Appliance and method of using same having a delete capability for saved data

• US 6,292,273 B1
• Filed: 08/07/1998
• Issued: 09/18/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Dalton, Dan L., Dow, James C., Formosa, Daniel, Nieves, Sandra, Shepard, Nancy, Rudd, Michael L., Hamburger, Paul, DeVries, Michael J., Ruffatto, Karin C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Cheukfan
• Application Number:
  US09/130,082
• Time in Patent Office: 1,138 Days
• Field of Search: 358/473, 358/474, 358/494, 358/471, 358/442, 358/444, 358/404, 382/313, 382/189, 345/473, 345/348, 345/950, 345/173, 345/18.01, 345/179, 345/349, 707/539, 707/541, 707/530
• US Class Current: 358/473
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00384 Key input means, e.g. buttons or keypads electromechanical details of key input means in general H01H13/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00408 Display of information to the user, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00411 the display also being used for user input, e.g. touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00413 using menus, i.e. presenting the user with a plurality of selectable options H04N1/00464 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00472 using a pop-up window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00477 Indicating status, e.g. of a job for control or supervision between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device H04N2201/3219
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00482 outputting a plurality of job set-up options, e.g. number of copies, paper size or resolution
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/107 with manual scanning
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32358 using picture signal storage, e.g. at transmitter H04N1/17 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3295 Deletion of stored data; Preventing such deletion

Abstract

A hand-held image capture and communication appliance and method of using same are provided wherein images may be captured and saved in an internal memory. The appliance includes a processor for manipulating and exhibiting the images on a built-in display screen. Program code stored in the internal memory and executed by the processor includes a delete page module for purging the memory of captured images when they are no longer needed. The delete page module includes a code segment for displaying an animation, which, in the preferred embodiment, is designed to convey the concept to the user that a delete operation is irreversible. One implementation of the animation shows the deleted page or group of pages turn into ashes, which is a metaphor for the permanence of the delete operation. A confirmation prompt is provided prior to carrying out the delete operation to inform the user how many pages or images will be deleted and what percentage of memory will be freed. In addition, the confirmation prompt allows further consideration by the user before the deleted request is fulfilled.

Claims

1. A hand-held image capture and communication appliance, comprising:

a photoelement array for capturing image data;

a memory for saving said image data;

a processor in communication with said memory;

a display in communication with said processor for exhibiting said image data; and

program code stored in said memory and executed by said processor, said program code comprising a delete page module for purging said image data from said memory.

2. The appliance of claim 1, wherein said program code further comprises:

a first code segment for displaying an animation on said display.

3. The appliance of claim 2, wherein said program code further comprises:

a second code segment for displaying a delete confirmation prompt on said display.

4. The appliance of claim 1, wherein said program code further comprises:

a third code segment for displaying valid appliance operations on said display based on a current state and processing any response thereto.

5. The appliance of claim 1, wherein said delete page module comprises:

a first code segment for displaying a delete confirmation prompt on said display; and

a second code segment for displaying an animation on said display.

6. The appliance of claim 5, wherein said animation is a metaphor for an irreversible deletion of said image data from said memory.

7. The appliance of claim 6, wherein said metaphor is a page of said image data turning into ash.

8. The appliance of claim 5, wherein said first code segment further comprises:

a fourth code segment for displaying a number of pages of said image data to be purged from said memory on said display.

9. The appliance of claim 5, wherein said first code segment further comprises:

a fifth code segment for displaying a percentage of said memory to be made available on said display when said image data is purged from said memory.

10. A hand-held image capture and communication appliance, comprising:

capturing means for acquiring image data;

storage means for saving said image data;

processing means in communication with said storage means;

display means in communication with said processing means for exhibiting said image data; and

program code stored in said storage means and executed by said processing means, said program code comprising a delete page module for purging said image data from said storage means.

11. The appliance of claim 10, wherein said program code further comprises:

a menu module for displaying valid appliance operations on said display based on a current state and processing any response thereto.

12. The appliance of claim 10, wherein said delete page module comprises:

a first code segment for displaying a delete confirmation prompt on said display.

13. The appliance of claim 10, wherein said delete page module comprises:

a first code segment for displaying an animation on said display.

14. The appliance of claim 10, wherein said delete page module comprises:

a first code segment for displaying a delete confirmation prompt on said display; and

a second code segment for displaying an animation on said display means.

15. The appliance of claim 14, wherein said first code segment further comprises:

a third code segment for displaying a number of pages of said image data to be purged from said storage means on said display means; and

a fourth code segment for displaying a percentage of said storage means to be made available on said display means when said image data is purged from said storage means.

16. The appliance of claim 14, wherein said animation is a metaphor for an irreversible deletion of said image data from said storage means.

17. The appliance of claim 16, wherein said metaphor is a page of said. image data turning into ash.