Supporting use of connection via electrical interface

• US 20070254588A1
• Filed: 04/25/2007
• Published: 11/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Lafuente, Javier
• Application Number:
  US11/796,121
• Publication Number:
  US 20070254588A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.200
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface

Abstract

An accessory device 300 includes a wireless communication interface 320 and an electrical interface 310. In order to hide a wireless communication protocol used for data received via the wireless communication interface 320 from a device 100 that is connected to the accessory device 300 via the electrical interface 310, a processing unit 330 is adapted to convert data received via the wireless communication interface and having a format required for a wireless communication service into a format required for a specific service other than a wireless communication service, and to provide the converted data for a transmission via the electrical interface 310. A further accessory device 1300 enables a flexible access to an included storage component 1340.

Claims

1. Accessory device comprising:

a wireless communication interface;

an electrical interface; and

a processing unit adapted to convert data received via said wireless communication interface and having a format required for a wireless communication service into a format required for a specific service other than a wireless communication service, and to provide said converted data for a transmission via said electrical interface.

2. Accessory device according to claim 1, wherein said processing unit is further adapted to convert data received via said electrical interface and having a format required for a specific service other than a wireless communication service into a format required for a wireless communication service, and to provide said converted data for a transmission via said wireless interface.

3. Accessory device according to claim 1, wherein said wireless communication interface is one of a short range wireless link interface and a Wireless Local Access Network interface.

4. Accessory device according to claim 1, wherein said processing unit is further provided with a security mechanism for limiting a data exchange via said wireless communication interface with another device to a single predetermined other device.

5. Accessory device according to claim 1, wherein said processing unit is adapted to make said accessory device appear like a mass storage device to any device to which said accessory device is connected via said electrical interface.

6. Accessory device according to claim 1, wherein said processing unit is further adapted to detect a connection to another device via said electrical interface and to automatically initiate upon detection of a connection a link to a further device via said wireless communication interface.

7. Accessory device according to claim 1, wherein said processing unit is adapted to enter at least two different modes of operation, in which it offers different functions.

8. Accessory device according to claim 7, wherein said processing unit is further adapted to perform a mode selection based on capabilities of a device to which said accessory device is connected via said electrical interface.

9. Accessory device according to claim 7, wherein said processing unit is further adapted to set a mode based on a command received from a device to which said accessory device is connected via said electrical interface.

10. Accessory device according to claim 7, wherein one of said modes comprises bypassing said conversion in case a device to which said accessory device is connected via said electrical interface supports a processing of data having a format required for said wireless communication service.

11. Accessory device according to claim 1, wherein said processing unit is adapted to deactivate said wireless communication interface, in case a device to which said accessory device is connected via said electrical interface comprises itself a corresponding wireless communication interface and associated processing capabilities.

12. Accessory device according to claim 1, further comprising a memory.

13. Accessory device according to claim 12, wherein said memory is configured for buffering data received via at least one of said interfaces before applying a data conversion.

14. Accessory device according to claim 12, wherein said memory is configured for storing an executable application supporting an access to data in a device accessing said accessory device via said wireless communication interface, and wherein said processing unit is adapted to load said executable application to another device via said electrical interface for execution in said other device.

15. Accessory device according to claim 1, wherein said electrical interface is a universal serial bus plug.

16. System comprising an accessory device with

a wireless communication interface;

an electrical interface; and

a processing unit adapted convert data received via said wireless communication interface and having a format required for a wireless communication service into a format required for a specific service other than a wireless communication service, and to provide said converted data for a transmission via said electrical interface;

and a second device with a wireless communication interface adapted to exchange data with said wireless communication interface of said accessory device.

17. System according to claim 16, wherein said second device is adapted to notify a user when an established link to said accessory device via said wireless communication interface is lost.

18. System according to claim 16, wherein said electrical interface is a universal serial bus plug.

19. Method comprising:

receiving data via a wireless communication interface of an accessory device;

converting data received via said wireless communication interface and having a format required for a wireless communication service into a format required for a specific service other than a wireless communication service; and

providing said converted data for transmission via an electrical interface of said accessory device.

20. Method according to claim 19, wherein said electrical interface is a universal serial bus plug.

21. Computer program product in which a program code is stored in a computer readable medium, said program code realizing the following when executed by a processing unit of an accessory device:

receiving data via a wireless communication interface of said accessory device;

converting data received via said wireless communication interface and having a format required for a wireless communication service into a format required for a specific service other than a wireless communication service; and

providing said converted data for transmission via an electrical interface of said accessory device.

22. Computer program product according to claim 21, wherein said electrical interface is a universal serial bus plug.

23. Accessory device comprising:

a storage component;

a wireless communication interface;

an electrical interface; and

a processing unit configured to coordinate an access to said storage component via said wireless communication interface and said electrical interface.

24. Accessory device according to claim 23, wherein said accessory device is a memory card.

25. Accessory device according to claim 23, wherein said wireless communication interface is one of a short-range wireless link interface and a wireless local access network interface.

26. Method comprising:

receiving signals and/or data for accessing a storage component of an accessory device via at least one of a wireless communication interface of said accessory device and an electrical interface of said accessory device; and

coordinating an access to said storage component based on said received signals and/or data.

27. Computer program product in which a program code is stored in a computer readable medium, said program code realizing the following when being executed by a processing unit of an accessory device:

receiving signals and/or data for accessing a storage component of an accessory device via at least one of a wireless communication interface of said accessory device and an electrical interface of said accessory device; and

coordinating an access to said storage component based on said received signals and/or data.