| United States Patent Application |
20130069865
|
| Kind Code
|
A1
|
|
Hart; Gregory M.
;   et al.
|
March 21, 2013
|
REMOTE DISPLAY
Abstract
A remote display system including a portable display that wirelessly
receives data and power from a primary station. The primary station,
which is remote from and without a tangible connection with the portable
display, includes a data transmitting element and a power transmitting
element. The portable display includes a power receiving element that
receives power wirelessly from the power transmitting element and a data
receiving element operable to receive data from the data transmitting
element.
| Inventors: |
Hart; Gregory M.; (Mercer Island, WA)
; Bezos; Jeffrey P.; (Greater Seattle Area, WA)
|
| Applicant: | | Name | City | State | Country | Type | Hart; Gregory M.
Bezos; Jeffrey P. | Mercer Island
Greater Seattle Area | WA
WA | US
US | | |
| Assignee: |
Amazon Technologies, Inc.
Reno
NV
|
| Family ID:
|
47880196
|
| Appl. No.:
|
13/621103
|
| Filed:
|
September 15, 2012 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
| | | | |
|
| Application Number | Filing Date | Patent Number | |
|---|
| | 12716214 | Mar 2, 2010 | | |
| | 13621103 | | | |
| | 61292465 | Jan 5, 2010 | | |
|
|
| Current U.S. Class: |
345/156 |
| Current CPC Class: |
G09G 5/00 20130101 |
| Class at Publication: |
345/156 |
| International Class: |
G09G 5/00 20060101 G09G005/00 |
Claims
1. (canceled)
2. A computer implemented method, comprising: under control of one or
more computer systems configured with executable instructions, detecting
a portable display within range of a first primary station, the portable
display including a power receiving element and a data receiving element,
the first primary station including a data transmitting element and a
power transmitting element; wirelessly receiving power from the power
transmitting element of the first primary station to the power receiving
element of the portable display; wirelessly receiving data from the data
transmitting element of the first primary station to the data receiving
element of the portable display; detecting the portable display within
range of a second primary station, the second primary station including a
power transmitting element and a data transmitting element; wirelessly
receiving power from the power transmitting element of the second primary
station to the power receiving element of the portable display in
response to detecting the portable display within the range of the second
primary station; and wirelessly receiving data from the data transmitting
element of the second primary station to the data receiving element of
the portable display.
3. The computer implemented method of claim 2, further comprising:
transmitting a connection request from the portable display to the second
primary station in response to detecting that the portable display is
within the range of the second primary station.
4. The computer implemented method of claim 2, further comprising:
detecting that a signal strength of the first primary station has dropped
below a minimum threshold; and wirelessly receiving the power from the
power transmitting element of the second primary station in response to
detecting that the signal strength of the first primary station has
dropped below the minimum threshold.
5. The computer implemented method of claim 2, wherein the portable
display is operable to display the data received to the data receiving
element by using the power received to the power receiving element.
6. The computer implemented method of claim 2, further comprising:
detecting a presence of a minor within a proximity of the portable
display by a security feature included in at least one of: the portable
display, the first primary station, or the second primary station; and
limiting at least one of: content displayed on the portable display or
functionality accessible by the portable display in response to detecting
the presence of the minor within the proximity of the portable display.
7. The computer implemented method of claim 2, further comprising:
transmitting a request for a first set of content from the portable
display to the second primary station, the first set of content having an
identifier associated therewith; transmitting the first set of content
from the data transmitting element of the second primary station to the
data receiving element of the portable display; determining, based at
least in part on the identifier, a second set of content likely to be
requested by the portable display in a subsequent request; and
transmitting the second set of content from the data transmitting element
of the second primary station to the data receiving element of the
portable display prior to receiving the subsequent request from the
portable display.
8. The computer implemented method of claim 2, wherein the portable
display is mounted on at least one of: a windshield of an automobile or a
user's glasses; and wherein the portable display is at least partially
transparent.
9. A remote display system, comprising: a first primary station including
a data transmitting element operable to wirelessly transmit data and a
power transmitting element operable to wirelessly transmit power; a
second primary station including a data transmitting element operable to
wirelessly transmit data and a power transmitting element operable to
wirelessly transmit power; and a portable display including a power
receiving element and a data receiving element; wherein the portable
display is operable to wirelessly receive the power from the power
transmitting element of the first primary station in response to a
detection that the portable display is within power transmitting range of
the first primary station; and wherein the portable display is operable
to wirelessly receive the power from the power transmitting element of
the second primary station in response to a detection that the portable
display is within power transmitting range of the second primary station.
10. The remote display system of claim 9, wherein the portable display is
further operable to transmit a connection request to the second primary
station in response to the detection that the portable display is within
the power transmitting range of the second primary station.
11. The remote display system of claim 9, wherein the portable display is
operable to: detect that a signal strength of the first primary station
has dropped below a minimum threshold; and wirelessly receive the power
from the power transmitting element of the second primary station in
response to detecting that the signal strength of the first primary
station has dropped below the minimum threshold.
12. The remote display system of claim 9, wherein the portable display is
operable to display the data received to the data receiving element by
using the power received to the power receiving element.
13. The remote display system of claim 9, wherein at least one of: the
portable display, the first primary station, or the second primary
station further includes: a security feature operable to detect a
presence of a minor within a proximity of the portable display, and limit
at least one of: content displayed on the portable display or
functionality accessible by the portable display in response to detecting
the presence of the minor within the proximity of the portable display.
14. The remote display system of claim 9, wherein the portable display is
further operable to: transmit a request for a first set of content to the
second primary station, the first set of content having an identifier
associated therewith; and receive the first set of content from the data
transmitting element of the second primary station to the data receiving
element of the portable display; and wherein the second primary station
is operable to: determine, based at least in part on the identifier, a
second set of content likely to be requested by the portable display in a
subsequent request; and transmit the second set of content to the data
receiving element of the portable display prior to receiving the
subsequent request from the portable display.
15. The remote display system of claim 9, wherein the portable display is
mounted on at least one of: a windshield of an automobile, or a user's
glasses; and wherein the portable display is at least partially
transparent.
16. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing one or more
sequences of instructions, the one or more sequences of instructions
executed by at least one processor to: detect that a portable display is
within a range of a first primary station, the portable display including
a power receiving element and a data receiving element, the first primary
station including a data transmitting element and a power transmitting
element; cause power to be wirelessly received from the power
transmitting element of the first primary station to the power receiving
element of the portable display; cause data to be wirelessly received
from the data transmitting element of the first primary station to the
data receiving element of the portable display; detect that the portable
display is within range of a second primary station, the second primary
station including a power transmitting element and a data transmitting
element; cause power to be wirelessly received from the power
transmitting element of the second primary station to the power receiving
element of the portable display; and cause data to be wirelessly received
from the data transmitting element of the second primary station to the
data receiving element of the portable display.
