Modular PCMCIA modem and pager

• US 5,550,861 A
• Filed: 10/28/1994
• Issued: 08/27/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Flat Connections, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Novalink Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Chan, Demonder, Fultz, Robert B., Krishan, Baldev
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Stephen
• Assistant Examiner(s): GLUCK, JEFFREY WILLIAM
• Application Number:
  US08/330,752
• Time in Patent Office: 669 Days
• Field of Search: 375/222, 379/58, 455/38.2, 340/825.44
• US Class Current: 375/222
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1698 the I/O peripheral being a sending/receiving arrangement to establish a cordless communication link, e.g. radio or infrared link, integrated cellular phone details of antennas disposed inside a computer H01Q1/2266
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/385 for adaptation of a particular data processing system to different peripheral devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1635 Stackable modules

Abstract

A computer peripheral is provided that combines the functionality of multiple devices, for example, a pager, a facsimile machine, and a data modem. The computer peripheral is designed as one or more separable modules, or functional components, including a module for interfacing the peripheral to a host computer. At least one of the functional components can be operated either as part of the computer peripheral, or may be separated from the remainder of the computer peripheral and used as a self contained functional module.

Claims

1. A data communication device comprising:

a modem module having modem circuitry, first interface circuitry for selectively coupling the modem circuitry to a host computer and second interface circuitry for coupling the modem circuitry to a telephone line;

a pager module having pager circuitry, the pager module removably coupled to the modem module, the pager circuitry operating in a first mode to transmit wireless messages to the host computer via the first interface circuitry, and in a second mode, when uncoupled from the modem module and removably coupled to a battery pack, to receive wireless messages; and

switching circuitry disposed in the modem module and having a first operational state wherein the modem circuitry is coupled to the first interface circuitry to enable the host computer to communicate via the telephone line and a second operational state wherein the pager circuitry is coupled to the first interface circuitry to operate in the first mode, the switching circuitry defaulting to the first operational state when the pager module is uncoupled from the modem module.

2. The data communication device as defined in claim 1 wherein the pager module operates, when removably coupled to the modem module, to receive wireless communications.

3. The data communication device as defined in claim 1 wherein the pager module draws power from the host computer when removably coupled to the modem module.

4. The data communication device as defined in claim 1 wherein the first interface circuitry is compatible with PCMCIA expansion slot specifications for a Type II PCMCIA slot.

5. The data communication device as defined in claim 1 wherein the modem module is contained within a card having external dimensions suitable for insertion in a PCMCIA expansion slot that is a Type II PCMCIA slot.

6. The data communication device as defined in claim 1 wherein the modem circuitry includes circuitry to receive and transmit facsimile data via the telephone line.

7. The data communication device as defined in claim 1 wherein the pager circuitry receives alphanumeric e-mail messages.

8. The data communication device as defined in claim 1 wherein the modem module further comprises

an auxiliary port having a DATA_-- FROM_-- HOST line, a DATA_-- TO_-- HOST line, and a CONTROL line;

a data path coupling the first interface circuitry to the DATA_-- FROM_-- HOST line, so that data transmitted by the host computer through the first interface circuitry is serially transmitted on the DATA_-- FROM_-- HOST line; and

wherein the switching circuitry is coupled to the first interface circuitry, to the modem circuitry, and to the DATA_-- TO_-- HOST and CONTROL lines, the switching circuitry responsive to a control signal asserted on the CONTROL line, and selectively changeable between a first state wherein the modem circuitry is connected to the first interface circuitry and the DATA_-- TO_-- HOST line is disconnected from the first interface circuitry, and a second state wherein the modem circuitry is disconnected from the first interface circuitry and the DATA_-- TO_-- HOST line is connected to the first interface circuitry.

9. The data communication device as defined in claim 8 wherein the pager module removably connects to the auxiliary port, and wherein the pager circuitry further comprises control circuitry removably coupled to the DATA_-- TO_-- HOST, DATA_-- FROM_-- HOST, and CONTROL lines, via the connection to the auxiliary port, so that the control circuitry asserts a control signal on the CONTROL line responsive to a first predetermined data sequence on the DATA_-- FROM_-- HOST line, and removes the control signal from the CONTROL line responsive to a second predetermined data sequence on the DATA_-- FROM_-- HOST line.

10. The data communication device as defined in claim 8 wherein the data path coupling the first interface circuitry to the DATA_-- FROM_-- HOST line further comprises parallel-to-serial data conversion circuitry.

11. The data communication device as defined in claim 9 wherein each of the first and second predetermined data sequences comprises an attention code followed by a command code.

