Remote display device for a microcomputer

• US 4,763,291 A
• Filed: 03/06/1986
• Issued: 08/09/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/1986
• Status: Expired

• Current Assignee: CLIC Electronics International Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Project Benjamin Limited
• Inventors: Schwaber, Jeffrey S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lall, Parshotam S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MELNICK, STEVEN A
• Application Number:
  US06/836,843
• Time in Patent Office: 887 Days
• Field of Search: 364/704, 364/705, 364/709, 364/710, 364/514, 340/706, 340/711, 434/118, 434/191, 434/192, 434/365, 434/DIG. 28, 455/603
• US Class Current: 708/104
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1423 controlling a plurality of local displays, e.g. CRT and flat panel display
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2380/04 Electronic labels

Abstract

An optically linked calculator system for displaying data generated by a local calculator at both the local calculator and at a detached display. The calculator system includes a plurality of transmitting calculators and receiving units. The receiving units include remote display receiving units and receiving calculators. Transmitting calculators transmit entered data and calculated results. Receiving units receive and display transmitted data entries and calculated results. A calculator includes a keyboard, keyboard logic, processing logic, display, display logic, transmit logic, infrared transmitter, switching means, infrared receiver receiver logic and converting logic. The switching means selectively enables components of the calculator for effecting a transmit mode, receive mode, and calculate mode. The remote receiver display unit includes an infrared receiver, data detection logic, processing logic, and a display.

Claims

1. In a infrared linked network for receiving and transmitting data between a plurality of devices, each device having at least an infrared receiver for receiving pulses of infrared transmission, an infrared transmitter for atmospherically transmitting pulses of infrared transmissions, a calculator for performing calculations from data and command functions entered via a keyboard attached thereto, and a display for exhibiting data and calculated results, a method for displaying data generated at each device or received from another of the devices comprising the steps of:

(a) generating electrical signals from a calculator in one of the devices representative of entered data and calculated results;

(b) transforming the electrical signals to a series of electrical pulses;

(c) applying the electrical pulses to an infrared transmitter in the one of the devices for generating a series of atmospherically transmitted infrared pulses;

(d) receiving the atomospherically transmitted infrared pulses with an infrared receiver in at least one other of the devices and generating a series of electrical pulses representative of the received infrared pulses;

(e) converting the series of electrical pulses to display signals for the display to exhibit the received data;

(f) operating on the received data at said at least one other of the devices in accordance with data and command functions entered into the calculator associated with said at least one other device to obtain further results;

(g) converting said further results into further electrical signals suitable for infrared transmissions; and

(h) transmitting said further electrical signals to at least another said one of the devices for displaying said further results thereat.

2. An optically linked portable calculator system comprising:

a first calculator unit having a keyboard for manually entering data and command functions into said first calculator, processing means responsive to data and command functions entered into said calculator for operating thereon to generate corresponding results in a digital data format and display means coupled to said processing means for displaying said data and command functions and said results in a human readable form, said first calculator further including optical means for converting said digital data formatted results into atmospherically transmitted pulses of optical radiation within a predetermined optical frequency range;

at least one detached remote calculating means having a local keyboard for manually entering local data and command functions, a local processing means for receiving local data and command functions and for operating thereon to generate corresponding local results, a local display means coupled to said local processing means for displaying results obtained from said local processing means, said at least one remote calculating means further including optical means for receiving atmospherically transmitted pulses of optical radiation within the predetermined optical frequency range, said optical means converting received pulses into digitally formatted data and command functions for application to said local processing means, said local microcomputer means causing said data and command functions to be displayed on said local display means;

said first calculator unit and each of said at least one detached remote calculating means including means for reversing the function of its respective optical means to either a transmit or receive mode for permitting signal transmission between said first calculator unit and; and

at least on detached remote calculating means

means in each said first calculator unit and said at least one detached remote calculating means for selectively displaying data and command functions from its associated keyboard and from optically received pulses from said first calculator unit or said at least one detached remote calculating means.

3. The systam of claim 2, wherein said optical means comprises at least one infared transmission element and at least one infared receiving element.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein said reversing means and said selectively displaying means comprises switching means mounted on each said first calculator and at least one detached said remote calculating means for respectively selectively placing said first calculator and said at least one detached remote calculating means into one of a transmitting and receiving mode.