17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 16,
further comprising instructions executed by the at least one processor
to: detect that a signal strength of the first primary station has
dropped below a minimum threshold; and cause the power to be wirelessly
received from the power transmitting element of the second primary
station in response to detecting that the signal strength of the first
primary station has dropped below the minimum threshold.
18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 16,
further comprising instructions executed by the at least one processor
to: transmit a connection request from the portable display to the second
primary station in response to detecting that the portable display is
within the range of the second primary station.
19. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 16,
wherein the portable display is operable to display the data received to
the data receiving element by at least partially using the power received
to the power receiving element.
20. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 16,
further comprising instructions executed by the at least one processor
to: detect a presence of a minor within a proximity of the portable
display by a security feature included in at least one of: the portable
display, the first primary station, or the second primary station; and
limit at least one of: content displayed on the portable display or
functionality accessible by the portable display in response to detecting
the presence of the minor within the proximity of the portable display.
21. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 16,
further comprising instructions executed by the at least one processor
to: transmit a request for a first set of content from the portable
display to the second primary station, the first set of content having an
identifier associated therewith; transmit the first set of content from
the data transmitting element of the second primary station to the data
receiving element of the portable display; determine, based at least in
part on the identifier, a second set of content likely to be requested by
the portable display in a subsequent request; and transmit the second set
of content from the data transmitting element of the second primary
station to the data receiving element of the portable display prior to
receiving the subsequent request.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation application of U.S.
Nonprovisional application Ser. No. 12/716,214, filed Mar. 2, 2010,
entitled "Remote Display," that claims priority to U.S. Provisional
Patent Application No. 61/292,465, filed Jan. 5, 2010, entitled
"Remotely-Powered Electronic Devices," which is incorporated herein by
reference in its entirety for all purposes.
BACKGROUND
[0002] An increasing number of portable electronic devices are being used
for everyday purposes such as viewing movies, listening to audio, reading
books, receiving directions and communicating with others. As such, users
are seeking devices that are increasingly smaller and/or more
lightweight. The ability to continue to reduce the form factor of many of
today's devices is somewhat limited, however, as the devices typically
include components such as processors and batteries that limit the
minimum size and weight of the device. While the size of a battery is
continuously getting smaller, the operational or functional time of these
smaller batteries is often insufficient for many users. Once the battery
charge is depleted, the batteries in a portable device must typically be
recharged, which limits use of the portable device as it is connected to
a fixed power source (e.g., power cord plugged into an electrical outlet,
charger plugged into car). In addition to limiting the usage range, the
charging cord is often messy in appearance.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0003] FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of a remote display system that
includes a portable display and a primary station;
[0004] FIG. 2 illustrates another embodiment of a remote display system
that includes a portable display and a primary station;
[0005] FIG. 3 is a block diagram of various components of a primary
station and a portable display, according to various embodiments;
[0006] FIG. 4 illustrates multiple portable displays in communication with
a single primary station;
[0007] FIG. 5 illustrates a portable display in communication with a
primary station;
[0008] FIG. 6 is a block diagram of another embodiment of various
components within a portable display and a primary station;
[0009] FIG. 7 illustrates one or more portable displays connecting to
multiple primary stations;
[0010] FIG. 8 is a flow chart illustrating steps of a primary station
providing content to a portable display;
[0011] FIG. 9 illustrates an embodiment of a portable display connected to
a primary station using a transmission cable;
[0012] FIG. 10 is an isometric drawing of an embodiment of the primary
station shown in FIG. 9 having a retractable transmission cable;
[0013] FIG. 11 is a block diagram of the primary station shown in FIG. 10;
and
[0014] FIG. 12 is an isometric drawing of an embodiment of a cable reel
having a cable management system.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0015] The technology described herein is a remote display system that
includes a portable display and a primary station. The primary station,
which is remote from and not tangibly connected with the portable
display, wirelessly transmits both data and power to the portable
display. The portable display, by receiving power from the primary
station, does not require an independent power source in order to present
content received from the primary station. The ability for a portable
display to present content to a user with a reduced number of components
may result in a reduced size and weight of the portable display and may
eliminate a need to periodically recharge the portable display.
[0016] FIG. 1 illustrates one example of a remote display system 100 that
includes portable display 102 and primary station 112. Portable display
102, in some embodiments, includes a housing 103 that encases a display
screen 104. Housing 103 may include, but is not limited to, one or more
buttons 106, an audio/video input 108 (e.g., camera, microphone) and an
indicator 110 (e.g., power or status indicator). For example, portable
display 102 may include buttons 106 to move to the next or previous page
of content, a power button and the like. Housing 103 may include any
other appropriate components necessary for navigating through content
displayed on the screen 104, as known or subsequently developed for such
purposes.
[0017] To illustrate a specific example, a user may consume content
utilizing remote display system 100 having a portable display 104 and a
primary station 112. In addition to receiving power from primary station
112, portable display 104 receives content; both the content and power
are received without a physical connection between station 112 and
display 104. The content is displayed or presented to the user via
portable display 104. As the user consumes the content, additional
material/content is displayed on portable display 104. Portable display
104 does not require an internal power supply (e.g., a battery), as power
is wirelessly received from the primary station 112. As a result, the
portable display 104 may operate for longer periods of time and weigh
less, thus improving the user's reading experience. In addition, the user
could consume the content on portable display 104 without being concerned
about recharging or replacing an internal battery.
[0018] Display screen 104 presents the content transmitted from primary
station 112. Display screen 104 may be an electrophoretic display,
cholesteric display, liquid crystal display (LCD), light emitting diode
(LED) display, as well as a combination of one or more displays of one or
more type known in the art. Display screen 104 may also be a
touch-sensitive screen, which may be in addition to, or eliminate the
need for, one or more buttons 106. Portable display 102 is not required
to have any buttons 106, a/v input 108 or indicator 110.
[0019] FIG. 1 illustrates that, in some embodiments, primary station 112
includes power source 114, processor 116 and antenna 118. By way of
example only, power source 114 may comprise an electrical power cord that
plugs into an electrical outlet, a battery or any other combination of
power components known in the art that may be used to provide power to
the components. Processor 116 may include one or more processors,
graphics processors, memory, etc. Antenna 118 wirelessly delivers content
to portable display 102. One skilled in the art understands that antenna
118 is not required for primary station 112 to wirelessly transmit power
or data to a portable display 102.
[0020] Primary station 112 wirelessly communicates both data and power to
portable display 102. One or more wireless signals can be transmitted
from primary station 112 to provide data and power to portable display
102. In some embodiments, primary station 112 transmits power to portable
display 102 using the same wireless signal that is used to transmit data.
