1146 results about "Computer monitor" patented technology

The present invention provides a coupling mechanism between a primary computing device and a secondary computing device, wherein each computing device may be physically separated from each other while continuing to communicate with each other. The primary computing device has the minimum functionality of a complete computing system such as a Tablet PC™, for example, and the secondary computing device has the minimum functionality of a hand-held computer monitor. The secondary computing device may also however, have the functionality of a complete computing system, or other level of functionality therebetween. The primary computing device may act as a master and control the functionality of the secondary computing device via a network or data bus connection, for example. The secondary computing device may be toggled between computer monitor functionality and secondary computer functionality regardless of whether or not the two computers are physically connected.

A computer-driven system amplifies a target region based on integrating eye gaze and manual operator input, thus reducing pointing time and operator fatigue. A gaze tracking apparatus monitors operator eye orientation while the operator views a video screen. Concurrently, the computer monitors an input indicator for mechanical activation or activity by the operator. According to the operator's eye orientation, the computer calculates the operator's gaze position. Also computed is a gaze area, comprising a sub-region of the video screen that includes the gaze position. The system determines a region of the screen to expand within the current gaze area when mechanical activation of the operator input device is detected. The graphical components contained are expanded, while components immediately outside of this radius may be contracted and/or translated, in order to preserve visibility of all the graphical components at all times.

A computer-human interface manages the available space of a computer display in a manner which reduces clutter and confusion caused by multiple open windows. The interface includes a user-selectable mode of operation in which only those windows associated with the currently active task are displayed on the computer monitor. All other windows relating to non-active tasks are minimized by reducing them in size or replacing them with a representative symbol, such as an icon, so that they occupy a minimal amount of space on the monitor's screen. When a user switches from the current task to a new task, by selecting a minimized window, the windows associated with the current task are automatically minimized as the window pertaining to the new task is displayed at its normal size. As a result, the user is only presented with the window that relates to the current task of interest, and clutter provided by non-active tasks is removed.

An audio and/or visual experience of a see-through head-mounted display (HMD) device, e.g., in the form of glasses, can be moved to target computing device such as a television, cell phone, or computer monitor to allow the user to seamlessly transition the content to the target computing device. For example, when the user enters a room in the home with a television, a movie which is playing on the HMD device can be transferred to the television and begin playing there without substantially interrupting the flow of the movie. The HMD device can inform the television of a network address for accessing the movie, for instance, and provide a current status in the form of a time stamp or packet identifier. Content can also be transferred in the reverse direction, to the HMD device. A transfer can occur based on location, preconfigured settings and user commands.

A method and system to monitor and determine energy consumption and energy efficiency of devices that use electrical and/or gas power is described. In one embodiment, a power monitoring system is configured to monitor electrical and/or gas power consumption of devices such as refrigerators, air-conditioners, washers, dryers, hot tubs, etc. Power consumption of the device is processed by the power monitoring system to determine the amount of power the device is consuming and the device's energy efficiency. In one embodiment, the power monitoring system transmits data associated with the device's power consumption, such as power efficiency, power cost, power usage, etc., to the device user and/or to a power supplier such as a utility company supplying the gas and/or electricity to the device. In one configuration, when the power efficiency of the device exceeds a predefined threshold, the user and/or power supplier is notified. The power monitoring system may be configured to be integral with and/or attached to the device being measured. The power monitoring system may provide an output on a display apparatus associated with the power monitoring system attached to the device being monitored and/or the output may be part of a graphics display on a computer monitor, for example.

A method for reconstructing network communication sessions is disclosed. The packets comprising the communication are captured and sorted into a sorted list. The sorted packets are decoded and the information from those packets is used to reconstruct the content and context of the network communication. The reconstructed communication is then displayed on a computer monitor using a web browser or other display program. The user is provided with commands to facilitate navigation of the reconstructed network communication.

A control device is provided for controlling scrolling of a graphical object displayed on a computer monitor. The control device includes a housing; and a slider device disposed at a front portion of the housing configured to control scrolling of the graphical object on the monitor.

Disclosed herein are new forms computer monitors and displays, and preferred embodiments utilize electro-optical sensors, and particularly TV Cameras, providing optically inputted data from the display screen or from specialized datum's on objects and/or natural features of objects, which may be illuminated using specialized light sources, such as laser pointers. The invention is a continuation of earlier applications aimed at providing affordable methods and apparatus for data communication with respect to people and computers.

A computer monitor for allowing the easy connection of computer peripherals thereto, and supplying a power supply voltage from an internal power supply therein to the computer peripherals via universal serial bus hubs. The monitor has a power supply for converting externally applied AC power into DC power; and a universal serial bus hub having at least one upstream port and at least two downstream ports; wherein the upstream port is electrically connected in communication with the computer system, and the downstream ports receive DC power in response for a power switching signal in accordance with power supply control information from the computer system through the upstream port to selectively provide the DC power to external devices connected therewith in response to the power switching signal.

