CUSTOMIZED HARDWARE SELECTION FOR A MOBILE PHONE

• US 20150172448A1
• Filed: 02/26/2015
• Published: 06/18/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Chan, Alistair K., Eckhoff, Philip A., Hyde, Roderick A., Kare, Jordin T., Tuckerman, David B., Wood, Lowell L. Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 9,077,815 B1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0611 Request for offers or quotes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3888 Arrangements for carrying or protecting transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0202 Portable telephone sets, e.g. cordless phones, mobile phones or bar type handsets constructional features of telephone transmitters or receivers, e.g. of speakers or microphones H04M1/03
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0254 comprising one or a plurality of mechanically detachable modules
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/026 Details of the structure or mounting of specific components
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0266 for a display module assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/04 Supports for telephone transmitters or receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7246 by connection of exchangeable housing parts
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

A computerized method of customizing hardware for a mobile phone is provided. The method includes receiving shell selection information from a user input device, identifying a set of hardware components, the set of hardware components generated based on a compatibility between the hardware components and the shell selection information, and outputting the identified set of compatible hardware components.

Claims

1-162. -162. (canceled)

163. A mobile handheld-device platform comprising:

a generally rigid structure or housing configured to be grasped by a human user and including a plurality of hardware component receivers;

the plurality of hardware component receivers each configured to removably receive and electrically couple with a respective interchangeable hardware module selected from at least two interchangeable hardware modules; and

processing electronics including a communication module configured to communicate with an interchangeable hardware module removably received and electrically coupled with a respective hardware component receiver of the plurality of hardware component receivers,

wherein the plurality of hardware component receivers and the processing electronics have a bus modular architecture allowing the number and locations of interchangeable hardware modules electrically coupled with the plurality of hardware component receivers to vary.

164. The handheld-device platform of claim 163, wherein the processing electronics are integrated with the generally rigid structure or housing.

165. The handheld-device platform of claim 163, wherein the generally rigid structure or housing has a first side and a second side, the first side configured to removably receive and electronically couple with a display hardware module and the second side including the plurality of hardware component receivers.

166. The handheld-device platform of claim 163, wherein the processing electronics further include a memory and a processor configured to electronically interact with an interchangeable hardware module removably received and electrically coupled with a hardware component receiver of the plurality of hardware component receivers.

167. The handheld-device platform of claim 163, wherein the processing electronics include a microprocessor, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a circuit containing one or more processing components, a group of distributed processing components, circuitry for supporting a microprocessor, or other hardware configured for digital processing.

168. The handheld-device platform of claim 163, wherein the generally rigid structure or housing and the communication module comply with a hardware component interchangeability standard.

169. The handheld-device platform of claim 168, wherein the hardware component interchangeability standard specifies (i) a form or fit configuration describing the removable receiving between a hardware component receiver and an interchangeable hardware component, (ii) a dimensional or structural configuration describing the electrically coupling between a hardware component receiver and an interchangeable hardware component, or (iii) a protocol for communicating with an interchangeable hardware component.

170. The handheld-device platform of claim 163, wherein a first hardware component receiver of the plurality of hardware component receivers includes a first dimensional or structural configuration allowing it to removably receive and electrically couple with one of a first group of the at least two interchangeable hardware modules but not with a second group of the at least two interchangeable hardware modules, and a second hardware component receiver of the plurality of hardware component receivers includes a second dimensional or structural configuration allowing it to removably receive and electrically couple with one of the second group of interchangeable hardware modules but not with the first group of interchangeable hardware modules.

171. The handheld-device platform of claim 170, wherein the first dimensional or structural configuration of the first hardware component receiver includes a standardized first dimensional configuration.

172. The handheld-device platform of claim 170, wherein the second dimensional or structural configuration of the second hardware component receiver includes a standardized second dimensional configuration.

173. The handheld-device platform of claim 170, wherein the first group of at least two hardware component receivers each have a substantially same dimension or structural configuration.

174. The handheld-device platform of claim 170, wherein the second group of the at least two interchangeable hardware modules each have a substantially same dimension or structural configuration.

175. The handheld-device platform of claim 170, wherein two first hardware component receivers of at least two hardware component receivers are located adjacent on a surface of the generally rigid structure or housing.

176. The handheld-device platform of claim 175, wherein the two adjacent hardware component receivers are configured to respectively receive one third-interchangeable hardware module having a third dimensional or structural configuration providing a removable receiving and electrically coupling with the two adjacent hardware component receivers, wherein the third-interchangeable hardware module is selected from the at least two interchangeable hardware modules having different functions.

177. The handheld-device platform of claim 170, wherein the first hardware component receiver is disposed at least partially in a first portion of the generally rigid structure or housing and the second hardware component receiver is disposed at least partially in a second portion of the generally rigid structure or housing;

and

wherein the first hardware component receiver and the second hardware component receiver are configured such that a third interchangeable hardware module may be exchanged with the first interchangeable hardware module and the second interchangeable hardware module such that the third interchangeable hardware module is disposed within a combination of the first hardware component receiver and the second hardware component receiver.

178. The handheld-device platform of claim 163, further comprising a first interchangeable hardware module removably coupled with a first hardware component receiver of the plurality of hardware component receivers, the first interchangeable hardware module selected from the at least two interchangeable hardware modules having different functions.

179. The handheld-device platform of claim 178, wherein the handheld-device platform is configured such that another first interchangeable hardware module selected from the at least two interchangeable hardware modules may be interchanged with the first interchangeable hardware module.

180. The handheld-device platform of claim 178, wherein the first interchangeable hardware module includes a third-party sourced first interchangeable hardware module.

