Cellular communication device with wireless pointing device function
View Patent ↗A device includes a first wireless transceiver adapted to communicate over a cellular network, a second wireless transceiver adapted to communicate over a local network separate from the cellular network, and a mechanism adapted to report movement information to a computer via the second wireless transceiver. The mechanism is optionally an optical sensor reporting relative position information. The device is operable as both a cellular communication device and a computer pointing device. A button of the device is adapted to operate as a mouse button, and optionally, in some modes, controls operation of the cellular communication device. The second wireless transceiver optionally uses Universal Serial Bus protocol. The device optionally transfers files via the second wireless transceiver. In some usage scenarios, the device and a separate wireless pointing device communicate with a same computer and are used to operate an application, such as a gaming application.
1. A device comprising:
a first wireless transceiver adapted to communicate over a cellular network;
a second wireless transceiver adapted to communicate over a local network separate from the cellular network;
a sensor adapted to report relative position information of the device to a second device via the second wireless transceiver, wherein the device is operable as a computer pointing device for an application executing on the second device; and
a call detector adapted to detect an incoming call to the first device, and as a result of detecting the incoming call to the first device to operate the second wireless transceiver to place into a paused state the application of the second device for which the device operates as a computer pointing device.
2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the device is operable as a cellular telephone.
3. The device of claim 1 , the call detector further adapted to operate the second wireless transceiver to place the application of the second device into a resumed state as a result of the call being terminated or not accepted by the device.
4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises an optical sensor.
5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises a trackball.
6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the second wireless transceiver is adapted to use a wireless Universal Serial Bus (USB) protocol.
7. The device of claim 1 , further comprising an input mechanism, the input mechanism operable as left and right mouse buttons.
8. The device of claim 7 , wherein the input mechanism is enabled to communicate via the second wireless transceiver.
9. A method comprising:
tracking movement of a cellular communication device;
determining, responsive to the tracking, relative position information of the cellular communication device;
receiving the relative position via a local wireless network including the cellular communication device and a computer;
controlling operation of the computer based, at least in part, on the relative position information; and
detecting an incoming call to the cellular communication device, and as a result of detecting the incoming call to the cellular communication device, operating the local wireless network to place into a paused state an application of the computer.
10. The method of claim 9 ,
wherein the cellular communication device is enabled to perform the tracking.
11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising operating the wireless network to place the application into a resumed state as a result of the call being terminated or not accepted.
12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the controlling comprises moving a graphical icon on a display of the computer.
13. A system comprising:
a wireless adaptor adapted to interface with a computer; and
a device operable as a cellular communication device over a cellular network and operable as a wireless pointing device for the computer via the wireless adaptor; and
the cellular communication device comprising an incoming call detector adapted to detect an incoming call to the cellular communication device, and as a result of detecting the incoming call to the cellular communication device to operate the wireless adaptor to place into a paused state an application of the computer, the application of the computer being an application for which the cellular communication device operates as a pointing device.
14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the device comprises a sensor adapted to report position information of the device via the wireless adaptor.
15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the position information comprises relative position information.
16. The system of claim 13 , wherein the device comprises a wireless transceiver adapted to communicate with the computer via the wireless adaptor.
17. The system of claim 13 , wherein the wireless adaptor is adapted to use a wireless Universal Serial Bus (USB) protocol.
18. The system of claim 13 , wherein the device is further operable to transfer files resident on the device to the computer via the wireless adaptor.
19. The system of claim 13 ,
wherein the wireless communication device comprises a first device;
the wireless communication device further comprising a second device operable as a wireless pointing device via the wireless adaptor; and
wherein the first device and the second device are enabled to communicate with the computer via the wireless adaptor at substantially a same time.
20. The system of claim 19 ,
wherein the computer is enabled to run a gaming application; and
wherein the first device is enabled to control a first player of the gaming application, and the second device is enabled to control a second player of the gaming application.