Abstract:
A multimedia presentation apparatus and method by which a presenter is freed from the requirement of having or providing or transporting a supporting computer system such as the notebook or laptop system by the incorporation of computing capability and an accessible data port into the housing of the apparatus through which an executable data file may be delivered to cause generation of the desired presentation.

Description:
FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF INVENTION  
       [0001]     Heretofore, many presentations were made by the use of transparencies which were projected onto screens or other similar surfaces by optical projectors commonly known as overhead projectors due to the optical arrangement used to create such presentations. More recently, optical projectors relying on micro-mirror semiconductor devices have become ubiquitous. Sales representatives and others similarly engaged now commonly travel with such a projector, also known as a spatial light modulation projector, and a notebook or laptop computer system on which are stored an executable data file representing the presentation and an application program capable of executing the data file and supplying signals to the projector which will control the display of the presentation.  
         [0002]     Parallel developments in information technology have included the development of ever more powerful microprocessors capable of executing the application programs necessary to create presentations of the types described, such as Lotus Freelance Graphics and Microsoft PowerPoint. Processors with such capabilities are now at such levels of physical size, computing power and electrical power usage that they can be readily embedded into what have become essentially consumer devices, such as game machines used with television receivers.  
         [0003]     Such developments have also included the proliferation of digital cameras and memory module developments intended to facilitate consumer usage of such cameras. Such memory module development has included various implementations of flash memory devices, including the proprietary Sony “Memory Stick”, the more open standard compact flash cards, and devices intended for attachment by a Universal Serial Bus (USB) port. The common characteristic of such devices is that they are relatively small, readily manipulable by a user, and coupled to a consumer device by insertion into an appropriate port provided on the device.  
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION  
       [0004]     With the foregoing in mind, it is a purpose of this invention to bring about a convergence of the developments described above for the benefit of persons engaged in the creation and display of multimedia presentations. In pursuing this purpose, the present invention provides a multimedia presentation apparatus and method by which a presenter is freed from the requirement of having or providing or transporting a supporting computer system such as the notebook or laptop system mentioned above. The present invention accomplishes the intended purpose by a felicitous incorporation of computing capability and an accessible data port into the housing of the apparatus through which an executable data file may be delivered to cause generation of the desired presentation. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS  
       [0005]     Some of the purposes of the invention having been stated, others will appear as the description proceeds, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:  
         [0006]      FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of an apparatus in accordance with this invention; and  
         [0007]      FIG. 2  is a simplified flow chart of the steps involved in practice of the method invention.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION  
       [0008]     While the present invention will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which a preferred embodiment of the present invention is 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 the 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.  
         [0009]     Referring now more particularly to  FIG. 1 , an exploded perspective view is there shown of an apparatus which for present purposes is called a multimedia presentation apparatus  10 . Such an apparatus has a housing  11  within which is positioned a micro-mirror semiconductor device  12  of a type known as a spatial light modulator. Such devices are known, available from Texas Instruments, and shown and described in patents held by that business. The apparatus  10  also has a light source  14  from which light is optically coupled to the modulator  12  to impinge light on the modulator. An optical system generally indicated at  15  directs light reflected from the modulator  12  outwardly of the apparatus  10  to cause display of a presentation on an appropriate surface such as a large screen (not shown) Lights paths are indicated by arrows in  FIG. 1 . Circuitry indicated at  16  controls the movement of the mirror elements of the modulator to control the characteristics of the display generated.  
         [0010]     In accordance with this invention, the apparatus  10  also has within the housing  11  a processor  18 . The processor is one of the types mentioned hereinabove as capable of executing application programs and data files supplying digital data to the circuitry  16  to cause generation of a presentation display. Suitable processors may be found among the processor products offered by IBM, Intel, and AMD among others. The processor  18  preferably is coupled to internal memory  19  in which digital files may be stored accessibly to the processor. Such digital files may, for example, be presentation application programs of the sort mentioned hereinabove, either in full or reduced “reader” form depending upon the memory storage capability provided and/or the processing capabilities of the processor.  
         [0011]     Mounted on the housing  11  and electrically coupled with the processor  18  is a data port  20 . The data port  20  is accessible from the exterior of the housing  11  and capable of receiving a manually insertable memory element from which the port  20  passes an executable data file to the processor  18  to enable generation of signals controlling the modulator  12 . Signal paths are indicated in  FIG. 1  by dashed lines. The port may be a USB port or may alternatively be a port adapted to some other form of device such as a Memory Stick or compact flash card. Where the port is a USB port, additional functionality may be attainable, in that the memory device may be a flash memory device sized for ready manual holding and manipulation, a cable connecting to an optical or magnetic rotating media device such as a CD, DVD or hard drive device, or a cable connecting to a network such as an Ethernet LAN through which a data file may be delivered. Further, such additional capability may include, where appropriate to the presentation application program being executed, attachment of a pointing device such as a mouse to enable on-screen manipulation of a cursor or the like or a device generating overlay signals such as a sketch pad or touch screen enabling a presenter to create, during a presentation, overlay marks, charts or the like.  
         [0012]     Turning now to  FIG. 2 , a method implemented in the use of this invention is there briefly illustrated. One exemplary method will include the steps of creating a presentation data file indicated at  100 , storing the file at  101  in a data link element in the form of a flash memory device, thereafter inserting the memory device at  102  into a data port of a presentation apparatus, supplying the data file from the manually detachable data link element at  103 , processing the data file within the apparatus at  104 , and generating signals controlling the presentation at  105 .  
         [0013]     In the drawings and specifications there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention and, although specific terms are used, the description thus given uses terminology in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.