Patent Application
20050286212
The present invention relates to portable electronic appliances. These electronic appliances are designed to be smaller and more portable than general purpose desktop computers or laptops. The interface to these appliances is built around one or several buttons combined with a combination display and touch-sensitive screen. Applications running on the appliance utilize the buttons and the touch-sensitive screen differently depending on their function or purpose.
An increased reliance on using these appliances in lieu of general purpose computers has begun to impact their portability and ease of use. Instead of carrying a laptop, many users may need to carry several different appliances. Each appliance is generally directed towards performing one or possibly two general functions. For example, a user may carry a cell phone and personal digital assistant (PDA) to work instead of a laptop. Sometimes users purchase hybrid appliances that combine the functions of a personal digital assistant (PDA) appliance (i.e., a basic calendar, address book, and calculator) with a phone capable of voice communications. These hybrid devices are often expensive and much larger than the more basic PDA device.
Instead of using the larger hybrid appliance, some users purchase an extension component that slides over the back of the PDA providing additional slots for memory or other functions not built into the PDA. Manufacturers of these PDAs also often create these extension components as accessories or allow third parties to manufacture the extension components for the PDA. For example, a case that slides around the back of the PDA can have slots and electronics for integrating flash memory with the PDA for added memory and storage capabilities. Additionally, there are also cases that slide around the back of the PDA providing a slot for PCMCIA or other existing pluggable card function technology. Unfortunately, these cases are bulky and also make the PDA device less portable and desirable.
Current accessories for the PDA also do not tend to work together. The cases typically supplied with a new PDA will not fit a PDA having an extended battery or the extension described previously slid over the back of the PDA. Because of these incompatibilities, PDAs equipped with these accessories leave the PDA device subject to damage and imminent repair. For example, the combination display and touch-sensitive screen exposed on a PDA is easily damaged if it is dropped or hit with a hard object.
There is a need to address these and other concerns associated with increasing the portability, functionality and reliability of portable electronic appliances.
Like reference numbers and designations in the various drawings indicate like elements.
One aspect of the present invention features a cover embedded with functions that adds functionality to an appliance. The cover includes a connection associated with the cover to connect to a peripheral port of the appliance, electronics and logic embedded into the cover that utilizes the connection to operate and provide one or more functions to complement operation of the appliance and a mechanism that removably couples the cover to the appliance.
Aspects of the present invention are advantageous in at least one or more of the following ways. A cover for an appliance embedded with electronics both protects the appliance and increases functionality. The electronics and logic do not significantly increase the bulk of existing appliances as it is embedded inside a protective cover. Often, a cover is an item provided with the device upon purchase or quickly purchased thereafter to protect the device. Implementations of the present invention provide a cover for an appliance having added functionality without significantly increasing the size or bulk of the device.
Additionally, a cover designed in accordance with the present invention can replaced with other covers designed to provide a different function or functions to the appliance. Depending on the circumstances, a user may swap one cover and functionality in accordance with the present invention for another cover having a different functionality. The appliance is modified to fit a particular use by swapping out the cover and functionality rather than buying an additional appliance. Instead of carrying multiple appliances, the appropriate cover and functionality is combined with the underlying appliance to create a tailored and useful appliance.
Implementations of the present invention are also advantageous as they do not necessarily require a separate battery or storage. In one implementation, the cover designed in accordance with the present invention is connected to the appliance to facilitate sharing the battery or power supply, storage and other resources of the appliance. Sharing power and other resources on the appliance with the additional functions built into the cover helps reduce weight and bulk of the appliance device. Alternatively, implementations of the present invention can use a battery internal to the cover and therefore provide a longer operating time for both the cover and attached appliance.
Yet another advantage of the present invention is the proximity of the electronics in the cover relative to the appliance device. Separating the electronics in the cover from the appliance by a larger distance reduces potential interference from electromagnetic waves and radio communications. The separation between the cover and the appliance during operation obviates the need for extra shielding material thereby reducing costs and weight. It also makes developing and testing electronics to be installed in the cover more rapid as the combination of electronics in the cover and appliance is less likely to cause undesirable interference patterns. For example, electronics associated with a compass can be implemented in accordance with the present invention without additional calibration routines to account for the appliance electronics. Further, global position systems (GPS) and other wireless/satellite based electronics can better position a communications antenna at one of several angles to facilitate increased communications between the antenna and a target satellite, base station or other signal source communicating with the electronics in the cover.
Appliance 104 can be a personal digital assistant (PDA), a wireless voice communication device, or a pocket computer. For example, a wireless voice communication device includes digital cellular phones, push-to-talk phones, and any other device capable of facilitating voice communications. In the example illustration, appliance 104 has four buttons, a center toggle button, a combination display and touch-sensitive screen, a peripheral port for receiving flash-memory storage, and receiving area for the hinge on smart cover 118 (not illustrated). Alternate implementations of appliance 104 can include any combination and position of buttons and screens. These alternate implementations may use different types of screens, no-buttons, different types of buttons and many other types of interfaces.
