METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR A MOBILE UNIT WITH DEVICE VIRTUALIZATION

• US 20100190522A1
• Filed: 01/27/2009
• Published: 07/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Symbol Technologies, LLC (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Orlassino, Mark
• Granted Patent: US 8,989,802 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/552.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/455 Emulation; Interpretation; Software simulation, e.g. virtualisation or emulation of application or operating system execution engines

Abstract

A multi-context mobile unit includes a processor, a user interface coupled to the processor and configured to accept user input, a storage component coupled to the processor, and an input/output module coupled to the processor and configured to interact with at least one external network, wherein the processor is configured to selectively execute a plurality of virtual devices stored within the storage component in response to the user input, and wherein the plurality of virtual devices includes a first virtual device and a second virtual device having separate and isolated data access.

Claims

1. A multi-context mobile unit comprising:

a virtual machine execution engine; and

a plurality of virtual devices configured to be selectively executed by the virtual machine execution engine, wherein the plurality of virtual devices are securely isolated from each other.

2. The multi-context mobile unit of claim 1, wherein the plurality of virtual devices includes at least one mobile cellular telephone virtual device.

3. The multi-context mobile unit of claim 2, wherein the plurality of virtual devices includes two mobile cellular telephone virtual devices, each having associated provisioning rules.

4. The multi-context mobile unit of claim 2, wherein the plurality of virtual devices further includes a device selected from the group consisting of a remote control device, a personal data assistant, a global positioning system, a multimedia player, and a video game platform.

5. The multi-context mobile unit of claim 2, wherein the state of each virtual device is configured to be periodically stored, and wherein each of the states may be subsequently restored.

6. The multi-context mobile unit of claim 2, wherein each virtual device has separate access priorities.

7. The multi-context mobile unit of claim 6, wherein the separate access priorities are based on a position of the mobile unit.

8. The multi-context mobile unit of claim 2, wherein one of the virtual devices is automatically provided to the mobile unit when the mobile unit enters a particular environment, and is automatically removed or deactivated with the mobile unit exits the particular environment.

9. A mobile unit apparatus comprising:

a processor;

a user interface coupled to the processor and configured to accept user input;

a storage component coupled to the processor;

an input/output module coupled to the processor and configured to interact with at least one external network;

wherein the processor is configured to selectively execute a plurality of virtual devices stored within the storage component in response to the user input, and wherein the plurality of virtual devices includes a first virtual device and a second virtual device having separate and isolated data access.

10. The mobile unit of claim 9, wherein the first virtual device corresponds to a first mobile cellular telephone.

11. The mobile unit of claim 10, wherein the second virtual device corresponds to a second mobile cellular telephone, wherein the first and second virtual devices each have associated provisioning rules.

12. The mobile unit of claim 10, wherein the plurality of virtual devices further includes a device selected from the group consisting of a remote control device, a personal data assistant, a global positioning system, a multimedia player, and a video game platform.

13. The mobile unit of claim 10, wherein the state of each virtual device is configured to be periodically stored, and wherein each of the states may be subsequently restored.

14. The mobile unit of claim 10, wherein each virtual device has separate access priorities, operates concurrently, and may be individually selected for use via the user interface.

15. The mobile unit of claim 14, wherein the separate access priorities are based on individual subscriptions, and wherein the subscriptions are based on at least one of time-of-use and place-of-use.

16. The mobile unit of claim 10, wherein one of the virtual devices is automatically provided to the mobile unit when the mobile unit enters a particular environment, and is automatically removed or deactivated with the mobile unit exits the particular environment.

17. A method of communicating via a mobile unit, the method comprising:

providing at least two virtual devices within the mobile unit, wherein each virtual device is securely isolated from the others;

selecting one of the virtual devices;

executing the selected virtual device;

communicating with an external network with the selected virtual device.

18. The method of claim 17, further including providing one of the virtual devices when the mobile unit enters a particular environment, and removing or disabling that virtual device when the mobile unit exits the particular environment.

19. The method of claim 17, further including setting access priorities for each of the virtual devices.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein providing the virtual devices includes providing at least two mobile cellular phone devices.