Patent Publication Number: US-2004053650-A1

Title: Configurable mobile telephone

Description:
[0001] This invention relates exchangeable covers for mobile telephones and in particular but not exclusively to exchangeable covers which provide for the alteration of the physical appearance of the mobile telephone to which it is intended to be attached.  
       [0002] Generally, during the manufacture of known mobile telephone handsets, the various applications programs and associated resources necessary for operating the mobile telephone or handset are embedded together therein. The applications programs are provided with information relating to specific addresses in the device memory for locating and accessing respective resources.  
       [0003] It is known for mobile telephone handsets to be customisable, for example by way of interchangeable cosmetic covers which influence the physical appearance thereof. Moreover, it is also known in the art to modify the functionality of a mobile telephone by downloading ring tones, graphics and the like by way of WAP communication link or from the cellular telephone provider with which the mobile telephone user is associated. A problem with this is that each customisation is performed independently from the others which cannot only be time-consuming for the user but also somewhat limiting in the scope of customisations which may be implemented.  
       [0004] It is an aim of the invention to provide an arrangement whereby it is possible for a mobile telephone to be customised in a more convenient and comprehensive way.  
       [0005] According to the present invention there is provided an exchangeable cover for a mobile telephone, the exchangeable cover being dimensioned so as to cover at least part of the mobile telephone and comprising means for representing a functionality or data to be imparted to the mobile telephone, the functionality or data being usable by an application program embedded within the mobile telephone for influencing operation thereof, means for enabling the downloading of the new functionality or data to the mobile telephone, and means for locating the cover to the mobile telephone.  
       [0006] In one embodiment, the cover may comprise front and rear portions for respectively covering front and rear portions of the mobile telephone. These portions may be provided with fastening means for releasably fastening the front and rear portions together around the mobile telephone, there being means provided on either one or both of the portions for securing the mobile telephone within the cover.  
       [0007] In an alternative embodiment, the exchangeable cover may comprise engagement means for releasable engagement with the mobile telephone. The engagement means may be in the form of a “clip-on” arrangement.  
       [0008] The functionality or data may be such as to influence the “look and feel” of the mobile telephone from the point of view of how the user interacts with the device. The functionality or data may be any one or more of: an image or images for display by the mobile telephone; a ring tone or sequence; message; telephone number; software for modifying or adding to the functionality of the mobile telephone; new menu options; glyphs; text strings; audio files; WEB/WAP URL&#39;s etc. In addition, the functionality or data may be associated with the external appearance of the exchangeable cover. For example, the shape and/or patterning applied to the cover may have an association or theme in common with the functionality or data embedded within the cover. This theme may be anything from a favourite sports team, a famous person, company image and so on.  
       [0009] Embodiments of the invention have the advantage that basic telephone functionality may be provided in a core unit configured to receive thereon an exchangeable cover which comprises the representing means containing ancillary functions or data to be imparted to the mobile telephone such as to modify some or all of the user interfaces with the mobile telephone.  
       [0010] The shape or ornament applied to an exchangeable cover embodying the invention could be such as to relate to a corporate logo or sporting club livery. The functionality or data embedded within the representing means may contain information relevant to the corporate logo or club livery embodied in the appearance of the exchangeable cover itself. When the cover is attached to the core unit of the mobile telephone, the data or functionality contained within the cover is transferred to the telephone itself. The applications programs embedded therein recognise the input of new functionality or data and implement these during use while that cover is attached. It is envisaged, for example, that the data may include telephone numbers particular to the institution associated with the appearance of the exchangeable cover. Other information relating to that institution may be transferred and so be accessible by the user via the mobile telephone, for example, dedicated “hot keys”, corporate jingles or messages.  
       [0011] Embodiments of the invention may provide the possibility for product identification in cases where the functionality or data contains images or sounds related to a particular product or service. The functionality or data may be associated with a football team, merchandising program, banking, supermarket loyalty program, film launch or the like. The functionality may be such as to provide a new or modified game. The representative means may include information associated with a network operator so that the mobile telephone user can access helpline numbers, special logos, animations or other specific information relevant to the use of the telephone and the associated network. Further possibilities include additional or alternative languages for the telephone menus, these being interchangeable by the user simply replacing one exchangeable cover for a different one. When the mobile telephone is activated, an application program embedded therein is run to identify the presence of a new exchangeable cover and download the new functionality or data for use in subsequent mobile telephone operations.  
       [0012] It is envisaged that within the scope of the present invention different exchangeable covers may represent different “personalities” for the mobile telephone. For example, the user may have an exchangeable cover appropriate for domestic use in which case personal and domestic telephone numbers, games and other information of a personal nature may be stored within the representing means in the exchangeable cover. The appearance of the cover itself may be adorned with indicia of a recreational significance. The user may, at will, exchange this cover with one dedicated to his professional environment, containing professional telephone numbers, contact information and the like. In this case, the cover may be of a more muted appearance relative to the recreational one. In this way, the user is provided with the option of adapting his core telephone unit to the circumstances in which it is to be used. The representing means may be in the form of readable dataform embedded on or within the exchangeable cover, this being realised by an electronic memory. In this case, a communication interface comprising an electrical contact may be provided on the cover for engagement with a corresponding contact on the core mobile telephone. Alternatively, the readable dataform may comprise an optically readable bar code, optical sensing means being provided on the core.  
       [0013] The representing means may include a resource file comprising resource data defining one or more resources usable by the embedded applications program means for operating the user interface of the mobile telephone. The resource file may have a searchable structure. Resource files suitable for use in embodiments of the invention are the subject of co-pending International patent application based on British patent application numbers 0029209.4 and 0118762.4 filed on Nov. 18, 2000 and Aug. 1, 2001 respectively.  
       [0014] It is envisaged that it is within the scope of the invention for the representing and enabling means to be provided by way of profile formed on the cover for mechanical interaction with a corresponding sensor or switches provided on the mobile telephone. 
     
