Computer system supporting portable interactive graphics display tablet and communications systems

• US 6,084,584 A
• Filed: 10/01/1996
• Issued: 07/04/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Altera Corporation (Intel Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Diamond Multimedia Systems Incorporated (SONICblue Incorporated)
• Inventors: Wright, Daniel W., Nahi, Paul B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bayerl, Raymond J.
• Application Number:
  US08/725,004
• Time in Patent Office: 1,372 Days
• Field of Search: 345/329, 345/332, 345/326, 345/169, 345/156, 345/2, 345/504, 345/522, 345/526, 395/200.33, 395/200.31, 395/200.38, 395/683
• US Class Current: 715/864
• 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 1/169 the I/O peripheral being an integrated pointing device, e.g. trackball in the palm rest area, mini-joystick integrated between keyboard keys, touch pads or touch stripes G06F1/1643 takes precedence; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033

Abstract

A portable display tablet is operated in conjunction with a base computer system including a host processor for executing an application program with an operational function that generates graphics data and operates in response to input data. The computer system includes a wireless data transceiver coupled to the processor that is capable of communicating the graphics and input data between the computer and portable display tablet. The portable display tablet includes a graphics display panel for displaying the graphical data, a low power wireless data transceiver providing short range data communication of the graphics and input data between the base computer system and portable display tablet, and a controller, embedded within the portable display tablet and coupled to the low power wireless data transceiver, that executes a control program to process the graphics data to provide the graphical display data to the graphics display panel.

Claims

1. A computer system coupleable to a wide area network directly or through a local area network, for providing computing services within a predetermined area, said computer system comprising

a) a host computer providing for the execution of a host program that provides a stream of graphics display commands and graphics display data objects that, when graphically rendered, represents an interactive graphical user interface, and that is responsive to user provided input data;

b) a host wireless transceiver coupleable to said host computer, wherein a portion of said wireless transceiver is locatable within said predetermined area to enable the wireless exchange of said stream and said user provided input data; and

c) one or more interactive graphical display tablets operable within said predetermined area with respect to said host computer, each of said interactive graphical display tablets including;

i) a graphics display suitable for presenting said interactive graphical user interface;

ii) a data input device for collecting said user provided input data;

iii) a tablet wireless transceiver for exchanging said stream and said user provided input data; and

iv) a processor, coupled between said graphics display, said data input device, and said tablet wireless transceiver, providing for the execution of a control program implementing graphics display commands that provide for the rendering of graphics display data objects,

wherein said host computer selectively provides modified graphics display commands and selectively omits providing graphics display data objects as said stream to said host wireless transceiver.

2. The computer system of claim 1 wherein execution of said control program provides for the implementation of device driver level display commands that provide for the execution of graphics display commands.

3. The computer system of claim 1 wherein said tablet wireless transceiver operates as a low-power transceiver within a predetermined band of radio frequencies.

4. The computer system of claim 1 wherein each of said interactive graphic display tablets further includes a case providing for the mutual support of said graphics display, said data input device, said tablet wireless transceiver, and said processor, said case providing first and second carrying points suitable for use both when said interactive graphic display tablet is held and operated by a stationary user and when carried during portable operation.

5. The computer system of claim 4 wherein said data input device is positioned adjacent said first carrying point suitably to permit use when said interactive graphic display tablet is held and operated by a stationary user and when carried during portable operation.

6. The computer system of claim 1 wherein said processor includes a memory storage area, wherein said control program provides for the ordered execution of display commands with reference to display data objects, and wherein execution of said control program provides for the receipt and storage of display data objects received aspecifically with respect to display command instances.

7. The computer system of claim 6 wherein said host computer identifies predetermined display data objects as received from said wide area network with respect to each of said interactive graphical display tablets and wherein said host computer provides said predetermined display data objects to their respective interactive graphical display tablets for storage pending the generation of corresponding display commands.

8. The computer system of claim 7 wherein said host program determines the position and portion of said predetermined display data objects, when graphically rendered by said interactive graphical display tablets, by generation of corresponding display commands.

