Electronic device input/output system and method
DC CAFCFirst Claim
1. A system for coupling a credit card reader to a mobile device, the system comprising:
- a hardware component that connects to the mobile device and the credit card reader, the hardware component including;
a first mechanism configured to receive data provided by the credit card reader;
a communication controller for buffering the data received from the credit card reader prior to conversion by a first circuit;
the first circuit configured to convert the data to an analog audio signal;
a connector to couple the hardware component to an audio input port of the mobile device, wherein;
the connector bridges a microphone pin of the audio input port such that the mobile device detects a presence of the connector in the audio input port; and
the connector provides an audio communication between the hardware component and the mobile device and communicates the analog audio signal from the hardware component to the mobile device;
a second mechanism on the mobile device configured to receive the analog audio signal and convert the analog audio signal into binary data; and
a third mechanism on the mobile device configured to upload the binary data to a cloud service for decoding.
7 Assignments
Litigations
1 Petition
Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for coupling a peripheral to a device such as a smart phone. In a most general embodiment, the invention includes a first circuit for converting data signals output by the peripheral to analog signals; a connector for coupling the circuit to an input port of the device; and a second circuit disposed within the device for converting analog signals to data signals. In the illustrative embodiment, the first circuit is a frequency shift key generator and the second circuit is a frequency shift key detector. A host controller is coupled to the peripheral and a microcontroller coupled to the host controller. A serial port is coupled between the microcontroller and the host controller. A communication controller is coupled between the serial port and the frequency shift key generator. In a more specific embodiment, the device further includes a frequency shift key to binary data converter and a scan code to character set mapper and an arrangement for receiving and processing signals wirelessly via an infrared receiver.
18 Citations
30 Claims
-
1. A system for coupling a credit card reader to a mobile device, the system comprising:
-
a hardware component that connects to the mobile device and the credit card reader, the hardware component including; a first mechanism configured to receive data provided by the credit card reader; a communication controller for buffering the data received from the credit card reader prior to conversion by a first circuit; the first circuit configured to convert the data to an analog audio signal; a connector to couple the hardware component to an audio input port of the mobile device, wherein; the connector bridges a microphone pin of the audio input port such that the mobile device detects a presence of the connector in the audio input port; and the connector provides an audio communication between the hardware component and the mobile device and communicates the analog audio signal from the hardware component to the mobile device; a second mechanism on the mobile device configured to receive the analog audio signal and convert the analog audio signal into binary data; and a third mechanism on the mobile device configured to upload the binary data to a cloud service for decoding. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
-
-
9. A computer-implemented method for connecting a credit card reader to a cloud service through a mobile device, comprising:
-
receiving, at a hardware component connected to the credit card reader, digital data from the credit card reader; converting, with the hardware component, the digital data into an analog audio signal; and delivering the analog audio signal to an audio input port on a mobile device through a connector of the hardware component that couples the hardware component to an audio input port of the mobile device, wherein the connector bridges a microphone pin of the audio input port such that the mobile device detects a presence of the connector in the audio input port; decoding, at the mobile device, the analog audio signal into binary data; sending, from the mobile device, the binary data to the cloud service for decoding; and comparing, at the cloud service, the binary data to a scan code to decode the binary data. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 29)
-
-
19. A method for delivering data to a cloud service, the method comprising:
-
receiving, at a hardware component, digital data from a credit card reader; buffering, at the hardware component, the digital data received from the credit card reader; converting, with a microcontroller included in the hardware component, the digital data into an analog audio signal; delivering the analog audio signal to an audio input of a mobile device through a connector that couples to an audio input port of the mobile device, wherein the connector bridges a microphone pin of the audio input port such that the mobile device detects a presence of the connector in the audio input port; receiving at the mobile device the analog audio signal and converting the analog audio signal into binary data; and uploading the binary data without significant change from the mobile device to a cloud service for decoding. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 30)
-
Specification