Communication card with three operational states

A communication card with three operational states, including a controller, a battery, a flash storage unit, a wireless modem, and a connector for connecting the communication card to a shell host and to an electronic device host, wherein the communication card (i) operates in a standalone mode when the connector is not connected to a device, (ii) functions as a master when the connector is connected to the shell host, and (iii) functions as a slave when the connector is connected to the electronic device host. A method and a computer-readable storage medium are also described and claimed.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to communication cards that may be connected to electronic devices and to shells, and that may also operate in a standalone mode.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Prior art communication cards include cards with connectors that enable them to interface with different types of electronic devices that serve as hosts. These cards generally include a radio modem, a CPU with ancillary memories, a power source and possibly data storage.

SUMMARY OF THE DESCRIPTION

The present invention provides a novel communication card (i) that may operate in a standalone mode, (ii) that may be connected to a shell that is not an independent device and that cannot operate without the communication card being connected thereto, and (iii) that may be connected to an electronic device that serves as the card's host. In state (ii) the communication card functions as a master, and in state (iii) the communication card functions as a slave.

There is thus provided in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention a communication card with three operational states, including a controller, a battery, a flash storage unit, a wireless modem, and a connector for connecting the communication card to a shell host and to an electronic device host, wherein the communication card (i) operates in a standalone mode when the connector is not connected to a device, (ii) functions as a master when the connector is connected to the shell host, and (iii) functions as a slave when the connector is connected to the electronic device host.

There is additionally provided in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention a method for determining the operational state of a communication card, including providing a communication card that has three operational states, namely, (i) the communication card in a standalone mode (State I), (ii) the communication card connected to a shell (State II), and (iii) the communication card connected to a host (State III), monitoring a first signal on the communication card, and if the first signal has a voltage level lower than a first designated threshold, then concluding that the communication card is in State I, otherwise, concluding that the communication card is connected to a device, and monitoring a second signal on the communication card, and if the second signal has a voltage level lower than a second designated threshold, then concluding that the communication card is in State II, otherwise, concluding that the communication card is in State III.

There is moreover provided in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention a computer readable storage medium storing program code for causing a computing device to determine the state of a communication card that has three operational states, namely, (i) the communication card in a standalone mode (State I), (ii) the communication card connected to a shell (State II), and (iii) the communication card connected to a host (State III), by monitoring a first signal on the communication card, and if the first signal has a voltage level lower than a designated threshold, then concluding that the communication card is in State I, otherwise, concluding that the communication card is connected to a device, and monitoring a second signal on the communication card, and if the second signal has a voltage level lower than the designated threshold, then concluding that the communication card is in State II, otherwise, concluding that the communication card is in State III.

There is further provided in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention a communication card with three operational states, including a card connector for connecting a communication card to a shell and to an electronic device, including a connector for incoming and outgoing audio signals, a connector for a power supply, a universal serial bus (USB) connector, and a communication bus, wherein (i) no signals are routed to the communication bus when the card operates in a standalone mode (State I), (ii) secure digital (SD) card signals are routed to the communication bus when the card is connected to a shell (State II), with the card functioning as master, and (iii) SD card signals are routed to the communication bus when the card is connected to an electronic device (State III), with the card functioning as a slave, and circuitry for automatically detecting whether the card is operating in State I, State II or State III.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention relates to a communication card that is operable in three states; namely, (I) a standalone state, (II) a state connected to a simple host, and (III) a state connected to a complex host. In State II the simple host is a shell. The communication card operates as a master and the shell operates as a slave. Conversely, in State III the complex host is a consumer electronics (CE) device. The communication card operates as a slave and the CE device operates as a master.

In State I as a standalone, the card has its own user interface and provides communication data and voice over radio technology, in addition to other services including inter alia MP3 playing.

In State II connected to a simple host, the shell is not an independent device and cannot operate without the communication card being connected thereto. The shell may include only a display, a keyboard and a simple non-volatile EEPROM storage chip. Optionally, the shell may further include speakers, a microphone and a secondary power source. The communication card supplies power to the shell's keyboard, display speakers and microphone, and to the card's own internal circuitry. The communication card uses the shell's secondary power source to charge the card's internal power source.

In State III connected to a complex host, the CE device is an independent device that operates independently of the communication card, such as an MP3/MPP player or a digital camera. Commands and information are shared, and sent over an SD control bus during operation. The CE device includes its own CPU, user interface and power source. The user interface for both the device functionality and the communication card functionality operates through the CE device. The interface to the CE device is via the communication card connector, where pins on the connector have specifically assigned functionalities and use specific protocols.

It will thus be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the interface to the shell is via the same communication card connector as is the interface to the CE device, but the pins on the connector generally have different functionalities and use different protocols with the shell than those used with the CE device.

