Adding peripherals to mobile device via smart interchangeable cover

• US 20030104791A1
• Filed: 12/31/2002
• Published: 06/05/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Wildseed Ltd. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Wildseed Ltd. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Zatloukal, Peter, Engstrom, G. Eric
• Application Number:
  US10/334,739
• Publication Number:
  US 20030104791A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/90.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3833 Hand-held transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3888 Arrangements for carrying or protecting transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/021 using combined folding and rotation motions combined with translation movement H04M1/0235
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0214 Foldable telephones, i.e. with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position combined with translation movement H04M1/0235
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0252 by means of a snap-on mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0254 comprising one or a plurality of mechanically detachable modules
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0264 for a camera module assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0283 for providing a decorative aspect, e.g. customization of casings, exchangeable faceplate
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/23 Construction or mounting of dials or of equivalent devices; Means for facilitating the use thereof by improving visibility H04M1/22
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724092 Interfacing with an external cover providing additional functionalities
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72427 for supporting games or graphical animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7246 by connection of exchangeable housing parts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/14 including a card reading device
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/52 including functional features of a camera constructional features concerning the integration of cameras in portable phones H04M1/0264

Abstract

An interchangeable cover is endowed with one or more peripherals complementary electronics to add the one or more peripherals to a mobile device, to which the interchangeable cover is attached. In various embodiments, the peripherals may be a PCMCIA card reader, a PC Card reader, a Compact Flash card reader, a barcode reader, a camera , and so forth. In various embodiments, the complementary electronics are packaged in an ASIC with output pins similar to that of a SIM chip, which may include a properly equipped protocol processor for de-packaging and packaging data being inputted/outputted in accordance with selected protocols. In one embodiment, the cover is U-shaped. In a wireless mobile phone embodiment, the cover is attached to a rotabable sub-section of a pivotable section.

Claims

1. An interchangeable cover comprising:

a cover body;

at least one peripheral disposed on the cover body;

traces coupled to the at least one peripheral; and

an electronic component coupled to the traces, and equipped to add the at least one peripheral to a mobile device to which the interchangeable cover is attached.

2. The cover of claim 1, wherein the cover body is U-shaped and designed to be attached to the mobile device from a side of the mobile device.

3. The cover of claim 1, wherein the cover is a back plate, with the cover body designed to be attached to the mobile device from a back of the mobile device.

4. The cover of claim 1, wherein the at least one peripheral comprises a selected one or a PCMCIA card reader and a PC Card reader.

5. The cover of claim 1, wherein the at least one peripheral comprises a Compact Flash card reader.

6. The cover of claim 1, wherein the at least one peripheral comprises a barcode reader.

7. The cover of claim 1, wherein the at least one peripheral comprises a digital camera.

8. The cover of claim 1, wherein at least one peripheral is disposed on a back surface of the cover body.

9. The cover of claim 1, wherein the electronic component comprises an analog-to-digital (A/D) converter and a digital-to-analog (D/A) converter coupled to the traces, a protocol processor coupled to the A/D and D/A converters, a storage unit coupled to the protocol processor and the converters, and an input/output (I/O) interface coupled to the storage unit.

10. The cover of claim 9, wherein the storage unit comprises EEPROM.

11. The cover of claims 1, wherein the mobile device comprises functionalities of at least a selected one of a wireless mobile phone and a personal digital assistant.

12. A mobile device comprising

a core unit including at least one extension interface;

and

an interchangeable cover removably attached to the core unit, the interchangeable cover having at least one peripheral and electronics, coupled to each other, with at least one aspect of the electronics designed to mate with the at least one extension interface of the core unit to add the at least one peripheral to the core unit.

13. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein the interchangeable cover comprises a cover body that is U-shaped and designed to be attached to the mobile device from a side of the mobile device.

14. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein the interchangeable cover is a back plate designed to be attached to the mobile device from a front of the mobile device.

15. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein the at least one peripheral of the interchangeable cover comprises a selected one of a PCMCIA card reader and a PC card reader.

16. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein the at least one peripheral of the interchangeable cover comprises a barcode reader.

17. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein the at least one peripheral of the interchangeable cover comprises a digital camera.

18. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein the electronic components of the interchangeable cover comprise an analog-to-digital (A/D) converter and a digital-to-analog (D/A) converter, a protocol processor coupled to the A/D and D/A converters, a storage unit coupled to the protocol processor and the converters, and an input/output (I/O) interface coupled to the storage unit.

19. The mobile device of claim 18, wherein the storage unit comprises EEPROM.

20. The mobile device of claims 12, wherein the mobile device comprises functionalities of at least a selected one of a wireless mobile phone and a personal digital assistant.

21. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein the core unit comprises a first and a second section with the second section having a first and a second sub-section where the second-sub-section is rotatable relative to the first sub-section, and the cover removably attaches to the second sub-section of the second section.

22. A wireless mobile phone comprising:

a core wireless telephony unit including a first and a second section with the second section having a first and a second sub-section where the second sub-section is rotatable relative to the first sub-section; and

a cover including at least one peripheral, removably mated with the second sub-section,.

23. The wireless mobile phone of claim 22 wherein said at least one peripheral comprises a selected one of a PCMCIA card reader and a PC Card reader.

24. The wireless mobile phone of claim 22 wherein said at least one peripheral comprises a Compact Flash card reader.

25. The wireless mobile phone of claim 22 wherein said at least one peripheral comprises a barcode reader.

26. The wireless mobile phone of claim 22 wherein said at least one peripheral comprises a digital camera.

27. The wireless mobile phone of claim 22, wherein the first and the second sections are pivotally coupled to each other.