System for communicating with a terminal via a wired connection path and a wireless connection path, a processing apparatus, a wireless connection terminal, a data transfer method for a wireless connection terminal, program, and a storage medium therefor

• US 20040198430A1
• Filed: 09/20/2002
• Published: 10/07/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lenovo PC International Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Moriyama, Takao, Kawase, Kei
• Granted Patent: US 7,386,324 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/556.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/14 Digital output to display device ; Cooperation and interconnection of the display device with other functional units
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1415 with means for detecting differences between the image stored in the host and the images displayed on the displays
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1454 involving copying of the display data of a local workstation or window to a remote workstation or window so that an actual copy of the data is displayed simultaneously on two or more displays, e.g. teledisplay
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2310/04 Partial updating of the display screen
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/04 Exchange of auxiliary data, i.e. other than image data, between monitor and graphics controller
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/045 using multiple communication channels, e.g. parallel and serial

Abstract

For communication between a display device and a processing apparatus (host), two connection modes are prepared, a wired connection mode, for communication along a wired connection path, and a wireless connection mode, for communication along a wireless connection path. Before entering the wireless connection mode, the processing apparatus (host) transmits, along the wired connection path to the display device, data required for the wireless connection of the display device 50 along the wireless connection path, and data required for authentication to permit information to be accessed using the wireless connection path.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a terminal; and

a processing apparatus for communicating with said terminal through a wired connection path and a wireless connection path,

said processing apparatus including a transmitter, for using said wired communication path to transmit data required for communication with said terminal along a wireless connection path.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said transmitter transmits, to said terminal, data required for authentication to permit data access along said wireless connection path.

3. The system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a detachment device provided directly or indirectly for said processing apparatus for detaching a terminal,

wherein said processing apparatus further includes;

a detector for detecting attachment of said terminal to said detachment means, and

a switch for employing the detection results to alternate between communication along said wired connection path and communication along said wireless connection path.

4. A system comprising:

a display device; and

a processing apparatus, for communicating with said display device along a wireless connection path,

wherein said processing apparatus includes

first transmitter for transferring image data to said display device in accordance with a drawing instruction protocol for a primitive base consisting of a screen drawing command,

second transmitter for transmitting image data to said display device in accordance with a protocol whereby delta information for snapshots of a screen image is transmitted, and

switch for alternately connecting said transmitter and said second switch based on a predetermined characteristic value.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein said predetermined characteristic value is at least one of a data size along a communication path, a change value, an effective bandwidth of a network, and a drawing performance of said display device.

6. The system according to claim 4, wherein, upon receiving a drawing command, said second transmitter determines whether a screen image should be transmitted based on a predetermined index, and wherein, when it is ascertained that said screen image should be transmitted, an image based on an area to be calculated is transmitted.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein said predetermined index is at least one of a case wherein a value whereby said screen image is changed exceeds a set value, a case wherein a number of drawing commands greater than a set value are processed, a case wherein a set time has elapsed since the transmission of the last image, and a case wherein a transmission request is received from said display device.

8. A processing apparatus, having a wired connection mode for communication along a wired connection path and a wireless connection mode for communication on a wireless connection path, for communicating with a terminal comprising:

a first transceiver for communicating with a terminal along a wired connection path; and

a second transceiver for communicating with said terminal by wireless along a wireless connection path for employing said wired communication path before communication on said wireless communication path with said terminal is established, to transmit to said terminal data required for communication along said wireless connection path.

9. The processing apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising:

determination means for determining whether said terminal is disconnected from said wired connection path; and

a switch for changing said wired connection mode to said wireless communication mode, when said determination means ascertains that said terminal is disconnected.

10. A processing apparatus comprising:

a processing unit;

a graphics adaptor, for generating image data based on a drawing command;

a frame memory, for expanding image data generated by said graphics adaptor; and

a wireless communication device, for transmitting drawing data, in a transfer mode, to a display device using a drawing primitive,

wherein said processing unit employs a predetermined index to determine whether image data should be transmitted, calculates an area to be transmitted and reads image data from a frame memory, and

wherein, instead of a transfer mode using a drawing primitive, said wireless communication device transmits to said display device, along a wireless connection path, image data that is read.

