(12) United States Patent
`Hollstrom et al.
`
`(10) Patent No.:
`(45) Date of Patent:
`
`US 6, 763,247 Bl
`Jul. 13, 2004
`
`111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111
`US006763247Bl
`
`(54) PORTABLE TELECOMMUNICATION
`APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING AN
`ELECTRONIC UTILITY DEVICE
`
`(75)
`
`Inventors: Magnus Hollstrom, Lund (SE); Robert
`Hed, Lund (SE); Patrik Olsson, Malmo
`(SE); Anders Edlund, Hollviken (SE);
`Bjorn Ekelund, Arliiv (SE); Nils
`Rydbeck, Cary, NC (US)
`
`(73) Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
`(publ), Stockholm (SE)
`
`( *) Notice:
`
`Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this
`patent is extended or adjusted under 35
`U.S.C. 154(b) by 607 days.
`
`(21) Appl. No.: 09/714,884
`
`(22) Filed:
`
`Nov. 17, 2000
`
`Related U.S. Application Data
`(60) Provisional application No. 60/171,109, filed on Dec. 16,
`1999.
`
`(30)
`
`Foreign Application Priority Data
`
`Dec. 1, 1999
`
`(SE) ................ ... ... ........................ 9904398
`
`Int. CI? ............................................... H04M ll/00
`(51)
`(52) U.S. Cl. ....................... 455/556; 455/352; 455/418;
`455/566; 455/575.2
`(58) Field of Search .............................. 455/556.1, 566,
`455/575.5, 420, 557, 88, 352, 418, 419,
`41.2; 370/260; 709/217; 379/56.1
`
`(56)
`
`References Cited
`
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`6,192,257 B1 * 2/2001 Ray
`........................... 455!566
`6,317,609 B1 * 11/2001 Alperovich et a!.
`..... 455/556.1
`2002/0186668 A1 * 12/2002 Thomason .................. 370/260
`
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`EP
`wo
`wo
`wo
`wo
`
`0 913 979 A2
`98/49818 A1
`wo 98/49818
`98/59283
`99/52032 A1
`
`5/1999
`11/1998
`* 11/1998
`12/1998
`11/1999
`
`............ H04M/1!72
`
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`
`Wireless Application Protocol Forum, Ltd., 1998, WAP
`Architecture, Version 30--Apr. 1998, "Wireless Application
`Protocol Architecture Specification".
`* cited by examiner
`
`Primary Examiner-Nay Maung
`Assistant Examiner-Alan T. Gantt
`(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Nixon & Vanderhye P.C.
`
`(57)
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`A portable telecommunication apparatus (200) has a user
`interface (250), a programmable controller (210), a memory
`(220, 230) coupled to the controller, and an information
`access program (240), such as a WAP browser, which is
`stored in the memory and is executable by the controller. The
`information access program provides access for a user to a
`global information network, such as Internet, through the
`user interface and a first wireless communication link. The
`apparatus also has an external device interface (260, 262,
`264) for connecting an external device to the portable
`telecommunication apparatus over a second communication
`link. The information access program (240) allows the user
`to control the external device through the user interface
`(250), the external device interface (260, 262, 264) and the
`second communication link.
`
`8/1992 Krisbergh et a!.
