Methods and apparatus for modularization of real time and task oriented features in wireless communications

• US 6,907,264 B1
• Filed: 08/09/2000
• Issued: 06/14/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Sterkel, Terrence Eugene
• Primary Examiner(s): GELIN, JEAN ALLAND
• Application Number:
  US09/634,356
• Time in Patent Office: 1,770 Days
• Field of Search: 455/556.1, 455/551, 455/556.2, 455/128, 455/348, 455/349, 455/550, 455/556, 455/557, 455/558, 455/566, 455/575, 370/376
• US Class Current: 455/556.1
• 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 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0258 controlling an operation mode according to history or models of usage information, e.g. activity schedule or time of day
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0264 by selectively disabling software applications
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A wireless telephone comprising a basic telephone module adapted to perform time critical functions, and an enhanced services module adapted to perform non time critical functions is disclosed. The basic telephone module includes processing resources needed to provide communication, while the enhanced services module performs enhanced functions which can be performed on a non time critical basis so that processing resources belonging to the basic telephone module do not need to be diverted to these functions but instead can be dedicated to performing time critical functions. The basic telephone module can be removed from the enhanced services module and connected to a different enhanced services module, similarly, the enhanced services module can be removed from the basic telephone module and connected to a different basic telephone module. This feature allows a user to retain his or her basic telephone module or enhanced services module when acquiring a new or upgraded enhanced services module or basic telephone module.

Claims

1. A wireless telephone, comprising:

a basic telephone module for establishing a connection to a base station and processing voice and data for communication with the base station, the basic telephone module being operative to perform a group of time critical functions for communication with the base station and a group of non time critical functions; and

an enhanced services module adapted to connect with the basic telephone module in order to perform the group of non time critical functions upon detection by the basic telephone module of the connection of the enhanced services module with the basic telephone module, the enhanced services module receiving data from the basic telephone module, processing the data and passing processed data to the basic telephone module during intervals when the basic telephone module has sufficient idle processing capacity available to receive the data,

the basic telephone module detecting the connection of the enhanced services module, in response to detecting the connection of the connected enhanced services module, the basic telephone module disabling the group of non time critical functions being performed by the basic telephone module, and enabling the group of non time critical functions to be performed by the enhanced services module.

2. The telephone of claim 1 further comprising an interface module for transferring data between the basic telephone module and the enhanced services module.

3. The telephone of claim 2 wherein the enhanced services module comprises:

a processor,

a memory;

a bus for transferring data between the processor and the memory, the bus also transferring data to and from the basic telephone module though the interface module.

4. The telephone of claim 3 wherein the basic telephone module, the enhanced services module and the interface module each include connectors to allow easy connection and disconnection of the basic telephone module to and from the enhanced services module.

5. The telephone of claim 4 wherein the connectors are zero insertion force connectors.

6. The telephone of claim 4 wherein the interface module comprises a universal serial bus connection.

7. The telephone of claim 5 further comprising a connection module having a memory module accessible to both the basic telephone module and the enhanced services module.

8. The telephone of claim 5 wherein the enhanced services module includes external device interfaces for connecting the telephone to external devices and wherein the bus also transfers data between the processor and the external device interfaces.

9. The telephone of claim 8 wherein the external device interfaces include a subscriber identity module interface.

10. The telephone of claim 9, wherein the external device interfaces include a Y-cable interface, an infrared device adapter interface and a BLUETOOTH®

interface.

11. The telephone of claim 10 wherein the enhanced services module performs a worldwide web browser function to allow user communication over an Internet connection.

12. The telephone of claim 11 wherein the basic telephone module includes user interface components and wherein the enhanced services module provides enhancements to the user interface components of the basic telephone module by receiving basic data signals from the user interface components, retrieving enhanced data signals in response to the basic data signals and supplying the enhanced data signals to the basic telephone module.

13. The telephone of claim 12 wherein the user interface components of the basic telephone module include a keypad and wherein the enhanced services module receives keystroke information from the basic telephone module, retrieves enhanced keystroke data in response to the keystroke information and supplies the enhanced keystroke data to the basic telephone module.

