Abstract:
An embodiment of the invention provides an operating mode setting method for a portable device. The method includes: connecting the portable device to a dock; acquiring an ID of the dock; and changing an operating mode of the portable device to a first mode corresponding to the ID.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/388,587 filed  2010, Sep.  30 and entitled “Communication Apparatus and Signal and/or Data Transmission Method”. The entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. 
         [0002]    This application is a Continuation-In-Part of application Ser. No. 13/007,657, filed Jan. 16, 2011, the entirety of which is incorporated by reference herein. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0004]    The present invention relates to a portable device, and more particularly to a portable device that can automatically change its operating mode or status when connecting to a dock. 
         [0005]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0006]    Portable electronic devices have become a necessity for consumers both for personal and business use. Most of the portable devices provide different operating modes and users can select one appropriate operating mode according to different scenarios. For example, some portable electronic devices may provide alert signals to a user indicating an incoming call, incoming text message, incoming short message service (SMS), alarm clock, etc. The alert signal comprises various types, for example, a ring tone and/or a mechanical vibration. When a user is at a meeting, the mechanical vibration is preferred over the ringtone. However, if the user forgets to manually disable the ringtone and only enable the mechanical vibration, the meeting may be interrupted and participants may be upset. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    An embodiment of the invention provides an operating mode setting method for a portable device. The method comprises: connecting the portable device to a dock; acquiring an ID of the dock; and changing an operating mode of the portable device to a first mode corresponding to the ID. 
         [0008]    Another embodiment of the invention provides a dock comprising a connector and a memory device. The connector connects to a portable device. The memory device stores a dock ID. When the portable device is connected to the dock, an application program is executed and changes a current operating mode of the portable device to a first mode according to the dock ID. 
         [0009]    A detailed description is given in the following embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]    The present invention can be more fully understood by reading the subsequent detailed description and examples with references made to the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
           [0011]      FIG. 1  shows a schematic block diagram of a communication apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  a schematic diagram of an exemplary communication system according to an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  shows another schematic diagram of a communication system according to another embodiment of the invention 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  shows a flow chart of a signal processing method for processing a plurality of signals of a portable electronic device according to an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is a block diagram showing an electronic system including a portable device and a dock according to an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  is a block diagram showing an electronic system including a portable device and a dock according to another embodiment of the invention. 
           [0017]      FIG. 7  is a flowchart of an operating mode setting method according to an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0018]      FIG. 8  is a schematic diagram of a dock according to an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0019]      FIG. 9  is a schematic diagram of an operating mode setting according to an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0020]      FIG. 10  is a flowchart of an operating mode setting method according to another embodiment of the invention. 
           [0021]      FIG. 11  is a block diagram showing an electronic system including a portable device and a dock according to another embodiment of the invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0022]    The following description is of the best-contemplated mode of carrying out the invention. This description is made for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention and should not be taken in a limiting sense. The scope of the invention is best determined by reference to the appended claims. 
         [0023]      FIG. 1  shows a schematic block diagram of a communication apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention. The communication apparatus  100  may at least comprise a charging module  101 , a transceiver module  102  and a signal repeating unit  103 . The charging module  101  is arranged to provide a charging function to charge up a portable electronic device (such as the portable electronic device  201  shown in  FIG. 2 ). The transceiver module  102  is arranged to receive a plurality of signals from the portable electronic device and transmit a plurality of enhanced signals to an air interface. The signal repeating unit  103  is arranged to receive the signals and enhance the signals to generate the enhanced signals. In one embodiment of the invention, the signal repeating unit  103  may comprise a power amplifier to enhance level or power of the signals. Note that the signal repeating unit  103  may directly receive the signals from the portable electronic device  201 , or receive the signals of the portable electronic device  201  from the transceiver module  102 , and the invention should not be limited thereto. In addition, in some embodiments of the invention, the signal repeating unit  103  may also be comprised by the transceiver module  102 , and the invention should not be limited thereto. 
         [0024]    According to an embodiment of the invention, the communication apparatus  100  may be a charging dock capable of providing a charging function for portable electronic devices. One or more electronic devices may be electrically connected to the communication apparatus for battery charging. The charging module  101  may receive electric power from a power source and use the electric power to charge up the portable electronic devices. Note that the electric connection may be presented in either a wired or wireless manner, and the invention should not be limited to either case. For example, in one embodiment of the invention, the communication apparatus  100  may be connected to the portable electronic device via a connection interface  105  as shown in  FIG. 1 , so as to provide the electric power through the connection interface  105  to charge up the portable electronic device. Note that the connection interface may be implemented as a tangible connector to directly connect to the portable electronic devices. However, the connection interface may also be implemented as a communication interface facilitating a wireless connection established between the communication apparatus and the portable electronic devices. Therefore, the charging module  101  may directly charge up the portable electronic device or wirelessly charge up the portable electronic device through the air interface and the invention should not be limited to either cases. 
