Method and apparatus for a dockable display module

• US 20080266205A1
• Filed: 04/30/2007
• Published: 10/30/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Moehring, Chris
• Granted Patent: US 8,856,394 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/1.2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1613 for portable computers cooling arrangements therefor G06F1/203; constructional details or arrangements for pocket calculators, electronic agendas or books G06F15/0216; constructional details of portable telephone sets: with several bodies H04M1/0202
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1647 including at least an additional display G06F1/1692 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1654 the display being detachable, e.g. for remote use
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0256 wherein the modules are operable in the detached state, e.g. one module for the user interface and one module for the transceiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages

Abstract

An electronic device comprising a plurality of onboard displays, wherein at least one of the onboard displays is removable from the electronic device, and wherein the at least one of the onboard displays aggregates and displays information received from a plurality of electronic devices.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a plurality of onboard displays, wherein at least one of the onboard displays is removable from the electronic device, and wherein the at least one of the onboard displays aggregates and displays information received from a plurality of electronic devices.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the at least one onboard display is configured to summarize the information received from at least one of the plurality of electronic devices.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the at least one onboard display converts the information to a common format.

4. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the at least one onboard display receives the information wirelessly from the plurality of electronic devices.

5. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of electronic devices comprises at least one proxy electronic device.

6. The electronic device claim 5, wherein the at least one of the onboard displays receives the information from at least one of the plurality of electronic devices via the at least one proxy electronic device.

7. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the at least one onboard display polls at least one of the plurality of electronic device for the information.

8. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the at least one onboard display receives an event indicating that information is available from at least one of the plurality of electronic devices.

9. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the at least one onboard display deletes duplicate information received from the plurality of electronic devices.

10. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the electronic device is one of a personal digital assistant, a laptop computer, a desktop computer, a CD player, an MP3 player, and a cellular telephone.

11. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the onboard displays is configured to fit at least one of a wrist device, a key fob, and a reader.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising, responsive to finding duplicate information received from the plurality of electronic devices, deleting one copy of the duplicate information.

12. A method for presenting information, comprising:

aggregating, by at least one of a plurality of onboard display of an electronic device, the information received from the plurality of electronic devices; and

presenting the information on the at least one onboard display, wherein the at least one onboard display is removable from the electronic device.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising summarizing the information received from at least one of the plurality of electronic devices.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising converting received information to a common format.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising receiving the information wirelessly from at least one of the plurality of electronic devices.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising polling at least one of the plurality of electronic devices for the information.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

receiving an event indicating that information is available from at least one of the plurality of electronic devices; and

responsive to receiving the event, transmitting a request for the information from the at least one of the plurality of electronic devices.

19. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon an instruction set to be executed, the instruction set, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to:

aggregate, by at least one of a plurality of onboard display of an electronic device, the information received from the plurality of electronic devices; and

present the information on the at least one onboard display, wherein the at least one onboard display is removable from the electronic device.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 19 wherein the instruction set, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to convert the information to a common format.

21. A display module, comprising:

a housing having a display unit, wherein the housing is configured to be communicatively engageable with a plurality of different types of electronic devices to enable the display module to be an on-board display for each of the respective plurality of electronic devices.

25. The display module of claim 21, wherein the display module recharges a battery disposed within the display module when the display module is communicatively engaged with one of the Plurality of devices.

26. The display module of claim 21, wherein the plurality of devices comprises at least one of a cellular phone, a wrist device, and a reader.

22. The display module of claim 21, wherein the display module and aggregates and displays information received from the plurality of devices.

22-1. (canceled)

23. (canceled)