RFID FOR CONNECTED ACCESSORY IDENTIFICATION AND METHOD

• US 20090095804A1
• Filed: 10/15/2007
• Published: 04/16/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: AGEVIK, Markus, JOHANSSON, David, LUNDQUIST, Anders, HANSSON, Anders
• Application Number:
  US11/872,244
• Publication Number:
  US 20090095804A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/375
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1684 Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72409 by interfacing with external accessories hands-free H04M1/60

Abstract

A connector system, includes a first connector having a number of connection paths adapted to connect with a second connector, and an RFID reader adapted to receive information identifying at least one characteristic of such second connector. The connector system may be used in portable electronic equipment that includes operating circuitry, a display, an input apparatus, a connector adapted for connection to an accessory, and the an RFID reader adapted to receive information identifying at least one characteristic of an accessory and/or of an accessory connector, and wherein said operating circuitry is responsive to such identification or lack of such identification to determine settings for the portable electronic equipment. A method of identifying an accessory to electronic equipment uses RFID communication between such accessory and such electronic equipment to identify such accessory to such electronic equipment.

Claims

1. A connector system, comprising:

a first connector having a number of connection paths adapted to connect with a second connector that is associated with an accessory,

an electronic device with operating circuitry, said first connector being operatively coupled with said operating circuitry, and

an RFID reader adapted to receive information identifying at least one characteristic of such second connector, the RFID reader being operatively coupled with said operating circuitry to provide the operating circuitry with the received information,

wherein the operating circuitry is adapted to adjust settings of the operating circuitry and/or the electronic device in response to information identifying at least one characteristic of the second connector, and wherein the settings determine functioning of the operating circuitry and/or the electronic device with respect to signals received by the first connector and/or signals provided to the accessory.

2. The connector system of claim 1, further comprising the second connector and an RFID tag identifying at least one characteristic of said second connector.

3. The connector system of claim 2, wherein said RFID reader receives information identifying at least one characteristic of the second connector from said RFID tag of said second connector.

4. The connector system of claim 1, wherein the connection paths are electrical connection paths adapted to transmit electrical signals and/or to provide for electrical power connection.

5. The connector system of claim 1, wherein the connection paths are optical adapted to transmit optical signals.

6. The connector system of claim 1, wherein said RFID reader receives information identifying at least one characteristic of the second connector from an RFID tag of such second connector.

7. The connector system of claim 1, wherein the electronic device comprises portable electronic equipment, said first connector comprises a connector adapted to connect respective second connectors of accessories for use with said portable electronic equipment.

10. The connector system of claim 1, wherein said operating circuitry is adapted to assume a default setting if said RFID reader has not received information identifying at least one characteristic of such second connector.

11. The connector system of claim 7, wherein said portable electronic equipment comprises a mobile telephone.

12. The connector of claim 2, wherein said RFID tag is a passive transponder adapted to provide a response to said RFID reader.

13. The connector of claim 2, wherein said RFID tag is an active transponder responsive to input from said RFID reader.

14. The connector system of claim 1, wherein said RFID reader is a near field communication device adapted to cooperate in RFID relation with an RFID transponder in near field relation to said RFID reader.

28. The connector system of claim 1, wherein the settings adjusted by the operating circuitry relate to at least one of pin-outs, amplification, equalization, or bandwidth.

8. (canceled)

9. (canceled)

15. A method of identifying an accessory to electronic equipment comprising:

using RFID communication between such accessory and such electronic equipment to identify such accessory to such electronic equipment; and

based on identification of the accessory, adjusting settings in operating circuitry of the electronic equipment, the settings determining functioning of the operating circuitry with respect to signals received from and/or provided to such accessory.

16. The method of claim 15, said using RFID communication comprising using near field communication between an RFID reader and an RFID transponder.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein said adjusting settings comprises establishing or maintaining a default setting in the absence of a recognizable or recognized RFID response from an RFID transponder.

17. (canceled)

19. Portable electronic equipment, comprising:

operating circuitry,

a display,

an input apparatus,

a connector adapted for connection to an accessory, and

an RFID reader adapted to receive information identifying at least one characteristic of an accessory and/or of an accessory connector,

wherein said operating circuitry is adapted to adjust settings for the portable electronic equipment in response to such identification or lack of such identification, and wherein the settings determine functioning of the operating circuitry with respect to signals received by the connector and/or signals provided to the accessory.

20. The portable electronic equipment of claim 19, comprising a mobile telephone, and said input apparatus comprises a keypad.

21. The portable electronic equipment of claim 19, further comprising an accessory including an accessory connector connectible with said connector, and an RFID tag cooperable with said RFID reader to provide such identifying information.

22. The portable electronic equipment of claim 21, wherein said RFID tag is an active transponder responsive to input from said RFID reader.

23. The portable electronic equipment of claim 21, wherein said RFID tag is a passive transponder adapted to provide a response to said RFID reader.

24. The portable electronic equipment of claim 19, wherein said RFID reader is a near field communication device adapted to cooperate in RFID relation with an RFID transponder in near field relation to said RFID reader.

25. The portable electronic equipment of claim 19, wherein said operating circuitry is adapted to assume a default setting in the absence of a recognizable or recognized RFID response from an RFID tag.

26. The portable electronic equipment of claim 19, wherein the RFID reader receives such identifying information from an RFID tag associated with the accessory.

27. The portable electronic equipment of claim 19, wherein the settings adjusted by the operating circuitry relate to at least one of pin-outs, amplification, equalization, or bandwidth.