Modular digital assistant

• US 6,272,575 B1
• Filed: 02/26/1999
• Issued: 08/07/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Rajchel, Suzanne Kennedy
• Primary Examiner(s): Beausoleil, Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHUNG TRANS, XUONG MY
• Application Number:
  US09/259,079
• Time in Patent Office: 893 Days
• Field of Search: 710/102, 710/107, 710/72, 455/11.1, 455/566, 455/552
• US Class Current: 710/301
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/204 the platform being a handheld device
• 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 1/72409 by interfacing with external accessories hands-free H04M1/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72427 for supporting games or graphical animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/44 Receiver circuitry for the reception of television signals according to analogue transmission standards H04N5/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/00 User notification, e.g. alerting and paging, for incoming communication, change of service or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

A modular digital assistant includes a base unit and a functionally specific module of a plurality of interchangeable processing or communications modules. Each functionally specific module is removably engageable with the base unit. The combined base unit and functionally specific module provides the functionality of the selected module, such as telephony, gaming, or radio or television broadcast receiving. One member of the plurality can provide telecommunication functions, such as wireline telephony or wireless telephony. Another module of the plurality of functionally specific modules can provide paging functionality. Another module of the plurality can provide card reading functions for carrying out financial transactions or providing entertainment. Yet another module of the plurality could provide video game playing functionality using a game playing input, such as a touch screen display, a trackball, or a joystick.

Claims

1. A multi-purpose, portable modular digital apparatus comprising:

a base unit, the base unit having a housing of a size adapted to fit into a user'"'"'s hand;

the base unit further including a user interface, a first connector, and a first processor coupled to the user interface and to the first connector, the first processor including instructions solely for driving the user interface;

at least one functionally specific module selected from a plurality of functionally specific modules wherein each functionally specific module of the plurality provides a different interactive function to form a plurality of interactive functions, the functionally specific module removably couplable to the base unit and functionally interactive therewith;

wherein the functionally specific module is adapted to provide, when coupled to the base unit, a selected, interactive function of the plurality of interactive functions; and

wherein the base unit and the functionally specific module when coupled together form a hand-held, integrated unit with the functionally specific module carried substantially fixed on the housing;

wherein the first processor drives the user interface in accordance with the selected interactive function provided by the functionally specific module;

wherein the functionally specific module is selected from a plurality of functionally specific modules which provide interactive functions from a class including;

a paging function;

an internet access function;

a data transmission and reception function;

a wireline telecommunication function;

a wireless telecommunication function;

a television broadcast reception function;

a radio broadcast reception function;

an audible entertaining function;

an audible and visual entertaining function;

an interactive gaming function;

a disk reading function; and

a card reading function;

wherein the functionally specific module further includes a second processor, the second processor including instructions specific to the function selected from the class;

wherein input and output functionality for the functionally specific module is provided by the user interface of the base unit; and

wherein the selected, interactive function of the functionally specific module is user controlled via the user interface.

2. The digital apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first processor includes instructions for establishing images on a display of the user interface in accordance with the interactive function selected from the class.

3. The digital apparatus of claim 2, wherein the functionally specific module includes a slot for receiving an encoded card when the functionally specific module provides a card reading function.

4. The digital apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of functionally specific modules have a PCMCIA compatible form.

5. The digital apparatus of claim 1, wherein the functionally specific module includes an audio output interface, a speaker coupled to the audio output interface, and a headphone jack coupled to the audio output interface, wherein the functionally specific module provides an audio function.

6. The digital apparatus of claim 1, wherein the functionally specific module further includes a second connector compatible with the first connector for removable coupling of the functionally specific module with the base unit and for communication between the functionally specific module and the base unit.

7. The digital apparatus of claim 1, wherein the user interface is an interactive touch screen.

8. A multi-purpose, portable modular digital apparatus personalizable to a predetermined interactive function, the digital apparatus comprising:

a plurality of different function imparting modules for providing a corresponding plurality of selected predetermined interactive functions, the plurality of predetermined interactive functions including at least one interactive function selected from a set of interactive functions including wireline telecommunication, wireless telecommunication, data transmission and reception, internet access, television broadcast reception, radio broadcast reception, card reading, disk reading, paging, gaming, audio programming, and video programming;

wherein the function imparting module further includes a first processor, the first processor including instructions specific to the interactive function selected from the set of interactive functions;

a receiving base unit holdable in a user'"'"'s hand, engageable one at a time with each of the function imparting modules, wherein the receiving base unit includes a housing having a connector for removably engaging a selected one of the function imparting modules, the receiving base unit further including a second processor coupled to the connector and a user interface coupled to the second processor, the user interface including a visual, two dimensional display, the second processor including instructions solely for driving the user interface in accordance with the selected interactive function provided by the selected function imparting module; and

wherein the selected interactive function of the selected function imparting module is user controlled via the user interface; and

wherein input and output functionality for the functional imparting module is provided by the user interface of the receiving base unit.

9. The digital apparatus of claim 8 wherein the second processor includes a set of instructions executable thereby for providing text on the display of the user interface in accordance with the selected function imparting module.

10. The digital apparatus of claim 8 wherein the second processor includes a set of instructions executable thereby for providing a graphical image on the display of the user interface in accordance with the selected function imparting module.

11. The digital apparatus of claim 8, wherein the plurality of function imparting modules have a PCMCIA compatible form.

12. The digital apparatus of claim 8, wherein the function imparting module includes an audio output interface, a speaker coupled to the audio output interface, and a headphone jack coupled to the audio output interface, wherein the function imparting module provides an audio function.

13. A digital apparatus of claim 8 wherein the second processor includes a set of instructions executable thereby for providing a voice communication function of the user interface in accordance with a selected function imparting module.

14. A multi-purpose, portable modular digital apparatus comprising:

a base unit, the base unit having a housing of a size adapted to fit into a user'"'"'s hand;

the base unit further including a user interface, a first connector, and a first processor coupled to the user interface and to the first connector, the first processor including instructions solely for driving the user interface; and

at least one functionally specific module selected from a plurality of functionally specific modules, wherein each functionally specific module of the plurality provides a different interactive function selected from a plurality of interactive functions including a paging function, an internet access function, a data transmission and reception function, a wireline telecommunication function, a wireless telecommunication function, a television broadcast reception function, a radio broadcast reception function, an audible entertaining function, an audible and visual entertaining function, an interactive gaming function, a disk reading function and a card reading function;

the functionally specific module removably couplable to the base unit and functionally interactive therewith;

wherein the functionally specific module further includes a second processor, the second processor including instructions specific to the selected interactive function of the plurality of interactive functions;

wherein the functionally specific module is adapted to provide, when coupled to the base unit, the selected interactive function of the plurality of interactive functions; and

wherein the base unit and the functionally specific module when coupled together form a hand-held, integrated unit with the functionally specific module carried substantially fixed on the housing, wherein the first processor drives the user interface in accordance with the selected interactive function provided by the functionally specific module; and

wherein input and output functionality for the functionally specific module is provided by the user interface of the base unit, and wherein the selected, interactive function of the functionally specific module is user controlled via the user interface.

15. The digital apparatus of claim 14, wherein the plurality of functionally specific modules have a PCMCIA compatible form.

16. The digital apparatus of claim 14, wherein the functionally specific module includes an audio output interface, a speaker coupled to the audio output interface, and a headphone jack coupled to the audio output interface, wherein the functionally specific module provides an audio function.