Portable computing device-integrated appliance

• US 6,993,615 B2
• Filed: 11/15/2002
• Issued: 01/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Falcon, Stephen R.
• Primary Examiner(s): AUVE, GLENN ALLEN
• Application Number:
  US10/295,305
• Publication Number:
  US 20040098571A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,173 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 710/303
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1614 Image rotation following screen orientation, e.g. switching from landscape to portrait mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6083 by interfacing with the vehicle audio system
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6091 including a wireless interface

Abstract

In accordance with one aspect, a portable computing device determines a type of an appliance in which the portable computing device is docked. The portable computing device identifies, based on the type of the appliance, a user interface configuration for the portable computing device, and configures the user interface of the portable computing device in accordance with the identified user interface configuration. In accordance with another aspect, a car stereo includes a docking station into which an off-the-shelf handheld computer can be docked. The car stereo also includes an input/output (I/O) component that allows the car stereo to communicate with the handheld computer when the handheld computer is docked in the docking station of the car stereo. In accordance with another aspect, an appliance in which a portable computing device can be docked is an integrated vehicle stereo and portable computing device docking station.

Claims

1. A method, implemented in a portable computing device, the method comprising:

determining a type of an appliance in which the portable computing device is docket;

identifying, based on the type of the appliance, a user interface configuration for the portable computing device;

configuring a user interface of the portable computing device in accordance with the identified user interface configuration;

saving a state of the portable computing device when the portable computing device is undocked from the appliance; and

retrieving the saved state when the portable computing device is again docked in the appliance.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the type of the appliance comprises a vehicle stereo.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the state comprises a current song being played.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the state comprises both a current song being played and a current temporal location in the song.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein determining the type of the appliance comprises receiving, from the appliance, a data packet including a type identifier for the appliance.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein identifying the user interface configuration comprises receiving, from the appliance, information describing the user interface configuration for the portable computing device.

7. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein identifying the user interface configuration comprises:

accessing a record of appliance types;

identifying an appliance type in the record that matches the determined type; and

using, as the user interface configuration, a user interface description associated with the identified appliance type.

8. A system comprising:

an integrated vehicle stereo and portable computing device docking station; and

a portable computing device configured to present a first user interface while the portable computing device is undocked, and present a second user interface while the portable computing device is docked in the docking station;

wherein the portable computing device is further configured to;

save a state of the portable computing device when the portable computing device is undocked from the docking station; and

retrieve the saved state when the portable computing device is again docked in the docking station.

9. A system as recited in claim 8, wherein the portable computing device comprises an off-the-shelf handheld computer.

10. A system as recited in claim 8, wherein the integrated vehicle stereo and portable computing device docking station is configured to receive user inputs via a user interface of the integrated vehicle stereo and portable computing device docking station when the portable computing device is undocked and to receive user inputs via the second user interface when the portable computing device is docked in the docking station.

11. A system as recited in claim 8, wherein:

the portable computing device includes a first input/output (I/O) component through which the integrated vehicle stereo and portable computing device docking station can be sensed, and a configuration module to identify an appliance type of the integrated vehicle stereo and portable computing device docking station and determine an appropriate user interface for the portable computing device based at least in part on the identified appliance type; and

the integrated vehicle stereo and portable computing device docking station includes a second I/O component to communicate with the portable computing device when the handheld computer is docked in the docking station, and a type module to communicate, to the portable computing device through the second I/O component, an indication of the appliance type of the integrated vehicle stereo and portable computing device docking station.

12. A system as recited in claim 8, wherein the portable computing device is further configured to be an audio source for the integrated vehicle stereo and portable computing device docking station.

13. A system as recited in claim 8, wherein the integrated vehicle stereo and portable computing device docking station is configured to be an audio source to the portable computing device.

14. A system as recited in claim 8, wherein the integrated vehicle stereo and portable computing device docking station is configured to be a data source to the portable computing device.

15. A system as recited in claim 14, wherein the integrated vehicle stereo and portable computing device docking station includes an optical disc drive to operate as the data source.

16. A system as recited in claim 8, wherein the integrated vehicle stereo and portable computing device docking station is configured to operate as an extensible peripheral bus for the portable computing device.

17. A portable computing device comprising:

an input/output (I/O) component through which an appliance that the portable computing device is docked in can be sensed; and

a configuration module to identify a type of the appliance and determine an appropriate user interface for the portable computing device based at least in part on the identified type of the appliance;

wherein the configuration module is further configured to;

save a state of the portable computing device when the portable computing device is undocked from the appliance; and

retrieve the saved state when the portable computing device is again docked in the appliance.

18. A portable computing device as recited in claim 17, wherein the configuration module is further to receive, through the I/O component, a data packet from the appliance identifying the type of the appliance.

19. A portable computing device as recited in claim 17, wherein the I/O component is further to send control information to the appliance to control the operation of the appliance based on user input via the user interface.

20. A docking station comprising:

an input/output (I/O) component to communicate with an off-the-shelf handheld computer when the handheld computer is docked in the docking station; and

a type module to communicate, to the handheld computer through the I/O component, an indication of a type of the docking station to allow the handheld computer to configure its user interface based on the type of the docking station;

wherein the type of the docking station comprises an alarm clock.

21. A docking station as recited in claim 20, wherein the I/O component comprises a radio frequency (RF) transmitter.

22. A docking station as recited in claim 20, wherein the I/O component comprises an infrared (IR) transmitter.

23. A docking station as recited in claim 20, wherein the I/O component comprises an electrical contact.

24. A docking station comprising:

an input/output (I/O) component to communicate with an off-the-shelf handheld computer when the handheld computer is docked in the docking station; and

a type module to communicate, to the handheld computer through the I/O component, an indication of a type of the docking station to allow the handheld computer to configure its user interface based on the type of the docking station;

wherein the type of the docking station comprises a refrigeration appliance.