Modular mobile device

• US 8,509,848 B1
• Filed: 09/23/2011
• Issued: 08/13/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: T-Mobile Innovations LLC (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Cole, Joshua R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsvey, Gennadiy
• Application Number:
  US13/242,428
• Time in Patent Office: 690 Days
• Field of Search: 455/550.1, 455/556.1, 455/557, 455/575.1, 455/575.8, 455/90.3
• US Class Current: 455/557
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/034 Portable transmitters
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0235 Slidable or telescopic telephones, i.e. with a relative translation movement of the body parts; Telephones using a combination of translation and other relative motions of the body parts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0254 comprising one or a plurality of mechanically detachable modules
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0283 for providing a decorative aspect, e.g. customization of casings, exchangeable faceplate
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6066 including a wireless connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7246 by connection of exchangeable housing parts

Abstract

Embodiments provide a shell module that accommodates form factors that define operational and aesthetic aspects of a modular device. Operational form factors of the shell module include constituent components that provide functional capabilities of the modular device. These constituent components are manipulated and powered by a core module, upon engagement thereto. In particular, the core module includes a power-source component for supplying power to the shell module and a processing component for managing the constituent components. The process of engagement includes executing a recognition procedure to determine a configuration of the shell module. The recognition procedure includes extracting available properties from the constituent components, utilizing the properties to determine an identity of each of the constituent components, and integrating operational control of the constituent components with the processing component. Accordingly, the core module communicates with the constituent components as if they are native to the core module.

Claims

1. A modular mobile device for apportioning operation control of constituent components integral within a shell module to a core module, the modular mobile device comprising:

the shell module including a set of form factors replicating features of a particular style of handset device, wherein the form factors comprise;

(a) aesthetic aspects influencing an external appearance of the modular mobile device; and

(b) the constituent components providing at least a portion of the functional capabilities of the modular mobile device;

the core module to manage the constituent components upon engagement with the shell module, wherein disengagement of the core module from the shell module renders the core module a standalone device that is configured to continue managing the constituent components upon disengagement with the shell module, the core module comprising;

(a) a power-source component to supply power to the constituent components of the shell module;

(b) a processing component to control, in part, operations of the constituent components upon detection thereof; and

(c) a radio component to enable communication between the modular mobile device and a wireless network.

2. The modular mobile device of claim 1, wherein the core module further comprises a memory component locally storing a system architecture including an operating system, applications, shell profiles, user-defined preferences, component drivers, and a file structure, wherein the system architecture is transferable to another shell module upon engaging the core module therewith, and wherein the memory component is accessible by the processing component to facilitate operably controlling the constituent components.

3. The modular mobile device of claim 1, wherein managing the constituent components comprises receiving instructions at the processing component during engagement with the shell module, storing the instructions at the core module, and continuing to exert operational control of at least one constituent component associate with the shell module according to the instructions.

4. The modular mobile device of claim 1, wherein the constituent components comprise at least one of a keyboard, a touchpad, a primary display, a secondary display, a speaker, a receiver, a numeric keypad, or a camera element.

5. The modular mobile device of claim 1, wherein the aesthetic aspects of the shell module comprise at least one of a hinged clamshell design, a ruggedized case, a slider mechanism, a headset jack, a charging jack, a PDA-style case, or a thinline-style case.

6. The modular mobile device of claim 1, wherein the components of the core module and the constituent components of the shell module have one or more differing components upon comparison.

7. A computerized method for engaging a core module and a shell module to function as a modular mobile device, the computerized method comprising:

receiving an indication of the shell module attaching to the core module, wherein a power-source component and a processing component are integral to the core module while the shell module includes constituent components that provide at least a portion of the functional capabilities of the modular mobile device;

attempting to activate the constituent components of the shell module upon attachment;

when activated, executing a recognition procedure to determine a configuration of the shell module, wherein the recognition procedure comprises;

(a) extracting available properties from the constituent components; and

(b) utilizing the properties to determine an identity of each of the constituent components;

incident to recognizing the constituent components, integrating operational control of the constituent components with the processing component such that the processing component considers the constituent components as native to the core module, wherein integrating operational control of the constituent components with the processing component comprises;