         [0025]      FIG. 2  shows a schematic diagram of an exemplary communication system according to an embodiment of the invention. Note that the drawings illustrate the communication apparatus with a portable electronic device and a computer. However, the present innovation should not be limited thereto. When a portable electronic device  201  (or multiple portable electronic devices, and the present innovation is not limited thereto) is electrically connected to the communication apparatus  100 , the communication apparatus  100  may act as a repeater to receive signals from the portable electronic device  201 , enhance the signals and transmit the enhanced signals to the air interface. According to an embodiment of the invention, the signals may be transmitted from the portable electronic device  201  to the communication apparatus  100  via the electric connection therebetween. The electric connection may be presented in either a wired or wireless manner, and the invention should not be limited thereto. For example, the signals may be transmitted from the portable electronic device  201  to the communication apparatus  100  via the wire or the pins of a connector connected therebetween, or may be wirelessly transmitted from the portable electronic device  201  to the communication apparatus  100 . 
         [0026]    According to an embodiment of the invention, the portable electronic device  201  may be equipped with a predetermined communication module to provide a predetermined wireless communications service in compliance with a predetermined protocol. When the communication apparatus  100  is electrically connected to (either in a wired or a wireless manner) the portable electronic device  201 , a new function of providing network access services, such as being like a hotspot or access point, may be achieved. A peer electronic device  202 , such as a notebook shown in  FIG. 2 , may establish a wireless connection with the portable electronic device  201 . For example, the transceiver module  102  may transmit the enhanced signals to the peer electronic device  202  through the air interface so as to facilitate a wireless connection established between the portable electronic device  201  and the peer electronic device  202 . Having the wireless connection established therebetween, the communication apparatus  100  and the portable electronic device  201  may further act as a hotspot (or so-called access point) to facilitate the peer electronic device  202  to connect to an internet therethrough. 
         [0027]    For example, when the portable electronic device  201  is equipped with a WiFi communication module, the WiFi signals generated by the portable electronic device  201  for providing communication service and/or Network access function may be passed to the communication apparatus  100 , repeated and then transmitted by the communication apparatus  100  to the air interface. The peer electronic device  202  may receive the WiFi signals transmitted by the communication apparatus  100  from the air interface, and use the communication service and/or connect to the Network via the portable electronic device  201  and the communication apparatus  100 . 
         [0028]    For another example, when the portable electronic device  201  is equipped with a UMTS communication module, the  3 G signals generated by the portable electronic device  201  for providing a communication service and/or Network access function may be passed to the communication apparatus  100 , repeated and then transmitted by the communication apparatus  100  to the air interface. The peer electronic device  202  may receive the  3 G signals from the air interface, and use the communication service and/or connect to the Network via the portable electronic device  201  and the communication apparatus  100 . 
         [0029]    Note that in the embodiments of the invention, even if the portable electronic device  201  is not charged by the communication apparatus  100 , as long as the portable electronic device  201  is electrically connected to the communication apparatus  100 , the signals may be transmitted therebetween. In other words, the communication apparatus  100  and the portable electronic device  201  may act as a hotspot or an access point regardless of whether the portable electronic device  201  is being charged by the communication apparatus  100 . 
         [0030]    According to an embodiment of the invention, the communication apparatus  100  may further comprise a controlling module  104  as shown in  FIG. 1  for controlling the signal received from and/or transmitted to the portable electronic device. The controlling module  104  may be a controller chip controlling the transceiver module to extract the signals from the portable electronic device  201 , and/or direct the signals received from the air interface to the portable electronic device  201 . Note also that according to yet another embodiment of the invention, the controlling module  104  may also be implemented in the side of the portable electronic device and the innovation should not be limited thereto. For example, the controlling module may be as a software application function installed therein for controlling the signals to be transmitted to and/or received from the communication apparatus  100 . 
         [0031]      FIG. 3  shows another schematic diagram of a communication system according to another embodiment of the invention. In the aspect of the invention, the communication apparatus  100  may further be electrically connected to a storage device  203 , and integrated with the storage device  203  as a NAS (network attached storage) system. Network attached storage (NAS) is a file-level data storage device connected to a Network for providing data access to heterogeneous clients. According to an embodiment of the invention, the communication apparatus  100  may be equipped with a connector, such as a USB port, to electrically connect to the storage device  203 . Because, as previously described, the communication apparatus  100  may act as a repeater or hotspot, along with the portable electronic device  201  to provide communication service and/or Network access function, the communication apparatus  100  may further be a NAS when a storage device  203  is electrically connected thereto. 
