WIRELESS ATTACHED READER SCREEN FOR CELL PHONES

• US 20110069073A1
• Filed: 09/18/2009
• Published: 03/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Unger, Robert A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,665,219 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/520
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72409 by interfacing with external accessories hands-free H04M1/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]

Abstract

A display device is provided comprising a housing, a communication means within the housing configured to receive content from a local content source device external to the housing and to transmit messages to the local content source device, wherein the content comprises a static screen image, a storage means configured to store the content having been received from the content source device, wherein the storage means stores no more than a single static screen image and a display configured to display the content. A method for use with the display device is further provided.

Claims

1. A display device comprising:

a housing;

a communication means within the housing configured to receive content from a local content source device external to the housing and to transmit messages to the local content source device, wherein the content comprises a static screen image;

a storage means configured to store the content having been received from the local content source device, wherein the storage means stores no more than a single static screen image; and

a display configured to display the content.

2. The display device of claim 1, wherein the display is configured to display the content using e-ink technology.

3. The display device of claim 1, further comprising user input means for controlling the receiving and displaying of the content.

4. The display device of claim 3, wherein the user input means is configured to receive a request for displaying new content on the display;

and

the communication means is further configured to transmit the request.

5. The display device of claim 1, wherein the storage means is integrated with the display.

6. The display device of claim 1, wherein the communication means is a wireless connection.

7. The display device of claim 6, wherein the wireless connection is a Bluetooth connection.

8. The display device of claim 1, wherein the communication means is a wired connection.

9. The display device of claim 8, wherein the communication means comprises an electronic socket configured to receive a cord connectable to the local content source device.

10. The display device of claim 8, wherein the communication means comprises a dock for receiving the local content source device.

11. The display device of claim 1, wherein the storage means is the only storage means at the display device such that the display device contains no more content than is stored at the storage means.

12. The display device of claim 1, further comprising:

an additional storage means capable of storing no more than a single static screen image;

wherein the storage means and the additional storage means are the only storage means of the display device.

13. The display device of claim 1, wherein the local content source device comprises a cellular phone.

14. The display device of claim 1, further comprising:

a detection means configured to determine whether the display device has become inactive and further configured to cause all content to be removed from the display device upon determining that the display device has become inactive.

15. A method for use with a display device comprising:

establishing a communication channel with a local content source device external to the display device, wherein the communication channel enables the display device to receive content corresponding to a single static screen image and transmit requests to the local content source device;

receiving a first content at the display device from the local content source device, wherein the first content corresponds to a single static screen image;

displaying the content at the display device;

receiving a second content at the display device, wherein the second content corresponds to a single static image;

displaying the second content; and

removing the first content from the display device in response to displaying the second content.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving a request for the second content; and

transmitting the request for the second content to the local content source device.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving a third content corresponding to a single static screen image;

displaying the third content; and

removing the second content from the display device in response to displaying the third content.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

determining that the display device has been inactive for a predetermined period of time; and

removing all content present on the display device.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

storing the second content;

receiving a request for displaying new content;

determining whether the second content is the new content requested; and

wherein displaying the second content comprises displaying the second content when it is determined that the second content corresponds to the new content requested.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the communication channel is established through a wired connection.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein the communication channel is established through a wireless connection.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the wireless connection is a Bluetooth connection.

23. A method for use with a display device comprising:

establishing a communication channel with a local content source device external to the display device;

receiving a first content from the local content source device, wherein the first content corresponds to a single static screen image;

displaying the first content at the display device;

receiving a user request;

displaying a second content corresponding to the user request, wherein the second content corresponds to a single static image; and

removing the first content from the display device in response to displaying the second content.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

transmitting the user request to the local content source device; and

receiving the second content from the local content source device in response to the user request, wherein the second content corresponds to a single static screen image.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein at most the display device contains content corresponding to two static screen images at any given time.

26. A local content source device, comprising:

a housing;

communication means within the housing configured to establish a communication channel with a local display device external to the housing;

a processor; and

a computer readable medium coupled to the processor, the computer readable medium storing application machine code to be executed by the processor, wherein the processor is adapted to execute the application machine code to;

establish the communication channel with the local display device wherein the communication channel is capable of transmitting content to the local display device, and wherein each transmittal contains content corresponding to a single static screen image;

transmit a first content to the local display device wherein the first content corresponds to a single static screen image;

receive a request; and

transmit a second content corresponding to a single static screen image to the local display device in response to the request.

27. The local content source device of claim 26, wherein one or both the first content and the second content are retrieved through the communication means from a remote location.

28. The local content source device of claim 26, wherein the one or both the first content and the second content is stored locally at the local content source device.

29. The local content source device of claim 26, wherein the communication means is a wireless communication means.

30. The local content source device of claim 26, wherein the communication means comprises a Bluetooth connection.

31. The local content source device of claim 26, wherein the communication means comprises a LAN connection.

32. The local content source device of claim 26, wherein the communication means is a wired communication means.

33. The local content source device of claim 26, further comprising:

global positioning means configured to determine a position of the local display device.

34. The local content source device of claim 26, further comprising, user input means configured to allow a user to enter a user request for the content.

35. The local content source device of claim 26, wherein the request is received from the local display device through the communication means.

36. The local content source device of claim 26, wherein the request is received from a remote device other than the local display device.

37. A method comprising:

establishing a communication channel from a local content source device with a local display device, wherein the communication channel enables transmitting content to the local display device, and wherein each transmittal contains content corresponding to a single static image;

transmitting a first content to the local display device, wherein the first content comprises a single static screen image;

receiving a request; and

transmitting a second content corresponding to a single static screen image to the local display device in response to the request.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the receiving the request comprises receiving the request from the local display device over the communication channel.

39. The method of claim 37, wherein the receiving the request comprises receiving the request through a user input means.

40. The method of claim 37, further comprising:

determining a position of the local display device; and

storing the position.

41. The method of claim 37, further comprising retrieving the first content in response to establishing the communication channel.

42. The method claim 37, further comprising:

determining that the request is for new content; and

retrieving the second content corresponding to the request when it is determined that the request is for new content.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein the second content is locally stored at the local content source device and retrieving the second content comprises retrieving the stored second content.

44. The method of claim 42, wherein the second content is not locally stored at the local content source device, and retrieving the second content comprises requesting the second content from a remote source.

45. The local content source device of claim 37, further comprising:

determining that the request is for modifying the first content; and

modifying the first content according to the request, such that the second content corresponds to the modified first content.

46. The method of claim 37, further comprising:

receiving a communication request for establishing the communication channel from the local display device, wherein establishing the communication channel comprises establishing the communication channel in response to receiving the communication request.

47. A system for displaying content comprising:

a local content source device having a display application stored thereon configured to transmit content currently being displayed at an external device; and

a remote display device configured to establish a connection with the local content source device and to receive and display the content at the display device.

48. The system of claim 47, wherein the display device is further configured to receive an input at the display device and transmit the input to the local content source device;

and

the display application at the local content source device is further configured to receive process the input and to transmit content corresponding to the input to the display device.

49. The system of claim 47, wherein the display application is configured to transmit content in response to a request received from a user.