Abstract:
A peripheral module for a hand-held computing device having a device electrical port at a device surface thereof. The module includes a first electrical port receiver at a first surface of the module, configured to mate with the device electrical port of the hand-held computing device, and a first peripheral electrical port, of substantially identical shape and electrical functionality to the device electrical port, at a second surface of the module, opposite the first surface. The first peripheral electrical port is available to mate with a further peripheral module having a second electrical port receiver that is also configured to mate with the device electrical port of the hand-held computing device. Circuitry, coupled between the first electrical port receiver and the first peripheral electrical port, is adapted to carry out an application function in association with the computing device while the first electrical port receiver is mated with the device electrical port of the computing device.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/181,432, filed Feb. 10, 2000, which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    The present invention relates generally to hand-held computing devices and peripheral devices, and specifically to methods and apparatus for communicating therebetween.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    Methods and systems are known in the art for connecting hand-held computing devices, such as Palm Pilot™ (3Com, Santa Clara, Calif.) and Visor™ (Handspring, Inc., Mountain View, Calif.), to one or more peripheral devices thereof, with the option of connecting these thereafter to a computer. Most of these hand-held devices have a connecting port, which enables them to connect with a peripheral device or optionally to a host computer through a wired connection, such as through an adapter or a cradle.  
           [0004]    Examples of peripheral devices which connect to the base of a hand-held device such as a Palm Pilot include a Palm™m100 HotSync® Cradle, a Palm™ portable keyboard, a NorthStar Mobile MemorySafe, a PalmConnect® USB kit and a Palm™ m100 HotSync® cable. A cradle differs from other peripheral devices in that it typically functions as a physical support of the hand-held device, with a wired connection to a computer.  
           [0005]    One of the major drawbacks of hand-held devices, as opposed to larger computers, is that once a hand-held device has been connected to a peripheral device, no other peripheral device can typically be connected to the hand-held device without first removing the first peripheral device. Although it is possible for the hand-held device to access peripherals through a host computer, using a cradle wired to the host, for example, this procedure may be lengthy and constrains the portability of the hand-held device, which is one of its major advantages. The practical and ergonomic design of connectivity of peripheral and hand-held devices is currently poor. Many of the peripheral devices are tailor-made to suit one specific model of a hand-held device, and are thus unsuitable for many other hand-held devices. There is therefore a need for improvement in the interconnectivity of hand-held devices and peripherals.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0006]    It is an object of some aspects of the present invention to provide improved apparatus and methods for enabling physical and electrical connection of peripheral devices with a hand-held device.  
           [0007]    In preferred embodiments of the present invention, a hand-held device is connected to one or more peripheral devices so as to enable the hand-held device and the peripheral devices to communicate simultaneously. This is typically effected by chaining the hand-held device and the plurality of the peripheral devices in series. More preferably this is performed by interconnecting a plurality of the peripheral devices sequentially in a stack, each of the devices having one port for connecting with the hand-held device itself or with the preceding peripheral device in the chain, and a second port for connecting with the next peripheral device or with a cradle. Any suitable type of port may be used for this purpose, but preferably, the ports comprise electrical connectors and have mechanical “footprints” that are compatible with the existing connectors and footprints of the hand-held device and of its cradle. Thus, the peripheral devices may be connected in a stack between the hand-held device and the cradle in substantially any desired combination and order.  
           [0008]    Preferably, electrical signals are passed through the peripheral devices to the hand-held device and from the hand-held device through the peripheral devices. Each peripheral device is configured to intercept and process the signals that are directed to it, while passing all other signals onward up or down the chain. This chaining is preferably supported not only at the physical level, but also by communications and application software running on the peripheral devices. Thus, the hand-held device and all of the peripheral devices may be operated simultaneously. The hand-held device can communicate with any of the peripheral devices, as well as with a host computer when connected through the peripheral devices to the cradle. Most preferably, the peripheral devices are also able to communicate with the host through the cradle.  
