System and method for implementing sensor functionality in mobile devices
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A sensor card, comprising:
- one or more sensors to respectively collect sensor data;
a memory;
sensor interface circuitry coupled to the one or more sensors to receive the sensor data and to store the sensor data in the memory; and
a digital interface configured for connection to a corresponding digital interface on a mobile communication device, to facilitate access to the memory by a host process operating on the mobile communication device when the sensor card is connected to the mobile communication device via the digital interface.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system, apparatus and method for incorporating sensor functionality into mobile communication devices having a host process and employing at least one memory, such as a removable memory card. Access to the removable memory card by the host process is facilitated using a digital interface, and storing sensor data from one or more sensor modules into a local memory. The host process of the mobile communication device is coupled to the local memory via the digital interface which is used by the host process to access the removable memory card. The sensor data may then be accessed from the local memory by the host process via the digital interface.
156 Citations
41 Claims
-
1. A sensor card, comprising:
-
one or more sensors to respectively collect sensor data;
a memory;
sensor interface circuitry coupled to the one or more sensors to receive the sensor data and to store the sensor data in the memory; and
a digital interface configured for connection to a corresponding digital interface on a mobile communication device, to facilitate access to the memory by a host process operating on the mobile communication device when the sensor card is connected to the mobile communication device via the digital interface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
-
-
16. A method for incorporating sensor functionality into mobile communication devices having a host process and employing at least one removable memory card, comprising:
-
facilitating access to the removable memory card by the host process using a digital interface;
storing sensor data from one or more sensor modules into a memory;
coupling the host process of the mobile communication device to the memory via the digital interface which is used by the host process to access the removable memory card; and
accessing the sensor data from the memory by the host process via the digital interface. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
-
-
30. A system for providing sensor functionality to mobile devices capable of communicating over a mobile communications network, the system comprising:
-
modular sensor functionality comprising one or more sensors for gathering sensor data and a sensor memory to store the sensor data;
a modular memory;
a mobile communication device comprising a master process for controlling communication between the master process and one or both of the modular sensor functionality and the module memory; and
a digital interface for facilitating communication over a bus between the master process and the modular sensor functionality, and between the master process and the modular memory. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
-
-
39. A mobile device having a scalable sensor system and capable of communicating wirelessly over a mobile communications network, the mobile device comprising:
-
a processor configured to execute a host process;
at least one modular card having sensor functionality implemented thereon to gather sensor data;
one or more slots for receiving the modular cards; and
a scalable digital interface to couple the sensor functionality of the modular cards to the host process operating on the mobile device. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41)
-
Specification