US Patent 12021379 Electronic device and communication unit

An electronic device that has control electronics that have at least one program memory with a computer program stored therein and a processor for executing the computer program. The computer program has software control functions for controlling functions of the electronic device. The electronic device has at least one communication unit coupled to the control electronics, by means of which the electronic device is equipped for data communication with an external computer device. The communication unit is designed as a replaceable communication module. The communication module has a gateway functionality via which a bidirectional conversion takes place between an external communication protocol and/or physical layer used by the external computer device and an internal communication protocol and/or physical layer used between the communication module and the processor. The communication module supports either exactly one external communication protocol or multiple external communication protocols.