INTERACTIVE COMMUNICATION SYSTEM HAVING AN INTEGRATED KEY DRIVE SYSTEM

• US 20090146965A1
• Filed: 08/14/2008
• Published: 06/11/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Steelcase Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Polyvision Corporation (Steelcase Incorporated)
• Inventors: Hildebrandt, Peter W., Watson, James D., Dunn, Michael H., Wilson, Scott E., Hutchinson, Ian G., Anderson, Brent W., Meissner, Richard, Hofmann, Neal A., Ashford, Louis
• Granted Patent: US 9,027,015 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/16 Use of wireless transmission of display information
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/006 Details of the interface to the display terminal specific for a display terminal using a CRT G09G1/167; using a flat panel G09G3/2096; circuits for interfacing with colour displays G09G5/04

Abstract

A device and method of connecting an interactive communication system to a processing device. The device is a cable system that includes first and second ends. The first end of the cable system has a leg connector, while the second end of the connector system has first and second arm connectors. The method implements the cable system to load or run software onto the processing device, and includes connecting the leg connector to an interactive communication system; connecting the first arm connector having a memory device to the processing device, wherein the memory device includes predetermined software; loading/running the software on the processing device; disconnecting the first arm connector having the memory device from the processing device; and connecting a second arm connector to the processing device.

Claims

1. In a key drive integration system having (i) a cable system comprising a cable having a connector leg at a first end, and having first and second connector arms at a second end, the cable having a Y-shape, and (ii) a connector system having a first connector coupled to the connector leg, a second connector coupled to the first connector arm, and a third connector coupled to the second connector arm,

the improvement comprising a memory device coupled to one of the second or third connectors.

2. The improved key drive integration system of claim 1, the first, second, or third connectors each comprising a universal serial bus (USB) connector.

3. The improved key drive integration system of claim 1, the memory device coupled to one of the second or third connectors comprising flash memory.

4. The improved key drive integration system of claim 1, the memory device coupled to one of the second or third connectors comprising software drivers for uploading to a processing device.

5. The improved key drive integration system of claim 1, the memory device coupled to one of the second or third connectors comprising instructional software for operating an interactive communication system.

6. A method of loading software onto a processing device with a cable system, the cable system comprising a cable having a leg connector at a first end, and having first and second arm connectors at a second end, the method comprising:

connecting the leg connector to an interactive communication system;

connecting the first arm connector having a memory device to the processing device, wherein the memory device includes predetermined software;

loading the software onto the processing device;

disconnecting the first arm connector; and

connecting the second arm connector to the processing device.

7. The method of claim 6, the loading of the software onto the processing device occurring automatically.

8. The method of claim 6, the leg connector and the first and second arm connectors each comprising a universal serial bus (USB) connector.

9. The method of claim 6, the software comprising at least one software driver adapted to drive a device connected to the interactive communication system.

10. The method of claim 9, the at least one software driver adapted to drive an electronic whiteboard.

11. The method of claim 6, the interactive communication system comprising an electronic whiteboard.

12. A method of running software on a processing device with a cable system, the cable system comprising a cable having a leg connector at a first end, and having first and second arm connectors at a second end, the method comprising:

connecting the leg connector to an interactive communication system;

connecting the first arm connector having a memory device to the processing device, wherein the memory device includes predetermined software;

running the software on the processing device;

disconnecting the first arm connector; and

connecting a second arm connector to the processing device.

13. The method of claim 12, the running of software on the processing device occurring automatically.

14. A method of connecting an interactive communication system to a processing device using a cable system comprising a cable having a leg connector at a first end, and having first and second arm connectors at a second end, the method comprising:

connecting the leg connector to the interactive communication system;

connecting the first arm connector to the processing device;

disconnecting the first arm connector from the processing device; and

connecting the second arm connector to the processing device.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising loading software on the processing device stored in a memory device connected to one of the first or second arm connectors.

16. The method of claim 14, one of the first or second arm connectors comprising a memory device.

17. The method of claim 16, the leg connector and the first and second arm connectors each comprising a universal serial bus (USB) connector.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the interactive communication system is an electronic whiteboard.

19. An interactive podium adapted to remotely communicate with an interactive communication system comprising a display surface, the interactive podium comprising;

a processing device;

a tracking system calibrated to control the processing device;

a monitoring surface in communication with the processing device;

a power supply device incorporating a battery to power the monitoring surface and the processing device;

a wireless communication system communicating with the interactive communication system; and

wherein the wireless communication system and the battery permit mobility of the interactive podium within a presentation room.

20. An electronic mailing system comprising:

a processing device adapted to generate an electronic mail; and

an electronic whiteboard system adapted to receive the electronic mail.