Patent Publication Number: US-2010125684-A1

Title: Data Output System for Mobile Device and Data Output Method Thereof

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATION 
     This patent application is based on Taiwan, R.O.C. patent application No. 097144646 filed on Nov. 19, 2008. 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a data output system and a data output method thereof, and more particularly, to a data output system for externally connecting to a mobile device to display output data of the mobile device, and an output method thereof. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Handheld mobile devices including cell phones and personal digital assistants (PDAs) are equipped with ever-growing powerful functions. These functions, which include making and receiving phone calls, accessing wireless internet, and navigation, are currently all integrated into one mobile device to conveniently provide a user with “on-the-go” services. In order to be portable and handy, mobile devices are manufactured as compact as possible; however, this trend also means a certain degree of restriction on the size of the display screen as a trade-off. While a standard small screen of a mobile phone may not be awkward to operate when a user is free to adjust the location of the mobile phone in front of one&#39;s eyes, the convenience of the mobile device may be greatly diminished by the rather small screen when a user is not able to freely adjust the location of the mobile phone, such as when driving. Likewise, the use of a larger screen might be much more desirable when viewing images or video files stored in the mobile device with other viewers. 
     Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a system and method that enables a user to deliver output data of a mobile device to a larger screen for display. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Therefore, it is one object of the invention to provide a data output system and an output method thereof, which output data transmitted from a mobile device to an embedded system when the data output system is externally connected to the mobile device, and then display the output data on a display screen of the embedded system. 
     According to one embodiment of the invention, a data output system for externally connecting to a mobile device is disclosed. The data output system comprises an embedded system having an output module and a processing module. The output module, coupled to the processing module, processes digital data transmitted from the mobile device, and transmits the processed digital data to the output module for output. 
     According to one embodiment of the invention, a data output method for a mobile device is provided. The method comprises steps of transmitting digital data of the mobile device to an embedded system, processing the digital data using the embedded system, and outputting the processing digital data using an output device of the embedded system. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention will become more readily apparent to those ordinarily skilled in the art after reviewing the following detailed description and accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram of a data output system according to one embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram of transmission between the mobile device and the embedded system in  FIG. 1  using a transmission wire according to one embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 3  a schematic diagram of transmission between the mobile device and the embedded system in  FIG. 1  using wireless transmission according to one embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic diagram of a data output system according to another embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic diagram showing an example of the converting circuit in  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic diagram of transmission between the mobile device and the embedded system in  FIG. 4  using a transmission wire according to one embodiment of the invention; and 
         FIG. 7  is a schematic diagram of transmission between the mobile device and the embedded system in  FIG. 4  using wireless transmission according to one embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       FIG. 1  shows a data output system  100  according to one embodiment of the invention. The data output system  100  comprises an embedded system  110  for processing and outputting data of a mobile device  120 . More specifically, the embedded system  110  processes data transmitted from the mobile device  120  using a processing module  112 , and transmits the processed data to an output module  114  for output. Through the data output system  100 , digital data of display data or image files stored are transferred to the output module  114  of the embedded system  110  for output. 
     The embedded system  110  may be a television, a portable navigation device (PND), or a mobile entertainment device having a screen. The processing module  112  may be a central processing unit (CPU), while the output module  114  may be a display screen of the embedded system  110 . The embedded system  110  is operable under several modes, e.g., a function mode built in the embedded system  110  and a special display mode for displaying data transmitted from the mobile device  120 . Taking a television for example, the television has at least a television mode for playing television programs and a special display mode. Switching between the modes may be triggered by a control interface of the embedded system  110 , or by a control signal outputted from the mobile device  120  to the processing module  112 . 
     The digital data transmitted from the mobile device  120  to the processing module  112  comprises display data of a user interface (UI) of the mobile device  12 , audio signals, and control signals, e.g., for switching between the modes of the embedded system  110 . Further, when the processed digital data from the processing module  112  is outputted by the output module  114 , the embedded system  110  feeds back a control signal to the mobile device  120  to control operations of the mobile device  120 , so that the embedded system  110  also serves as a control interface of the mobile device  120 . When the foregoing architecture is implemented for a cell phone and an in-car navigation system, the in-car navigation system provides a navigation map and driving information when on-route, and switches to a special display mode when the cell phone rings for an incoming call. Under the special display mode, a display screen of the navigation device shows the number and caller of the incoming call. The user may further transmit a control signal for answering the phone call via the navigation device to the cell phone, and utilize a speaker of the navigation device for carrying out the call under a speaker mode. 
