Method and apparatus for coupling portable communication devices

• US 8,753,128 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2011
• Issued: 06/17/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola Mobility LLC (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Alameh, Rachid, Gitzinger, Thomas, Steuer, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): HYEON, HAE M
• Application Number:
  US13/077,259
• Publication Number:
  US 20120252230A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,174 Days
• Field of Search: 439/31, 439/165, 439/640, 439/534, 439/173
• US Class Current: 439/31
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0214 Foldable telephones, i.e. with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position combined with translation movement H04M1/0235
• 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 1/0256 wherein the modules are operable in the detached state, e.g. one module for the user interface and one module for the transceiver

Abstract

A method and apparatus couple portable communication devices. The apparatus (100) can include a coupling mechanism (130) including a first coupling mechanism connector (131) and a second coupling mechanism connector (132) mechanically coupled to the first coupling mechanism connector. The second coupling mechanism connector can be movable relative to the first coupling mechanism connector. The apparatus can include a first portable communication device (110) including a first portable communication device connector (112) detachably coupled to the first coupling mechanism connector. The apparatus can include a second portable communication device (120) including a second portable communication device connector (122) detachably coupled to the second coupling mechanism connector. The second portable communication device can be configured to communicate with the first portable communication device and move relative to the first portable communication device when coupled to the coupling mechanism. The first portable communication device can be adapted to be used independent from the second portable communication device.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a first coupling mechanism providing a first form factor for the apparatus, the first coupling mechanism including;

a first coupling mechanism connector; and

a second coupling mechanism connector mechanically coupled to the first coupling mechanism connector, where the second coupling mechanism connector is movable relative to the first coupling mechanism connector;

a first portable communication device including a first portable communication device connector detachably coupled to the first coupling mechanism connector; and

a second portable communication device including a second portable communication device connector detachably coupled to the second coupling mechanism connector, the second portable communication device configured to communicate with the first portable communication device and move relative to the first portable communication device when coupled to the coupling mechanism,

wherein the first portable communication device is adapted to be used independent from the second portable communication device,

wherein the apparatus further comprises a second coupling mechanism interchangeable with the first coupling mechanism, the second coupling mechanism providing a second form factor for the apparatus different from the first form factor, the second coupling mechanism comprising;

a second first coupling mechanism connector, where the first portable communication device connector detachably couples to the second first coupling mechanism connector; and

a second second coupling mechanism connector mechanically coupled to the second first coupling mechanism connector, where the second second coupling mechanism connector moves relative to the second first coupling mechanism connector differently from movement between the first coupling mechanism connector and the second coupling mechanism connector, where the second portable communication device connector detachably couples to the second second coupling mechanism connector, and

wherein the second portable communication device provides a user interface for the first portable communication device to access functions of the first portable communication device that are not accessible without the second portable communication device.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first portable communication device comprises a device including cellular communication circuitry.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the first coupling mechanism comprises a first one of a hinge mechanism, a slider mechanism, and a rotation mechanism,

wherein the second coupling mechanism comprises a second one of a hinge mechanism, a slider mechanism, and a rotation mechanism, wherein the second one of a hinge mechanism, a slider mechanism, and a rotation mechanism is different from the first one of a hinge mechanism, a slider mechanism, and a rotation mechanism.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the second portable communication device comprises a portable communication device user interface, and

wherein the first and second coupling mechanisms enable operation of the first portable communication device with different portable communication device user interfaces.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the first portable communication device includes a first portable communication device communication signal interface, and

wherein the second portable communication device includes a second portable communication device signal interface configured to wirelessly communicate with the first portable communication device communication signal interface.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the first coupling mechanism connector includes a first coupling mechanism communication signal interface, and

wherein the second coupling mechanism connector includes a second coupling mechanism communication signal interface configured to electronically communicate with the first coupling mechanism communication signal interface.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the first portable communication device includes a first display,

wherein the second portable communication device includes a second display, and

wherein both the first display and the second display are active when the first portable communication device is coupled to the second portable communication device via the first coupling mechanism.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second portable communication device includes components that use resources of the first portable communication device when connected to the first portable communication device via the first coupling mechanism.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second portable communication device is powered by the first portable communication device when connected to the first portable communication device via the first coupling mechanism.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second portable communication device provides additional functionality for the first portable communication device when connected to the first portable communication device via the first coupling mechanism.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second portable communication device enables latent functionality of the first portable communication device when connected to the first portable communication device via the first coupling mechanism.

12. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second coupling mechanism connector is mechanically movably coupled to the first coupling mechanism connector such that the second coupling mechanism connector is configured to move in a substantially single plane relative to the first coupling mechanism connector.

13. The apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the first coupling mechanism connector includes a first coupling mechanism optical communication signal interface, and

wherein the second coupling mechanism connector includes a second coupling mechanism optical communication signal interface configured to optically communicate with the first coupling mechanism optical communication signal interface.

14. The apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the first coupling mechanism connector includes a first angle encoded ring coupling mechanism communication signal interface,

wherein the second coupling mechanism connector includes a second angle encoded ring coupling mechanism communication signal interface configured to electronically communicate with the first angle encoded ring coupling mechanism communication signal interface, and

wherein at least one connector of the first angle encoded ring coupling mechanism communication signal interface contacts at least one connector of the second angle encoded ring coupling mechanism communication signal interface depending on the position of the second portable communication device relative to the first portable communication device.

