Communication device with advanced characteristics

• US 8,570,275 B1
• Filed: 07/17/2012
• Issued: 10/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Scott C Harris
• Original Assignee: Harris Technology LLC
• Inventors: Harris, Scott C.
• Primary Examiner(s): OSORIO, RICARDO
• Application Number:
  US13/550,843
• Time in Patent Office: 469 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-160, 345/169, 345/168
• US Class Current: 345/158
• 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 1/1662 Details related to the integrated keyboard
• 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 3/0236 using selection techniques to select from displayed items
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0238 Programmable keyboards key guide holders G06F3/0224

Abstract

A communicator device which allows improved functions. The communicator device may have real movable keys which are reconfigured when the device is used in different orientations. In a sideways orientation, the device has a rectangular aspect ratio which is wider than it is tall. And in that sideways orientation, the buttons are reconfigured to the orientation they would normally have. The communicator device may also be reoriented into the other position, in which case the assignment and the indication on the buttons is also correspondingly changed. The communicator device may have a projector to project videos, and the communicator device may be able to retrieve numbers and e-mails to be used for communications from a repository on the Internet or from a search engine on the Internet.

Claims

1. A portable communicator device, comprising:

a user interface, which has a data entry part that accepts entry from a user, including entries about a requested information item, a display screen that displays information about the requested information item, wherein said requested information item includes at least one desired contact that is not stored in a local memory on the portable communicator device, a communication part that communicates wirelessly;

a computer programmed to operate including input from said user interface, and also operating based on receiving a requested information item entered on said user interface, and also receiving first information about which of a plurality of different internet accessible storage units to search for said requested information item, to send a request addressed to an Internet accessible storage unit based on said first information, and to receive second information from said Internet accessible storage unit responsive to said request, the second information including at least personal communication information for said at least one desired contact,

said computer operating to receive said at least said personal communication information and using said personal communication information for initiating a

communication to said desired contact using said communication part.

2. The device as in claim 1, wherein said Internet accessible storage unit is a remote storage that stores stored list of contacts that is uniquely associated with the user.

3. The device as in claim 1, wherein said Internet accessible storage unit is a search engine on the Internet that is remotely and publicly available.

4. The device as in claim 1, wherein said computer also sending the request as an Internet search to an Internet-based search engine that returns search results based on said request;

wherein said computer operates to receive Internet pages from the Internet search, further comprising a memory, having a memory area forming a buffer, and said search results being stored in said buffer, and wherein said computer operates to automatically recognize communication information within said search results of said Internet search, and to use said communication information as said personal communication information to initiate

said communication using said communication part.

5. The device as in claim 1, wherein said computer also sending the request as an Internet search to an Internet-based search engine that returns search results based on said search;

wherein said computer operates to receive Internet pages from the Internet search, Where said computer displays only part of said pages on said display, where said part includes at least the communication information.

6. The device as in claim 5, wherein said only part includes both phone numbers and e-mails addresses received from the Internet.

7. The device as in claim 5, wherein said computer displays a specific soft keyboard in response to which of the Internet accessible storage units are selected.

8. The device as in claim 1, wherein said computer also stores information about specific websites associated with the user in said Internet accessible storage unit.

9. The device as in claim 1, wherein said computer also stores information about specific documents associated with the user in said Internet accessible storage unit.

10. A portable communicator device, comprising:

a user interface, which has a data entry part that accepts entry from a user, including entries about a requested information item, a display screen that displays information about the requested information item, wherein said display screen shows specific websites associated with the user based on remotely stored information;

a communication part that communicates wirelessly, responsive to controls entered on the user interface; and

a computer programmed to operate responsive to entries on said user interface, and to control said user interface to control said communication part, and said computer also operating to receive information from an Internet accessible storage unit including at least personal communication information for at least multiple different websites, and showing said multiple different websites as said specific web-sites on said display screen.

11. The device as in claim 10, wherein another said requested information item includes at least one desired contact whose name is not stored in a local memory on the portable communicator device, and where said computer operating based on receiving a requested information item, and also receiving first information about which of a plurality of different repositories to search for said desired contact, to send a request addressed to an Internet accessible storage unit based on said first information, and to receive second information from said Internet accessible storage unit responsive to said request, the second information including at least personal communication information for said one desired contact,

said computer using said personal communication information for initiating a communication to said one desired contact using said communication part.

12. The device as in claim 10, wherein said computer also stores information about specific documents associated with the user in said Internet accessible storage unit.

16. The device as in claim 11, wherein said display computer displays a specific soft keyboard in response to which of the Internet accessible storage units are selected.

13. A server that connects to multiple remote communicators, comprising:

a computer, receiving a first request for information about at least one desired contact from a first remote communicator associated with a first user over a wireless link;

said computer searching a first set of contacts stored on said computer associated with said first user, responsive to receiving said first request;

said computer returning information about said one desired contact to said to said first remote communicator over said wireless link, responsive to said first request for information;

said computer also receiving a second request for information about another desired contact from a second remote communicator associated with the first user, where the second remote communicator is different than the first remote communicator, but associated with the same first user;

said computer searching said first set of contacts stored on said computer associated with said first user, responsive to receiving said second request;

said computer returning information about said another desired contact to said second remote communicator over said wireless link, responsive to said second request for information.

14. The server as in claim 13, wherein said computer also stores information about specific websites associated with the first user and returns information about said specific websites based on a request.

15. The server as in claim 13, wherein said computer also stores information about specific documents associated with the first user and returns information about said specific documents based on a request.

17. The computer as in claim 13, wherein said computer instructs said remote communicators to display a specific soft keyboard.