9. The computer system of claim 8 wherein said host program generates display commands specific to each of said interactive graphical display tablets and wherein said host program is responsive in generating display commands to an application program executed by said host computer with respect to an associated one of said interactive graphical display tablets.

10. The computer system of claim 1 wherein said host computer executes one or more application programs with respect to a predetermined interactive display tablet, wherein said host program provides compressed display data objects to and tracks storage of compressed display data objects by said predetermined interactive display tablet, said host program transferring a predetermined compressed display data object from said stream to said predetermined interactive display tablet and a predetermined application program, said host program subsequently providing a predetermined reference to said predetermined compressed display data object in connection with a predetermined display command provided to said predetermined interactive display tablet, and wherein said predetermined interactive display tablet is responsive to said predetermined reference for selecting said predetermined compressed display data object for decompression and rendering in connection with said predetermined display command.

11. A computer system supporting one or more portable wireless interactive graphics displays operable within a predefined area, said computer system comprising:

a) a host computer system including a first processor that executes a communications program and an application program, and a wireless transceiver, coupled to said first processor, that transmits first data and receives second data; and

b) a portable wireless interactive graphics display device that includes a second processor that executes a control program, a wireless transceiver that transmits second data and receives first data, an output display that graphically represents said first data, and an input device that provides said second data, said second processor being coupled between said wireless transceiver, said output display and said input device,

wherein said host computer system, through execution of said communications program, provides encoded graphical data objects and data object tags within said first data to said portable graphics display device, said communications program establishing a relation between a predetermined encoded graphical data object and a predetermined data object tag, and

wherein said portable graphics display device, through execution of said control program, utilizes said relation to select said predetermined encoded graphical data object following receipt of said predetermined data object tag.

12. The computer system of claim 11 wherein said second processor provides for the decoding of said predetermined encoded graphical data object suitably for display rendering, and wherein said second processor resolves said predetermined data object tag to an instance of said predetermined encoded graphical data object.

13. The computer system of claim 12 wherein said first data further includes display commands and display command data said second processor providing for the storage of encoded graphical data objects, execution of display commands associated with display command data and execution of display commands associated with data object tags.

14. The computer system of claim 13 wherein said host computer system selectively provides said portable graphics display device with an instance of said predetermined encoded graphical display data object and instances of said predetermined data object tag in conjunction with respective display commands.

15. The computer system of claim 14 wherein said host computer system selectively provides said portable graphics display device with said instance of said predetermined encoded graphical display data object separate from any particular display command.

16. The computer system of claim 15 wherein said host computer system prepares said instance of said predetermined encoded graphical display data object in connection with the generation of a predetermined display command.

17. A computer system comprising:

a) a host computer that executes an operating system and a predetermined application program, said operating system including a routine providing for the transfer of display commands and display data objects, as defined by execution of said predetermined application program and wherein said display commands reference corresponding display data objects, to a first wireless transceiver and for receipt of input data, from said first wireless transceiver, for transfer to said predetermined application program; and

b) a portable graphics display device, including a second wireless transceiver, responsive to said display commands and said display data objects as received from said second wireless transceiver and that provides said input data to said second wireless transceiver, said host computer providing for the caching of selected said display data objects by said portable graphics display device for subsequent rendering and display upon reference by selected said display commands, and wherein said host computer selectively modifies said selected display commands to reference said selected display data objects and omitting the transfer of corresponding ones of said display data objects from transfer to said to said first wireless transceiver.

18. The computer system of claim 17 wherein said host computer, in execution of said routine, provides for the transfer of a compressed display data object to said portable graphics display device upon interception of said compressed display data object being provided to said predetermined application program.

19. The computer system of claim 18 wherein said host computer, in execution of said routine, alternately provides for the compression of a display data object produced by execution of said predetermined application program to provide said compressed display data object to said portable graphics display device.

20. The computer system of claim 19 wherein said compressed display data object is associated with a tag on transfer to said portable graphics display device, and wherein said routine provides a display command and reference to said tag to cause said portable graphics display device to decompress and use an instance of said compressed display data object in connection with the execution of said display command by said portable graphics display device.