GB2421400A - Mobile telephone and electronic book system - Google Patents

Abstract

A mobile phone interfaced with an additional large easy to read high resolution multi-line electronic ink display and associated processing circuitry, hardware and soft/firmware controls allowing a user to dialup, store and display readable information from a remote electronic mass storage library system. A display and circuitry using extremely little power after the book is loaded into the NV memory and the display is loaded and of which the pre-programmed microprocessor stays in the sleep mode until a user page control button is pressed to load the next/previous page before returning to the sleep mode saving battery power. The lid, fitted on the back of the phone, covering the display also acts as a shade and possibly holds the folded part of an enlarged display. A universal dialling up code proceeding possibly the ISBN number denotes readable material and routes the information from the mobile phone to the additional circuitry.

Description

MOBILE TELEPHONE AND ELECTRONIC BOOK SYSTEM

This invention relates to a system allowing books to be read on a mobile phone. Up to now this has not been possible because of the small power hungry display, weight, battery power capacity and the total lack of an overall publishing and sales control system. The following invention makes this possible and is describe in more detail with the help of diagrams which are only diagrammatical form and not to scale. The original telephone circuitry and support devices are not shown. Fig 1 shows the added mobile phone book display, battery and chip access principle. Fig 2 shows a simplified block diagram of the additional display circuitry system. Fig 3 shows the basic mass storage library to end user system principles and a suggested possible dialup code plus number. In fig 1 it shows a mobile telephone with an extra hinging lid 1 manufactured on the back of the normal case. If opened it reveals a display 2 fitted to the back of the phone 3, which could be folded double and sliding in the lid for a larger seamless display (as shown in Fig 3), almost the full length and width of the case and two user page scroll control buttons 4, for page forward and backward control and if held down longer, fast forward or backward control. The display 2 is mounted to the back of the telephone, thus if the telephone is turned back to front the display can be read and the lid 1 serves as a shade. The display 2 in Fig 1 is a black on white or colour high resolution near print quality electronic ink display. The display 2 requires only a very small amount of power and also has the ability to retain the last page without any power at all, therefore making it ideal for this application where the battery power is mostly used for the phone. Furthermore it is very thin, flexible, light and cheap to produce and excellent to read in poor light conditions. The normal battery compartment 5 is now sandwiched between the original phone 3 and the new additional part 6 thus a slide in battery is required or the new part could hinge 6 to access the battery and also gives access to the chip 7. In Fig 2, The display 2 is interfaced to and controlled by a pre-programmable microprocessor, associated circuitry 10 and its own software/firmware 11 capable of handling all the display functions and interfaces 9directly with the mobile phone circuitry 12. Extra NV ram 14 may be needed depending on which microprocessor 10 is used or the complexity of the controlling firmware/software 11 program. The requested book is dialled up by the user, via the telephone circuitry, and stored in the reader NV memory 15 or sub one inch mini-hard/dvd r/w drive and the first page is displayed, the phone can now be switched off or put in standby. It is the intention not to use a mini-hard or DVD w/r drive in the additional circuitry as it uses a lot of battery power even if it is only on during the down load and screen loads, it is also intended that only one book can be loaded at any time for commercial and memory size reasons. The programmable microprocessor 10 will go into a sleep mode when not called upon by the soft/firmware or user page scroll control buttons 4 thus saving even more battery power. It wakes if a control a button 4 is pressed or the mobile phone is loading a book or other readable data. When the reading display 2 is in use, after receiving data/graphics, the only thing used in the phone is the battery 5 to load the next/previous page from the reading memory therefore no worrying, if any, electro magnetic radiation is present. It is possible to use the mobile phone processor and circuitry but design flexibility is lost and probably a lot more battery power will be used. If a book is being read and there is an incoming call simply shut the rear lid 1 turn the phone and answer the call, when the call is finished turn the phone again and open the rear lid 1, the last page is still showing and carry on reading. As every mobile telephone user has its own unique number there is no need for additional complications due to user I.D codes, making the extra additional circuitry easy the produce and interface to the original phone circuitry 12. Fig 3 shows a possible books/readable material library system 18 which has to be set up with all the book, titles and codes, preferably, but not necessarily, the ISBN numbers, between the publishers/author and the mobile phone provider. The end user pays for the calls on the normal bill and the phone provider pays the publisher/author. When a book is requested by a user, the first couple of digits 22 are a universal code which the mobile phone, and the rest of the system, will recognize as readable material, the remaining part of the number could be the library ISBN book code 23 and therefore routing the following information to the additional book circuitry and memory 15 (Fig 2) until the whole book is loaded, an end of transmission code could also be send if necessary. Such a specialised library system could be stored on re-writable devices 19, but not restricted to, such as HDD, r/w CD's or r/w DVD's in a mass storage unit allowing easy electronic access 20 by a telephone network provider and for easy updating of the latest titles by the library via disk, keyboard or any other means 24. It would also be useful to have a phone accessible alphabetic book title index. Only the overall outlines of the mentioned library system are shown in this document.

Claims (1)

1. CLAIMS 1 A mobile phone system allowing end users to dialup readable material such as a book from a specialised electronic library storing all the said reading material in an easily up datable and electronically accessible mass storage system via the phone network provider and read the said material on a multi- line display attached to the back of the said mobile phone using a pre-programmed microprocessor, associated circuitry, user controls buttons, firmware /software, NV ram or sub one inch minihard drive and an electronic ink high resolution near print quality black and white or coloured display which is capable of displaying the last page without any power and is protected by a suitable cover when closed and of which the said additional case and electronics are possibly fitted in a hinged manor to the original case and interfaced to the present mobile phone electronics whereby the present phone electronics will recognize a universal multi digit library access code as readable material and route the following information for storage in the additional NV ram via the said additional processor and circuitry under the control of the mentioned soft/firmware and of which the fore mentioned universal multi digit code is preferable but not necessarily, in front of or part of the national/international ISBN book coding or other numbering system, which can then be used as the dialup number to extract the relevant readable information from the said remote and easily updateable and maintainable electronic mass storage library system. 2 A mobile phone as claimed in 1, with a said flexible electronic ink display which can also be folded into the said protecting display cover to seamlessly enlarge the viewing capacity if required. 3 Two user control buttons, as claimed in 1, which preferably are part of the additional circuitry mentioned herein or can be two buttons of the existing phone keypad, providing they can work independent from the original technology, in other words dual functioning. 4 A mobile phone with additionally case with display and circuitry , as claimed in 1, whereby the new additional parts are connected to the original casing in a hinging manor so as to be able to remove the battery and/or the chip. 5 A mobile phone, as claimed in 1, 2 , 3 and 4, and substantionally described herein, with an additional user electronic ink display and associated electronic, manual and firm/software controls which are interfaced to, but not necessarily restricted to, the present technology allowing a user to dialup and request readable material such as books and other information via the network provider from a remote source such as an electronic mass storage library which is easy to kept up to date with new material.