Portable telecommunication apparatus for controlling an electronic utility device

• US 6,763,247 B1
• Filed: 11/17/2000
• Issued: 07/13/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Rydbeck, Nils, Edlund, Anders, Ekelund, Bj{haeck over (o)}rn, Olsson, Patrik, Hed, Robert, Hollstrom, Magnus
• Primary Examiner(s): Maung, Nay
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gantt, Alan T.
• Application Number:
  US09/714,884
• Time in Patent Office: 1,334 Days
• Field of Search: 455/556.1, 455/566, 455/575.5, 455/420, 455/557, 455/88, 455/352, 455/418, 455/419, 455/41.2, 370/260, 709/217, 379/56.1
• US Class Current: 455/556.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72409 by interfacing with external accessories hands-free H04M1/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72415 for remote control of appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72445 for supporting Internet browser applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6131 involving transmission via a mobile phone network wireless downlink channel access H04W74/006
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

A portable telecommunication apparatus (200) has a user interface (250), a programmable controller (210), a memory (220, 230) coupled to the controller, and an information access program (240), such as a WAP browser, which is stored in the memory and is executable by the controller. The information access program provides access for a user to a global information network, such as Internet, through the user interface and a first wireless communication link. The apparatus also has an external device interface (260, 262, 264) for connecting an external device to the portable telecommunication apparatus over a second communication link. The information access program (240) allows the user to control the external device through the user interface (250), the external device interface (260, 262, 264) and the second communication link.

Claims

1. A portable telecommunications apparatus comprising:

a user interface, a programmable controller,

a memory coupled to the controller,

an information access program, which is stored in the memory and is executable by the controller, wherein the information access program provides access for a user to a global information network through the user interface and a first wireless communication link, and

an external device interface for connecting an external device to the portable telecommunication apparatus over a second communication link,

wherein the information access program is adapted to allow the user to control the external device through the user interface, the external device interfaces, and the second communication link.

2. A portable telecommunication apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the global information network is the Internet, and the information access program comprises an Internet browser.

3. A portable telecommunication apparatus as in claim 2, wherein the information access program comprises a WAP browser.

4. A portable telecommunication apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the first communication link is a wireless data connection in a mobile telecommunications system and wherein the second communication link is an infrared link, a serial cable link or a short-range radio link.

5. A portable telecommunication apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the information access program comprises a module for distinguishing between requests for accessing the global information network and requests for accessing the external device, and in response directing information traffic from the information access program to the first communication link and the second communication link, respectively.

6. A portable telecommunication apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the apparatus is a mobile telephone.

7. An electronic utility device of a type which provides a functionality to a user, comprising:

a programmable controller;

a memory coupled to the controller;

an external control interface for remotely controlling the functionality of the device; and

an information provider program stored in the memory and executable by the controller to communicate with an external portable telecommunication apparatus through the external control interface according to at least one protocol for accessing a global information network and to supply the portable telecommunication apparatus with digital information, which is stored in the memory and is related to the functionality of the device,

wherein the global information network is the Internet and wherein the information provider program comprises a WAP server.

8. An electronic utility device of a type which provides a functionality to a user, comprising:

a programmable controller;

a memory coupled to the controller;

an external control interface for remotely controlling the functionality of the device; and

an information provider program stored in the memory and executable by the controller to communicate with an external portable telecommunication apparatus though the external control interface according to at least one protocol for accessing a global information network and to supply the portable telecommunication apparatus with digital information, which is stored in the memory and is related to the functionality of the device,

wherein the digital information stored in the memory comprises WML files.

9. An electronic utility device of a type which provides a functionality to a user, comprising:

a programmable controller;

a memory coupled to the controller;

an external control interface for remotely controlling the functionality of the device; and

an information provider program stored in the memory and executable by the controller to communicate with an external portable telecommunication apparatus through the external control interface according to at least one protocol for accessing a global information network and to supply the portable telecommunication apparatus with digital information, which is stored in the memory and is related to the functioniality of the device,

wherein the digital information stored in the memory comprises WML scripts.

10. An electronic utility device of a type which provides a functioniality to a user, comprising:

a programmable controller;

a memory coupled to the controller;

an external control interface for remotely controlling the functionality of the device; and

an information provider program stored in the memory and executable by the controller to communicate with an external portable telecommunication apparatus through the external control interface according to at least one protocol for accessing a global information network and to supply the portable telecommunication apparatus with digital information, which is stored in the memory and is related to the functionality of the device,

wherein the external control interface is an infrared interface, a serial cable interface, or a short-range radio interface.

11. A method for operating an electronic utility device from a portable communication apparatus, comprising:

providing the electronic utility device with an embedded information server,

providing the portable telecommunications apparatus with an information access program for accessing a global information network,

operatively connecting the portable telecommunication apparatus to the electronic utility device over a communication link capable of transferring digital information between the electronic utility device and the portable telecommunications apparatus,

storing digital information, which is related to a functionality of the electronic utility device, in the electronic utility device, and

transmitting the digital information from the information server of the utility device to the information access program of the portable telecommunication apparatus.

12. A method as in claim 11, wherein the information server of the electronic utility device is a WAP server and the information access program of the portable telecommunication apparatus is a WAP client.

13. A method as in claim 11, further comprising:

connecting to the global information network from the information access program, and

communicating digital information between the electronic utility device and the global information network, using the information access program of the portable telecommunication apparatus as an intermediate link.

14. A method as in claim 11, wherein the portable telecommunication apparatus is a mobile telephone.