181. The handheld-device platform of claim 163, wherein the generally rigid structure or housing forms a generally rectangular parallelepiped with a handheld form factor and having at least two hardware component receivers of the plurality of hardware component receivers located on a surface of a major side of the rectangular parallelepiped.

182. The handheld-device platform of claim 181, wherein another at least two hardware component receivers of the plurality of hardware component receivers are located on a surface of another major side of the rectangular parallelepiped.

183. The handheld-device platform of claim 163, wherein the plurality of hardware component receivers are each respectively configured to receive an interchangeable hardware module with an exterior surface of the interchangeable hardware module facing an exterior surface of the hardware component receiver.

184. The handheld-device platform of claim 163, wherein each interchangeable hardware module of the at least two interchangeable hardware modules has a generally rectangular parallelepiped shape, and the plurality of hardware component receivers are each respectively configured to receive an interchangeable hardware module with an exterior surface of a major side of the generally rectangular parallelepiped shape of the interchangeable hardware module facing the exterior surface of the major side of the generally rectangular parallelepiped of the hardware component receiver.

185. The handheld-device platform of claim 163, wherein the removably receive and electrically couple includes removably plugged in or electrically connected.

186. The handheld-device platform of claim 163, wherein the plurality of hardware component receivers are each configured to physically receive and removably electrically couple with a respective interchangeable hardware module.

187. The handheld-device platform of claim 163, wherein the removably receive includes physically inserted, installed, or snapped in.

188. The handheld-device platform of claim 163, wherein the removably receive includes physically supported.

189. The handheld-device platform of claim 163, wherein the plurality of hardware component receivers each include a socket configured to removably receive and electrically couple with a respective interchangeable hardware module.

190. The handheld-device platform of claim 163, further including an antenna, and wherein the antenna and the communication module are further configured to communicate with a wireless network.

191. The handheld-device platform of claim 163, wherein the plurality of hardware component receivers each include electrical contacts configured to electrically couple with corresponding electrical contacts of a respective interchangeable hardware module.

192. The handheld-device platform of claim 191, wherein the respective electrical contacts of the plurality of hardware component receivers include a standardized arrangement of respective electrical contacts.

193. The handheld-device platform of claim 163, wherein the communication module is configured to communicate with each hardware component receiver of the plurality of hardware component receivers using a standardized protocol.

194. The handheld-device platform of claim 163, wherein the communication module is configured to communicate with each hardware component receiver of the plurality of hardware component receivers and another component of the handheld-device platform.

195. The handheld-device platform of claim 163, wherein the handheld-device platform includes a mobile handheld-device platform.

196. The handheld-device platform of claim 163, wherein the handheld-device platform includes a mobile cellular telephone platform.

197. The handheld-device platform of claim 163, wherein the handheld-device platform is configured to be structurally integrated with a mobile vehicle.

198. An interchangeable hardware module comprising:

a housing configured to be grasped by a human user, and configured to removably engage and electrically couple with a hardware component receiver of a handheld-device platform having a plurality of hardware component receivers;

an electrical circuit having a functionality; and

a communication module configured to communicate with processing electronics of the handheld-device platform,

wherein the plurality of hardware component receivers and the communication module comply with a hardware component interchangeability standard.

199. The hardware module of claim 198, wherein the interchangeability standard includes a bus modular architecture allowing the number and locations of the interchangeable hardware modules electrically coupled with the plurality of hardware component receivers to vary.

200. The hardware module of claim 198, wherein the interchangeability standard governs (i) a form or fit configuration describing the removable engagement with a hardware component receiver, (ii) a dimensional or structural configuration describing the electrically coupling with a hardware component receiver, or (iii) a protocol for communicating with the processing electronics of the handheld-device platform.

201. The hardware module of claim 200, wherein the interchangeability standard governing the (i) form or fit configuration includes (a) a first form or fit configuration describing a first removable engagement with a first hardware component receiver of the handheld-device platform and (b) a second form or fit configuration describing a second removable engagement with a second hardware component receiver of the handheld-device platform, the second form or fit configuration being different from the first form or fit configuration.

202. The hardware module of claim 201, wherein the interchangeability standard governing the (i) form or fit configuration further includes (c) a third form or fit configuration describing a third removable engagement with a two adjacent first hardware component receivers of the handheld-device platform, the third form or fit configuration being different from the first and the second form or fit configurations.

203. The hardware module of claim 200, wherein the interchangeability standard governing (ii) a dimensional or structural configuration describing the electrically coupling with a hardware component receiver includes a standardized arrangement of electrical contacts.

204. The hardware module of claim 200, wherein the hardware device interchangeability standard governing the (i) form or fit configuration includes the hardware component receiver configured to receive an interchangeable hardware module with an exterior surface of the interchangeable hardware module facing an exterior surface of the handheld-device platform.

205. The hardware module of claim 200, wherein the hardware device interchangeability standard governing the (i) form or fit configuration describes a generally rectangular parallelepiped shape for the hardware device, and wherein the hardware component receiver is configured to receive an interchangeable hardware module with an exterior surface of a major side of the generally rectangular parallelepiped shape of the interchangeable hardware module facing an exterior surface of a major side of a generally rectangular parallelepiped structure of the handheld-device platform.

206. The hardware module of claim 198, wherein the electrical circuit includes processing electronics.

207. The hardware module of claim 198, wherein the communication module of the hardware module is configured to communicate with a communication module of a processing electronics of the handheld-device platform.

208. The hardware module of claim 198, wherein the interchangeable hardware module includes electrical contacts configured to electrically couple with electrical contacts of the hardware component receiver.