(a) comparing the properties of the identified constituent components against shell profiles to determine capabilities of the identified constituent components, wherein the shell profiles include a list of the capabilities intrinsic to various constituent components;

(b) appending the determined capabilities to a device menu structure; and

(c) instantiating a driver element within the processing component to manage the constituent components in concert with the components integral to the core module by employing the device menu structure; and

detaching the shell module from the core module by rendering the core module a standalone device and maintaining functionality of the processing component by storing instructions received from a corollary shell module previously integrated with the core module, and by continuing to exert operational control of the corollary shell module according to the instructions.

8. The computerized method of claim 7, wherein receiving an indication of the shell module attaching to the core module comprises:

detecting an operable coupling of a power-transfer connector exposed by the core module to a shell-power connector located on the shell module, wherein the power-transfer connector is electrically connected to the power-source component thereby allowing the core module to impart power to the shell module; and

detecting an operable coupling of an input/output (I/O) connector exposed by the core module to a shell I/I located on the shell module, wherein the I/O connector is communicatively connected to the processor component.

9. The computerized method of claim 8, further comprising maintaining awareness that the shell component is in operable communication with the core component by monitoring the integrity of the coupling of the I/O connector to the shell I/O.

10. The computerized method of claim 7, the recognition procedure further comprising:

interrogating the constituent components to determine whether the properties thereof are available or unavailable;

when the properties are unavailable, producing an error message indicating one or more of the constituent components associated with the unavailable properties; and

otherwise, identifying the constituent components associated with the available properties extracted therefrom.

11. The computerized method of claim 7, further comprising:

receiving a user-initiated input from a first recognized constituent component at the processing component; and

controlling operation of a second recognized constituent component via a command generated by the processing component in response to the user-initiated input.

12. The computerized method of claim 8, wherein attempting to activate the constituent components of the shell module comprises:

administering power from a power-transfer connector to a shell-power connector via an operable coupling of the shell module and the core module;

monitoring data transfer between a shell I/O located on the shell module and an I/O connector exposed by the core module; and

based on the data transfer, determining whether one or more of the constituent components are activated.

13. The computerized method of claim 7, wherein integrating operational control of the constituent components with the processing component further comprises:

determining that the properties of one or more of the identified constituent components are absent from the shell profiles;

automatically installing capabilities associated with the one or more of the identified constituent components based on properties thereof; and

appending the installed capabilities to the device menu structure.

14. The computerized method of claim 13, wherein integrating operational control of the constituent components with the processing component further comprises:

utilizing the device menu structure to instantiate a driver element within the processing component to operably control each of the constituent components; and

rendering the constituent components functional.

15. The computerized method of claim 7, further comprising maintaining functionality of the processing component by storing instructions received from a corollary shell module previously integrated with the core module, and continuing to exert operational control of the corollary shell module according to the instructions.

16. The computerized method of claim 7, further comprising:

operably coupling a corollary shell module to the shell module, wherein the corollary shell module includes supplemental constituent components that are mutually exclusive from the components integral to the core module;

automatically executing the recognition procedure to determine a configuration of the corollary shell module; and

integrating operational control of the supplemental constituent components with the processing component such that the constituent components, the supplemental constituent components, and the components integral to the core module act in concert under the management of the processing component.

17. A method for disengaging a core module and a shell module previously functioning as a modular mobile device, the computerized method comprising:

providing the shell module and the core module, wherein a power-source component and a processing component are integral to the core module while the shell module includes constituent components, and wherein operational control of the constituent components is integrated within the processing component such that the processing component manages the constituent components as native to the core module; and

detaching the shell module from the core module by rendering the core module a standalone device and maintaining functionality of the processing component by storing instructions received from a corollary shell module previously integrated with the core module, and by continuing to exert operational control of the corollary shell module according to the instructions, wherein rendering the core module a standalone device comprises;

(a) disallowing the core module to impart power to the shell module; and

(b) disarticulating operable control of the constituent components from the processing component.