Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system – Display driving control circuitry – Controlling the condition of display elements
Reexamination Certificate
2000-12-22
2002-07-09
dela Torre, Crescelle N. (Department: 2174)
Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system
Display driving control circuitry
Controlling the condition of display elements
C345S215000, C345S960000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06417874
ABSTRACT:
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Today, there is a growing interest in small or “form factor” smart electronic devices. As a result, software applications which were typically the domain of desktop computers are now expected by users to be available on these small devices—devices which can easily fit in one's pocket or wallet. Although advances have occurred in software design which provide hand-held devices with substantial processing power, memory capacity, and display power, a number of “form factor” related problems nevertheless remain to be solved.
No matter how high the resolution is of a device's display, for instance, there still remains a finite amount of physical screen “real estate” which can be provided by the device. In the case of small hand-held devices, the amount of this screen real estate or physical screen area is obviously much less than that provided by desktop computers. If this problem is addressed by displaying items on screen at a smaller size, users have difficulty reading the information. Although virtual screen technology is available for users to “pan” across a larger virtual screen the additional user input required to manage the process makes the approach undesirable. Information which cannot be seen is of no value to users.
Another problem facing small electronic devices is the difficulty of inputting information. With a small form factor or pocket-size device, it is simply not feasible to include a substantial keyboard for inputting information. Again, the size of the devices reduces the physical surface area available for accommodating input keys or the like. A conventional approach to the problem is to simply build a smaller keyboard, one using miniature input keys. The approach is problematic. In particular, most users find that their fingers are simply too big to use small keys with any degree of efficiency. Further, any efforts to increase the size of a keyboard or keypad in such a device reduces the amount of surface area available for the display screen.
An approach to this problem is to simply let the display screen double as an input device. The basic problem remains unsolved, however. Any display surface area allotted to display screen buttons decreases the amount available for displaying program information, such as output screens. Further, displaying different sets of keys during the operation of a program increases the complexity and, therefore, the learning curve for that program.
A similar approach to the above is handwriting recognition, such as available with Apple's Newton device. With the current state of handwriting technology, however, the process is both processor intensive (and therefore slow) and error prone. These two disadvantages have combined to make present-day handwriting recognition unattractive to all but the most patient of users. Even with shorthand or gesture-based handwriting recognition, success of those devices remains limited, as most users are unwilling to spend the time mastering gesture strokes.
Again, the physical limitations imposed by these devices remains a problem. For handwriting recognition, for instance, the screen devices must be coated with a special material for receiving stroke input. That material adds yet another layer on top of the display screen thus making the screen more difficult to read (since screen contrast of an already small screen is decreased even further). All told, present-day handwriting recognition is far from an ideal solution.
The problem faced by designers of small “form factor” devices is certainly not limited to input and display of information. For instance, a whole set of design problems exist concerning power management—that is, optimizing a device's use of a limited power source, such as batteries. All told, the small size of pocket-size devices imposes a physical limitation impacting all the subsystems of such a device.
What is needed is improved user input and usability methodology for small form factor devices. Such a methodology should not require sophisticated hardware support, such as handwriting recognition. Further, such methodology should accommodate a limited or terse set of input keys or buttons (e.g., five keys) as well as limited display surface area typically provided by small form factor devices. Such methodology should nevertheless accommodate large character sets, such as ones including a full range of alphabetic and numeric characters. The present invention fulfills this and other needs.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A portable computing device or “information appliance” having terse user input (e.g., limit set of keys) is provided with a user interface for navigating user data. The computing device comprises a central processing unit (e.g., microprocessor) connected via a system bus to a display, an input, ports, and memory. Display is a screen device for displaying information, such as a liquid crystal display (LCD) screen. Input comprises a keypad, either physical or logical (e.g., on screen buttons), but limited to a terse set numbering about three to ten buttons and more preferably about five buttons. Memory comprises persistent memory, volatile memory, and non-volatile RAM memory. Persistent memory is typically implemented as a ROM or read-only memory. It stores a single-purpose operating system (SPOS) and application(s). Volatile memory is a “scratch” memory, for storing temporary computation results. It typically is implemented as a RAM (random-access memory), for providing a work space for the operating system and applications. Non-volatile RAM memory represents battery-backed RAM memory, for storing context information from one session to another. When the device is powered down, the memory stores user data from that session.
The single purpose operating system (SPOS) functions to provide a consistent mechanism by which applications can communicate with the device. In this manner, applications are shielded from hardware complexity, such as hardware interrupts and ports. In other words, it serves to abstract hardware complexity to a high-level application programming interface (API).
Applications are software application programs or modules provided for user operation of the device. The application programs can be implemented as separate modules,. which are controlled by a module selector. The module selector serves as a user interface or shell representing the top-level or “home” display presented to a user. In the currently-preferred embodiment, the module selector presents the user with selection icons for navigating to different applications or modules of functionality. In an exemplary embodiment, for instance, other modules include a calendar module, a to do module, and an address book module.
In typical use, the device is used in tandem with a desktop computer or PC. The desktop PC is used by the user when “at the office,” and the portable computing device is employed when the user is “on the road” (i.e., out of the office). Thus during typical use, large repositories of data reside on the desktop PC which are periodically transferred or synchronized with data residing on the portable computing device. Multiple techniques exist for getting data from the desktop PC to the portable computing device, through device port(s). Using a device input/output (I/O) protocol or standard, such as the PC card standard (formerly PCMCIA standard), the user can easily transfer data to the device via a direct memory transfer. Alternatively, data can be streamed from the desktop PC to the portable computing device via a direct cable (or infrared) connection, such as using a serial port-to-serial port connection. Since the data transferred is that of an application
dela Torre Crescelle N.
Smart John
Smith Darryl A.
Starfish Software, Inc.
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