In other embodiments, primary station 112 wirelessly transmits power to
portable display 102 using a different wireless signal than the signal(s)
used to transmit data to the portable display 102.
[0021] FIG. 2 illustrates remote display system 200 wherein some of the
functionality of portable display 102 shown in FIG. 1 has been removed to
further reduce the weight, size and/or power consumption of the portable
display 102. In FIG. 2, portable display 202 substantially only includes
a display screen 204. The portable display 202 shown in FIG. 2 has a
circuitry housing portion 206 that may be removably attached to display
screen 204. Housing 206 is shown in FIG. 2 attached to a side of the
portable display 202. However, housing 206 may be located in other
positions relative to the screen as well. For example, housing 206 may be
removably attached to a backside of the portable display 202 whereby only
the housing portion 206 is potentially thicker than the display screen. A
housing 206 that is removably attached to display screen 204 would allow
a user to replace only the screen 204 or housing 206 without having to
replace the entire portable display.
[0022] Housing 206, in some embodiments, contains power receiving
circuitry and data receiving circuitry configured to receive the power
and data provided by primary station 212 as part of the same or separate
wireless signals. Housing 206 may also include display circuitry for
rendering the content received from primary station 212 for display in
the display screen 204. In some embodiments, the circuitry mentioned
above may be contained within the display screen 204 itself, or attached
thereto, such that a separate housing 206 is not necessary.
[0023] In FIG. 2, portable display 202 does not include any user input
mechanisms, as user input mechanisms are provided in primary station 212.
As shown in FIG. 2, primary station 212 can include a power source 214, a
processor 216, imaging detection element 218, a keyboard 220 and/or a
microphone 222. Primary station 212 may also include other input
mechanisms such as a mouse or tablet, so that the user can provide input
to the primary station, and the resulting output (if any) can be
transmitted to the portable display.
[0024] Microphone 222 may enable a user to provide audio commands to the
primary station 212. For example, a user may issue audio commands to the
primary station 212, which transmits the command to the portable display
202. In an instance where the portable display 202 is a smart phone
displaying text content, a user viewing a page on the portable display
202 can issue an audio command such as "next" or "flip," which, when
received by the microphone 222, delivers a signal to the portable display
202 so that the next page of the content is displayed. In some
embodiments, the signal transmitted by primary station 212 to the
portable display 202 to present the next page may include a command for
the portable display 202 to render the next page of content. In other
embodiments, the signal transmitted by primary station 212 may include a
pre-rendered image of the next page of the electronic book. Microphone
222 can be a wirelessly powered microphone, which can be worn or
otherwise remotely positioned by the user. A wireless microphone 222 may
communicate with the primary station using any communication protocol
known in the art (e.g., BLUETOOTH.RTM., radio frequency (rf)).
[0025] Detection element 218 may include any appropriate component or
combination of components such as may be used to transmit and/or receive
radiation for detecting motion, position or any other such information.
In some embodiments, the detection element 218 is a camera that is able
to detect objects, motion and/or movement of the user via ambient light.
For example, while reading a book on the portable display 202, a user
could pass a hand over display 204 of portable display 202 in a
right-to-left motion (or other configuration as defined by the user). A
camera would detect this motion, the primary station 212 would interpret
the motion as intent by the user to move to the next page in the book and
the primary station 212 would transmit a data signal to the portable
display 202 to display the next page in the book. The user could perform
any of a number of other motions to provide input, and that input could
be correlated to any of a number of actions, such as to scroll content,
zoom in or out, power off, etc. In some embodiments, detection element
218 can emit a signal, such as infrared radiation or ultrasound and
detect the reflection of that signal to track aspects such as eye
movement of the user to perform a function. The detected signal can be
used to perform a function such as turning a page based on eye movement
or turning the device off if the user's eyes are closed for a defined or
selected period of time.
[0026] Detection element 218 may also be used to implement one or more
security features of a portable display. A security feature may include a
content limiting feature and/or a functionality feature. For example, if
detection element 218 is a camera, detection element 218 may be able to
detect who is holding a portable display or who is located within
proximity of the portable display. In this instance, a user may want to
limit the access and/or features available to the portable display based
on who is holding the portable display or located nearby. By way of
example only, a portable display may be configured such that only child
appropriate content may be displayed or accessed when detection element
detects that a child is holding the portable display or is located within
the same room as the portable display.
[0027] Similarly, when a parent leaves the house without their portable
display, the portable display may be accessed by their children while the
parent is away. The parent may want to limit the functionality of the
portable display so that their children cannot purchase new content,
access inappropriate content and/or view private content (e.g., plans for
child's surprise birthday party) while the parent is away. When detection
element 218 detects that a child is operating the portable device, the
safety feature limiting the functionality of the portable display is
activated. Although FIG. 2 illustrates that each of the input mechanisms
(e.g., detection element, microphone and keyboard) are attached to the
primary station 212 via a wired connection, one of skill in the art
understands that one or more of the input devices may be a wireless
device.
[0028] Security features may also be activated based on feedback received
from housing 103. For example, if housing 103 includes a touch-sensitive
surface (e.g., capacitive sensing, resistive sensing), housing 103 may
detect who is holding the portable display and/or whether the person
holding the portable display is a minor. By way of example only, a
touch-sensitive housing may determine that a minor is holding a portable
display based on any combination of a width of the person's fingers, a
length of the person's fingers and an area of the housing being gripped
by the person's hand. Based on the information provided by the housing,
the security feature may be enabled by the portable display (or primary
station). Security features may prevent the portable display from
functioning at all (e.g., portable display cannot be turned on), certain
content may not be accessed and/or displayed (e.g., age inappropriate
content) and/or certain functions of the portable display may be disabled
(e.g., user cannot purchase new content).
[0029] FIG. 3 illustrates various components of the portable display 102
(or 202) and the primary station 112 (or 212) shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. As
should be understood, additional, fewer or alternative components can be
used in similar or different configurations as would be apparent to one
of ordinary skill in the art in light of the teachings and suggestions
contained herein, and only certain components are illustrated for
purposes of simplicity of explanation. For ease of description, only
portable display 102 and primary station 112 are referenced with regard
to FIG. 3; however the description also applies to portable display 202
and primary station 212.
[0030] In FIG. 3, portable display 102 includes a data receiver 304, a
power receiver 306, a display 308 and a display circuitry 310. In some
embodiments, data receiver 304 and power receiver 306 may be a single
component. Data receiver 304 receives both content and control data
transmitted by primary station 112 and communicates the content/control
data to display circuitry 310. Power receiver 306 receives power
transmitted from primary station 112 to power the other components
contained within the portable display 102. Display circuitry 310 is
configured to display content to a user via display 308. In addition to
receiving signals, data receiver 304 may be a transceiver to both receive
and send data.
