Method, apparatus, and system for selection of a port for data exchange

• US 6,453,371 B1
• Filed: 04/23/1999
• Issued: 09/17/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Access Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Palm, Inc. (TCL Technology Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Hampson, Adam D., Witte, William C., Thompson, Bruce G., Lemke, Steven C., Chernikoff, Daniel F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gaffin, Jeffrey
• Assistant Examiner(s): ELAMIN, ABDELMONIEM I
• Application Number:
  US09/299,064
• Time in Patent Office: 1,243 Days
• Field of Search: 710/9, 710/37, 710/2, 710/131, 709/203
• US Class Current: 710/37
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

Various embodiments of the invention provide for selection of a port in a portable computer as a pathway for exchanging data between the portable computer and an external data source. These embodiments can function with a variety of physical accessories, such as docking port cradles and modems, that connect the portable computer with apparatus that include an external data source.

Some of the embodiments provide methods that include the receiving of a request signal for data exchange, and determining whether the signal is from a physical accessory. If the signal is from a physical accessory, the portable computer exchanges data through the corresponding physical accessory. On the other hand, if the portable computer determines that the signal is not from a physical accessory, the portable computer exchanges data through a predetermined port, such as a default port, or a port specified by the user as a preferred port. Certain users exchange data at different times using different ports in conjunction with different physical accessories, but use only one exclusive port that does not connect to a physical accessory. Various embodiments of the invention assure that expectations regarding data exchanges for these users never fail due to an improper port selection, as long as the one exclusive port is selected as the preferred port.

Claims

1. A method for selecting a port for data exchange in a portable computer, the method comprising:

receiving a request signal for data exchange;

determining if the request signal corresponds to a request for data exchange from a physical accessory;

if the request signal corresponds to a request for data exchange from the physical accessory, then overriding a previous designation of a predetermined port and selecting to exchange data through a connection port to the physical accessory;

else

exchanging data through the predetermined port in response to receiving the request signal.

2. The method of claim 1, identifying the predetermined port through a data exchange program.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the data exchange is adapted to perform data synchronization, and the method includes reconciling and updating data stored in the portable computer with data stored in a corresponding external data source using the data synchronization program.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein reconciling and updating data stored in the portable computer includes updating and reconciling items from at least one of address list file items and calendar file items.

5. The method of claim 2, including displaying, during the data exchange, information indicating the port used for the data exchange.

6. The method of claim 2, including displaying, after the data exchange, information indicating the port used for the data exchange.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein overriding a previous selection of a predetermined port and exchanging data through a connection port of the physical accessory includes a processor overriding the previous selecting of the predetermined port for the connection port.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein:

receiving a request signal for data exchange includes identifying from the request signal an indication of an accessory type corresponding to the physical accessory; and

overriding a previous selection of a predetermined port includes determining from the indication of the accessory type the connection port corresponding to the physical accessory.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising previously selecting the predetermined port as a preferred port using a selection graphic, the selection graphic displayed by a program for selection of a connection.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising exchanging data on the portable computer with an external data source, including transferring data using one of:

infrared transmission, radio frequency, wireless transmission, a direct serial port, a direct parallel port, and a modem.

11. The method of claim 1, including exchanging data through the predetermined port by interacting with a user interface provided by a program for data exchange.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein determining if request signal corresponds to a request for data exchange includes determining if the request signal is from one of a modem and a docking port.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein:

exchanging data through the predetermined port includes exchanging data through a previously selected port selected from one of an infrared communication port, a modem port, a port adapted for serial communications, a port adapted for parallel communications, and a port adapted for radio frequency communications.

14. A portable computer, comprising:

a plurality of ports configured to exchange data;

a processor adapted to;

detect a request signal for data exchange from a physical accessory connected to the portable computer,

identify an accessory type corresponding to the physical accessory if the request signal includes an indication of the accessory type; and

if the request signal includes the indication of the accessory type, respond to the request signal by causing the portable computer to exchange data through the physical accessory;

else

if the request signal does not include the indication, respond to the request signal by causing the portable computer to exchange data through a previously designated preferred port.

15. The portable computer of claim 14, including an image screen, wherein the processor is configured to display a user interface on the image screen, including a port picker graphic for designating the preferred port.

16. The portable computer of claim 14, wherein the processor is configured to identify the accessory type from the indication of the request signal, and in response to identifying the accessory type, execute a data exchange program and alter portions of the program according to the accessory type.

17. The portable computer of claim 16, wherein:

further comprising a memory to store a look-up table that associates individual physical accessories in a first group to voltage levels of the request signal.

18. The portable computer of claim 14, including:

an image screen; and

the processor being configured to display graphic user interface elements in order to prompt a user to designate the preferred port.

19. The portable computer of claim 18, wherein the processor is configured to display the graphic user interface elements in a connection panel, the connection panel includes graphic user interface elements for selecting:

one of the types of physical accessories for exchanging data, and a type of connection for exchanging data; and

the speed of the data exchange.

20. The portable computer of claim 19, wherein the processor is configured to identify the accessory type from the indication of the request signal, responsive to the type of physical accessory being identified as a modem, the connection panel including a string graphic element corresponding to a value that enables a user to gain access to a source of data with which the portable computer exchanges data.

21. The portable computer of claim 19, wherein the processor is configured to display the connection panel providing an edit capability which is selectable to specify additional types of physical accessories for selection as preferred connections, and add the additional types to the connection panel.

22. The portable computer of claim 14, wherein the plurality of ports include at least one infrared port adapted to exchange packet data.

23. The portable computer of claim 22, wherein the infrared port is adapted to exchange packet data formatted according to an Infrared Link Management Protocol and according to an Infrared Link Access Protocol.

24. The portable computer of claim 14, wherein the plurality of ports include at least one of an internal modem, a mode port, a serial port, a parallel port, an infrared port adapted to exchange packet data directly with another infrared port, and an infrared port adapted to exchange packet data through a modem.

25. The portable computer of claim 14, wherein the processor is configured to execute a data synchronization program adapted to reconcile and update data stored in the portable computer with data stored in a corresponding external data source.

26. The portable computer of claim 14 including a memory wherein:

at last one of the ports is adapted to couple with the physical accessory, the physical accessory is adapted to connect the portable computer to at least one external data source.

27. The portable computer of claim 14, wherein the processor is configured to process the request signal to identify an indication that the physical accessory is actively coupled to the portable computer and is actively coupled to at least one external data source connected to the physical accessory.