Abstract:
A personal digital assistant module with a local CPU, memory, and I/O interface has a host interface comprising a bus connected to the local CPU and a connector at a surface of the personal digital assistant for interfacing to a bus connector of a host general-purpose computer, providing direct bus communication between the personal digital assistant and the host general-purpose computer. In an embodiment, the personal digital assistant also has a means for storing a security code. The personal digital assistant according to the invention forms a host/satellite combination with a host computer having a docking bay, wherein upon docking a docking protocol controls access by the host to memory of the personal digital assistant based on one or more passwords provided by a user to the host. In another embodiment the personal digital assistant has a compressed BIOS chip, and in yet another embodiment also has an expansion port connected to the local CPU, and expansion peripheral devices may be connected and operated through the expansion port.
Abstract:
In order to print an image sensed by a digital camera using a printing apparatus for forming an image on a print medium, image data corresponding to the sensed image is converted into print data, and the converted data is transmitted to the printing apparatus, thereby providing an image processing system which can print an image sensed by the digital camera using the printing apparatus without the intervention of any computer, and a digital camera and printing apparatus suitable for the image processing system.
Abstract:
A data output method for rendering at an output device content accessible with an information apparatus, includes obtaining at the information apparatus one or more rasterization parameters corresponding to the output device and conforming at the information apparatus at least part of the data content into one or more output images with said one or more rasterization parameters. An intermediate output data is transmitted from the information apparatus to an output controller that is distinct from the information apparatus and associated with the selected output device, the intermediate output data including said one or more output image. The intermediate output data is converted at the output controller into an output data acceptable for rendering at the output device.
Abstract:
A system and method providing a conduit (310) between a handheld electronic device (120), such as a personal digital assistant (PDA) and a remote storage unit (110), such as a personal computer (PC) hard drive, allowing a user to transfer images captured by an image capture device (124) attached to the handheld electronic device (120) and synchronize the data between the handheld electronic device (120) and the remote storage unit (110) in a manner that is easy, intuitive and useful, is disclosed. In its preferred embodiment, the conduit (310) of the present invention is a software program that is installed into the standard sync manager (230) of a computer, providing seamless synchronization between a PDA and the computer without the need for user interaction.
Abstract:
An electronic still camera for capturing images to be transferred to at least one e-mail address is disclosed. The electronic still camera includes an image sensor for capturing a plurality of images of scenes and for producing image signals representative of the corresponding scenes; an analog-to-digital converter for digitizing the image signals to produce digital images; and a removable memory card for storing a plurality of digital image files corresponding to the digital images. The electronic still camera also includes an internal memory for storing at least one digital image to be displayed and a plurality of e-mail addresses; a processor for controlling the transfer of the digital images from the removable memory card to the internal memory and for producing a utilization file; and a display coupled to the internal memory for displaying at least one digital image. The electronic still camera further includes a user interface for selecting at least one e-mail address and for scrolling through the plurality of digital images stored on the removable memory card in order to display and select particular digital images to be transferred to the selected at least one e-mail address, wherein the utilization file includes the at least one selected e-mail address and the name of at least one digital image file to be transferred to the at least one selected e-mail address and the processor stores the utilization file on the removable memory card separate from the digital image files.
Abstract:
A personal digital assistant module with a local CPU, memory, and I/O interface has a host interface comprising a bus connected to the local CPU and a connector at a surface of the personal digital assistant for interfacing to a bus connector of a host general-purpose computer, providing direct bus communication between the personal digital assistant and the host general-purpose computer. In an embodiment, the personal digital assistant also has a means for storing a security code. The personal digital assistant according to the invention forms a host/satellite combination with a host computer having a docking bay, wherein upon docking a docking protocol controls access by the host to memory of the personal digital assistant based on one or more passwords provided by a user to the host. In another embodiment the personal digital assistant has a compressed BIOS chip, and in yet another embodiment also has an expansion port connected to the local CPU, and expansion peripheral devices may be connected and operated through the expansion port.
Abstract:
A new functionality in a fax communication system including a PC with a virtual data port (DTE) and a fax modem (DCE), having an infrared (IR) connection between them, wherein the DCE is capable of indicating to the local infrared communications, i.e., IrDA IrCOMM, port or interface the type of the software flow control, either local or end-to-end, so that the local and the remote IrCOMM ports can be made to function such that:______________________________________IF an XON/XOFF character is received from the client AND the mode is end-to-end AND the SW flow control is enabled,THEN the XON/XOFF character is handled as flow control and the character is transmitted to the host IrCOMM.______________________________________A new interface primitive at the interface of the IrCOMM in the DCE requests the desired mode and if the desired mode is "local", the XON/XOFF characters are not transmitted to the host system when SW flow control is active. When the mode is "end-to-end", then the XON/XOFF characters are always transmitted to the host system regardless of the SW flow control state. A new control channel parameter inside the local IrCOMM indicates the change of the SW flow control mode to report the change to the host IrCOMM.
Abstract:
A method and system for light beam communication between a camera and a computer is provided by adapting an existing light beam auto-focus system of a conventional automated camera, such as a conventional automated film-based camera or a conventional automated electronic camera, and by adapting a conventional computer to provide a light beam communication linkage with the adapted camera. The light beam auto-focus system of such automated cameras is modified to include a mode selector providing a selection of the conventional light beam auto-focus mode and alternatively for selection of a light beam communication mode. The camera has a microprocessor and an erasable electrically programmable read-only memory (EEPROM). In the light beam communication mode, a light beam emitter driver circuit and a light beam sensor timing circuit and signal processor are provided. A conventional computer, for example, a desktop computer or a laptop computer, is adapted to receive and to transmit optically encoded digital signals whereby a computer-based light beam sensor and light beam emitter have an optical spectrum overlapping with the optical spectrum of the camera-based light beam emitter and light beam sensor. Light beam communication is initiated by suitable commands provided by a camera user to the computer. The camera microprocessor is responsive to such commands, and that response is transmitted by the camera-based light beam emitter back to the computer-based light beam sensor.
Abstract:
A modular computer has a framework with module bays for receiving CPU modules, power modules, and peripheral function modules such as floppy and hard disk drives. The framework has a built-in compressed bus and a variety of function modules which can be plugged into any one of the module bays. Function modules include, but are not limited to, CPU, power, floppy disk, hard disk, RAM memory, LAN communication, modem, FAX communication, and data acquisition. In some embodiments function modules are provided for communicating with separate input means, such as voice, keyboards, and pen-pads. In one aspect the module bays and the function modules are configured according to dimensional and connective standards of the Personal Computer Memory Card International Association.
Abstract:
In an image reading apparatus used for a copying machine and a facsimile device, an image reading scanner is separated from a main device of the apparatus in order to increase the freedom of the scanning direction of the original and increase the operability of the scanner. The hand scanner is moved by a hand of an operator on the original and reads the image data line by line. The image data representing a dot pattern is transmitted to the main device as an on/off modulated optical signal through a modem. The main device receives the optical signal and demodulates the signal using a modem to reproduce the image data obtained by the hand scanner.