12. A pager module adapted to be removably coupled to a modem module coupled to a host computer, the modem module having modem circuitry and switching circuitry including a DATA_-- TO_-- HOST line, a DATA_-- FROM_-- HOST line and a CONTROL line, the pager module comprising:

pager circuitry for receiving wireless communications, the pager circuitry including control circuitry coupled to the DATA_-- TO_-- HOST, DATA_-- FROM_-- HOST and CONTROL lines,

the control circuitry asserting a first control signal on the CONTROL line responsive to a first predetermined data sequence received on the DATA_-- FROM_-- HOST line, so that the switching circuitry enters a first operational mode wherein the pager circuitry communicates with the host computer via the DATA_-- TO_-- HOST line, and asserting a second control signal on the CONTROL line responsive to a second predetermined data sequence received on the DATA_-- FROM_-- HOST line, so that the switching circuitry enters a second operational mode wherein the modem circuitry is coupled to the host computer and the pager circuitry is disconnected from the host computer.

13. The pager module as defined in claim 12 wherein the host computer may selectively communicate with the pager module when the pager module is removably coupled to the modem module.

14. The pager module as defined in claim 12 wherein the pager module operates, when removably coupled to the modem module, to receive wireless communications.

15. The pager module as defined in claim 12 wherein the pager modules operates, when uncoupled from the modem module, to receive wireless communications.

16. The pager module as defined in claim 14 wherein the pager module draws power from the host computer when removably coupled to the modem module.

17. The pager module as defined in claim 15 further comprising a battery pack, the pager module removably coupled to the battery pack when the pager module is uncoupled from the modem module.

18. A modem module comprising:

interface circuitry for coupling to a host computer;

modem circuitry;

means for removably coupling a pager module to the modem module; and

switching means responsive to a control signal asserted by the pager module responsive to a predetermined data sequence received by the pager module from the host computer, the switching means having a first mode of operation wherein the modem circuitry is coupled to the host computer to communicate via a telephone line, and a second mode of operation wherein the pager module is coupled to the host computer.

19. The modem module as defined in claim 18 wherein the switching circuitry defaults to the first mode of operation when a pager module is not coupled to the modem module.

20. The modem module as defined in claim 18 wherein the modem module supplies power to a pager module via the interface circuitry when the pager module is removable coupled to the modem module.

21. The modem module as defined in claim 18 wherein the interface circuitry, the modem circuitry and the switching circuitry is contained within a card having external dimensions suitable for insertion in a PCMCIA expansion slot that is a Type II PCMCIA slot.

22. The modem module as defined in claim 18 wherein the modem module further comprises:

an auxiliary port having a DATA_-- FROM_-- HOST line, a DATA_-- TO_-- HOST line, and a CONTROL line;

a data path coupling the interface circuitry to the DATA_-- FROM_-- HOST line, so that data transmitted by the host computer through the interface circuitry is serially transmitted on the DATA_-- FROM_-- HOST line; and

wherein the switching circuitry is coupled to the interface circuitry, to the modem circuitry, and to the DATA_-- TO_-- HOST and CONTROL lines, the switching circuitry responsive to a control signal asserted on the CONTROL line, and selectively changeable between the first mode of operation wherein the modem circuitry is connected to the interface circuitry and the DATA_-- TO_-- HOST line is disconnected from the interface circuitry, and the second mode of operation wherein the modem circuitry is disconnected from the interface circuitry and the DATA_-- TO_-- HOST line is connected to the interface circuitry.

23. A method of enabling a host computer to communicate by a telephone line and wireless messaging using a data communication device comprising a modem module having interface circuitry, modem circuitry and switching circuitry and a pager module for receiving wireless messages, the pager module including pager circuitry and control circuitry, the pager module removably coupled to the modem module, the method comprising steps of:

coupling the data communication device to the host computer;

issuing a first predetermined data sequence by the host computer to the control circuitry of the pager module;

providing a first control signal from the control circuitry to the switching circuitry responsive to the first predetermined data sequence; and

responsive to the first control signal, setting the switching circuitry to a first state wherein the modem circuitry is coupled to the interface circuitry to enable the host computer to communicate via the telephone line.

24. The method of claim 23 further comprising the steps of providing a second predetermined data sequence to the control circuitry, providing a second control signal to the switching circuitry, and responsive to the second control signal, setting the switching circuitry to a second state wherein the pager module is coupled to the interface circuitry to enable the host computer to communicate with the pager module.

25. The method of claim 23 further comprising a series of steps of:

uncoupling the pager module from the modem module;

generating a default control signal;

providing the default control signal to the switching circuitry;

responsive to the default control signal, setting the switching circuitry to the first state; and

operating the host computer to communicate through the modem circuitry and interface circuitry with the telephone line.

26. The method of claim 23 further comprising a series of steps of:

uncoupling the pager module from the modem module;

providing a battery pack;

removably coupling the battery pack to the pager module; and

supplying power to the pager module from the battery pack to enable the pager module to receive wireless messages.

27. The method of claim 24 further comprising a step of supplying power from the host computer to the pager module to enable the pager module to receive wireless messages.