Gametenna, interfacing wireless telephone and method

• US 7,272,424 B2
• Filed: 05/11/2005
• Issued: 09/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert S. Wolinsky, Scott Wolinsky
• Original Assignee: Robert S. Wolinsky, Scott Wolinsky
• Inventors: Wolinsky, Robert S., Wolinsky, Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Duc M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lai, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US11/126,731
• Publication Number:
  US 20060258345A1
• Time in Patent Office: 860 Days
• Field of Search: 455/556.1, 455/575.7, 455/558, 463/44, 343/905
• US Class Current: 455/575.7
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/22 by structural association with other equipment or articles
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72406 by software upgrading or downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72427 for supporting games or graphical animations

Abstract

An interchangeable Gametenna used in conjunction with a wireless telephone to play a game. The Gametenna includes an antenna having at least one radiating element for receiving and transmitting wireless signals, and a memory device which is physically coupled to the radiating element by at least one non-conductive mount which electrically isolates the memory device from the radiating element. The wireless telephone includes a transceiver, a first external interface electrically coupled to the transceiver, a processor and a second external interface electrically coupled to the processor. The Gametenna expands the capabilities of the wireless telephone when connected to the first and second external interfaces. The transceiver receives and transmits wireless signals via the first external interface and the radiating element of the antenna. The processor accesses data stored in the memory device via the second external interface. The data may include instructions for playing a game.

Claims

1. A Gametenna comprising:

(a) an antenna having at least one hollow cylindrical radiating element for receiving and transmitting wireless signals; and

(b) a memory device for storing data used to play a game, the memory device being physically coupled to an inner surface of the hollow cylindrical radiating element by at least one non-conductive mount that electrically isolates the memory device from the hollow cylindrical radiating element.

2. The Gametenna of claim 1 wherein the data is used by a wireless telephone coupled to the Gametenna to activate software stored in a memory within the wireless telephone.

3. The Gametenna of claim 1 wherein the Gametenna is electrically coupled to a wireless telephone having a transceiver and a processor, the Gametenna further comprising:

(c) a first interface for electrically coupling the hollow cylindrical radiating element of the antenna to the transceiver of the wireless telephone for receiving and transmitting the wireless signals; and

(d) a second interface for electrically coupling the memory device to the processor of the wireless telephone for providing the processor with access to the data stored in the memory device.

4. The Gametenna of claim 3 wherein the first interface is circumvented by the second interface.

5. The Gametenna of claim 1 wherein the antenna comprises a plurality of extendable interlocking hollow metallic cylindrical radiating elements and the non-conductive mount is used to physically couple the memory device to an inner surface of at least one of the hollow metallic cylindrical radiating elements.

6. A method of selecting and playing different games using a wireless telephone, the method comprising:

(a) connecting a first Gametenna to the wireless telephone, the first Gametenna comprising a first antenna and a first memory device, wherein the first antenna has a first radiating element for receiving and transmitting wireless signals, and the first memory device is physically coupled to the first radiating element by at least one non-conductive mount that electrically isolates the first memory device from the first radiating element;

(b) playing a first game using the wireless telephone by accessing game instructions stored in the first memory device of the first Gametenna;

(c) disconnecting the first Gametenna from the wireless telephone;

(d) selecting a second Gametenna to play a second game using the wireless telephone, the second Gametenna comprising a second antenna and a second memory device, wherein the second antenna has a second radiating element for receiving and transmitting wireless signals, and the second memory device is physically coupled to the second radiating element by at least one non-conductive mount that electrically isolates the second memory device from the second radiating element;

(e) connecting the second Gametenna to the wireless telephone; and

(f) playing the second game using the wireless telephone by accessing game instructions stored in the second memory device of the second Gametenna.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein step (e) comprises:

(e1) electrically coupling the second antenna of the second Gametenna to a transceiver interface of the wireless telephone; and

(e2) electrically coupling the second memory device of the second Gametenna to a processor interface of the wireless telephone.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein step (c) comprises:

(c1) disconnecting the first antenna of the first Gametenna from the transceiver interface of the wireless telephone; and

(c2) disconnecting the first memory device of the first Gametenna from the processor interface of the wireless telephone.

9. Apparatus for playing different games comprising:

(a) a wireless telephone including;

(a1) a transceiver;

(a2) a first external interface electrically coupled to the transceiver;

(a3) a processor; and

(a4) a second external interface electrically coupled to the processor; and

(b) at least one interchangeable Gametenna used by a user of the wireless telephone to play a particular game, the Gametenna comprising;

(b1) an antenna having at least one radiating element that is electrically coupled to the first external interface for receiving and transmitting wireless signals; and

(b2) a memory device for storing data, wherein the memory device is physically coupled to the radiating element by at least one non-conductive mount that electrically isolates the memory device from the radiating element, and the memory device is electrically coupled to the second external interface.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the data includes instructions that are used by the processor of the wireless telephone to play a game.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the antenna comprises a plurality of extendable interlocking hollow metallic cylindrical radiating elements, and the non-conductive mount is used to physically couple the memory device to an inner surface of at least one of the hollow metallic cylindrical radiating elements.

12. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the non-conductive mount is used to physically couple the memory device to an outer surface of the radiating element.

13. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the second interface electrically couples the memory device to the processor of the wireless telephone for providing the processor with access to the data stored in the memory device.

14. The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising:

a memory electrically coupled to the processor for storing software.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the data is used by the wireless telephone to activate the software.

16. A Gametenna that is detachably coupled to a wireless telephone having a transceiver and a processor, the Gametenna comprising:

(a) an antenna having at least one cylindrical radiating element for receiving and transmitting wireless signals;

(b) a memory device for storing data used to play a game, the memory device being physically coupled to the cylindrical radiating element by at least one non-conductive mount that electrically isolates the memory device from the cylindrical radiating element;

(c) a first interface for electrically coupling the cylindrical radiating element of the antenna to the transceiver of the wireless telephone for receiving and transmitting the wireless signals; and

(d) a second interface for electrically coupling the memory device to the processor of the wireless telephone for providing the processor with access to the data stored in the memory device, wherein the first interface is circumvented by the second interface.