Head unit to handset interface and integration

• US 8,548,532 B1
• Filed: 09/27/2011
• Issued: 10/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: T-Mobile Innovations LLC (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Ng, Sei Y.
• Primary Examiner(s): Magloire, Vladimir
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sarwar, Babar
• Application Number:
  US13/246,554
• Time in Patent Office: 735 Days
• Field of Search: 455/3.03, 455/3.06, 455/418, 455/419, 455/420, 455/456, 455/414, 455/550.1, 455/556.2, 455/152.1, 455/41.2, 455/569.1, 455/557, 701/29, 701/24, 701 1- 2, 701/36, 701117-119, 701/418, 701/419, 701/428, 701/429, 715/740, 715/741, 715/744
• US Class Current: 455/569.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2757 by data transmission, e.g. downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/16 including more than one display unit

Abstract

A method of communicatively coupling a handheld mobile device and a head unit comprising monitoring, by the handheld mobile device, a port of the handheld mobile device; sending, by the handheld mobile device, an application to the head unit when the head unit device contacts the handheld mobile device via the port of the handheld mobile device; and conducting, by the handheld mobile device, an operation of the handheld mobile device, using the head unit device as the user interface for the handheld mobile device.

Claims

1. A method of communicatively coupling a handheld mobile device and a head unit device comprising:

monitoring, by the handheld mobile device, a port of the handheld mobile device;

sending, by the handheld mobile device, an application that comprises a graphical user interface to the head unit device when the head unit device contacts the handheld mobile device via the port of the handheld mobile device, wherein the application executes on the head unit device to present the graphical user interface on the head unit device, and wherein the graphical user interface is analogous in appearance to a graphical user interface of the handheld mobile device;

conducting, by the handheld mobile device, an operation of the handheld mobile device using the head unit device as a user interface for the handheld mobile device, wherein the operation of the handheld mobile device comprises a phone call, a text message, an email, or a web session;

accessing directly via the head unit device assets of the handheld mobile device without the need for synchronizing and copying the assets of the handheld mobile device, wherein the assets comprise at least one of contacts and an address book; and

sending, by the handheld mobile device, the application to another handheld mobile device, wherein the application executes on the other handheld mobile device to present the graphical user interface on the other handheld mobile device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the handheld mobile device initiates the communicative coupling contacting the head unit device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the head unit device initiates the communicative coupling contacting the handheld mobile device.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the head unit device is a computer.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein conducting an operation of the handheld mobile device using the head unit device comprises sending and receiving user input between the handheld mobile device and the head unit device.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein conducting an operation of the handheld mobile device by the head unit device further comprises presenting information of the operation of the handheld mobile device by the head unit device.

7. A system for linking communication devices comprising:

a mobile communication device comprising;

a processor;

a transceiver;

a memory;

an application stored in the memory that is operable to;

monitor a port of the mobile communication device,

send a user interface application that comprises a graphical user interface to a head unit device when the head unit device contacts the mobile communication device via the port, wherein the graphical user interface is analogous in appearance to a graphical user interface of the mobile communication device,

conduct an operation of the mobile communication device by the mobile communication device using a user interface of the head unit device, wherein the operation of the mobile communication device comprises a phone call, a text message, an email, or a web session, wherein the assets of the mobile communication device are directly accessibly via the head unit device, without the need for synchronizing and copying the assets of the mobile communication device, and wherein the assets comprise at least one of contacts and an address book, and

send the user interface application to another mobile communication device, wherein the user interface application executes on the other mobile communication device to present the graphical user interface on the other mobile communication device.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein conducting an operation of the mobile communication device using the head unit device comprises receiving user input on the head unit device.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein conducting an operation of the mobile communication device using the head unit device further comprises communicating the user input on the head unit device to the mobile communication device.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein conducting an operation of the mobile communication device using the head unit device further comprises presenting information of the operation of the mobile communication device by the mobile communication device.

11. A method for linking communication devices comprising:

receiving, by a head unit device, an application that comprises a graphical user interface from a mobile communication device, wherein the graphical user interface is analogous in appearance to a graphical user interface of the mobile communication device;

receiving, by the head unit device, a first communication from the mobile communication device;

portraying, by the head unit device, the first communication using an input/output unit of the head unit device;

receiving, by the head unit device, an input from a user;

sending, by the head unit device, the user input to the mobile communication device;

receiving, by the head unit device, a second communication from the mobile communication device, wherein the second communication is rendered by the mobile communication device, based on the user input;

portraying, by the head unit device, the second communication using an I/O device of the head unit device;

accessing directly, by the head unit device, an asset of the mobile communication device without the need for synchronizing and copying the asset of the mobile communication device, wherein the asset comprises one of a contact and an address book; and

sending, by the mobile communication device, the application to another mobile communication device, wherein the application executes on the other mobile communication device to present the graphical user interface on the other mobile communication device.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the first and the second communications comprise one or more of voice information, text information, data, x-y coordinates, hypertext markup language (HTML), and an image.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the first and the second communications comprise one or more of WiFi communications and near-field communications (NFC).

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the I/O device is one or more of a visual display, an audio system, and a storage device.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the first and second communications are one or more of a phone call, a voice mail message, an email, a text message, and a web browser session.