Handheld audio playback device with memory and means for downloading audio data files to memory

• US 7,983,774 B2
• Filed: 10/01/2008
• Issued: 07/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Original Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Inventors: Lapstun, Paul, King, Tobin Allen, Walmsley, Simon Robert, Silverbrook, Kia
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Vivian
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sellers, Daniel R
• Application Number:
  US12/243,871
• Publication Number:
  US 20090030541A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,021 Days
• Field of Search: 700/94, 707/1, 707/999.01, 455/3.06, 235/494, 235/462.01, 235/462.03, 235/462.08, 235/462.09, 235/462.11, 235/462.12, 235/462.43, 235/462.45, 235/462.46, 235/468, 235/487, 235/491
• US Class Current: 700/94
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/445 Printers integrated in other types of apparatus, e.g. printers integrated in cameras
• 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 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1684 Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1688 the I/O peripheral being integrated loudspeakers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1614 Image rotation following screen orientation, e.g. switching from landscape to portrait mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1637 Sensing arrangement for detection of housing movement or orientation, e.g. for controlling scrolling or cursor movement on the display of an handheld computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0384 Wireless input, i.e. hardware and software details of wireless interface arrangements for pointing devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0321 by optically sensing the absolute position with respect to a regularly patterned surface forming a passive digitiser, e.g. pen optically detecting position indicative tags printed on a paper sheet constructional details of pen-shaped pointing devices G06F3/03545, G06F3/03542, G06F3/037
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/16 Sound input; Sound output speech processing G10L
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27475 using interactive graphical means or pictorial representations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2755 by optical scanning
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72409 by interfacing with external accessories hands-free H04M1/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72442 for playing music files
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72445 for supporting Internet browser applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 : including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42 : Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers specially adapted for wireless communication networks H04W4/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0015 : First party call control architectures
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00204 : with a digital computer or a digital computer system, e.g. an internet server programmed control between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device H04N1/32561
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00244 : with a server, e.g. an internet server fax-servers or the like for store and forward H04N1/324
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00307 : with a mobile telephone apparatus constructional features of portable telephone sets H04M1/0202; mobile radio systems H04W84/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00326 : with a data reading, recognizing or recording apparatus, e.g. with a bar-code apparatus arrangements for the associated working of recording or reproducing apparatus with related apparatus G11B31/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00392 : Other manual input means, e.g. digitisers or writing tablets
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00968 : by scanning marks on a sheet mark-sheet input means H04N1/00355; sensing record carriers G06K7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32122 : in a separate device, e.g. in a memory or on a display separate from image data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32133 : on the same paper sheet, e.g. a facsimile page header
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32778 : using a mark-sheet or machine-readable code request
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/60 : using transform coding
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/61 : in combination with predictive coding
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 : embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/422 : Input-only peripherals , i.e. input devices connected to specially adapted client devices, e.g. global positioning system [GPS] input devices also receiving signals from specially adapted client devices H04N21/4104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42203 : sound input device, e.g. microphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 : Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/478 : Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0082 : Image hardcopy reproducer H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3226 : of identification information or the like, e.g. ID code, index, title, part of an image, reduced-size image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3247 : Data linking a set of images to one another, e.g. sequence, burst or continuous capture mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3264 : of sound signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3269 : of machine readable codes or marks, e.g. bar codes or glyphs
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3274 : Storage or retrieval of prestored additional information
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/445 : for displaying additional information H04N5/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 : Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 : Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/783 : Adaptations for reproducing at a rate different from the recording rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/907 : using static stores, e.g. storage tubes or semiconductor memories H04N5/91 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 : by receiver means only
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 : Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/187 : Continuous sectional layer

Abstract

A handheld audio playback device for interacting with an article having a position-coding pattern and a plurality of different print elements printed thereon. Each print element corresponds to a different audio output. The device comprises: a nib for indicating a selected print element; an optical sensor for reading a portion of the position-coding pattern when the nib is used to indicate the selected print element; a processor coupled to the optical sensor for determining a position using the read portion of the position-coding pattern; a memory storing audio data files for the different audio outputs; means for retrieving an audio data file from the memory for playback; means for downloading audio data files to the memory from a personal computer; and an audio output device for playing the audio output corresponding to the audio data file.

Claims

1. A handheld audio playback device for interacting with an article having a position-coding pattern and a plurality of different print elements printed thereon, each print element corresponding to a different audio output, said position-coding pattern identifying a plurality of positions on the article and an identity of the article, said device comprising:

a nib for indicating a selected print element;

an optical sensor for reading a portion of the position-coding pattern when said nib is used to indicate the selected print element;

a processor coupled to the optical sensor for determining a position on the article and an identity of the article using the read portion of the position-coding pattern;

a memory storing audio data files for the different audio outputs;

means for retrieving at least one audio data file from said memory for playback using the determined position and identity indexed with said audio data file;

means for downloading audio data files to said memory from a personal computer; and

an audio output device for playing the audio output corresponding to said at least one audio data file.

2. The handheld audio playback device of claim 1, wherein said device has the form of a pen.

3. The handheld audio playback device of claim 1, wherein the article comprises one or more sheets of paper.

4. The handheld audio playback device of claim 1, wherein the position-coding pattern comprises a plurality of dots.

5. The handheld audio playback device of claim 1, wherein said position-coding pattern is infrared-absorptive.

6. The handheld audio playback device of claim 1, wherein the different audio outputs comprise different music outputs associated with the print elements.

7. The handheld audio playback device of claim 1, further comprising an actuator to enable a user to activate the optical sensor.

8. The handheld audio playback device of claim 7, wherein said actuator is configured to actuate the optical sensor when the nib is operatively contacted with said article.

9. The handheld audio playback device of claim 7, wherein the actuator is selected from the group comprising:

a button, a switch, and a force sensor.