WO2002075590A1

WO2002075590A1 - A system to visualize an electronically recorded presentation

Info

Publication number: WO2002075590A1
Application number: PCT/FI2002/000205
Authority: WO
Inventors: Mika Heikinheimo
Original assignee: Flanderit - Mobile Solutions Ltd
Priority date: 2001-03-15
Filing date: 2002-03-14
Publication date: 2002-09-26
Also published as: CA2455645A1; FI20010522A0

Abstract

The invention relates to a system for visualizing an electronically recorded presentation, said system comprising a mobile data processing device (1) for storing a desired presentation (E), such as a text, image, sound file and/or the like, a display device (2), such as a data projector, a monitor or the like for visualizing the presentation, and an application software (3) for compiling, editing and/or the like of a desired presentation, particularly for storing the same in the data processing device (1) in an appropriate mode and for transmitting the same further for presentation by means of the display device (2). The system comprises a server arrangement (X), external most preferably with regard to a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) data processing device (1; 1'), such as pocket, palm computer, a mobile phone and/or the like, for further processing, temporary storing and/or the like of the presentation (E) transmitted from the data processing device (1; 1')prior to its further transmission to the display device (2).

Description

A system to visualize an electronically recorded presentation

The invention relates to a system to visualize an electronically recorded presentation, said system comprising a mobile data processing device for storing a desired presentation, such as a text, image, sound file and/or the like, a display device, such as a data projector, a monitor or the like for visualizing the presentation, and an application software for compiling, editing and/or the like of a desired presentation, particularly for storing the same in the data processing device in an appropriate mode and for transmitting the same further for presentation by means of the display device.

In the above context, the conventional practice today is that the mobile data processing device comprises a portable or mobile computer, the images stored therein, edited with an appropriate image processing program, such as e.g. a PowerPoint program, being supplied by means of a program installed in the mobile computer in an appropriate mode, e.g. in a JPG format, over a cable connected to a VGA port of the computer further to a data projector capable of visualizing a desired presentation by controlling the presentation e.g. from the keyboard of the mobile computer.

This type of traditional practice involves especially such an inconvenience that, for presentation purposes, it is always necessary to carry along a mobile computer, the assembly of which for a presentation is first of all quite a tedious process. The reason for this is that switching on the operating system of a mobile computer, followed by starting up an appropriate presentation program, as well as hooking up a cable connecting the mobile computer and a display device, takes practically always several minutes. Therefore, e.g. when a presenter is succeeded by another person, the mechanical hook-ups used by the previous person must first be dismantled before the next person is able to make their own hook-ups. Thus, from the audience's point of view, the succession of presenters cannot be performed very "stylishly" at present .

The present inventive system for visualizing an electronically recorded or stored presentation is intended to provide a decisive improvement over the above problems and, hence, to raise essentially the available prior art. In order to fulfil this objective, the inventive system is mainly characterized in that it comprises a server arrangement, external most preferably with regard to a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) data processing device, such as a pocket, palm computer, a mobile phone and/or the like, for further processing, temporary storing and/or the like of a presentation transmitted from the data processing device prior to its further transmission to a display device.

The most important benefits offered by a system of the invention should be noted to include its simplicity, efficiency, and operating reliability, whereby it is capable of facilitating decisively the performance of various presentations without the necessity of quite laborious "preliminary setups". Regarding its simplicity, the inventive system is based firstly on the fact that the server arrangement for use in the visualization of a desired presentation is implemented completely externally with regard to a given employed PDA device, which reduces and cuts down significantly the hardware required for a given presentation. By virtue of the invention, on the other hand, a presentation can be started in practice quite spontaneously and quickly, because switching on a PDA device occurs markedly faster than the full starting procedure of e.g. a mobile computer to its presentation mode. In addition, the performance of a presenter is facilitated as the presenter's own lightweight PDA device allows e.g. for free physical mobility during a presentation, each image to be communicated being transmitted from his or her PDA device wirelessly to the server arrangement and thence further e.g. to a data projector.

The external server arrangement included in a system of the invention can be implemented with a totally separate transmission or communication device which is, e.g. by way of a cable connected to its own VGA port, in communication with a data projector. The inventive external server arrangement can also be conceivably configured with appropriate software for any operating environment, such that basically one and the same hardware is functional while using, for example, totally different types of PDA devices, which even have different operating systems. At its simplest, the inventive system is feasible, e.g. in connection with a mobile phone fitted with an EPOC operating system, such that the files chosen to be presented thereby are successfully transmitted to a data projector in such a way that e.g. each image or visual to be presented is first of all visible on the display of the mobile phone, in addition to which the discussed display is, on the other hand, capable of showing other information as well, such as e.g. a sequence number for any given image, a time of day, etc. All in all, it should further be noted that a system implemented according to the invention is also considerably more attractive in terms of its total costs than for example a corresponding implementation based on a portable computer.

