Virtual smart phone

Abstract

In embodiments of the present invention, a virtual phone is provided which includes a touch screen mounted on an enclosure that includes a processor, memory, wireless communication port, and a power port. The virtual phone further includes a software application executing on the processor to control image display on the touch screen and emulate features of a handheld device presented in the image in response to a user touching a presented feature. The virtual phone further includes a configuration of a user-specific handheld device that is derived from the user-specific handheld device is stored in a memory that is accessible to the processor; wherein the virtual phone presents a visual representation of the user-specific handheld device on the touch screen based on the configuration.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims the benefit of provisional application U.S. Ser. No. 61 / 324,614 filed Apr. 15, 2010 which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]1. Field[0003]The invention is related to accessing features, functions, customizations, data plans, service provider, applications, or user interface characteristics of a handheld device for display on a touch screen that is independent of the handheld device.[0004]2. Description of the Related Art[0005]Mobile smart phones offer a variety of user interfaces, data plans, network services, and the like that are accessible through the smart phone. These features are generally only available through the smart phone device, yet much of the data is backed-up on servers and accessible to be managed by the user through a web browser internet-connected terminal / computer. However, without the smart phone physical device, the benefits of these capabilit...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0011]In yet another aspect of the virtual smart phone methods and systems described herein, a method of emulating a smart phone may include receiving information over a network indicative of a smart phone user interface, including physical features thereof; receiving information over a network indicative of user-specific data associated with the smart phone; displaying an image representative of the smart phone including actionable elements based on the user-specific data; and facilitating, with a processor, access to at least one feature of the smart phone in response to a user interacting with at least one of the actionable elements. Access to at least one feature of the smart phone ma include accessing the at least one feature on the smart phone. Alternatively, access to at least one feature of the smart phone may include accessing the at least one feature without requiring access to the smart phone.

Problems solved by technology

However, without the smart phone physical device, the benefits of these capabilities are not available to the user.

Situations such as operating a vehicle may make use of most smart phones dangerous and handheld device use is illegal while driving in some jurisdictions.

Therefore, users must rely in intermediate devices such as a Bluetooth headset or in-vehicle system that do not provide the full complement of features, including the look and feel of the smart phone to perform a subset of the smart phone functions, while requiring the user to keep the smart phone in proximity while operating the vehicle.

Therefore, users experience unnecessary complication and inefficiency in interacting with these various interfaces when almost all of the capabilities required for daily access to the internet and electronic media are embodied in the smart phone user interface and features.

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