15. The apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the second portable communication device is configured to communicate with the first portable communication device via the second coupling mechanism connector when connected to the second coupling mechanism connector, and

wherein the second portable communication device is configured to communicate with the first portable communication device wirelessly when detached from the second coupling mechanism connector.

16. The apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the first portable communication device includes a first portable communication device communication signal interface, and

wherein the second portable communication device includes a second portable communication device signal interface configured to wirelessly communicate with the first portable communication device communication signal interface using short range wireless communication signals.

17. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second coupling mechanism connector comprises a universal serial bus connector.

18. A method comprising:

providing a first portable communication device including a first portable communication device connector;

providing a second portable communication device including a second portable communication device connector, the second portable communication device configured to communicate with the first portable communication device;

enabling coupling of the first portable communication device to the second portable communication device using a first detachable coupling mechanism providing a first form factor for the apparatus, the first detachable coupling mechanism including a first coupling mechanism connector and a second coupling mechanism connector mechanically coupled to the first coupling mechanism connector, where the second coupling mechanism connector is movable relative to the first coupling mechanism connector, where the first portable communication device connector is detachably coupled to the first coupling mechanism connector, where the second portable communication device connector is detachably coupled to the second coupling mechanism connector, where the first portable communication device is adapted to be used independent from the second portable communication device, and where the second portable communication device is configured to move relative to the first portable communication device when coupled to the coupling mechanism; and

enabling coupling of the first portable communication device to the second portable communication device using a second detachable coupling mechanism interchangeable with the first detachable coupling mechanism, the second detachable coupling mechanism providing a second form factor for the apparatus different from the first form factor, the second detachable coupling mechanism including a second first coupling mechanism connector and a second second coupling mechanism connector mechanically coupled to the second first coupling mechanism connector, where the second second coupling mechanism connector moves relative to the second first coupling mechanism connector differently from movement between the first coupling mechanism connector and the second coupling mechanism connector, where the first portable communication device connector detachably couples to the second first coupling mechanism connector, and where the second portable communication device connector detachably couples to the second second coupling mechanism connector,

wherein the second portable communication device provides a user interface for the first portable communication device to access functions of the first portable communication device that are not accessible without the second portable communication device.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the second coupling mechanism connector is rigidly mechanically coupled to the first coupling mechanism connector such that the second coupling mechanism connector is configured to move in a substantially single plane relative to the first coupling mechanism connector.

20. The method according to claim 18,

wherein the second portable communication device comprises a portable communication device user interface, and

wherein the first detachable coupling mechanism enables operation of the first portable communication device with different portable communication device user interfaces.

21. The method according to claim 18, wherein the first portable communication device comprises a device including cellular communication circuitry.

22. The method according to claim 18,

wherein the first portable communication device includes a first portable communication device communication signal interface, and

wherein the second portable communication device includes a second portable communication device signal interface configured to directly communicate with the first portable communication device communication signal interface using wireless communication.

23. The method according to claim 18,

wherein the first coupling mechanism connector includes a first coupling mechanism communication signal interface, and

wherein the second coupling mechanism connector includes a second coupling mechanism communication signal interface configured to directly communicate with the first coupling mechanism communication signal interface to enable electrical communications between the first portable communication device and the second portable communication device.

24. A system comprising:

a first coupling mechanism providing a first form factor for the system, the first coupling mechanism including;

a first first coupling mechanism connector; and

a first second coupling mechanism connector movably mechanically coupled to the first first coupling mechanism connector, where the first second coupling mechanism connector is configured to move in a substantially single plane relative to the first first coupling mechanism connector;

a portable communication device including a first portable communication device connector detachably coupled to the first first coupling mechanism connector; and

a portable communication user interface device including a portable communication device user interface connector detachably coupled to the first second coupling mechanism connector, the portable communication user interface device configured to communicate with the portable communication device and move relative to the portable communication device when coupled to the first coupling mechanism,

wherein the portable communication device is adapted to be used independent from the portable communication user interface device,

wherein the coupling mechanism enables operation of first portable communication device with different portable communication device user interface devices, and

wherein the system further comprises a second coupling mechanism interchangeable with the first coupling mechanism, the second coupling mechanism providing a second form factor for the system different from the first form factor, the second coupling mechanism comprising;

a second first coupling mechanism connector, where the first portable communication device connector detachably couples to the second first coupling mechanism connector; and

a second second coupling mechanism connector mechanically coupled to the second first coupling mechanism connector, where the second second coupling mechanism connector moves relative to the second first coupling mechanism connector differently from movement between the first first coupling mechanism connector and the first second coupling mechanism connector, where the second portable communication device connector detachably couples to the second second coupling mechanism connector, and

wherein the portable communication user interface device provides a user interface for the portable communication device to access functions of the portable communication device that are not accessible without the portable communication user interface device.

25. The system according to claim 24, wherein the first coupling mechanism opens and closes the portable communication device relative to the portable communication device user interface in an overlapping manner.