Integrated handheld computing and telephony device

• US 20060121938A1
• Filed: 11/14/2005
• Published: 06/08/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/1999
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Palm, Inc. (TCL Technology Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Palm, Inc. (TCL Technology Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Hawkins, Jeffrey C., Haitani, Robert Y.
• Application Number:
  US11/273,872
• Publication Number:
  US 20060121938A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/556.100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0254 comprising one or a plurality of mechanically detachable modules
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2746 Sorting, e.g. according to history or frequency of use
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27475 using interactive graphical means or pictorial representations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2748 by matching character strings
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72409 by interfacing with external accessories hands-free H04M1/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72433 for voice messaging, e.g. dictaphones for answering incoming calls H04M1/64
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72469 for operating the device by selecting functions from two or more displayed items, e.g. menus or icons
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/60 logging of communication history, e.g. outgoing or incoming calls, missed calls, messages or URLs logging of telephone numbers H04M1/56, H04M1/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42042 Notifying the called party of information on the calling party details within substation equipment H04M1/57, signalling details H04Q3/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4288 Notifying a called subscriber of an incoming call during an ongoing call, e.g. Call Waiting
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53333 Message receiving aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold

Abstract

A method and apparatus for an organizer that may receive a cellular portion to form a cellular telephone is provided. An organizer comprises an organizer component, including a microphone. The organizer further includes an area for receiving an additional component. The area is designed to receive a cellular component, and a connection element is designed to mate the microphone in the organizer component with the cellular component, to use the organizer as a part of a cellular telephone.

Claims

1. A computing device configurable for use as a telephone, the computing device comprising:

a control switch configured to include a first state and a second state, the first state corresponding to enabling a speaker in the computing device and the second state corresponding to muting the speaker in the computing device;

a microcontroller configured to generate a telephone call interrupt signal in response to an antenna receiving a radio frequency signal corresponding to a telephone call; and

a processor in the computing device configured to generate a ring tone signal in response to receiving the telephone call interrupt signal,

the ring tone signal played through the speaker in response to the control switch set in the first state and not played through the speaker in response to the control switch set in the second state.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the ring tone signal enables a non-sound notification in response to control switch set in the second state.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the non-sound notification comprises an notification on a display of the computing device.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the switch is one from a group consisting of a button, a slider, and a rocker.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the switch comprises a software switch.

6. A computing device including an integrated telephone subsystem, the computing device comprising:

a selection enabled display;

a switch configured to retrieve a telephone application; and

a processor configured to execute the telephone application, the telephone application further configured to

generate a telephone dial pad screen on the selection enabled display, the telephone dial pad screen having a plurality of keys, and

generate, for each key selected through the selection enabled display, a dual tone multi frequency (DTMF) signal.

7. The computing device of claim 6, wherein the switch is configured to retrieve the telephone application in response to user input.

8. The computing device of claim 6, wherein the switch is configured to retrieve the telephone application in response to the telephone subsystem receiving a telephone call.

9. The computing device of claim 6, wherein the selection enabled display comprises a touch display.

10. The computing device of claim 6, wherein the telephone application is further configured to generate a caller identification screen to replace the telephone dial pad screen in response to establishing a telephone call.

11. A wireless communication system comprising:

a computing device including an integrated wireless communication component;

a first application button integrated with the computing device and configured to execute a voice application associated with the wireless communication component, the voice application generating a voice interface screen for a display of the computing device; and

a second application button integrated with the computing device and configured to execute data application associated with the wireless communication component, the data application generating a data interface dialog screen on the display of the computing device.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the first application button comprises a mechanical switch.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the second application button comprises a mechanical switch.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the display is a selection enabled display.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the selection enabled display is a touch display.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the first application button comprises a software button on the selection enabled display.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the second application button comprises a software button on the selection enabled display.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the voice application comprises a voicemail application.

19. A voicemail application configured for execution with a telephone application in a computing device, the voicemail application comprising:

voicemail account file configured to store a plurality of voicemail telephone numbers and configured to generate a voicemails listing screen on the display of the computing device the stored plurality of voicemail telephone numbers; and

a controls file configured to store, for each input voicemail telephone number, a plurality of voicemail commands associated with the input voicemail telephone number and configured to generate, in response to selection of a voicemail telephone number from the plurality of voicemail telephone numbers, a voicemail control screen on the display of the computing device the stored plurality of voicemail commands for the selected voicemail telephone number.

20. The voicemail application of claim 19, wherein the voicemail account file includes for at least one voicemail telephone number a password corresponding to that voicemail telephone number.

21. The voicemail application of claim 20, wherein the voicemail account file includes for the at least one voicemail telephone number a character associated with generating a pause between the voicemail telephone number and the password.

22. The voicemail application of claim 19, wherein the plurality of voicemail commands is received in the computing device as a file.

23. The voicemail application of claim 19, wherein the plurality of voicemail commands is received in the computing device through user input.