Device and a method for connecting a mobile phone handset to an external keyboard

• US 6,628,961 B1
• Filed: 08/04/2000
• Issued: 09/30/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Inventec Electronics Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Inventec Electronics Company Limited
• Inventors: Jiang, Chun, Ho, Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): Bost, Dwayne
• Assistant Examiner(s): Afshar, Kamran
• Application Number:
  US09/633,083
• Time in Patent Office: 1,152 Days
• Field of Search: 455/90, 455/550, 455/556, 455/557, 455/558, 455/575, D14/244, D14/247, D14/235, D14/146
• US Class Current: 455/554.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0219 Special purpose keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0254 comprising one or a plurality of mechanically detachable modules
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/23 Construction or mounting of dials or of equivalent devices; Means for facilitating the use thereof by improving visibility H04M1/22
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72409 by interfacing with external accessories hands-free H04M1/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/18 including more than one keyboard unit

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device and a method for connecting a mobile phone handset to an external keyboard. A multimedia card slot interface is included in the portable keyboard of the present invention, which can be incorporated to the original interface of the handset. In the meantime, a microprocessor and a random access memory are also included in the keyboard. After sending an interrupt command from the handset to the keyboard, by scanning the keyboard, whether the key is pressed or not is determined by the microprocessor and the key value is stored in its own random access memory. When the key value is stored in the random access memory, an interrupt command is sent to the handset by the keyboard. After the handset is ready, the key value will be transferred to the handset via the multimedia card slot interface.

Claims

1. An external keyboard device of a mobile phone handset, comprising:

a multimedia card slot interface is provided in said mobile phone handset; and

a keyboard coupled to said mobile phone handset via said multimedia card slot interface;

the mobile phone handset receives a key value from the keyboard in the interrupt mode.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein said mobile phone handset including an LCD display screen and the input keys.

3. A device according to claim 1, wherein said mobile phone handset including an RF input module and an RF output module.

4. A device according to claim 1, wherein said multimedia card slot interface of said mobile phone handset is externally coupled to a memory card.

5. A device according to claim 1, wherein said keyboard further comprising:

keys for data entry;

a random access memory for storing data entered; and

a microprocessor for controlling said memory and transmission of data entered.

6. A device according to claim 5, wherein the storage and transmission of said data entered is processed by said microprocessor via an interrupt mode activated by the keyboard upon detecting key entered on the keyboard.

7. A device according to claim 1, wherein said mobile phone handset and said keyboard are communicated through interrupt mode.

8. A device according to claim 1, wherein after pressing the keyboard, said mobile phone handset enters into an interrupt mode.

9. A method for transmitting data by using an external keyboard of a handset, comprising:

verifying whether a keyboard is connected to a transmission interface of the handset;

instructing said keyboard to enter an interrupt mode, while said keyboard is connected to said handset;

detecting keys entered on said keyboard under the interrupt mode, and storing the value of the key entered in memory;

setting handset into an interrupt mode; and

transmitting said key value to said handset via said transmission interface.

10. A method according to claim 9, wherein said handset including an LCD display and keys.

11. A method according to claim 9, wherein said handset including an RF input module and an RF output module.

12. A method according to claim 9, wherein said transmission interface of said handset is a multimedia card slot interface.

13. A method according to claim 9, wherein said multimedia card slot interface is connected externally to a memory card.

14. A method according to claim 9, further comprising:

transmitting an interrupt request from said keyboard to said handset and clearing an interrupt flag of said keyboard.

15. A method according to claim 9, further comprising:

setting said keyboard to enter an interrupt mode.

16. A method according to claim 9, further comprising:

clearing an interrupt flag of said handset.

17. A method according to claim 9, further comprising:

storing said key value in a memory by said handset.