Simplified mobile communication device
View Patent ↗A first communication device is detected as being substantially collocated with a second communication device using a short-range wireless network. A connection is established between the first and second communication devices over the short-range wireless network. In some instances, authentication data can be sent from the second communication device to the first communication device to authenticate a user to the first communication device. Further, input is received from the first communication device over the short-range wireless network specifying a telephone number for a telephone call using the second communication device. A connection is established between the second communication device and a cellular base station to initiate the telephone call with a third communication device associated with the telephone number. In some instances, the second communication device is a wireless headset device.
1. At least one non-transitory, machine-accessible storage medium having instructions stored thereon, the instructions when executed on a machine, to cause the machine to:
send authentication data from a wireless headset device to a first communication device over a short-range wireless network, wherein the authentication data is bound to a particular user, and the authentication data is to authenticate the particular user to the first communication device and authorize access by the wireless headset device to the first communication device;
receive input data at the wireless headset device from the first communication device over the short-range wireless network;
initiate a communication session between the wireless headset device and a cellular base station in response to receiving the input data from the first communication device at the wireless headset device; and
send data received during the communication session from the cellular base station at the wireless headset device to the first communication device for display by the first communication device.
2. The storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the input data comprises a telephone number.
3. The storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the input data comprises a uniform resource locator (URL).
4. The storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the input data is entered by the particular user on a touch-sensitive display of the first communication device.
5. The storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the input data is selected from a webpage displayed by the first communication device.
6. The storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the input data comprises a name of a contact from a list of contacts of the particular user.
7. The storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the machine to send data received from the cellular base station at the wireless headset device to the first communication device for display by the first communication device.
8. The storage medium of claim 7 , wherein the data sent to the first communication device for display by the first communication device is rendered by the first communication device.
9. The storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the machine to capture voice inputs and output audio.
10. The storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the machine to:
receive voice inputs at the wireless headset device; and
send voice data corresponding to the received voice inputs to the cellular base station in connection with the communication session.
11. The storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the authentication data comprises an encryption key and wherein content accessible through the first communication device is decrypted based at least in part on the received encryption key.
12. The storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the authentication data comprises at least one of a digital certificate, a digital signature, and an encryption key.
13. The storage medium of claim 1 , wherein authentication of the user to the first communication device includes receiving second authentication data from the user at the first communication device.
14. The storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the machine to:
send the authentication data from the wireless headset device to a second communication device over a second short-range wireless network, wherein the authentication data is to authenticate the particular user to the second communication device and authorize access by the wireless headset device to the second communication device;
receive input data at the wireless headset device from the second communication device over the short-range wireless network; and
initiate a communication session between the wireless headset device and the cellular base station in response to receiving the input data from the second communication device.
15. The storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed further cause the machine to:
receive voice input from the particular user;
compare the voice input to a voice profile for the particular user; and
authenticate the user on the wireless headset device based on the comparison.
16. An apparatus comprising:
a memory element to store user authentication data;
a short-range wireless network adapter;
a cellular adapter to communicate with a cellular base station; and
a processor to:
send authentication data to a first communication device over a short-range wireless network, wherein the authentication data is bound to a particular user, and the authentication data is to authenticate the particular user to the first communication device and authorize access by the apparatus to the first communication device;
receive input data from the first communication device over the short-range wireless network;
initiate a communication session with the cellular base station in response to receiving the input data from the first communication device; and
send data received during the communication session from the cellular base station at the apparatus to the first communication device for display by the first communication device.
17. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the apparatus further comprises:
a microphone; and
a speaker;
and wherein the cellular adapter includes an antenna to communicate with cellular base stations.
18. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the apparatus lacks a graphical user display.
19. A method comprising:
sending authentication data from a wireless headset device to a first communication device over a short-range wireless network, wherein the authentication data is bound to a particular user, and the authentication data is to authenticate the particular user to the first communication device and authorize access by the wireless headset device to the first communication device;
receiving input data at the wireless headset device from the first communication device over the short-range wireless network;
initiating a communication session between the wireless headset device and a cellular base station in response to receiving the input data from the first communication device; and
sending, by the wireless headset device, data received during the communication session from the cellular base station to the first communication device for display by the first communication device.
20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the input data is selected from a webpage displayed by the first communication device.