Function specific interchangeable cover piece for a mobile communication device

• US 20050170872A1
• Filed: 01/30/2004
• Published: 08/04/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Inha, Kai, Halkosaari, Heikki, Vuori, Petri, Lahti, Saku, Kasurinen, Heikki, Kostiainen, Pekka
• Granted Patent: US 7,305,260 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/575.800
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7246 by connection of exchangeable housing parts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver

Abstract

An interchangeable cover piece for a mobile communication device such as a cellular telephone replaces the standard cover piece to enable the mobile communication device to provide a specific functionality such as Global Positioning System (GPS) position location and mapping functionality associated with the interchangeable cover piece.

Claims

1. An interchangeable cover piece for a mobile communication device of the type including a main body element having upper and lower faces relative to usage, a screen constructed in at least a portion of the upper face of the main body element to provide a visible display of information to the user and suitable electronic circuitry to control and carry out the intended operational functions of the mobile communication device, said cover piece comprising:

a first covering element having a general size and shape corresponding to the general size and shape of the main body element and arranged for cooperating engagement with the main body element in an overlapping alignment with the upper face of the main body element, said first covering element having a suitable screen window for viewing the visible display of information when said first covering element is engaged with the main body element;

global positioning system (GPS) circuitry carried by said first covering element for detecting the geographic location of said cover piece and generating suitable position data to identify said detected geographic location; and

interface circuitry carried by said first covering element for transferring said position data from said GPS circuitry to the electronic circuitry carried by said main body element whereby the mobile communication device is enabled to provide GPS operational functionality.

2. The interchangeable cover piece as claimed in claim 1 wherein the mobile communication device further includes a keypad constructed in at least another portion of the upper face and having an array of keys assembly consistent with the intended function, said interchangeable cover piece further having apertures in a pattern corresponding to the array of keys assembly whereby the keys are accessible to the user.

3. The interchangeable cover piece as defined in claim 1 wherein said GPS operational functionality further includes a mapping functionality for showing a map representation on the screen display corresponding to said position data identifying said detected geographic location.

4. The interchangeable cover piece as defined in claim 2 wherein said GPS operational functionality further includes showing a map representation on the screen display corresponding to a route between said position data identifying said detected geographic location and a desired destination location entered by the user into the mobile communication device.

5. The interchangeable cover piece as defined in claim 1 further including a GPS antenna carried by said first covering element.

6. The interchangeable cover piece as defined in claim 5 further including a flexible transmission ribbon for electrically coupling said GPS antenna to the electronic circuitry carried by said main body element.

7. The interchangeable cover piece as defined in claim 2 wherein said keypad is a communication keypad.

8. The interchangeable cover piece as defined in claim 7 further including a GPS antenna sized and shaped to utilize the volume of said communication keypad.

9. The interchangeable cover piece as defined in claim 8 wherein said GPS antenna is carried on the surface of said array of keys assembly defining said keypad.

10. The interchangeable cover piece as defined in claim 3 wherein map data information is stored in a memory contained in the main body element electronic circuitry for subsequent retrieval and use in showing a map representation on the screen display.

11. An interchangeable cover piece for a mobile communication device having cellular telephone functionality, said device having a main body element with upper and lower faces relative to usage, a screen constructed in at least a portion of the upper face of the main body element to provide a visible display of information to the user and a keypad constructed in at least another portion of the upper face and having an array of keys assembly defining a communication keypad, the main body element further including a source of power and suitable electronic circuitry for controlling and carrying out the intended operational functions of the device, said cover piece comprising:

a first covering element having a general size and shape corresponding to the general size and shape of the main body element and arranged for cooperating engagement with the main body element in an overlapping alignment with the upper face of the main body element, said first covering element having a suitable screen window for viewing the visible display of information and apertures in a pattern corresponding to the array of keys whereby the keys are accessible to the user when said first covering element is engaged with the main body element;

a first circuitry carried by said first covering element for generating suitable identification information corresponding to a specific functionality associated with said cover piece; and

interface circuitry carried by said first covering element for electrically coupling said identification information to the electronic circuitry carried by the main body element whereby the mobile communication device is conditioned to carry out the specific functionality of said cover piece.

12. The interchangeable cover piece as defined in claim 11 wherein said cover piece identifies GPS functionality.

13. The interchangeable cover piece as defined in claim 12 wherein said first covering element carries a GPS antenna.

14. The interchangeable cover piece as defined in claim 13 wherein a flexible transmission ribbon electrically connects said GPS antenna to the electronic circuitry carried by the main body element.

15. The interchangeable cover piece as defined in claim 11 wherein said first circuitry includes a chip for storing encoded data information identifying the specific functionality associated with said cover piece.

16. The interchangeable cover piece as defined in claim 13 wherein said GPS antenna has an appropriate size, shape and contour to fit within said first covering element.

17. The interchangeable cover piece as defined in claim 12 wherein said GPS functionality includes location mapping functionality.

18. The interchangeable cover piece as defined in claim 17 wherein the device electronic circuitry includes a processor for running a GPS application instruction set to produce location information corresponding to a route between the existing position location of said cover piece and a desired destination location.

19. The interchangeable cover as defined in claim 11 wherein said first covering element carries at least one electrical contact arranged to mechanically touch a corresponding electrical contact carried by the main body element to identify the specific functionality associated with said cover piece.

20. An interchangeable cover piece for replacing a standard cover piece in a mobile communication device having a main body element wherein the standard cover piece is in cooperating engagement with the main body element for enabling the mobile communication device to provide a specific functionality associated with the interchangeable cover piece, said cover piece comprising:

a covering element having a general size and shape of the standard cover piece being replace and arranged for cooperating engagement with the main body element;

global positioning system (GPS) circuitry carried by said covering element for detecting the geographic location of said cover piece and generating suitable data to identify said detected geographic location, and

interface circuitry carried by said covering element for transferring said position data from said GPS circuitry to electronic circuitry carried by the main body element whereby the mobile communication device is enabled to provide GPS operational functionality.