[0031] FIG. 3 illustrates that primary station 112, in some embodiments,
includes data transmitter 322, memory 324, input device 326, power
transmitter 328, processor 330, input port 332, power source 334, display
336 and output port 338. Data transmitter 322 wirelessly transmits data
(e.g., content, control signal) to portable display 102 using any
communication protocol known in the art such as, but not limited to,
BLUETOOTH.RTM., Wi-Fi and radio frequency.
[0032] Power transmitter 328 wirelessly transmits power to portable
display 102. Power transmitter 328 can obtain power from at least one
power source 334. Power source 334 may be, by way of example only, a
battery, a power supply connected via a power cord to an electrical
outlet or any other appropriate power source. Any technology known in the
art can be used to transmit power from primary station 112 to portable
display 102. For example, power may be transferred wirelessly from
primary station 112 to portable display 102 by near-field induction. In
an inductive system, the primary station 112 and portable displays have
one of the primary and secondary circuits (power transmitting and
receiving mechanisms, respectively) of a transformer, and the energy
transfer is performed via electromagnetic (inductive) coupling between
the circuits. The power transmitter circuitry of the primary station 112
and the power receiving circuitry of the portable display 102 will
typically have to be within a specified range of each other in order to
transmit the necessary amount of power, as energy losses over distance
can affect the transmission.
[0033] Where longer transmission distances are needed, processes such as
electromagnetic induction can be used wherein a primary coil (i.e., the
power transmitting mechanism) in the primary station 112 generates an
electromagnetic field. As long as the secondary coil (i.e., the power
receiving mechanism) of the portable display 102 is within the
electromagnetic field, a current can be induced in the secondary coil
that provides power to the remote component. In other embodiments,
capacitive energy transmission technologies can be used to deliver power
from primary station 112 to portable display 102. Other approaches such
as, but not limited to, electrostatic induction and electromagnetic
resonant coupling can be used as well within the scope of the various
embodiments.
[0034] Input device 326 may be, by way of example only, a keyboard, mouse
and/or a set of buttons (e.g., power button). Display 336 may be any type
of display known in the art, including, for example, a liquid crystal
display (LCD) or series of LEDs. Input device 326 and/or display 336 may
enable a user to interact directly with primary station 112. For example,
utilizing the input device 326 and display 336 in the primary station 112
would enable a user to select an electronic book (e.g., from a menu or
list) for viewing on portable display 102, turn the power on/off to
portable display 102 or obtain new content from a network (e.g., download
a new electronic book).
[0035] Data may be delivered to portable display 102 in various ways. In
some embodiments, portable display 102 is configured to receive
pre-rendered content (e.g., bitmap images including page content or other
renderings of content) and provide the pre-rendered content via display
308. In the instance whereby the portable display 102 is an electronic
book reader, as the portable display 102 receives pages of a book that
are pre-rendered, display circuitry 310 causes the pre-rendered pages,
received via data receiver 304, to be displayed on display screen 308.
Although not shown, display circuitry 310 can include, or be connected
to, components capable of storing multiple pages of a book at a time.
Selecting the appropriate page to present in display 308 may be based on
an input received via portable display 102 or from primary station 112.
[0036] In other embodiments, a portable display 102 may include components
such as a processor and associated circuitry whereby the portable display
102 is able to receive code with embedded tags, for example, that could
be rendered on the portable display. This approach transmits text instead
of image data, which lessens the amount of data transmitted from the
primary station 112 to the portable display 102 and accordingly, lessens
the transmission times. Further, this method enables each portable
display 102 to render the content according to the capabilities,
preferences or settings of the component, such as the screen resolution
and font size.
[0037] In an instance where a portable display 102 presents the contents
of an electronic book (eBook) to the user, each page of the eBook may be
associated with an identifier. The identifier can be used to determine
subsequent pages or other content likely to be requested by the portable
display 102. For example, if the user is viewing the first page of an
electronic book on the portable display 102, it is likely that the user
will eventually want to view the second page of the book. In embodiments
where the portable display 102 has sufficient memory, the primary station
112 can determine the next one or more pages likely to be requested by
the portable display 102 based at least in part upon the identifier.
Further, the primary device 112 can transmit at least the second page to
the portable display 102 while the user is reading the first page or
otherwise before the portable display 102 requests the second page. In
some embodiments, the content may only be transmitted to the portable
display 102 when the portable display 102 requests the particular page,
such as where there is limited available memory on the portable display
102. The ability to preload content on the portable display 102 may
reduce the amount of time needed to transition between displayed pages.
[0038] In some embodiments, the portable display 102 can store other types
of content as well. For example, when a user, reading an electronic book,
navigates to the next page of the electronic book, the portable display
102 may store the prior page in memory, at least until a subsequent
number of pages have been loaded and/or viewed, such that the user can
turn back to the previous page(s) without the primary station 112 having
to retransmit the page to the portable display 102. The number of pages
stored before or after the current page can depend at least in part upon
the amount of memory in the primary station 112 and/or portable display
102 and in some embodiments can be user-configurable. In some cases,
entire chapters or books could be stored, or pre-loaded, onto the
portable display 102. The number of stored pages may also depend on the
amount of power received at the portable display 102. Similarly, the
portable device may present many types of content including video, image,
audio, text and the like.
[0039] In general, the portable display 102 may be configured to store
pages or other content that is most likely to be viewed next on the
device. For example, in addition to the previous and subsequent pages for
the current book, the portable display 102 can store similar pages for
other electronic books that the user is reading. Similarly, the portable
display 102 may store other often-accessed pages such as a home page or
user interface page where a user may select which book to view. In some
embodiments, the user can have the ability to view available books on an
interface page and select books to be purchased, downloaded or otherwise
accessed. Various other types of content can be viewed as well, as should
be apparent in light of the present discussion.
[0040] Primary station 112, while not shown in FIG. 3, may also include a
graphics processing unit and other rendering components such that only
minimal rendering circuitry (if any) is required in portable display 102
to render an image, audio, video and the like. Portable display 102 can
include other components discussed herein, such as input mechanisms,
memory and data transmitters. In some embodiments, portable display 102
can also include a power source (e.g., battery) that is recharged when
the portable display 102 is within range of a primary station 112 and is
only used to power portable display 102 when the portable display 102 is
out of range of a primary station 112. This may be useful in the instance
where a user moves to another room for a short period of time that is out
of range of a primary station 112. A power source in portable display 102
would prevent portable display 102 from losing power when out of range of
primary station 112. In some embodiments, the range of the transmitted
power may be more or less than the range of transmitted content.
