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Claims  |
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What is claimed is:
1. A mobile client computer comprising:
a housing sized to be held in and manipulated by the hand of a user;
a processor mounted within said housing and processing digital data;
memory mounted within said housing for storing digital data and coupled to
said processor;
a display mounted in said housing and coupled to said processor and said
memory to display information derived from digital data processed by said
processor;
an input digitizer mounted in said housing and overlaying said display,
said digitizer being coupled to said processor and enabling input of
digital data by a user; and
a control program stored in said memory and accessible by said processor to
direct the processing of digital data by said processor;
said control program and said processor cooperating, when said control
program is executing on said processor, in (1) presenting tabular displays
of data in cells arranged in columns and rows in a window area on said
display, (2) distinguishing between tabular displays of a first type as to
which all columns and rows are accommodated in the window area and tabular
displays of a second type as to which one of (a) less than all columns and
(b) less than all rows are accommodated in the window area, and (3)
reflowing tabular displays of one of said first type and said second type
into tabular displays of the other of said first type and said second type
in accommodation of display in said window area and maintaining display of
all cells containing data information.
2. A mobile client computer according to claim 1 wherein said control
program and said processor cooperate, while reflowing tabular displays, in
retaining on display in the window area columns and rows of cells
containing title information.
3. A mobile client computer according to claim 1 wherein said control
program and said processor cooperate, while reflowing tabular displays, in
changing the number of columns and the number of rows displayed only with
regard to those columns and rows containing data information.
4. A mobile client computer according to claim 1 wherein said control
program and said processor cooperate, while reflowing tabular displays, in
decreasing the number of columns and increasing the number of rows
displayed.
5. A mobile client computer according to claim 1 wherein said control
program and said processor cooperate, while reflowing tabular displays, in
increasing the number of columns and decreasing the number of rows
displayed.
6. A mobile client computer comprising:
a housing sized to be held in and manipulated by the hand of a user;
a processor mounted within said housing and processing digital data;
memory mounted within said housing for storing digital data and coupled to
said processor;
a display mounted in said housing and coupled to said processor and said
memory to display information derived from digital data processed by said
processor;
an input digitizer mounted in said housing and overlaying said display,
said digitizer being coupled to said processor and enabling input of
digital data by a user; and
a control program stored in said memory and accessible by said processor to
direct the processing of digital data by said processor;
said control program and said processor cooperating, when said control
program is executing on said processor, in (1) presenting tabular displays
of data in cells arranged in columns and rows in a window area on said
display, (2) distinguishing between tabular displays of a first type as to
which all columns and rows are accommodated in the window area and tabular
displays of a second type as to which one of (a) less than all columns and
(b) less than all rows are accommodated in the window area, and (3)
reflowing tabular displays of one of said first type and said second type
into tabular displays of the other of said first type and said second type
in accommodation of display in said window area and maintaining display of
all cells containing data information while decreasing the number of
columns and increasing the number of rows displayed and retaining on
display in the window area columns and rows of cells containing title
information.
7. A mobile client computer comprising:
a housing sized to be held in and manipulated by the hand of a user;
a processor mounted within said housing and processing digital data;
memory mounted within said housing for storing digital data and coupled to
said processor;
a display mounted in said housing and coupled to said processor and said
memory to display information derived from digital data processed by said
processor;
an input digitizer mounted in said housing and overlaying said display,
said digitizer being coupled to said processor and enabling input of
digital data by a user; and
a control program stored in said memory and accessible by said processor to
direct the processing of digital data by said processor;
said control program and said processor cooperating, when said control
program is executing on said processor, in (1) presenting tabular displays
of data in cells arranged in columns and rows in a window area on said
display, (2) distinguishing between tabular displays of a first type as to
which all columns and rows are accommodated in the window area and tabular
displays of a second type as to which one of (a) less than all columns and
(b) less than all rows are accommodated in the window area, and (3)
reflowing tabular displays of one of said first type and said second type
into tabular displays of the other of said first type and said second type
in accommodation of display in said window area and maintaining display of
all cells containing data information while increasing the number of
columns and decreasing the number of rows displayed and retaining on
display in the window area columns and rows of cells containing title
information.
