Electronic system and a method of providing additional functionality features to an electronic system

• US 8,392,618 B2
• Filed: 07/16/2004
• Issued: 03/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Postma, Andre, Deckers, Robertus Theodorus Christianus
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Chun-Kuan
• Assistant Examiner(s): YU, HENRY W
• Application Number:
  US10/566,001
• Publication Number:
  US 20080055102A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,154 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 710/2
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/205 with control bus for exchanging commands between units

Abstract

There is provided an electronic system (10) comprising one or more functionality devices (16, 20, 21) and an electronic device adapted so that the one or more functionality devices (16, 20, 21) are locatable in proximity to the electronic device. The electronic device is operable to recognize the presence of the one or more functionality devices (16, 20, 21). Upon recognition of said one or more functionality devices (16, 20, 21), the electronic device is operable to perform one or more additional functionality features associated with said one or more functionality devices while said one or more functionality devices are in close proximity to the electronic device.

Claims

1. An entertainment system comprising:

one or more functionality devices; and

an entertainment device for cooperating with the one or more functionality devices in the entertainment system, the entertainment device adapted so that the one or more functionality devices are locatable in proximity to the entertainment device;

the entertainment device being operable to recognize the presence of the one or more functionality devices, and, upon recognition of said one or more functionality devices,

the one or more functionality devices being externally activated, via a remote control device, wherein the activation is conditional upon communication of one or more security codes issued from the remote control to the one or more functionality devices being externally activated to provide external regulation on use of one or more additional functionality features to be performed whilst the one or more functionality devices is in proximity to the entertainment device,

the one or more functionality devices comprising routines for providing said one or more additional functionality features from an external storage medium, wherein the additional functionality features are communicated from the external storage medium to the entertainment device via a wireless transmission component of the functionality device,

the entertainment device being operable to perform the one or more additional functionality features associated with said one or more functionality devices and which are non-standard features of said entertainment device, wherein the additional functionality features are unrelated to and different from the standard features of the entertainment device, controllable via a remote control and performed whilst the one or more functionality devices is in proximity to the electronic device;

wherein standard features of the entertainment device are configured to be concurrently operable with the one or more additional functionality features such that the entertainment device automatically recognizes, accepts, and carries out the non-standard features of the one or more functionality devices based on the proximity of the one or more functionality devices to the entertainment device.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said one or more functionality devices is arranged to be attachable to the entertainment device by means of at least one of a magnetic coupling, a suction pad, an adhesive coupling and a mechanical attachment mechanism.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said one or more functionality devices and the entertainment device are operable to communicate via wireless communication by using an electromagnetic signal.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein the electromagnetic signal is implemented using electromagnetic radiation complying with the Bluetooth standard.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein access to the one or more additional functionality features of said one or more functionality devices is conditional upon activation of the one or more functionality devices.

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein said one or more functionality devices are activated in response to actuation of a switch or button on said functionality devices.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said one or more functionality devices is activated by using electromagnetic signal communication with an additional device.

8. The system according to claim 5, wherein the activation is conditional upon communication of one or more codes.

14. The system according to claim 5, wherein the one or more additional functionality features are latently present in said entertainment device and access to said additional functionality is available while one or more functionality devices are attached.

15. The system according to claim 1, wherein a set of user preferences for an entertainment device is included on said one or more functionality devices.

16. The system according to claim 15, wherein said set of user preferences is transferable to a new entertainment device after relocating said one or more functionality devices to said new entertainment device.

17. The system according to claim 5, wherein the one or more additional functionality features are made available to said entertainment device from an external storage medium after attachment of the one or more functionality devices.

18. The system according to claim 1, wherein said entertainment device is selected from the group consisting of a DVD player and a television.

9. A method of providing additional functionality to an entertainment device, the method including the steps of:

providing the entertainment device operable to performing a set of functions;

providing at least one functionality device adapted so as to be engagable in at least close spatial proximity to the entertainment device;

arranging for said entertainment device to recognize the presence of said at least one functionality device when in close spatial proximity to the entertainment device; and

externally activating the one or more functionality devices via a remote control device conditioned upon communication of one or more security codes issued from the remote control to the one or more functionality devices to provide external regulation on use of one or more additional functionality features to be performed whilst the one or more functionality devices is in proximity to the entertainment device, wherein the one or more additional functionality features are unrelated to and different from the standard features of the entertainment device,

arranging for the entertainment device to perform the one or more activated additional functionality features associated with said at least one functionality device and which are non-standard features of said entertainment device;

providing the one or more additional functionality features from an external storage medium, communicated from the external storage medium to the entertainment device via a wireless transmission component of the functionality device.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein close spatial proximity corresponds to physical contact between said entertainment device and said at least one functionality device.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein said at least one functionality device is attached to the entertainment device by means of at least one of a magnetic coupling, a suction pad, an adhesive coupling and a mechanical attachment mechanism.

12. The method according to claim 9, wherein said at least one functionality device and said entertainment device are arranged to mutually communicate via wireless communication utilizing an electromagnetic signal.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the electromagnetic signal complies with the Bluetooth standard.

19. The method according to claim 9, wherein said entertainment device is selected from the group consisting of a DVD player and a television.

20. An entertainment system comprising:

one or more functionality devices; and

an entertainment device for cooperating with the one or more functionality devices in the entertainment system, the entertainment device adapted to recognize the presence of the one or more functionality devices when the one or more functionality devices are in proximity to the entertainment device,

the one or more functionality devices comprising routines for updating functionality features of the entertainment device by accessing an external storage medium via the one or more functionality devices via a wireless transmission component of the one or more functionality devices.