Handheld input/output device providing enhanced user interface for a mobile telephone

• US 7,477,919 B2
• Filed: 09/04/2007
• Issued: 01/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Peter David Warren
• Original Assignee: Peter Warren
• Inventors: Warren, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): D AGOSTA, STEPHEN M
• Application Number:
  US11/849,454
• Publication Number:
  US 20080026794A1
• Time in Patent Office: 497 Days
• Field of Search: 455/90.1, 455/90.2, 455/550.1, 455/556.1, 455/556.2, 455/557, 455/566, 455/575.1, 379/93.05, 379/435, 343/702
• US Class Current: 455/557
• 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

Abstract

A keyboard and a microphone for inputting information, a display screen and a speaker for viewing or hearing information, and a processor, all mounted to or within a housing in the form of a laptop computer or hand-held computer. A phone interface has a slot, channel, or other support member for holding the portable phone, with a phone port electrically connected to the processor. Alternative embodiments include a modem that is electrically connected to the processor and the phone port, and an adapter with a port that mates with the phone port and a port that mates with a selected phone. The phone wirelessly transmits data entered into the input components and transferred to the phone via the phone port, and wirelessly receives data to be transferred to the output components via the phone port for visual or audible output.

Claims

1. An input/output device for a mobile telephone providing a handheld, wirelessly portable, enhanced user interface for the mobile telephone having a display screen, comprising:

a housing sized and configured to be conveniently carried by hand;

an electronic display screen mounted to or enclosed in the housing that is larger than the display screen on the mobile telephone;

a user operable input device mounted to or enclosed in the housing for receiving user commands for controlling the mobile telephone while the input/output device is handheld and wirelessly portable;

a cradle mounted to or enclosed in the housing configured for physically receiving and holding the mobile telephone;

a communication port mounted to or enclosed in the housing for communicating with the mobile telephone when the mobile telephone is held by the cradle;

wherein the input/output device is configured to physically hold and transport the mobile telephone while the input/output device is handheld, the input device is used to control the mobile telephone, and the enlarged display screen displays information supplied by the mobile telephone; and

wherein the mobile telephone input/output device holding the mobile telephone is configured to be conveniently operated while handheld and used as an integrated wireless communication device in which the mobile telephone engages in wireless communications while the input/output device operates as a handheld, wirelessly portable, enhanced user interface for the mobile telephone.

2. The mobile telephone input/output device of claim 1, wherein the input/output device is dedicate to functioning as an enhanced user interface for the mobile telephone when the mobile telephone is held in the cradle.

6. The mobile telephone input/output device of claim 1, wherein the user operable input device comprises a keyboard dedicated to inputting information to the mobile telephone when the mobile telephone is held in the cradle.

7. The mobile telephone input/output device of claim 1, wherein the cradle defines a channel for receiving the mobile telephone in a position in which the display screen for the mobile telephone is concealed by the input/output device.

8. The mobile telephone input/output device of claim 1, wherein the cradle defines a channel for receiving the mobile telephone in a position in which the mobile telephone is at least 75% concealed by the input/output device.

9. The mobile telephone input/output device of claim 1, wherein the cradle comprises a retracting support movable between an open position and a closed position configured to receive and hold the mobile telephone when in the open position.

10. The mobile telephone input/output device of claim 9, wherein the retracting support is movable to the closed position when mobile telephone is held by the cradle to locate the mobile telephone in a position in which mobile telephone is concealed within the input/output device.

11. The mobile telephone input/output device of claim 9, wherein the retracting support is movable to the closed position when mobile telephone is held by the cradle to locate the mobile telephone in a position in which the mobile telephone is at least 75% concealed by the input/output device.

12. The mobile telephone input/output device of claim 1, wherein the housing defines a front side perimeter within which the enlarged display screen is positioned, a rear side opposing the front side defining a rear side perimeter, and an edge extending between the front side perimeter and the rear side perimeter, and the cradle is configured to support the mobile wireless communication device from the edge of the housing.

13. The mobile telephone input/output device of claim 1, wherein housing defines a front side perimeter within which the enlarged display screen is positioned, a rear side opposing the front side defining a rear side perimeter, and the cradle is configured to support the mobile wireless communication device from the rear side of the housing.

14. The mobile telephone input/output device of claim 1, further comprising:

a contact electrically connecting the input/output device to the mobile telephone when the mobile telephone is held in the cradle; and

a power source configured to power the input/output device and the mobile telephone when the mobile telephone is held in the cradle.

