SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR INTERFACING BETWEEN A MOBILE DEVICE AND A PERSONAL COMPUTER

• US 20090075697A1
• Filed: 02/19/2008
• Published: 03/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Orr, Kevin H., Wilson, Sean E., Yach, David P., Fyke, Steven H., Bocking, Andrew D.
• Granted Patent: US 9,069,377 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/557
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 23/04 Transplanting trees; Devices for grasping the root ball, e.g. stump forceps; Wrappings or packages for transporting trees
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 9/18 Load gripping or retaining means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/01 Input arrangements or combined input and output arrangements for interaction between user and computer G06F3/16 takes precedence

Abstract

A system and method are provided for interfacing between a mobile device and a PC. The mobile device utilizes a connection with the PC for taking advantage of the larger display and input devices such as the keyboard on the PC to improve the user interface (UI). This also enables the user to take advantage of the mobile device'"'"'s wireless connectivity at the same time, e.g. where the PC does not have the same connectivity.

Claims

1. A method for providing access to a mobile device through an external computing device comprising;

providing a mobile server on said mobile device configured to provide data to said external computing device which is compatible with an existing application on said external computing device, said existing application configured to normally communicate with an existing entity residing outside of said mobile device;

enabling said existing application to communicate with said mobile server over a communication connection between said mobile device and said external computing device,

providing to a user interface (UI) for said existing application, data from a mobile device application;

said mobile server accepting user input from said external computing device over said communication connection for interacting with said mobile device application; and

said mobile server providing updates for said UI according to said user input.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein said mobile server provides an email server application and said existing application is an email client, said email server application being configured to access email messages stored on said mobile device and to provide said email messages to said email client.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein said mobile server provides an HTTP server application and said existing application is a browser, said HTTP server application being configured to convert data on said mobile device to a format compatible with said browser, said data from said mobile device application being provided to said UI through a portal hosted by said HTTP server.

4. The method according to claim 3 wherein said HTTP server application communicates with said browser over a dial-up-networking (DUN) connection.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein said mobile server provides an email server application and provides an HTTP server and said existing application is a browser or email client or both, said email server application being configured to access email messages stored on said mobile device and to provide said email messages to said email client, said HTTP server application being configured to convert data on said mobile device to a format compatible with said browser, said data from said mobile device application being provided to said UI through a portal hosted by said HTTP server.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein said mobile device application includes one or more options for changing settings on said mobile device, and said mobile server is configured to receive updates to said settings from said existing application and generate a command for updating said settings on said mobile device.

7. A method for accessing a mobile device through an external computing device comprising:

providing an existing application on said external computing device which is configured to normally communicate with an existing entity residing outside of said mobile device,

upon initiating said existing application, enabling said existing application to communicate with a mobile server over a communication connection between said mobile device and said external computing device, said mobile server being configured to provide data to said external computing device which is compatible with said existing application;

displaying a user interface (UI) in said existing application that is configured to display data from a mobile device application;

said external computing device sending user input over said communication connection according to interactions with said existing application; and

said external computing device receiving updates for said UI in said existing application according to said user input from said mobile server.

8. The method according to claim 7 wherein said mobile server provides an email server application and said existing application is an email client, said email server application being configured to access email messages stored on said mobile device and to provide said email messages to said email client.

9. The method according to claim 7 wherein said mobile server provides an HTTP server application and said existing application is a browser, said HTTP server application being configured to convert data on said mobile device to a format compatible with said browser, said data from said mobile device application being provided to said UI through a portal hosted by said HTTP server.

10. The method according to claim 9 wherein said HTTP server communicates with said browser over a dial-up-networking (DUN) connection.

11. The method according to claim 7 comprising a device simulator which acts as a proxy for a display and input mechanism on said mobile device such that as said display is updated, said device simulator receives from said mobile device, buffer data over said communication connection and updates a corresponding screen buffer accordingly.

12. The method according to claim 7 wherein said mobile device application includes one or more options for changing settings on said mobile device, and said UI enables a user to change said settings using said existing application such that said mobile server can generate a command for updating said settings on said mobile device.

13. A computer readable medium comprising computer executable instructions for providing access to a mobile device through an external computing device comprising instructions for:

providing a mobile server on said mobile device configured to provide data to said external computing device which is compatible with an existing application on said external computing device, said existing application configured to normally communicate with an existing entity residing outside of said mobile device;

enabling said existing application to communicate with said mobile server over a communication connection between said mobile device and said external computing device;

providing to a user interface (UI) for said existing application, data from a mobile device application;

said mobile server accepting user input from said external computing device over said communication connection for interacting with said mobile device application; and

said mobile server providing updates for said UI according to said user input.

14. The computer readable medium according to claim 13 wherein said instructions comprise instructions to have said mobile server provide an email server application, said existing application being an email client, said email server application being configured to access email messages stored on said mobile device and to provide said email messages to said email client.

15. The computer readable medium according to claim 13 wherein said instructions comprise instructions to have said mobile server provide an HTTP server application, said existing application being a browser, said HTTP server application being configured to convert data on said mobile device to a format compatible with said browser, said data from said mobile device application being provided to said UI through a portal hosted by said HTTP server.

16. The computer readable medium according to claim 15 wherein said HTTP server application communicates with said browser over a dial-up-networking (DUN) connection.

17. The computer readable medium according to claim 13 wherein said instructions comprise instructions to have said mobile server provide an email server application and to provide an HTTP server, said existing application being a browser or email client or both, said email server application being configured to access email messages stored on said mobile device and to provide said email messages to said email client, said HTTP server application being configured to convert data on said mobile device to a format compatible with said browser, said data from said mobile device application being provided to said UI through a portal hosted by said HTTP server.

18. The computer readable medium according to claim 13 wherein said mobile device application includes one or more options for changing settings on said mobile device, and said mobile server is configured to receive updated to said settings from said existing application and generate a command for updating said settings on said mobile device.

19. A computer readable medium comprising computer executable instructions for accessing a mobile device through an external computing device comprising instructions for:

providing an existing application on said external computing device which is configured to normally communicate with an existing entity residing outside of said mobile device;

upon initiating said existing application, enabling said existing application to communicate with a mobile server over a communication connection between said mobile device and said external computing device, said mobile server being configured to provide data to said external computing device which is compatible with said existing application;

displaying a user interface (UI) in said existing application that is configured to display data from a mobile device application;

said external computing device sending user input over said communication connection according to interactions with said existing application; and

said external computing device receiving updates for said UI in said existing application according to said user input from said mobile server.

20. The computer readable medium according to claim 19 wherein said instructions comprise instructions to have said mobile server provide an email server application, said existing application being an email client, said email server application being configured to access email messages stored on said mobile device and to provide said email messages to said email client.

21. The computer readable medium according to claim 19 wherein said instructions comprise instruction to have said mobile server provide an HTTP server application, said existing application being a browser, said HTTP server application being configured to convert data on said mobile device to a format compatible with said browser, said data from said mobile device application being provided to said UI through a portal hosted by said HTTP server.

22. The computer readable medium according to claim 21 wherein said HTTP server communicates with said browser over a dial-up-networking (DUN) connection.

23. The computer readable medium according to claim 19 wherein said instructions comprises instructions to provide a device simulator which acts as a proxy for a display and input mechanism on said mobile device such that as said display is updated, said device simulator receives from said mobile device, buffer data over said communication connection and updates a corresponding screen buffer accordingly.

24. The computer readable medium according to claim 19 wherein said mobile device application includes one or more options for changing settings on said mobile device, and said UI enables a user to change said settings using said existing application such that said mobile server can generate a command for updating said settings on said mobile device.