Mobile communication device having multiple, interchangeable second devices

• US 8,634,873 B2
• Filed: 03/17/2010
• Issued: 01/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Jones, Gregory G., Hanson, Lisa M., Kleist, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): TRINH, TAN H
• Application Number:
  US12/726,252
• Publication Number:
  US 20110230178A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,406 Days
• Field of Search: 455/577, 455/41.3, 455/41.1, 455/41.2, 455/3.06, 455/566, 455/502, 455/552.1, 455/575.8, 455/575.2, 455/557, 455/466, 455/422.1, 455/456.1, 710/60, 710/313, 345/1.1, 345/169, 345/173, 345/156, 345/109, 345/698, 345/204, 370/401, 370/465, 704/3, 704/275, 715/746
• US Class Current: 455/557
• 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 1/0241 using relative motion of the body parts to change the operational status of the telephone set, e.g. switching on/off, answering incoming call
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0247 comprising more than two body parts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0256 wherein the modules are operable in the detached state, e.g. one module for the user interface and one module for the transceiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72415 for remote control of appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/16 including more than one display unit
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/18 including more than one keyboard unit
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041

Abstract

A mobile communication device comprises a first device with a first display and multiple second devices. The second devices are releasably attachable to the first device and are interchangeable with each other. The mobile device can operate as a mobile cell phone with one or more second devices operable as a mobile phone hand set. The second devices can comprise one or more game controllers, batteries, physical keyboards and/or mobile phone handsets with a display. In a detached configuration, the first device is separated from the second devices and can wirelessly communicate with one or more of the detached second devices. In a three device configuration, the first device can send commands, control signals or content to one or more external devices in addition to the second devices.

Claims

1. A mobile phone, comprising:

a first device having a first display and a first wireless modem;

a plurality of second devices, at least one of the plurality of second devices having a second display and a second wireless modem and operable as a handset of the mobile phone, each of the plurality of second devices being releasably attachable to the first device so that in a detached configuration, the first device is detached from each of the plurality of second devices for wireless communication between the first device and the plurality of second devices and in an attached configuration the first display and second display operate as an integrated display;

the plurality of second devices including a third display for receiving display information from the first device or one of the other plurality of second devices.

2. The mobile phone of claim 1, wherein only one of the plurality of second devices can be attached to the first device at a time.

3. The mobile phone of claim 1, wherein the plurality of second devices are interchangeably attachable to the first device.

4. The mobile phone of claim 1, wherein the plurality of second devices comprises at least one second device selected from the group consisting of a game controller, a battery, and a physical keyboard.

5. The mobile phone of claim 1, wherein the first device further comprises a first cellular modem separate from the first wireless modem and at least one of the plurality of second devices comprises a second cellular modem.

6. The mobile phone of claim 1, wherein the first device further comprises a controller configured to wirelessly communicate simultaneously with at least two of the plurality of second devices.

7. A method of using a mobile phone, comprising:

providing a first device and a plurality of second devices as parts of the mobile phone, the plurality of second devices being interchangeably attachable to the first device;

displaying first content on a first display of the first device;

displaying second content associated with the first content on a second display of one of the plurality of second devices so that the first display and second display combine to form a shared display;

receiving or placing a mobile phone call from/to a wireless communication network; and

during the mobile phone call, wirelessly communicating between the first device and at least two of the plurality of second devices while simultaneously communicating with the wireless communication network; and

displaying third content associated with the first or second content on a third display of one of the plurality of second devices.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein at least two of the plurality of second devices operate as mobile phone handsets for the mobile phone call.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein a first one of the plurality of second devices operates as a mobile phone handset for the mobile phone call, the method further comprising:

during the mobile phone call;

receiving user input at a second one of the plurality of second devices having the third display;

wirelessly communicating with the mobile communication network to access information responsive to the user input; and

displaying the accessed information on the third display of the second one of the plurality of second devices and/or the first display of the first device.

10. The method of claim 7 further comprising updating the first content based on wireless communication between the first device and the second one of the plurality of second devices.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

detaching a first one of the plurality of second devices from the first device; and

attaching a second one of the plurality of second devices to the first device.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the plurality of second devices comprises at least one second device selected from the group consisting of a game controller, a battery, and a physical keyboard.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein a first one of the plurality of second devices operates as a mobile phone handset for the mobile phone call;

the method further comprising receiving or placing one or more additional mobile phone calls from/to a wireless communication network, one or more of the plurality of second devices operating as a mobile phone handset for each of the one or more additional mobile phone calls.

14. A method of using a mobile phone, comprising:

providing a first device and a second device as parts of the mobile phone that are releasably attachable from each other;

detaching the second device from the first device;

wirelessly communicating between the first and second device;

receiving a mobile phone call from a wireless communication network; and

during the mobile phone call, wirelessly communicating between the first and second devices and communicating between the first device and a third device while simultaneously communicating with the wireless communication network;

wherein first content is displayed on a first display of the third device, the method further comprising displaying second content on a second display of the second device, wherein the first content is associated with the second content.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the first device and the third device communicate wirelessly.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the wireless communication between the first device and the third device comprises content to be output at the third device or commands for controlling the output of content at the third device.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

providing one or more additional second devices as parts of the mobile phone that are interchangeably attachable to the first device; and

wirelessly communicating between the first device and at least one of the additional second devices.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising displaying third content on a third display of the at least one of the additional second devices, wherein the third content is associated with the first content and the second content.