14. The telephone of claim 13 wherein the user interface components of the basic telephone module include a display and wherein the enhanced services module receives display data from the basic telephone module, adds display enhancements to the display data and transfers the display data and display enhancements to the basic telephone module for display.

15. The telephone of claim 14 wherein the enhanced services module produces enhanced services module display data and transfers the enhanced services module display data to the basic telephone module in order to display the enhanced services module display data.

16. The telephone of claim 15 wherein the enhanced services module display data includes personal organizer information retrieved from the enhanced services module and processed for display.

20. A wireless telephone of claim 1 wherein the enhanced services module further comprises a keyboard.

21. A wireless telephone of claim 1 wherein the enhanced services module further comprises a display.

17. A method of wireless communication, comprising:

connecting a basic telephone module to an enhanced services module;

receiving inputs from a user and transferring data between the basic telephone module and the enhanced services module;

storing inputs in order to perform functions selected by the user in the absence of a communication connection with a base station;

transferring subscriber information from the enhanced services module connected to the basic telephone module during intervals when the basic telephone module has sufficient idle processing capacity available to receive the subscriber information;

establishing a connection with a base station;

conducting communication functions with the base station using the basic telephone module to perform time critical functions and non time critical functions;

detecting the connection of the enhanced services module; and

transferring the performance of said non time critical functions to the enhanced services module, in response to detecting the connection of the enhanced services module to the basic telephone module.

18. A method of upgrading a wireless telephone comprising the steps of:

removing an enhanced services module from a basic telephone module;

connecting the enhanced services module to a new basic telephone module, the new basic telephone module openable for processing a group of time critical functions and a group of non time critical functions;

detecting the connection of the enhanced services module; and

transferring the processing of the group of non time critical functions to the enhanced services module, in response to detecting the connection of the enhanced services module to the basic telephone module.

19. A method of upgrading a wireless telephone comprising the steps of:

removing an enhanced services module from a basic telephone module;

connecting the basic telephone module to a new enhanced services module;

the basic telephone module operable for processing a group of non time critical functions;

detecting the connection of the new enhanced services module; and

transferring the processing of the group of non time critical functions to the new enhanced services module, in response to detecting the connection of the enhanced services module to the basic telephone module.

22. A wireless telephone comprising:

an interface module;

an enhanced services module removeably attached to the interface module; and

a basic telephone module removeably attached to the interface module, the basic telephone module controls scheduling of data transfer between the basic telephone module and the enhanced services module by indicating when the basic telephone module is ready to receive data or interrupting operations being performed by the enhanced services module when the basic telephone module has data to send to the enhanced services module, the basic telephone module detecting the connection of the enhanced services module to the interface module, in response to detecting the connection of the enhanced services module connection, the basic telephone module disabling a group of non time critical functions being performed by the basic telephone module, and enabling the group of non time critical functions to be performed by the enhanced services module.

23. A wireless telephone, comprising:

a basic telephone module for establishing a connection to a base station and processing voice and data for communication with the base station, the basic telephone module having a first processor, a plurality of basic components needed for operation, and a first internal bus to communicate therebetween, the basic telephone module being operative to perform time critical and non time critical functions for communication with the base station; and

an enhanced services module adapted to connect with the basic telephone module in order to perform non time critical functions, the enhanced services module having a second processor, at least one optional hardware component and a second internal bus to communicate therebetween, the enhanced services module receiving data from the basic telephone module, processing the data by communicating between the second processor and the at least one optional hardware component and passing processed data to the basic telephone module during intervals when the basic telephone data has sufficient idle processing capacity available to receive the data, the basic telephone module detecting the connection of the enhanced services module to the basic telephone module, in response to detecting the connection of the enhanced services module, the basic telephone module disabling a non time critical function being performed by the basic telephone module, and enabling the non time critical functions to be performed by the enhanced services module.