           [0009]    In an additional preferred embodiment of the present invention, batteries of at least one of the peripheral devices and of the hand-held device are charged through the cradle during the simultaneous operation of these devices. Moreover, the system and method described hereinbelow enable the simultaneous provision of power, suited to each of the hand-held device and the peripheral devices. This is preferably performed by dividing a time duration of the supplying of power into parts so as to provide each device with the power supply for at least one part of the time duration. Alternatively or additionally, some or all of the peripheral devices, which are not equipped with their own batteries, may receive power from the battery of the hand-held device.  
           [0010]    In the context of the present patent application and in the claims, the term “hand-held” device refers to any and all portable electronic devices that have suitable computing power and are designed to be operated while held in one hand. Although preferred embodiments are described herein mainly with reference to “palmtop” computers, as mentioned in the Background of the Invention, the principles of the present invention are similarly applicable to hand-held devices of other types, such as cellular telephones.  
           [0011]    There is therefore provided, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a method of communication with a hand-held computing device having a device electrical port at a device surface thereof, the method including:  
           [0012]    providing a first peripheral module having a first electrical port receiver at a first surface thereof, configured to mate with the device electrical port of the hand-held computing device, and a first peripheral electrical port, of substantially identical shape and electrical functionality to the device electrical port, at a second surface thereof, opposite the first surface;  
           [0013]    coupling the first peripheral module to the computing device by bringing the first surface of the module into proximity with the device surface of the computing device and connecting the electrical port receiver of the peripheral module to the device electrical port, so that the first peripheral electrical port at the second surface of the first peripheral module is available for communication with a second peripheral module having a second electrical port receiver that is also configured to mate with the device electrical port of the hand-held computing device; and  
           [0014]    conveying electrical signals between the hand-held computing device and the first peripheral module through the connected port receiver and electrical port.  
           [0015]    Preferably, coupling the first peripheral module to the computing device includes fixing the computing device to the first peripheral module such that the first surface of the module contacts the device surface.  
           [0016]    In a preferred embodiment, the method includes inserting the first peripheral module into a cradle that is adapted to receive the computing device, while the first peripheral module is coupled to the computing device. Preferably, conveying the electrical signals includes conveying the signals through the cradle between a computer and at least one of the first peripheral module and the hand-held computer device.  
           [0017]    Preferably, the method includes providing the second peripheral module having the second electrical port receiver, and coupling the second peripheral module to first peripheral module by connecting the second electrical port receiver of the second peripheral module to the first peripheral electrical port of the first module, wherein conveying the electrical signals includes conveying the signals between the hand-held computing device and the second peripheral module through the first peripheral module. Further preferably, coupling the second peripheral module to first peripheral module includes stacking together the computing device, the first peripheral module and the second peripheral module. Additionally or alternatively, the second peripheral module has a second peripheral electrical port, of substantially identical shape and electrical functionality to the device electrical port, in a position on the second peripheral module that is opposite the second electrical port receiver, so that the second peripheral electrical port is available for communication with a third peripheral module having a third electrical port receiver that is also configured to mate with the device electrical port of the hand-held computing device.  
           [0018]    In a preferred embodiment, conveying the electrical signals includes charging a battery of the hand-held device through the first peripheral electrical port while the first peripheral module is coupled to the computing device. Additionally or alternatively, conveying the electrical signals includes providing electrical power to the peripheral module from a battery in the hand-held computing device.  
           [0019]    Preferably, conveying the electrical signals includes conveying data regarding an application of the peripheral module between the module and the computing device.  
           [0020]    There is also provided, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a peripheral module for a hand-held computing device having a device electrical port at a device surface thereof, including:  
           [0021]    a first electrical port receiver at a first surface of the module, configured to mate with the device electrical port of the hand-held computing device;  
           [0022]    a first peripheral electrical port, of substantially identical shape and electrical functionality to the device electrical port, at a second surface of the module, opposite the first surface, which first peripheral electrical port is available to mate with a further peripheral module having a second electrical port receiver that is also configured to mate with the device electrical port of the hand-held computing device; and  
           [0023]    circuitry, coupled between the first electrical port receiver and the first peripheral electrical port, which is adapted to carry out an application function in association with the computing device while the first electrical port receiver is mated with the device electrical port of the computing device.  
