retrieved information.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising the steps of:

waking the second operating system to verify information associated with the requested file.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising the steps of:

transferring information from the first operating system to the second operating system regarding the application associated with the requested file;

the second operating system launching the application; and

opening the requested file in the application.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein:

if the retrieving or checking steps fail to find a valid result, providing an error condition message to the user.

8. A personal electronics device comprising:

a second operating system supporting a relatively large number of software applications and having a registry that associates program file types with applications;

a first operating system supporting a relatively limited number of software applications and configured to periodically retrieve a copy of the second operating system registry and build a first operating system registry;

wherein the first operating system is configured such that when a user requests a file to be executed, the first operating system calls upon the second operating system to launch the associated application.

9. The personal electronics device of claim 8, wherein the first operating system is configured to compare new file information to existing file information and updating new file information.

10. The personal electronics device of claim 8, wherein the first operating system is configured to retrieve information associated with a requested file and check the application associated with the retrieved information.

11. The personal electronics device of claim 10, wherein the first operating system is configured to wake the second operating system to verify information associated with the requested file.

12. The personal electronics device of claim 10, wherein:

the first operating system is configured to transfer information to the second operating system regarding the application associated with the requested file; and

the second operating system is configured to launch the application and open the requested file in the application.