     Data transmission between the mobile device  120  and the embedded system  110  may be accomplished using a transmission wire, as shown in  FIG. 2 .  FIG. 2  shows an example of a cell phone and a PND respectively implemented as the mobile device  120  and the embedded system  110 . The cell phone  120  and the PND  110  respectively comprise connecting ports  122  and  116 . Via the connecting port  116 , the processing module  112  of the PND  110  is coupled to the connecting port  122  of the cell phone  120  using the transmission wire. The connecting ports  122  and  116  adopt a same transmission interface, e.g., an RS232 COM port interface or a Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface. For a cell phone using the Windows Mobile™, the cell phone includes software for Remote Desktop Service™, so that data stored in a frame buffer of the cell phone is first dumped to a Universal Asynchronous Receiver/Transmitter (UART) and then transmitted via the connecting port  122 . Thus, by simply connecting the respective connecting ports  122  and  116  of the cell phone  120  and the PND  110 , the display screen of the cell phone  120  is transmitted to the PND  110 , processed by the processing module  112  and then displayed on the screen  114 . For example, a navigation function of the cell phone  120  is displayed on the large screen  114  of the PND  110 . 
     Further, when the mobile device  120  and the embedded system  110  both have wireless transmission capabilities, data transmission may also be carried out using wireless transmission, as shown in  FIG. 3 . In one embodiment, the cell phone  120  transmits audio signals via Bluetooth to the embedded system  110 , which may provide a function similar to Bluetooth earphones. 
       FIG. 4  shows the data output system  100  according to another embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, the data output system  100  further comprises a converting circuit  130  coupled between the connecting port  116  of the embedded system  110  and the connecting port  122  of the mobile device  120 . When different transmission interfaces are adopted by the embedded system  110  and the mobile device  120 , the converting circuit  130  converts data transmission specifications between the embedded system  110  and the mobile device  120 . For example, the converting circuit  130  converts data outputted from the mobile device  120  into a format compliant with data transmission specifications of the connecting port  116 , or converts data (e.g., signals of the control interface) outputted from the embedded system  110  into a format compliant with data transmission specifications of the connecting port  122 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 5 , the converting circuit  130  comprises a first transmission port  142 , a second transmission port  144  and a converting module  146 . The first transmission port  142  is designed to be compatible with the connecting port  116 , and the second transmission port  144  is designed to be compatible with the connecting port  122 . Therefore, when the first transmission port  142  is electrically connected to the connecting port  122  of the mobile device  120 , the converting module  146  is allowed to dump data stored in the frame buffer via the connecting port  122  and the second transmission port  144 . The converting module  146  further converts the data into a data format compliant to the embedded system  110 . The converted data is transmitted to the processing module  112  via the first transmission port  142  and the connecting port  116 , received and processed by the processing module  112 , with the processed data finally displayed on the output module  114 . 
     The converting circuit  130  may be realized using a connector, or be provided in a socket  140 , as shown in  FIG. 6 . In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 6 , the second transmission port  144  is a slot (not shown) coupled to the connecting port  122  of the mobile device  120 , and the first transmission port  142  is connected to the connecting port  116  of the embedded system  110  via a transmission wire. The first transmission port  142  and the second transmission port  144  may also be designed as wireless transmission interfaces. Supposing the first transmission port  142  includes a wireless transmission interface, the socket  140  and the embedded system  110  may perform wireless transmission as shown in  FIG. 7 . For example, transmission is carried out between the socket  140  and the embedded system  110  via Bluetooth, or the socket  140  and the embedded system  110  are first linked using wireless interfaces such as Wi-Fi to further perform data transmission. 
     Therefore, according to the invention, display data of the mobile device  120  may be displayed on the output module  114  of the embedded system  110 , and a user may further interact with the mobile device  120  using the embedded system  110  as a control interface. Taking a cell phone for example, a display screen of the cell phone is displayed on the screen  114  of the embedded system  110 , e.g., an in-car PND. As a result, a user may view functions such as navigation maps, call details and the calendar with a to-do list, or may simply use the embedded system  110  as a telephone interface, to accomplish effects of providing a clear display and enhancing driving safety. 
     While the invention has been described in terms of what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention needs not to be limited to the above embodiments. On the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims which are to be accorded with the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar structures.