Information system with detachable information module

• US 9,807,242 B2
• Filed: 09/04/2015
• Issued: 10/31/2017
• 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., Lazaridis, Mihal, Griffin, Jason Tyler, Infanti, James Carl
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Nimesh
• Application Number:
  US14/846,456
• Publication Number:
  US 20150381811A1
• Time in Patent Office: 788 Days
• 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. An apparatus for use with a mobile communications device, the mobile communications device being configured to communicate via a wireless network, the apparatus comprising:

a first display screen;

an user input device;

a communication port; and

a memory unit configured to store instructions causing the apparatus to implement a method comprising;

establishing a connection with the mobile communications device via the communication port;

accessing a plurality of files stored on the mobile communications device; and

presenting contents of a first file which is one of the plurality of files to a user of the apparatus via the first display screen on the apparatus when the mobile communications device is not physically mounted to the apparatus and via a second display screen on the mobile communications device when the mobile communications device is physically mounted to the apparatus,

wherein the first and second display screens are both capable of displaying information when the mobile communications device is physically mounted to the apparatus.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus comprises a speaker.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first file is an audio file.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the audio file is a voicemail message stored on the mobile communications device.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the apparatus is configured to play the audio file via the speaker.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein, when the mobile communications device is physically mounted to the apparatus, a phone number associated with the voicemail message is displayed on the first display screen while a caller name associated with the voicemail message is displayed on the second display screen.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the method implemented by the apparatus further comprises:

prior to playing the audio file on the speaker, displaying the plurality of files on the first display screen when the mobile communications device is not physically mounted to the apparatus;

receiving a selection of the audio file from the user via the user input device; and

responsive to receiving the selection of the audio file, playing the audio file via the speaker.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second display screen supersedes the first display screen when the mobile communications device is physically mounted to the apparatus.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the first file is a message comprising text.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the message comprising text is an email.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein presenting the contents of the file comprises displaying the text of the message on the first display screen when the mobile communications device is not physically mounted to the apparatus.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the method implemented by the apparatus further comprises:

prior to displaying the text of the message on the first display screen, displaying the plurality of files on the first display screen;

receiving a selection of the message from the user via the user input device; and

responsive to receiving the selection of the message, displaying the text of the message on the first display screen.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first file is a user contact.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein presenting the contents of the first file comprises displaying a phone number associated with the user contact, a physical address associated with the user contact, or both.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the method implemented by the apparatus further comprises:

prior to displaying the phone number associated with the user contact, the physical address associated with the user contact, or both, displaying the plurality of files on the first display screen when the mobile communications device is not physically mounted to the apparatus;

receiving a selection of the user contact from the user via the user input device; and

responsive to receiving the selection of the user contact, displaying the phone number associated with the user contact, the physical address associated with the user contact, or both on the first display screen.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the communication port is a Universal Serial Bus (USB) port.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the communication port is a wireless communications module.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the communication port is a Bluetooth communication module.

19. A method of utilizing a mobile communications device by an apparatus, the mobile communications device being configured to communicate via a wireless network, the method comprising:

establishing, by the apparatus, a connection with the mobile communications device via a communication port;

accessing, by the apparatus, a plurality of files stored on the mobile communications device; and

presenting, by the apparatus, contents of a first file which is one of the plurality of files to a user of the apparatus via a first display screen on the apparatus when the mobile communications device is not physically mounted to the apparatus and via a second display screen on the mobile communications device when the mobile communications device is physically mounted to the apparatus,

wherein the first and second display screens are both capable of displaying information when the mobile communications device is physically mounted to the apparatus.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the first file is an audio file, a message comprising text, or a user contact.