Preferred embodiments for a system of the invention are disclosed in the non-independent claims directed thereto.

The invention will now be described in detail while reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which

fig. 1 shows one preferred principle of implementing a system of the invention, and

fig. 2 shows in a block diagram one preferred principle of operating a system of the invention.

The invention relates to a system for visualizing an electronically recorded presentation, said system comprising a mobile data processing device 1 for storing a desired presentation E, such as a text, image, sound file and/or the like, a display device 2, such as a data projector, a monitor or the like for visualizing the presentation, and an application software 3 for compiling, editing and/or the like of a desired presentation, particularly for storing the same in the data processing device 1 in an appropriate mode and for transmitting the same further for presentation by means of the display device 2. The system comprises a server arrangement X, external most preferably with regard to a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) data processing device 1; 1', such as a pocket, palm computer, a mobile phone and/or the like, for further processing, temporary storing and/or the like of the presentation E transmitted from the data processing device 1; 1' prior to its further transmission to the display device 2.

In particular reference to the preferred embodiment depicted in fig. 1, the external server arrangement X comprises a separate data transmission device XI provided with elements 4 for communicating the desired presentation E from the data processing device 1; 1' to the display device 2.

As an alternative solution, on the other hand, the invention can be conceivably applied in such a way that the external server arrangement X comprises a data transmission unit XI', which is essentially integrated with the display device 2 and provided with elements 4 for communicating the desired presentation E from the data processing device 1; 1' to the display device 2. This type of application is depicted in fig. 1 with dash-and-dot lines.

In a further preferred application for a system of the invention, said elements 4 include a first data transmission system 4a for communicating the desired presentation E or a portion thereof from the data processing device 1' wirelessly by way of an optical system, such as over an infrared link or the like, to an external server arrangement X; Xl/Xl ' .

In a solution optional or supplementary with respect to what is described above, said elements 4 include the first data transmission system 4a for communicating the desired presentation E or a portion thereof from the data processing device 1' wirelessly by way of a radio- frequency system, such as over a bluetooth link or the like, to the external server arrangement X. In further reference to the preferred application depicted in fig. 1, said elements 4 include yet another data transmission system 4b for communicating the desired presentation E from the external server arrangement X to the display device 2.

In terms of viewing a system of the invention particularly from the perspective of computer technology, the external server arrangement X comprises a processing unit Pr (e.g. STPC Atlas) and an application environment Sy (e.g. BlueCat Linux) for the processing and/or further processing associated with communicating the desired presentation E or a portion thereof. In a further preferred application, the external server arrangement X includes a memory unit My (e.g. 4-16 MB) for the processing, temporary storing and/or the like of a desired presentation.

Particularly with regard to modern infrared technology, the first data transmission system 4; 4a included in the external server arrangement X has a transfer rate preferably within the range of 115 kb/second to 4 Mb/second. On the other hand, with regard to modern data projectors, the second data transmission system 4; 4b included in the external server arrangement X is implemented in a wired fashion with a mechanical data transfer port, such as one or more VGA terminals or the like.

For example, according to the block diagram shown in fig. 2, in terms of applying the operating principle of a system of the invention, a step la refers first of all to a person preparing a desired presentation E. This is followed by a step lb, wherein the prepared presentation E is opened by means of a suitable software present in a computer, which in a step Ic further converts the discussed presentation into a mode compatible with a PDA device, followed by a step Id, wherein a software present in a computer PC conveys a desired presentation to a PDA device 1; 1', most preferably in a wireless mode.

In a step Ila, the PDA device 1; 1' receives the presentation, followed by a step lib in which the operator uses the PDA device 1; 1' to select/compile a desired presentation, whereafter in a step lie the PDA device sends the selected presentation to an external server arrangement X. This is followed by a step lid, wherein the display of said device 1; 1' is used, if so desired, for previewing a given presentation E delivered for further processing.

After this, the external server arrangement X first of all receives a presentation in a step Ilia, followed by converting the presentation, if necessary, into another format in a step II lb and by transmitting the presentation then further to a display device in a step IIIc.