`5,138,649 A
`5,806,005 A * 9/1998 Hull et a!. .................. 455!566
`
`14 Claims, 3 Drawing Sheets
`
`~
`Mobile Telephone
`
`222 ~
`
`RAM
`
`I
`
`llQ ~ u,., :nare J
`
`CPU
`
`I
`
`~
`Flash Memory
`
`lli WAP Client
`
`WAP Browser Application
`Wireless Session Protocol
`I~
`Wireless Transport Protocol ~w
`Wireless Datagram Protocol ~
`Infrared
`Bluetooth
`Cable
`Bearer
`Bearer
`Bearer
`Ad aptian Ad aptian Adaption
`
`1241
`
`llli
`
`GSM~
`i~
`
`m
`
`Operating
`System
`
`I
`
`J
`l~ i
`
`Datc;'path
`Selector
`
`Cable
`(RS232)
`
`Infrared Bluetooth
`
`1<§!111~1 ~
`
`External Device
`Interfaces
`
`Canon Exhibit 1013, Page 1
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Jul. 13, 2004
`
`Sheet 1 of 3
`
`US 6, 763,247 Bl
`
`22~
`
`10
`
`40
`
`15
`
`-·-·-·-)-·-·-
`
`42
`
`Television set
`
`32
`
`30
`
`Printer/fax/copier
`
`D
`
`0
`
`Digital camera
`
`Fig 1
`
`Canon Exhibit 1013, Page 2
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Jul. 13, 2004
`
`Sheet 2 of 3
`
`US 6, 763,247 Bl
`
`200
`Mobile Telephone
`
`220
`
`RAM
`
`f - -
`
`210
`
`CPU
`
`250
`
`!------
`
`User Interface
`
`230
`Flash Memory
`
`---------------------------------------------- -
`240 WAP Client
`
`232
`Operating
`System
`
`WAP Browser Application
`
`Wireless Session Protocol
`
`Wireless Transport Protocol
`
`Wireless Datagram Protocol
`
`i241
`
`~242
`1243
`!244
`
`~245
`I
`GSM :._____
`248
`I
`Cable
`Datapath
`:246
`Infrared Bluetooth
`1 -
`(RS232)
`Selector
`i
`' I -----------------------------------------------------------------
`
`Infrared Bluetooth
`Cable
`Bearer
`Bearer
`Bearer
`Adaption Adaption
`Adaption
`
`I
`
`1 260 1
`
`1 262 1 1 264 1
`External Device
`Interfaces
`
`Fig 2
`
`I
`I
`I
`I
`I
`I
`I
`I
`I
`I
`
`----------------_I
`
`I
`I
`I
`I
`I
`I
`I
`I
`I
`I
`I
`
`Canon Exhibit 1013, Page 3
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Jul. 13, 2004
`
`Sheet 3 of 3
`
`US 6, 763,247 Bl
`
`300
`External Device (controlled from mobile telephone)
`
`320
`
`RAM
`
`1 -
`
`310
`
`CPU
`
`f - - -
`
`350
`
`Local User
`Interface
`
`330
`Flash Memory
`------- -- -------------------------------- --------- ------------------.
`340 WAP Server
`
`332
`Virtual File
`System
`
`' .
`. .
`.
`. . .
`
`334
`CGI
`
`336
`SSI
`
`WAP Server Application
`
`Wireless Session Protocol
`
`Wireless Transport Protocol
`
`Wireless Datagram Protocol
`
`Infrared
`Bluetooth
`Cable
`Bearer
`Bearer
`Bearer
`Adaption Ad aptian Adaption
`
`Cable
`(RS232)
`
`Infrared Bluetooth
`
`. . . . .
`.
`. .
`.
`'
`
`I
`i 341
`1342
`
`j343
`1 344 1 -
`
`345
`
`'
`
`346
`
`338
`WML Pages
`' .
`'-------- -- ---- ------ ------- -------------------- -- -- ---- ---- -- -- --- --.
`
`I 360 I Remote Control Interface
`
`Fig 3
`
`Canon Exhibit 1013, Page 4
`
`

`

`US 6,763,247 Bl
`
`2
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
`1
`PORTABLE TELECOMMUNICATION
`APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING AN
`ELECTRONIC UTILITY DEVICE
`
`This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional
`Application No. 60/171,109, filed Dec. 16, 1999, the entire
`content of which is hereby incorporated by reference in this
`application.
`
`TECHNICAL FIELD
`
`15
`
`It is an object of the present invention to provide an easier
`way of accessing, controlling and operating electronic utility
`devices in a standardized and user-friendly fashion. A sec(cid:173)
`ond object of the invention is to drastically reduce the
`number of required remote control units, specifically so that
`only one control apparatus is required for a large number of
`electronic utility devices, which may exist in the environ-
`10 ment around a user. A third object is to provide an oppor(cid:173)
`tunity of remote control of electronic utility devices that
`traditionally are not provided with such an option. A fourth
`object is to provide an option for various types of electronic
`utility devices to connect to a global information network,
`such as the Internet, by using a single type of communica(cid:173)
`tion device, namely a portable telecommunication appara(cid:173)
`tus.
`The above objects have been achieved by the inventive
`understanding that a portable telecommunication apparatus,
`20 preferably a cellular or mobile radio telephone, may be used
`for controlling various electronic utility devices.
