Modular telecommunications device

• US 20100317294A1
• Filed: 06/11/2010
• Published: 12/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vodafone Group PLC
• Original Assignee: Vodafone Group PLC
• Inventors: Banks, Robert, McEwen, Colin
• Granted Patent: US 8,473,001 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/66.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0254 comprising one or a plurality of mechanically detachable modules
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0283 for providing a decorative aspect, e.g. customization of casings, exchangeable faceplate
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72409 by interfacing with external accessories hands-free H04M1/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724098 Interfacing with an on-board device of a vehicle for hands-free speaking in vehicles H04M1/6075
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7246 by connection of exchangeable housing parts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/04 including near field communication means, e.g. RFID
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/183 Processing at user equipment or user record carrier

Abstract

A communication device is disclosed which includes a wireless communicator part for use with a cellular telecommunications network and a supplementary part to which the wireless communicator part is coupleable. The wireless communicator part has an associated identifier for uniquely identifying it to the network. The supplementary part also has an associated identifier for uniquely identifying it to the network. The identifiers enable the network to determine the functional attributes of the part with which the identifier is associated. Embodiments are described which allow the network to always be aware of the functional attributes of the device. The functional attributes of the device will change depending upon the coupling and uncoupling of the wireless communicator part to the supplementary part. The identifiers may be IMEIs and may be transmitted as a USSD string.

Claims

1. A communication device for use with a telecommunications network, comprising:

a wireless communicator part; and

a supplementary part to which the wireless communicator part is coupleable, wherein the supplementary part has an associated identifier for uniquely identifying the supplementary part to the network, the identifier enabling the network to determine the functional attributes of the supplementary part.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the wireless communicator part has an associated identifier for uniquely identifying it to the network, this identifier enabling the network to determine the functional attributes of the wireless communicator part.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the or at least one of the identifiers comprises an IMEI.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the device is operable to transmit to the network the identifier for uniquely identifying the supplementary part in response to coupling or decoupling of the supplementary part to the wireless communicator.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the wireless communicator is operable to transmit the supplementary part identifier.

6. The device of claim 4, wherein the supplementary part is operable to transmit the supplementary part identifier.

7. The device of claim 4, wherein the device is operable to transmit the identifier as a USSD string.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the USSD string includes a special portion for indicating to the network that identifier data is contained in the string for allowing the network to identify and extract the identifier.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the supplementary part is a car kit or eCall device.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the unique identifier of the supplementary part is usable by the network to determine whether the supplementary part is permitted for use with the network.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the supplementary part includes a verifier that the supplementary part is permitted by the network to be used therewith.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the supplementary part includes a SIM.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the wireless communicator includes a SIM, the network being operable to allow both SIMs to be registered and in use with one or more networks simultaneously, and with one or more user accounts.

14. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a power manager that automatically adjusts the power management of the wireless communicator part in response to coupling and/or decoupling of the wireless communicator part to the supplementary part and arranged to deactivate or reduce the power consumption of elements of the wireless communicator part that are not used when the wireless communicator is coupled to the supplementary part.

15. The device of claim 1, wherein the wireless communicator part includes a radio antenna for communicating with the network, and including a dielectric component for improving the radio performance of the antenna when the wireless communicator part is coupled to the supplementary part.

16. The device of claim 1, wherein said telecommunications network is of a first radio access technology type and said wireless communicator part is of a second, different radio access technology type, and wherein the supplementary part is operable to enable the device to communicate with said telecommunications network.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the first radio access technology type is GSM or UMTS or any other SIM-based technology and the second radio access technology type is CDMA or Digital AMPS or any other non-SIM based technology.

18. A method of operating a communication device in a telecommunications network, wherein the communication device has a wireless communicator part and a supplementary part to which the wireless communicator part is coupleable, the method comprising:

providing the supplementary part with an associated identifier that uniquely identifies the supplementary part to the network, the identifier enabling the network to determine the functional attributes of the supplementary part.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

providing the wireless communicator part with an associated identifier which uniquely identifies the wireless communicator part to the network, the identifier enabling the network to determine the functional attributes of the wireless communicator part.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the identifier comprises an IMEI.

21. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

transmitting to the network the identifier to uniquely identify the supplementary part in response to coupling or decoupling of the supplementary part to the wireless communicator.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the wireless communicator transmits the supplementary part identifier.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the supplementary part transmits the supplementary part identifier.

24. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

transmitting the identifier as a USSD string.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the USSD string includes a special portion for indicating to the network that identifier data is contained in the string for allowing the network to identify and extract the identifier.

26. The method of claim 18, wherein the supplementary part is a car kit or eCall device.

27. The method of claim 18, wherein the unique identifier of the supplementary part is used by the network to determine whether the supplementary part is permitted for use with the network.

28. The method of claim 18, wherein the supplementary part verifies that it is permitted to be used with the network.

29. The method of claim 18, wherein the supplementary part includes a SIM.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the wireless communicator also includes a SIM, the network allowing both SIMs to be registered and in use with one or more networks simultaneously, and with one or more user accounts

31. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

automatically adjusting the power management of the wireless communicator part in response to coupling and/or decoupling of the wireless communicator part to the supplementary part and arranged to deactivate or reduce the power consumption of elements of the wireless communicator part that are not used when the wireless communicator is coupled to the supplementary part.

32. The method of claim 18, wherein the wireless communicator part includes a radio antenna for communicating with the network, and wherein the communication device is provided with a dielectric component for improving the radio performance of the antenna when the wireless communicator part is coupled to the supplementary part.

33. The method of claim 18, wherein said telecommunications network is of a first radio access technology type and said wireless communicator part is of a second, different radio access technology type, and wherein the supplementary part enables the device to communicate with said telecommunications network.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the first radio access technology type is GSM or UMTS or any other SIM-based technology and the second radio access technology type is CDMA or Digital AMPS or any other non-SIM based technology.

35. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer software for operating a communication device in a telecommunications network, wherein the communication device has a wireless communicator part and a supplementary part to which the wireless communicator part is coupleable, the computer software comprising:

executable code that provides the supplementary part with an associated identifier that uniquely identifies the supplementary part to the network, the identifier enabling the network to determine the functional attributes of the supplementary part.

36. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 35, wherein the computer software further comprises:

executable code that provides the wireless communicator part with an associated identifier which uniquely identifies the wireless communicator part to the network, the identifier enabling the network to determine the functional attributes of the wireless communicator part.