Intelligent docking station for a handheld personal computer

• US 20040174338A1
• Filed: 03/15/2004
• Published: 09/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Thrasher Associates LLC
• Original Assignee: Thrasher Associates LLC
• Inventors: Scott, Bryan A.
• Application Number:
  US10/801,974
• Publication Number:
  US 20040174338A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/22 Detection of presence or absence of input display information or of connection or disconnection of a corresponding information source
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/2096 Details of the interface to the display terminal specific for a flat panel suitable for both CRT and flat panel G09G5/006; specific for a CRT G09G1/167
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/00 Control arrangements or circuits for visual indicators common to cathode-ray tube indicators and other visual indicators image data processing or generation, in general G06T

Abstract

The invention is an intelligent docking station that enables a user to input data into a PDA through a plurality of modes.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a port;

the port adapted to couple with a handheld computer;

a processor coupled to the port;

a second port coupled to the processor;

the second port adapted to communicatively couple with an input device;

the input device comprising a mouse;

the processor having memory; and

the memory stores a code that enables the input device coupled to the second port to communicate with a handheld computer coupled to the port.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the port is a Universal Serial Palm Connector.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the processor is an embedded processor.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the code is adapted to display a cursor on a handheld computer display.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a serial USB chip coupled between the processor and a serial USB port.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the second port is a PS2 port.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 further comprising a sync button coupled to the processor that allows a handheld computer coupled to the port to sync with a device coupled to the serial USB port.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the second port comprises a USB port.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a third port adapted to couple to a second input device.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the second port is adapted to communicate with an input device via a short range radio signal.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the memory comprises a keyboard interface that converts a keyboard input value received on the second port into a signal representing that input value for a handheld computer coupled to the port.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the memory comprises a mouse interface that converts a mouse input value received on the second port into a signal representing that input value for a handheld computer coupled to the port.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a virtual communication driver (VCD) in communication with the memory, the VCD resident on a handheld computer.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the handheld computer is a smart phone.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the handheld computer is a personal digital assistant.

16. An apparatus, comprising:

a port;

the port adapted to couple with a handheld computer;

a processor coupled to the port;

a second port coupled to the processor;

the second port adapted to communicatively couple with an input device;

a third port;

the third port adapted to couple to a second input device;

the input device comprising a mouse;

the processor having memory; and

the memory stores a code that enables the input device coupled to the second port to communicate with a handheld computer coupled to the port; and

the code is adapted to display a mouse cursor on a handheld computer display.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the memory comprises a mouse interface that converts a mouse input value received on the second port into a signal representing that input value for a handheld computer coupled to the port.

18. A method in a computer system, comprising:

detecting a docking event on a first port;

automatically enabling an input device coupled to a second port to communicate with a handheld computer coupled to the first port; and

displaying on the handheld computer a cursor whose position is controlled by the input device;

the input device comprising a mouse;

wherein

the first port and the second port are maintained on a single cradle.

19. The software system of claim 18 further comprising disabling the input elements of a handheld computing device that is coupled to the first port prior to the act of automatically enabling.

20. The software system of claim 18 further comprising disabling the second port when a sync command is received.