Writeboard method and apparatus

• US 20030210236A1
• Filed: 05/09/2002
• Published: 11/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Martin, Eric, Koll, Andrew
• Granted Patent: US 7,224,347 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: B43L 1/00 Repeatedly-usable boards or tablets for writing or drawing drawing-boards B43L5/00
• CPC Class Codes: B43L 1/04 Blackboards wall mounting or suspension arrangements for blackboards or the like A47B97/001; easels or stands for blackboards A47B97/04
• CPC Class Codes: B43L 1/10 Writing surfaces thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B43L 19/0043 Erasing by electronic or electrolytic means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/033 Pointing devices displaced or positioned by the user , e.g. mice, trackballs, pens or joysticks; Accessories therefor digitisers characterised by the transducing means G06F3/041
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/33 being semiconductor devices, e.g. diodes

Abstract

A writeboard according to an embodiment of the invention includes plural display cells capable of controlling light within a visible-light spectrum, the display cells being arranged over a display surface of the writeboard. The writeboard also typically includes plural memory cells coupled with the display cells, and plural first receivers arranged with the display cells and the memory cells over the display surface. The first receivers typically are configured to receive transmitted writing information and to communicate the transmitted writing information to corresponding memory cells for storage. Corresponding display cells thus may be selectively activated in accordance with the transmitted writing information.

Claims

1. A writeboard comprising:

a plurality of display cells capable of controlling light within a visible-light spectrum, the display cells being arranged over a display surface of the writeboard;

a plurality of memory cells coupled with the display cells; and

a plurality of first receivers arranged with the display cells and the memory cells over the display surface, the first receivers being configured to receive transmitted writing information and communicate the transmitted writing information to corresponding memory cells for storage, wherein such communication and storage selectively result in activation of corresponding display cells in accordance with the transmitted writing information.

2. The writeboard of claim 1, wherein the first receivers include infrared-receiving diodes.

3. The writeboard of claim 2, wherein the writing information is communicated via one or more frequency ranges of infrared light.

4. The writeboard of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of second receivers arranged with the display cells and the memory cells over the display surface, the second receivers being configured to receive transmitted erasing information and communicate such erasing information to corresponding memory cells for storage, wherein such communication and storage selectively results in deactivation of corresponding activated display cells in accordance with the transmitted erasing information.

5. The writeboard of claim 4, wherein the second receivers include infrared-receiving diodes.

6. The writeboard of claim 5, wherein the erasing information is communicated via a second frequency range of infrared light.

7. The writeboard of claim 1, wherein the plurality of memory cells are further coupled with a communications port so as to allow information contained in the plurality of memory cells to be communicated external to the writeboard via the communications port.

8. The writeboard of claim 7, wherein the communications port is coupled with the plurality of memory cells such that information may be communicated to the plurality of memory cells from an external data source via the communications port.

9. The writeboard of claim 1, wherein the plurality of display cells include emissive elements coupled with corresponding memory cells so as to be substantially continuously responsive to information contained in the corresponding memory cells.

10. The writeboard of claim 9, wherein the emissive elements include light-emitting diodes.

11. The writeboard of claim 1, wherein the plurality of memory cells include data latches.

12. The writeboard of claim 1, further comprising a control sensor configured to select from plural memory cells coupled with each display cell.

13. The writeboard of claim 1, further comprising a control sensor configured to contemporaneously deactivate substantially all activated display cells.

14. The writeboard of claim 1, further comprising a control sensor configured to select dynamic display of information received by the first receivers.

15. A display system comprising:

a plurality of display cells capable of controlling light within a visible-light spectrum;

a plurality of memory cells;

a plurality of first receivers; and

a plurality of second receivers, wherein the display cells, memory cells, first receivers and second receivers are arranged over a display surface and coupled so as to activate and deactivate display cells in accordance with information communicated to the first and second receivers.

16. The display system of claim 15, further comprising a writing implement for communicating writing information to one or more of the first receivers, such that the writing information is stored by corresponding memory cells and results in corresponding display cells being held active.

17. The display system of claim 16, wherein the writing implement includes one or more transmission sources, which communicate one or more respective signals including writing information to which corresponding receivers of the first receivers are responsive.

18. The display system of claim 17, wherein the one or more transmission sources include one or more infrared light sources having respective writing frequencies, and wherein the first receivers include infrared receivers responsive to infrared light of the respective writing frequencies.

19. The display system of claim 15, further comprising an erasing implement for communicating erasure information to one or more of the second receivers, such that the erasure information is stored by corresponding memory cells and results in corresponding display cells being held inactivate.

20. The display system of claim 19, wherein the erasing implement includes a transmission source, which communicates a signal including erasure information to which the second receivers are responsive.

21. The display system of claim 20, wherein the transmission source includes an infrared light source having an erasing frequency, and wherein the second receivers include infrared receivers responsive to infrared light of the erasing frequency.

22. The display system of claim 15, wherein the plurality of memory cells are further coupled with a communications port so as to allow information contained in the memory cells to be communicated external to the display surface and information external to the display surface to be communicated to the memory cells via the communications port.