         [0032]    A peer electronic device  202 , such as a notebook shown in  FIG. 3 , that is connecting to the Network and using the communication service  100  via the portable electronic device  201 , may further access the data stored in the storage device  203 . For example, the peer electronic device  202  may issue a data access request for wireless access of data through the communication apparatus  100 . The transceiver module  102  may transmit the data stored in the storage device  203  to the air interface in response to the data access request received from the portable electronic device  201 , which has a wireless connection with the peer electronic device  202  as previously described. Note that in some embodiments, the data access request may be transmitted from the peer electronic device  203  to the portable electronic device  202 , or directly to the communication apparatus  100 , and the invention should not be limited thereto. Note also that in some embodiments, the storage device may also be a built-in storage device inside of the communication apparatus  100 , and the invention should not be limited thereto. 
         [0033]      FIG. 4  shows a flow chart of a signal processing method for processing a plurality of signals of a portable electronic device according to an embodiment of the invention. A communication apparatus with at least a charging function and a signal repeating function is first provided (Step S 401 ). Next, the portable electronic device is electrically connected to the communication apparatus (Step S 402 ). Next, the signals are extracted from the portable electronic device and transmitted to the communication apparatus (Step S 403 ). Next, the signals are enhanced to generate enhanced signals by the communication apparatus (Step S 404 ). Finally the enhanced signals are transmitted to an air interface by the communication apparatus (Step S 405 ), so as to facilitate a wireless connection established between the portable electronic device and a peer electronic device. 
         [0034]      FIG. 5  is a block diagram showing an electronic system including a portable device and a dock according to an embodiment of the invention. The dock  512  has a dock ID  514 . The dock ID  514  may be an ID of one element of the dock  512  or given by a vendor when manufacturing. When the portable device  511  is connected to the dock  512 , an application program  513  first identifies and acquires the dock ID  514 , and then changes the operating mode according to the dock ID  514 . In another embodiment, when the dock  512  detects that the portable device  511  is connected to the dock  512 , the dock  512  directly transmits the dock ID  514  to the portable device  511 . The operating mode comprises settings a plurality of control parameters, such as sound, vibration, notification, etc. For example, when the dock  512  is placed in a bedroom, the application program  513  switches the portable device  511  to a silent mode so that the functions of sound alert or vibration are all disabled. When the dock  512  is placed in an office, the application program  513  switches the portable device  511  to an office mode so that the functions of all sound alerts are enabled and the volume is increased. According to the described paragraph, the application program  513  can auto-change the operating mode of the portable device  511  according to the dock ID  514 . The application program  513  can identify the current location of the portable device  511 , such as bedroom, office or meeting room, according to the dock ID  514 . In other words, the dock ID  514  can be regarded as a parameter indicating the location for the portable device  511 . 
         [0035]      FIG. 6  is a block diagram showing an electronic system including a portable device and a dock according to another embodiment of the invention. The portable device  621  comprises a processor  6211 , a vibration device  6212 , a sound control device  6213 , an alarm clock module  6214 , a backup program  6215 , an ID identification program  6216 , a comparison chart of ID and mode  6217 , a notification control means  6218  and an application program  6219 . The dock  622  physically connects to the portable device  621  via a connector, slot or socket. The dock  622  comprises a device ID  6221  stored in a memory device and a storage device  6222 . When the portable device  621  is connected to the dock  622 , the ID identification program  6216  is first executed to find and transmit the device ID  6221  to the processor  6211 . The processor  6211  then searches the comparison chart  6217  to find a corresponding mode. The application  6219  then controls the vibration device  6212 , the sound control device  6213 , the alarm clock module  6214 , the backup program  6215  and then the notification control means  6218  according to the corresponding mode. 
         [0036]    The vibration device  6212  mechanically vibrates the portable device  621  according to an alert signal and thus provides a relatively silent or less obtrusive alert signal as compared to the ringtone. The sound control device  6213  controls the sound of the portable device  621 . When the sound control device  6213  is disabled, the portable device  621  cannot make sounds anymore. The sound control device  6213  can also adjust the volume of a speaker. The backup program  6215  is used to back up the data of the portable device  621  to the storage device  6222 . In another embodiment, the backup program  6215  backs up the data of the portable device  621  to a third party, such as a backup server, via the dock  622 . The notification control device  6218  determines whether the notification function is enabled or disabled. It is noted that the notification control device  6218  controls various kinds of notifications, and can only be set to be turned ON or turned Off. The notification control device  6218  cannot control each notification corresponding to individual application programs. Another notification manager program is provided for setting the notification of each application program. 
         [0037]      FIG. 7  is a flowchart of an operating mode setting method according to an embodiment of the invention. In step S 31 , the portable device is connected to a dock directly or via a connection cable. In step S 32 , the portable device acquires an ID of the dock. The ID may be a product ID of the dock. In step S 33 , the operating mode of the portable device is changed according to the ID. The operating mode of the portable device comprises the settings of a plurality of parameters. The user can set different operating modes according to the location of the dock. 
