Palm, Incorporated

Palmsource Inc.

Hewlett-packard Development Company, L.p.

Palmone, Incorporated

Palm Computing, Inc.

Rich Karstens

Steven C Lemke

Ryan Robertson

Bob Ebert

David Kammer

Steve Elliot

A method and system for using a wireless enabled portable computer system as a wireless modem. The portable computer system may be a personal digital assistant (PDA) having an internal wireless modem. The internal wireless modem, e.g., GSM radio, contains a communication port (port) that communicates with a processor of the portable computer system. The portable computer system also contains another communication port (port) that is externally available for connection to a second computer system. A software bridge is provided that copies commands and/or data from the portover to the portand vice-versa. The software bridge allows the second computer system to directly use the internal wireless modem of the portable computer system when the portable computer system is connected to the second computer. The connection to the second computer system can be made by a wired connection (e.g., serial interface, RS) or by a wireless connection, e.g., Bluetooth or infra-red communication. The portand the portcan be serial communication ports which may be UART compliant. The PDA thus extends wireless functionality to a second computer system (e.g., a notebook) using conventional connection mechanisms for communicating with the second computer system.

System and method for using a wireless enabled portable computer system as a wireless modem

Method and system for latency-independent peripheral device identification. The computer system receives an interrupt from a peripheral device via a communications port. In response, an interrupt notification message is posted to alert a notification handler, and compliant peripheral class is determined. The voltage on a device may sense pin of the communications port for this determination. If the interrupt is indicative of the compliant peripheral class and the communications port is inactive, the port is opened, and an inquiry is sent and a response is received. If a response is received within a predetermined time period, an identification notification message is posted based on the response including information for classifying the peripheral device, so that a software handler registered with the operating system can handle the identification notification message when the software handler receives it. Thus, no time-critical interrupt response requirement is imposed for its successful operation.

Method and system for automatic peripheral device identification

A method and apparatus for automatic delivery of a phone call on an electronic device regardless of whether other tasks are running on the operating system. A separate background task ('thread'), independent of the operating system, enables telephony functionality without regard to the mode of a graphical user interface. The background task is always active and functions to respond to an incoming call even if the user is in a graphical user interface window that requires some input from the user (e.g. the graphical user interface is blocked).

Method and system for single-step enablement of telephony functionality for a portable computer system

Method and system for latency-independent peripheral device identification. In one embodiment, a computer system receives an interrupt from a peripheral device coupled to a computer system communications port. In response, an interrupt notification message is posted alerting a notification handler running on the system. It is determined whether the interrupt is indicates peripheral class compliance. In one embodiment, communications port device sense pin voltage is determinative. If the interrupt indicates peripheral class compliance and the communications port is inactive, the port is opened, and inquiry sent to the peripheral device via the open port. The computer system then waits for response from the peripheral device. If response is received within a predetermined time, identification is posted based on the response, including peripheral device classification information, so that a software handler registered with the operating system can handle the identification message when received. Thus, this embodiment imposes no time-critical interrupt response.

Method and system for identifying a peripheral device by a high priority device-specific notification handler

A method and system for using a wireless enabled portable computer system as a wireless modem. The portable computer system may be a personal digital assistant (PDA) having an internal wireless modem. The internal wireless modem, e.g., GSM radio, contains a communication port (port2) that communicates with a processor of the portable computer system. The portable computer system also contains another communication port (port1) that is externally available for connection to a second computer system. A software bridge is provided that copies commands and/or data from the port1 over to the port2 and vice-versa. The software bridge allows the second computer system to directly use the internal wireless modem of the portable computer system when the portable computer system is connected to the second computer. The connection to the second computer system can be made by a wired connection (e.g., serial interface, RS232) or by a wireless connection, e.g., Bluetooth or infra-red communication. The port1 and the port2 can be serial communication ports which may be UART compliant. The PDA thus extends wireless functionality to a second computer system (e.g., a notebook) using conventional connection mechanisms for communicating with the second computer system.

Method and system for identyfing a peripheral device by a high priority device-specific notification handler

A method and apparatus for automatic delivery of a phone call on a device (e.g. a portable computer system) regardless of whether other tasks are running on the operating system. A separate background task ('thread'), independent of the operating system, enables telephony functionality without regard to the mode of a graphical user interface. The background task is always active and functions to respond to an incoming call even if the user is in a graphical user interface window that requires some input from the user (e.g. the graphical user interface is blocked). In one embodiment, the background task running under the operating system monitors an interrupt line and controls the serial port connected to a phone chipset/module. The background task also senses any of the device's buttons and controls any ringer, vibrator or LEDs of the device's hardware. In one embodiment, if the graphical user interface is not blocked then one or more phone related displays can automatically be displayed on the screen. The phone related displays are similar to those displayed on cellular phones. In another embodiment, if the graphical user interface is blocked, the user can still answer the phone with no phone related displays on screen. This allows a user to be alerted to an incoming phone call (via any ringer, vibrator and/or LEDs) and to answer the phone via a button on the device, without requiring the use of the device's LCD screen or the screen digitizer.

A method and system for using a wireless enabled portable computer system as a wireless modem. The portable computer system may be a personal digital assistant (PDA) having an internal wireless modem. The internal wireless modem, e.g., GSM radio, contains a communication port (port ) that communicates with a processor of the portable computer system. The portable computer system also contains another communication port (port ) that is externally available for connection to a second computer system. A software bridge is provided that copies commands and/or data from the port over to the port and vice-versa. The software bridge allows the second computer system to directly use the internal wireless modem of the portable computer system when the portable computer system is connected to the second computer. The connection to the second computer system can be made by a wired connection (e.g., serial interface, RS232) or by a wireless connection, e.g., Bluetooth or infra-red communication. The port and the port can be serial communication ports which may be UART compliant. The PDA thus extends wireless functionality to a second computer system (e.g., a notebook) using conventional connection mechanisms for communicating with the second computer system.

System for indentifying a peripheral device by sending an inquiry thereto after receiving an interrupt notification message if the interrupt and communication port meet predetermined conditions

A technique for handling undesired data over a limited bandwidth channel. Specifically, one embodiment in accordance with the present invention operates within an electronic system or device (e.g., personal digital assistant) which can be coupled to a networking environment. An embodiment of the present invention allows higher levels of software operating within an electronic system to directly communicate with and determine the current operation of lower levels of software. As such, a higher level of software is advantageously able to perform appropriate actions in response to activities being performed by a lower level of software. For example, the higher level of software is able to suspend its time-out of a delayed response to a data request after determining that the reason for the delay is due to the fact that there is a &ldquo;log jam&rdquo; caused by canceled data packets being processed by a transport layer while a UDP layer is currently discarding canceled data packets associated with a canceled data request. Therefore, one embodiment of the present invention enables electronic devices to operate more efficiently.

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Lake Forest Park, WA, United States of America

Rich Karstens