8. A computer comprising:
a housing;
a processor mounted within said housing and processing digital data;
memory mounted within said housing for storing digital data and coupled to
said processor;
a display coupled to said processor and said memory to display information
derived from digital data processed by said processor; and
a control program stored in said memory and accessible by said processor to
direct the processing of digital data by said processor;
said control program and said processor cooperating, when said control
program is executing on said processor, in (1) presenting tabular displays
of data in cells arranged in columns and rows in a window area on said
display, (2) distinguishing between tabular displays of a first type as to
which all columns and rows are accommodated in the window area and tabular
displays of a second type as to which one of (a) less than all columns and
(b) less than all rows are accommodated in the window area, and (3)
reflowing tabular displays of one of said first type and said second type
into tabular displays of the other of said first type and said second type
in accommodation of display in said window area and maintaining display of
all cells containing data information.
9. A computer according to claim 8 wherein said control program and said
processor cooperate, while reflowing tabular displays, in retaining on
display in the window area columns and rows of cells containing title
information.
10. A computer according to claim 8 wherein said control program and said
processor cooperate, while reflowing tabular displays, in changing the
number of columns and the number of rows displayed only with regard to
those columns and rows containing data information.
11. A computer according to claim 8 wherein said control program and said
processor cooperate, while reflowing tabular displays, in decreasing the
number of columns and increasing the number of rows displayed.
12. A computer according to claim 8 wherein said control program and said
processor cooperate, while reflowing tabular displays, in increasing the
number of columns and decreasing the number of rows displayed.
13. A display generating system comprising:
a housing;
a processor mounted within said housing and processing digital data;
memory mounted within said housing for storing digital data and coupled to
said processor;
said processor and said memory cooperating in supplying digital data
driving a display of visual images; and
a control program stored in said memory and accessible by said processor to
direct the processing of digital data by said processor;
said control program and said processor cooperating, when said control
program is executing on said processor, in (1) presenting tabular displays
of data in cells arranged in columns and rows in a window area on said
display, (2) distinguishing between tabular displays of a first type as to
which all columns and rows are accommodated in the window area and tabular
displays of a second type as to which one of (a) less than all columns and
(b) less than all rows are accommodated in the window area, and (3)
reflowing tabular displays of one of said first type and said second type
into tabular displays of the other of said first type and said second type
in accommodation of display in said window area and maintaining display of
all cells containing data information.
14. A system according to claim 13 wherein said control program and said
processor cooperate, while reflowing tabular displays, in retaining on
display in the window area columns and rows of cells containing title
information.
15. A system according to claim 13 wherein said control program and said
processor cooperate, while reflowing tabular displays, in changing the
number of columns and the number of rows displayed only with regard to
those columns and rows containing data information.
16. A system according to claim 13 wherein said control program and said
processor cooperate, while reflowing tabular displays, in decreasing the
number of columns and increasing the number of rows displayed.
17. A system according to claim 13 wherein said control program and said
processor cooperate, while reflowing tabular displays, in increasing the
number of columns and decreasing the number of rows displayed. |
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Claims |
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Description |
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RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is one of a series of related applications assigned to
common ownership. Other applications in the series include:
Application Ser. No. 08/781,004 filed 9 Jan. 1997, entitled "Mobile Client
Computer with Keyboard Interface" with named inventors T. Aebli, B. Miller
and W. W. Vetter;
Application Ser. No. 08/703,171 filed 22 Aug. 1996, entitled "Mobile Client
Computer Programmed to Predict Input" with named inventors R. L. Bertram,
D. F. Champion and P. Brittenham;
Application Ser. No. 08/708,168 filed 22 Aug. 1996, entitled "Mobile Client
Computer Programmed to Exchange Lists of Predicted Input" with named
inventors R. L. Bertram and W. T. Oldfield;
Application Ser. No. 08/814,034 filed 10 Mar. 1997, entitled "Mobile Client
Computer Interacting with Docking Device" with named inventors E. H.
Booth, B. A. Carpenter, R. B. Ferrier, R. A. Resnick and W. W. Vetter;
Application Ser. No. 08/706,990 filed 22 Aug. 1996, entitled "Mobile Client
Computer Programmed to Copy Lists of Predicted Input" with named inventors
R. L. Bertram, P. J. Brittenham and D. F. Champion;
Application Ser. No. 08/813,148 filed 7 Mar. 1997, entitled Mobile Client
Computer Programmed for Systems Message Display" with named inventors R.