The three operational states of the communication card are summarized in TABLE I hereinbelow.

TABLE IThree Operation States of a Communication CardState IStandaloneCard uses its own interfaceState IIConnected to aCard is master; Shell is slavesimple hostShell cannot operate without cardCard provides shell with screen shots, in theform of bitmap images, for display informationCommunication is through SD busState IIIConnected to aCard is slave; CE device is mastercomplex hostCE device operates independently of cardCard provides CE device with screen shots, inthe form of bitmap images, for displayinformationCommunication is through SD bus

Reference is now made toFIG. 1, which is a simplified block diagram of a communication card with three operational states, in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention. As shown inFIG. 1, a communication card100includes a connector105, a controller110, a flash storage unit115, a battery subsystem120, a USB connector125and a modem & applications processor130. Modem130includes a radio frequency (RE) interface135and an audio player140. Modem130is coupled with an input device145, which is a small keyboard, and an output device150, which is a small display.

Also shown inFIG. 1is a host device160with a host connector165that may be connected to the communication card connector105. In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, device160may be a shell and may be a CE device.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that communication card100supports the three operational states in TABLE I. Components105-150enable communication card100to function as a standalone device. When host160is connected to communication card100, communication card100may operate as a master or as a slave, and the SD communication between connectors105and165flows accordingly. Specifically, in State II communication card100is the master and host160is the slave, and in State III communication card100is the slave and host160is the master.

In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention communication card100automatically detects its operational environment by monitoring the voltage on designated pins on the connector. I.e., communication card100distinguishes between States I-III based on voltage. CE devices and shells generally drive the voltage on these pins differently, which enables communication card100to discriminate whether or not it is connected to device160, and to detect the type of device160it is connected to.

In this regard, reference is made toFIG. 2, which is a simplified flowchart of a method for communication card100to detect the type of host160it is connected to, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. At step210controller105monitors the connector signal VBat_host, shown inFIG. 1. If the VBat_host signal has a voltage level higher than logical zero (i.e., 0.5V or higher), as determined at step220, then controller105concludes that communication card100is connected to host160. Otherwise, if VBat_host is logical zero (i.e., below 0.5V), then at step230controller105concludes that communication card100is not connected to a host. As such, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that when host160is attached to communication card100, controller105detects this by monitoring VBat_host.

In order to detect which type of host160is connected to communication card100, controller105monitors the HOST_INT/TYPE signal, shown inFIG. 1. When connection to a host is detected, the HOSTANT/TYPE signal is sampled at step240. If HOST_INT/TYPE is a logical zero (i.e., below 0.5V), as determined at step250, then at step260the controller concludes that host160is a simple shell. Otherwise, if HOST_INT/TYPE is higher than logical zero (i.e., 0.5V or higher), then at step270the controller concludes that host160is a CE device.

The functionality of HOST_INT/TYPE for detecting the type of host160, is used wheft at the time host160is attached to communication card100. Afterwards, the signal HOST_INT/TYPE is used as an interrupt signal.

In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the SD_Vdd signal, shown inFIG. 1, may be monitored at step210instead of or in addition to the VBat_host signal. Whereas the VBat_host signal generally indicates whether or not communication card100is connected to host160, the SD_Vdd signal generally indicates whether or not host160is turned on.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the threshold of 0.5V used in the above discussion is merely indicative of a general pre-designated threshold that is used to detect attachment of the host to the communication card, and to detect the type of the host.

When communication card controller105detects connection to a CE device or a shell, the internal user interface of communication card100is disabled at step280. For CE devices, communication card controller105receives user interface inputs, and provides feedback as bitmap graphics BMP screen shots, or as single messages, via the secure digital (SD) card bus. The CE device controls the device's display and keyboard. For shell devices, the communication card controller receives direct keyboard strokes on the shell keyboard over an SD bus, and provides the displayed image pixels/characters directly to the shell display over the SD bus.

In an embodiment of the present invention, in order to be powered, shells connect their internal circuitry to the Vbat_CC signal that connects to connector105. If a shell160has a secondary battery, then the secondary battery is connected to Vbat_Host, which connects to communication card's battery subsystem120and is used to charge the communication card's internal battery.

Similarly, the internal circuitry of a CE device160is powered by connecting its internal power source to Vbat_Host. CE device160does not use the Vbat_CC signal as a power source, but may monitor it to detect when communication card100is connected thereto, or to monitor the communication card's battery level.

In the foregoing specification, the invention has been described with reference to specific exemplary embodiments thereof. It will, however, be evident that various modifications and changes may be made to the specific exemplary embodiments without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. Accordingly, the specification and drawings are to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense.