Remote occlusion region

• US 6,005,533 A
• Filed: 10/16/1995
• Issued: 12/21/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: Packard Bell NEC
• Inventors: Wilson, James Y.
• Primary Examiner(s): Liang, Regina
• Application Number:
  US08/543,701
• Time in Patent Office: 1,527 Days
• Field of Search: 345/2, 345/173, 345/1, 345/112, 345/113, 345/115, 345/116, 345/127, 345/133, 345/158, 345/169, 364/132, 364/138, 395/200.38, 395/200.39, 395/200.4, 340/825.06, 340/825.29, 340/825.72
• US Class Current: 345/2.3
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1423 controlling a plurality of local displays, e.g. CRT and flat panel display
• 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: G09G 2330/022 in absence of operation, e.g. no data being entered during a predetermined time
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

A wireless interface device includes a display. When connected, the wireless interface device takes control of the host computer and displays everything being displayed at the host. The wireless interface device also includes a virtual on-screen keyboard (OSK). In order to prevent the host from painting over the OSK, a remote occlusion area is defined at the display of the host computer.

Claims

1. In a computer system which includes a host computer having a CPU and a storage device for running and storing programs and an associated display for displaying images, the improvement comprising:

a wireless interface device which includes a wireless interface display to display whatever images are being displayed on said host computer and for displaying locally generated images;

means for enabling said wireless interface device to wirelessly communicate and interface with said host computer for controlling and accessing said host computer and said programs on said host computer; and

means for creating an occlusion region on the display of said host computer to prevent said host computer from painting over predetermined locally generated images generated by said wireless interface device.

2. A computer system according to claim 1, said locally generated images including a virtual on screen keyboard.

3. A computer system according to claim 2, wherein inputs from said on screen keyboard are used by said enabling means to take control of said host computer.

4. A computer system according to claim 1, wherein said creating means shadows said occlusion region on said host computer by way of a private message.

5. A computer system according to claim 1, wherein said creating means creates said occlusion region using host software drivers.

6. A computer system according to claim 1, wherein said creating means is configured to determine a video mode of said host computer.

7. The system as recited in claim 1 further including means for changing the location of the occlusion region in response to changes in location of said predetermined locally generated images.

8. A method for operating a computer system which includes a host computer and an associated display, a wireless interface device which includes a wireless interface display, comprising:

enabling said wireless interface device to take control of said host computer and display on said wireless interface display whatever is being displayed by said host computer and to display locally generated images; and

creating an occlusion region on the display of said host computer to prevent said host computer from painting over predetermined locally generated images generated by said wireless interface device.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein said creating said locally generated images includes creating a virtual on screen keyboard.

10. A method according to claim 9, enabling includes using inputs from said on screen keyboard are to take control of said host computer.

11. A method according to claim 8, wherein said creating comprises shadowing said occlusion region on said host computer by way of a private message.

12. A method according to claim 8, wherein said creating includes creating said occlusion region using host software drivers.

13. A method according to claim 8, wherein said creating comprises determining a video mode of said host computer.

14. The method as recited in claim 8 further including the step of changing the location of the occlusion region in response to changes in location of said predetermined locally generated images.