Process for transferring files from one computing device to another

• US 20030208627A1
• Filed: 10/30/2001
• Published: 11/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/1996
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Tognazzini, Bruce
• Granted Patent: US 6,779,023 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/248
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1684 Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1698 the I/O peripheral being a sending/receiving arrangement to establish a cordless communication link, e.g. radio or infrared link, integrated cellular phone details of antennas disposed inside a computer H01Q1/2266
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A handheld computing device is used to copy files from the screen of a fixed computer. The display of the handheld device is linked to that of the underlying computer and file and directory icons together with their underlying files are copied to the handheld device. Files from the handheld device can also be transferred to the fixed computer. When a user is running a program on the fixed computer, he may capture the state of that computer and transfer everything needed to permit execution of that program to continue uninterrupted on the handheld device. Thus files and executing programs may be lifted from the fixed computer and used on the handheld device.

Claims

1. Computer apparatus for linking with a portable computer for the transfer of information, comprising:

a. a bus;

b. a central processing unit connect to and controlling said bus;

c. a wireless transceiver for sending information to and receiving information from said portable computer; and

d. a position detector, connected to said bus, for determining the location and orientation of said portable computer with respect to said computer apparatus.

2. Computer apparatus of claim 1 in which said position detector comprises a photocell.

3. Computer apparatus of claim 1 in which said position detector comprises a Polhemus receiver.

4. Computer apparatus of claim 1 in which said wireless transceiver is an infrared transceiver.

5. Computer apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a display and a video buffer for providing information to said display.

6. Computer apparatus of claim 5 in which said video buffer provides display information to said wireless transceiver based on the location and orientation of said portable computer.

7. A portable computer for linking with a non-portable computer for the transfer of information, comprising:

a. a wireless transceiver for receiving information from said non-portable computer; and

b. two video buffers, one of which provides information from said portable computer to a display; and

the other of which provides information from said non-portable computer over said wireless transceiver two said display.

8. A method of linking the display screens of a first and a second computer, to display the same information, comprising the steps of:

a. providing an element for performing a step of determining the position of said second computer relative to the first computer; and

b. providing an element for performing a step of transferring display information from said first computer to said second computer for display on the display screen of said second computer when the position of said display information on the display screen of said first computer lies directly underneath a location on the display screen of said second computer.

9. A method of copying one or more files from a first computer to a second computer, comprising the steps of:

a. providing an element for performing a step of linking the screens of said first computer and said second computer over a wireless transceiver to display the same information;

b. providing an element for performing a step of selecting said one or more files for copying; and

c. providing an element for performing a step of transmitting said one or more files from said first computer to said second computer over said wireless transceiver.

10. A method of capturing a program running on a first computer to permit it to run on a second computer, comprising the steps of:

a. providing an element for performing a step of copying all open files from said first computer to said second computer;

b. providing an element for performing a step of copying memory space from said first computer to said second computer;

c. providing an element for performing a step of linking the screens of said first computer to said second computer;

d. providing an element for performing a step of copying registers and program counters from said first computer to said second computer; and

e. providing an element for performing a step of beginning executing said program on said second computer.

11. A method of slaving a first computer to a second computer, comprising the steps of:

a. providing an element for performing a step of redirecting keyboard input so that it is received from said second computer over a wireless communications link;

b. providing an element for performing a step of redirecting mouse input so that it is received from said second computer over said wireless communications link; and

c. providing an element for performing a step of redirecting display output from said second computer over said wireless communications link.

12. A method of copying one or more files from a portable computer to a fixed computer, comprising the steps of:

a. providing an element for performing a step of placing said fixed computer into a receive mode;

b. providing an element for performing a step of sending a name of a file or directory to be used in storing said one or more files over a wireless link from said portable computer to said fixed computer;

c. providing an element for performing a step of opening a file using said name in write mode;

d. providing an element for performing a step of copying the contents of said one or more files from the portable computer to said fixed computer; and

e. providing an element for performing a step of closing the file or directory.

13. A method of selecting files comprising the steps of:

a. providing an element for performing a step of linking the screens of said first computer and said second computer over a wireless transceiver to display the same information; and

b. providing an element for performing a step of sending commands from said second computer to said first computer over a wireless link to emulate mouse commands originating at said first computer.

14. A method of freezing an image on a display screen of a computer, comprising the steps of:

a. providing an element for performing a step of linking the screens of a first computer and said second computer over a wireless transceiver to display the same information;

b. providing an element for performing a step of determining the position of said second computer relative to the first computer; and

c. providing an element for performing a step of transferring display information from said first computer to said second computer for display on the display screen of said second computer

(1) when the position of said display information on the display screen of said first computer lies directly underneath a location on the display screen of said second computer and the distance separating said display screen of said first computer and the display screen of said second computer is less than a fixed amount; and

(2) otherwise, freezing the information on said display screen of said second computer.

15. A system for linking with a portable computer for the transfer of information, comprising:

a. a network; and

b. a plurality of fixed computers connected to said network, at least one of which has a wireless transceiver for sending information to and receiving information from a nearby portable computer.

16. A computer program product comprising:

a. a memory medium; and

b. a computer program stored on said medium, said program comprising instructions for determining the position of a second computer relative to a first computer; and

for transferring display information from said first computer to said second computer for display on the display screen of said second computer when the position of said display information on the display screen of said first computer lies directly underneath a location on the display screen of said second computer.

17. A computer program product comprising:

a. a memory medium; and

b. a computer program stored on said medium, said program comprising instructions for linking the screens of a first computer and a second computer over a wireless transceiver to display the same information, selecting said one or more files for copying; and

transmitting said one or more files from said first computer to said second computer over said wireless transceiver.

18. A computer program product comprising:

a. a memory medium; and

b. a computer program stored on said medium, said program comprising instructions for copying all open files from said first computer to said second computer;

copying memory space from said first computer to said second computer;

linking the screens of said first computer to said second computer;

copying registers and program counters from said first computer to said second computer; and

beginning executing said program on said second computer.

19. A computer program product comprising:

a. a memory medium; and

b. a computer program stored on said medium, said program comprising instructions for redirecting keyboard input so that it is received from said second computer over a wireless communications link;

redirecting mouse input so that it is received from said second computer over said wireless communications link; and

redirecting display output from said second computer over said wireless communications link.

20. A computer program product comprising:

a. a memory medium; and

b. a computer program stored on said medium, said program comprising instructions for linking the screens of said first computer and said second computer over a wireless transceiver to display the same information; and

sending commands from said second computer to said first computer over a wireless link to emulate mouse commands originating at said first computer.

21. A computer program product comprising:

a. a memory medium; and

b. a computer program stored on said medium, said program comprising instructions for linking the screens of a first computer and said second computer over a wireless transceiver to display the same information;

determining the position of said second computer relative to the first computer; and

transferring display information from said first computer to said second computer for display on the display screen of said second computer

(1) when the position of said display information on the display screen of said first computer lies directly underneath a location on the display screen of said second computer and the distance separating said display screen of said first computer and the display screen of said second computer is less than a fixed amount; and

(2) otherwise, freezing the information on said display screen of said second computer.