PDA presentation system

• US 20030120849A1
• Filed: 05/23/2002
• Published: 06/26/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Roslak, Thomas K., Sasloff, Michael, Doorty, Andrew M., Bolen, Charles S., Salvato, Dominick
• Application Number:
  US10/155,602
• Publication Number:
  US 20030120849A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/303
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations

Abstract

An accessory module is provided for connection to the USB docking port of a personal digital assistant (PDA). The accessory unit provides additional functionality to the PDA, and in an exemplary embodiment provides a video driver for retrieving display data from the PDA and generating a video driving signal for a display of the data, for example, for a presentation.

Claims

1. An accessory for use with a PDA device having a docking connector, comprising:

an

accessory connector arranged to mate with said docking connector;

an interface controller connected to said accessory connector and arranged to act as a host to said PDA for receiving display data from said PDA;

a video controller for receiving said display data from said interface controller and for generating video display signals; and

a video output connector for providing said video display signals to a display.

2. An accessory as specified in claim 1 wherein said accessory connector and said video output connector are arranged on a housing, and wherein said housing is arranged to mechanically mount to said PDA.

3. An accessory as specified in claim 2 wherein said housing includes first and second extending sidewalls, and wherein said sidewalls are arranged to slidingly receive said PDA there between.

4. An accessory as specified in claim 1 wherein said accessory includes a further connector for attachment of a further accessory.

5. An accessory as specified in claim 1 wherein said further accessory comprises a memory device.

6. An accessory for use with a PDA device having a docking connector, comprising:

an accessory connector arranged to mate with said docking connector;

an interface controller connected to said accessory connector and arranged to act as a host to said PDA for sending and receiving data to and from said PDA; and

an accessory circuit for providing accessory functionality to said PDA

7. An accessory as specified in claim 6 wherein said accessory circuit comprises a radio module.

8. An accessory as specified in claim 6 wherein said accessory circuit comprises a bar code scanner.

9. An accessory as specified in claim 8 wherein said accessory circuit includes a microcontroller.

10. An accessory as specified in claim 6 wherein said accessory includes a further connector for attachment of a further accessory.

11. A method for presenting information on a display connected to a network, comprising:

providing display information on a server connected to said network;

providing a PDA having a wireless connection to said network;

operating said PDA to communicate display commands to said server via said wireless connection; and

communicating said display information to said display via said network.

12. A method as specified in claim 11 wherein said communicating comprises communicating over a wired network from said server to said display.

13. A method as specified in claim 11 wherein said communicating comprises communicating over a wireless network from said server to display.

14. A method as specified in claim 11 further comprising identifying a network address of said display to said server.

15. A method as specified in claim 14, wherein said providing a PDA comprises providing a PDA with a bar code scanner, and wherein said step of identifying comprises scanning a bar code with said PDA, deriving display identification data from said bar code and communicating said identification data to said server via said wireless connection.

16. A method for obtaining audience feedback during an oral presentation, comprising:

providing at least some audience members with a PDA having a WLAN radio;

recording oral presentation sounds in a continuous first memory loop having a selected duration; and

receiving audience member entries on said PDA and recording said entries in a second memory with the current content of said first memory loop.

17. A method as specified in claim 16 farther including presenting inquiries to said audience members on said PDA'"'"'s to elicit said audience member entries

18. A method for obtaining audience feedback during a presentation using an electronic presentation display comprising:

providing a least some audience members with a PDA having a WLAN radio; and

receiving audience member entries on said PDA'"'"'s and recording said entries in a memory with a designation of the current display presented.

19. A method as specified in claim 18 further including sending inquiries to said PDA'"'"'s for presentation to said audience members in coordination with the presentation of said display presentation.