Mobile communications terminal, accessories and method therefore

• US 20060084384A1
• Filed: 09/03/2004
• Published: 04/20/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Kiemunki, Jarmo
• Application Number:
  US10/933,664
• Publication Number:
  US 20060084384A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.300
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6066 including a wireless connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/18 Negotiating wireless communication parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/245 from a network towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/00 Wireless network protocols or protocol adaptations to wireless operation

Abstract

An accessory device for an electric device is disclosed. The accessory device including a control unit adapted to determine at least one parameter value related to a current operational status of the accessory device and for use by the electric device, and a transceiver connected to the control unit and adapted to transfer the at least one parameter value from the control unit in the accessory device to the electric device via a first wireless communication protocol.

Claims

1. An accessory device for an electric device, the accessory device comprising:

a control unit adapted to determine at least one parameter value related to a current operational status of the accessory device and for use by the electric device; and

a transceiver connected to the control unit and adapted to transfer the at least one parameter value from the control unit in the accessory device to the electric device via a first wireless communication protocol.

2. The accessory device according to claim 1, wherein the wireless communication protocol is a short range communication protocol, such as Bluetooth, WLAN, HomeRF or IrDA.

3. The accessory device according to claim 1 comprising a battery for providing power to the accessory device, wherein the at least one transferred parameter value is related to a current power level of the battery.

4. The accessory device according to claim 1 comprising a printer, wherein the at least one transferred parameter value relates to a current printing-fluid level of the printer.

5. The accessory device according to claim 1 comprising a memory, wherein the at least one transferred parameter value relates to a current utilization of the memory.

6. The accessory device according to claim 5, wherein the memory is arranged in a projector and the at least one transferred parameter value relates to a current memory utilization in the projector.

7. An electric device comprising:

a first transceiver adapted to receive at least one parameter value from an accessory device connected to the electric device via a first wireless communication protocol, said parameter value being related to a current operational status of the accessory device, and

a display unit connected to the receiver and adapted to display a representation of the at least one parameter value received from the accessory unit.

8. The electric device according to claim 7, wherein the electric device is a mobile telecommunication terminal comprising a second transceiver adapted to communicate with a base station via a second wireless communication protocol used for mobile telephony in a mobile telecommunications network.

9. The electric device according to claim 7, embodied as a mobile telephone for a mobile telecommunications system, such as GSM, US-TDMA, cdmaOne PCS, PDC or UMTS.

10. The electric device according to claim 7, embodied as a personal digital assistant (PDA).

11. The electric device according to claim 7, wherein the first wireless communication protocol is a short range communication protocol, such as Bluetooth, WLAN, HomeRF or IrDA.

12. The electric device according to claim 7, comprising:

a control unit connected to the first transceiver and adapted to transfer one or more commands to the accessory device via the first wireless communication protocol and to determine, using the received parameter value from the accessory device, if the one or more specific commands are to be sent to the accessory device.

13. The electric device according to claim 7, wherein the display unit is adapted to simultaneously display a representation of the at least one parameter value received from the accessory unit and data produced by the electric device.

14. A method for transferring operational status data from an accessory device for an electric device to the electric device, said method comprising:

determining at least one parameter value in the accessory device, said parameter value being related to a current operational status of the accessory device,

transferring the parameter value from the accessory device to the electric device via a first wireless communication protocol,

receiving the parameter value in the electric device, and

presenting a representation of the received parameter value on a display in the electric device.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the electric device is a mobile telecommunication terminal comprising a second transceiver adapted to communicate with a base station via a second wireless communication protocol used for mobile telephony in a mobile telecommunications network.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein the first wireless communication protocol is a short range communication protocol, such as Bluetooth, WLAN, HomeRF or IrDA.

17. The method according to claim 14, comprising:

determining if one or more commands are to be transferred from the electric device to the accessory device via the first wireless communication protocol based on the received parameter value from the accessory device.

18. The method according to claim 14, comprising:

simultaneously displaying, on the display, a representation of the at least one parameter value received from the accessory unit and data produced by the electric device.

19. An electric device comprising:

a first transceiver adapted to receive at least one parameter value from an accessory device connected to the electric device via a first wireless communication protocol, said parameter value being related to a current operational status of the accessory device,

a control unit connected to the first transceiver and adapted to transfer one or more commands to the accessory device via the first wireless communication protocol and to determine, using the received parameter value from the accessory device, if the one or more specific commands are to be sent to the accessory device.

20. The electric device according to claim 19, wherein the electric device is a mobile telecommunication terminal comprising a second transceiver adapted to communicate with a base station via a second wireless communication protocol used for mobile telephony in a mobile telecommunications network.

21. The electric device according to claim 19, wherein the first wireless communication protocol is a short range communication protocol, such as Bluetooth, WLAN, HomeRF or IrDA.

22. A communication system comprising:

an accessory device for an electric device, the accessory device comprising;

a control unit adapted to determine at least one parameter value related to the current operational status of the accessory device and for use by the electric device; and

a transceiver connected to the control unit and adapted to transfer the at least one parameter value from the control unit in the accessory device to the electric device via a first wireless communication protocol, and

an electric device comprising;

a first transceiver adapted to receive the at least one parameter value from the accessory device connected to the electric device via a first wireless communication protocol; and

a display unit connected to the receiver and adapted to display a representation of the at least one parameter value received from the accessory device.

23. The communication system according to claim 22, wherein the electric device is a mobile telecommunication terminal comprising a second transceiver adapted to communicate with a base station via a second wireless communication protocol used for mobile telephony in a mobile telecommunications network.

24. A communication system comprising:

an accessory device for an electric device, the accessory device comprising;

a control unit adapted to determine at least one parameter value related to the current operational status of the accessory device and for use by the electric device; and

a transceiver connected to the control unit and adapted to transfer the at least one parameter value from the control unit in the accessory device to the electric device via a first wireless communication protocol, and

an electric device comprising;

a first transceiver adapted to receive at least one parameter value from the accessory device connected to the electric device via a first wireless communication protocol, said parameter value being related to a current operational status of the accessory device; and

a control unit connected to the first transceiver and adapted to transfer one or more commands to the accessory device via the first wireless communication protocol and to determine, using the received parameter value from the accessory device, if the one or more specific commands are to be sent to the accessory device.