Telephonic communications – Telephone line or system combined with diverse electrical... – Having transmission of a digital message signal over a...
Reexamination Certificate
1998-07-27
2002-06-18
Chan, Wing F. (Department: 2643)
Telephonic communications
Telephone line or system combined with diverse electrical...
Having transmission of a digital message signal over a...
C379S093080, C178S018010
Reexamination Certificate
active
06408058
ABSTRACT:
The present invention concerns a telewriting device enabling exchange of graphics and voice information with another such device communicating via an external data communication line, for example a telephone line.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
There already exist autonomous telewriting devices which combine in a single casing a telephone and a tablet for writing and displaying data. The tablet is in the form a flat display screen associated with an input device enabling direct writing on the screen using a stylus. The traces made by the stylus on top of the screen appear directly on the screen and are also sent to another similar device connected to the communication line where they are reproduced identically. These traces can be superimposed on another display of information from a source external to the writing tablet and present on the screen of each of the connected devices. The display of manuscript traces (telewriting data) can be a text or a drawing to be commented on, for example, the traces made by the stylus can provide a visual indication of required changes or can even effect such changes.
The display from the external source (external relative to the writing tablet) can come from various peripheral devices or from devices integrated into the telewriting device: a memory unit (diskette, hard disk, optical disk), a computer, a scanner or a keyboard. In normal use display data from the external source is loaded onto a single telewriting device either by transfer within the device or by means of a cable connecting it to a peripheral device. It is then sent to one or more other devices communicating via the external data communication line during the connection.
Telewriting devices of the above type are described in documents U.S. Pat. No. 5,521,335, U.S. Pat. No. 5,508,713 and EP-A-0 379 354, for example.
Sending of data for display from an external source is relatively time-consuming and constraining, in the case of information which is often dense, especially if it includes graphics, and is likely to be renewed during a call, for example to go from one page to another. The data can be sent in packets, however, subject to a slight increase in sending time.
In contrast, data entered in writing, consisting of fine traces that evolve progressively, can be sent relatively rapidly. However, from the point of view of user friendliness it is important for the lines to be displayed on the receiving device at virtually the same time as they are made on the sending device, i.e. in real time.
Prior art telewriting devices are not specifically designed to allow for these constraints. They are therefore limited in their capability to send simultaneously traces and graphics from external sources or incapable of real time bidirectional communication between devices.
With other types of telewriting device based on personal computers or fixed stations it is feasible to improve the flow of information by using complex data communication algorithms, but this is at the cost of the mobility and the autonomy of the equipment.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, the invention consists in a telewriting device forming an autonomous and integral unit that overcomes the problems encountered in devices known until now by enabling two-way (real time full duplex) exchange of voice and graphics data, in particular data entered in writing, with optimal control of data from external sources.
This aim is achieved thanks to an in-depth investigation by the applicant of the sources of the limitations of the prior art techniques, which has lead to a new architecture that is specifically optimized while remaining simple to implement.
The telewriting device of the invention is of the type comprising means for exchanging voice data, display means having a display surface, means for input by writing on the display surface and interface means assuring the exchange of input and output data over an external data communication line.
The invention provides a telewriting device enabling exchange of graphics and voice information in real time with another such device communicating with it via an external data communication line, the device comprising to this end:
means for exchanging voice data,
display means having a display surface,
means for receiving manuscript traces for real time display of traces on the display surface,
means for processing the manuscript trace (telewriting) data and other data to be exchanged, and
interface means for exchanging the manuscript trace data and said other data over the external data communication line.
In the telewriting device of the invention, the data processing means comprise:
a first control unit for managing said other data, said first control unit being connected to the interface means by a first link dedicated (i.e. specific) to this first control unit for exchange of said other data over the external data communication line, and
a second control unit that can operate in parallel with the first control unit for controlling the manuscript trace receiving means, said second control unit being connected to the interface means by a second link dedicated specific to this second control unit and enabling exchange of manuscript trace data over the external data communication line.
Thus, the different tasks are divided optimally between the first and second control units for parallel processing of the other data from input and output devices and the manuscript trace data. What is more, the use in accordance with the invention of separate dedicated links between the interface means and the first and second control units assures the real time flow of manuscript trace data via the second control unit whilst maintaining at all times communication with the first control unit.
This unit can therefore monitor at all times the operational status of the external line and the interface means. It is then easy to exchange data with the interface means over the first link and the second link in a shared access mode using a predetermined protocol without disturbing the flow of manuscript trace data.
Note that manuscript trace data also includes commands associated with the functions of manuscript input on the screen: selection with the stylus of parts of the display (words, blocks), deleting, moving, copying selected parts, etc., as in a word processor
Note that the term “other data” can include all data, apart from that arriving in real time from the manuscript trace receiving means, to be managed by the telewriting device. This “other data” is generally graphics data. The other data may e.g. include—although not exclusively—document pages to be displayed on the screen on a device in receive mode or in send mode. These document pages can come from sources external to the telewriting device, such as storage peripheral devices, data processing equipment, etc.
It can equally come from storage units internal to the device (diskette or hard disk drive, CD-ROM etc.), depending on implementation choices.
In preferred embodiments of the invention the other data does not include telephone voice data or facsimile data. These latter types of data are advantageously managed within the interface means.
In receive mode, the other data received can be displayed on the screen either immediately or later (for example in response to a request). It can also be stored on internal or external devices or sent to other equipment connected to the device, for example a printer, a monitor, a personal computer, an electronic organizer, etc.
It is then possible to assign priority for access to the interface means to one of the control units, for example the second one, to assure that the exchange of traces input is always effected in real time, even if the device is sending or receiving other data to or from a device over the external line, for example to download a document. In this case the data entered in writing can be exchanged (sent or received) over the second link in real time and at any time. If it is necessary also to convey data managed by the first control unit, for example pages for display
ADL Systems S.A.
Chan Wing F.
Weingarten Schurgin, Gagnebin & Lebovici LLP
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