Portable computer-based device and computer operating method

• US 20040004603A1
• Filed: 06/30/2003
• Published: 01/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Siemens Computers GmbH (Fujitsu Limited)
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Siemens Computers GmbH (Fujitsu Limited)
• Inventors: Gerstner, Robert, Filimon, Diana
• Granted Patent: US 6,954,355 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/169
• 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 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72415 for remote control of appliances

Abstract

A portable computer-based device, for example a PDA, a cell phone, or a notebook, may be used as an operator control element for second computer-based devices. The portable computer-based device is enabled to emulate mouse and keyboard inputs the second device and to transfer them to the second computer-based device which is to be remote-controlled.

Claims

1. A portable computer-based device, comprising:

at least one input element; and

an interface for communicating with a second computer-based device for establishing the portable computer-based device as an operator control element for the second computer-based device and for establishing the portable computer-based device as an input device for the second computer-based device.

2. The portable computer-based device according to claim 1 configured as a PDA, a cell phone, or a notebook computer.

3. The portable computer-based device according to claim 1 for emulating at least one of a mouse and a keyboard of the second computer-based device.

4. The portable computer-based device according to claim 1, wherein said interface is an infrared interface for transmitting data between the portable computer-based device and the second computer-based device.

5. The portable computer-based device according to claim 1, wherein said interface forms a part of a radio link for transmitting data between the portable computer-based device and the second computer-based device.

6. The portable computer-based device according to claim 5, wherein said radio link is implemented according to a protocol selected from the group consisting of Bluetooth, WLAN, and GSM/GPRS.

7. The portable computer-based device according to claim 1, wherein said interface includes a wire connection for transmitting data between the portable computer-based device and the second computer-based device.

8. The portable computer-based device according to claim 7, wherein said wire connection is implemented according to a protocol selected from the group consisting of serial connections, USB, Firewire, and LAN.

9. The portable computer-based device according to claim 1, wherein said at least one input element includes a touch screen for use as a remote touchpad.

10. The portable computer-based device according to claim 1, wherein said at least one input element includes predetermined buttons for at least one of moving and positioning a mouse pointer on the second computer-based device.

11. The portable computer-based device according to claim 1, wherein said at least one input element includes predetermined buttons for carrying out keyboard input sequences of the second computer-based device.

12. The portable computer-based device according to claim 1, wherein said interface forms a part of a bidirectional data transmission path between the portable computer-based device and the second computer-based device.

13. An input method, comprising:

providing a portable computer-based device having an input element and a communications interface;

establishing a communications connection between said portable computer-based device and a second computer-based device; and

using the portable computer-based device as an input device for the second computer-based device.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the portable computer-based device is a PDA, a cell phone, or a notebook computer and the input device emulates at least one of a mouse and a keyboard for the second computer-based device.

15. The method according to claim 13, which comprises establishing an infrared connection for transmitting data between the portable computer-based device and the second computer-based device.

16. The method according to claim 13, which comprises establishing a radio link for transmitting data between the portable computer-based device and the second computer-based device.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the radio link is implemented according to Bluetooth, WLAN, or GSM/GPRS protocols.

18. The method according to claim 13, which comprises establishing a wire connection between the portable computer-based device and the second computer-based device.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the wire connection is a serial connection, a USB connection, a firewire connection, or a LAN connection.

20. The method according to claim 13, which comprises using a touch screen of the portable computer-based device as a remote touchpad for the second computer-based device.

21. The method according to claim 13, which comprises moving or positioning a mouse pointer on the second computer-based device via predetermined buttons of the portable computer-based device.

22. The method according to claim 13, which comprises inputting keyboard input sequences to the second computer-based device via predetermined buttons on the portable computer-based device.

23. The method according to claim 13, which comprises establishing bidirectional data transmission paths between the portable computer-based device and the second computer-based device.