Smart dock call handling rules

• US 9,900,418 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Issued: 02/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Z124 LLC (Flexis)
• Original Assignee: Z124 LLC (Flexis)
• Inventors: Selim, Mohammed
• Primary Examiner(s): Sitta, Grant
• Application Number:
  US13/834,543
• Publication Number:
  US 20130273970A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,803 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-175, 345 11, 455557, 455569
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4081 Live connection to bus, e.g. hot-plugging current or voltage limitation during live insertion H02H9/004
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2137 Time limited access, e.g. to a computer or data
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones

Abstract

A multi-display device can interface with two or more different types of docking stations. The device can determine the type of dock and change the pin outs for a connector to interface with that dock. Once docked, the device can determine a charge status for the device and the dock to present the status to the user. Further, the dock can enter one of several modes, including a call receipt mode and an entertainment mode. The modes allow for expanded functionality for the device while docked. Two particular docks, the laptop dock and the smart dock, provide special functionality with the device.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

providing a device, the device having a first screen and a second screen, wherein the device includes a wireless communication transceiver and antenna that connect wirelessly with a wireless audio device, wherein, when the wireless audio device is wirelessly connected to the device, the device is configured to send an audio signal to the wireless audio device, and wherein the wireless audio device is configured to provide an audio output of the audio signal sent from the device;

providing a dock, wherein the dock is also configured to connect wirelessly with the wireless audio device, wherein, when the wireless audio device is wirelessly connected to the dock, the dock is configured to send the audio signal to the wireless audio device;

docking the device into the dock;

receiving a first phone call while the device is docked;

in response to receiving the first phone call, determining that the wireless audio device, which can receive a first audio signal, is connected wirelessly to the dock or the device, wherein the first audio signal is associated with the first phone call;

in response to determining that the wireless audio device is connected wirelessly to the dock or the device, sending the first audio signal to the wireless audio device via one or more of the dock and the device;

receiving a second phone call while the device is docked;

in response to receiving the second phone call while the device is docked, determining that the wireless audio device is not connected to the dock and is not connected to the device, wherein a second audio signal is associated with the second phone call;

in response to determining that the wireless audio device is not connected to the dock and is not connected to the device, sending the second signal to a speaker attached to the dock; and

in response to receiving the first or second phone call while the device is docked, locking the first screen and the second screen of the device in a landscape mode.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the device is docked with the first screen and the second screen in landscape mode.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein a user interacts with the first screen or second screen while the first or second phone call is received.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless audio device is a Bluetooth device.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising determining if the device is undocked.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising, if the device remains docked, continuing the first or second phone call.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising, if the device is undocked, returning the device to a previous state occupied by the device before the device was docked.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the first or second phone call is maintained while the device is undocked.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein reception of the first or second phone call causes the device to enter a call handling mode and wherein one or more docking rules dictate the call handling mode.

10. A device, comprising:

a first screen;

a second screen;

a memory;

a wireless communication transceiver and antenna that connect wirelessly with a wireless audio device, wherein, when the wireless audio device is wirelessly connected to the device, the device is configured to send an audio signal to the wireless audio device, and wherein the wireless audio device is configured to provide an audio output of the audio signal sent from the device;

a processor in communication with the memory, the first screen, and the second screen, the processor operable to;

while the device is docked, receive a first phone call;

based on being docked and receiving the first phone call, enter a call handling mode, wherein one or more docking rules dictate the call handling mode;

based on the docking rules;

in response to receiving the first phone call, determine that the wireless audio device that can receive a first audio signal is wirelessly connected to the dock or the device, wherein the first audio signal is associated with the first phone call;

in response to determining that the wireless audio device is wirelessly connected to the dock or the device, send the first audio signal to the wireless audio device via one or more of the dock and the device;

while the device is docked, receive a second phone call;

based on being docked and receiving the second phone call, enter a call handling mode, wherein one or more docking rules dictate the call handling mode;

based on the docking rules;

in response to receiving the second phone call, determine that the wireless audio device that can receive a second audio signal is not wirelessly connected to the dock or the device, wherein the second audio signal is associated with the second phone call;

in response to determining that the wireless audio device is not wirelessly connected to the dock or the device, send the second audio signal to a speaker attached to the dock; and

in response to receiving the first or second phone call while the device is docked, locking the first screen and the second screen of the device in a landscape mode.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein a user interacts with the first screen or second screen while the first or second phone call is received.

12. The device of claim 10, wherein the wireless audio device is a Bluetooth device.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the processor is further operable to:

determine if the device is undocked;

if the device remains docked, continue the first or second phone call,

if the device is undocked, return the device to a previous state occupied by the device before the device was docked, wherein the first or second phone call is maintained while the device is undocked.

14. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions, the computer executable instructions causing a processor of a device to execute a method for managing the docking the device, the device having a first screen and a second screen, wherein the device includes a wireless communication transceiver and antenna that connect wirelessly with a wireless audio device, the computer-executable instructions comprising:

if a wireless audio device is provided, instructions to connect wirelessly with the wireless audio device, wherein, when the wireless audio device is wirelessly connected to the device, the device is configured to send an audio signal to the wireless audio device, and wherein the wireless audio device is configured to provide an audio output of the audio signal sent from the device;

after docking the device with a dock, instructions to receive a first phone call;

based on being docked and receiving the first phone call, instructions to enter a call handling mode, wherein one or more docking rules dictate the call handling mode;

based on the docking rules;

in response to receiving the first phone call, instructions to determine that the wireless audio device that can receive a first audio signal is wirelessly connected to dock or the device, wherein the first audio signal is associated with the first phone call;

in response to determining that the wireless audio device is attached to the dock or the device, instructions to send the first audio signal to the wireless audio device through the dock or the device;

after docking the device with a dock, instructions to receive a second phone call;

based on being docked and receiving the second phone call, instructions to enter the call handling mode, wherein one or more docking rules dictate the call handling mode;

based on the docking rules;

in response to receiving the second phone call, instructions to determine that the wireless audio device that can receive a second audio signal is not wirelessly connected to dock or the device, wherein the second audio signal is associated with the second phone call;

in response to determining that the wireless audio device is not wirelessly connected to the dock or the device, instructions to send the second audio signal to a speaker attached to the dock; and

in response to receiving the first or second phone call while the device is docked, instructions to lock the first screen and the second screen of the device in a landscape mode.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein the device is docked with the first screen and the second screen in landscape mode.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein the wireless audio device is a Bluetooth device.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 14, further compromising:

instructions to determine if the device is undocked;

if the device remains docked, instructions to continue the first or second phone call;

if the device is undocked, instructions to return the device to a previous state occupied by the device before the device was docked, wherein the first or second phone call is maintained while the device is undocked.