Multi Mode Mobile Computing Device

Abstract

A multi mode mobile computing device is disclosed. In a particular embodiment, the device includes a communication processor configured to facilitate wireless voice and data communication when the device is in a communication mode and an application processor configured to execute at least one computing application when the device is in a computing mode. The device further includes a configuration module configured to switch from the computing mode to the communication mode in response to user input of at least part of a telephone number.

Description

I. CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]The present application claims priority from and is a continuation of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10 / 229,507, filed Aug. 27, 2002.II. FIELD[0002]The present disclosure relates generally to multi mode mobile computing devices such as wireless telephones that can also undertake ancillary computer functions.III. DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART [0003]Multi mode mobile computing devices have been proposed which have multiple capabilities. For example, mobile telephones might be expected to undertake personal computing tasks now undertaken by notebook computers, in addition to their communication functions.[0004]As recognized herein, multiple processors might be required to support multiple modes of operation. As also recognized herein, using the same internal operation independent of the operational mode means that a main processor typically functions as a master device that controls peripheral devices and that treats the other d...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0008]Another particular advantage provided by at least one of the disclosed embodiments is that the device allows the reuse of a large base legacy of application software by architecting the hardware so that it appears to the legacy software as it would in current single processor devices.

[0009]The present invention can allow the reuse of this large base legacy of application software by architecting the hardware so that it appears to the legacy software as it would in current single processor devices.

[0010]The communication processor module is associated with a memory bus that communicates with one or more memory devices and the application processor module is associated with a processor local bus (PLB). The preferred memory bus communicates with the PLB through hardware interfaces between the communication processor module and the application processor module. More specifically, the preferred memory bus communicates with a PLB bridge processor to facilitate the communication processor functioning as a master of the PLB. The communication processor can thereby access peripheral hardware associated with the PLB.

Problems solved by technology

In other words the main processor is mediating on behalf of the modem processor, because the hardware architecture does not allow the modem processor direct access to some of the hardware resources in the device.

Furthermore, requiring a single main processor to always function as a device master means that software and software changes that might apply only to a modem processor are coordinated or otherwise integrated with the main processor as well, complicating software management.

In particular, the large base of software presently available for cellular phone type devices, which functions on the modem processor cannot be used unchanged in a device in which the modem processor is a peripheral to a main application processor.

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