Method of providing a mobile multimedia hub

• US 20080081664A1
• Filed: 09/29/2006
• Published: 04/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Benco, David S., Azada, Maria Rg
• Granted Patent: US 8,050,712 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/557
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72409 by interfacing with external accessories hands-free H04M1/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/06 including a wireless LAN interface

Abstract

A method is provided for expanding the input and output capabilities of a mobile communications device. If a received signal should be immediately outputted, then a user of the mobile communications device selects an open interface output port for the received signal prior to receiving the signal. Upon reception, the received signal may be transmitted via the open-interface output port on the mobile communications device to an external device. If the received signal may be outputted at another time, then the user of the mobile communications device selects the open interface output port before or after receiving the signal. Upon reception, the signal may be stored as one or more files on the mobile communications device. At another time, the user may use the mobile communications device to transmit, via the open interface output port, a second signal having the one or more files to the external device.

Claims

1. A method, comprising the steps of:

receiving, via wireless communication, a first signal with a mobile communications device; and

transmitting, via an open interface output port on the mobile communications device, a second signal from the mobile communications device to an external device;

wherein a user of the mobile communications device employs the mobile communications device to specify the open interface output port for the second signal.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the first signal and the second signal are the same.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the first signal and the second signal are real-time video signals.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the user specifies the open interface output port for the second signal prior to the receiving step.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of storing, upon reception, the first signal in one or more files.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the one or more files are stored in removable storage.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the user of the mobile communications device browses a local file system on the mobile communications device to locate and select the one or more files, and wherein the one or more files are transmitted as the second signal.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the user of the mobile communications device browses the local file system via an open application programming interface (API).

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the user of the mobile communications device selects the one or more files by pressing keys on a handset of the communications device.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein the user of the mobile communications device selects the one or more files via a voice response.

11. The method of claim 7 wherein the user of the mobile communications device selects the one or more files via a touch screen on the mobile communications device.

12. The method of claim 5 wherein the first signal is a downloaded video.

13. The method of claim 5 wherein the first signal is a high speed data signal.

14. The method of claim 5 wherein the user specifies the open interface output port after the receiving step.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the open interface output port is a USB port.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the open interface output port is an infra red port.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein the open interface output port is a S-Video port.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein the open interface output port is a Wi-Fi interface.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein the open interface output port is a Bluetooth interface.

20. The method of claim 1 wherein the open interface output port is a FireWire interface.

21. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of displaying the second signal on the external device.

22. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of storing the second signal on the external device.

23. The method of claim 1 wherein the mobile communications device is selected from the group consisting of a) a mobile telephone, b) a personal digital assistance (PDA) device, c) a two-way pager, and d) a portable media player.

24. A method for operating a mobile communications device to display a received signal on an external device, the method comprising the step of:

transmitting, via an open interface output port on the mobile communications device, the received signal from the mobile communications device to the external device, wherein a user of the mobile communications device employs a menu screen of the mobile communications device to specify the open interface output port for the received signal; and

displaying the received signal on the external device.

25. The method of claim 24 further comprising the step of storing the received signal on the external device.

26. The method of claim 24 wherein the received signal is a real-time video signal and wherein the user specifies the open interface output port prior to receiving the real-time video signal.

27. The method of claim 24 wherein the received signal is a high speed data signal and wherein the user specifies the open interface output port after storing the received signal on the mobile communications device as one or more files.

28. The method of claim 24 wherein the communications device is selected from the group consisting of a) a mobile telephone, b) a personal digital assistance (PDA) device, c) a two-way pager, and d) a portable media player.

29. The method of claim 24 wherein the open interface output port is selected from the group consisting of a) a Wi-Fi interface, b) a Bluetooth interface, c) a FireWire interface, d) a USB port, e) a S-Video port, and f) an infra red port.