This is followed by a step IVa, wherein a display device 2 receives a presentation for further visualizing the same in a step IVb, for example as reflected by a video projector or e.g. on the screen of a PC.

It is obvious that the invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed or described above, but it can be modified within the scope of the basic inventive concept in accordance with requirements set by any given operating conditions and hardware environments. First of all, the inventive system is basically feasible also in connection with a conventional portable computer in such a way that a presentation, processed by the action of an application software present therein, is communicated wirelessly to a display device by means of an external server arrangement of the invention. On the other hand, visuals and/or other presentations to be displayed by a PDA device can be conveyed with any appropriate data transfer program to a presently employed PDA device, such as e.g. from a PC with the aid of a PC Suite program to a Communicator type mobile phone. Respectively, presentations may include images made e.g. by means of a PowerPoint program, _'e.g. in GIF, PNG, BMP, TIFF formats, etc., or text files in an appropriate format, and/or sound files e.g. in an MP3 or WAV format. Naturally, the necessary conversion of a file format, e.g. from a PowerPoint format into JPG visuals, can be performed in the discussed PDA device, or else by the action of an application software present in the external server arrangement, or else e.g. separately in each of the above, which enables e.g. the use of a slower communication between the PDA device and the external server arrangement. Communication between components included in the system is feasible not only by the above-listed data transfer techniques, but also e.g. by WLAN-HomeRF or e.g. Firewire technique. Respectively, communication between an external server arrangement and a display device, which in turn may be e.g. a TV or any other display in addition to those listed above, can be implemented by using e.g. USB, RGB, TV or e.g. 1394 technique. Naturally, it is also possible to connect an external server arrangement wirelessly to a data projector, e.g. by way of an infrared or bluetooth link, etc.

Claims

1. A system for visualizing an electronically recorded presentation, said system comprising a mobile data processing device (1) for storing a desired presentation (E) , such as a text, image, sound file and/or the like, a display device (2), such as a data projector, a monitor or the like for visualizing the presentation, and an application software (3) for compiling, editing and/or the like of a desired presentation, particularly for storing the same in the data processing device (1) in an appropriate mode and for transmitting the same further for presentation by means of the display device (2) , characterized in that the system comprises a server arrangement (X) , external most preferably with regard to a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) data processing device (1; 1'), such as a pocket, palm computer, a mobile phone and/or the like, for further processing, temporary storing and/or the like of the presentation (E) transmitted from the data processing device (1; 1 ' ) prior to its further transmission to the display device (2) .

2. A system as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that the external server arrangement

(X) comprises a separate data transmission device (XI) provided with elements (4) for communicating the desired presentation (E) from the data processing device (1; 1') to the display device (2).

3. A system as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that the external server arrangement

(X) comprises a data transmission unit (XI¹) , which is essentially integrated with the display device (2) and provided with elements (4) for communicating the desired presentation (E) from the data processing device (1; 1') to the display device (2) .

4. A system as set forth in claim 2 or 3 , characterized in that , said elements (4) include a first data transmission system (4a) for communicating the desired presentation (E) or a portion thereof from the data processing device (1') wirelessly by way of an optical system, such as over an infrared link or the like, to the 'external server arrangement (X) .

5. A system as set forth in any of the preceding claims 2-4, characterized in that said elements (4) include the first data transmission system (4a) for communicating the desired presentation (E) or a portion thereof from the data processing device (1') wirelessly by way of a radio-frequency system, such as over a bluetooth link or the like, to the external server arrangement (X) .

6. A system as set forth in any of the preceding claims 2-5, characterized in that said elements (4) include a second data transmission system (4b) for communicating the desired presentation (E) from the external server arrangement (X) further to the display device (2) .

7. A system as set forth in any of the preceding claims 1-6, characterized in that the external server arrangement (X) comprises a processing unit (Pr) and an application environment (Sy) for the processing and/or further processing associated with communicating the desired presentation (E) or a portion thereof.

8. A system as set forth in any of the preceding claims 1-7, characterized in that the external server arrangement (X) includes a memory unit (My) for the processing, temporary storing and/or the like of a desired presentation.

9. A system as set forth in any of the preceding claims 1-8, characterized in that the first data transmission system (4; 4a) included in the external server arrangement (X) has a transfer rate preferably within the range of 115 kb/second to ' Mb/second.

10. A system as set forth in any of the preceding claims 1-9, characterized in that the second data transmission system (4; 4b) included in the external server arrangement (X) is implemented in a wired fashion with a mechanical data transfer port, such as one or more VGA terminals or the like.