Micro personal digital assistant

• US 5,708,840 A
• Filed: 03/04/1996
• Issued: 01/13/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Inpro II Licensing SARL
• Original Assignee: Elonex IP Holdings Limited
• Inventors: Kikinis, Dan, Dornier, Pascal, Seiler, William J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Harvey, Jack B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DARBE, VALERIE A
• Application Number:
  US08/610,242
• Time in Patent Office: 680 Days
• Field of Search: 395/800, 364/237.9, 364/972, 364/920.7, 364/927.2, 364/927.6, 364/927.64, 341/137
• US Class Current: 708/105
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• 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 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/203 for portable computers, e.g. for laptops
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/409 Mechanical coupling back panels H05K7/1438
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/62 Protecting access to data via a platform, e.g. using keys or access control rules
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2223/052 reductible in size, e.g. for transportation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42323 PBX's with CTI arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00127 Connection or combination of a still picture apparatus with another apparatus, e.g. for storage, processing or transmission of still picture signals or of information associated with a still picture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00236 using an image reading or reproducing device, e.g. a facsimile reader or printer, as a local input to or local output from a computer image input to or image output from a computer via a network H04N1/00209
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00241 using an image reading device as a local input to a computer input via network, e.g. network scanners H04N1/00225
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00326 with a data reading, recognizing or recording apparatus, e.g. with a bar-code apparatus arrangements for the associated working of recording or reproducing apparatus with related apparatus G11B31/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00331 with an apparatus performing optical character recognition character recognition G06V30/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00334 with an apparatus processing barcodes or the like arrangements for sensing record carriers G06K7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00339 with an electronic or magnetic storage medium I/O device RFID or the like H04N1/00342
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00392 Other manual input means, e.g. digitisers or writing tablets
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00411 the display also being used for user input, e.g. touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00538 Modular devices, i.e. allowing combinations of separate components, removal or replacement of components
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/107 with manual scanning
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/195 : the array comprising a two-dimensional array or a combination of two-dimensional arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0049 : By wire, cable or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0051 : Card-type connector, e.g. PCMCIA card interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0053 : Optical, e.g. using an infrared link
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0063 : Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0273 : having extensions for peripherals, e.g. LAN, antennas details of antennas H01Q1/2275

Abstract

A personal digital assistant module with a local CPU, memory, and I/O interface has a host interface comprising a bus connected to the local CPU and a connector at a surface of the personal digital assistant for interfacing to a bus connector of a host general-purpose computer, providing direct bus communication between the personal digital assistant and the host general-purpose computer. In an embodiment, the personal digital assistant also has a means for storing a security code. The personal digital assistant according to the invention forms a host/satellite combination with a host computer having a docking bay, wherein upon docking a docking protocol controls access by the host to memory of the personal digital assistant based on one or more passwords provided by a user to the host. In another embodiment the personal digital assistant also has an expansion port connected to the local CPU, and expansion peripheral devices may be connected and operated through the expansion port. Also disclosed are various embodiments for host systems compatible with personal digital assistants according to the invention, and a scanner system useful with displays of both personal digital assistants and hosts.

Claims

1. A scanning and image capturing system, comprising:

a digital assistant module having a CPU for managing functions of the digital assistant module, a combination touchscreen/display apparatus, and a host interface system including a host interface bus connected to the CPU and to a first portion of a host interface connector; and

a host computer having a host video display including a display surface for illuminating pixel elements, video adapter circuitry, a photosensitive film overlying a portion of the display surface, apparatus for communicating signals generated by the photosensitive film to the host computer, and a module bay within the structure of the host computer adapted to dock the digital assistant by connecting to the host interface connector;

wherein the host computer is adapted for scanning the display surface by illuminating selected pixel locations through the video adapter circuitry, for recording a raster file based on signals generated by the photosensitive film in response to the scanning, and for downloading the resulting raster file to the digital assistant module.

2. A scanning and image capturing system as in claim 1 further comprising mounting apparatus for mounting a hard copy document adjacent the host video display.

3. A scanning and image capturing system as in claim 1 wherein the photosensitive film comprises a layer of substantially transparent material integral with the front surface of the host video display.

4. A scanning and image capturing system as in claim 1 wherein the photosensitive film is a part of a separate and removable panel configured for mounting adjacent to the display surface.

5. A scanning and image capturing system as in claim 1 wherein the host video display comprises a cathode ray tube.

6. A scanning and image capturing system as in claim 1 wherein the host video display comprises an LED display matrix.

7. A scanning and image capturing system as in claim 1 wherein the host video display comprises an array of electroluminescent cells.

8. A scanning and image capturing system as in claim 1 wherein the photosensitive layer is a photovoltaic film, and the signals generated as a result of incident light comprise variations in voltage.

9. A scanning and image capturing system as in claim 1 wherein the raster file is stored in a host memory.

10. A scanning and image capturing system as in claim 1 wherein the raster file is stored in the memory of the digital assistant module.

11. A scanning and image capturing system as in claim 1 wherein the personal digital assistant module and the docking bay are implemented according to a Personal Computer Memory Card International Association standard type I, II, or three.

12. A scanning and image capturing system as in claim 1 wherein the host computer is a desktop computer.

13. A scanning and image capturing system as in claim 1 wherein the host computer is a portable laptop computer having a display hinged to a case enclosing computer circuitry and elements.

14. A scanning and image capturing system as in claim 1 wherein the host computer is a palmtop computer.