And Many New Ideas
1) Multi-directional image displaying device
Methods, devices, and systems are provided for displaying an image using a multi-directional image displaying device in a compact, configurable device having an expansive viewing angle. An image projector projects an image having a plurality of image pixels. A distribution object is aligned with the image projector. The distribution object is utilized to redirect the image pixels projected by the image projector onto one or more display surfaces. As such, in one embodiment, a wide view display of the first image that expands at least the width of a user field of view results from the spreading of the image pixels. A compact housing unit provides support for the image projector and the distribution object. In one embodiment, the multi-directional image displaying device can be adjusted to change the wide view display of the image.
2) Direct wireless client to client communication
A wireless station is connected to a wireless network through an access point and can establish a direct client-to-client connection to a second wireless station. The wireless station can communicate directly with the second wireless station without involving the access point. The wireless station communicates with the wired network and with other wireless stations through the access point. The second wireless station may have an infrastructure connection to the access point or may be independent.
3) Senseweb
Senseweb is described. In an embodiment, a first selection identifying a region of interest is recognized. Additionally, a second selection indicating at least one selected condition potentially monitored within the region of interest is recognized. Then, at least one sensor in the region of interest monitoring the selected condition is identified, and data communicating the selected condition from the sensor is automatically associated with a representation of the region of interest.
4) Searching and indexing of photos based on ink annotations
New ways to organize and search for digital photos are described. Electronic ink may be written on a photo and associated with the photo or only a portion of the photo. The written ink is recognized and stored as photo file metadata. Once photos and/or photo portions have been annotated with ink, the user may search and organize the photos and/or photo portions based on the ink annotations. The user may be presented with search results that include entire photos that are relevant to the search, and/or just those portions of photos that are relevant to the search. In response to a search request, a set of simultaneously displayed search results may be displayed. Alternatively or in addition, an automated slideshow may be implemented, presenting the search results in a sequential fashion.
5) Automatic download of images from online storage
Various technologies for automatically downloading one or more high resolution image files from online storage. In one implementation, an e-mail client desktop application (stored at a sender’s computer) may receive a request from the sender to send an e-mail with one or more high resolution image files added to the e-mail. Although the high resolution image files may be uploaded to a server, the files may be added as lower resolution image files with hidden Uniform Resource Locator (URL) addresses that may indicate the location on the server of the corresponding high resolution image files. Prior to sending the e-mail, the e-mail client desktop application may concatenate each high resolution image file’s URL address with an extension or tag such as "?download" so that the address may later be easily identified.
