Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system – Display driving control circuitry – Controlling the condition of display elements
Reexamination Certificate
2001-06-28
2003-02-11
Huynh, Ba (Department: 2173)
Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system
Display driving control circuitry
Controlling the condition of display elements
C345S215000, C345S215000, C345S215000, C345S215000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06518982
ABSTRACT:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is related to U.S. application entitled “APPLIANCE AND METHOD OF USING SAME HAVING A USER HELP CAPABILITY,” having Ser. No. 09/130,080, filed Aug. 7, 1998, U.S. application entitled “APPLIANCE AND METHOD OF USING SAME FOR CAPTURING IMAGES,” having Ser. No. 09/130,573, filed Aug. 7, 1998, U.S. application entitled “APPLIANCE AND METHOD OF USING SAME HAVING A DELETE CAPABILITY FOR SAVED DATA,” having Ser. No. 09/130,082, filed Aug. 7, 1998, U.S. application entitled “APPLIANCE AND METHOD OF USING SAME HAVING A CAPABILITY TO GRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATE AND DISASSOCIATE DATA WITH AND FROM ONE ANOTHER,” having Ser. No. 09/130,789, filed Aug. 7, 1998, U.S. application entitled “APPLIANCE AND METHOD FOR COMMUNICATING AND VIEWING MULTIPLE CAPTURED IMAGES,” having Ser. No. 09/130,081, filed Aug. 7, 1998, U.S. application entitled “APPLIANCE AND METHOD FOR NAVIGATING AMONG MULTIPLE CAPTURED IMAGES AND FUNCTIONAL MENUS,” having Ser. No. 09/130,584, filed Aug. 7, 1998, U.S. application entitled “APPLIANCE AND METHOD FOR CAPTURING IMAGES HAVING A USER ERROR INTERFACE,” having Ser. No. 09/130,572, filed Aug. 7, 1998, U.S. application entitled “APPLIANCE AND METHOD FOR VIEWING CAPTURED IMAGES,” having Ser. No. 09/131,258, filed Aug. 7, 1998, and U.S. application entitled “APPLIANCE AND METHOD FOR MENU NAVIGATION,” having Ser. No. 09/130,868, filed Aug. 7, 1998, which are incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to the field of graphical user interfaces and, more particularly, to a portable hand-held appliance for capturing images through digital scanning and has a graphical user interface for displaying the captured images for user manipulation and processing, and communicating those images to another device or appliance.
Intangible information is a vital business asset that can be exploited for competitive advantage if managed properly. In the past fifteen years, improvements in information processing have been achieved primarily from the widespread use of microcomputers in the workplace and their application in local and wide area networks. Through such applications as electronic mail (email) and networked access to document storage servers, the electronic communications market has exploded. Nevertheless, business is still far from reaching a “paperless” workplace. For example, according to a 1993 report by BIS Strategic Decisions (hereinafter BIS), an information technology consulting firm, more than 90 billion documents were created in 1992 and more than 1 trillion copies of those documents were made. Moreover, BIS estimated that printing and copying expenses average between 6% and 13% of a typical company's revenue. These statistics illustrate the economic savings available for those businesses that are able to merge paper and technology in a unified information processing strategy.
One tool that has proven useful for translating between paper and electronic information is the digital scanner. Scanner-enabled document distribution endows paper-based documents with the speed and convenience of electronic communications. A desktop scanner or network scanner allows business professionals to scan paper-based documents, manage them effectively and distribute them in a timely fashion. Users can share and distribute information easily by scanning directly to their email or PC fax applications. The growing popularity of fax modems and email is driving the acceptance of scanner-enabled document distribution in offices of all sizes. Fax/modem capabilities, which are available with virtually all modem PCs, enable users to send and receive faxes directly from a computer, at their desk or while traveling, and to check email remotely.
Nevertheless, while scanners are ideal for users who need to disseminate paper-based information to colleagues through PC facsimile and/or email, traditional flatbed scanners lack the convenience and flexibility that users have become accustomed to through such products as notebook computers and cellular phones. Hand-held scanners are an improvement in this regard; however, they are typically dependent on a host computer for displaying the scanned images and for providing power. U.S. Pat. No. 5,550,938 to Hayakawa et al. (hereinafter Hayakawa) discloses a portable image scanner designed to overcome these disadvantages. Specifically, Hayakawa discloses a hand-held cordless image scanner having a display/control screen, a memory for storing scanned images, a self contained power supply and an interface that allows the scanner to be received by a host computer as a memory card for transferring stored images from the scanner to the computer. While Hayakawa's scanner is effective in breaking the dependency on a host computer for image display and power, it still has several drawbacks. For example, Hayakawa's scanner offers no image processing features other than the capabilities of storing or discarding a newly scanned image and reviewing those images that have been stored previously. More advanced image processing would necessarily be done after transfer to a host computer. Moreover, Hayakawa does not offer a graphical user interface (GUI) containing icons and/or animations to assist users in operating their device. Finally, transfer of images is limited to those devices having ports for receiving an external memory card or the capability of reading the scanner memory through a memory card drive.
Accordingly, what is sought is a portable, hand-held image capturing device that allows users to process or manipulate captured images in the device and the ability to communicate the images directly to some other unit such as a computer, printer, or facsimile machine. In addition, the image capturing device should provide cordless operation and use a standard interface for transferring images to other devices. A GUI is preferred to assist users, particularly novices, in operating the device.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Certain objects, advantages, and novel features of the invention will be set forth in the description that follows and will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned with the practice of the invention.
To achieve the advantages and novel features, the present invention is generally directed to a portable hand-held image capture and communication appliance and method of using same by which images may be captured via capturing means and saved in an internal memory. The appliance includes a processor for manipulating and exhibiting the images on a built-in display screen. Program code stored in the internal memory includes a send page or image module that allows the user to transfer or receive image data to or from another appliance, device or system.
According to an aspect of the invention, the program code includes a page selection module that provides the user with a list of possible actions and processes responses thereto.
The page selection module controlling the transfer of image data to an external device includes code segments for the selection of data to be transmitted to an external device. Data is selected by selecting metaphoric page icons, each metaphoric page icon corresponding to a page of captured information. Metaphoric page icons may be selected by selecting the icons individually, by selecting a predefined group of icons, by selecting tagged icons, or by selecting all icons. A default selection includes selecting the current metaphoric page icon displayed on the display
According to another aspect of the invention, the page selection module includes code segments for attempting an image transfer over one or more alternative communication ports if the transfer over the first communication port was unsuccessful. In the preferred embodiment, transfers are attempted first over the appliance's serial port and second over the appliance's infra red (IR) port. The send page module controls establishment of a communication link over the second communication port. During thi
Dalton Dan L.
DeVries Michael J.
Dow James C.
Formosa Daniel
Hamburger Paul
Hewlett--Packard Company
Huynh Ba
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