Exchangeable module for additional functionality

• US 7,477,923 B2
• Filed: 12/18/2003
• Issued: 01/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Jonsson, Mattias, Wallmark, Magnus
• Primary Examiner(s): Anderson; Matthew D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen; Hai V
• Application Number:
  US10/582,490
• Publication Number:
  US 20070247136A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,853 Days
• Field of Search: 455/572, 323/371
• US Class Current: 455/572
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0262 for a battery compartment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7246 by connection of exchangeable housing parts

Abstract

The invention refers to an exchangeable power-supplying unit (200, 300) arranged to supply electric power to a device (100, 400). The power-supplying unit (200, 300) is arranged so as to provide the device (100, 400) with one or several additional functionalities and it can preferably be attached so as to form an integral part of the device (100, 400). The additional functionality is accomplished by one or several processing units (220, 312, 319) contained in the power-supplying unit (200, 300) for pre-processing information, which is subsequently communicated from the power-supplying unit (200, 300) to the device (100, 400).

Claims

1. An exchangeable power-supplying unit arranged to supply electric power to a device, said exchangeable power-supplying unit comprising:

at least one processing unit arranged to pre-process information and to communicate said pre-processed information to said device for providing said device with at least one additional function; and

a cryptographic circuit for coding or decoding said pre-processed information.

2. Said exchangeable power-supplying unit according to claim 1, wherein said exchangeable power-supplying unit is connectable to form an integral part of said device.

3. Said exchangeable power-supplying unit according to claim 1, wherein said exchangeable power-supplying unit comprises a communication link for communicating said pre-processed information to said device.

4. Said exchangeable power-supplying unit according to claim 3, wherein said communication link is a high-speed data-bus.

5. Said exchangeable power-supplying unit according to claim 1, wherein said cryptographic circuit comprises at least one circuit board or at least one integrated circuit, comprising hardware to form said at least one processing unit.

6. Said exchangeable power-supplying unit according to claim 5, wherein said at least one circuit board or said at least one integrated circuit further comprises at least one of a mass-storage, a WLAN-modem, and a positioning device.

7. Said exchangeable power-supplying unit according to claim 1, wherein said exchangeable power-supplying unit is a battery.

8. A device comprising an exchangeable power-supplying unit, said exchangeable power-supplying unit comprising:

at least one processing unit arranged to pre-process information and to communicate said pre-processed information to said device for providing said device with at least one additional function; and

a cryptographic circuit for encoding or decoding said pre-processed information.

9. Said device according to claim 8, wherein said device is a wireless handheld device, comprising at least one of a mobile phone, a PDA, a digital notebook, a land-radio, a two-way radio, a walkie-talkie, and an intelligent device.

10. Said wireless handheld device according to claim 9, wherein said exchangeable power-supplying unit has access to a receive/transmit channel of said wireless handheld device.

11. Said device according to claim 8, wherein said exchangeable power-supplying unit is connectable to form an integral part of said device.

12. Said device according to claim 8, wherein said exchangeable power-supplying unit comprises a communication link for communicating said pre-processed information to said device.

13. Said device according to claim 12, wherein said communication link is a high-speed data-bus.

14. Said device according to claim 13, wherein said cryptographic circuit comprises at least one circuit board or at least one integrated circuit, comprising hardware to form at least one processing unit.

15. Said device according to claim 14, wherein said at least one circuit board or said at least one integrated circuit further comprises at least one of a mass-storage, a WLAN-modem, and a positioning device.

16. A telecommunication system comprising a device, said device comprising an exchangeable power-supplying unit, said exchangeable power-supplying unit comprising:

at least one processing unit arranged to pre-process information and to communicate said pre-processed information to said device for providing said device with at least one additional function; and

a cryptographic circuit for encoding or decoding said pre-processed information.

17. the system according to claim 16, wherein said device is a wireless handheld device comprising at least one of a mobile phone, a PDA, a digital notebook, a land-radio, a two-way radio, a walkie-talkie, and an intelligent device.

18. A system according to claim 17, wherein said exchangeable power-supplying unit has access to a receive/transmit channel of said wireless handheld device.

19. A method for providing a device with at least one additional functionality, using an exchangeable power-supplying unit arranged to supply electric power to said device and connected to said exchangeable power-supplying unit to form an integral part of said device, the method comprising:

pre-processing information in at least one or several of processing units;

encoding or decoding said pre-processed information in said exchangeable power-supplying unit by means of at least one circuit board or at least one or several of integrated circuits comprising hardware to form a cryptographic circuit; and

communicating said encoded or decoded said pre-processed information to said device.

20. A method according to claim 19, wherein said communicating is performed through a high-speed communication link.

21. A method according to claim 19, wherein said at least additional functionality is one or several of a cryptographic functionality, a mass-storage functionality, a WLAN functionality or a positioning functionality.

22. A method according to claim 19, wherein said device is a wireless handheld device comprising at least one of a mobile phone, a PDA, a digital notebook, a land-radio, a two-way radio, a walkie-talkie, and an intelligent device.