Ericsson Gmbh

Gerald C Davis

John Barile

A control apparatus for a hand-held wireless telephone having a housing and operating in a first operational state of a plurality of sequential operational states. The control apparatus changes the operational state of the wireless telephone from the first operational state to a second operational state. The control apparatus itself comprises a detector that produces a signal responsive to a user grasping the housing of the wireless telephone and a controller responsive to receiving the signal produced by the detector and configured to select another operational state following the first operational state in a predetermined sequence of operational states.

One-handed control for wireless telephone

A socket assembly for releasably mating with an electrical connector plug utilizes a plurality of fixed leads, and optionally a moveable retainer frame. The fixed leads are in direct electrical communication with an electrical circuit, such as the modem portion of a computing device. At least a portion of each lead remains anchored in a position fixed relative to the electrical circuit and are directly connected to the circuit traces of the electrical circuit. The optional retainer frame is preferably movable between a storage position and a ready position. In the ready position, the retainer frame is adapted to receive and retain the connector plug in a mated position such that the contacts of the connector plug are brought into contact with the fixed leads. In other embodiments, the housing of the electrical circuit includes a socket cavity which is adapted to receive the connector plug. When the connector plug is moved into the mated position by pushing the bottom of the connector plug into the socket cavity, the contacts of the connector plug are brought into contact with the fixed leads.

Compact connector socket assembly with fixed leads

An electrical circuit changes function based on the physical orientation of an indexible chip that can assume any one of a plurality of physical orientations. The indexible chip forms a portion of the electrical circuit and is operable between a plurality of physical orientations with respect to the balance of the electrical circuit. The function of the electrical circuit is dependent upon the physical orientation of the indexible chip. For instance, when the indexible chip is in a first orientation, the electrical circuit performs a first function and when the indexible chip is in a second orientation, the electrical circuit performs a second function, and so forth. The number of possible physical orientations of the indexible chip is at least two, but may be three, four, eight or more. The indexible chip includes a plurality of I/O ports and typically surrounded by a main housing. The I/O ports are preferably disposed symmetrically with respect to the center-point of the housing. Using the indexible chip, the function of the electrical circuit may be changed by simply removing the indexible chip (in a first orientation) from the electrical circuit; reorienting the indexible chip to a second physical orientation different from the first physical orientation; and returning the indexible chip to the electrical circuit in the second orientation. The change in function of the electrical circuit is thereby accomplished without requiring a software change in, or external to, the electrical circuit. In one embodiment, the electrical circuit forms at least a portion of a communications interface and the on-board circuits function as voltage level translators.

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Hillsborough, NC, United States of America

Gerald C Davis