`According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, a
`mobile WAP (Wireless Application Protocol) telephone hav(cid:173)
`ing a built-in WAP browser is designed to connect via a
`point-to-point communication link to an electronic utility
`device through an accessories interface, such as a short(cid:173)
`range radio link, an infrared link or a serial cable link,
`wherein the external utility device is provided with an
`embedded WAP server and wherein this WAP server is
`capable of submitting digital information related to the
`functionality of the external utility device over the point-to-
`point communication link to the WAP browser of the mobile
`telephone. The embedded WAP server of the preferred
`embodiment contains WML (Wireless Markup Language)
`35 pages, which are transmitted to the WAP client of the mobile
`telephone and are presented to the user. The user may control
`the functionality of the external utility device through the
`user interface of the mobile telephone and the WAP client.
`A solution to the above objects is defined by the appended
`40 independent patent claims. Other features, advantages and
`objects of the invention will appear from the following
`detailed disclosure of a preferred embodiment, from the
`appended drawings as well as from the subclaims.
`
`30
`
`The present invention relates to portable telecommunica(cid:173)
`tion apparatuses of the type comprising an information
`access program, such as a WAP browser, for allowing a user
`to access a global information network, such as Internet,
`through a wireless communication link. The invention also
`relates to electronic utility devices of the type which pro(cid:173)
`vides a functionality to a user and which has an external
`control interface, such as an infrared interface, for remotely
`controlling the functionality of the device.
`More specifically, the invention is directed at the use of a
`portable telecommunication apparatus with an information
`access program according to the above for accessing, con(cid:173)
`trolling and operating an electronic utility device through the
`information access program.
`A portable telecommunication apparatus as set out above 25
`may for instance be a mobile or cellular radio telephone for
`GSM (Global System for Mobile Communication) or any
`other existing mobile telecommunications system.
`Moreover, an electronic utility device according to the above
`may be an advanced accessory for the mobile telephone, for
`instance a satellite navigation module (GPS), an FM radio or
`a digital video camera.
`An electronic utility device according to the above may
`also be e.g. a video recorder, a digital camera, a television
`set, a hifi stereo, or an air conditioner.
`The various examples of electronic utility devices given
`above all have in common that they may normally be
`operated by a remote control unit, such as an infrared remote
`control unit, in addition to a local user interface provided at
`a control panel of the device itself, such as a set of control
`buttons and LED indicators. Typically, a separate remote
`control unit is used for each individual electronic utility
`device.
`Although some infrared remote control units are program- 45
`mable and may therefore be adapted for use with several
`electronic utility devices, the existing approach has several
`drawbacks. First of all, remote control units have a tendency
`of disappearing in many homes, especially in families where
`small children are present. Furthermore, the various remote 50
`control units will have to be kept within reach of the
`intended user and will therefore occupy unnecessary storage
`space on desktops, table surfaces, etc. Moreover, the user
`interface of a typical remote control unit has a low level of
`user friendliness; the user interface is restricted to various 55
`small keys or buttons, at best in conjunction with a miniature
`LCD display. Finally, each type of remote control unit has its
`own philosophy behind the layout of the keys, etc. thereby
`making it hard for users to get familiar with all different
`types of remote control units.
`Other electronic utility devices, such as printers, telefax
`machines, copying machines, or home appliances such as
`refrigerators or microwave ovens, are usually not operated
`from an infrared control unit. Instead, the user of these
`devices is restricted to a normally very limited local user 65
`interface, such as a few control buttons and LED indicators,
`provided at E control panel of the device.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`The present invention will now be described in more
`detail with reference to the appended drawings, in which
`FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a mobile WAP
`telephone, which may be used for accessing the Internet, for
`performing traditional mobile telecommunications service
`calls (voice, data and fax), and for accessing, controlling and
`operating a plurality of electronic utility devices,
`FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of a mobile telephone
`according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, and
`FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram of an external utility
`device according to the preferred embodiment.