[0041] FIG. 4 illustrates a configuration 400 of multiple portable
displays (e.g., portable displays) 402A, 402B, 402C and a single primary
station 412 located in a vehicle. In this example, multiple portable
displays 402 operate with a single primary station 412. Known audio-video
(a/v) systems currently used in vehicles to allow passengers to view
video programs are bulky, use a/v wires to connect the DVD player to each
monitor and require expensive installation. Unlike current a/v systems,
configuration 400 allows one or more passengers in a vehicle to watch a
DVD or video program while traveling in the vehicle without requiring any
additional wiring between the primary station 412 and each portable
display 402. In addition, configuration 400 allows additional passengers
that enter the vehicle to watch a video program using their own portable
display 402. Each portable display 402 may display unique content or the
same content as the other portable display(s) 402.
[0042] A primary station 412 may be placed anywhere in the vehicle and may
receive power from a 12V power source in the vehicle. For example,
primary station 412 may be connected to a power outlet in the vehicle or
hardwired to the vehicle's electrical system. Even though FIG. 4
illustrates a single primary station 412, one or more primary stations
412 may be installed or integrated into the vehicle. A portable display
402 can be located anywhere in the vehicle, such as held by a passenger
or attached by a mounting element (e.g., straps, bands) to the back of
headrests in the vehicle (as shown in FIG. 4). Because each portable
display 402 receives data and power wirelessly from primary station 412,
a user can view a DVD or other content while traveling in the vehicle
without having to physically connect the portable display 402 to any
power source.
[0043] In some embodiments, a portable display 402, operating in a sleep
or stand-by mode, "wakes up" when the portable display 402 is located
within the power transmitting range of the primary station 412. Once in a
normal operating mode, the portable display 402 may begin to present the
content being transmitted by the primary station 412. In other
embodiments, when portable display 402, operating in the stand-by mode,
enters the power transmitting range of a primary station 412, the
portable display 402 prompts the user to "wake up" the device and will
wait to present the content being transmitted by the primary station 412.
Additionally, when portable device 402 "wakes up," the user can select or
specify the content to be present on the portable display 402.
[0044] Primary station 412 may be configured to automatically detect the
presence of a portable display 402 within the vehicle. For example, when
a portable display 402 initially enters the power transmitting range of
the primary station 412 and "wakes up," the portable display 402 may
transmit a connection request to the primary station 412. Primary station
412 may begin to transmit a data signal to the portable display 402 based
on whether the primary station 412 is a secure primary station 412 (e.g.,
requires a password or key to access) or an unsecure primary station 412
(e.g., primary station automatically connects to any device within
range).
[0045] A primary station 412 that automatically connects to any portable
display 402 within range may be desirable in many instances, such as when
the primary station 412 is located in a vehicle. Thus, when an additional
passenger enters the vehicle with their own portable display 402, the
portable display 402 begins to receive power via its power receiver, and
primary station 412 may detect the portable display 402 upon receipt of a
connection request received from the device. If the primary station 412
does not require a password to access, the primary station 412 may begin
to transmit data to the newly detected portable display 402. Primary
station 412 may transmit the same content to each portable display 402A,
402B, 402C in the vehicle. Primary station 412 may also transmit
different content to each portable display 402A, 402B, 402C.
[0046] A primary station 412, in some embodiments, can be configured to
synchronize or transmit (power and/or data) only with specific portable
displays 402. A primary station 412 may also be configured to transmit
content to portable displays 402 using encryption or other security
methods in order to prevent any "unauthorized" portable display 402
within range of the primary station 412 from receiving and interpreting
the data signal being transmitted from the primary station 412.
[0047] In some embodiments, the primary station 412 can include a switch
or parameter, adjustable through hardware and/or software, which can
determine whether one or more specific portable display(s) 402 are able
to receive and decode the data signal being transmitted by the primary
station 412. In some instances, each portable display 402 may receive a
different data signal from the same primary station 412 in order to view
different programming at the same time. In these cases, the primary
station 412 encodes the data signals in such a way that that each
portable display 402 receives and interprets the desired data signal,
from respective selected or designated primary station 412, without
interference.
[0048] A portable display 402 may receive data transmitted from a first
primary station 412 while receiving power from a second, different
primary station 412. There can be several variations as should be
apparent, and data signal and power adjustments can be made manually,
automatically or a combination thereof. For example, a user, via the
portable display 402, might select to receive data signals from another
primary station 412 (e.g., selects a primary station from an "available
primary station" menu displayed on the device), but the portable display
402 may receive power from any primary station 412 within range of the
portable display 402.
[0049] FIG. 5 illustrates a configuration 500 of a portable display 502
and a primary station 512 located in a vehicle. In this example, portable
display 502 is not contained in a housing, (rigid or flexible) and is
adhered to the interior surface of a windshield using static attraction
or another such approach. Portable display 502 can be transparent, or at
least substantially transparent, such that a driver can see through the
display portion of the portable display 502 when no content is being
displayed (or at least not filling the entire screen). Portable display
502 can be positioned anywhere within the vehicle that is within range of
primary station 512.
[0050] In such a configuration, information can be conveniently displayed
to the user via a portable display 502 mounted within a vehicle (e.g., on
the windshield). For example, if primary station 512 is in communication
with a global positioning system (GPS) or similar device, driving
directions and/or a map can be provided to portable display 502 and
displayed such that a user can view directional information. In some
embodiments, the information displayed in portable display 502 is at
least partially transparent or opaque, such that no portion of the
windshield is completely blocked and portable display 502 complies with
local traffic laws. In other embodiments, portable display 502 may be
configured to display caller ID information, the temperature outside the
vehicle, traffic alerts or any other appropriate information (e.g.,
nearest gas station, hotel). The user may select the content to be
presented and can use a single portable display 502 to present many
different and selectable types of content.
[0051] The versatility of the portable display 502 may allow for many
other uses. For example, a user might adhere a thin portable display 502
(e.g., portable display is simply a display) to the user's glasses, such
that the user can utilize the glasses as a display screen when desired.
In other embodiments, a portable display 502 or communication device can
take the form of an earpiece that allows a user to hear audio information
and/or provide audio input while simultaneously receiving power
wirelessly from a primary station 512. An advantage to portable displays
502 over conventional displays and earpieces is that power is also
provided wirelessly by a primary station 512 to the portable display 502
such that the portable display 502 operates for substantially longer
periods and may not need to be recharged. Many other variations exist as
well within the scope of the various embodiments.
