Accessory functions

1. A mobile terminal capable of supporting a plurality of accessory functions with one or more accessories, the mobile terminal capable of supporting each accessory function in two or more modes, and each accessory storing a capability array indicative of the capabilities of the accessory; the mobile terminal comprising:

reading means for reading a capability array from an accessory;

interpreting means for interpreting a capability array read by the reading means in accordance with a predefined format as including one or more fields, each field corresponding to an accessory function;

identifying means for identifying a mode of an accessory function in dependence on the content of a field of the capability array, the field corresponding to the accessory function; and

supporting means responsive to the identifying means for supporting the accessory function with the accessory in the mode identified by the identifying means.

2. A mobile terminal as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the accessory function corresponds to a capability of an accessory.

3. A mobile terminal as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the mode is a mode of operation.

4. A mobile terminal as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the capability array comprises at least one data block.

5. A mobile terminal as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the contents of the fields in the capability array are bit values.

6. A mobile terminal as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the predetermined format comprises fields in adjacent bit positions.

7. A mobile terminal as claimed in claim 1 wherein the mobile terminal comprises connecting means for connecting to an accessory.

8. A mobile terminal as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the connecting means is an interface.

9. A mobile terminal as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the interface is one of a wired interface, an infrared interface or a Bluetooth interface.

10. A mobile terminal as claimed in claim 1 wherein the accessory function is one of a data bus function, an audio function, a music playback function, and an antenna function.

11. A method in a mobile terminal capable of supporting a plurality of accessory functions with one or more accessories, the mobile terminal capable of supporting each accessory function in two or more modes, and each accessory storing a capability array indicative of the capabilities of the accessory; the method comprising the steps of:

reading a capability array from an accessory;

interpreting a read capability array in accordance with a predefined format as including one or more fields, each field corresponding to an accessory function;

identifying a mode of an accessory function in dependence on the content of a field of the capability array, the field corresponding to the accessory function; and

supporting, in response to the step of identifying, the accessory function with the accessory in the mode identified.

12. An accessory for a mobile terminal, the accessory being capable of providing a plurality of accessory functions and having storage means for storing a capability array indicative of the capabilities of the accessory, and wherein said capability array may be interpreted by a mobile terminal in accordance with a predefined format, the format comprising a plurality of fields, each field corresponding to an accessory function provided by the accessory, at least one field identifying a mode in which that accessory is capable of supporting that accessory function.

13. An accessory for a mobile terminal as claimed in claim 12 , wherein each accessory function corresponds to a capability of the accessory.

14. An accessory for a mobile terminal as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the mode is a mode of operation.

15. An accessory for a mobile terminal as claimed in any of claim 12 , wherein the capability array comprises at least one data block.

16. An accessory for a mobile terminal as claimed in any of claim 12 , wherein the contents of the fields in the capability array are bit values.

17. An accessory for a mobile terminal as claimed in any of claim 12 , wherein the predetermined format comprises fields in adjacent bit positions.

18. An accessory for a mobile terminal as claimed in any of claim 12 , wherein the accessory comprises connecting means for connecting to a mobile terminal.

19. An accessory for a mobile terminal as claimed in claim 18 , wherein the connecting means is an interface.

20. An accessory for a mobile terminal as claimed in claim 19 , wherein the interface is one of a wired interface, an infrared interface or a Bluetooth interface.

21. An accessory for a mobile terminal as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the accessory function is one of a data bus function, an audio function, a music playback function, and an antenna function.

22. An accessory for a mobile terminal as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the accessory is one of a camera headset, a hands free headset, and a data cable.

23. A method of operation of an accessory for a mobile terminal, the accessory being capable of providing a plurality of accessory functions and having storage means for storing a capability array indicative of the capabilities of the accessory, and wherein said capability array may be interpreted by a mobile terminal in accordance with a predefined format, the format comprising a plurality of fields, each field corresponding to an accessory function provided by the accessory, at least one field identifying a mode in which that accessory is capable of supporting that accessory function; the method comprising providing by means of such an accessory the capability array to a mobile terminal.