`
`DETAILED DISCLOSURE
`FIG. 1 is intended to illustrate the general inventive
`concept according to the present invention, i.e. that a user of
`a mobile telephone 1 or another type of portable. telecom(cid:173)
`munication apparatus will be able to access, control and
`operate a plurality of telephone accessories, home appli(cid:173)
`ances or other external electronic utility devices 30, 40, 50
`through a WAP browser built into the mobile telephone. To
`this end, each external utility device 30, 40, 50 comprises a
`
`60
`
`Canon Exhibit 1013, Page 5
`
`

`

`US 6,763,247 Bl
`
`3
`respective embedded WAP server, from which the WAP
`browser of the mobile telephone 1 will receive encoded
`WML pages. The pages transmitted from the embedded
`WAP server to the mobile telephone 1 represent the services,
`functionalities and applications, which are offered by the
`respective external utility device 30, 40, 50. As will be
`described in more detail below, the information contents of
`the WML pages may change dynamically, and moreover the
`user may feed back information to the respective external
`device 30, 40, 50 by e.g. filling in WML forms and pushing
`the information back to the WAP server of the external
`device 30, 40, 50. In this way, the user of the mobile
`telephone 1 may operate the respective external device 30,
`40, 50 and control the functionality thereof.
`As shown in FIG. 1, the mobile telephone 1 comprises an
`antenna 10, which in a conventional way is used for con(cid:173)
`necting the mobile telephone 1 to a mobile telecommunica(cid:173)
`tions network 21 through a radio link 23. In a well-known
`way, the mobile telecommunications network 21, for
`instance GSM, offers voice, data and fax call services to the 20
`user of the mobile telephone 1. By means of the antenna 10,
`the user of a mobile telephone 1 may also access the Internet
`20, or another global information network, by using the
`built-in WAPbrowser of the mobile telephone 1. To this end,
`graphic information and/or text is presented on a display 13, 25
`and a set of cursor navigation keys 14a are provided in a
`keypad together with a set of ordinary mobile telephone
`keys 14b. The latter comprise e.g. a YES/OK/ANSWER
`key, a NO/CANCEL/HANG UP key, numeric keys 0-9 as
`
`well as other character keys, such as * and #.
`
`As is well known, the mobile telephone 1 also comprises
`a loudspeaker 11 and a microphone 12. Moreover, the
`mobile telephone 1 of the preferred embodiment shown in
`FIG. 1 comprises an infrared interface 15, such as an IrDA
`port, by means of which the mobile telephone 1 may be
`connected to a first external utility device in the form of a
`television set 40 in FIG. 1.
`The mobile telephone 1 also comprises a system or
`accessories connector 16, by means of which the mobile
`telephone 1 may be connected, through a serial cable 52 (e.g.
`RS232) or through direct galvanic contact, to a second
`external utility device in the form of a digital camera 50 of
`FIG. 1.
`The mobile telephone 1 additionally comprises a second
`antenna 17 for establishing a short-range radio link 32, such
`as a Bluetooth link, to a third external utility device in the
`form of a combined printer/fax/copier in FIG. 1.
`An essential portion 200 of the mobile telephone 1 is
`shown in FIG. 2. A controller or CPU 210 is coupled to a
`random access memory 220 and to drivers 250 for the user
`interface formed by the display 13 and the keypad 14a-b.
`The controller 210 is also connected to a permanent memory
`230 in the form of a flash memory. The flash memory 230
`comprises an operating system 232 as well as an information
`access program in the form of a WAP client 240, which will
`be described in more detail below. The mobile telephone
`also comprises drivers 260, 262 and 264 for the external
`device interfaces 15, 16 and 17 in FIG. 1. In more detail,
`driver 260 is an RS232 module for the system or accessories 60
`connector 16, driver 262 is an IrDA module, and driver 264
`is a Bluetooth module.
`As shown in FIG. 2, the WAP client 240 comprises a stack
`of protocols 241-246 as well as a data path selector 248, the
`purpose of which will be described later. On a first level or 65
`top level241 a WAP browser application is provided, which
`when executed by the controller 210 will form a graphical
`
`4
`user interface on the display 13 and allow the user to access
`the embedded WAP servers of the available external utility
`devices 30, 40, 50. A second level 242 is a wireless session
`protocol. As a third and fourth level, respectively, a wireless
`transport protocol and a wireless datagram protocol are
`provided, respectively. The protocols 241-244 are all essen(cid:173)
`tially known per se and are not described in more detail
`herein.
`On a fifth level245 a respective adaption layer is provided
`10 for the serial cable interface 16, 260, the infrared interface
`15, 262 and the Bluetooth interface 17, 264. The physical
`layer of the respective interface is provided as a sixth
`protocol level 246. The adaption layer 245 thus adapts the
`overlying wireless datagram protocol 244 to three different
`15 bearers, i.e. cable, infrared and Bluetooth.
`Moreover, a GSM layer 245, 246 is also provided, as is
`generally known in the field of mobile WAP telephones, for
`providing the first communication link 22 between the
`antenna 10 and the Internet 20.
