HANDHELD COMPUTING UNIT WITH MERGED MODE

• US 20090198992A1
• Filed: 02/26/2009
• Published: 08/06/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rofougaran, Ahmadreza (Reza)
• Granted Patent: US 8,195,928 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/24 Resetting means
• 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 handheld computing unit includes a hardware section, an application section, and an operating system section. The hardware section and operating system section are operable to: detect another device; determine whether to merge functionality with the other device; and when it is determined to merge functionality with the other device, initiate a reboot of the handheld computing unit and of the other device in a merged mode, wherein, in the merged mode, the hardware section and a hardware section of the other device function as a single hardware section and the operating system section and an operating system section of the other device function as a single operating system section.

Claims

1. A handheld computing unit comprises:

a hardware section;

an application section; and

an operating system section operably coupled to the hardware section and the application section, wherein the hardware section and operating system section are operable to;

detect another device;

determine whether to merge functionality with the other device; and

when it is determined to merge functionality with the other device, initiate a reboot of the handheld computing unit and of the other device in a merged mode, wherein, in the merged mode, the hardware section and a hardware section of the other device function as a single hardware section and the operating system section and an operating system section of the other device function as a single operating system section.

2. The handheld computing unit of claim 1 further comprises the hardware section and operating system operable to detect the another device by:

establish a wireless communication with the other device to determine information regarding the other device.

3. The handheld computing unit of claim 1 further comprises the hardware section and operating system operable to determine whether to merge functionality with the other device by:

determining identify of the other device;

determining whether, based on the identity, the other device is capable of merging functionality with the handheld computing device; and

when the other device is capable of merging functionality with the handheld computing device, detecting an indication for establishing the merged mode.

4. The handheld computing unit of claim 1 further comprises the hardware section and operating system operable to determine whether to merge functionality with the other device by:

establishing a wireless communication with the other device;

via the wireless communication, transmitting a request message regarding the other device'"'"'s ability to merge functionality; and

via the wireless communication, receiving an affirmative response to the request message.

5. The handheld computing unit of claim 1 further comprises the hardware section and operating system operable to reboot the handheld computing unit and the other device by:

transmitting a request for the other device to shutdown a current mode of operation and enter into a merge mode pre-boot state;

shutting down a current mode of handheld computing unit;

retrieving a merged mode operating system boot loader from a basic input/output system (BIOS) memory of the hardware section;

executing the merged mode operating system boot loader to retrieve a handheld merged mode operating system from the handheld computing unit and other merged mode operating system from the other device; and

loading the handheld merged mode operating system and the other merged mode operating system into main memory of the hardware section to produce a merged mode operating system.

6. The handheld computing unit of claim 5 further comprises the hardware section and operating system operable to retrieving the merged mode operating system boot loader by:

determining identity of the other device; and

retrieving a specific merged mode operating system boot loader based on the identity of the other device.

7. The handheld computing unit of claim 1 further comprises the hardware section and operating system operable to:

detect an end to the merged mode;

send an end merge mode message to the other device;

shutdown the merged mode operating system; and

retrieve a stand-alone mode operating system boot loader.

8. The handheld computing unit of claim 1, wherein the hardware section comprises:

a processing module;

main memory;

a memory controller coupled to the main memory and the processing module;

a millimeter wave (MMW) transceiver coupled to the memory controller; and

an input/output (IO) controller coupled to the memory controller.

9. A handheld computing unit comprises:

a hardware section;

an application section; and

an operating system section operably coupled to the hardware section and the application section, wherein the hardware section and operating system section are operable to;

detect another device;

determine whether to merge functionality with the other device via an intermediary device; and

when it is determined to merge functionality with the other device via the intermediary device, initiate a reboot of the handheld computing unit, the intermediary device, and the other device in a merged mode, wherein, in the merged mode, the hardware section and a hardware section of the other device function as a single hardware section via the intermediary device and the operating system section and an operating system section of the other device function as a single operating system section via the intermediary device.

10. The handheld computing unit of claim 9 further comprises the hardware section and operating system operable to detect the another device by:

establish a communication link with the other device via the intermediary device to determine information regarding the other device.

11. The handheld computing unit of claim 9 further comprises the hardware section and operating system operable to determine whether to merge functionality with the other device by:

determining identify of the other device;

determining whether, based on the identity, the other device is capable of merging functionality with the handheld computing device via the intermediary device; and

when the other device is capable of merging functionality with the handheld computing device via the intermediary device, detecting an indication for establishing the merged mode.

12. The handheld computing unit of claim 9 further comprises the hardware section and operating system operable to determine whether to merge functionality with the other device via the intermediary device by:

establishing a wireless communication with the intermediary device;

transmitting a request message to the intermediary device that requests the intermediary device establish a communication with the other device;

via the wireless communication, transmitting a request message regarding the other device'"'"'s ability to merge functionality to the intermediary device, wherein the request message further includes a request for the intermediary device to forward the message to the other device; and

via the wireless communication, receiving an affirmative response to the request message.

13. The handheld computing unit of claim 9 further comprises the hardware section and operating system operable to reboot the handheld computing unit and the other device by:

transmitting a message to the intermediary device, wherein the message request that the other device shutdown a current mode of operation and enter into a merge mode pre-boot state;

shutting down a current mode of handheld computing unit;

retrieving a merged mode operating system boot loader from a basic input/output system (BIOS) memory of the hardware section;

executing the merged mode operating system boot loader to retrieve a handheld merged mode operating system from the handheld computing unit, an intermediary merged mode operating system from the intermediary device, and other merged mode operating system from the other device; and

loading the handheld merged mode operating system, intermediary merged mode operating system, and the other merged mode operating system into main memory of the hardware section to produce a merged mode operating system.

14. The handheld computing unit of claim 13 further comprises the hardware section and operating system operable to retrieving the merged mode operating system boot loader by:

determining identity of the other device; and

retrieving a specific merged mode operating system boot loader based on the identity of the other device.

15. The handheld computing unit of claim 9 further comprises the hardware section and operating system operable to:

detect an end to the merged mode;

send an end merge mode message to the intermediary device;

shutdown the merged mode operating system; and

retrieve a stand-alone mode operating system boot loader.

16. The handheld computing unit of claim 9, wherein the hardware section comprises:

a processing module;

main memory;

a memory controller coupled to the main memory and the processing module;

a millimeter wave (MMW) transceiver coupled to the memory controller; and

an input/output (IO) controller coupled to the memory controller.

17. A handheld computing unit comprises:

a processing module;

main memory;

a memory controller operably coupled to the processing module and the main memory;

an input/output (IO) controller coupled to the memory controller; and

a basic input/output system (BIOS) memory that includes;

a power on self test (POST) section; and

a boot loader section that includes;

a standalone operating system boot loader;

a docked mode operating system boot loader; and

a merged mode operating system boot loader.

18. The handheld computing unit of claim 17, wherein the boot loader section further comprises:

a first device merged mode operating system boot loader; and

a second device merged mode operating system boot loader.

19. The handheld computing unit of claim 17, wherein the boot loader section further comprises:

an intermediary merged mode operating system boot loader.