CONNECTIVITY SLED FOR ELECTRONIC PAIRING AND PHYSICAL COOPERATION BETWEEN A MOBILE DEVICE AND ASSOCIATED PERIPHERAL DEVICES

• US 20130013813A1
• Filed: 07/06/2011
• Published: 01/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koamtac, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Koamtac, Inc.
• Inventors: LEE, Hanjin
• Granted Patent: US 8,346,979 B1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/5
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0254 comprising one or a plurality of mechanically detachable modules
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/21 Combinations with auxiliary equipment, e.g. with clocks or memoranda pads
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2755 by optical scanning
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/04 including near field communication means, e.g. RFID
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/14 including a card reading device

Abstract

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method offering a specialized modular sled systems for combination, both in a physically proximate sense, and electronically peripheral devices such as a compact bar code scanner, magnetic strip reader, IC card reader, RF tag reader, charging base etc., without the need for cables, and with structural capabilities that offer the ability for a user to employ the same in substantially simultaneous fashion through a consolidated physical integration that eliminates awkward manual manipulation of the same.

Claims

1. A mobile device and peripheral device consolidation system for improved physical and electronic interoperability between a mobile device and at least one peripheral device, said mobile device and peripheral device consolidation system comprising:

(a) a modular sled having an attachment means for physically attaching said at least one peripheral device to said mobile device, said attachment means for attaching said at least one peripheral device to said mobile device providing at least one point of secure attachment with at least one of the following of a custom engagement structure, universal engagement structure, or a native mobile device casement engagement structure, said modular sled further including engagement structure for cooperatively securing, said at least one peripheral device physically proximate to said mobile device;

(b) said modular sled further including at least one of the following of said at least one peripheral devices chosen from the group consisting of;

compact bar code readers, Magnetic Strip Readers (MSRs), Integrated Circuit (IC) card readers, peripheral device triggers, or Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag readers;

(c) said modular sled further including electronic circuitry for wireless electronic communication connectivity between said mobile device and said at least one peripheral device;

(d) wherein said modular sled further includes a charging base for charging said at least one peripheral device and said mobile device.

2. (canceled)

3. The mobile device and peripheral device consolidation system for improved physical and electronic interoperability between a mobile device and at least one peripheral device of claim 2, wherein said modular sled further includes:

(a) a memory unit configured to store instructions;

(b) at least one configurable key for implementing, between the mobile device and the peripheral device, user commands that are selected from the group comprising at least one of the following of a toggle command, a wake up process, a connection process, a data collection process, a synchronization process, and a transmission process;

(c) a processor connected to said at least one configurable key, both of which are configured to execute instructions for executing at least the following instructions;

(i) establishing a wireless connection between said at least one peripheral device and said mobile device upon receiving a user data connection process command;

(ii) executing a data collecting function of said at least one peripheral device upon receiving a user data collection process command;

(iii) executing a synchronization process, if required;

(iv) transmitting, any data collected during said data collecting function, from said at least one peripheral device, to said mobile device.

4. The mobile device and peripheral device consolidation system for improved physical and electronic interoperability between a mobile device and at least one peripheral device of claim 3, wherein said at least one configurable key of said at least one peripheral device includes multifunction keys and peripheral device keys for controlling said mobile device.

5. The mobile device and peripheral device consolidation system for improved physical and electronic interoperability between a mobile device and at least one peripheral device of claim 4, wherein said at least one peripheral device includes at least one said compact bar code reader and at least one said MSR.

6. The mobile device and peripheral device consolidation system for improved physical and electronic interoperability between a mobile device and at least one peripheral device of claim 5, wherein said modular sled includes charging circuitry that utilizes only one charging port for charging said mobile device when said mobile device is connected to said at least one said compact bar code reader.

7. The mobile device and peripheral device consolidation system for improved physical and electronic interoperability between a mobile device and at least one peripheral device of claim 6, wherein said at least one said compact bar code reader includes a peripheral device trigger connected thereto, wherein said peripheral device trigger is chosen from the group comprising a side scan button or a no-power supplied trigger.

8. The mobile device and peripheral device consolidation system for providing improved physical and electronic interoperability between a mobile device and at least one peripheral device of claim 7, wherein said modular sled includes a dual wireless communication port having a first port that connects said modular sled with said mobile device, and having a second port that connects said modular sled with another said at least one peripheral device.

9. The mobile device and peripheral device consolidation system for improved physical and electronic interoperability between a mobile device and at least one peripheral device of claim 8, wherein at least one said MSR is chosen from the group of an international triple track MSR or a Japanese dual header MSR.

10. The mobile device and peripheral device consolidation system for improved physical and electronic interoperability between a mobile device and at least one peripheral device of claim 9, wherein said attachment means for attaching said at least one peripheral device to said mobile device provides said at least one point of secure attachment thereto through a custom engagement structure.

11. The mobile device and peripheral device consolidation system for improved physical and electronic interoperability between a mobile device and at least one peripheral device of claim 9, wherein said attachment means for attaching said at least one peripheral device to said mobile device provides said at least one point of secure attachment thereto through a native mobile device casement engagement structure.

12. The mobile device and peripheral device consolidation system for improved physical and electronic interoperability between a mobile device and at least one peripheral device of claim 9, wherein said attachment means for attaching said at least one peripheral device to said mobile device provides said at least one point of secure attachment thereto through a universal engagement structure.

13. The mobile device and peripheral device consolidation system for improved physical and electronic interoperability between a mobile device and at least one peripheral device of claim 4, wherein said at least one peripheral device includes at least one said compact bar code reader and at least one said IC card reader.

14. The mobile device and peripheral device consolidation system for improved physical and electronic interoperability between a mobile device and at least one peripheral device of claim 4, wherein said at least one peripheral device includes at least one said compact bar code reader and at least one said RFID tag reader.