23. The display system of claim 22, wherein the communications port is further coupled with an imaging device so as to display an image corresponding to the information contained in the plurality of memory cells.

24. The display system of claim 23, wherein the display device is a printer and the image is displayed by printing the image on a print media sheet.

25. The display system of claim 22, wherein the communications port is further coupled with a storage device so as to store a data file corresponding to the information contained in the plurality of memory cells within the storage device when information contained in the memory cells is communicated external to the display surface, and to transmit information contained within the storage device to the memory cells when information external to the display surface is communicated to the memory cells.

26. The display system of claim 25, wherein the storage device includes a computer system having a non-volatile storage device.

27. A method of displaying an image comprising:

transmitting a first type of information to a display surface;

receiving the first type of information at the display surface;

storing the transmitted information of the first type; and

selectively holding one or more display cells of a plurality of display cells in a first state in accordance with the transmitted information of the first type.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising transmitting a second type of information to the display surface;

receiving the second type of information at the display surface;

storing the transmitted information of the second type; and

holding one or more display cells of the plurality of display cells in a second state in accordance with the transmitted information of the second type.

29. The method of claim 27, further comprising selecting among multiple display selections, the display selections each including a set of received information.

30. The method of claim 27, further comprising deactivating active display cells and holding the plurality of display cells active as a result of communicating a writing signal.

31. The method of claim 28, further comprising communicating stored information to an imaging device.

32. The method of claim 28, further comprising communicating stored information to a storage device.

33. A writeboard comprising:

a plurality of display means for controlling light within a visible-light spectrum, the display means being arranged over a display surface of the writeboard;

a plurality of memory means coupled with the display means; and

a plurality of first receiver means arranged with the display means and the memory means over the display surface, the first receiver means being configured to receive transmitted writing information and to communicate the transmitted writing information to corresponding memory means for storage, wherein such communication and storage selectively activates corresponding display means in accordance with the transmitted writing information.

34. The writeboard of claim 33, further comprising a plurality of second receiver means configured to receive transmitted erasing information and to communicate such erasing information to corresponding memory means for storage, wherein such communication and storage selectively deactivates corresponding activated display means in accordance with the transmitted erasing information.

35. The writeboard of claim 33, wherein the plurality of display means include emissive elements coupled with corresponding memory means so as to be substantially continuously responsive to information contained in the corresponding memory means.

36. A display system comprising:

a plurality of display means capable of controlling light within a visible-light spectrum;

a plurality of memory means;

a plurality of first receiver means; and

a plurality of second receiver means, wherein the display means, memory means, first receiver means and second receiver means are arranged over a display surface and coupled so as to activate and deactivate display means in accordance with information communicated to the first and second receiver means.

37. The display system of claim 36 further comprising a writing means for communicating writing information to one or more of the first receiver means, such that the writing information is stored by corresponding memory means and results in corresponding display means being held active.

38. The display system of claim 37, wherein the writing means includes one or more transmission means, which communicate one or more respective writing signals including writing information to which corresponding receiver means of the first receiver means are responsive.

39. The display system of claim 36, further comprising an erasing means for communicating erasure information to one or more of the second receiver means, such that the erasure information is stored by corresponding memory means and results in corresponding display means being held inactivate.

40. The display system of claim 39, wherein the erasing means includes a transmission means, which communicates an erasure signal including erasure information to which the second receiver means are responsive.

41. A method of constructing a display system comprising:

coupling a plurality of first receivers with a plurality of memory cells;

coupling a plurality of second receivers with the plurality of memory cells;

coupling a plurality of display cells with at least one of the memory cells, the first receivers and the second receivers;

arranging the first receivers, memory cells, second receivers, and display cells over a display surface such that the displays cells are selectively held active and inactive in accordance with information communicated to the first and second receivers.

42. The method of claim 41, further comprising operatively coupling, with a housing, one or more transmission sources having respective signals to which corresponding receivers of the first receivers are responsive.

43. The method of claim 41, further comprising operatively coupling, with a housing, a transmission source having a signal to which the second receivers are responsive.

44. The method of claim 41, further comprising coupling a communications port with the memory cells, so as to allow information contained in the memory cells to be communicated external to the display surface and information external to the display surface to be communicated to the memory cells via the communications port.

45. The method of claim 41, further comprising coupling a common signal with the memory cells, so as to deactivate substantially all the display cells in accordance with the common signal.

46. The method of claim 44, further comprising selecting between activation/deactivation of display cells in accordance with the memory cells, and dynamic activation/reactivation of display cells in accordance with at least the first receivers.

47. A display system comprising:

a communication implement configured to transmit display information in a transmission beam; and

a display panel including display cells capable of controlling light within a visible light spectrum, each display cell having associated therewith a memory cell and a receiver configured to receive transmitted display information, whereby such display cells are activated and deactivated in accordance with display information received by corresponding receivers.

48. The display system of claim 47, wherein received display information for such display cells is stored by corresponding memory cells, such display cells being held active or inactive in accordance with display information stored by such corresponding receivers.