In addition to being removable and swappable, smart cover 118 embeds electronics and logic in the cover to provide one or more additional functions 106. For example, these functions 106 include a music device 108 capable of recording and playback of music and/or voice, an image or video camera 110, wireless capabilities 112, navigational functions 114, auxiliary power 116, and many other functions. The wireless capabilities 112 include: Bluetooth, CDMA, Wi-Fi, GSM, TDMA, AMPS, Infra-red, Radio Frequency (RF) and other wireless technologies. Navigational functions 114 include global positioning systems (GPS) using satellites and other types of positioning systems that operate using terrestrial instead of satellite systems.
In this illustrated example, connection 206 has the leads and shape compatible with a secure digital (SD) form factor and allows smart cover 202A to communicate data and potentially receive power through the peripheral port of the appliance also designed for use with the SD device form factor. Optionally, smart cover 202A includes an internal power supply or connects to a power supply through a separate connection (not illustrated) rather than through connection 206. Alternatively, connection 206 can be designed to be compatible with other flash disk formats including a memory stick (MS), a compact flash (CF), or smart media. Other types of connection 206 can also created using various versions of Universal Serial Bus (USB), serial port, parallel port, Firewire and BlueTooth technologies. Connection 206 can also be used for providing power and not data as well as for increasing the mechanical coupling between smart cover 202A and the appliance.
Peripheral device electronics 208 includes the electronics, logic, and circuitry required to make smart cover 202A provide the specified functions. Generally, smart cover 202A includes electronics not already included in the appliance and shares those features already part of the appliance. Accordingly, one implementation of the present invention electronics and logic embedded into the cover utilize connection 206 to operate and provide one or more functions to complement operation of the appliance. For example, peripheral device electronics 208 may include electronics and hardware for performing global positioning system (GPS) functions. The GPS information produced from the positioning system complements an address database in the appliance by locating the address on a map and providing a route to the address based on a current identified position. Alternatively, peripheral device electronics 208 includes a voice communication capability that complements a phone number database in the appliance by locating a phone number in the phone number database in response to voice commands and placing a call to the phone number. In both of these examples and others, costs associated with smart cover 202A are reduced by eliminating the screen as illustrated and instead using the touch-sensitive screen on the appliance to display information and receive user input information and data.
Like the hardware, peripheral device software 210 is specifically tailored for performing the one or more particular functions associated with smart cover 202A. For example, peripheral device software 210 provides user interface processing and displaying of information through a display and controls information through one or more soft buttons on the display. In addition, peripheral device software 210 may also provide processing support for various image, voice, audio, compression, encryption and other types of processing necessary to facilitate the particular function provided through smart cover 202A.
In
Referring to
The side perspective view along the shorter edge in
The manufacturer then embeds electronics and logic into the cover that utilizes the connection to operate (404). In particular, the specific electronics and logic put inside the cover depends on the functions being provided by the smart cover. In one implementation, the manufacturer uses flexible IC circuitry to implement electronics or logic to create this aspect of the invention.
Next, the manufacturer attaches a mechanism to the cover that removably couples the cover to the appliance in a position that provides protection to an operable surface of the appliance (406). As previously described and illustrated in
In one implementation, memory 502 includes a peripheral device user interface component 518, peripheral device application component 520, and run-time module 522 that manages the resources associated with smart cover 500. In operation, peripheral device user interface component 518 presents a user interface on a combination display and touch-sensitive screen. A user operates certain aspects of smart cover 500 through this user interface. For example, peripheral device user interface component 518 presents the buttons to control the operation of a music playback device for MP3 music. The commands and requests are processed and fulfilled by peripheral device application component 520. Each different smart cover 500 operates differently and provides different levels of information depending on how both peripheral device user interface component 518 and peripheral device application component 520 are implemented.
While examples and implementations have been described, they should not serve to limit any aspect of the present invention. Accordingly, implementations of the invention can be implemented in digital electronic circuitry, or in computer hardware, firmware, software, or in combinations of them. Apparatus of the invention can be implemented in a computer program product tangibly embodied in a machine-readable storage device for execution by a programmable processor; and method steps of the invention can be performed by a programmable processor executing a program of instructions to perform functions of the invention by operating on input data and generating output. The invention can be implemented advantageously in one or more computer programs that are executable on a programmable system including at least one programmable processor coupled to receive data and instructions from, and to transmit data and instructions to, a data storage system, at least one input device, and at least one output device. Each computer program can be implemented in a high-level procedural or object-oriented programming language, or in assembly or machine language if desired; and in any case, the language can be a compiled or interpreted language. Suitable processors include, by way of example, both general and special purpose microprocessors. Generally, a processor will receive instructions and data from a read-only memory and/or a random access memory. Generally, a computer will include one or more mass storage devices for storing data files; such devices include magnetic disks, such as internal hard disks and removable disks; magneto-optical disks; and optical disks. Storage devices suitable for tangibly embodying computer program instructions and data include all forms of non-volatile memory, including by way of example semiconductor memory devices, such as EPROM, EEPROM, and flash memory devices; magnetic disks such as internal hard disks and removable disks; magneto-optical disks; and CD-ROM disks. Any of the foregoing can be supplemented by, or incorporated in, ASICs.
While specific embodiments have been described herein for purposes of illustration, various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not limited to the above-described implementations, but instead is defined by the appended claims in light of their full scope of equivalents.
