Apparatus and method utilizing an AC adaptor port for event triggering
First Claim
1. An apparatus for triggering an electronic device and for receiving power for the device comprising:
- an AC adaptor port that receives a signal;
a mode control element having an input connected to the AC adaptor port, the mode control element receives the signal from the AC adaptor port; and
an event monitor connected to the AC adaptor port that monitors the signal for a signal event, wherein the signal is a power signal when produced by an external power source, and wherein the signal is an event signal when produced by an external trigger source, such that the event monitor triggers the device upon detection of the signal event.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus and method for event triggering an electronic device utilize an AC adaptor port as a trigger source interface port. The apparatus for triggering the device comprises an AC adaptor port, a mode control element, and an event monitor. While in a trigger mode, the AC adaptor port is the trigger source interface port and, while not in trigger mode, the AC adaptor port is a power source port. The method of triggering comprises the steps of setting a mode of operation, wherein trigger mode is either enabled or disabled, and while trigger mode is enabled, monitoring a parameter of a signal applied to the AC adaptor port, comparing the parameter to a threshold to determine if a trigger event has occurred, and if so, triggering the device to perform an action.
9 Citations
29 Claims
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1. An apparatus for triggering an electronic device and for receiving power for the device comprising:
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an AC adaptor port that receives a signal;
a mode control element having an input connected to the AC adaptor port, the mode control element receives the signal from the AC adaptor port; and
an event monitor connected to the AC adaptor port that monitors the signal for a signal event, wherein the signal is a power signal when produced by an external power source, and wherein the signal is an event signal when produced by an external trigger source, such that the event monitor triggers the device upon detection of the signal event. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An apparatus for triggering an electronic device, the apparatus having a first operational mode and an independent second operational mode, the apparatus comprising:
an AC adaptor port that accepts power from an external power source while the apparatus is in the first operational mode, and that accepts a signal from an external trigger source while the apparatus is in the second operational mode, such that the AC adaptor port is an interface port for the electronic device and the external trigger source. - View Dependent Claims (10)
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11. An AC adaptor port apparatus for an electronic device comprising:
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a first operational mode, wherein the apparatus accepts power from an external power source for the electronic device; and
an independent second operational mode, wherein the apparatus acts as a trigger source interface port that accepts and processes a signal from an external trigger source for triggering an action by the electronic device. - View Dependent Claims (12)
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13. A method of triggering an electronic device that has an AC adaptor port for receiving power from a power source, the method comprising the steps of:
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setting a mode of operation for the device, wherein the mode of operation is either trigger mode or non trigger mode; and
while the trigger mode is set, the method further comprises the steps of;
monitoring a parameter of a signal applied to the AC adaptor port;
comparing the parameter to a threshold according to a predefined comparison condition to determine if a signal event has occurred; and
triggering the device upon detection of the signal event. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of triggering an electronic device to perform an action at a location remote to a user of the device, the device having an AC adaptor port, the method comprising the steps of:
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setting an operational mode for the device to either a trigger mode or a non trigger mode, wherein in non trigger mode, the AC adaptor port serves as a power supply port and receives a power signal, and wherein in the trigger mode, the AC adaptor port serves as a trigger source interface port and receives a signal from an external trigger source; and
triggering the device to perform the action when a predefined signal event occurs in the signal from the external trigger source and the operational mode is set to trigger mode. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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19. An electronic device having an AC adaptor port comprising:
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a first operational mode where the AC adaptor port receives a power signal from an external power source; and
a second operational mode where the AC adaptor port receives a signal from an external event trigger source, such that upon an occurrence of a predefined signal event, the second mode will trigger the device to perform an action. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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22. An electronic device that is triggerable by an external event trigger source and having a first mode and a second mode, the device comprising:
an AC adaptor port, the AC adaptor port providing power to the device while the device is in the first mode, and the AC adaptor port providing an event trigger interface port while the device is in the second mode. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25)
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26. A digital camera having a trigger mode that can be enabled and disabled, the digital camera comprising:
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an AC adaptor port;
a controller that controls the operation of the camera;
an imaging subsystem that captures and records an optical image and transforms the captured image into a digital image;
a memory subsystem that stores digital images in memory;
a interface subsystem that provides a user interface for the digital camera;
a power subsystem that provides power to the camera; and
a control program stored in the memory subsystem that when executed by the controller provides operational control and coordination of the subsystems, wherein while the trigger mode is enabled, the AC adaptor port is a trigger source interface port, such that an event signal applied to the interface port can trigger an image recording action by the camera, and wherein while the trigger mode is disabled, the AC adaptor port is a power supply port, such that a power signal applied to the supply port supplies operational power to the power subsystem. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29)
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Specification