L. Bertram and D. F. Champion;
Application Ser. No. 08/807,969 filed 3 Mar. 1997, entitled "Mobile Client
Computer Programmed to Combine Cursor, Control and Input Functions" with
named inventors P. J. Brittenham and L. D. Comerford;
Application Ser. No. 08/813,527 filed 3 Mar. 1997, entitled "Mobile Client
Computer Programmed to Display Drop Down Scrolling Indicator" with named
inventors R. L. Bertram and D. F. Champion and;
Application Ser. No. 08/813,521 filed 7 Mar. 1997, entitled "Mobile Client
Computer Programmed to Hide Empty Table Elements" with named inventor R.
L. Bertram;
Application Ser. No. 08/700,608 filed 12 Aug. 1996, entitled "Mobile Client
Computer Programmed to Display Hexagonal Keyboard" with named inventors R.
L. Bertram, D. F. Champion and L. S. Eichorn;
Application Ser. No. 08/700,606 filed 12 Aug. 1996, entitled "Mobile Client
Computer Programmed to Establish Soft Keyboard Targeting" with named
inventor R. L. Bertram; and
Application Ser. No. 08/706,991 filed 22 Aug. 1996, entitled "Mobile Client
Computer Programmed to Display Lists and Hexagonal Keyboard" with named
inventors R. L. Bertram and D. F. Champion.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Personal computer systems in general and IBM personal computers in
particular have attained widespread use for providing computer power to
many segments of today's modern society. Personal computer systems can
usually be defined as a desk top, floor standing, or portable
microcomputer that consists of a system unit having a single system
processor and associated volatile and non-volatile memory, a display
monitor, a keyboard, one or more diskette drives, a fixed disk storage,
and an optional printer. One of the distinguishing characteristics of
these systems is the use of a motherboard or system planar to electrically
connect these components together. These systems are designed primarily to
give independent computing power to a single user and are inexpensively
priced for purchase by individuals or small businesses. Examples of such
personal computer systems are the personal computer systems offered by IBM
and identified as the PERSONAL COMPUTER AT, PERSONAL SYSTEM/2, PS/1,
Aptiva, and the like. Persons of skill in the computer arts will be
familiar with these systems.
These systems can be classified into two general families. The first
family, usually referred to as Family I Models, use a bus architecture
exemplified by the IBM PERSONAL COMPUTER AT and other "IBM compatible"
machines. The second family, referred to as Family II Models, use IBM's
MICRO CHANNEL bus architecture exemplified by IBM's PERSONAL SYSTEM/2
Models 50 through 95. The Family I models originally used the popular
INTEL 8088 or 8086 microprocessor as the system processor. These
processors have the ability to address one megabyte of memory. The Family
II models typically used the high speed INTEL 80286, 80386, and 80486
microprocessors which can operate in a real mode to emulate the slower
speed INTEL 8086 microprocessor or a protected mode which extends the
addressing range from 1 megabyte to 4 Gigabytes for some models. In
essence, the real mode feature of the 80286, 80386, and 80486 processors
provide hardware compatibility with software written for the 8086 and 8088
microprocessors. As the state of the art has progressed, Family I systems
have developed toward ever higher capability central processor units,
including the Intel PENTIUM brand microprocessor and its competitors,
Reduced Instruction Set Computing (RISC) microprocessors such as the IBM
and Motorola Power PC processors, and higher capability bus designs such
as VESA and PCI bus designs. Again, persons of skill in the computer arts
will be familiar with these systems.
The impact of such development on the manner in which computing is done in
business and consumer environments has been profound. Prior to the
development of personal computer systems, most use of computers was for
business purposes only and data processing was done in the "glass house"
which housed the computer system. Inquiries were channeled through
information managers for handling by computer technicians. With the wide
spread use of personal computer systems access to data once maintained on
an enterprise wide computer system became important to managers and
ultimately line employees. Networks of personal computer systems grew up,
with layered access through network servers to the enterprise systems or
mainframes on which enterprise data is stored.
As information work has spread to an increasing number of information
workers and impacted the work of more wide spread groups of employees
within an enterprise, need for mobility of such employees has arisen.
