Portable data terminal

• US 7,158,755 B2
• Filed: 05/22/2003
• Issued: 01/02/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lenovo Innovations Ltd Hong Kong (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Hosokawa, Taisuke
• Primary Examiner(s): Milord; Marceau
• Application Number:
  US10/443,073
• Publication Number:
  US 20030220077A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,321 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.2, 455/435.1, 455/435.2, 455/566, 455/557, 455/412.1, 455/90.3, 455/575.3
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

A short distance wireless communication function (140) such as Bluetooth is provided as a communication function part, which is subordinate to a main communication function having a communication function like that of a usual portable telephone set for making communication via a network. Among other units present in the neighborhood, those conforming to preset search conditions are set as limited opposite side units (110, 120, 130) for direct data transmission to these opposite side units (200, 300) with a close distance wireless communication function (140).

Claims

1. A portable data terminal unit provided with a short distance communication function part for short distance wireless communication with other units suited for communication with the own unit, wherein the short distance wireless communication function part has a search function part for searching other units as opposite side communication units conforming to preset conditions,

wherein the search function part includes a search condition memory part for storing a plurality of search conditions registered in such a form as to be selectable as desired by the user, a display function part for displaying other units, which are found, as a result of search conducted under the search conditions registered in the search condition memory part, to be in conformity to the search conditions, and a selection operating part for selecting desired one of a plurality of other units displayed, as a result of search, on the display function part.

2. The portable data terminal unit according to claim 1, wherein the selection operating part is constructed to be capable of selecting a plurality of pertinent other units at a time.

3. The portable data terminal unit according to claim 1, which further comprises an imaging part for obtaining electronic image data corresponding to a light image of a scene object.

4. The portable data terminal unit according to claim 1, wherein the short distance wireless communication function part is provided as a communication function part subordinate to a main communication function part having a communication function for communication via a network.

5. The portable data terminal unit according to claim 1, wherein the preset conditions define a particular opposite side communication unit.

6. The portable data terminal unit according to claim 5, wherein the preset conditions include an identification of the particular opposite side communication unit.

7. A portable data terminal unit comprising:

a short distance communication function part for short distance wireless communication with other units suited for communication with the own unit, wherein the short distance wireless communication function part has a search function part for searching other units as opposite side communication units conforming to preset conditions;

an imaging part for obtaining electronic image data corresponding to a light image of a scene object; and

an image transmitting means for transmitting newest data among electronic image data obtained in the imaging part by the short distance wireless communication function part to other units as opposite side units of communication conforming to the preset conditions.

8. The portable data terminal unit according to claim 7, wherein the search function part includes a search condition memory part for storing a plurality of search conditions registered in such a form as to be selectable as desired by the user.

9. The portable data terminal unit according to claim 7, wherein the search function part has a display function part for displaying a result of the search.

10. A portable data terminal unit comprising:

a short distance communication function part for short distance wireless communication with other units suited for communication with the own unit, wherein the short distance wireless communication function part has a search function part for searching other units as opposite side communication units conforming to preset conditions;

an imaging part for obtaining electronic image data corresponding to a light image of a scene object; and

a control part capable, in case when an operation of starting an operation of obtaining electronic image data by the imaging part is made, of also automatically starting a function of searching other units as opposite side units of communication conforming to the preset conditions so long the image transmitting functions has been selected.

11. A portable data terminal unit comprising:

a first communication device for communicating with other units through a network;

a second communication device for short distance direct wireless communication with other terminal units suited for communication therewith;

a memory storing a preset search condition that defines a particular terminal unit with which communication is to be conducted by said second communication device; and

a searching device that retrieves the preset search condition from said memory and searches for the particular terminal unit that meets the preset search condition,

said second communication device communicating with the particular terminal unit meeting the preset search condition when the particular terminal unit has been located by said searching device.

12. The portable data terminal unit according to claim 11, wherein the preset search condition is an identification of the particular terminal unit.