Television interface for handheld calculator for enhanced television display

• US 6,753,927 B2
• Filed: 04/16/2001
• Issued: 06/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Inventors: Shtyrenkov, Mikhail Y.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Michael H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DESIR, JEAN WICEL
• Application Number:
  US09/835,687
• Publication Number:
  US 20010035913A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,163 Days
• Field of Search: 348/552, 348/553, 348/563, 348/729, 348/567, 348/569, 348/441, 348/445, 348/555, 348/556, 348/558, 345/2.1, 345/2.2, 345/2.3, 345/169, 345/440, 345/157, 345/440.1, 708/105, 708/109, 708/130, 708/139
• US Class Current: 348/552
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/0225 User interface arrangements, e.g. keyboard, display; Interfaces to other computer systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/002 Special television systems not provided for by H04N7/007 - H04N7/18 still pictures via a television channel H04N1/00098

Abstract

An interface (10) for connecting a calculator (12) to a standard television (11), so that the calculator'"'"'s display can be re-displayed on the television (1). The interface also receives input from a pointing device (10a) such as a mouse, which permits the areas of the television display to be pointed to, highlighted, or otherwise manipulated.

Claims

1. An interface that receives display data input from a calculator and outputs video data, and that is used with a pointing device, comprising:

a processing unit;

memory for storing programming for the processing unit, such that the processing unit is operable to determine a calculator display type and to convert the display data from the calculator to video data in a format suitable for display by a video device, thereby generating a calculator screen image; and

a connector for connecting the pointing device to the interface;

wherein the memory further stores programming such that the processing unit is operable to receive input from the pointing device and to generate video data that represents movement of a pointer within the calculator screen image.

2. The interface of claim 1, wherein the pointing device has one or more buttons and the processing unit is further operable to receive button input for making selections.

3. The interface of claim 1, wherein the processing unit is further operable to generate video data for manipulating areas on the calculator screen image.

4. The interface of claim 1, wherein the processing unit is further operable to generate video data for a keypad image in addition to the calculator screen image.

5. The interface of claim 4, wherein the processing unit is further operable to receive input from the pointing device representing selections on the keypad image and to process the input to simulate operation of the calculator.

6. The interface of claim 4, further comprising a buffer for the keypad display and a buffer for the calculator screen display.

7. The interface of claim 1, wherein the processing unit is further operable to generate a display of a keypad sequence.

8. An interface that receives display data input from a calculator and outputs video data, and that is used with a pointing device, comprising:

a programmable logic device that receives the display data from the calculator and performs hard logic processing of the display data;

a processor that receives partially processed display data from the logic device, performs software processing of the display data, and outputs video data that represents a calculator screen image and that has a format suitable for display by a video device;

memory for storing programming for the processor;

wherein the processor is further operable to receive input from the pointing device and to generate video data that represents movement of a pointer within the calculator screen image and wherein the programmable logic device is further operable to determine the type of display format used by the calculator and to deliver a format identifier signal to the processor.

9. The interface of claim 8, wherein the logic device is a field programmable gate array.

10. The interface of claim 8, wherein the programmable logic device is further operable to separate a portion of the display data, and wherein the processor uses the portion of the display data to determine the type of display format and delivers a control signal to the programmable logic device that determines the processing to be performed by the logic device.

11. The interface of claim 8, wherein the pointing device has one or more buttons and the processor is further operable to receive button input for making selections.

12. The interface of claim 8, wherein the processor is further operable to generate video data for manipulating areas on the calculator screen image.

13. The interface of claim 8, wherein the processor is further operable to generate video data for a keypad image in addition to the calculator screen image.

14. The interface of claim 13, wherein the processor is further operable to receive input from the pointing device representing selections on the keypad image and to process the input to simulate operation of the calculator.

15. The interface of claim 13, further comprising a buffer for the keypad display image and a buffer for the calculator screen image.

16. The interface of claim 8, wherein the processor is further operable to generate a display of a keypad sequence.

17. A method of reformatting a display data signal from a calculator for a video device, comprising the steps of:

receiving the display data signal from the calculator;

determining a calculator display type;

reformatting the display data to a video format suitable for the video device, thereby generating video data that represents a calculator screen image;

receiving input from a pointing device; and

generating video data that represents movement of a pointer within the calculator screen image.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of generating video data that represents a keypad of the calculator, receiving input from the pointing device representing selections on the keypad, and processing the input to simulate operation of the calculator.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of generating video data that represents a keystroke sequence.

20. An interface that receives display data input from a calculator and outputs video data, and that is used with a pointing device, comprising:

a programmable logic device that receives the display data from the calculator and performs hard logic processing of the display data;

a processor that receives partially processed display data from the logic device, performs software processing of the display data, and outputs video data that represents a calculator screen image and that has a format suitable for display by a video device;

memory for storing programming for the processor;

wherein the processing unit is further operable to receive input from the pointing device and to generate video data that represents movement of a pointer within the calculator screen image, wherein the programmable logic device is further operable to separate a portion of the display data, and wherein the processor uses the portion of the display data to determine the type of display format and delivers a control signal to the programmable logic device that determines the processing to be performed by the logic device.

21. The interface of claim 20, wherein the logic device is a field programmable gate array.

22. The interface of claim 20, wherein the programmable logic device is further operable to determine the type of display format used by the calculator and to deliver a format identifier signal to the processor.

23. The interface of claim 20, wherein the pointing device has one or more buttons and the processing unit is further operable to receive button input for making selections.

24. The interface of claim 20, wherein the processing unit is further operable to generate video data for manipulating areas on the calculator screen image.

25. The interface of claim 20, wherein the processing unit is further operable to generate video data for a keypad image in addition to the calculator screen image.

26. The interface of claim 25, wherein the processing unit is further operable to receive input from the pointing device representing selections on the keypad image and to process the input to simulate operation of the calculator.

27. The interface of claim 25, further comprising a buffer for the keypad image and a buffer for the calculator screen display.

28. The interface of claim 20, wherein the processing unit is further operable to generate a display of a keypad sequence.

29. An interface between a calculator and a display device, the interface comprising:

means for receiving display data from the calculator and performing hard logic processing of the display data;

means for receiving partially processed display data;

means for determining the type of display format used by the calculator,

means for outputting video data for display by the display device, the video data representing a calculator screen image;

means for indicating a location on the display device;

means for receiving input from the means for indicating; and

means for generating video data that represents movement of the means for indicating within the calculator screen image.

30. The interface of claim 29, wherein the means for receiving display data comprises a field programmable gate array.

31. The interface of claim 29, wherein the means for indicating has one or more buttons and means for receiving button input for making selections.

32. The interface of claim 29, further comprising means for generating video data for manipulating areas on the calculator screen image.

33. The interface of claim 29, comprising means for generating video data for a keypad image.

34. The interface of claim 33, further comprising means for receiving input representing selections on the keypad image from the means for indicating and processing the input to simulate operation of the calculator.

35. The interface of claim 33, further comprising means for buffering the keypad image and means for buffering the calculator screen image.

36. The interface of claim 29, further comprising means for generating a display of a keypad sequence.