COMMUNICATION CARD WITH STANDALONE AND MASTER OPERATIONAL STATES
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A communication card with three operational states, including a controller, a battery, a flash storage unit, a wireless modem, and a connector for connecting the communication card to a shell host and to an electronic device host, wherein the communication card (i) operates in a standalone mode when the connector is not connected to a device, (ii) functions as a master when the connector is connected to the shell host, and (iii) functions as a slave when the connector is connected to the electronic device host. A method and a computer-readable storage medium are also described and claimed.
50 Citations
38 Claims
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1-13. -13. (canceled)
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14. A communication card with standalone and master operational states, comprising:
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a controller; a flash storage unit, coupled with said controller, for storing data used by said controller; a wireless modem, coupled with said controller, for transmitting and receiving data over a wireless network in response to instructions received from said controller; a battery, coupled with said controller, with said flash storage unit and with said wireless modem, for supplying power to said controller, to said flash storage unit, and to said wireless modem; and a connector, coupled with said controller, for connecting the communication card to a host, wherein the communication card (i) operates in a standalone mode when said connector is not connected to the host, and (ii) operates as a master of the host when said connector is connected to the host, providing display information to the host. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method for determining the operational state of a communication card, comprising:
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providing a communication card that has at least two operational states, namely, (i) the communication card operating in a standalone mode, and (ii) the communication card connected to a host and operating as a master of the host; monitoring a signal on the communication card; and if the monitored signal has a voltage level lower than a designated threshold, then concluding that the communication card is in the standalone mode; otherwise, concluding that the communication card is connected to the host. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22)
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23. A computer readable storage medium storing program code for causing a computing device to determine the state of a communication card that has at least two operational states, namely, (i) the communication card operating in a standalone mode, and (ii) the communication card connected to a host and operating as a master of the host, by:
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monitoring a signal on the communication card; and if the monitored signal has a voltage level lower than a designated threshold, then concluding that the communication card is in a standalone mode; otherwise, concluding that the communication card is connected to the host.
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24. A communication card with standalone and master operational states, comprising:
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a card connector for connecting a communication card to a host, comprising a plurality of pins, the pins comprising; a connector for incoming and outgoing audio signals; a connector for a power supply; and a universal serial bus (USB) connector; a communication bus, wherein (i) no signals are routed to the communication bus when the card operates in a standalone mode, and (ii) secure digital (SD) card signals are routed to the communication bus when the card is connected to the host using a set of functionalities assigned to said connector pins, with the card operating as a master of the host; and circuitry for automatically detecting whether the card is operating in a standalone mode or in a master mode. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26)
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27. A communication system, comprising:
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a communication card comprising; a controller; a flash storage unit, coupled with said controller, for storing data used by said controller; a wireless modem, coupled with said controller, for transmitting and receiving data over a wireless network in response to instructions received from said controller; a battery, coupled with said controller, with said flash storage unit and with said wireless modem, for supplying power to said controller, to said flash storage unit, and to said wireless modem; and a card connector, coupled with said controller, for connecting the communication card to a host; and a host comprising; a plug for said card connector, for connecting the host to said communication card; and a user interface for said communication card, wherein said communication card (i) operates in a standalone mode when said card connector is not connected to said host plug, and (ii) operates as a master of the host when said card connector is connected to said host plug, providing display information to the host. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30)
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31. A communication system, comprising:
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a communication card, comprising; a card connector for connecting a communication card to a host, comprising a plurality of pins; a communication bus, wherein (i) no signals are routed to the communication bus when the card operates in a standalone mode, and (ii) secure digital (SD) card signals are routed to the communication bus when the card is connected to the host using a set of functionalities assigned to said connector pins, with the card operating as a master of the host; circuitry for automatically detecting whether the card is operating in a standalone mode or in a master mode; and a host comprising; a plug for said card connector, for connecting the host to said communication card; and a user interface for said communication card. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34)
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35. A host device for a communication card, comprising:
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a controller; and a connector, coupled with said controller, for connection with a wireless communication card, wherein said controller does not provide wireless communication functionality when said connector is not connected with the communication card, and wherein said controller operates as a slave to the communication card when said connector is connected to the communication card. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38)
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Specification