Adapter unit for a personal digital assistant having automatically configurable application buttons

• US 20050086410A1
• Filed: 10/28/2004
• Published: 04/21/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Symbol Technologies, LLC (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Sandler, Robert, Salvato, Dominick H., Landron, David D., Sasloff, Michael J., Sidor, Mark E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,337,257 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/303
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1614 Image rotation following screen orientation, e.g. switching from landscape to portrait mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/04 Supports for telephone transmitters or receivers

Abstract

The present invention relates generally to an adapter unit for a personal digital assistant. More specifically, this invention relates to an adapter unit that provides additional functionality, and improved ergonomics and increased ruggedness to the personal digital assistant. The additional functionality includes the ability to automatically change the function of one or more of the application buttons on the personal digital assistant upon the attachment of the adapter unit.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for automatically changing functionality of one or more application buttons on a personal digital assistant (PDA), comprising:

providing an adapter unit having a housing configured to be detachably secured and electrically coupled to the personal digital assistant;

determining whether the adapter unit is connected to the PDA; and

automatically changing the functionality of the one or more application buttons from a first function to a second function after the PDA has been connected to the adapter unit.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether the adapter unit is disconnected from the PDA; and

if disconnected, automatically changing the functionality of the one or more application buttons from the second function to the first function.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said adapter unit includes a product identification reader and wherein the second function relates to a trigger for activating the product identification reader.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the product identification reader is at least one of a bar code reader and an imager.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the adapter unit includes one or more connectors for at least one of a scanner, a local wireless radio module, wide area wireless radio module, global positioning system module, telephone module, PCMCIA module, and a PDA personal computer synchronization cradle.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said adapter unit has one or more integrated modules for at least one of a scanner, a local wireless radio, wide area wireless radio, global positioning system, and telephone.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the adapter unit includes memory storage that is read and write accessible by the PDA.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the adapter memory storage is non-volatile memory.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein volatile memory from the PDA is copied to the adapter memory when PDA battery energy level reaches a predetermined threshold value.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the PDA battery energy level monitoring and memory copy are performed by the PDA.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the adapter unit can access the PDA memory;

and the PDA battery energy level monitoring and memory copy are performed by the adapter unit.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the adapter unit contains a disposable or rechargeable battery

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the adapter unit is capable of providing additional power to the PDA through at least one of the expansion connector and a power connector.

14. A system for automatically changing the functionality of one or more application inputs of a mobile computing device, the system comprising:

an adapter unit having a housing configured to be detachably secured and electrically coupled with said expansion connector of the personal digital assistant;

a processor that determines whether the adapter unit is connected to the PDA, and automatically changes the functionality of the one or more application inputs from a first function to a second function after the mobile computing device has been connected to the adapter unit.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the processor determines whether the adapter unit is disconnected from the mobile computing device, and automatically changes functionality of the one or more application inputs from the second function to the first function.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein said adapter unit includes a product identification reader and wherein the second function relates to a trigger for activating the product identification reader.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein said product identification reader is at least one of a bar code reader and an imager.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the adapter unit includes one or more connectors for at least one of a scanner, a local wireless radio module, wide area wireless radio module, global positioning system module, telephone module, PCMCIA module, and a PDA personal computer synchronization cradle.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein said adapter unit has one or more integrated modules for at least one of a scanner, a local wireless radio, wide area wireless radio, global positioning system, and telephone.

20. The system of claim 14, wherein said adapter unit includes memory storage that is read and write accessible by the mobile computing device.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the adapter memory storage is non-volatile memory.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein information from memory of the mobile computing device is copied to the adapter memory when the mobile computing device battery energy level reaches a predetermined threshold value.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the mobile computing device battery energy level monitoring and memory copy are performed by the mobile computing device.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein the adapter unit can access the mobile computing device memory;

and the mobile computing device battery energy level monitoring and memory copy are performed by the adapter unit.

25. The system of claim 14, wherein the adapter unit comprises a disposable or rechargeable battery

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the adapter unit provides additional power to the mobile computing device through at least one of the expansion connector and a power connector.

27. The system of claim 14, where the adapter unit comprises a lock mechanism for locking the mobile computing device and adapter unit together.

28. The system of claim 14, where the adapter unit comprises a handle such that the mobile computing device and adapter combination is held as a gun shaped terminal.

29. The system of claim 14, where the adapter unit comprises a wrist strap.

30. The system of claim 14, where the adapter unit comprises a gripping surface to reduce slippage from the user'"'"'s hand, and a housing configuration that provides protection to at least three sides of the mobile computing device.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the housing is configured to be detachably secured to the adapter unit.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the housing is configured to be electrically coupled with the adapter unit and at least one of:

a disposable or rechargeable battery and connection capable of providing power to at least one of the adapter unit and the mobile computing device and a memory storage accessible by at least one of the adapter unit and the mobile computing device.

33. A system for automatically changing functionality of one or more application buttons on a personal digital assistant (PDA), comprising:

means for determining whether an adapter unit is connected to the PDA; and

means for automatically changing functionality of the one or more application buttons from a first function to a second function after the PDA has been connected to the adapter unit.

34. The system of claim 33, further comprising means for resetting the functionality settings upon disconnection of the adapter and the PDA.