Abstract: A system and method is provided for remotely and optically programming a portable information device, such as a programmable watch, using a visual display device, such as a CRT monitor. The monitor displays a sequence of changing optical patterns used to optically transmit a serial stream of data. The optically programmable watch has an optical sensor which detects the sequence of optical patterns to optically receive the data stream. The optical patterns transmit machine-readable information that can be detected by the optical sensor, but no meaningful information to a user. The visual display device therefore also displays a human-readable image that explains to a user the sequence of optical patterns being used to transmit the data stream. The human-readable image is displayed in a manner that renders it undetectable by the optical sensor of the programmable watch.

Abstract: The invention includes systems and methods for calibrating bit transmission rates in a computer system which uses selected raster lines of a frame-scanning display device for serial data transmission to an external receiving device. A system in accordance with the invention includes a data processor and a frame-scanning display device having a total number of available raster lines per display frame. The computer also has an internal timer which is set to generate timing signals at a predetermined frequency. The data processor is programmed to count the number of timing signals and the number of frame scans of the frame-scanning display device which occur during a selected measurement period. The selected measurement period is preferably defined by the occurrence of a predetermined number of frame scans.