Information system with detachable information module

• US 9,131,532 B2
• Filed: 06/21/2013
• Issued: 09/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Postma, Jessica L., Griffin, Jason Tyler, Infanti, James Carl, Lazaridis, Mihal
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Nimesh
• Application Number:
  US13/924,072
• Publication Number:
  US 20130281153A1
• Time in Patent Office: 809 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414.1, 455/459, 455/461, 455/462, 379/211.01, 379/211.02, 379/212.01, 379/428.02
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1698 the I/O peripheral being a sending/receiving arrangement to establish a cordless communication link, e.g. radio or infrared link, integrated cellular phone details of antennas disposed inside a computer H01Q1/2266
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3877 Arrangements for enabling portable transceivers to be used in a fixed position, e.g. cradles or boosters
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4594 Address books, i.e. directories containing contact information about correspondents telephone directories in user terminals H04M1/27453
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/006 Call diverting means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/02 Constructional features of telephone sets
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0289 Telephone sets for operators
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0295 Mechanical mounting details of display modules
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2471 Configurable and interactive telephone terminals with subscriber controlled features modifications, e.g. with ADSI capability [Analog Display Services Interface] systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers H04M3/42; administration or customization of services H04M3/42136; by downloading data to substation equipment H04M3/42178
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2473 Telephone terminals interfacing a personal computer, e.g. using an API (Application Programming Interface) details of API H04M7/0021
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/275 implemented by means of portable electronic directories
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2757 by data transmission, e.g. downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/575 Means for retrieving and displaying personal data about calling party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6505 storing speech in digital form
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/656 for recording conversations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72433 for voice messaging, e.g. dictaphones for answering incoming calls H04M1/64
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/725 Cordless telephones user interfaces specially adapted therefor H04M1/724
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 : Voice mail systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 : Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 : Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 : adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A unitary handheld portable module includes a keypad for entering data and a display for displaying data. A base module is configured to be coupled with and communicate through a telephone line and includes a keypad for dialing a telephone number and a display for displaying information. The portable and base modules are configured to have a mounted configuration in which the portable module is removably mounted on the base module and covers the base module'"'"'s display, and the modules communicate with each other for the portable module'"'"'s display to display information relating to operation of the base module.

Claims

1. A communication module for use with a mobile communication device configured to wirelessly communicate through a wireless cellular network, the communication module comprising:

a communication subsystem configured to communicate through a first communication network other than the wireless cellular network;

a communication port configured to

(i) establish, with the mobile communication device, a direct non-network-based short-range wireless link that is based on neither the first communication network nor the wireless cellular network, and

(ii) receive, from the mobile communication device through the short-range wireless link, contact information that is stored in the mobile communication device, wherein the contact information relates to a contact of that the mobile communication device is configured to communicate with over the wireless cellular network;

a memory configured to store the contact information; and

a processing subsystem configured to use the stored contact information to initiate a communication, through the first communication network, between the communication module and the contact.

2. The communication module of claim 1 wherein the communication module is configured to receive and store the contact information automatically when the short-range wireless link to the mobile communication device is established.

3. The communication module of claim 1 wherein the communication module is configured to receive and store the contact information in response to a user input.

4. The communication module of claim 1 wherein the communication module is configured to

previous to receiving the contact information, store information regarding the contact in the memory;

and

after receiving the contact information, use the received contact information to update the previously-stored information that is in the memory.

5. The communication module of claim 1 wherein the communication module is configured to

receive, from a user interface, information related to the contact;

and

send the received information through the short-range link to the mobile communication device.

6. The communication module of claim 1 wherein the communication module comprises a telephone, the first communication network is a wired telephone network, the contact information includes a phone number of the contact of the mobile communication device, the communication is a phone call, and the communication module initiating the communication comprises the communication module using the phone number to place the phone call.

7. The communication module of claim 1 wherein the contact information includes a contact telephone number.

8. The communication module of claim 1 wherein the communication module is configured to restrict access to data stored in the communication module, and the communication port is configured to receive an identification number of the mobile communication device from the cellular mobile communication device through the short-range wireless link from the mobile communication device, which causes the communication module to enable access to the data.

9. A method performed by a communication module that is configured to communicate through a first communication network, the method comprising:

(i) establishing a direct non-network-based short-range wireless link with a mobile communication device that is configured to wirelessly communicate through a wireless cellular network;

(ii) receiving, from the mobile communication device through the short-range wireless link, contact information that is stored in the mobile communication device, wherein the contact information relates to a contact that the mobile communication device is configured to communicate with over the wireless cellular network;

(iii) storing the contact information in a memory; and

(iv) using the stored contact information to initiate a communication with the contact through the first communication network;

wherein the communication module performs steps (i)-(iv); and

wherein the short-range wireless link is based on neither the first communication network nor the wireless cellular network.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the receiving and the storing are performed automatically by the communication module when the short-range wireless link to the mobile communication device is established.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the receiving and the storing are performed in response to a user input.

12. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

previous to receiving the contact information, store information regarding the contact in the memory; and

after receiving the contact information, using the received contact information to update the previously-stored information that is in the memory.

13. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

receiving, from a user interface, information related to a contact; and

sending the received information to the mobile communication device through the short-range link.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein the communication module comprises a telephone, the first communication network is a wired telephone network, the contact information includes a telephone number of the contact of the mobile communication device, the communication is a phone call, and the communication module initiating the communication comprises the communication module using the phone number to place the phone call.

15. The method of claim 9 wherein the contact information includes a contact telephone number.

16. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

the communication module restricting access to data stored in the communication module;

the communication module receiving an identification number of the mobile communication device from the mobile communication device through the short-range wireless connection; and

based on the identification number, the communication module enabling access to the data.

17. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

the communication module restricting use of a particular function of the communication module;

the communication module receiving an identification number of the mobile communication device from the mobile communication device through the short-range wireless connection; and

based on the identification number, the communication module enabling use of the particular function.

18. The method of claim 9 wherein the receiving of the contact information by the communication module is automatically invoked when the mobile communication device is mounted on the communication module.

19. The method of claim 9 wherein the short-range communication link is through infrared transmission.