Handheld media and communication device with a detachable projector

• US 8,928,822 B2
• Filed: 11/13/2011
• Issued: 01/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Yang Pan
• Original Assignee: Yang Pan
• Inventors: Pan, Yang
• Primary Examiner(s): Rao, Andy
• Assistant Examiner(s): ELAHI, SHAN E
• Application Number:
  US13/295,089
• Publication Number:
  US 20120058725A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,150 Days
• Field of Search: 348/838
• US Class Current: 348/838
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1454 involving copying of the display data of a local workstation or window to a remote workstation or window so that an actual copy of the data is displayed simultaneously on two or more displays, e.g. teledisplay
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/147 using display panels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/16 Use of wireless transmission of display information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/61 for local area broadcast, e.g. instore broadcast
• 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 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3173 wherein the projection device is specially adapted for enhanced portability

Abstract

A novel handheld media and communication device with a detachable projector unit is disclosed. A media library for media assets is included in a file storage system of the projector unit while metadata of the assets is stored in a file storage system of the media and communication device. The device is used as a remote control device to control the operation of delivering media assets through the projector unit after the unit is detached from the device. The projector unit may also be used to connect to a media delivery unit such as a desktop projector, a TV terminal or an audio system for delivering media assets.

Claims

1. A handheld device comprising:

(a) a media and communication device contained in single case, said device further comprising a processor, a file storage system and a battery; and

(b) a detachable projector unit, said unit further comprising a micro projector, an auxiliary processor, an auxiliary file storage system and a battery,

wherein said media and communication device is used as a remote control device pertaining to controlling operations of said projector unit after said projector unit is detached from said media and communication device.

2. The handheld device of claim 1, wherein said auxiliary file storage system and said battery in said projector unit is used as additional resources to said media and communication device when said projector unit is connected to said media and communication device.

3. The handheld device of claim 1, wherein said media and communication device further comprising:

(a) a display device arranged to display a user interface with user selectable items;

(b) a clock measuring local time; and

(c) a cache, said cache may be used for storing said metadata of said media assets in said media library.

4. The handheld device of claim 1, wherein said projector unit further comprising:

(a) a projector driver that converts media assets into electrical signals to drive said projector unit;

(b) a clock measuring local time; and

(c) a connector for connecting said projector unit to an external power supply.

5. The handheld device of claim 1, wherein said media and communication device further comprising one or a combination of following devices:

(a) a media player;

(b) a mobile phone;

c) a tablet computer;

(d) a laptop computer; and

(e) a digital camera.

6. The handheld device of claim 1, wherein said projector unit further comprising a micro projector based upon one of the following approaches:

(a) Digital Light Processing (DLP);

(b) a laser beam-steering technology; and

(c) a Liquid Crystal on Silicon (LCoS) technology,

wherein said micro projector further comprising lasers or Light Emitting Diodes (LED) as lighting sources.

7. The handheld device of claim 1, wherein said wireless communication link conforms to one or a combination of following standards:

(a) Wi-Fi;

(b) Bluetooth; and

(c) ZigBee.

8. The handheld device of claim 1, wherein said wired connector further comprising:

(a) an IEEE 1394 compliant type of connector; and

(b) a USB (Universal Serial Bus) type of connector.

9. A method of delivering a video asset to a user using a handheld device comprising a media and communication device contained in a single case and a detachable projector unit, the method comprising:

(a) connecting said media and communication device to said projector unit through a wired connector;

(b) storing a plurality of video assets in a media library in an auxiliary file storage system of said projector unit and storing associated metadata in a file storage system of said media and communication device;

(c) detaching said projector unit and said media and communication device;

(d) establishing a wireless communication link between said media and communication device and said projector unit;

(e) controlling an operation of delivering the video asset using said projector unit by using said media and communication device as a remote control device.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said method further comprising:

(a) displaying at least a portion of the metadata of video assets on a display screen of said media and communication device;

(b) selecting one of the video assets by the user through a user interface of said media and communication device;

(c) transferring the metadata associated with the selected video asset from said media and communication device to said projector unit through said wireless communication link;

(d) retrieving the video asset from said auxiliary file storage system; and

(e) delivering the video asset through the projector unit.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein said method further comprising employing a battery in said projector unit to supply power for operations of said media and communication device when said projector unit is connected to said media and communication through the wired connector.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein said method further comprising employing said auxiliary file storage system of said projector unit as an additional storage resource for said media and communication device when said projector unit is connected to said media and communication through the wired connector.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein said projector unit further comprising a micro projector based upon one of the following approaches:

(a) a Digital Light Processing (DLP);

(b) a laser beam-steering technology; and

(c) a Liquid Crystal on Silicon (LCoS) technology,

wherein said micro projector further comprising lasers or Light Emitting Diodes (LED) as lighting sources.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein said wireless communication link conforms to one or a combination of following standards:

(a) Wi-Fi;

(b) Bluetooth; and

(c) ZigBee.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein said wired connector further comprising:

(a) an IEEE 1394 compliant type of connector; and

(b) a USB (Universal Serial Bus) type of connector.