Method and apparatus for selective configuration based upon expansion card presence
First Claim
1. A method of selective configuration, the method comprising:
- coupling an accessory module to a wireless device;
the wireless device obtaining identification information from the accessory module;
the wireless device transmitting a service download request to a service server facility via a wireless access mechanism, the service download request including the identification information and the service server facility having access to a plurality of service images;
the service server facility responding to the service download request by selecting a first service image from the plurality of service images, the selecting being at least partially based on the identification information in the service download request;
transmitting the first service image to the wireless device via said wireless access mechanism; and
the wireless device and the accessory module in combination executing the first service image to provide a corresponding first service to a user of the wireless device and the accessory module.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention enables automatic customization, optimization, and adaptation of a wireless device when an accessory card is inserted. This adaptive provisioning is based on several factors, including the identification of the user of the wireless device, the specific wireless device and the specific accessory card, the service provider associated with the customization-related application or application suites (the “services”), the facility providing the downloaded service image to the wireless device, and selected configuration information. This allows a single wireless device, in conjunction with an assortment of accessory cards, to be specialized for efficient performance of a multitude of role or job-dependent functions, including application specific user interfaces, capabilities, privileges, and usage modes, in a modular flexible building-block fashion. More specifically, the user inserts the accessory card into the wireless device and with no further user intervention the enabled service is ready for the user. This is initiated via automatic download of a service image when the accessory card is inserted into the wireless device, followed, as soon as possible after or during the download, by automatic presentation of the service, including associated user interfaces, to the user. When the user completes the use of the service the user then removes the accessory card from the wireless device. Removing the accessory card automatically ceases execution of the service with no further user intervention. Caching mechanisms are used to reduce the time between accessory card insertion and availability of the enabled service to the user.
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Citations
72 Claims
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1. A method of selective configuration, the method comprising:
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coupling an accessory module to a wireless device;
the wireless device obtaining identification information from the accessory module;
the wireless device transmitting a service download request to a service server facility via a wireless access mechanism, the service download request including the identification information and the service server facility having access to a plurality of service images;
the service server facility responding to the service download request by selecting a first service image from the plurality of service images, the selecting being at least partially based on the identification information in the service download request;
transmitting the first service image to the wireless device via said wireless access mechanism; and
the wireless device and the accessory module in combination executing the first service image to provide a corresponding first service to a user of the wireless device and the accessory module. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 15)
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8. A method of selective configuration, the method comprising:
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coupling an accessory module to a wireless device;
the wireless device obtaining identification information from the accessory module;
the wireless device transmitting a service download request to a service server facility via a wireless access mechanism, the service download request including;
login information identifying a user of the wireless device, information identifying the wireless device, and information identifying the accessory module;
the service server facility responding to the service download request by dynamically constructing a customized service image based on at least some of the information provided in the service request;
transmitting the customized service image to the wireless device via said wireless access mechanism; and
the wireless device and the accessory module in combination executing the customized service image to provide a corresponding customized service to the user of the wireless device and the accessory module. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17)
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18. A method of operating a service server facility for selective configuration, the method comprising:
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receiving a first service download request from a first wireless device of a plurality of wireless devices, the first wireless device having sent the request upon coupling with a first one of a plurality of accessory cards;
determining if at least a selected first one of a plurality of stored service images is an appropriate response to the first service download request; and
communicating to the first wireless device a first download image based at least in part on the selected first stored service image. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A wireless device for selective coupling with an accessory card, the wireless device including:
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a processor;
a wireless access circuit coupled to the processor;
an accessory card interface coupled to the processor;
firmware executed under control of the processor; and
wherein the firmware supports;
recognition of the coupling of the accessory card to the accessory card interface, interrogation of identification information from the accessory card via the accessory card interface, transmission of a service image download request via the wireless access circuit, the request including at least a portion of the identification information, and reception of a service image responsive to the service image download request via the wireless access circuit. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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41. An accessory card for operation coupled to a wireless device and in conjunction with a service server facility, the accessory card including:
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a device interface adapted to interface to the wireless device;
a card service image cache;
a control unit coupled to the device interface and the card service image cache; and
wherein upon coupling the accessory card with the wireless device, the control unit stores into the card service image cache at least a portion of a service image provided by the service server facility and otherwise manages the card service image cache in response to commands and data communicated from the wireless device via the device interface.
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42. A service server facility for operation with a plurality of wireless devices, the service server facility including:
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a general purpose computer system;
a storage unit coupled to the general purpose computer system, the storage unit including a plurality of stored service images;
a communication mechanism coupled to the general purpose computer system; and
wherein software executed by the general purpose computer supports;
reception and interpretation of service download requests, each service download request being received via the communication mechanism from a corresponding one of the wireless devices upon coupling the corresponding wireless device with a corresponding accessory card, selection of one of the service images of the plurality of service images in response to each service download request, and transmission of each selected service image via the communication mechanism to the corresponding wireless device. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53)
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54. A service server facility for operation with a plurality of wireless devices, the service server facility including:
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a general purpose computer system;
a storage unit coupled to the general purpose computer system, the storage unit including a plurality of stored service images;
a communication mechanism coupled to the general purpose computer system; and
wherein software executed by the general purpose computer supports;
reception and interpretation of service download requests, each service download request being received via the communication mechanism from a corresponding one of the wireless devices upon coupling the corresponding wireless device with a corresponding accessory card, selection and customization of one of the plurality of service images in response to each service download request, and transmission of each selected service image via the communication mechanism to the corresponding wireless device. - View Dependent Claims (55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66)
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67. A system for selective configuration of a plurality of wireless devices, the system including:
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a plurality of service server facilities, each of the facilities respectively including a plurality of stored service images; and
software to determine if at least one of the respective plurality of service images is an appropriate response to a received service download request sent from a corresponding one of the wireless devices in response to the corresponding wireless device being coupled with an accessory card. - View Dependent Claims (68, 69, 70, 71, 72)
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Specification