Satellite digital assistant and host/satellite computer system wherein coupling the host and the satellite by a host interface communication system results in digital communication and synchronization of files

• US 5,793,957 A
• Filed: 10/17/1996
• Issued: 08/11/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/1993
• 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): Robertson, David L.
• Application Number:
  US08/733,341
• Time in Patent Office: 663 Days
• Field of Search: 395/800, 395/200.78, 395/200.41, 395/200.83, 395/283
• US Class Current: 709/211
• 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 1/206 comprising thermal management
• 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: H04M 1/725 Cordless telephones user interfaces specially adapted therefor H04M1/724
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/06 Simultaneous speech and data transmission, e.g. telegraphic transmission over the same conductors
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42314 in private branch exchanges
• 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 1/00411 the display also being used for user input, e.g. touch screen
• 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

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 stores 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.

Claims

1. A combination host/satellite computer system comprising:

a host computer having a host CPU, a host memory, and a host communication interface coupled to the host CPU; and

a satellite digital assistant having a satellite CPU, a satellite memory, and a satellite communication interface coupled to the satellite CPU, the satellite communication interface compatible with the host communication interface;

wherein coupling the host computer to the satellite digital assistant through the host and satellite communication interfaces causes automatic synchronization, without manual input or initiation by a user, of stored entities between the host computer and the satellite digital assistant, such that stored entities having the same identification in the host memory and the satellite memory, but having different time or date stamps, are updated to the latest version.

2. The combination host/satellite computer system of claim 1 wherein, prior to the synchronization of stored entities, the host requests an identifier code of the satellite, and the satellite provides the identifier code.

3. The combination host/satellite computer system of claim 1 wherein the satellite digital assistant comprises a parallel bus connecting the satellite CPU and the satellite memory, and wherein coupling the host computer to the satellite digital assistant through the host and satellite communication interfaces causes the host to master the parallel bus and the satellite memory.

4. The combination host/satellite computer system of claim 1 wherein the host and satellite communication interfaces comprise full-service parallel buses connectable through mating multi-pin connectors.

5. The combination host/satellite computer system of claim 4 wherein the satellite digital assistant has a form factor of a standard Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA) card module and the host computer has a PCMCIA-compatible docking bay, and wherein the full-service parallel buses conform to a PCMCIA standard.

6. The combination host/satellite computer system of claim 1 wherein the satellite digital assistant further comprises a combination touchscreen/display implemented on a surface of the satellite enclosure.

7. The combination host/satellite computer system of claim 1 additionally comprising a nonvolatile storage device connected to the satellite CPU and containing a code unique to the digital assistant module, for uniquely identifying the personal digital assistant to connecting digital devices.

8. A satellite digital assistant module, comprising:

an enclosure for enclosing and supporting internal elements;

a satellite CPU within the enclosure for managing functions of the satellite digital assistant module;

a satellite memory connected by an internal bus to the satellite CPU for storing data and executable routines; and

a communication interface adapted for communicating with host computers;

wherein, coupling the communication interface of the satellite digital assistant to a compatible communication interface of a host computer initiates automatic synchronization, without manual input or initiation by a user of stored entities between the host computer and the satellite digital assistant module, such that stored entities having the same identification in the host memory and the satellite memory, but having different time or date stamps, are updated to the latest version.

9. The satellite digital assistant module of claim 8 wherein, prior to the synchronization of stored entities, the satellite digital assistant provides a stored identification code to the host.

10. The satellite digital assistant module of claim 8 wherein the satellite digital assistant comprises a parallel bus connecting the satellite CPU and the satellite memory, and wherein coupling the satellite digital assistant through the communication interface to the compatible communication interface of the host computer causes the host to master the parallel bus in the satellite digital assistant and the satellite memory.

11. The satellite digital assistant module of claim 8 wherein the communication interface comprises a full-service parallel buses connectable to a host through mating multi-pin connectors.

12. The satellite digital assistant module of claim 11 having a form factor of a standard Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA) card module, wherein the parallel bus is a PCMCIA standard bus.

13. The satellite digital assistant module of claim 8 wherein the satellite digital assistant module further comprises a combination touchscreen/display implemented on a surface of the satellite enclosure.

14. The satellite digital assistant module of claim 8 additionally comprising a nonvolatile storage device connected to the satellite CPU and containing a code unique to the satellite digital assistant module, for uniquely identifying the satellite digital assistant to connecting digital devices.