Removable housing cover for a portable radio communication device

• US 7,755,905 B2
• Filed: 07/22/2008
• Issued: 07/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Kohnke, Axel
• Primary Examiner(s): Bui; Hung S
• Application Number:
  US12/220,116
• Publication Number:
  US 20090034210A1
• Time in Patent Office: 721 Days
• Field of Search: 361/715, 361/788, 361/683, 361/686, 710/301
• US Class Current: 361/730
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3833 Hand-held transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0283 for providing a decorative aspect, e.g. customization of casings, exchangeable faceplate
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72427 for supporting games or graphical animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72445 for supporting Internet browser applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7246 by connection of exchangeable housing parts

Abstract

The invention provides an electronic mobile communications/entertainment device capable of a plurality of modes of operation, comprising a basic module having circuitry common to the operation of the device in said plurality of modes of operation, and a plurality of supplementary modules, each supplementary module being provided in the form of a housing cover for the device and including controlling means configured to provide for a corresponding mode of operation when coupled to the basic module, the supplementary modules being interchangeably attachable/detachable to the basic module so as to provide respective modes of operation, and the device only being operational when one of said plurality of supplementary modules is attached to the device.

Claims

1. A housing cover for an electronic device, the housing cover comprising:

an attachment portion configured to enable the housing cover to be removably electrically attachable/detachable by a user to a basic module of the electronic device;

a controller configured to enable a mode of operation to be provided such that when the housing cover is attached to the basic module the controller is configured to interface with common circuitry of the basic module to provide said mode of operation wherein;

the controller of the housing cover comprises one or more of;

a mobile phone application for a telecommunication mode of operation, an electronic gaming application for a gaming mode of operation, an internet browsing application for a browsing mode of operation, a pager application for a pager mode of operation, a music application for a music mode of operation, a PDA for a PDA mode of operation;

the housing cover is arranged such that when attached to the basic module, the electronic device is operationally enabled to provide the respective mode of operation and wherein, when detached from the basic module, the electronic device is operationally disabled.

2. The housing cover according to claim 1, wherein the controller of the housing cover comprises one or more control elements for multi-functional modes of operation corresponding to two or more combinations of the controller.

3. The housing cover according to claim 1, wherein the housing cover comprises a memory, and the cover is arranged such that, when the housing cover is attached to the basic module, the housing cover memory may be accessed by the basic module to enable the mode of operation of the device to be provided.

4. The housing cover according to claim 1, wherein the housing cover comprises an operating system and the housing cover is arranged such that, when the housing cover is attached to the basic module, the basic module may use the operating system to provide the respective mode of operation of the device.

5. The housing cover according to claim 1, wherein the housing cover comprises RF circuitry to provide wireless communication for the device where the housing cover is attached to the basic module, wherein the housing cover is arranged such that the basic module can use the RF circuitry of the housing cover to provide wireless communication, the basic module itself not comprising RF circuitry.

6. The cover according to claim 1, wherein the housing cover comprises much of the circuitry, compared to the basic module, to provide the modes of operation of the device.

7. The housing cover according to claim 1, wherein the cover comprises a user interface dedicated to the mode of operation which the controller of the housing cover provides.

8. The housing cover according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to download a mode of operation from a remote server/service.

9. The housing cover according to claim 1, wherein the housing cover comprises circuitry to provide for a navigation mode of operation.

10. The housing cover according to claim 1, wherein the housing cover comprises circuitry to provide for one of noise measurement and distance measurement modes of operation.

11. A basic module, for an electronic device, the basic module comprising:

an attachment portion configured to enable the basic module to be removably electrically attachable/detachable by a user to a housing cover;

common circuitry wherein the common circuitry may be controlled to enable the operation of the electronic device in a plurality of modes of operation;

an interface configured such that when a housing cover is attached to the basic module the common circuitry is controlled by a controller of a housing cover to enable a mode of operation of the electronic device to be provided;

and wherein the basic module is arranged such that when attached to a housing cover, the electronic device is operationally enabled to provide the respective mode of operation associated with the attached housing cover and wherein, when detached from the housing cover, the electronic device is operationally disabled.

12. The basic module as claimed in claim 11 wherein the basic module is configured to be removably electrically attachable/detachable by a user to any one of a plurality of different housing covers and the mode of operation provided by the electronic device is determined by the housing cover which is attached to the basic module.

13. The basic module as claimed in claim 11 wherein the basic module comprises a power source.

14. The basic module as claimed in claim 13 wherein the interface as configured such that when the housing cover is attached to the basic module the power source of the basic module provides power to the housing cover.

15. The basic module as claimed in claim 11 wherein the basic module comprises a microprocessor, a memory, and a reader.

16. An electronic device having a plurality of modes of operation comprising:

a basic module as in claim 11; and

a housing cover comprising an attachment portion and a controller, wherein the attachment portion is configured to enable the housing cover to be removably electrically attachable/detachable by a user to the basic module of the electronic device, wherein the controller is configured to enable a mode of operation to be provided such that when the housing cover is attached to the basic module the controller is configured to interface with common circuitry of the basic module to provide said mode of operation wherein, the housing cover is arranged such that when attached to the basic module, the electronic device is operationally enabled to provide the respective mode of operation and wherein, when detached from the basic module, the electronic device is operationally disabled.