Synchronization cradle with expansion card slots

• US 6,900,980 B2
• Filed: 05/02/2001
• Issued: 05/31/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Palm, Inc. (TCL Technology Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Christopher, David A.
• Primary Examiner(s): DATSKOVSKIY, MICHAIL V
• Application Number:
  US09/847,509
• Publication Number:
  US 20020163780A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,490 Days
• Field of Search: 361/683, 361/686, 361/687, 361/699, 361/700, 361/684, 361/681, 364/708.1, 709/203, 709/217, 709/218, 709/219, 709/223, 709/227, 709/248, 395/200, 395/205, 395/325, 395/509, 395/800, 395/281, 455/556, 455/558, 455/575, 455/551, 455/552, 455/422, 348/552, 348/373, 348/207, 348/222, 348/231
• US Class Current: 361/679.31
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations

Abstract

A synchronization docking station or synchronization cradle for a handheld computer is disclosed. The synchronization cradle includes a data connection configured to communicate data from the docking station to the handheld computer. The synchronization cradle also includes at least one expansion card connector coupled to the docking station configured to communicate data between an expansion card and the docking station.

Claims

1. A synchronization docking station for a handheld computer, comprising:

a data connection configured to communicate data from the docking station to the handheld computer; and

more than one expansion card connector coupled to the docking station and configured to communicate data between an expansion card and the docking station, the expansion card connector also configured to couple with a rechargeable battery pack for recharging;

wherein the docking station includes a datalink configured to communicate data to a personal computer, and the personal computer includes a program configured to read the content stored on the expansion card, the program comprising a user interface, the user interface having an expansion card indicating area and an expansion card content area, the interface enabling drag and drop functionality to transfer expansion card content from one card to another card, the docking station also providing recharging of a rechargeable battery pack coupled to the expansion card connector.

2. The synchronization docking station of claim 1, wherein the docking station is a synchronization cradle.

3. The synchronization docking station of claim 1, wherein the more than one expansion card connector is configured to communicate data between the expansion card and the handheld computer.

4. The synchronization docking station of claim 1, wherein the more than one expansion card connector is disposed within an expansion card slot, the expansion card slot being integrated into the docking station.

5. The synchronization docking station of claim 1, wherein the data link is a wireless link.

6. The synchronization docking station of claim 1, wherein the docking station includes a data link configured to communicate data to a communications network.

7. The synchronization docking station of claim 6, wherein the data link is a wireless link.

8. The synchronization docking station of claim 1, wherein the expansion card connector is configured to accept both secure digital (SD) cards and multimedia cards (MMCs).

9. A system for storing and transferring data, comprising:

a mobile electronic device;

a personal computer; and

a synchronization cradle in a communication with the personal computer and the mobile electronic device, the synchronization cradle including more than one receptacle for connecting an expansion card thereto, the more than one receptacle also configured to receive and provide power to a rechargeable battery pack for recharging,

wherein the personal computer includes a program configured to display the contents of an expansion card located in the at least one receptacle, the program comprising a user interface, the user interface having an expansion card indicating area and an expansion card content area, the interface enabling drag and drop functionality to transfer expansion card content from one card to another card, the synchronization cradle also providing power to a rechargeable battery pack when a rechargeable battery pack is coupled to at least one of the more than one receptacle.

10. The system for storing and transferring data of claim 9, wherein the handheld computer includes a program configured to display the contents of an expansion card located in one of the more than one receptacle.

11. The system for storing and transferring data of claim 9, wherein the mobile electronic device is a handheld computer.

12. The system for storing and transferring data of claim 9, wherein the mobile electronic device includes a cellular telephone transceiver.

13. The system for storing and transferring data of claim 9, wherein the more than one receptacle is configured to receive both secure digital (SD) cards and multimedia cards (MMCs).

14. The system for storing and transferring data of claim 9, wherein the synchronization cradle is configured to communicate with the personal computer over a wireless link.

15. A computer system, comprising:

a communications bus;

a storage device coupled to the communications bus;

a memory coupled to the communications bus;

a processor coupled to the communications bus;

a synchronization cradle for a handheld computer, the synchronization cradle including more than one slot for accepting an expansion card and the synchronization cradle in communications with the communications bus, the more than one slot also configured for accenting a rechargeable battery pack; and

a program stored in the memory and running on the processor, the program configured to display to a user a listing of the contents off the expansion card, the program comprising a user interface, the user interface having an expansion card indicating area and an expansion card content area, the interface enabling drag and drop functionality to transfer expansion card content from one card to another card, the synchronization cradle also providing power to a rechargeable battery pack when a rechargeable battery pack is coupled to at least one of the more than one slots.

16. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the program is configured to display the name of files on the expansion card.

17. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the program is configured to display the size of files on the expansion card.

18. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the program is configured to display the type of the files on the expansion card.

19. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the program is configured to display the date the file on the expansion card was last modified.

20. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the program is configured to identify all of the expansion cards received in the more than one slot.

21. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the more than one slot is configured to accept both secure digital (SD) and multimedia cards (MMCs).

22. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the program enables selective transferring of files between the expansion card and the storage device.

23. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the program enables selective transferring of files between the expansion card and the handheld computer.

24. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the program enables selective transferring of files between more than one expansion card in the more than one slot.

25. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the expansion card includes an input/output device.

26. The computer system of claim 25, wherein the expansion card is a SD input/output (SDIO) card.

27. The computer system of claim 25, wherein the input/output device is a camera.

28. The computer system of claim 25, wherein the input/output device is a MPEG3 (MP3) player.

29. A method of exchanging digital files between a memory device and a computer, the method comprising:

providing a synchronization device for a handheld computer, the synchronization device including more than one memory device connector;

coupling a memory device to one of the memory device connectors;

coupling a rechargeable battery pack to one of the memory device connectors;

running a program on the computer, the program configured to provide a user interface used to transfer files, the program comprising a user interface, the user interface having an expansion card indicating area and an expansion card content area, the interface enabling drag and drop functionality to transfer expansion card content from one card to another card;

dragging, on the user interface, a file in the content area associated with the memory device;

dropping, on the user interface, a file in the content area associated with one of another memory device and the computer,

reading the digital files on the memory device;

transferring at least one digital file; and

providing power to the rechargeable battery pack through one of the memory device connectors.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the transferring step transfers a digital file between the computer and the memory device.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein the transferring step transfers a digital file between a first memory device and a second memory device.

32. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

coupling a handheld computer to the synchronization device.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the transferring step transfers a digital file between the handheld computer and the memory device.