Patent ID: 8050715

Claim:
A modular mobile device for apportioning operation control of constituent components integral within a shell module to a core module, the modular mobile device comprising: the shell module including a set of form factors replicating features of a particular style of handset device, wherein the form factors comprise: (1) aesthetic aspects influencing the external appearance of the modular mobile device; and (2) the constituent components providing a portion of the functional capabilities of the modular mobile device; the core module to manage the constituent components upon engagement with the shell module, the core module comprising: (1) a power-source component to supply power to the shell module thereby activating the constituent components such that they are detectable by the core module; (2) a processing component to control the operations of the constituent components upon the detection thereof; and (3) a radio component to promote communication between the modular mobile device and a wireless network, wherein the components of the core module and the constituent components of the shell module are mutually exclusive; and the core module to manage the constituent components upon disengaging with the shell module and rendering the core module a standalone device, wherein managing the constituent components comprises receiving instructions at the processing component during engagement with the shell module, storing the instructions at the core module, and continuing to exert operational control of at least one constituent component associate with the shell module according to the instructions.