International Business Machines Corporation

Robert Bedford Ferrier

Jose L Rivero

James Christian Wulf

Russell Stephen Padgett

James Robert Lewis

Francis James Canova, Jr

Brian Ashley Carpenter

David J Allard

Russell Alan Resnick

Raymond L Yee

Charles S Lanier

William Walter Vetter

Byron K Tiller

Julie F Goodwin

Debra A Johnson

Neal A Osborn

Earl Hardin Booth

Bradley J DeBauche

William Villafana

Daniel Ming-Te Hsieh

Brent A Beatty

Wayne P Whitley

Thomas T Murakami

Roger L Cox

Jean Luter Stout

Connie Yudip Au

Anthony F Corkell

A computer, and particularly a mobile client computer system, in which flexibility in use of the system is enhanced by a capability of receiving and dynamically recognizing a variety of what are here called docking options. Docking options are peripheral devices, such as radio transceivers, which can be selectively connected to and used with a mobile client system. A docked option is identified by an exchange of signals between the system and the option, accomplished through a plurality of input/output ports which together define an interface to the option.

Mobile client computer interacting with docking device

A ring detection device which signals a modem in a personal communication device. A detector is connected to the cellular radio telephone for detecting an incoming telephone call. An oscillator circuit generates a ringing signal for enabling a modem in response to either the cellular telephone incoming call or a ring signal received over a directly-connected PSTN network. The modem for the personal communication device responds for providing communication over either the cellular network or directly-connected PSTN network.

Apparatus for combining cellular telephone ring signals and PSTN ring

An option attach connector has a first indicator bit combination that alerts the device that a public switched telephone network connection has been made to it. The presence of the first indicator bit combination is a signal to the device that telephone, FAX, and E-MAIL communications applications are to be conducted over a PSTN link. The presence of the first indicator bit combination invokes a stored computer program to provide appropriate connections between the PSTN link and the telephone, FAX, and modem hardware in the device. The connections are made by an audio multiplexer that receives control signals from the system CPU, while executing the stored computer program. The program determines the communications application selected by the user and selectively configures the PSTN link to be connected to the either the ear piece and microphone for voice communications, or to the FAX/modem for FAX communications, or to the modem alone for E-MAIL communications. The absence of the option attach connector invokes a default indicator bit combination that alerts the device that a cellular telephone network connection is desired by the user. The presence of the default indicator bit combination is a signal to the device that telephone, FAX, and E-mail communications applications are to be conducted over a cellular network.

Selective reconfiguration method and apparatus in a multiple application

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Boca Raton, FL, United States of America

Robert Bedford Ferrier