11. The processing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said processing unit calculates an area to be transmitted based on a change in said image data expanded to said frame memory.

12. The processing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said predetermined index is at least one of a case wherein a value whereby said screen image is changed exceeds a set value, a case wherein a number of drawing commands greater than a set value are processed, a case wherein a set time has elapsed since the transmission of the last image, and a case wherein a transmission request is received from said display device.

13. A wireless connection terminal for communicating with a processing apparatus along a wired connection path and a wireless connection path comprising:

a first transceiver for communicating with said processing apparatus along said wired connection path; and

a second transceiver for communicating with said processing apparatus along said wireless connection path,

wherein, before initiating communication along said wireless connection path, said first transceiver receives, along said wired connection path, data required for communication along said wireless connection path.

14. The wireless connection terminal according to claim 13, wherein said first transceiver eceives, along said wired connection path, data required for authentication for communication along said wireless connection path.

15. The wireless connection terminal according to claim 14, wherein said second transceiver transfers to said 14, wherein said second transceiver transfers to said processing apparatus, by wireless, an authentication request that is received from said second transceiver means and that is based on data required for authentication.

16. The wireless connection terminal according to claim 13, further comprising:

a detector for detecting the disconnection of said terminal from said wired connection path,

wherein, based on the detection results obtained by said detector, data communication by said second transceiver is halted and communication by said wireless communication means is initiated.

17. The wireless connection terminal according to claim 13, further comprising:

an expander for such as a graphics adaptor, for expanding an image in a frame memory based on data received along said wireless connection path; and

a display device for reading and displaying said image expanded in said frame memory.

18. A data transfer method for performing communication between a processing apparatus and a terminal along a wired path and a wireless path comprising the steps of:

determining whether said terminal is connected to said wired path;

if said terminal is connected to said wired path, transferring in advance, along said wired path, data required for communication along said wireless path.

19. The data transfer method according to claim 18, wherein, when said terminal is connected to said wired path, authentication required for wireless connection is performed.

20. The data transfer method according to claim 19, wherein a session ID is transmitted by said processing apparatus, via a wired path, to said terminal, and a session ID is transmitted by said terminal, via a wireless path, to said processing apparatus.

21. A data transfer method for providing communication, along a wireless path, between a display device and a processing apparatus comprising the steps of:

detecting a predetermined characteristic value for communication along said wireless path; and

alternately employing a first transfer method based on said detected characteristic value, transmitting image data to said display device in accordance with a drawing instruction protocol for a drawing primitive base, consisting of a screen drawing command, and a second transfer method, for transmitting image data to said display device according to a protocol whereby image data are transferred as delta information for snapshots of a screen image.

22. A program that permits a computer to perform:

a function for determining whether said terminal is connected to said wired path; and

a function for, when said terminal is connected to said wired path, transferring in advance, along said wired path, data required for communication along said wireless path.

23. The program according to claim 22 that permits said computer to further perform:

a function for, when said terminal is connected to said wired path, performing authentication required for wireless connection.

24. A program that permits a computer to perform:

a function for detecting a predetermined characteristic value for communication along said wireless path; and

a function for alternately employing a first transfer method based on said detected characteristic value, transmitting image data to said display device in accordance with a drawing instruction protocol for a drawing primitive base, comprising a screen drawing command, and a second transfer method, for transmitting image data to said display-device according to a protocol whereby image data are transferred as delta information for snapshots of a screen image.

25. A storage medium on which a computer stores a computer-readable program that permits said computer to perform:

a process for determining whether said terminal is connected to said wired path; and

a process for, when said terminal is connected to said wired path, transferring in advance, along said wired path, data required for communication along said wireless path; and

a process for, when said terminal is connected to said wired path, performing authentication required for wireless connection.

26. A storage medium on which a computer stores a computer-readable program that permits said computer to perform:

a process for detecting a predetermined characteristic value for communication along said wireless path; and

a process for alternately employing a first transfer method based on said detected characteristic value, transmitting image data to said display device in accordance with a drawing instruction protocol for a drawing primitive base, comprising of a screen drawing command, and a second transfer method, for transmitting image data to said display device according to a protocol whereby image data are transferred as delta information for snapshots of a screen image.