Electronic system having modular expansion function facilities

Abstract

The invention relates to an electronic system with modular expansion of its functions, which is of a type including a portable host electronic device associated with an expansion module adapted for quick-connect engagement and disengagement in/from the portable device. The module includes a series of peripheral devices adapted to serve different classes of functions; a non-volatile memory storing information that pertains to configuring the different functions in the module; a re-configurable device adapted to establish connections, implement functional portions, and control all the system components; a control device adapted to cooperate with the host device in guiding the steps for re-configuring the whole system; and a software algorithm adapted to instruct the system to re-configure itself on which function and with which characteristics.

1 . An electronic system, comprising: 
 a portable host device having a connector; and    an expansion module adapted for quick-connect engagement in and disengagement from the portable device via the connector, comprising: 
 a series of one or more peripheral devices adapted to serve different classes of functions;  
 a non-volatile memory for storing information that pertains to configuring the different functions in the module;  
 a re-configurable unit adapted to establish connections, implement functional portions, and control the system components;  
 a control device adapted, in cooperation with the host device, to control re-configuring operations within the system upon connection of the module with the host device; and  
 a software algorithm adapted to instruct the system to re-configure itself with respect to functionality.  
   
     
     
         2 . A method of reconfiguring the functionality of a portable electronic device, comprising: 
 connecting an expansion module to the portable electronic device;    reading applications resident on the portable electronic device;    upon receiving a request to activate a new function to be provided by the portable electronic device, automatically reconfiguring the expansion module to provide the new function requested.    
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the step of automatically reconfiguring comprises verifying that the request is consistent with the functions that are capable of being provided by the expansion module.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the step of automatically reconfiguring comprises selecting components within the expansion module to perform the new function requested, and deselecting components within the expansion module that are not needed to perform the function requested.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising signaling completion of the reconfiguring.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the step of automatically reconfiguring comprises modifying an address space in memory in the expansion module to execute drivers within the expansion module to execute the new function requested.  
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the re-configurable device comprises a field programmable gate array.  
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the re-configurable device includes programmable circuitry.  
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the peripheral devices include sensors.  
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the peripheral devices include signal processing elements.  
     
     
         11 . An expansion module adapted for quick-connect engagement in and disengagement from a portable, electronic portable host device, comprising: 
 a series of one or more peripheral devices adapted to serve different classes of functions;    a non-volatile memory for storing information that pertains to configuring the different functions in the module;    a re-configurable unit adapted to establish connections, implement functional portions, and control the components within the module;    a control device adapted, in cooperation with the host device, to control re-configuring operations upon connection of the module with the host device; and    a software algorithm adapted to instruct the host device and the module to re-configure itself with respect to functionality.