SYSTEM AND METHOD OF MANAGING THE EXECUTION OF APPLICATIONS AT A PORTABLE COMPUTING DEVICE AND A PORTABLE COMPUTING DEVICE DOCKING STATION

• US 20100251243A1
• Filed: 12/23/2009
• Published: 09/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Tessitore, Ronald J., Collopy, Thomas Kevin, Gill, Manjit Singh
• Application Number:
  US12/645,750
• Publication Number:
  US 20100251243A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 718/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3877 Arrangements for enabling portable transceivers to be used in a fixed position, e.g. cradles or boosters
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/04 Supports for telephone transmitters or receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces

Abstract

A method of managing applications within a portable computing device (PCD) and a PCD docking station is disclosed. The method may include determining whether the PCD is docked with the PCD docking station when an application is selected and determining whether a first application version is available when the PCD is not docked. Further, the method may include executing a second application version when the first application version is unavailable and executing the first application version when the first application is available.

Claims

1. A method of managing applications within a portable computing device (PCD) and a PCD docking station, the method comprising:

determining whether the PCD is docked with the PCD docking station when an application is selected; and

determining whether a first application version is available when the PCD is not docked.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

executing a second application version when the first application version is unavailable.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

executing the first application version when the first application is available.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

determining whether the PCD is docked while the second application version or the first application version is executing;

determining whether the second application version or the first application version is executing; and

continuing to execute the second application version when the second application version is executing and the PCD is docked.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

determining whether the second application version is available when the first application version is executing; and

switching to the second application version when the second application version is available and the PCD is docked.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether a second application version is available when the PCD is docked.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

executing the first application version when the second application version is unavailable.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

executing the second application version when the second application is available.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

determining whether the PCD is undocked while the second application version or the first application version is executing;

determining whether the second application version or the first application version is executing; and

continuing to execute the first application version when the first application version is executing and the PCD is undocked.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

determining whether the first application version is available when the second application version is executing; and

switching to the first application version when the first application version is available and the PCD is undocked.

11. A portable computing device (PCD), comprising:

means for determining whether a PCD is docked with a PCD docking station when an application is selected; and

means for determining whether a first application version is available when the PCD is not docked.

12. The portable computing device of claim 11, further comprising:

means for executing a second application version when the first application version is unavailable.

13. The portable computing device of claim 12, further comprising:

means for executing the first application version when the first application is available.

14. The portable computing device of claim 13, further comprising:

means for determining whether the PCD is docked while the second application version or the first application version is executing;

means for determining whether the second application version or the first application version is executing; and

means for continuing to execute the second application version when the second application version is executing and the PCD is docked.

15. The portable computing device of claim 14, further comprising:

means for determining whether the second application version is available when the first application version is executing; and

means for switching to the second application version when the second application version is available and the PCD is docked.

16. The portable computing device of claim 11, further comprising:

means for determining whether a second application version is available when the PCD is docked.

17. The portable computing device of claim 16, further comprising:

means for executing the first application version when the second application version is unavailable.

18. The portable computing device of claim 17, further comprising:

means for executing the second application version when the second application is available.

19. The portable computing device of claim 18, further comprising:

means for determining whether the PCD is undocked while the second application version or the first application version is executing;

means for determining whether the second application version or the first application version is executing; and

means for continuing to execute the first application version when the first application version is executing and the PCD is undocked.

20. The portable computing device of claim 19, further comprising:

means for determining whether the first application version is available when the second application version is executing; and

means for switching to the first application version when the first application version is available and the PCD is undocked.

21. A portable computing device (PCD), comprising:

a processor, wherein the processor is operable to;

determine whether the PCD is docked with a PCD docking station when an application is selected; and

determine whether a first application version is available when the PCD is not docked.

22. The portable computing device of claim 21, wherein the processor is further operable to:

execute a second application version when the first application version is unavailable.

23. The portable computing device of claim 22, wherein the processor is further operable to:

execute the first application version when the first application is available.

24. The portable computing device of claim 23, wherein the processor is further operable to:

determine whether the PCD is docked while the second application version or the first application version is executing;

determine whether the second application version or the first application version is executing; and

continue to execute the second application version when the second application version is executing and the PCD is docked.

25. The portable computing device of claim 24, wherein the processor is further operable to:

determine whether the second application version is available when the first application version is executing; and

switch to the second application version when the second application version is available and the PCD is docked.

26. The portable computing device of claim 21, wherein the processor is further operable to:

determine whether a second application version is available when the PCD is docked.

27. The portable computing device of claim 26, wherein the processor is further operable to:

execute the first application version when the second application version is unavailable.

28. The portable computing device of claim 27, wherein the processor is further operable to:

execute the second application version when the second application is available.

29. The portable computing device of claim 28, wherein the processor is further operable to:

determine whether the PCD is undocked while the second application version or the first application version is executing;

determine whether the second application version or the first application version is executing; and

continue to execute the first application version when the first application version is executing and the PCD is undocked.

30. The portable computing device of claim 29, wherein the processor is further operable to:

determine whether the first application version is available when the second application version is executing; and

switch to the first application version when the first application version is available and the PCD is undocked.

31. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer-readable medium, comprising;

at least one instruction for determining whether a portable computing device (PCD) is docked with a PCD docking station when an application is selected; and

at least one instruction for determining whether a first application version is available when the PCD is not docked.

32. The computer program product of claim 31, wherein the computer-readable medium further comprises:

at least one instruction for executing a second application version when the first application version is unavailable.

33. The computer program product of claim 32, wherein the computer-readable medium further comprises:

at least one instruction for executing the first application version when the first application is available.

34. The computer program product of claim 33, wherein the computer-readable medium further comprises:

at least one instruction for determining whether the PCD is docked while the second application version or the first application version is executing;

at least one instruction for determining whether the second application version or the first application version is executing; and

at least one instruction for continuing to execute the second application version when the second application version is executing and the PCD is docked.

35. The computer program product of claim 34, wherein the computer-readable medium further comprises:

at least one instruction for determining whether the second application version is available when the first application version is executing; and

at least one instruction for switching to the second application version when the second application version is available and the PCD is docked.

36. The computer program product of claim 31, wherein the computer-readable medium further comprises:

at least one instruction for determining whether a second application version is available when the PCD is docked.

37. The computer program product of claim 36, wherein the computer-readable medium further comprises:

at least one instruction for executing the first application version when the second application version is unavailable.

38. The computer program product of claim 37, wherein the computer-readable medium further comprises:

at least one instruction for executing the second application version when the second application is available.

39. The computer program product of claim 38, wherein the computer-readable medium further comprises:

at least one instruction for determining whether the PCD is undocked while the second application version or the first application version is executing;

at least one instruction for determining whether the second application version or the first application version is executing; and

at least one instruction for continuing to execute the first application version when the first application version is executing and the PCD is undocked.

40. The computer program product of claim 39, wherein the computer-readable medium further comprises:

at least one instruction for determining whether the first application version is available when the second application version is executing; and

at least one instruction for switching to the first application version when the first application version is available and the PCD is undocked.