Particularly in such "outside" jobs as route salesperson, transport
driver, or business consultant, it has become important to have access,
while remote from an enterprise site, to enterprise data normally
maintained on an enterprise system and accessed through a network of
computer systems. Such access has been achieved, in part, through the use
of wireline connected personal computer systems such as notebook or laptop
computer systems. Typically, such a system may be equipped with a modem
and communications software such that, when connected to a public switched
telephone network (PSTN), the system may be connected with a supporting
server or mainframe and a user may gain access to desired data.
With the development of radio communications such as exemplified by the
cellular telephone networks, the possibility arose of eliminating the
wireline connection between a personal computer system and a supporting
server. Such systems have been developed, particularly for systems used in
retail and warehousing businesses, which permit a user to move freely
within an area which has radio transceiver service while remaining in
intermittent or continuous contact with a data channel through which data
may be exchanged with a server or mainframe supporting an enterprise
activity. For purposes of discussion here, such systems in the hands of
user will be referred to as "mobile client systems". A mobile client
system is distinguished by the mobility of the user, who is free of the
restraints against movement imposed by a wireline connection, and by the
client nature of the system in that enterprise data accessed by the mobile
client system is maintained on a server or mainframe computer system with
which the mobile client is in communication. Such mobile client systems
are also sometimes referred to as personal communications assistants or
personal digital assistants. The interested reader is referred to
"Wireless: The Revolution in Personal Telecommunications" by Ira Brodsky
(Artech House, Boston, 1995) for additional background and information
about mobile client systems.
With certain application programs accessed through graphic user interfaces,
for example a web browser, documents retrieved from computer readable data
streams and prepared for display can be presented in windows of varying
size. One manner in which this is accomplished includes reflowing the
document. Reflowing is an attempt by the application or interface software
to maximize the displayed portions of a document while accommodating the
available window size. If such a document contains a table, reflowing may
include narrowing table columns for display in smaller windows while
reflowing text within the columns. However, large tables cannot be so
accommodated in small windows, and the application or interface software
will often fail to make the columns sufficiently narrow. The results in
the user having to scroll from side-to-side or horizontally of the
document in order to view all the columns, often hiding some columns while
others are viewed.
Users tend to more easily scroll from top-to-bottom or vertically of a
document, rather than horizontally. Many users may be unaware, unless
specifically prompted, that there is additional columnar information
located to one side of a displayed window area. Additionally, maintaining
an understanding of columns not displayed becomes more difficult as they
are scrolled horizontally to one side and out of the display area. These
problems can exist with both landscape and portrait orientation displays.
A program which uses small windows, either by choice or because of a small
display area being available as in a handheld client system, can ill
afford displaying empty cells or fields. The display of an empty cell or
table element introduces confusion for a user, in that elements which may
contain data of significance may become displaced from the display area by
reflowing.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
With the foregoing as background, the present invention contemplates a
display generating system, and particularly a computer such as a mobile
client system, in which control programs such as an application or
interface program cooperates with a processor in reflowing table elements.
In particular, the present invention breaks apart tabular portions of
documents and reorganizes such portions to facilitate top-to-bottom or
vertical scrolling while retaining all information to be displayed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Some of the purposes of the invention having been stated, others will
appear as the following description proceeds, when taken in connection
with the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of certain elements of a mobile
client computer system in accordance with this invention;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the mobile client system of FIG. 1 as
assembled for use;
FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic representation of relationships among a mobile
client system as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and supporting peripherals and
systems;
FIG. 4 is a schematic showing of certain circuitry elements embodied in the
mobile client of FIG. 2;
FIG. 5 is a schematic showing of certain circuitry elements and their
relationships in the mobile client of FIG. 2;
FIG. 6 is a state diagram of power modes for the mobile client of FIG. 2
and transitions among them;
FIG. 7 is a diagram similar to that of FIG. 6 showing the states of certain
elements of the mobile client of FIG. 2 and including the status of
software executing on the mobile client;
FIG. 8 is an illustration of the display screen of the mobile client of
FIG. 2 while driven by the execution of an application program on the
mobile client to display certain data;
FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 8, illustrating the display of a table
portion of a document which has been presented as requiring side-to-side
or horizontal scrolling; and
FIG. 10 is a view similar to FIGS. 8 and 9, illustrating the display of a
table portion which has been reflowed in accordance with the present
invention to facilitate top-to-bottom or vertical scrolling.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)
While the present invention will be described more fully hereinafter with
reference to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodiments of
the present invention are shown, it is to be understood at the outset of
the description which follows that persons of skill in the appropriate
arts may modify the invention here described while still achieving the
favorable results of this invention. Accordingly, the description which
follows is to be understood as being a broad, teaching disclosure directed
to persons of skill in the appropriate arts, and not as limiting upon the
present invention.
