Creation, transmission and retrieval of information

• US 6,917,722 B1
• Filed: 09/20/2000
• Issued: 07/12/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NCR Corporation
• Original Assignee: NCR Corporation
• Inventors: Bloomfield, Mark E.
• Primary Examiner(s): CHANG, JON CARLTON
• Application Number:
  US09/666,655
• Time in Patent Office: 1,756 Days
• Field of Search: 382/314, 382/317, 382120-122, 382/188, 382/313, 358/473
• US Class Current: 382/313
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/955 using information identifiers, e.g. uniform resource locators [URL]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/00 Input arrangements for transferring data to be processed into a form capable of being handled by the computer; Output arrangements for transferring data from processing unit to output unit, e.g. interface arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/142 using hand-held instruments; Constructional details of the instruments

Abstract

A hand-held control device (10) for controlling a terminal (30) connectable by a communications network to an addressed resource. The device (10) comprises address input means for scanning and recognizing a text address (26) of the resource, such as a URL, e-mail address or telephone number, and command output means for uploading address information from the device (10) to the terminal (30) whereupon the terminal (30) is caused to connect to the addressed resource.

Claims

1. A hand-held control device for controlling a terminal connectable by a communications network to an addressed resource, the device comprising:

address input means for scanning a text address of the resource;

command output means for uploading address information from the device to the terminal and causing the terminal to connect to the addressed resource; and

recognition means for recognizing the nature of the addressed resource from the format of the scanned text address.

2. A device according to claim 1, further comprising means for retrieving an application launch code suitable to launch an application on the terminal appropriate to the nature of the addressed resource.

3. A device according to claim 2, further including means for appending the application launch code to the address information before upload to the terminal.

4. A device according to claim 3, further comprising means for storing the address information with an associated application launch code until upload to the terminal.

5. A hand-held control device for controlling a terminal connectable by a communications network to an addressed resource, the device comprising:

address input means for scanning a text address of the resource;

command output means for uploading address information from the device to the terminal and causing the terminal to connect to the addressed resource; and

control means responsive to the orientation and/or movement of the device, the control means includes a tilt switch or an array of tilt switches arranged to sense orientation of the device.

6. A hand-held control device for controlling a terminal connectable by a communications network to an addressed resource, the device comprising:

address input means for scanning a text address of the resource;

command output means for uploading address information from the device to the terminal and causing the terminal to connect to the addressed resource; and

control means responsive to the orientation and/or movement of the device, the control means includes an accelerometer or an array of accelerometers arranged to sense orientation or movement of the device.

7. A device according to claim 6, wherein the control means is arranged to sense movement of a head end of the device when the device is used as a writing instrument.

8. A hand-held control device for controlling a terminal connectable by a communications network to an addressed resource, the device comprising:

address input means for scanning a text address of the resource;

command output means for uploading address information from the device to the terminal and causing the terminal to connect to the addressed resource; and

control means responsive to the orientation and/or movement of the device, the control means includes an accelerometer or an array of accelerometers arranged to sense orientation or movement of the device, the control means activates a function in accordance with the orientation or movement of the device.

9. A hand-held control device for controlling a terminal connectable by a communications network to an addressed resource, the device comprising:

address input means for scanning a text address of the resource;

command output means for uploading address information from the device to the terminal and causing the terminal to connect to the addressed resource;

control means responsive to the orientation and/or movement of the device, the control means includes an accelerometer or an array of accelerometers arranged to sense orientation or movement of the device, the control means activates a function in accordance with a predetermined sequence of orientations or movements of the device.

10. A hand-held control device for controlling a terminal connectable by a communications network to an addressed resource, the device comprising:

address input means for scanning a text address of the resource;

command output means for uploading address information from the device to the terminal and causing the terminal to connect to the addressed resource; and

wherein a head end of the device includes a stylus.

11. A device according to claim 10, wherein the stylus is retractable.

12. A hand-held control device for controlling a terminal connectable by a communications network to an addressed resource, the device comprising:

address input means for scanning a text address of the resource;

command output means for uploading address information from the device to the terminal and causing the terminal to connect to the addressed resource; and

means for generating a text file as a user writes with the device.

13. A hand-held control device for controlling a terminal connectable by a communications network to an addressed resource, the device comprising:

address input means for scanning a text address of the resource;

command output means for uploading address information from the device to the terminal and causing the terminal to connect to the addressed resource; and

means for generating a graphics file as a user writes or draws with the device.

14. A method of controlling a terminal connectable by a communications network to an addressed resource, the method comprising:

scanning a text address of the resource;

uploading address information to the terminal;

causing the terminal to connect to the addressed resource; and

recognizing the nature of the addressed resource from the format of the scanned text address.

15. A method according to claim 14, further comprising retrieving an application launch code suitable to launch an application on the terminal appropriate to the nature of the addressed resource.

16. A method according to claim 15, further comprising appending the application launch code to the address information before upload to the terminal.

17. A method according to claim 16, further comprising storing the address information with an associated application launch code until upload to the terminal.

18. A method of controlling a terminal connectable by a communications network to an addressed resource, the method comprising:

scanning a text address of the resource;

uploading address information to the terminal;

causing the terminal to connect to the addressed resource;

controlling the terminal by a hand-held device that scans the resource address and uploads resource address information to the terminal; and

controlling the hand-held device by orientation and/or movement of the device.

19. A method of controlling a terminal connectable by a communications network to an addressed resource, the method comprising:

scanning a text address of the resource;

uploading address information to the terminal;

causing the terminal to connect to the addressed resource;

controlling the terminal by a hand-held device that scans the resource address and uploads resource address information to the terminal; and

using the device as a writing instrument and sensing movement of the device to generate a message file.