15. The mobile telephone input/output device of claim 1, further comprising a power supply including one or more power supply devices selected from the group consisting of batteries and photovoltaic cells.

16. The mobile telephone input/output device of claim 15, further configured to receive electric power through an electric power cord attachable to an current line source.

17. The mobile telephone input/output device of claim 1, wherein the communication port comprise a Bluetooth or other wireless communication port operative for transmitting signals between the input/output device and the mobile telephone.

18. The mobile telephone input/output device of claim 1, wherein the cradle is configured to support different types of mobile telephones having different physical configurations and the communication port comprises a universal communication port operative for communicating with the different types of mobile telephones when the different types of mobile telephones are held in the cradle.

19. The mobile telephone input/output device of claim 1, wherein the information displayed on the display screen for the input/output device includes information that is also displayed on the display screen for the mobile telephone or would be displayed on the display screen for the mobile telephone if the mobile telephone was operating independently of the input/output device.

3. The mobile telephone input/output device of 2, further comprising a data storage device, a processor, and a phone interface dedicated to enhancing the operation of the mobile telephone when the mobile telephone is held in the cradle.

4. The mobile telephone input/output device of claim 3, wherein the user operable input device comprises the display screen for the input/output device, which comprises a touch screen operable for controlling the mobile telephone when the mobile telephone is held in the cradle.

5. The mobile telephone input/output device of claim 3, wherein the user operable input device comprises function buttons dedicated to operating the mobile telephone when the mobile telephone is held in the cradle.

20. A system for operating mobile wireless communication devices comprising:

a plurality of mobile wireless communication devices, each having a different physical configuration, a display screen for displaying a user interface, and a communication port,

a display device comprising a universal port for communicating with each mobile wireless communication device when the mobile wireless communication device is located in the universal port, the universal port comprising a communication port and a cradle for physically supporting the mobile wireless communication device from the display device with the communication port of the mobile wireless communication device in functional communication with the communication port of the display device;

wherein the display device is configured to operate as an enlarged and analogous display screen for each mobile wireless communication device when the mobile wireless communication device is located in the universal port;

wherein the display screen for the mobile wireless communication device may or may not concurrently display the same information shown on the display device; and

wherein the cradle comprises a retracting support movable between an open position and a closed position, is configured to receive and support a mobile wireless communication device proximate to the display device when in the open position, and further is configured for retraction to the closed position when the mobile wireless communication device is not received in the retracting support.

21. A mobile wireless communication device and computer system, comprising:

a plurality of mobile wireless communication devices, each having a different physical configuration, a display screen for displaying a user interface, and a communication port,

a computer comprising a base portion, a display device pivotally attached to the base portion, and a universal port for communicating with each mobile wireless communication device when the mobile wireless communication device is located in the universal port, the universal port comprising a communication port and a cradle for physically supporting the mobile wireless communication device from the computer with the communication port of the mobile wireless communication device in functional communication with the communication port of the display device;

wherein the display device of the computer is configured to operate as an enlarged and analogous version of the display screen for each mobile wireless communication device when the mobile wireless communication device is located in the universal port;

wherein the display screen for the mobile wireless communication device may or may not concurrently display the same information shown on the display device; and

wherein the display device comprises a display side and a rear side, and the cradle is configured to support the mobile wireless communication devices adjacent to the rear side of the display device.

22. A display device for use with a plurality of different types of mobile wireless communication devices, each having a different physical configuration, a display screen for displaying a user interface, and a communication port, comprising:

a display device comprising a display screen located within a display housing having a peripheral edge adjacent to a peripheral edge of the display screen;

a universal port for communicating with each mobile wireless communication device when the mobile wireless communication device is located in the universal port, the universal port comprising a communication port and a cradle for physically supporting the mobile wireless communication device from the display device with the communication port of the mobile wireless communication device in functional communication with the communication port of the display device;

wherein the display device is configured to operate as an enlarged and analogous display screen for each mobile wireless communication device when the mobile wireless communication device is located in the universal port;

wherein the display screen for the mobile wireless communication device may or may not concurrently display the same information shown on the display device; and

wherein the cradle comprises a channel adjacent to the edge of the display housing for receiving the mobile wireless communication device with a first portion of the mobile wireless communication device received within the channel and a second portion of the device extending beyond the edge of the of the display housing.