Computing device with handheld and extended computing devices

• US 8,195,860 B2
• Filed: 02/26/2009
• Issued: 06/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rofougaran, Ahmadreza (Reza)
• Primary Examiner(s): Myers, Paul R
• Assistant Examiner(s): DALEY, CHRISTOPHER ANTHONY
• Application Number:
  US12/393,463
• Publication Number:
  US 20090198852A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,195 Days
• Field of Search: 710/300, 713/2, 361/681
• US Class Current: 710/300
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72409 by interfacing with external accessories hands-free H04M1/60

Abstract

A handheld computing unit includes a processing module, memory, a transceiver, a first extended computing unit interface, a second extended computing unit interface, and an interconnection structure operably coupled to the processing module, the memory, the transceiver, and the first and second extended computing unit interfaces. The first extended computing unit interface couples to a first extended computing unit and the second extended computing unit interface coupled to a second extended computing unit such that the handheld computing unit and the extended computing units constitute a computing device.

Claims

1. A handheld computing unit comprises:

a processing module;

memory;

a transceiver;

a first extended computing unit interface;

a second extended computing unit interface, wherein the first extended computing unit interface and the second extended computing unit interface are operable to support one of a plurality of multiple extended unit modes that include an integrated mode and a primary-secondary mode; and

an interconnection structure operably coupled to the processing module, the memory, the transceiver, and the first and second extended computing unit interfaces.

2. The handheld computing unit of claim 1 further comprises:

in the integrated mode of the plurality of multiple extended unit modes, the first extended computing unit interface is coupled to a first extended computing unit and the second extended computing unit interface is coupled to a second extended computing unit such that the processing module functions in a multiple processor mode with a processing module of the first extended computing unit and a processing module of the second extended computing unit;

or

in the primary-secondary mode of the plurality of multiple extended unit modes, the first extended computing unit interface is coupled to the first extended computing unit and the second extended computing unit interface is coupled to the second extended computing unit such that the processing module functions in a multiple processor mode with the processing module of the first extended computing unit and the processing module of the second extended computing unit functions as a co-processor.

3. The handheld computing unit of claim 2, wherein the memory comprises:

a first memory module that stores an operating system, wherein, when the handheld computing unit is in the integrated mode, the operating system section is combined with an operating system of the first extended computing unit and an operating system the second extended computing unit to produce a computing device operating system; and

when the handheld computing unit is in the primary-secondary mode, the operating system section is combined with the operating system of the first extended computing unit to produce the computing device operating system.

4. The handheld computing unit of claim 2, wherein the memory comprises:

a second memory module that stores applications, wherein, when the handheld computing unit is in the integrated mode, the applications are combined with applications of the first extended computing unit and applications of the second extended computing unit to produce computing device applications; and

when the handheld computing unit is in the primary-secondary mode, the applications the applications are combined with applications of the first extended computing unit to produce computing device applications.

5. The handheld computing unit of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second extended computing unit interfaces comprises at least one of:

a hard-wired connection;

firmware to support dedicated local wireless link;

firmware to support shared local wireless link; and

firmware to support a shared wide area wireless link.

6. The handheld computing unit of claim 1 further comprises:

a memory controller coupled to the processing module and the memory, wherein, when the handheld computing unit is in the integrated mode of the plurality of multiple extended unit modes, the memory controller configures the memory and memory of a first and second extended computing units as computing device memory and, when the handheld computing unit is in the primary-secondary mode of the plurality of multiple extended unit modes, the memory controller configures the memory and the memory of the first extended computing unit as the computing device memory, wherein memory controller identifies the memory of the second extended computing unit as secondary memory or off-line memory.

7. The handheld computing unit of claim 1, wherein the memory comprises:

a Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) section that stores a remote operating system (OS) boot loader, a single extended computing unit mode OS boot loader, an integrated multiple extended computing unit OS boot loader, and a primary-secondary multiple extended computing unit OS boot loader.

8. The handheld computing unit of claim 1 further comprises:

at least one integrated circuit that includes the processing module, the memory, the transceiver, and the interconnection structure.

9. The handheld computing unit of claim 8, wherein the at least one integrated circuit further comprises at least one of the first and second extended computing unit interfaces.

10. A handheld computing unit comprises:

a processing module;

memory;

a transceiver;

a first extended computing unit interface;

a second extended computing unit interface; and

an interconnection structure operably coupled to the processing module, the memory, the transceiver, and the first and second extended computing unit interfaces, wherein, at start up, the handheld computing unit is operable to;

determine mode of the handheld computing unit;

when the handheld computing unit is in an integrated multiple extended unit mode, execute an integrated multiple extended unit operating system boot loader; and

when the handheld computing unit is in a primary-second multiple extended unit mode, execute a primary-secondary multiple extended unit operating system boot loader.

11. The handheld computing unit of claim 10, wherein the handheld computing unit, during the start up, is operable to determine the mode by:

determining a first connection status between the handheld computing unit and a first extended computing unit;

determining a second connection status between the handheld computing unit and a second extended computing unit;

when each of the first and second connection statuses indicates a first type of connection, identifying the integrated mode; and

when the first connection status indicates the first type of connection and the second connection status indicates a second type of connection, identifying the primary-secondary mode.

12. The handheld computing unit of claim 10 further comprises:

retrieving an integrated multiple extended unit operating system from the memory and memory of first and second extended computing units in response to executing the integrated multiple extended unit operating system boot loader; and

retrieving a primary-secondary multiple extended unit operating system from the memory and the memory of the first extended computing unit in response to executing the primary-secondary multiple extended unit operating system boot loader.

13. The handheld computing unit of claim 10 further comprises:

the processing module operable to;

detect a mode change;

recall a Basic Input/Output System (BIOS), wherein the BIOS includes a remote operating system (OS) boot loader, a single extended computing unit mode OS boot loader, the integrated multiple extended unit OS boot loader, and the primary-secondary multiple extended unit OS boot loader; and

based on a type of mode change, execute one of the remote OS boot loader, the single extended computing unit mode OS boot loader, the integrated multiple extended computing unit OS boot loader, and the primary-secondary multiple extended computing unit OS boot loader.

14. The handheld computing unit of claim 10 further comprises:

a clock module; and

the memory including random access memory (RAM), wherein prior to determining the mode of the handheld computing unit, the handheld computing unit is operable to;

initialize the clock module;

initialize the RAM; and

initialize at least a portion of the interconnection module.

15. The handheld computing unit of claim 10 further comprises the handheld computing unit is operable to:

determine mode of the handheld computing unit;

when the handheld computing unit is in a remote mode, execute remote mode operating system boot loader; and

when the handheld computing unit is in a single extended unit mode, execute a single extended unit operating system boot loader.

16. The handheld computing unit of claim 10 further comprises:

at least one integrated circuit that includes the processing module, the memory, the transceiver, and the interconnection structure.

17. The handheld computing unit of claim 16, wherein the at least one integrated circuit further comprises at least one of the first and second extended computing unit interfaces.