Communications: electrical – Visual indication – Using light emitting diodes
Reexamination Certificate
1998-09-10
2001-02-20
Crosland, Donnie L. (Department: 2736)
Communications: electrical
Visual indication
Using light emitting diodes
C340S870030, C369S053130
Reexamination Certificate
active
06191699
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 9-298769, filed Oct. 30, 1997, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
The present invention relates to a portable information device such as a mobile NC (Network Computer) and a data transfer designation method.
Recently, personal computers have been used in various forms along with the downsizing of computers and the development of communication techniques. For example, an NC has been developed on the premise that a computer as a client is to be connected to a network.
In this NC, the client computer has a minimum arrangement having a communication function of controlling communication via the network. If necessary, the client computer downloads an operating system, an application program, and various data from a server computer (hereinafter referred to as a server), executes operations, uploads data prepared by the user, and stores it in the server.
When a client NC is a portable information device, it is sometimes disconnected from the server. Before disconnection, the client NC must transfer, to the server, all data to be uploaded thereto.
In the conventional NC, however, the client user can recognize operations only up to preparation of data by an application, and cannot recognize whether the prepared data is uploaded to the server, is still held by the client, or is being uploaded. For this reason, the user may disconnect the terminal from the network before or during upload of the data to the server.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been made to solve the conventional drawbacks, and has as its object to provide a portable information device allowing the user to easily recognize the state of data to be transferred to the server, and a data transfer designation method.
To solve the above drawbacks, the present invention causes a light-emitting element to emit light in accordance with the state of data to be transferred to a server computer.
More specifically, according to the present invention, a portable information device which operates by downloading necessary data from a computer while being connected to the computer via a network, comprises a light-emitting element, and control means for controlling the light-emitting element to emit light when data to be transferred to the computer exists in the portable information device. In this case, when the light-emitting element emits light, the user can easily recognize that data to be transferred to the computer still exists.
According to the present invention, a portable information device which operates by downloading necessary data from a computer while being connected to the computer via a network, comprises a light-emitting element, and control means for controlling the light-emitting element to emit light when data to be transferred to the computer is being transferred via the network. In this case, when the light-emitting element emits light, the user can easily recognize that data to be transferred to the computer is being transferred via the network.
According to the present invention, a portable information device which operates by downloading necessary data from a computer while being connected to the computer via a network, comprises a light-emitting element, first control means for controlling the light-emitting element to continuously emit light when data to be transferred to the computer exists in the portable information device, and second control means for controlling the light-emitting element to intermittently emit light when the data to be transferred to the computer is being transferred via the network. In this case, the user can recognize that data to be transferred to the computer still exists when the light-emitting element continuously emits light, and that the data starts to be transferred via the network when the light-emitting element intermittently emits light.
By arranging a plurality of light-emitting elements and sequentially causing them to emit light by the second control means on the basis of the data transfer state, the user can more intuitively recognize the data transfer state.
According to the present invention, a portable information device which downloads, through a network, data held by a computer connected to the network, processes the downloaded data, and transfers the processed data to the computer thereby updating the data held by the computer, comprises: a nonvolatile memory for temporarily storing the processed data when the processed data is to be transferred to the computer; a light-emitting element; and control means for controlling the light-emitting element to emit light when the processed data to be transferred to the computer exists in the nonvolatile memory.
By checking the light emitting state of the light-emitting element, the user can recognize whether data temporarily stored in the nonvolatile memory has actually been transferred to the computer or still remains in the nonvolatile memory without being transferred.
According to the present invention, a portable information device which downloads, through a network, data held by a computer connected to the network, processes the downloaded data, and transfers the processed data to the computer, comprises: a light emitting element; and control means for controlling the light-emitting element to emit light when the data in process and to be transferred to the computer exists in the nonvolatile memory. Also in this case, when the light-emitting element emits light, the user can easily recognize that data in process to be transferred to the computer still exists.
As described above, according to the present invention, when the light emitting device emits light, the user can easily recognize that data to be transferred to the computer still exists. Similarly, the user can recognize that data to be transferred to the computer is being transferred via the network. At this time, even when the data is temporarily stored in the nonvolatile memory, the user can easily recognize by checking the light emitting state of the light-emitting element whether the data has actually been transferred.
Depending on whether the light-emitting element emits light continuously or intermittently, the user can easily recognize whether data to be transferred to the computer exists or is being transferred. In addition, the user can more intuitively recognize the data transfer state by sequentially causing a plurality of light-emitting elements to emit light on the basis of the data transfer state.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out hereinafter.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5345495 (1994-09-01), Black et al.
patent: 5768495 (1998-06-01), Campbell et al.
patent: 5876240 (1999-03-01), Derstine et al.
Crosland Donnie L.
Finnegan Henderson Farabow Garrett & Dunner L.L.P.
Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
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