Adding I/O ports to mobile device via smart interchangeable cover
US6920338B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 20, 2002 |
| Grant date | Jul 19, 2005 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 3, 2022 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04M1/72427
- WIPO fieldTelecommunications
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An interchangeable cover is endowed with one or more I/O ports and complementary electronics to add the one or more I/O ports to a mobile device, to which the interchangeable cover is attached. In various embodiments, the I/O ports may comprise a PS/2 mouse port, a serial port, a parallel port, a serial bus port, and so forth. In various embodiments, the complementary electronics are packaged in an ASIC with output pins similar to that of a smart card, which may include a properly equipped protocol processor for de-packaging and packaging data being inputted/outputted in accordance with selected I/O protocols. In one embodiment, the cover is U-shaped. In a wireless mobile phone embodiment, the cover is attached to a rotabable sub-section of a pivotable section.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.