           [0024]    Preferably, the first surface of the module is shaped so as to fixedly contact the device surface of the computing device when the first electrical port receiver mates with the device electrical port, while the second surface of the module is shaped in a manner substantially similar to the device surface of the computing device, so as to fixedly contact the further peripheral module.  
           [0025]    Preferably, the first peripheral electrical port is adapted to be received by a cradle that is designed to receive the computing device.  
           [0026]    Further preferably, when the first peripheral electrical port mates with the second electrical port receiver of the further peripheral module while the first electrical port receiver mates with the device electrical port of the computing device, the circuitry is operative to convey electrical signals between the further peripheral module and the hand-held computing device. Most preferably, the peripheral modules are shaped and configured so as to be stacked together in communication with the computing device.  
           [0027]    In a preferred embodiment, the module includes a battery, which provides power to at least the circuitry in the peripheral module, and the circuitry includes a battery-charging circuit. Alternatively, the circuitry is coupled by the first electrical port receiver to draw power from a battery in the computing device.  
           [0028]    There is additionally provided, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, computing apparatus, including:  
           [0029]    a hand-held computing device having a device electrical port at a device surface thereof; and  
           [0030]    a first peripheral module, which includes:  
           [0031]    a first electrical port receiver at a first surface of the module, configured to mate with the device electrical port of the hand-held computing device;  
           [0032]    a first peripheral electrical port, of substantially identical shape and electrical functionality to the device electrical port, at a second surface of the module, opposite the first surface, which first peripheral electrical port is available to mate with a second peripheral module having a second electrical port receiver that is also configured to mate with the device electrical port of the hand-held computing device; and  
           [0033]    circuitry, coupled between the first electrical port receiver and the first peripheral electrical port, which is adapted to carry out an application function in association with the computing device while the first electrical port receiver is mated with the device electrical port of the computing device.  
           [0034]    In a preferred embodiment, the computing device includes a palmtop computer. In another preferred embodiment, the computing device includes a cellular telephone. 
       
    
    
       [0035]    The present invention will be more fully understood from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments thereof, taken together with the drawings, in which:  
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0036]    [0036]FIG. 1 is a simplified pictorial illustration showing a system for connecting a hand-held device with a plurality of peripheral devices, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; and  
         [0037]    [0037]FIG. 2 is a simplified block diagram showing details of intercommunication between the hand-held device and the plurality of peripheral devices of FIG. 1, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0038]    [0038]FIG. 1 is a simplified pictorial illustration illustrating a system  20  for connecting a hand-held device  30  with a plurality of peripheral devices, such as devices  50  and  70 , in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Hand-held device  30  preferably comprises a palmtop computer, such as the above-mentioned Palm Pilot or Visor device. Typically, hand-held device  30  comprises an electrical port  38  configured to connect to either an electrical port receiver  40  on a peripheral device  70  or to an electrical port receiver  76  on a device cradle  90 . This port enables the hand-held device to communicate with both a plurality of peripheral devices  50 ,  70 , and with device cradle  90 .  
         [0039]    Hand-held device  30  also typically comprises a display  32 , a plurality of control elements  34 ,  36 , and  42 , and other features known in the art. A lower surface  39 , defining a footprint of device  30 , houses port  38 .  
         [0040]    Peripheral device  50  comprises an electrical port  58  at one of its ends, so as to communicate with an electrical port receiver of another peripheral device, such as a port receiver  60  of device  70 . Port  58  is located on device  50  at the opposite side from electrical port receiver  40 . Preferably, port receiver  40  is adapted to receive an electrical port identical to port  58 , such as port  38  of hand-held device  30  or a port  68  of another peripheral device, such as device  70 . These features enable each peripheral device, such as devices  50  and  70 , to act as a link in a chain of peripheral devices, and to communicate with hand-held device  30  and with device cradle  90 . Device  50  is further constructed with a surface  51  which is designed to receive a) the footprint of lower surface  39  of device  30 , with port  38  connecting to port receiver  40 , and b) a footprint of a lower surface  69  of device  70 , with port  68  connecting to a port receiver  76  on cradle  90 . In hand-held device systems known in the art, port receiver  76  connects with port  38 , without intervening peripheral devices. In system  20 , device  30  can preferably be inserted into cradle  90  in this manner, as well, when peripheral devices  50  and  70  are removed.  
