Information system with detachable information module

• US 7,885,645 B2
• Filed: 05/15/2002
• Issued: 02/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Research In Motion Limited (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: Infanti, James C., Postma, Jessica, Lazaridis, Mihal, Griffin, Jason T.
• Primary Examiner(s): DESIR, PIERRE LOUIS
• Application Number:
  US10/146,556
• Publication Number:
  US 20020172336A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,191 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414, 455/560, 455/417, 455/459, 455/461, 455/45, 455/462, 379/428.02, 379/428.03, 379/428.04, 379/433.04, 379/211.01, 379/211.02, 379/212.01
• US Class Current: 455/417
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1698 the I/O peripheral being a sending/receiving arrangement to establish a cordless communication link, e.g. radio or infrared link, integrated cellular phone details of antennas disposed inside a computer H01Q1/2266
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3877 Arrangements for enabling portable transceivers to be used in a fixed position, e.g. cradles or boosters
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4594 Address books, i.e. directories containing contact information about correspondents telephone directories in user terminals H04M1/27453
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/006 Call diverting means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/02 Constructional features of telephone sets
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0289 Telephone sets for operators
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0295 Mechanical mounting details of display modules
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2471 Configurable and interactive telephone terminals with subscriber controlled features modifications, e.g. with ADSI capability [Analog Display Services Interface] systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers H04M3/42; administration or customization of services H04M3/42136; by downloading data to substation equipment H04M3/42178
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2473 Telephone terminals interfacing a personal computer, e.g. using an API (Application Programming Interface) details of API H04M7/0021
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/275 implemented by means of portable electronic directories
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2757 by data transmission, e.g. downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/575 Means for retrieving and displaying personal data about calling party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6505 storing speech in digital form
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/656 for recording conversations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72433 for voice messaging, e.g. dictaphones for answering incoming calls H04M1/64
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/725 Cordless telephones user interfaces specially adapted therefor H04M1/724
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 : Voice mail systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 : Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 : Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 : adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

An information system includes a first module and a second module that interoperate over first and second communication ports. Interoperation over the first and second communication ports provides the first module access to functions and features of the second module, and likewise provides the second module access to functions and features of the first module. The first and second modules may be further operable to communicate over first and second networks, respectively.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a base telephone configured for wired communication through a telephone line;

a portable telephone configured for wireless communication; and

a telephone network for handling base-telephone-directed calls, which are calls directed by callers to the base telephone, and a wireless network for handling portable-telephone-directed calls, which are calls directed by callers to the portable telephone; and

a gateway through which the networks communicate with each other;

the telephones and the networks and the gateway being together configured;

to direct the base-telephone-directed calls to the base telephone, to route the portable-telephone-directed calls to the portable telephone when the portable telephone is not mounted on the base telephone, in response to receiving a wireless control signal from the portable telephone indicating the portable telephone is mounted on the base telephone, to re-route the portable-telephone-directed calls to the base telephone, and to switch from routing a portable-telephone-directed call to the portable telephone to re-routing it to the base telephone even while the call is in progress in response to the network receiving the control signal indicating the portable telephone has been mounted on the base telephone while the call is in progress, wherein;

the portable telephone comprises a first communication port, a first processing subsystem, and a first memory subsystem for storing data, and is operable to perform a first set of functions and communicate over a first communication network;

the base telephone comprises a second communication port and is operable to perform a second set of functions; and

the portable telephone and the base telephone interoperate the first set of functions and the second set of functions over the first and second communication ports, and the base telephone includes a first receiving portion configured to receive the portable telephone, and the portable telephone and the base telephone interoperate when the portable telephone is received in the first receiving portion; and

wherein the portable telephone further comprises a first display for displaying portable telephone data, the base telephone further comprises a second display for displaying base telephone data, the portable telephone is operable to display base telephone data in the first display when received in the first receiving portion of the base telephone, and the second display is positioned on the base telephone within the first receiving portion.

2. An apparatus comprising:

a base telephone configured for wired communication through a telephone line; and

a portable telephone configured for wireless communication through a wireless network;

the telephones being configured such that, when a call is in progress through the portable telephone, mounting the portable telephone on the base telephone redirects the call to the base telephone for a user to continue the call using the base telephone, wherein;

the portable telephone comprises a first communication port, a first processing subsystem, and a first memory subsystem for storing data, and is operable to perform a first set of functions and communicate over a first communication network;

the base telephone comprises a second communication port and is operable to perform a second set of functions; and

the portable telephone and the base telephone interoperate the first set of functions and the second set of functions over the first and second communication ports, and the base telephone includes a first receiving portion configured to receive the portable telephone, and the portable telephone and the base telephone interoperate when the portable telephone is received in the first receiving portion;

wherein the portable and base telephones are configured to be removably interconnected in a configuration in which one of the telephones communicates with the other telephone through the control ports to at least partially control operation of the other telephone, and the portable telephone display displays data relating to operation of the base telephone, and the portable telephone covers the base display.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein, as the redirected call is continued through the base telephone, the redirected call is communicated over the wireless network through the portable telephone to the base telephone.