Apparatus and method for connecting a cellular telephone to a universal serial bus

• US 7,079,865 B1
• Filed: 09/17/2003
• Issued: 07/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Terrestrial Comms LLC (IPValuation Partners, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Skyworks Solutions Incorporated
• Inventors: Farazmandnia, Farshid, Chandler, Michael O., Sneed, George C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Trinh, Sonny
• Assistant Examiner(s): DOAN, PHUOC HUU
• Application Number:
  US10/666,617
• Time in Patent Office: 1,035 Days
• Field of Search: 455/559, 455/550, 455/557, 455/550.1, 370/328, 370/480, 713/200, 713/174, 320/115
• US Class Current: 455/557
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72409 by interfacing with external accessories hands-free H04M1/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/04 Interfaces between hierarchically different network devices

Abstract

A mobile phone interface (MPI) is molded between the ends of a Universal Serial Bus (USB) cable. One end of the USB cable is plugged into a standard USB port on a personal computing device and the other end is plugged into a cellular telephone. The MPI comprises a USB serial interface engine (USB SIE), a digital translation block (DTB) and a cellular phone interface. The cellular phone interface provides electrical connections to the signals within the supported cellular telephone. The DTB performs synchronous and asynchronous data transfers and buffer functions in accordance with the implemented protocol. The USB serial interface engine performs serialization, de-serialization and USB set-up in accordance with USB standards. Software for controlling the MPI is installed on the computer system. The control software comprises a communication control stack, a hardware access driver and an external plug-in module.

Claims

1. A computer software product for use by a computer system to transfer data between said computer system and a mobile phone for communication with a wireless network, said wireless network using a communication protocol, wherein said computer system is connected to a first end of a cable and said mobile phone is connected to a second end of said cable, said computer software product comprising:

code for formatting said data in accordance with said communication protocol to generate formatted data; and

code for transmitting said formatted data over said cable;

wherein said cable includes a mobile phone interface interposed on said cable between said first end and said second end, and wherein said mobile phone interface has an interface engine in communication with said computer system, a digital translation block in communication with said interface engine, and a phone interface in communication with said mobile phone.

2. The computer software product of claim 1, wherein said code for formatting converts said data between a format used by a data terminal emulation program and another format used by said communication protocol.

3. The computer software product of claim 1 further comprising code for parsing commands, code for controlling a hardware access drive, and code for an external plug-in module.

4. A method of transferring data for use by a computer system to transfer data between said computer system and a mobile phone for communication with a wireless network, said wireless network using a communication protocol, wherein said computer system is connected to a first end of a cable and said mobile phone is connected to a second end of said cable, said method comprising:

formatting said data in accordance with said communication protocol to generate formatted data; and

transmitting said formatted data over said cable;

wherein said cable includes a mobile phone interface interposed on said cable between said first end and said second end, and wherein said mobile phone interface has an interface engine in communication with said computer system, a digital translation block in communication with said interface engine, and a phone interface in communication with said mobile phone.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said formatting converts said data between a format used by a data terminal emulation program and another format used by said communication protocol.

6. A computer system capable of communicating data with a mobile phone for communication with a wireless network, said wireless network using a communication protocol, wherein said computer system is connected to a first end of a cable and said mobile phone is connected to a second end of said cable, said computer system comprising:

a formatting module configured to format said data in accordance with said communication protocol and to generate formatted data; and

a transmitting module configured to transmit said formatted data over said cable;

wherein said cable includes a mobile phone interface interposed on said cable between said first end and said second end, and wherein said mobile phone interface has an interface engine in communication with said computer system, a digital translation block in communication with said interface engine, and a phone interface in communication with said mobile phone.

7. The computer system of claim 6, wherein said formatting module converts said data between a format used by a data terminal emulation program and another format used by said communication protocol.

8. The computer system of claim 6 further comprising a command parser, a hardware access drive, and an external plug-in module.

9. A system for connecting a mobile phone to a computing device, said system comprising:

a computing device connector configured to connect to said computing device;

a mobile phone connector configured to connect to said mobile phone; and

a mobile phone interface connecting said computing device connector to said mobile phone connector, said mobile phone interface including;

an interface engine in communication with said computing device connector;

a digital translation block in communication with said interface engine; and

a phone interface in communication with said mobile phone connector;

wherein said computing device connector and said mobile phone connector are at two ends of a cable, and wherein said mobile phone interface is interposed on said cable between said two ends.

10. The system of claim 9 further comprising:

a software program for controlling said mobile phone interface.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said software program runs on said computing device.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein said software program converts data between a format used by said computing device and another format used by said mobile phone.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein said computing device connector is a Universal Serial Bus connector.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein said computing device is a personal computer.

15. A cable for connecting a mobile phone to a computing device, said cable comprising:

a first end configured to connect to said computing device;

a second end configured to connect to said mobile phone; and

a mobile phone interface interposed on said cable between said first end and said second end, said mobile phone interface including;

an interface engine in communication with said computing device connector;

a digital translation block in communication with said interface engine; and

a phone interface in communication with said mobile phone connector.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said first end is a Universal Serial Bus connector.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein said computing device is a personal computer.