[0052] Even though FIGS. 4-5 illustrate a remote display system located in
a vehicle, it should be appreciated that a remote display system has many
other applications as well. For example, a college campus might have
multiple primary stations 512 located across campus. The primary stations
512 located throughout campus basically establish a wireless power and
data network, such that a student, using their portable display 502, can
access data anywhere on campus. At the same time, the portable display
502 constantly receives power from the network of primary stations 512
while the student is on campus. Thus, the portable display 502 may
operate without requiring an independent power source (e.g., rechargeable
battery). Similar to Wi-Fi services today that require a fee to access,
users could be charged an access or usage fee to utilize the system
including usage of the wirelessly transmitted power. As will be discussed
in more detail below, a rechargeable battery may however provide
additional benefits. If the data available to the student included the
electronic version of the text books required by a class, a student might
be able to view the electronic version of the text book while in class
and may no longer need to carry multiple, heavy books around campus.
[0053] In another example, a professor may provide a video presentation
during class that could be streamed live to each student in the class
with a portable display 502. During the professor's lecture accompanying
the presentation, a student may annotate the presentation with notes of
the professor's lecture as well as the student's own notes of the
presentation. By way of example only, these may be time-based annotations
(e.g., 32 minutes into the presentation, the professor said "pay
particular attention to this portion of the presentation for your
upcoming midterm"). In some embodiments, a portable display may also
allow a student to transmit their notes to another person or storage
device in real-time, at periodic intervals (e.g., auto backup feature)
and/or upon manually selecting to do so.
[0054] In yet another example, a professor may divide the students in the
class into five workgroups, where each workgroup is presented with a
different assignment. An assignment may comprise any combination of
content, such as streamed multimedia, text, a prerecorded lecture, etc.
The professor may configure one or more primary stations to transmit a
particular assignment to each student's portable display based on their
workgroup. The primary station(s) may be configured prior to the start of
class if the professor predetermines which students are included in a
workgroup. The primary station(s) may also be configured during class if,
for example, the professor allows the students to form the workgroups at
the beginning of class. Regardless of when the primary station(s) is
configured, the student's portable display will receive the assignment
from the primary station. Alternatively, the professor may provide each
student with a workgroup password to access a particular primary station
in order to receive the assignment.
[0055] FIG. 6 illustrates another embodiment of a portable display 602
that includes a data transceiver 604 instead of, or in addition to, a
data receiver (as shown in FIG. 3) and a power source 606. Data
transceiver 604 allows for two-way wireless communication with primary
station 612 via data transceiver 622. In some embodiments, power source
606 located in portable display 602 is a rechargeable battery. In other
embodiments, power source 606 is a power receiver similar to power
receiver 306 shown in FIG. 3. Portable display 602 also includes display
608 and display circuitry 610. In an embodiment of a portable display
that includes a rechargeable battery, the power transmitted by a primary
station may also be used to recharge the battery contained in the
portable display. To minimize power costs associated with charging a
battery in a portable display, in some embodiments, a primary station may
be configured to transmit power to an otherwise powered-down portable
display for battery recharging purposes during low power demand times
(e.g., at night when the cost of electricity is lower, during low demand
times).
[0056] Portable display 602 may be configured to receive pre-rendered
pages (e.g., bitmap images including page content) or other renderings of
content and provide the rendered pages for display via the display screen
608. Portable display 602 may also include a processor and associated
circuitry such that the portable display 602 is able to render content.
[0057] FIG. 6 further illustrates that a primary station 612 may be
connected to a network 640 (e.g., Internet, local area network (LAN)) via
a network interface 634. For example, primary station 612 is connected to
a LAN that is also connected to other primary stations. A portable
display may receive any content that is stored on any of the primary
stations in the LAN via the primary station 612 the device is currently
connected to. For example, in FIG. 6, primary station 612 may transmit
content to portable display 602 that is stored on another primary station
in the LAN or a local storage device (e.g., hard drive) that is also
connected to the LAN. In some embodiments, primary station 612 may not
store any content, and memory 624 is used for caching content retrieved
from the local storage device.
[0058] A primary station 612 may also transmit content retrieved from a
wide-area network, such as the cloud, to a portable display 602. For
example, if the portable display 602 is an electronic book reader, and
the user has their purchased books stored in the cloud, a primary station
612 may send a request to the content provider associated with a
particular electronic book to retrieve all or a portion of the electronic
book via network interface 634. In some embodiments, the primary station
612 retrieves the content and stores the content locally, such as on a
hard disk or other such device, and the content is provided to the
portable display entirely from the primary station 612. In other
embodiments, the primary station 612 streams the content to the portable
display 602.
[0059] Network interface 634 may wirelessly communicate with the LAN, WAN,
cloud, etc. or be hardwired to a network access device (e.g., laptop
computer, desktop computer, cellular phone, smart phone). Primary station
612 shown in FIG. 6 may include similar components as primary station 112
shown in FIG. 3, which therefore do not need to be described again.
[0060] FIG. 7 illustrates a primary station network 700 that includes
multiple primary stations 702, 706, 710, each with an associated
communication range. A communication range may refer to an area
surrounding a primary station that a portable display must be within in
order for the portable display to receive content, power or both from the
primary station. In this example, primary station 702 is able to transmit
content and/or power to a portable display 714 within a first range of
communication 704, primary station 706 is able to transmit content and/or
power to a portable display 716 within a second range of communication
708 and primary station 710 is able to transmit content and/or power to a
portable display 718 located within a third range of communication 712.
FIG. 7 also shows three portable displays 714, 716, 718, which may
correspond to a single portable display moving between all three
communication ranges 704, 708, 712 or may correspond to a different
portable display in each of the three different communication ranges 704,
708, 712.
[0061] In the instance where a user is holding a portable display and
travelling through the communication ranges 704, 708, 712, system 700 may
coordinate power transmission between the three primary stations 702,
706, 710. For example, all three primary stations 702, 706, 710 do not
necessarily radiate power at the same time or all the time. In some
embodiments, each primary station includes a detection element that may
operate to detect whether a person and/or a portable display is present
within the primary station's communication range or located within a room
where the primary station is located. In this case, a primary station may
operate in a power-saving state (e.g., does not transmit power) while no
person and/or portable display is detected. On the other hand, when a
detection element detects the presence of a person and/or a portable
display, the primary station may begin to transmit or radiate power such
that any portable display within the communication range begins to
receive power transmitted by the primary station. Similarly, when a
person is no longer detected by the detection element (e.g., person
leaves a room), the primary station will again return to a power-saving
state. In various embodiments, the detection element may include one or
more of an imaging element (e.g., a camera), an audio element (e.g.,
circuitry for audio/voice recognition), a motion detection element (e.g.,
infrared or ultrasound circuitry for motion detection) and an
identification element (e.g., circuitry utilizing information to identify
a user and/or a portable display by visual, RFID, signature analysis or
any other known methods).