    
    
     [0015] The invention will be further described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:  
     [0016]FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a mobile telephone handset having an exchangeable cover thereon;  
     [0017]FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the cover used in the embodiment of FIG. 1;  
     [0018]FIG. 3 is a representation of a memory of an electronic device for storing searchable resource file information;  
     [0019]FIG. 4 is a representation of a resource file for storage in the memory of FIG. 2; and  
     [0020]FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a process whereby the electronic device obtains resource information. 
    
    
     [0021]FIGS. 1 and 2 show a mobile telephone shown generally by the reference numeral  10 . An exchangeable cover comprises front and rear portions  12  and  14  respectively which clip together around a mobile telephone core  16  which is operative to perform basic mobile telephone functionality. The core  16  includes a display  18  and antenna  20 . The front and rear portions  12 ,  14  are provided with fastening means (not shown) which may consist of the edge portion of one portion being received by a corresponding recess in the other portion in a manner conventional in the art. The front portion includes a transparent window  22  through which the display of the core  16  can be viewed. A readable dataform consisting of an electronic memory  24  is provided within the front portion  12  and is electrically connected to contacts  26 . The electronic memory  24  may be made up of more than one discrete memory component. The contacts make contact with connectors  28  disposed at corresponding locations on the core  16  so that when the first and second portions  12 ,  14  are fastened about the core  16 , data contained within the electronic memory  24  can be accessed via the embedded application program.  
     [0022] In alternative embodiments (not shown) the exchangeable cover, which may be designed with a characteristic shape or pattern to define the cosmetic appearance of the telephone, may comprise only a front cover part or alternatively only a rear cover part. Furthermore, the cover parts may or may not enclose substantially all of the front and/or back of the core  16 .  
     [0023] The electronic memory  24  can communicate with the application program or baseband components embedded in the core  16  when the mobile telephone  10  is in use. It may be part of the functionality of the application program of the core  16  to look for the presence of new functionality or data contained in the exchangeable cover whenever the mobile telephone is turned on or whenever the mobile telephone detects removal and subsequent application of an exchangeable cover.  
     [0024] The electronic memory  24  may be of any, known non-volatile memory type, such as flash memory, ROM, EEPROM, one time programmable (OTP) memory etc, and is capable of storing one or more resource files for the mobile telephone  10 .  
     [0025] The resource file(s) is/are preferably stored in the electronic memory  24  prior to sale of the exchangeable cover to a user of the mobile telephone  10 . However, the resource file(s) may alternatively and/or additionally be downloaded to the memory element from the mobile telephone  10  or from a computer.  
     [0026] The core  16  of the mobile telephone  10  comprises a processor and memory storage. Primary application code is stored in the memory storage of the core  16 , and in use is run by the processor. The memory storage of the core unit  16  preferably also comprises resource file code.  
     [0027]FIG. 3 illustrates an example of a primary application code  30  and a resource file  36  located in the memory of the core  16 . The primary application  30  includes an Application Program Interface (API  32 ). The resource file  36  is located separate to the primary application  30 . The start address of the resource file  36  is known to the API  32 . In one embodiment the resource file  36  is provided in a specific location in memory, whereby the start address is always known, and so the API  32  always knows where to look.  
     [0028] Where one or more further resource files are added, such as in the electronic memory  24  of the exchangeable cover, the resource file  36  becomes a default resource file. It is necessary for the API  32  to determine whether a particular resource is located in the default resource file  36  or in a subsequent resource file. In order to achieve this a lookup table is provided. The default resource file  36  is in general embedded in ROM, whilst any other resource files will be located in non-volatile memory (NVM) other than ROM. The lookup table contains associated IDs for resources contained in NVM. If the required resource is not located in the NVM then there will be no ID entry in the lookup table, and so the API  32  knows to obtain that particular resource from the default resource file  36 .  
     [0029]FIG. 4 shows a schematic representation of the resource file  36  of FIG. 3, and the resource information contained therein.  
     [0030] In FIG. 5 an example is illustrated of a process for obtaining information contained in a bitmap resource, for generating a graphical display. A request is received at step  50  for a particular bitmap resource. The API  32  determines the relevant ID for the particular resource data, and then, at step  52 , goes to a lookup table to determine whether the particular ID is located in the NVM which in this embodiment includes the electronic memory  24 . If the resource ID is not present in the lookup table, then, at step  54 , the API  32  retrieves the bitmap from the default resource file  36 .  
     [0031] If however the resource ID is in the lookup table, the API  32  retrieves the bitmap from the resource file in the NVM at step  56 . The lookup table may also include information about where the relevant resource file is located in the NVM, which will aid in differentiating between a plurality of resource files that could be locate in the NVM. At step  58  the graphical information in the bitmap is used to generate a display.  
     [0032] In the above illustrated example the resource file(s) in the memory element of the exchangeable cover is accessed directly each time one of the resources is required. However, the resource in the memory element of the exchangeable cover may alternatively be accessed only when the phone is switched on, or as mentioned above when the exchangeable cover is first attached to the core  16 , with the resource file(s) being copied/transferred to an area of memory within the core  16 .  
     [0033] Where the resource file is copied or transferred to an area of memory of the core  16 , the resource file in the electronic memory  24  may be compressed and/or encoded. When the resource file is copied or transferred, it may be decompressed and/or decoded.