Granted Patent B1

US 7,383,061 · App. 10/815,406 · Granted Jun 3, 2008

Abstract

Claims (32)

1. A peripheral device for operation in conjunction with a handheld wireless communication device, the peripheral device comprising:

an enclosure having an opened position and a closed position;

an alphanumeric keyboard located on a first part of the enclosure and configured to receive user input data;

a communication interface operable to automatically establish connectivity with the handheld wireless communication device in response to a transition of the enclosure from the closed position to the opened position, to receive first data and software code for a peripheral application from the handheld wireless communication device, and to transmit second data to the handheld wireless communication device, the first and second data being interactable by an application on the handheld wireless communication device, the peripheral application being associated with the application on the handheld wireless communication device;

a screen located on a second part of the enclosure and configured to display at least part of the first and second data;

a backup memory, operably coupled to the communication interface, for storing a backup copy of the first data; and

a processor, coupled to the alphanumeric keyboard, the enclosure, the communication interface, and the screen, operable to execute the software code for the peripheral application using the user input data and the first data thereby generating the second data.

2. The peripheral device of claim 1 , wherein the peripheral device automatically switches to an on state in response to at least one predefined event.

3. The peripheral device of claim 1 , wherein the communication interface further transmits a signal to the handheld wireless communication device directing the handheld wireless communication device to transmit at least one data item and a data request via a network connection.

4. The peripheral device of claim 1 , wherein the communication interface further receives a signal from the handheld wireless communication device representing at least one data item received by the handheld wireless communication device via a network connection.

5. The peripheral device of claim 3 , wherein the network connection comprises an Internet connection.

6. The peripheral device of claim 1 , wherein the communication interface further operable to automatically establish connectivity with the handheld wireless communication device in response to a signal transmitted by the handheld wireless communication device.

7. The peripheral device of claim 1 , wherein the second data is stored in a storage medium on the peripheral device.

8. The peripheral device of claim 1 , where the second data is stored in a storage medium on the handheld wireless communication device.

9. The peripheral device of claim 1 , further comprising a network interface, coupled to the processor, for transmitting at least a data item and a data request via a network connection, and for receiving at least one data item via the network connection.

10. The peripheral device of claim 1 , further comprising memory for storing the first data and the second data.

11. The peripheral device of claim 10 , wherein the memory stores the first data and the second data from one user session to at least one subsequent user session.

12. A peripheral device for a handheld computing system, the peripheral device comprising:

an enclosure having an opened position and a closed position;

a communication interface operable to automatically establish connectivity with the handheld wireless communication device in response to a transition of the enclosure from the closed position to the opened position, the communication interface structured to receive first data and software code for a peripheral application from the handheld computing system and transmit second data to the handheld computing system, wherein the first data and the second data are interactable by a handheld application on the handheld computing system, the peripheral application being associated with the handheld application;

a backup memory, operably coupled to the communication interface, for storing a backup copy of the first data;

a display communicatively coupled with the communication interface and structured to visually present at least part of the first data and the second data;

an alphanumeric keyboard hingedly coupled with the display and structured to receive a user input, the user input being for manipulating the first data; and

a processor coupled to the communication interface, the backup memory, the alphanumeric keyboard, and the display and configured to execute the software code for the peripheral application using the user input and the first data thereby generating the second data.

13. The peripheral device of claim 12 , wherein the display comprises graphics processor for rendering full-screen display.

14. The peripheral device of claim 12 , wherein the alphanumeric keyboard comprises consecutive keys of Q-W-E-R-T-Y.

15. The peripheral device of claim 12 , further comprising a processor configured to process the visually presented data prior to transmitting the second data to the handheld computer system.

16. The peripheral device of claim 12 , further comprising a memory to temporarily store the visually presented data.

17. The peripheral device of claim 12 , wherein the communication interface comprises a Bluetooth communication interface.

18. The peripheral device of claim 12 , wherein the communication interface comprises a tethered communication interface.

19. The peripheral device of claim 12 , further comprising a power management module configured to instantly place the display and the alphanumeric keyboard in an instant on state or an instant off state.

20. The peripheral device of claim 12 , wherein the handheld computing system comprises a personal digital assistant.

Assignments (10)