System using position detector to determine location and orientation between computers to select information to be transferred via wireless medium

• US 5,906,657 A
• Filed: 07/01/1996
• Issued: 05/25/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Tognazzini, Bruce
• Primary Examiner(s): Luu, Le Hien
• Application Number:
  US08/671,297
• Time in Patent Office: 1,058 Days
• Field of Search: 707/201, 345/158, 345/173, 178/18.06, 709/248, 709/213, 709/217
• US Class Current: 709/248
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A handheld computing device is used to copy files from the screen of a fixed computer. The display of the handheld device is linked to that of the underlying computer and file and directory icons together with their underlying files are copied to the handheld device. Files from the handheld device can also be transferred to the fixed computer. When a user is running a program on the fixed computer, he may capture the state of that computer and transfer everything needed to permit execution of that program to continue uninterrupted on the handheld device. Thus files and executing programs may be lifted from the fixed computer and used on the handheld device.

Claims

1. Computer apparatus for linking with a portable computer for the transfer of information, comprising:

a. a bus;

b. a central processing unit connected to and controlling said bus;

c. a wireless transceiver connected to said bus for sending information to said portable computer; and

d. a position detector, connected to said bus, for determining the location and orientation of said portable computer with respect to said computer apparatus to select said information.

2. Computer apparatus of claim 1 in which said position detector comprises a photocell.

3. Computer apparatus of claim 1 in which said position detector comprises a Polhemus receiver.

4. Computer apparatus of claim 1 in which said wireless transceiver is an infrared transceiver.

5. Computer apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a display and a video buffer for providing said information to said wireless transceiver.

6. Computer apparatus of claim 5 in which said video buffer provides display information to said wireless transceiver based on the location and orientation of said portable computer.

7. A method of linking the display screens of a first and a second computer, to display the same information, comprising the steps of:

a. providing an element for performing a step of determining the position of said second computer relative to the first computer; and

b. providing an element for performing a step of transferring display information from said first computer to said second computer for display on the display screen of said second computer when the position of said display information on the display screen of said first computer lies directly underneath a location on the display screen of said second computer.

8. A method of freezing an image on a display screen of a computer, comprising the steps of:

a. providing an element for performing a step of linking the screens of a first computer and said second computer over a wireless transceiver to display the same information;

b. providing an element for performing a step of determining the position of said second computer relative to the first computer; and

c. providing an element for performing a step of transferring display information from said first computer to said second computer for display on the display screen of said second computer

(1) when the position of said display information on the display screen of said first computer lies directly underneath a location on the display screen of said second computer and the distance separating said display screen of said first computer and the display screen of said second computer is less than a fixed amount; and

(2) otherwise, freezing the information on said display screen of said second computer.

9. A computer program product comprising:

a. a memory medium; and

b. a computer program stored on said medium, said program comprising instructions for determining the position of a second computer relative to a first computer; and

for transferring display information from said first computer to said second computer for display on the display screen of said second computer when the position of said display information on the display screen of said first computer lies directly underneath a location on the display screen of said second computer.

10. A computer program product comprising:

a. a memory medium; and

b. a computer program stored on said medium, said program comprising instructions for linking the screens of a first computer and said second computer over a wireless transceiver to display the same information;

determining the position of said second computer relative to the first computer; and

transferring display information from said first computer to said second computer for display on the display screen of said second computer

(1) when the position of said display information on the display screen of said first computer lies directly underneath a location on the display screen of said second computer and the distance separating said display screen of said first computer and the display screen of said second computer is less than a fixed amount; and

(2) otherwise, freezing the information on said display screen of said second computer.