Portable communication devices with accessory functions and related methods
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorBrian Scott Chapman
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Portable communication devices and related methods for use in supporting voice and/or data communication are provided. One example portable communication device includes a housing, a display device disposed at said housing, a processor disposed at least partially within said housing, the processor coupled to said display device, and an interface connector disposed at said housing and coupled to said processor. The interface connector is configured to couple to a module. The processor is configured to communicate, through said interface connector, via a plurality of communication protocols. The processor is configured to select at least one of the plurality of communication protocols based on the module coupled to the interface connector.
Claims21
1-23. (canceled)
An accessory module for providing at least one accessory function to a portable communication device, the portable communication device including a processor and an interface connector, the interface connector disposed at a housing of said portable communication device, said accessory module comprising:
- a means for providing at least one accessory function;
- a module connector configured to mate with the interface connector of the portable communication device;
- and
- a means for coupling said accessory module to the housing in place of a back panel of the portable communication device when the back panel is uncoupled from the housing, such that said accessory module is coupled to the portable communication device and communicates with the processor of the portable communication device via said module connector to provide said at least one accessory function.
A method for providing at least one accessory function to a portable communication device, the portable communication device including a processor and an interface connector, said method comprising:
- uncoupling a back panel from a housing of the portable communication device;
- coupling an accessory module to the housing in place of the back panel such that a module connector of the accessory module is communicatively coupled to the interface connector of the portable communication device;
- and
- communicating, by the processor through the interface connector, with the accessory module to provide the at least one accessory function.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.