         [0041]    A wide variety of peripheral devices may be used in the context of the present invention. In the example shown in FIG. 1, device  50  comprises a cellular phone module, having features such as control elements  52 , a display  54 , and an antenna  56 , in addition to port receiver  40  and port  58 . As another example, device  70  comprises a radio-cassette recorder, comprising a recording element  62 , a microphone  64  and a plurality of control elements  66 . Additionally or alternatively, system  20  may comprise a number of other peripheral devices stacked below the hand-held device. These peripheral devices may include, but are not limited to, a modem, an electronic camera, a modular memory, a Geographic Positioning System (GPS) device, a non-volatile memory, such as a writable minidisk, a speaker, a microphone, an MP3 player, a bar code reader, or a business card reader.  
         [0042]    Devices  30 ,  50 ,  70  can be stacked in cradle  90 , which typically provides some physical support for at least peripheral device  70  proximal thereto. Cradle  90  generally comprises a physical stand  72 , a wired connection  74 , and electrical port receiver  76 , which can receive any of ports  68  or  58  of the peripheral devices or port  38  of hand-held device  30 . Cradle  90  communicates via wired connection  74  with a computer  110 , and/or with a power supply.  
         [0043]    As noted above, hand-held device  30  and peripheral devices  50  and  70  have respective lower surfaces  39 ,  59  and  69  with substantially similar footprints, each comprising respective electrical port  38 ,  58 , or  68 . Cradle  90  and peripheral devices  70  and  50  comprise respective structural surfaces  91 ,  71 , and  51  having port receivers  76 ,  60  and  40  respectively, such that the surfaces at least partially match the contour of the footprints of surfaces  39 ,  59  and  69 . Thus, any of devices  70 ,  50  and  30  may be physically mounted on cradle  90 , and the positions of any of peripheral devices  70  and  50  may be interchanged. Hand-held device  30  may be mounted on any of the peripheral devices or directly on the cradle.  
         [0044]    Optionally, peripheral devices  50  and  70  and hand-held device  30  communicate with computer  110  simultaneously through cradle  90 .  
         [0045]    [0045]FIG. 2 is a simplified block diagram showing functional details of system  20 , in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Cradle  90  comprises a power connection and battery charging element  212 , which communicates through an electrical connection  216  with peripheral device  70  (designated peripheral B), which in turn connects through an electrical connection  238  to peripheral device  50  (designated peripheral A), which in turn connects to hand-held device  30  via an electrical connection  284 . Connections  216 ,  238  and  284  pass through the ports and port receivers shown in FIG. 1.  
         [0046]    Devices  70 ,  50  and  30  are shown as having respective batteries  234 ,  282  and  290  and battery charge logic  232 ,  280  and  288 . Power is communicated from element  212  to the battery charge logic along electrical connections  216 ,  238 ,  276  and  284 . Batteries  234 ,  282 , and  290  respectively provide power to devices  70 ,  50 , and  30  through respective electrical connections  240 ,  274  and  286 .  
         [0047]    System  20  is constructed so as to enable the simultaneous provision of power to each of the hand-held device and the plurality of peripheral devices. This may optionally be performed by dividing a time duration for providing the power supply into parts so as to provide each device  30 ,  50 , and  70  with the power supply for at least one part of the time duration. This may be performed by pulsing each device for part of the time so as to convey electricity along a respective battery connection  284 ,  278 , and  236  so as to charge at least one respective battery  234 ,  282 , and  290 . Alternatively, all of the batteries may be charged in parallel simultaneously. Devices  70 ,  50  and  30  may further alternatively be activated by power from element  212 , or may have no battery of their own and depend for power on the one of the other devices to which they are connected. Element  212  or the battery charge logic may temporarily stop the transfer of power if all devices have fully charged batteries, and require no more power from element  212 . Batteries  234 ,  282 , and  290  respectively provide power to devices  70 ,  50 , and  30  through respective electrical connections  240 ,  274  and  286 .  