Referring now more particularly to the accompanying Figures, FIGS. 1 and 2
illustrate an exemplary embodiment of a mobile client personal computer
system (herein also called a "mobile client") in accordance with this
invention and indicated generally at 10. As will become more clear from
the description which follows, the mobile client may have a variety of
characteristics while remaining within the contemplation of this
invention. Central among those characteristics is that the system have
provision for the capability of communicating at least data, possibly both
data and audio such as voice, between the mobile client system and
supporting servers and mainframes. In the illustrated embodiment, such
capability is provided by providing a system which is separable into three
distinct components, namely a system tablet 11, a holster 12 and a radio
transceiver 13. In the form illustrated, the transceiver 13 is a cellular
telephone which may be mounted within the holster 12, while the holster 12
may be connected with the system tablet 11 by slipping the tablet into a
receptacle provided in the holster 12. While thus illustrated and here
described as a three component system, it will be understood that many of
the advantages of this invention as described hereinafter can be realized
where the mobile client system 10 is unified. That is, where the radio
transceiver 13 is integrated with the system tablet 11 and the connection
therebetween is accomplished within a single cover for the system, apart
from any use of a holster 12. The transceiver/holster/tablet organization
provides certain advantages in some circumstances. However, it is to be
understood that the invention can be practiced apart from this particular
organization.
An advantage realizable with the tripartite organization is the ready
substitution of one radio transceiver for another. More particularly,
while digital data and analog audio can be exchanged over a cellular
telephone radio interface, with data using cellular digital packet data
(CDPD) protocols, there are other possibilities. Among them can be digital
radio techniques such as frequency division multiple access (FDMA) and
time division multiple access (TDMA); spread spectrum technologies such as
direct sequence spread spectrum (DS-SS) and resultant code division
multiple access (CDMA); frequency hopping spread spectrum (FH-SS); and the
combination of one of more of these technologies into what are known as
advanced mobile phone systems (AMPS) or advanced radio data information
service (ARDIS) or RAM Mobile Data. As these technologies evolve and gain
wider acceptance, the tripartite organization will facilitate adapting
existing tablets 11 to emerging radio transceivers 13, and thereby protect
the investment of users in systems. However, for certain environments such
as adverse ambient conditions of temperature, humidity, or exposure to
shock as by dropping, a unified system with transceiver and tablet and
supporting circuitry in a single cover may be a preferred choice.
Turning now to FIG. 3, what is there schematically indicated is the
relationships among a system 10 in accordance with the invention and
supporting servers and peripherals. More particularly, while the tablet 11
(as described more fully hereinafter) is normally adapted for input by a
user through a touchscreen 15 embodied in a backlit liquid crystal
display, the system 10 can accommodate a more conventional keyboard 16.
The keyboard may be, as illustrated, wire tethered to the system 10 when
desired for use, with the tethering conductors 18 providing signal
pathways for data input to reach the system 10. Alternatively, the
keyboard may be linked for data transfer by other means known to persons
of skill in the art, such as by an infrared link using a known protocol.
In the drawing, the system is shown linked to a printer 19 by an IrDA link
for data transfer by infrared radiation.
As indicated above, the radio transceiver provides a radio frequency link
to a server indicated at 20, which may communicate by wireline with
supporting mainframe data storage 21. Data relevant to the operation of
the entire enterprise will be maintained on the supporting mainframe, and
made available to the mobile client 10 in accordance with this and the
above identified related inventions.
Turning now to the circuitry elements which together accomplish the
processing of data in accordance with this invention, FIG. 4 illustrates
one form of organization of such elements. As there shown, the illustrated
mobile client system 10 has at its core a microprocessor (indicated at 30)
which uses reduced instruction set computing (RISC) characteristics, The
processor has elements which include a controller 31 for a liquid crystal
display; a controller 32 for peripherals of the type known as PCCards or
PCMCIA cards; instruction/data cache 33; an interface to memory and an
external bus 34; and a real time clock 35; The microprocessor also has an
interrupt controller 36 and a defined interface for a variety of services
37. While here disclosed as a single processor chip having these
characteristics, it is known from the manufacture and use of prior art
computer systems that such computational capability and interface
availability can be reached by other means, such as the use of an Intel
X86 based processor surrounded by appropriate support logic or chips. Thus
while the embodiment of FIG. 4 is offered as exemplary of a system in
accordance with this invention, it is known the core functionality of such
a mobile client system can be otherwise configured.