`The purpose of the data path selector 248 is to direct WML
`requests from the WAP browser 241 to either the first
`communication link 22 (through a circuit-switched GSM
`data call connection or through SMS-Short Messages
`Services), or to the respective external device interface 16,
`52, 260 (cable), 15, 42, 262 (infrared) and 17, 32, 164
`(Blue-tooth). In the preferred embodiment, this differentia-
`tion is achieved through a new address scheme for the
`Uniform Resource Identifier (URI)/Uniform Resource Loca(cid:173)
`tor (URL). For instance, when access is to be made across
`30 the first communication link 22 to ordinary web sites on the
`Internet 20, the ordinary URI!URL format "http:// ... " may
`be used. Conversely, when any of the external utility devices
`30, 40, 50 is to be accessed, the URI/URL may look like:
`"local:// ... ".
`FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration of an essential portion
`300 of any of the external utility devices shown in FIG. 1,
`i.e. the printer/fax/copier 30, the television set 40 or the
`digital camera 50. A controller or CPU 310 is connected to
`40 a random access memory 320 and a driver 350 for a local
`user interface. The local user interface may for instance be
`buttons for capturing, deleting or scrolling through pictures
`and a miniature LCD display on the digital video camera 50,
`program selection buttons, volume controls, brightness
`controls, etc, on the television set 40, or a telephone number
`keypad, a start button and a stop button on the printer/fax/
`copier 30.
`The controller 310 is coupled to a non-volatile memory
`330, which is a flash memory in the preferred embodiment.
`50 The flash memory 330 comprises an embedded WAP server
`340, which will be described in more detail below. Finally,
`the external utility device 300 comprises a remote control
`interface driver 360, which is coupled to the physical cable
`connector of the digital camera 50, to the infrared port of the
`55 television set 40 or to the Bluetooth module of the printer/
`fax/copier 30 of FIG. 1.
`The WAP server 340 comprises a virtual file system 332,
`which has the purpose of storing a plurality of WML pages
`338 and, optionally, a plurality of WML scripts in a struc(cid:173)
`tured and readable way. The WAP server 340 also comprises
`a Server Side Include module 336, which enables a program
`developer to insert directives inside the WML code to
`instruct the WAP server 340 to replace the directive with a
`dynamic content upon retrieval of the WML code.
`The WAP server 340 also comprises a Common Gateway
`Interface (CGI) module 334 for enabling user input from the
`WAP client of the mobile telephone 1 to the WAP server 340
`
`35
`
`45
`
`Canon Exhibit 1013, Page 6
`
`

`

`US 6,763,247 Bl
`
`5
`of the external device 300. The Common Gateway Interface
`module 334 also comprises a set of CGI routines that, when
`executed by the controller 310, controls a respective aspect
`or parameter of the functionality provided by the external
`utility device 300. For instance, if the external utility device
`300 is a digital camera 50, different CGI routines are
`provided for controlling e.g. the picture resolution, for
`scrolling through pictures stored in the camera, for capturing
`a new picture, for setting date/time, etc.
`Moreover, the WAP server 340 comprises a stack of 10
`protocols 341-346, which correspond to the stack of proto(cid:173)
`cols 241-246 in the mobile telephone 200 shown in FIG. 2.
`At a top level a WAP server application protocol 341 is
`provided. Then follows a wireless session protocol 342, a
`wireless transport protocol 343, a wireless datagram proto- 15
`col 344, an adaption layer for different physical interfaces
`(cable, infrared or Bluetooth) and, finally, a physical inter(cid:173)
`face layer 346. Preferably, the protocol stack of the WAP
`server 340 is adapted to all possible bearers, even if only one
`physical bearer 360 is used (such as either cable, infrared or 20
`Bluetooth). This makes it easier to design a generic embed(cid:173)
`ded WAP server 340, which may be used in different
`external utility devices.
`The WML contents of the WAP server 340, i.e. the WML
`pages 338, and, optionally, the WML scripts, are preferably 25
`stored as pre-compiled binary WML files. Alternatively, the
`contents may be stored as non-binary WML files, which are
`encoded into binary WML files by the WAP server 340 upon
`request from the WAP client 240 of the mobile telephone 1.
