Telecommunications – Transmitter and receiver at same station – Radiotelephone equipment detail
Reexamination Certificate
1998-05-29
2001-05-29
Trost, William G. (Department: 2683)
Telecommunications
Transmitter and receiver at same station
Radiotelephone equipment detail
C455S557000, C455S558000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06240302
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to wireless telephones and more specifically, wireless telephones operable with personal information managers.
2. Present State of the Art
Cellular or wireless telephones are becoming increasing more popular. As the work force becomes more mobile and less office-spaced centered, the need for wireless telephones and associated services becomes more indispensable. Although wireless telephones have become significantly smaller and less expensive, there are still several shortcoming associated with conventional wireless telephones. For example, some wireless telephones are now configured to receive paging or e-mail messages. Unfortunately, as the size of the telephone has decreased, so has the display screen thereon. Accordingly, it is often difficult to view and read messages of any significant length.
Furthermore, although wireless telephones are capable of storing a select number of manually input phone numbers, wireless telephones are severely limited in their ability to function as information managers. That is, wireless telephones which have a particularly small display screen, are not configured to manage and sort daily schedules, yearly calendar events, addresses, or business cards. In addition, conventional wireless telephones are not practical as information managers since it is often desired to receive or record information in an information manager while one is talking on the telephone.
To effectively manage information, personal information managers (hereinafter “PIMs”) have been developed. PIMs are small, substantially hand-sized computers that are used for storing, manipulating, and retrieving a defined amount of data. One example of a PIM is the PalmPilot® manufactured by 3Com. The PalmPilot® functions primarily as an electronic day planner and address recorder. PIMs have a relatively large screen and thus are useful in imputing, sorting, and retrieving data. Nevertheless, they also have their limitations. For example, although PIMs can be coupled with a host computer for downloading or transferring files therebetween, PIMs are not designed to independently receive or display paging or e-mail messages. Furthermore, PIMs are not designed for interacting with wireless telephones.
OBJECTS AND BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide improved wireless telephones that are operable with a PIM.
Another object of the present invention is to provide improved wireless telephones wherein the PIM can be integrally coupled therewith and has a relatively large screen for receiving and displaying paging messages and e-mail messages from the wireless telephone.
Another object of the present invention is to provide wireless telephones wherein the PIM can be selectively removed and used independently from the wireless telephone.
Finally, another object of the present invention is to provide wireless telephones as above which can be selectively coupled with a laptop computer for facilitating wireless communication therewith.
To achieve the foregoing objects, and in accordance with the invention as embodied and broadly described herein, a communications system is provided which includes a wireless telephone that is removably coupled with a PIM. Specifically, the present invention comprises a conventional wireless telephone having a PC card rotatable attached thereto. The PC card is electrically coupled with the wireless telephone and has a Type Two form factor.
The PIM is independently operable and comprises a housing having a screen mounted thereon and encloses electronic circuitry. Such circuitry includes a central processing unit and memory. Also disposed within the PIM is a battery for energizing. The housing bounds a card slot which communicates to the exterior through an opening. The card slot is configured to removably receive the PC card such that the wireless telephone is electrically coupled with the PIM when the PC card is received within the card slot.
The present invention has several advantages over prior art systems. For example, when messages, such as paging or e-mail messages, are received by the wireless telephone, the messages can be displayed on the large screen of the PIM. Likewise, the wireless telephone can be used for accessing and downloading information to or uploading information from the PIM. Furthermore, the PIM can be used for selecting and automatically dialing telephone numbers on the wireless telephone. Furthermore, when it is desired to record or take notes during a telephone conversation, the PIM can be removed from the wireless telephone and used independently therefrom.
The PC card of the inventive wireless telephone can also be inserted directly within a conventional card slot on a laptop or other computer for facilitating wireless communication with the computer.
These and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, or may be learned by the practice of the invention as set forth hereinafter.
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3Com Corporation
Tran Congvan
Trost William G.
Workman & Nydegger & Seeley
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