         [0048]    Although devices  30 ,  50  and  70  are shown in the figures as being lodged in cradle  90 , the devices may also remain connected together and operate in cooperation apart from the cradle. In this case, the power for the devices is provided solely by batteries  234 ,  282  and  290 , but in other respects, the operation of the devices is essentially unchanged.  
         [0049]    [0049]FIG. 2 also illustrates schematically electronic communication, such as transfer of software commands and data between cradle  90  and peripheral devices  50  and  70  and hand-held device  30 . Each peripheral device  50  and  70  comprises a respective device interface  270 ,  250 , through which it communicates with hand-held device  30 , and a peripheral interface  262 ,  242 , through which it communicates with cradle  90  and through the cradle with host  110 . Each of the peripheral devices also comprises an application software kernel  248 ,  268 , for carrying out the basic application functions for which it is designed. In addition, hand-held device  30  comprises its own operating system  300  and application interfaces  292  and  296  for interacting with the applications of the peripheral devices.  
         [0050]    The device and peripheral interfaces of devices  50  and  70  are arranged in a daisy chain, in terms of both the electrical connections and the communication protocols between them. Thus, any communication from host  110  via cradle  90  that is not directed specifically to device  70  is passed on to the next device  50 , and so on, until it is captured by the device to which it is directed. Correspondingly, each of the devices responds to communication from device  30  above it, and transmits any communication not directed to it down to the next device or to host  110 . Thus, there is two-way communication up and down the stack or chain of devices  30 ,  50  and  70  to and from the host.  
         [0051]    Daisy chaining also takes place at the application level. Thus, for example, when the hand-held device sends an application command down the chain, it may be addressed to either or both of application kernels  268  and  248 . The appropriate kernel or kernels receive and process the command via the device and peripheral interfaces. For example, the hand-held device may control both cellular phone device  50  and recording device  70  in this manner simultaneously. Similarly, data sent up the chain to the hand-held device from one of the peripheral devices is first examined by application interface  292 , which either processes the data itself if appropriate, or passes it on to application interface  296  and from there to operating system  300  as required.  
         [0052]    Hand-held device  30  may thus be used to send an electronic signal via any of the plurality of peripheral devices  50 ,  70 . For example, it may send an electronic mail message via telephone  50 . The message is sent from operating system  300  via application interface  292  to application kernel  268 , which then sends the message employing techniques known in the art of cellular telephony.  
         [0053]    Preferably, hand-held device  30  and intervening peripheral devices (such as device  50 ) are capable of operating in the manner described above even when the last device in the chain (such as peripheral device  70 ) is not designed to support chaining of peripherals in this manner. This will be the case, for example, when device  70  is a legacy device, which was designed to mate with hand-held device  30  without intervening peripherals. In this situation, the hand-held and peripheral devices will still be electrically compatible with one another and with cradle  90 , but hand-held device  30  and peripheral device  50  will need to adjust their communication and application protocols to accommodate the protocols that are supported by device  70 . Preferably, hand-held device  30  and peripheral devices  50  are programmed to recognize automatically that the last device in the chain (device  70 ) does not support the daisy-chaining protocol and to adjust their communications with device  70  accordingly. Hand-held device  30  will also operate in this manner when it is connected directly to device  70 . Other possible combinations of devices operating in accordance with embodiments of the present invention together with legacy devices will be apparent to those skilled in the art.  
         [0054]    Although the preferred embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 includes two peripheral devices of certain particular types, it will be understood that larger or smaller numbers of peripheral devices may be used in this configuration. It will thus be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to what has been particularly shown and described hereinabove. Rather, the scope of the present invention includes both combinations and subcombinations of the various features described hereinabove, as well as variations and modifications thereof that are not in the prior art, which would occur to persons skilled in the art upon reading the foregoing description.