Enhanced interface for mobile phone

• US 8,768,318 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2013
• Issued: 07/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Hao, Jianxiu, Farris, Jack M.
• Primary Examiner(s): MIZRAHI, DIANE D
• Application Number:
  US13/931,182
• Publication Number:
  US 20130288746A1
• Time in Patent Office: 368 Days
• Field of Search: 455/463.1, 455/414.1, 455/517, 725/62, 725/110, 379/88.23, 340/626.6
• US Class Current: 455/414.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/382 using universal interface adapter
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/04 Supports for telephone transmitters or receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72409 by interfacing with external accessories hands-free H04M1/60

Abstract

A docking station may provide an enhanced user interface for mobile communication devices. In one particular implementation, a device may include a base unit configured to provide connections to one or more user interface devices and an interface for connecting to a mobile phone, where the base unit connects the mobile phone to the one or more user interface devices to provide an enhanced interface for the mobile phone.

Claims

1. A set-top box comprising:

an interface to connect to a mobile device; and

a processor to;

receive, via the interface, a video signal from the mobile device;

transmit the video signal, received via the interface from the mobile device, to a television,

the video signal providing a visual interface on the television for interacting with the mobile device;

receive, via the visual interface, an input from a user of the mobile device;

identify content based on the input; and

provide, via the interface, the content to the mobile device.

2. The set-top box of claim 1, where the interface includes:

a slot integrated into the set-top box to receive the mobile device.

3. The set-top box of claim 1, where the interface includes:

a wired connection between the set-top box and the mobile device.

4. The set-top box of claim 1, where the interface includes:

a local wireless connection to enable wireless communications between the set-top box and the mobile device.

5. The set-top box of claim 1, where the processor is further to:

automatically detect a presence of the mobile device when the mobile device is connected to the set-top box via the interface.

6. The set-top box of claim 1, where the processor is further to:

provide the mobile device, via the interface, with access to an external broadband connection associated with the set-top box.

7. The set-top box of claim 1, where the processor is further to:

receive, via the interface and from the mobile device, commands relating to control of the set-top box.

8. The set-top box of claim 1, where, when transmitting the video signal to the television, the processor is to:

convert the video signal into a form usable by the television to obtain a converted video signal, and

transmit the converted video signal to the television.

9. The set-top box of claim 1, where the input includes one or more keystrokes entered into the mobile phone.

10. The set-top box of claim 1, where the content includes a video on demand program.

11. A method comprising:

receiving, by a set-top box and via an interface of the set-top box, a video signal from a mobile device;

transmitting, by the set-top box, the video signal, received via the interface from the mobile device, to a television,

the video signal providing a visual interface on the television for interacting with the mobile device;

receiving, by a set-top box and via the visual interface, an input from a user of the mobile device;

identifying, by the set-top box, content based on the input; and

providing, via the interface, the content to the mobile device.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

automatically detecting a presence of the mobile device when the mobile device is connected to the set-top box via the interface.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

providing the mobile device, via the interface, with access to an external broadband connection associated with the set-top box.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving, via the interface and from the mobile device, commands relating to control of the set-top box.

15. The method of claim 11, where transmitting the video signal to the television comprises:

converting the video signal into a form usable by the television to obtain a converted video signal, and

transmitting the converted video signal to the television.

16. The method of claim 11, where the input includes one or more keystrokes entered into the mobile phone.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions, the instructions comprising:

one or more instructions that, when executed by at least one processor of a set-top box, cause the at least one processor to;

receive, via an interface of the set-top box, a video signal from a mobile device;

transmit the video signal, received via the interface from the mobile device, to a television,

the video signal providing a visual interface on the television for interacting with the mobile device;

receive, via the visual interface, an input from a user of the mobile device;

identify content based on the input; and

provide, via the interface, the content to the mobile device.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, where the interface includes a slot integrated into the set-top box to receive the mobile device.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, where the instructions further comprise:

one or more instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to;

receive, via the interface and from the mobile device, commands; and

control the set-top box based on the commands.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, where the content includes a video on demand program.