As indicated in FIG. 4, the core microprocessor 30 is supported by
peripherals. Most importantly, power for operating of the system is
supplied from a battery 40. Preferably, the battery 40 is of the type
known as a "smart" battery, in which provision is made for self monitoring
by the battery of charge state and recharge progress. Such batteries are
known and will provide signals to the mobile client system processor 30
which can be used to generate indications to a user of the battery charge
state, readiness for re-use after charging, etc. The mobile client also
preferably has a conventional modem 41, for use when connected by
wireline, and a telephone interconnection point 42 (indicated as an RJ-11
connector). Memory for the system is provided by a flash memory accessory
card 44.; by dynamic random access memory (DRAM) 45; and by core flash
memory 46. Preferably, a pair of PCMCIA slots, of type 11, are provided as
shown at 48 and 49 for the addition of other functionality.
In order to display the result of data handling operations performed by the
mobile client system, the system 10 has an LCD 15 as mentioned above. The
LCD is overlain by a suitable touchscreen 50 which functions as a
digitizer to recognize when input is made by a user. There will be further
discussion of this functionality later in this description. Input from the
touchscreen, as from the battery and a temperature sensor, passes through
an analog/digital converter 51 to an input/output (I/O) port of the
processor 30. Other I/O ports of the processor 30 provide for connection
to a keyboard as described above; an IrDA port 52, an audio CODEC 54 and
associated speaker 55 and microphone 56; and an interface connector 58 for
the radio transceiver 13.
As was pointed out hereinabove, it is to be understood that the specific
organization of functions here described with reference to FIG. 4 may be
varied due to a designer's choice of functions to be supported, processor
core, and support logic.
As mentioned above, the mobile client system 10 obtains power from a
battery. While such operation is appropriate for mobility, provision is
made for support of the system 10 by connection to more conventional power
sources in the form of alternating current electrical mains. Such power
sources are identified at 60 in FIG. 5, to which reference is had in the
following description of power management relationships. As will be
understood, the management of power usage by a mobile client system is
significant with regard to usability of the system.
FIG. 5 illustrates the organization of peripherals around the processor 30
from the perspective of power sources and consumption. The power
management topology is such that power flows to the processor 30 in the
tablet 11 from the main battery 40, while separate flows of power and
control impact the holster 12, any radio transceiver 13 mounted in the
holster, and any PCCard accessories used by the system. This division of
power flows is of significance to the mobile client system 10 here
described. More particularly, a separate battery 61 is provided in the
holster 12. The holster battery 61 preferably is a "smart" battery, and
has associated therewith in the holster 12 a battery controller 62, a
holster peripheral controller 63, and associated circuitry 64 effective to
interface the data streams flowing to and from the processor 30 with the
radio transceiver 13. Thus, while circuitry in the holster 12 and
transceiver 13 is under the control of the processor 30 (as will be
pointed out more fully hereinafter), the power source is at least somewhat
independent of the tablet 11. This is a significant division. When the
tablet is engaged with a holster, the circuitry in the two components
cooperates in management of the whole. When a transceiver 13 (which, if a
conventional cellular telephone, may have its own power source and power
management techniques) is positioned in the holster 12, then the
transceiver 13 may also have a coordinated role in participating in power
management for the tripartite system.
Turning more particularly to the tablet 11, that system will have
controller circuitry 66 for the battery 40 and a power supply 68 to which
the battery 40 supplies power for operation of the tablet 11. In the
present system, provision is made for a separate microcontroller 69 to
exercise control over the power supply in order to off-load certain
requirements from the core processor 30. The microcontroller receives
input from the processor 30 and from a converter 70. The processor 30 and
converter 70 are supported, for minimal functions, by a battery 71 for the
real time clock 35. The RTC battery 71 assures that the tablet system will
wake up when called as described more fully hereinafter.
