Portable communication devices with accessory functions and related methods

• US 9,641,656 B2
• Filed: 02/11/2016
• Issued: 05/02/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Chapman, Brian Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Trinh, Sonny
• Application Number:
  US15/041,622
• Publication Number:
  US 20160173671A1
• Time in Patent Office: 446 Days
• Field of Search: 455 88, 455 73, 455 78, 455 91, 4551272, 4551273, 4551141, 4551143, 455118, 455125
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/00 Interconnection of, or transfer of information or other signals between, memories, input/output devices or central processing units interface circuits for specific input/output devices G06F3/00 ; multiprogram control therefor G06F9/46; multiprocessor systems G06F15/16
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4068 Electrical coupling
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/409 Mechanical coupling back panels H05K7/1438
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4282 on a serial bus, e.g. I2C bus, SPI bus on daisy chain buses G06F13/4247
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4286 using a handshaking protocol, e.g. RS232C link
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4295 using an embedded synchronisation
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/342 The other DC source being a battery actively interacting with the first one, i.e. battery to battery charging with circuits for polarity protection H02J7/0034
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0254 comprising one or a plurality of mechanically detachable modules
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/026 Details of the structure or mounting of specific components
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0262 for a battery compartment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0274 for an electrical connector module
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/04 Supports for telephone transmitters or receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/21 Combinations with auxiliary equipment, e.g. with clocks or memoranda pads
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7246 by connection of exchangeable housing parts

Abstract

Portable communication devices and related methods for use in supporting voice and/or data communication are provided. One example portable communication device includes a housing, an interface connector disposed at the housing. The interface connector is configured to couple to an accessory module configured to provide at least one accessory function. The example portable communication device also includes a processor disposed at least partially within the housing. The processor is coupled to the interface connector and is configured to determine whether a coupled accessory module is an approved module for use with the portable communication device, based on an identity of the accessory module, and if the accessory module is an approved module, enable power at the interface connector such that communication between the portable communication device and the accessory module is permitted.

Claims

1. A portable communication device comprising:

a housing;

an interface connector disposed at said housing, said interface connector configured to couple to an accessory module configured to provide at least one accessory function; and

a processor disposed at least partially within said housing, said processor coupled to said interface connector and wherein said processor is configured to;

access a list of modules approved for use with the portable communications device, wherein the list of modules is stored remotely from the portable communications device;

determine whether a coupled accessory module is an approved module for use with the portable communication device, based on an identity of the accessory module and the list of modules; and

if the accessory module is an approved module, enable power at said interface connector such that communication between the portable communication device and the accessory module is permitted.

2. The portable communication device of claim 1, wherein said processor is further configured to select at least one of a plurality of communication protocols based on the identity of the accessory module and powering at least one communication channel between the accessory module and the portable communication device to support the selected communication protocol.

3. The portable communication device of claim 2, wherein said processor is further configured to disable power to a component associated with said interface connector for a communication channel not selected between the accessory module and the portable communication device.

4. The portable communication device of claim 1, wherein said processor is further configured to:

determine that the accessory module includes at least one module battery;

receive a selection of one of a battery of the portable communication device and the at least one module battery; and

power the portable communication device based on the selection.

5. The portable communication device of claim 4, wherein said processor is further configured to present to a user the selection of the battery of the portable communication device and the at least one module battery.

6. The portable communication device of claim 4, wherein said processor is further configured to receive a selection for a direction of charge to determine which of the portable communication device battery and the at least one module battery is charged from the other.

7. The portable communication device of claim 1, further comprising a back panel removably coupled to said housing and such that the accessory module is coupleable to said portable communication device in place of said back panel when said back panel is uncoupled from said housing.

8. The portable communication device of claim 7, wherein said interface connector is positioned between said back panel and said housing.

9. The portable communication device of claim 1, wherein said processor is configured to communicate with the accessory module using at least one of a universal serial bus (USB) interface, an I2C interface, a serial peripheral interface (SPI) bus, a universal asynchronous receiver/transmitter (UART) interface, a general purpose input/output (GPIO), and a display serial interface (DSI).

10. A method for providing at least one accessory function to a portable communication device, the portable communication device including a housing, a back panel, a processor, and an interface connector, said method comprising:

coupling an accessory module to the housing in place of the back panel such that a module connector of the accessory module is coupled to the interface connector of the portable communication device;

accessing a list of modules approved for use with the portable communications device, wherein the list of modules is stored remotely from the portable communications device;

determining whether the accessory module is an approved module for use with the portable communication device, based on an identity of the accessory module and the list of modules; and

if the accessory module is an approved module, enabling power at the interface connector such that communication between the portable communication device and the accessory module is permitted.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising selecting at least one of a plurality of communication protocols based on the identity of the accessory module and powering at least one communication channel between the accessory module and the portable communication device to support the selected communication protocol.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising disabling power to a component associated with the interface connector for a communication channel not selected between the accessory module and the portable communication device.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

determining that the accessory module includes at least one module battery;

receiving a selection of one of a battery of the portable communication device and the at least one module battery; and

powering the portable communication device based on the selection.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising presenting to a user the selection of the battery of the portable communication device and the at least one module battery.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising receiving a selection for a direction of charge to determine which of the portable communication device battery and the at least one module battery is charged from the other.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

powering the portable communication device from a module battery of the accessory module; and

performing an eject sequence, by the processor, to maintain uninterrupted power to the portable communication device when the accessory module is removed from the portable communication device.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein performing an eject sequence comprises engaging a battery of the portable communication device to power the portable communication device, prior to the removal of the accessory module from the portable communication device.

18. A portable communication device comprising:

a housing;

an interface connector disposed at said housing, said interface connector configured to couple to an accessory module configured to provide at least one accessory function;

a second interface connector configured to detect a coupled accessory module and receive identification information from the accessory module; and

a processor disposed at least partially within said housing, said processor coupled to said interface connector and wherein said processor is configured to;

determine whether a coupled accessory module is an approved module for use with the portable communication device, based on an identity of the accessory module; and

if the accessory module is an approved module, enable power at said interface connector such that communication between the portable communication device and the accessory module is permitted.