[0062] In FIG. 7, the first portable display 714 is shown to be within the
first communication range 704 of station 702. In some embodiments, as
discussed above, the portable display 714 may receive power from primary
station 702 when the device initially enters first communication range
704 and can automatically generate and transmit a connection request to
primary station 702. In other embodiments, a confirmation message may be
generated and transmitted by primary station 702 in response to the
connection request such that the user must approve the connection between
portable display 714 and primary station 702 before the connection is
established.
[0063] A second portable display 716 is shown to be within both the first
communication range 704 of primary station 702 and a second communication
range 708 of primary station 706. The connectivity between a primary
station and a portable display can be managed in a number of different
ways. For example, the portable display 716 might be configured to
communicate only with a specific primary station or use a specific
communication protocol, which can determine which primary station the
portable display will receive content from. As discussed above, portable
display 716 may wirelessly receive power from any primary station. In
other embodiments, a user might have registered the portable display with
only primary stations 702 or 706, such that primary stations 702, 706 may
each attempt to communicate with portable display 716, but only the
primary station having the corresponding registration information will
actually connect with portable display 716.
[0064] The connection can also be controlled, to some extent, by the
existing connection on the portable display 716. For example, portable
display 716 might initially be located within first communication range
704 and receives content from primary station 702. When portable display
716 moves within second communication range 708 of primary station 706,
portable display 716 might maintain the connection (both for content and
power) with primary station 702 until the portable display 716 is
completely outside of first communication range 704, at which point, the
portable display 716 may attempt to connect to primary station 706. The
connection may also be dictated, at least in part, by the strength of the
relative signal transmitted by a primary station. For example, portable
display 716, as shown in FIG. 7, is located within the communication
range of both stations 702 and 706. In some embodiments, the portable
display 716 may attempt to connect with a primary station that currently
has the strongest signal with respect to portable display 716. In order
to prevent constant switching when signals transmitted from two different
primary stations are similar in strength, a portable display 716 may
connect to a different primary station only when, for example, the
difference in signal strengths exceeds a threshold or when the signal
strength from a primary station drops below a minimum threshold.
[0065] A third portable display 718 is shown to be within the third
communication range 712 of primary station 710. Portable display 718 may
receive power from primary station 710 when the display initially enters
third communication range 712 and can automatically generate and transmit
a connection request to primary station 710. In other embodiments, a
confirmation message may be generated and transmitted by primary station
710 in response to the connection request such that the user must approve
the connection between portable display 718 and primary station 710
before the connection is established.
[0066] FIG. 8 illustrates a method 800 of transmitting pre-rendered
content from a primary station to a portable display. It should be
understood that the steps shown in FIG. 8 are merely examples, and that
additional, fewer or alternative steps can be used in similar or
alternate orders, or in parallel, within the scope of other embodiments.
In this example process, a device such as a primary station
detects/listens for connection requests from a portable display 802. For
example, a BLUETOOTH enabled primary station might listen for a BLUETOOTH
enabled portable display to come within a transmission range of the
primary station. It should be understood, however, that in other
embodiments, a portable display could send heartbeat or similar
connection signals, and the primary station can listen for the presence
of such signals. In other embodiments, a user might manually request or
initiate a connection between a primary station and a portable display.
[0067] When a portable display comes within the communication range of the
primary station and issues a connection request, the request can be
received by the primary station 804. The primary station can determine
whether to grant the portable display access 806 to, or otherwise
establish a connection with, the requesting portable display. For
example, in some embodiments, a primary station might establish a
connection with any compatible portable display or only establish a
connection to portable displays that are registered with the primary
station. Similarly, a connection might only be established when a user of
the portable display is identified through the connection request and
that user is authorized to connect with the primary station. Various
other such processes can be used as should be apparent to one with skill
in the art.
[0068] If the primary station determines that a connection should not be
established (e.g., unauthorized device), a denial of request message can
be sent to the requesting portable display 808. Although in some
embodiments the primary station may instead choose to not respond to the
requesting device. If the primary station allows the portable display to
connect to the primary station, a message or other communication can be
sent to the requesting device to establish the connection 810. It should
be understood that any appropriate connection protocols and
communications can be used as is known in the art for such purposes. Once
a connection is established, a request can be received from the portable
display that includes a content identifier 812, such as an invariant
number, that identifies a location, portion, page or other set or subset
of content to be displayed on the portable display. For example, for an
electronic book reader, the content identifier could correspond to the
current page of an electronic book to be displayed to the user.
[0069] Once the identifier is extracted, pending any verification or other
such processes, the content corresponding to the identifier can be
retrieved 814. As discussed above, the content corresponding to the
identifier may be located in a local storage device accessible by the
primary station (e.g., via a LAN), a storage device within the primary
station itself (e.g., hard drive) or stored in a WAN, such as the cloud,
that is accessible by the primary station. In the present example, once
the content is located, the content is pre-rendered 816 and transmitted
to the portable display for display to the user 818. The content may be
pre-rendered by the primary station or any other device capable of
pre-rendering content that is accessible by the primary station.
[0070] The primary station can determine the amount of the content that
can (or should) be displayed on the portable display in a given instance
and can pre-render the appropriate amount of content to send to the
device. For example, the content identifier received at 812 might
correspond to a chapter of a book. Even though the primary station may
locate the chapter of the book at 814, the primary station might
pre-render only a first page of the chapter at 816 depending on aspects
of the device, user preferences or other such information. As discussed
above, the portable display may be configured to render content received
from the primary station. In this instance, the primary station does not
pre-render the content in block 816 and instead delivers the content to
the device 818.
[0071] In some instances it may be desirable to connect a portable display
to a primary station using a transmission cable. For example, a portable
display may be located in an area whereby it is difficult to receive a
data signal wirelessly from a primary station. FIG. 9 illustrates a
remote display system 900 where portable display 902 may be physically
connected to primary station 912 by a transmission cable 908. In this
instance, primary station 912 may be stationary but the transmission
cable 908 allows a user to move freely around while using the portable
display 902. In FIG. 9, portable display 902 includes display 904 and
housing 906, and portable display 902 is coupled to primary station 912
utilizing transmission cable 908. Housing 906 may include one or more of
the components 304, 306, 310 shown in FIG. 3. Housing 906 may include
other components as well. Similar to primary station 112 shown in FIG. 1,
primary station 912 shown in FIG. 9 includes power supply 914 and
processor 916.
[0072] Transmission cable 908 can include one or more signal paths (e.g.,
wires) for transmitting data and power from primary station 912 to
portable display 902. Transmission cable 908 may transmit power, data or
both from the primary station 912 to the portable display 902. If, for
example, the transmission cable 908 transmits only power to the portable
display 902, the primary station 912 may wirelessly transmit the data to
the portable display 902. If the portable display 902 is able to transmit
data back to the primary station 912, the transmission cable 908 may also
transmit the data from the portable display 902 to the primary station
912. Transmission cable 908 may be shielded, insulated or otherwise
covered as necessary or desired. By way of example only, a transmission
cable 908 may include a fiber optic cable, a conventional two-wire power
cable or any other type of data or power cable known within the art.
