Radio Accessory for a Mobile Device

• US 20080200208A1
• Filed: 02/15/2008
• Published: 08/21/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Fu, Runbo, Griffin, Jason, Hossain, Asif, Lazaridis, Mihal, Rao, Padakandla Krishna, Varanda, Marcelo, Wennemer, Dietmar Frank, Llanos, Edwin, Morris, Stewart Charles, Dikun, Ray
• Granted Patent: US 8,700,090 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/557
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0254 comprising one or a plurality of mechanically detachable modules
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0262 for a battery compartment
• 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

Abstract

A system for enhancing functionality of a mobile device comprising: the mobile device, wherein the mobile device includes: a radio subsystem; a processor adapted to interact with the radio subsystem; a user interface; a short range communications system; and a battery adapted to power the mobile device; and an accessory adapted to communicate with the mobile device, the accessory including: at least one processor; a radio subsystem communicating with the processor; and a short range communications system adapted to communicate with the short range communications system of the mobile device, wherein the radio subsystem of the mobile device differs from the radio subsystem of the accessory.

Claims

1. A system for enhancing functionality of a mobile device comprising:

the mobile device, wherein the mobile device includes;

a radio subsystem;

a processor adapted to interact with the radio subsystem;

a user interface;

a short range communications system; and

a battery adapted to power the mobile device; and

a radio accessory adapted to be paired with and communicate with the mobile device, the radio accessory including;

at least one processor;

a radio subsystem communicating with the processor; and

a short range communications system adapted to communicate with the short range communications system of the mobile device,

wherein the radio subsystem of the mobile device differs from the radio subsystem of the accessory.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the radio accessory shares a battery with the mobile device.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the radio accessory includes a battery.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the short range communications system in the radio accessory is a Bluetooth™

communication system.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the short range communications system of the radio accessory is a physical communication means.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the physical communication means communicates through a battery connector.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the battery is authenticated through encryption on the physical connection.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the radio accessory is physically connected to the mobile device through a battery.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the radio accessory is incorporated into a holster for the mobile device.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the radio accessory includes a user interface.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the user interface comprises at least one of a screen, a speaker, a microphone, a button, a keypad and a keyboard.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the radio subsystem of the accessory is an integrated digital enhanced network (iDEN) subsystem.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the accessory is a low latency push-to-talk device.

14. The system of claim 1, where in the radio accessory is a family radio service device.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the radio accessory is weatherproofed.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the radio accessory includes a radio processor and a control processor.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the radio accessory includes an audio CODEC integrated circuit chip.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the radio accessory includes a buffer.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the buffer is adapted to buffer voice until communication is established between the radio accessory and the mobile device.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein the radio accessory is a backpack accessory or a stand-alone accessory.

21. A method of pairing a mobile device with a radio accessory, the mobile device and radio accessory each having a radio subsystem and a short range communications system, comprising:

establishing communication between the radio accessory and the mobile device utilizing the short range communications subsystem, said establishing step utilizing a pre-established protocol for the short range communication;

passing control information between the radio accessory and the mobile device; and

parsing the control information at the mobile device,

wherein said control information includes a call status for the radio accessory.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the control information includes battery status information for the radio accessory.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the parsing step results in the mobile device allocating an audio path to the radio accessory.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the control information is utilized by the mobile device to allocate a user interface on the mobile device to data from the radio accessory.