         [0038]      FIG. 8  is a schematic diagram of a dock according to an embodiment of the invention. The dock  42  comprises a slot for connecting to the portable device  41 . The dock  42  comprises a plurality of types of connectors to increase the expandability of the portable device  41 . The dock  42  comprises a USB port for connecting to a USB device, such as an external USB storage device  43 . The portable device  41  can back up its data to the external USB storage device  43 . The dock  42  comprises a network connector for connecting to a network cable  44 . If the dock  42  is connected to the Internet, then, the dock  42  can share the network function with the portable device  41 . In other words, the portable device  41  can therefore connect to the Internet via the dock  42 . When the portable device  41  connects to the Internet, the portable device  41  can back up its data to a backup server via the network. The dock  42  comprises a power input jack and when an adapter or an external battery device connects to the power input jack, the portable device  41  can be charged. In another embodiment, the dock  42  comprises a built-in charging device to charge the portable device  41 . The built-in charging device is connected to an AC voltage source and transforms an AC voltage into a DC voltage required by the portable device. The dock  42  comprises an audio output jack for connecting to an earphone or a speaker. The dock  42  further comprises a COM port that can connect to a projector. In one embodiment, assuming the dock  42  is placed in a meeting room, when the portable device  41  is connected to the dock  42 , a control device of the dock  42  first search files with a specific format in a specific folder of the portable device  41 . When the control device finds a matching file in the specific folder, the matching file is then transmitted to the projector for display. 
         [0039]      FIG. 9  is a schematic diagram of an operating mode setting according to an embodiment of the invention. The left column represents functions of the portable device, and the right column represents whether the function should be enabled. When the synchronization function is enabled, the portable device synchronizes a specific folder of the portable device with another folder of a computer or a backup server. When the backup function is enabled, the portable device backs up its data to a backup server or an external storage device when connecting to the dock. When the message notification function is enabled, a pop up window is shown when the portable device receives a message or a short message. When the charge function is enabled, the portable device is charged when connecting to the dock. When the general use function is enabled, the setting of the operating mode can be shared with other portable devices via the dock. In other words, the setting of the operating mode may be stored in the dock, and when another portable device is connected to the dock, the portable device first acquires the dock ID and checks whether the portable device has established a specific operating mode for the dock ID. If yes, the portable device changes it operating mode to the specific operating mode. If not, the portable device acquires and changes it setting according to the setting of operating mode from the dock. 
         [0040]      FIG. 10  is a flowchart of an operating mode setting method according to another embodiment of the invention. In step S 61 , the portable device is connected to the dock. In step S 62 , the portable device acquires an ID corresponding to the dock. In step S 63 , the portable device is disconnected from the dock. In step S 64 , user starts to set a first mode corresponding to the dock via a software interface. Then, the portable device generates a first configuration file according to the first mode and the ID. In step S 65 , the portable device reconnected to the dock. In the step S 66 , the portable device transmits and stores a first configuration file to a memory device of the dock. Once the portable device is connected to the dock, the portable device can directly acquire the first configuration file and change its setting according to the first configuration file. In another embodiment, when the portable device is connected to the dock, an application program is executed. The application program acquires the first configuration file and changes the setting of the portable device according to the first configuration file. 
         [0041]      FIG. 11  is a block diagram showing an electronic system including a portable device and a dock according to another embodiment of the invention. When the portable device  71  is connected to the dock  72 , the processor  79  acquires the second ID  76  and the controller  78  acquires the first ID  73  to determine whether the portable device  71  has ever been connected to the dock  72 . If yes, the control of the portable device  71  is then transferred to the controller  78 . The controller  78  reads a configuration file  77  to modify the mode-setting file  74  accordingly. Then, the control of the portable device  71  is transferred back to the processor  79 . The processor  79  changes an operating mode of the portable device  71  according to the mode-setting file  74 . In another embodiment, the controller  78  directly changes the operating mode of the portable device  71 . The controller  78  first determines a type of a control instruction according to the first ID  73 . Then, the controller  78  acquires the operating mode according to the second ID  76 . The controller  78  then generates the control instruction according to both the first ID  73  and the second ID  76  and transmits the control instruction to the portable device  71  to change the operating mode of the portable device  71 . 
         [0042]    If the portable device  71  is connected to the dock  72  for a first time, the application program  75  is executed for setting at least one parameter of a specific mode corresponding to the dock  72 . After the specific mode setting is completed, the application program  75  generates the configuration file  77  according to the second ID  76  and the specific mode. Once the portable device  71  is connected to the dock  72 , the processor  79  first recognizes the dock  72  according to the second ID  76  and changes the operating mode according to the second ID  76 . 
         [0043]    While the invention has been described by way of example and in terms of the preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. To the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements (as would be apparent to those skilled in the art). Therefore, the scope of the appended claims should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements.