Webpad and method for using the same

• US 20050250449A1
• Filed: 06/29/2005
• Published: 11/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Callahan Cellular LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Simpledevices Inc. (Universal Electronics, Inc.)
• Inventors: Edwards, Bruce, Ferguson, Joshua, Janik, Craig M., Kalayjian, Nick
• Granted Patent: US 7,660,601 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.300
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/00 Network arrangements or protocols for supporting network services or applications user-to-user messaging H04L51/00; network arrangements, protocols or services for supporting real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

A webpad and method for using the same are provided. The webpad includes an adapter module attached to a personal digital assistant. The adapter module includes a wireless transceiver for sending and receiving data via a wireless communication protocol.

Claims

1. An adaptor module for use in connection with a personal digital assistant having a rechargeable first battery and a first electrical connector and a docking station having a second electrical connector, the adaptor module comprising:

a housing sized and arranged to releasably secure the personal digital assistant;

a third electrical connector carried by the housing for interfacing with the first electrical connector of the personal digital assistant;

a fourth electrical connector carried by the housing for interfacing with the second electrical connector of the docking station;

a rechargeable second battery; and

a battery charging circuit which uses a charge received via the interface between the fourth electrical connector and the second electrical connector to selectively provide a charge to the rechargeable second battery and the rechargeable first battery via the interface between the third electrical connector and the first electrical connector.

2. The adaptor module as recited in claim 1, wherein an end of the housing has a shape which is adapted to be received in the docking station and which corresponds to a shape provided to an end of the personal digital assistant, wherein the end of the housing carries the third and fourth electrical connectors, and wherein the fourth electrical connector is located in a location which corresponds to a location of the first electrical connector on the corresponding end of the personal digital assistant.

3. The adaptor module as recited in claim 1, wherein communications between the personal digital assistant and the adaptor module are exchanged via the interface between the third electrical connector and the first electrical connector.

4. The adaptor module as recited in claim 3, wherein communications between the docking station and the adaptor module are exchanged via the interface between the fourth electrical connector and the second electrical connector and the fourth electrical connector is linked to the third electrical connector whereby the adaptor module functions as an interface between the docking station and the personal digital assistant.

5. The adaptor module as recited in claim 3, comprising a wireless transceiver for wirelessly transmitting and receiving communications with an appliance, the wireless transceiver being linked to the third electrical connector whereby the adaptor module functions as an interface between the appliance and the personal digital assistant.

6. The adaptor module as recited in claim 3, comprising an output jack carried by the housing and a codec for decoding a digitally encoded media signal received from the personal digital assistant via the interface between the third electrical connector and the first electrical connector whereby an analog signal corresponding to the digitally encoded media signal is provided to the output jack.

7. The adaptor module as recited in claim 5, wherein the appliance provides voice-over-IP services in cooperation with software resident on the personal digital assistant and the housing carries a button that is activatable to provide a means for answering a call initiated through the voice-over-IP services.

8. The adaptor module as recited in claim 3, wherein the housing carries a CCD chip and lens subsystem for capturing a digital image wherein a captured digital image is transferable to the personal digital assistant via the interface between third electrical connector and the first electrical connector.

9. The adaptor module as recited in claim 3, wherein the third electrical connector and the fourth electrical connector each comprise multiple pin connectors.

10. An adaptor module for use in connection with a docking station having a first electrical contact and a personal digital assistant having an end sized and arranged to be received in the docking station and carrying a second electrical contact wherein the first electrical contact and second electrical contact cooperate to provide a communications interface when the personal digital assistant is received in the docking station, the adaptor module comprising:

a housing sized and arranged to releasably secure the personal digital assistant, the housing having an end with a shape which is sized and arranged to be received in the docking station and which thereby corresponds to a shape provided to an end of the personal digital assistant;

a third electrical connector carried by the end of the housing for interfacing with the second electrical connector of the personal digital assistant to thereby allow communications to be exchanged between the personal digital assistant and the adaptor module when the personal digital assistant is secured within the housing; and

a fourth electrical connector carried by the end of the housing for interfacing with the first electrical connector of the docking station to thereby allow communications to be exchanged between the docking station and the adaptor module when the housing is received in the docking station, the fourth electrical connector being located on the end of the housing in a location which corresponds to a location of the second electrical connector on the corresponding end of the personal digital assistant and being linked to the third electrical connector whereby the adaptor module functions as an interface between the docking station and the personal digital assistant;

wherein the arrangement of the third electrical connector relative to the fourth electrical connector allows the personal digital assistant to have the same orientation when the personal digital assistant is secured within the housing and the housing is received in the docking station as when the personal digital assistant is received in the housing absent the adaptor module.

11. The adaptor module as recited in claim 10, wherein the personal digital assistant has a rechargeable first battery and the adaptor module comprises a rechargeable second battery and a battery charging circuit which uses a charge received via the interface between the fourth electrical connector and the first electrical connector to selectively provide a charge to the rechargeable second battery and the rechargeable first battery via the interface between the third electrical connector and the second electrical connector.

12. The adaptor module as recited in claim 10, comprising a wireless transceiver for wirelessly transmitting and receiving communications with an appliance, the wireless transceiver being linked to the third electrical connector whereby the adaptor module functions as an interface between the appliance and the personal digital assistant.

13. The adaptor module as recited in claim 10, comprising an output jack carried by the housing and a codec for decoding a digitally encoded media signal received from the personal digital assistant via the interface between the third electrical connector and the second electrical connector whereby an analog signal corresponding to the digitally encoded media signal is provided to the output jack.

14. The adaptor module as recited in claim 10, wherein the housing carries a CCD chip and lens subsystem for capturing a digital image wherein a captured digital image is transferable to the personal digital assistant via the interface between third electrical connector and the second electrical connector.

15. The adaptor module as recited in claim 10, wherein the third electrical connector and the fourth electrical connector each comprise multiple pin connectors.