Patent ID: 7305257

Claim:
A mobile alerter for a mobile communication device, said mobile alerter comprising: a processor; a power supply; a wireless receiver to communicate with said mobile communication device; notification hardware for triggering a notification of an incoming alert; and a connection interface for removably connecting said mobile alerter to a host connection interface of a cavity of said mobile communication device; said mobile alerter forming the notification unit of said mobile communication device such that when said mobile communication device determines that said mobile alerter is in a tethered mode in which said alerter is inserted into said cavity of said mobile communication device such that said connection interface is coupled with said host connection interface, said mobile alerter outputs notification alerts for said mobile communication device triggered when a notification message is received from said mobile communication device by said mobile alerter via said connection interface, and when said mobile communication device determines that said mobile alerter is in an un-tethered mode in which said alerter is not inserted into a cavity of said mobile communication device, said mobile alerter outputs notification alerts for said mobile communication device triggered when a notification message is received from said mobile communication device by said mobile alerter via said wireless receiver.