Turning now from the hardware topology to a discussion of the power modes
and transition events for the mobile client system 10, FIG. 6 is one
illustration of such modalities. For purposes of the following
description, it should be noted that a user of the mobile client system
will be provided with indicators for the levels of activity of the system.
Typically, such indicators or annunciators will be in the form of light
emitting diodes (LEDs), as such devices are readily available,
inexpensive, and known to most users of technical devices. The tripartite
system may be provided with an indicator for the tablet 11, and indicator
for the holster 12, and an indicator for the transceiver 13. In FIG. 6,
distinctions are drawn between states of activity which reflect differing
levels of activity between the tablet 11 and holster 12, and an assumption
is made that the system illustrated is a tripartite system with tablet and
holster joined.
With this background in mind, the fully active state of the system will
have both the tablet 11 and the holster 12 fully activated as indicated by
illumination of the corresponding LEDs and the backlit LCD 15.That state
is indicated at 75. The completely opposite state, with all components
powered down (as if when all batteries have been removed), is indicated at
76, and would result in all LEDs and the backlit LCD being unilluminated.
From the state of being fully active, a user may elect to turn off the
holster 12, either by operating a switch provided for that purpose or by
interrupting a necessary interconnection through separating the holster
from the tablet or the radio transceiver from the holster. In such an
event, the tablet LED and LCD may remain illuminated (as the tablet
remains active) while the holster LED becomes unilluminated (indicated at
78). The mobile client may be capable of data processing using data stored
in memory, yet be disconnected (intermittently or temporarily) from the
supporting servers 20 and data storage 21. Upon an occurrence determined
by software executing on the mobile client system, the system may enter a
state known as suspend. In the suspend state, indicated at 79, the tablet
LED and LCD and the holster LED are dark. Should it be appropriate for the
radio transceiver to be used while the remainder of the tripartite system
remains in suspend state, then the system can enter a state indicated at
80 in which the holster LED is illuminated and the transceiver functional.
Similarly, upon an occurrence determined once again by software executing
on the mobile client system, the system may enter a state known as
standby, indicated at 81. In standby, the tablet LCD will be darkened to
save power, while the tablet LED will remain illuminated to indicate that
the system can be "awakened" readily. The holster may be either powered
down (with LED dark) or remain active. A timer function is provided which,
after passage of a predetermined time interval with the system 10 in
Standby, will transition the system to Suspend mode.
The system can transition between Off state 76 and Active states 78 or 75
by use of an on/off switch. The system can transition from any Suspend or
Standby state to Off state 76 by use of the on/off switch or battery
removal. The system can transition from Suspend states 79 or 80 to Active
states 78 or 75 in response to a suspend/resume input from a user, an
incoming call indication from the radio transceiver connected with the
holster, time out of a timed interval, or a battery low charge indication
from the smart battery controllers. The system can transition from Standby
states to Active states 78 or 75 in response to user events such as an
input by way of the touchscreen or keyboard.
Another view of the power modes and transition events is given in FIG. 7.
There, the system states are represented as being an On state 81; Idle
state 82; Standby state 84; Suspend state 85; and Off state 86. In the On
State 81, the system LEDs and LCD are illuminated, the processor 30 is
operating in normal high function mode, application programs are active,
and other peripherals are power managed as needed. Passage of time with
inactivity will result in the system entering the Idle state 82, in which
execution of application programs by the processor has ended, the
processor enters a "doze high" mode of power management, the LCD is
illuminated, and other peripherals are power managed as needed. Any user
event will return the system to the On state. Should the passage of time
cause the system to enter the Standby state 84, then application programs
become static, the processor enters a "doze low" mode of power management,
the LCD is dark, and all other peripherals are power managed as needed.
Should the passage of time cause the system to enter the Suspend state 85,
application programs become static and are checkpointed for resumption,
the processor enters a "sleep" mode of power management, the LCD is
darkened, and all other peripherals are off. Thus in terms of time
intervals for turnaround to fully active state 81, the system will return
most quickly from Idle state 82, less quickly from Standby state 84, less
quickly from Suspend state 85, and most slowly from Off state 86.
It is now believed instructive to address briefly the display and
communication of data as contemplated for the mobile client system of this
invention. Referring now more particularly to FIG. 8, there is shown there
an exemplary representation of a display screen for an application program
executed on the system 10. Preferably, the system 10 executes an
application program | | |
