Mobile device interface and adaptation system

• US 20050153749A1
• Filed: 01/14/2004
• Published: 07/14/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Falcon, Stephen Russell, Croyle, Jeffrey Scott
• Granted Patent: US 7,272,420 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/569.100
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0241 for telephones
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/04 Supports for telephone transmitters or receivers

Abstract

The present invention relates to a mobile device interface and adaptation system that includes one or both of an adapter and a host device. In certain implementations, the adapter is designed to attach to a mobile device, and has one or more electrical contacts to interface with one or more electrical contacts of the mobile device when the adapter is attached to the mobile device. The adapter further has a connector portion that is electrically coupled to the one or more electrical contacts of the adapter. The host device has a connector portion that is a mate to the connector portion of the adapter. The connector portion of the host device has one or more electrical contacts to interface with one or more electrical contacts of the connector portion of the adapter when the adapter and host device are connected using the connector portions of the adapter and host device.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

an adapter designed to attach to a mobile device, the adapter having one or more electrical contacts to interface with one or more electrical contacts of the mobile device when the adapter is attached to the mobile device, the adapter further having a connector portion that is electrically coupled to the one or more electrical contacts of the adapter; and

a host device having a connector portion that is a mate to the connector portion of the adapter, wherein the connector portion of the host device has one or more electrical contacts to interface with one or more electrical contacts of the connector portion of the adapter when the adapter and host device are connected using the connector portions of the adapter and host device;

wherein the adapter is designed to remain continually attached to the mobile device, including when the adapter is not attached to the host device.

2. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the adapter comprises a glove.

3. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the connector portions of the adapter and the host device together comprise a jack knife connector.

4. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the connector portion of the adapter comprises a slot portion of a jack knife connector, and wherein the connector portion of the host device comprises a blade portion of the jack knife connector.

5. A system as recited in claim 1, further comprising a latching mechanism that locks together the connector portions of the adapter and the host device.

6. A system as recited in claim 5, wherein the latching mechanism comprises a spring-loaded ball and dimple mechanism.

7. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the connector portion of the host device comprises a connector assembly made up of a housing, a connector sub-assembly that includes the one or more electrical contacts of the connector portion, and a plate holding the connector sub-assembly in place.

8. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the connector portion of the adapter and the electrical contacts of the adapter are both part of a flex circuit mounted in the adapter.

9. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the host device is designed to be removably coupled to a vehicle.

10. A system as recited in claim 9, wherein the host device is designed to be removably coupled to a cigarette lighter jack of the vehicle.

11. A system as recited in claim 1, further comprising a plurality of additional adapters each designed to attach to a different one of a plurality of different mobile devices, wherein each of the plurality of different mobile device designs has one or more electrical contacts in different configurations.

12. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the mobile device comprises a cellular phone.

13. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the adapter does not impede the operation of the mobile device.

14. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the connector portion of the host device is standard across a plurality of host devices that are designed to be used in different environments.

15. An apparatus comprising:

a first interface designed to be in communication with an interface of a mobile device when the apparatus is attached to the mobile device; and

a single connector, coupled to the first interface, to allow the apparatus to be physically attached to and securely held by a plurality of different host devices, wherein the connector includes a second interface to place the first interface in communication with an interface of one of the plurality of host devices when the apparatus is physically attached to a host device.

16. An apparatus as recited in claim 15, wherein the first interface and the second interface comprise an electrical interface, wherein the first interface is designed to be in electrical contact with the interface of the mobile device, and wherein the second interface is to place the first interface in electrical contact with the interface of one of the plurality of host devices when the apparatus is physically attached to the one host device.

17. An apparatus as recited in claim 15, wherein the first interface and the second interface comprise an optical interface.

18. An apparatus as recited in claim 15, wherein the apparatus is designed to securely attach to a mobile device.

19. An apparatus as recited in claim 15, wherein the connector comprises a female jack knife connector.

20. An apparatus as recited in claim 15, wherein the apparatus is designed to remain continually attached to the mobile device, and wherein the apparatus does not impede the operation of the mobile device.

21. An apparatus as recited in claim 15, wherein the mobile device comprises a cellular phone.

22. An apparatus as recited in claim 15, further comprising a flex circuit that includes both the first interface and the second interface.

23. An apparatus comprising:

a connector to hold an adapter when the adapter is physically attached to the apparatus, wherein the adapter can be physically attached to a mobile device; and

one or more electrical contacts, situated on the connector and designed to be electrically coupled to one or more electrical contacts of the adapter when the adapter is physically attached to the apparatus;

wherein the connector is standard across the apparatus and a plurality of additional apparatus that are designed to be used in different environments.

24. An apparatus as recited in claim 23, wherein the connector comprises a male jack knife connector.

25. An apparatus as recited in claim 23, wherein the apparatus comprises a connector assembly including a housing, a connector sub-assembly that includes the one or more electrical contacts, and a plate holding the connector sub-assembly in place.

26. An apparatus as recited in claim 23, wherein the mobile device comprises a cellular phone.

27. An apparatus as recited in claim 23, wherein the apparatus is designed to be removably coupled to a vehicle.

28. A system comprising:

means for holding a mobile device, the means for holding having means for electrically interfacing with one or more electrical contacts of the mobile device when the means for holding is holding the mobile device;

means for hosting the means for holding; and

means for connecting the means for holding and the means for hosting, wherein the means for connecting places the means for holding and the means for hosting in electrical contact with one another, and wherein the means for connecting further securely attaches the means for holding to the means for hosting;

wherein the means for connecting is standard across a plurality of means for hosting, and wherein each of the means for hosting is designed to be used in different environments.

29. A system as recited in claim 28, wherein the means for connecting comprises a jack knife connector.

30. A system as recited in claim 29, wherein the means for holding further includes a slot of the jack knife connector, and wherein the means for hosting further includes a blade of the jack knife connector.