Methods and apparatus for portable and universal receipt of closed captioning services by a user are provided in accordance with the invention. The invention permits a user to receive closed captioning services wherever he or she may be viewing video content with an audio component in accordance with a video/audio content display system (e.g., television set, computer monitor, movie theater), regardless of whether the content display system provides closed captioning capabilities. Also, the invention permits a user to receive closed captioning services independent of the video/audio content display system that they are using to view the video content. In one illustrative aspect of the present invention, a portable and universal closed caption receiving device (closed caption receiver) is provided for: (i) receiving a signal, which includes closed captions, from a closed caption provider while the user watches a program on a video/audio content display system; (ii) extracting the closed captions; and (iii) providing the closed captions to a head mounted display for presentation to the user so that the user may view the program and, at the same time, view the closed captions in synchronization with the video content of the program.

An alternate display content controller provides a technique for controlling a video display separately from and in addition to the content displayed on the operating system display surface. Where the display is a computer monitor, the alternate display content controller interacts with the computer utility operating system and hardware drivers to control allocation of display space and create and control one or more parallel graphical user interfaces in addition to the operating system desktop. An alternate display content controller may be incorporated in either hardware or software. As software, an alternate display content controller may be an application running on the computer operating system, or may include an operating system kernel of varying complexity ranging from dependent on the utility operating system for hardware system services to a parallel system independent of the utility operating system and capable of supporting dedicated applications. The alternate display content controller may also include content and operating software delivered over the Internet or any other LAN. The alternate display content controller may also be included in a television decoder/settop box to permit two or more parallel graphical user interfaces to be displayed simultaneously.

Accurately recognizing from eye-gaze patterns when a user is reading, skimming, or scanning on a display filled with heterogeneous content, and then supplying information tailored to meet individual needs. Heterogeneous content includes objects normally encountered on computer monitors, such as text, images, hyperlinks, windows, icons, and menus. Three distinct mechanisms are used: (1) coarse or quantized representation of eye-movements, (2) accumulation of pooled numerical evidence based detection, and (3) mode switching. Analysis of text the user is reading or skimming may infer user interest and adapt to the user's needs.

<heading lvl="0">Abstract of Disclosure</heading> Apparatus utilizing electrical activity of the brain to control a series of low-stimuli educational exercises displayed on a computer monitor to increase the following educational components: time on-task, visual tracking, short-term memory, visual discriminatory processing, auditory discriminatory processing, and focus. The exercises are governed by real-time analysis of the focus and processing states of the user. Specific relative exercise performance data are collected and recorded from the use of each of the educational components to demonstrate improvement over time of the user in each of the sited educational components.

The invention provides compact haptic and augmented virtual reality system that produces an augmented reality environment. The system is equipped with software and devices that provide users with stereoscopic visualization and force feedback simultaneously in real time. High resolution, high pixel density, head and hand tracking ability are provided. Well-matched haptics and graphics volumes are realized. Systems of the invention are compact, making use of a standard personal display device, e.g., a computer monitor, as the display driver. Systems of the invention may therefore be inexpensive compared to many conventional virtual reality systems.

A combined computer screen protector and document holder (a screen guard) which can be manufactured as part of or incorporated onto the front of a computer monitor and via a hinge can be easily moved between positions as a screen protector providing anti-glare and privacy functions to that of a tray or support providing document holding and retention functions is presented. The screen protector and document holder comprises two sections, a longitudinal flat section and a flange, which can be integrally connected to one another, which by means of slots cut through the longitudinal section on a side opposite to the flange connect to hinges set onto a computer monitor. The screen protector and document holder can be moved between the two positions by applying physical pressure to move it around the hinge.

An alternate display content controller provides a technique for controlling a video display separately from and in addition to the content displayed on the operating system monitor. Where the display is a computer monitor, the alternate display content controller interacts with the computer utility operating system and hardware drivers to control allocation of display space and create and control one or more parallel graphical user interfaces adjacent the operating system desktop. An alternate display content controller may be incorporated in either hardware or software. As software, an alternate display content controller may be an application running on the computer operating system, or may include an operating system kernel of varying complexity ranging from dependent on the utility operating system for hardware system services to a parallel system independent of the utility operating system and capable of supporting dedicated applications. The alternate display content controller may also include content and operating software delivered over the internet or any other LAN. The alternate display content controller may also be included in a television decoder/settop box to permit two or more parallel graphical user interfaces to be displayed simultaneously.

A method for assisting a user of a fingerprint sensing system includes sensing a position of a user's finger relative to a swiped fingerprint image sensor, and providing to the user, in response to the sensed finger position, an indication of finger placement relative to the fingerprint image sensor. The indication of finger placement may include a display on a computer monitor of actual finger placement and desired finger placement. The fingerprint sensing system may include an image sensor to sense a fingerprint on a swiped finger, a finger position sensor to sense the position of the finger relative to the image sensor, and processing apparatus to provide the indication of finger placement to the user.

A system and method for helping ensure that a user of a computer is set up to optimally view the computer monitor under optimal conditions in order to minimize eyestrain. The system includes determining an optimal viewing distance and monitoring the distance of a user from the computer monitor during use of the computer. The system further includes notifying the user when they stray from the optimal viewing distance and further may include testing various aspects of the user's eyesight during use of the computer monitor.