`The rest of this specification will deal with the use of the
`mobile telephone 1!200 of FIG. 2 for controlling the external
`utility device 300 of FIG. 3. Obviously, the user must be able
`to easily access at least his/her favorite external utility
`devices 30, 40, 50 from the mobile telephone 1. Preferably,
`a dynamic menu system is implemented in the mobile
`telephone 1, which allows the addition of a short cut menu
`option for connecting to a respective external utility device
`30, 40, 50. Preferably, the external utility devices 30, 40, 50
`are designed to transmit an initial sequence of identifying
`commands to the WAP client 240 of the mobile telephone
`1!200, when the mobile telephone and the external utility
`device are interconnected.
`Thus, useful information such as physical bearer type
`(cable, infrared or Blue tooth), possibly an address identifier
`(particularly in the case of Blue tooth) as well as the name of
`a WML start page are submitted by the WAP server 340 to
`the WAP client 240 upon interconnection of the mobile
`telephone 1!200 and the external utility device 30, 40,
`50/300. These parameters are stored together with the 50
`respective shortcut in the dynamic menu system of the
`mobile telephone 1!200. Alternatively, some of the param(cid:173)
`eters above, particularly the name of the start page, may be
`standardized, e.g. "index.wml". Still another alternative, at
`least for some physical bearers, particularly Bluetooth, is 55
`that the name of the start page is retrieved through service
`discovery.
`Three use cases involving the mobile telephone 1 and the
`digital camera 50 will now be described. It is assumed that
`the digital camera 50 is capable of producing digital pictures 60
`and storing them locally in e.g. the flash memory 330. As
`described above, the digital camera 50 is connected through
`a serial cable 52 to the accessories interface 16 of the mobile
`telephone 1. Obviously, the camera could equally well have
`been connected via an infrared or Bluetooth interface. The
`digital camera 50 is provided with the WAP server 340
`shown in FIG. 3.
`
`6
`The mobile telephone 1, is provided, as described above,
`with the WAP client 240 shown in FIG. 2. Initially, the user
`takes a few pictures using the digital camera 50. The user
`then connects his/her mobile telephone 1 to the digital
`camera 50 by means of the serial cable 52. A WML start
`page is then transmitted by the WAP server 340 to the WAP
`client 240 across the serial cable 52, and the start page is
`presented on the display 13. The start page contains a
`plurality of controls, representing different functions of the
`digital camera 50. The user may for instance choose to view
`the pictures captured in the digital camera 50. The pictures
`are then sent, one by one, from the WAP server 340 to the
`WAP client 240, which presents the pictures on the display
`13.
`The user may then select one of the pictures, that he/she
`wants to publish on the Internet 20. The user may specify a
`certain WAP or web server available on the Internet by
`filling in its HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) address in
`a WML form submitted from the WAP server 340. A dial-up
`GSM data connection 22 (FIG. 1) is established with an
`Internet service provider, and the WAP browser 240 of the
`mobile telephone 1 connects to the specified WAP or web
`server on the Internet. The selected picture is then sent over
`the link 22 for publication on the specified WAP or web
`server. Finally, the user disconnects the digital camera 50
`from the mobile telephone 1, wherein the logical connection
`between the WAP browser 240 and the WAP server 340 will
`be interrupted too, as well as the dial-up connection 22 to the
`Internet.
`In the second use case, the user connects his telephone to
`the digital camera, as described above. The start page from
`the digital camera is presented on the display of the tele(cid:173)
`phone. The user then enters a maintenance menu provided
`by the digital camera. All available settings for the digital
`camera are presented on a WML page submitted by the WAP
`35 server 340. These settings may for instance include the
`following functionality: capture picture, delete picture,
`scroll through pictures, resolution setting, color setting, flash
`mode, date/time settings, etc. The user may then select any
`setting and change its value. The changed value will be
`40 pushed back from the WAP client 240 to the WAP server 340
`according to the methods described above, wherein the WAP
`server 340 will recognize the changed value and make sure
`that the actual setting of the digital camera 50 is changed
`accordingly. When the user is finished, he/she will discon-
`45 nect the mobile telephone 1 from the digital camera 50, as
`described above.
