Accessory device for mobile host device

• US 8,294,668 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2011
• Issued: 10/23/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Aplix IP Holdings Corporation
• Original Assignee: Zeemote Technology Inc.
• Inventors: Podoloff, Rob, Wheeler, Lorraine, Chen, Elaine, Marcus, Beth
• Primary Examiner(s): OSORIO, RICARDO
• Application Number:
  US13/301,689
• Publication Number:
  US 20120064922A1
• Time in Patent Office: 337 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/157, 345/163, 345/168, 345/169, 345/173
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/021 Arrangements integrating additional peripherals in a keyboard, e.g. card or barcode reader, optical scanner
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0219 Special purpose keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces

Abstract

A method and apparatus for an accessory device for a mobile host device is disclosed. An accessory device for interfacing with a mobile host device includes a communication channel designed to establish a bi-directional communication link between the accessory device and the host device. In some embodiments, the accessory device allows walkie-talkie communication between an accessory device and a mobile host device as well as control by the accessory device of functions of the mobile host device. In some embodiments, the accessory device allows simplified speed dial control of a mobile phone host device. In other embodiments, accessory devices provide walkie-talkie communication with a mobile host device and provide positioning information to a mobile host device so that an application on the mobile host device can track locations of a plurality of accessory devices. These and other embodiments are more fully disclosed herein.

Claims

1. An accessory device for interfacing with a mobile host device, the accessory device comprising:

a communication interface operable to utilize a bi-directional communication link between the accessory device and the host device;

a processor communicatively coupled to the communication interface, the processor operable to execute one or more applications; and

an input assembly communicatively coupled to the processor, the input assembly comprising one or more input elements being selectively mapped to one or more input functions of the host device based on a user selection;

wherein the accessory device is configured to, through the communication interface;

allow data transfer between the accessory device and the host device over the bi-directional communication link to facilitate control of one or more functions of the host device by the accessory device and;

allow walkie-talkie communication between the accessory device and the host device over the bi-directional communication link.

2. The accessory device of claim 1, further comprising:

an output unit configured to output a warning indication when the accessory device is near a predetermined distance from the host device.

3. The accessory device of claim 2, wherein the output unit comprises at least one of a speaker and a display.

4. The accessory device of claim 1, wherein the bi-directional communication link includes at least one of a Bluetooth connection, an Infrared connection, a Wi-Fi connection and a WiMax connection.

5. The accessory device of claim 1, wherein the accessory device is configured to, in the first mode, allow walkie-talkie voice communication between the accessory device and one or more additional accessory devices.

6. The accessory device of claim 1, further comprising a global positioning system (GPS) unit communicatively coupled to the processor, the GPS unit configured to transmit positioning data of the accessory device to the host device.

7. The accessory device of claim 1, wherein the host device is a mobile phone, the accessory device comprising a plurality of speed dial buttons for controlling the host device to initiate a call to a telephone number associated with a select speed dial button.

8. The accessory device of claim 7, further comprising an output unit including a speaker.

9. An accessory device kit comprising a plurality of accessory devices for interfacing with a mobile phone host device, the mobile phone host device operable to execute an interfacing application configured to interface the mobile phone host device with each of the plurality of accessory devices, each accessory device of the plurality of accessory devices comprising:

a communication interface operable to utilize a bi-directional communication link between the accessory device and the mobile phone host device to allow walkie-talkie voice communication between the accessory device and the mobile phone host device over the bi-directional communication link; and

a global positioning system (GPS) unit, the GPS unit configured to transmit positioning data of the accessory device to the mobile phone host device to enable the application of the mobile phone host device to track locations of each of the plurality of accessory devices.

10. The accessory device kit of claim 9, wherein each of the accessory devices further comprise:

a processor communicatively coupled to the communication interface, the processor operable to execute one or more applications.

11. The accessory device kit of claim 9, wherein each of the plurality of accessory devices further comprise:

an output unit configured to output a warning indication when the accessory device is near a predetermined distance from the mobile phone host device.

12. The accessory device kit of claim 11, wherein the output unit comprises at least one of a speaker and a display.

13. The accessory device kit of claim 9, wherein the communication interface is configured to allow, through the bi-directional communication link, data transfer between an accessory device of the plurality of accessory devices and the mobile phone host device to facilitate control of one or more functions of the mobile phone host device by the accessory device.

14. The accessory device kit of claim 9, wherein the mobile phone host device is operable to display on a map a location of one or more of the accessory devices based on the positioning data.

15. The accessory device kit of claim 9, wherein each of the plurality of accessory devices is operable to establish a second bi-directional communication link between an accessory device of the plurality of accessory devices and one or more additional accessory devices of the plurality of accessory devices to allow walkie-talkie voice communication between the accessory device and the one or more additional accessory devices over the second bi-directional communication link.

16. The accessory device kit of claim 9 wherein at least one of the plurality of accessory devices is configured to store the interfacing application and to transmit the interfacing application to the mobile phone host device for installation on the mobile phone host device.

17. A method comprising:

enabling a bi-directional communication link between an accessory device and a mobile host device;

enabling walkie-talkie communication between the accessory device and the host device over the bi-directional communication link;

enabling data transfer between the accessory device and the host device over the bidirectional communication link to facilitate control of one or more functions of the host device by the accessory device; and

enabling one or more input elements of an input assembly of the accessory device to be selectively mapped to one or more functions of the host device.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

outputting a warning through an output unit when the accessory device is near a predetermined distance from the host device.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

establishing a second bi-directional communication link between the accessory device and one or more additional accessory devices; and

allowing walkie-talkie voice communication between the accessory device and the one or more additional accessory devices over the second bi-directional communication link.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

transmitting GPS positioning data of the accessory device to the host device.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

transmitting GPS positioning data of the accessory device to the one or more additional accessory devices.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein the second operating mode further allows controlling the mobile host device to initiate a call to a telephone number associated with a select speed dial button provided on the accessory device.