System for remotely programming a portable information device using visible optical pattern transmitted from a display device while concurrently displaying human-readable explanation of the pattern
First Claim
1. A method for remotely programming a programmable portable information device using optical data transmission from a visual display device, the portable information device having an optical sensor, the method comprising the following steps:
- displaying, on the visual display device, a sequence of changing optical patterns in a first color that is detectable by the optical sensor of the portable information device to optically transmit a serial stream of data; and
displaying, on the visual display device concurrently with the sequence of optical patterns, a human-readable image in a second color different from the first color that cannot be detected by the optical sensor to explain to a user the data being optically transmitted through use of the optical patterns, wherein the optical patterns in the first color and the human-readable image in the second color are visible to a human eye.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method is provided for remotely and optically programming a portable information device, such as a programmable watch, using a visual display device, such as a CRT monitor. The monitor displays a sequence of changing optical patterns used to optically transmit a serial stream of data. The optically programmable watch has an optical sensor which detects the sequence of optical patterns to optically receive the data stream. The optical patterns transmit machine-readable information that can be detected by the optical sensor, but no meaningful information to a user. The visual display device therefore also displays a human-readable image that explains to a user the sequence of optical patterns being used to transmit the data stream. The human-readable image is displayed in a manner that renders it undetectable by the optical sensor of the programmable watch.
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Citations
12 Claims
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1. A method for remotely programming a programmable portable information device using optical data transmission from a visual display device, the portable information device having an optical sensor, the method comprising the following steps:
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displaying, on the visual display device, a sequence of changing optical patterns in a first color that is detectable by the optical sensor of the portable information device to optically transmit a serial stream of data; and displaying, on the visual display device concurrently with the sequence of optical patterns, a human-readable image in a second color different from the first color that cannot be detected by the optical sensor to explain to a user the data being optically transmitted through use of the optical patterns, wherein the optical patterns in the first color and the human-readable image in the second color are visible to a human eye. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A method for remotely programming a programmable portable information device using optical serial data transmission from a display device having a scanning light source, the portable information device having an optical sensor, the method comprising the following steps:
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displaying, on the visual display devices a sequence of changing optical patterns of long scanning duration that is detectable by the optical sensor of the portable information device to optically transmit a serial stream of data; and displaying, on the display concurrently with the sequence of optical patterns, a human-readable image in discrete scanning bursts of comparatively short scanning duration that cannot be detected by the optical sensor to explain to a user the data being optically transmitted through use of the optical patterns, wherein the optical patterns and the human-readable image are visible to a human eye. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6)
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7. A system comprising:
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a portable information device having an optical sensor; a display device to display a sequence of changing optical patterns in a first color that is detectable by the optical sensor of the portable information device to transmit a serial stream of data to the portable information device; and the display device also displaying a human-readable image in a second color different from the first color that cannot be detected by the optical sensor to explain to a user the data being optically transmitted through use of the optical patterns, wherein the optical patterns in the first color and the human-readable image in the second color are concurrently displayed and are visible to a human eye.
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8. A system comprising:
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a portable information device having an optical sensor; a display device to display a sequence of changing optical patterns of long scanning duration that is detectable by the optical sensor of the portable information device to optically transmit a serial stream of data; and the display device also displaying a human-readable image in discrete scanning bursts of comparatively short scanning duration that cannot be detected by the optical sensor to explain to a user the data being optically transmitted through use of the optical patterns, wherein the optical patters and the human-readable image are concurrently displayed and are visible to a human eye. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10)
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11. A computer program embodied on a computer-readable medium to be used in a computer for programming a portable information device that is equipped with an optical sensors comprising:
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code to direct a visual display device to display a sequence of changing optical patterns in a first color that is detectable by the optical sensor of the portable information device to optically transmit a serial stream of data to the portable information device; and code to direct the visual display device to display a human-readable image in a second color different from the first color that cannot be detected by the optical sensor to explain to a user the data being optically transmitted through use of the optical patterns, wherein the optical patterns in the first color and the human-readable image in the second color are concurrently displayed and are visible to a human eye.
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12. A computer program embodied on a computer-readable medium to be used in a computer for programming a portable information device that is equipped with an optical sensor, comprising:
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code to direct a visual display device to display a sequence of changing optical patterns of long scanning duration that is detectable by the optical sensor of the portable information device to optically transmit a serial stream of data to the portable information device; and code to direct the visual display device to display a human-readable image in discrete scanning bursts of comparatively short scanning duration that cannot be detected by the optical sensor to explain to a user the data being optically transmitted through use of the optical patterns, wherein the optical patterns and the human-readable image are concurrently displayed and are visible to a human eye.
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Specification