`In a third use case it is assumed that the digital camera has
`a malfunction. The user notices this and connects the camera
`50 to the mobile telephone 1, as described above. The WAP
`server 340 of the camera 50 executes a predetermined error
`diagnosis WML page 338, which in turns invokes a CGI
`routine of the CGI module 334. The CGI routine fetches an
`error code from the controller 310, and this error code is
`submitted together with a predetermined HTTP address by
`the WAP server 340 to the WAP client 240 of the mobile
`telephone 1. A dial-up GSM data connection 22 (FIG. 1) is
`established with an Internet service provider, as described
`above. The WAP browser 240 of the mobile telephone 1
`connects to the predetermined HTTP address, which points
`at a help-desk web site provided by the manufacturer or
`supplier of the digital camera 50. The error code is then
`transferred to the help-desk web site, which will return a
`clear-text message, illustrative image, etc., which explains
`the nature of the error and how it is best dealt with by the
`65 user.
`The present invention has been described above with
`reference to a preferred embodiment. However, other
`
`30
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`Canon Exhibit 1013, Page 7
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`US 6,763,247 Bl
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`10
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`20
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`7
`embodiments than the one described above are equally
`possible within the scope of the invention, as defined by the
`appended independent claims, which is readily realized by a
`man skilled in the art. Specifically, other physical bearers
`than cable, infrared and short-range radio link are possible
`within the scope of the invention. Also, the invention is
`applicable to other electronic utility devices than the ones
`exemplified above, including but not limited to video
`recorders, hifi stereos, air conditioners, refrigerators or
`microwave ovens.
`Moreover, the WAP client of the mobile telephone may be
`substituted for another information access program for
`accessing a global information network, possibly different
`than Internet. Correspondingly, the WAP server of the exter(cid:173)
`nal utility devices may be substituted for another kind of 15
`information provider server.
`What is claimed is:
`1. A portable telecommunications apparatus comprising:
`a user interface, a programmable controller,
`a memory coupled to the controller,
`an information access program, which is stored in the
`memory and is executable by the controller, wherein
`the information access program provides access for a
`user to a global information network through the user 25
`interface and a first wireless communication link, and
`an external device interface for connecting an external
`device to the portable telecommunication apparatus
`over a second communication link,
`wherein the information access program is adapted to 30
`allow the user to control the external device through the
`user interface, the external device interfaces, and the
`second communication link.
`2. A portable telecommunication apparatus as in claim 1,
`wherein the global information network is the Internet, and 35
`the information access program comprises an Internet
`browser.
`3. A portable telecommunication apparatus as in claim 2,
`wherein the information access program comprises a WAP
`browser.
`4. A portable telecommunication apparatus as in claim 1,
`wherein the first communication link is a wireless data
`connection in a mobile telecommunications system and
`wherein the second communication link is an infrared link,
`a serial cable link or a short-range radio link.
`5. A portable telecommunication apparatus as in claim 1,
`wherein the information access program comprises a module
`for distinguishing between requests for accessing the global
`information network and requests for accessing the external
`device, and in response directing information traffic from the 50
`information access program to the first communication link
`and the second communication link, respectively.
`6. A portable telecommunication apparatus as in claim 1,
`wherein the apparatus is a mobile telephone.
`7. An electronic utility device of a type which provides a 55
`functionality to a user, comprising:
`a programmable controller;
`a memory coupled to the controller;
`an external control interface for remotely controlling the 60
`functionality of the device; and
`an information provider program stored in the memory
`and executable by the controller to communicate with
`an external portable telecommunication apparatus
`through the external control interface according to at 65
`least one protocol for accessing a global information
`network and to supply the portable telecommunication
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`45
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`40
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`8
`apparatus with digital information, which is stored in
`the memory and is related to the functionality of the
`device,
`wherein the global information network is the Internet and
`wherein the information provider program comprises a
`WAP server.
`8. An electronic utility device of a type which provides a
`functionality to a user, comprising:
`a programmable controller;
`a memory coupled to the controller;
`an external control interface for remotely controlling the
`functionality of the device; and
`an information provider program stored in the memory
`and executable by the controller to communicate with
`an external portable telecommunication apparatus
`though the external control interface according to at
`least one protocol for accessing a global information
`network and to supply the portable telecommunication
`apparatus with digital information, which is stored in
`the memory and is related to the functionality of the
`device,
`wherein the digital information stored in the memory
`comprises WML files.
`9. An electronic utility device of a type which provides a
`functionality to a user, comprising:
`a programmable controller;
`a memory coupled to the controller;
`an external control interface for remotely controlling the
`functionality of the device; and
`an information provider program stored in the memory
`and executable by the controller to communicate wit