[0073] FIG. 9 illustrates that the transmission cable 908 extends between
housing 906 of portable display 902 and primary station 912. As will be
discussed in more detail below, the length or amount of transmission
cable 908 between a primary station and a portable display may be
actively managed based on a tension level of the cable 908. In some
embodiments, the transmission cable 908 retracts into and extends out of
the primary station 912, which has a cable management system that
actively manages the amount of transmission cable 908 between the primary
station 912 and portable display 902.
[0074] FIG. 10 illustrates one embodiment of primary station 912 shown in
FIG. 9 that includes a retractable transmission cable 908. The
transmission cable 908 may retract into the housing 913 of the primary
station 912 such that, when the primary station 912 is not connected to a
portable display 902 using the transmission cable 908, the amount of
transmission cable 908 extended out of the primary station 912 is minimal
A primary station 912 with a retractable transmission cable 908 also
allows a user, holding a portable display 902 connected to the primary
station 912 via the transmission cable 908, to move away from the primary
station 912 yet remain connected to the primary station 912.
[0075] FIG. 10 illustrates that the transmission cable 908 includes a
connector 956. The connector 956 shown in FIG. 10 is for illustration
purposes only, and is not intended to limit the scope of the technology
described herein. Any connector known in the art that may transmit a data
and/or power signal may be used. In some embodiments, the transmission
cable 908 may be connected to portable display 902 by a breakaway
connection such that when the transmission cable 908 is pulled with
sufficient force, the transmission cable 908 will disconnect from
portable display 902 in order to prevent potential injury or damage to
the portable display 902 and/or the transmission cable 908. Any
appropriate breakaway connection can be used as known or subsequently
developed for such purposes.
[0076] FIG. 11 is a block diagram of primary station 912 shown in FIG. 10
that includes a power source 1014, a processor 1016, a data transmitter
1022, a memory 1024, a power transmitter 1028 and input/output ports
1032. These components are similar to the components described in detail
above in FIG. 3. In addition to these components, primary station 912
includes a cable management system 1002, which includes, by way of
example only, a tension sensor 1004, a spindle motor 1006 and a cable
release 1008. The cable management system 1002 actively manages the
amount of transmission cable 908 located between the primary station 912
and portable display 902. Primary station 912 may include additional,
alternative or fewer components than shown in FIG. 11, in similar or
alternate configurations as should be apparent to one of ordinary skill
in the art in light of the teachings and suggestions contained herein.
[0077] Tension sensor 1004 detects an amount of tension on the
transmission cable, as a result of user action, gravity or any other such
source. Various other sensors can be used as discussed elsewhere herein.
The tension sensor 1004 in this embodiment is in communication with
processor 1016, which can utilize the information provided by tension
sensor 1004 to determine the tension on the transmission cable at
appropriate intervals, appropriate times or continuously. Based on the
information received from the tension sensor 1004, processor 1016 can
send a control signal to spindle motor 1006 to extend or retract the
transmission cable. In some embodiments, the cable management system 1002
has a dedicated processor and does not utilize processor 1016.
[0078] Cable management system 1002 determines a tension level on the
cable and maintains the tension level within a selected and/or predefined
upper tension threshold and a lower tension threshold. Based on the
tension level on the cable, cable management system 1002 determines
whether to activate spindle motor 1006 to retract transmission cable
(e.g., into the primary station) or to activate cable release 1008 to
allow an additional amount of transmission cable to be released (e.g.,
out of the primary station) based on a lower threshold tension level and
an upper threshold tension level, respectively.
[0079] For example, when a user holding a portable display connected to a
primary station pulls the portable display away from the primary station,
the tension sensor 1004 in the cable management system 1002 detects an
increased tension on the transmission cable. When the tension level
exceeds an upper threshold tension level, the cable management system
1002 activates the cable release 1008 to allow an additional amount of
transmission cable 908 to extend out of the primary station 912 until at
least the tension level in the cable drops below the high threshold
tension level. By activating the cable release 1008, the portable display
does not tug on the transmission cable and possibly disconnect the
transmission cable from the portable display.
[0080] Similarly, when the user moves the portable display 902 closer
towards the primary station 912, cable management system 1002 detects
that the tension level on the cable drops, and when the tension level
drops below a lower threshold tension level, the cable management system
1002 activates the spindle motor 1006 to retract the transmission cable
back into the primary station 912 until the tension level at least
exceeds the lower threshold tension level.
[0081] FIG. 12 illustrates that the transmission cable 908 and cable
management system 1002 may be located in a cable reel 1100 instead of a
primary station. FIG. 12 shows that the cable reel 1100 includes a
connector 1102 extending from a rear surface (not visible in FIG. 12) of
the cable reel housing 1104. The connector 1102 allows the cable reel
1100 to connect to a primary station. The transmission cable 908 may
retract into (and extend out of) housing 1104 of cable reel 1100.
Transmission cable 908 includes a connector 956 for connecting to a
portable display. Connector 1102 of cable reel 1100 and connector 956 of
transmission cable 908 may be any type of connector such as, by way of
example only, a universal serial bus (USB) connector or any other
connector that may transmit a data signal and/or a power signal between a
primary station and a portable display using the transmission cable 908.
[0082] In the FIG. 12 embodiment, cable reel 1100 may include a cable
management system 1002 similar to the system discussed above with regard
to FIG. 11. For example, cable reel 1100 may include within its housing
1104 a stress/tension sensor, a spindle motor and/or a cable release
similar to those shown in FIG. 11. In some embodiments, cable reel 1100
further includes a processor and a power supply to operate the cable
management system 1002. In other embodiments, cable reel 1100 does not
include a processor or a power supply and instead uses the processor and
power supply in the primary station to operate the cable management
system 1002.
[0083] Even though the technology disclosed herein refers to a portable
display for presenting content in a display, the term "portable display"
is not limited to a portable device that presents only images, text or
video content. A portable display may refer to any portable device that
presents video, an image, audio, text and the like. The term "data," as
used herein, may refer to any data signal transmitted to a portable
display. Data transmitted to a portable display may comprise a control
signal and/or content. Types of content that may be transmitted from a
primary station to a portable display may include video, audio, text or
any other type of audio/image data known in the art.
[0084] The specification and drawings are, accordingly, to be regarded in
an illustrative sense rather than a restrictive sense. It will, however,
be evident that various modifications and changes may be made thereunto
without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the invention as
set forth in the claims.
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