Abstract: A system which includes a personal computer or a server adapted to be connected by way of a radio link to one or more wireless interface devices. Each of the wireless interface devices is configured to support multimedia applications and may include a speaker, as well as a microphone, for audio input. Audio input data is compressed and transmitted over a radio link to a remote computer or server.

Abstract: A pen-based portable computer system which includes one or more pen-based wireless interface devices that are adapted to communicate by way of a radio link to a remote host personal computer or server. The pen-based wireless interface device is adapted to operate in a pen mode and a mouse mode. In a mouse mode, pen down events are translated to mouse data and formulated into mouse data packets which, in turn, are transmitted over the radio link to the remote host computer or server. In order to enable the wireless interface device to switch to a pen mode, one or more ink field is created within a container application. On power-up, the system comes up in a mouse mode. Pen events within the ink field cause the system to transfer to a pen mode. Pen events within the container application are translated into pen data packets transmitted over the radio link to the remote host computer or server.

Abstract: A system and method that allows a host PC to provide an analog audio signal for a radio or amplifier without interfering with the operation of the host PC. This invention also allows the audio signal to be selected and controlled by a remote device without interfering with the operation of the host PC.

Abstract: A computer system which includes one or more wireless interface devices that are adapted to communicate with a remote host over a radio link. Each of the wireless interface devices is a pen-based device which includes an ink field in which pen events are translated into pen data. packets and transmitted to the remote host over the radio link. Local inking is provided at the wireless interface device in order to maintain the pen paradigm in essentially real time.

Abstract: A system for secure and non-secure distribution of digital content of digital content, such as digital audio or video data, over the Internet or other computer network starting from a server to a personal computer or other computing platform and then through conversion to analog audio or video for listening or viewing on an audio or video player. An important aspect of the invention includes wireless transmission of either digital audio or video data or analog audio or video from the computing platform, through an audio or video transmission peripheral, to an audio or video receiver device and finally to an audio or video player.

Abstract: A digital content distribution and subscription system for digital data files, such as digital audio and video data files, which provides subscribers, for example, with music or video from locally-stored digital files or on demand for a fee. The system may optionally provide streaming digital data as well as locally-stored digital files. After registration onto the system, a subscriber may select from a relatively wide variety of available digital content, for example, music content ripped from a high-quality digital source to provide relatively consistent digital quality to subscribers. In one exemplary implementation, subscribers may subscribe to a predetermined number of songs slots for a period of time, for example, about 200-400 song slots per month. The subscriber may then select songs from various playlists which causes encrypted digital audio files for the selected music to be downloaded to the subscribers's PC.

Abstract: A wireless interface device for interfacing with a host computer connected in either a wired or wireless local area network (LAN). The wireless interface device includes a display that mirrors whatever is being displayed on the host computer to which it is connected. In order to reduce unnecessary LAN traffic, any screen savers running on the host computer are automatically disabled when a radio connection is made between the host computer and the wireless interface device. When the wireless interface device is disconnected from the host computer, the screen saver running on the host computer is automatically re-enabled.

Abstract: A plurality of wireless interface devices, interfaced to a server that may be connected in either a wireless or wired LAN. Each wireless interface device may be a pen-based device which communicates with the server over a radio link. An alternative input system is provided on the wireless interface device in the form of a virtual on-screen keyboard (OSK). Once radio communication is established between the wireless interface device and the server and the OSK is launched, the system prevents overriding of the OSK on the display of the wireless interface device.

Abstract: A system for an interactive remote control wired or wireless, of an audio or video playback application running on a personal computer or other computing platform. This interactive control includes playback of current audio or video content or selection of new audio or video content or lists of content for playback. The wireless interactive remote control device, or navigator, may contain an audio or video browser for simplifying interactive control by integrating control of a variety of content, for example, music, video, and Internet radio, independent of whether this content exists locally on the computing platform or is accessed over the Internet or some other computer network.

Abstract: A secure platform in which the decrypting or decoding of secure audio or video data is done on a peripheral device of the computing platform, thus preventing software applications and drivers running on the computing platform from having access to the digital audio or video data after it has been decrypted or decoded. The unprotected digital audio or video data may then be converted from a digital format into an analog format before leaving the peripheral device, thus making exact digital reproduction no longer possible due to the inherent degradation of audio or video quality in the conversion process from digital to analog and then back to digital.

Abstract: A system which includes a plurality of wireless interface devices, adapted to be interfaced with a server, connected in either a wireless or wired LAN. Prior to an interface being established, the wireless interface device broadcasts for available servers which, upon acknowledgment are displayed in a dialog box on the display of the wireless interface device. The user selects an available server from the dialog box for connection to the wireless interface device.

Abstract: A system which enables a plurality of wireless interface devices to be connected by way of a radio link to a server in either a wired or wireless LAN. On power-up for the wireless interface device, the wireless interface device upon initiation broadcasts for available servers available for connection. The system automatically determines the server with the least amount of load and displays that server on a dialog box on the display of the wireless interface device. The user is then able to select that server from the dialog box.

Abstract: A system in which a plurality of wireless interface devices, each containing one or more flash memory devices, are interfaced to a server which may be connected in either a wireless or wired LAN by way of a radio link. The system in accordance with the present invention, enables the flash or other type of memory devices in the plurality of wireless interface devices interfaced to the server to be updated over a radio link.

Abstract: A pen-based portable personal computer can emulate the functions of a standard two-button mouse. In particular the system can emulate standard movement and clicking of a mouse buttons as well as emulate both left and right mouse buttons of a two-button mouse. In order to be compatible with various application programs, the system can also emulate the double clicking of the mouse button.

Abstract: Briefly, the present invention relates to a wireless interface device that can be interfaced to a wired local are a network (LAN) by way of a multiplexer which manipulates the source and destination addresses of the packets in order to be compatible with a standard protocol, such as IPXODI, which normally only supports a single LAN card.

Abstract: A wireless interface device is adapted to be interfaced with a host computer. Prior to an interface being established, the wireless interface device broadcasts for available hosts, which, upon acknowledgement, appear in a dialog box on the display of the wireless interface device. The user is then able to select an available host from the dialog box.

Abstract: A wireless interface device is adapted to be interfaced with a host computer by way of a radio link. A wireless interface device includes one or more flash memory devices that are adapted to be updated by the host computer over the radio link.

Abstract: A pen-based computer system device includes a digitizer and utilizes a passive stylus as an input device. The system emulates standard two-button mouse functions by generating data packets corresponding to the x-y coordinates of the stylus for each pen-down event. In order to prevent malfunction of the system, a plurality of packets are generated for each pen-up event to prevent maloperation of the system in the event a data packet for a pen-up event is lost or garbled.

Abstract: A wireless interface device is adapted to be interfaced with a host computer. While the wireless interface device is connected to the host computer, the keyboard and mouse input devices of the host computer are locked out to prevent unauthorized access. Should the situation occur in which the user needs to access the host computer to which the wireless interface device is connected, the keyboard and mouse input devices can be re-enabled by way of a password.