1. A portable video system, comprising:
a video unit for facilitating play of a video medium, the video unit having a control panel and a hinge;
a display pivotally attached to the video unit on the hinge; and
a base unit secured to a ceiling of a vehicle for selectively coupling the video unit, including the control panel and the display, to the ceiling, wherein the video unit can be selectively un-coupled from the base unit, and wherein the video unit includes a clamshell-type door on the control panel.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein the hinge is disposed between the display and the control panel and the display is pivotable from a stowed position wherein the display lies in a plane parallel to a plane of the control panel, to variable positions about an axis defined by the hinge.
3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a receiver for receiving control signals from a remote control device.
4. The system of claim 1, wherein the clamshell-type door covers a portion for receiving the video medium.
5. The system of claim 4, wherein the video medium is a digital videodisk.
6. The system of claim 1, wherein the base unit comprises an adapter for receiving an AC or a DC power source, the base unit providing power to a coupled video unit.
7. The system of claim 1, wherein the display is an LCD type monitor.
8. The system of claim 1, wherein the base unit comprises a jack for connecting an external device to a coupled video unit, wherein a signal is carried between the coupled video unit and the external device.
9. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the base unit and the video unit comprises a pin array, wherein the respective pin arrays electrically connect the base unit to the video unit.
10. A portable video system comprising:
a video unit for facilitating play of a video medium, the video unit having a control panel and a hinge;
a display pivotally attached to the video unit on the hinge; and
a base unit secured to a substrate for selectively coupling the video unit, including the control panel and the display, to the substrate, wherein the video unit can be selectively un-coupled from the base unit, and wherein a television antenna connection is provided to the video unit through the base unit.
11. The system of claim 10, wherein the substrate is a ceiling of a vehicle.
12. The system of claim 10, wherein the video unit includes a clamshell-type door on the control panel.
13. The system of claim 10, wherein the hinge is disposed between the display and the control panel and the display is pivotable from a stowed position wherein the display lies in a plane parallel to a plane of the control panel, to variable positions about an axis defined by the hinge.
14. The system of claim 10, wherein the video unit is attachable to a battery.
15. The system of claim 10, wherein each of the base unit and the video unit comprises a pin array, wherein the respective pin arrays electrically connect the base unit to the video unit.
16. A portable video system comprising:
a video unit for facilitating play of a video medium;
a display pivotally attached to the video unit; and
a base unit secured to a substrate for selectively coupling a control panel of the video unit to the substrate, wherein the control panel can be selectively un-coupled from the base unit, and the substrate is a bag for housing the video player and the display, the bag having four adjustable straps for suspending the bag, each strap respectively projecting at an angle with respect to each corner of the bag, wherein both ends of each strap are secured to the bag at or adjacent to the same respective corner.
17. The system of claim 16, wherein the bag is suspended from a seat of the vehicle.
18. The system of claim 16, wherein the angle is greater than about 0 and less than about 90 degrees with respect to each corner.
19. A portable video system comprising:
a video unit for facilitating play of a video medium, the video unit having a control panel;
a display pivotally attached to the video unit; and
a plurality of base units secured to a plurality of respective substrates for selectively coupling the video unit, including the control panel and the display, to each respective substrate, wherein the video unit can be selectively un-coupled from each of the plurality of base units.
20. The system of claim 19, wherein the plurality of substrates include a vehicle ceiling and the underside of hanging furniture.
21. The system of claim 19, wherein the plurality of substrates include a vehicle ceiling and a top surface of a piece of furniture.
22. The system of claim 19, wherein the display is capable of showing video when the video unit is positioned in different orientations based on the locations of the plurality of substrates and base units.
23. The system of claim 19, wherein the plurality of substrates and base units are positioned in different locations.
24. The system of claim 19, wherein the plurality of substrates and base units are positioned in different orientations.
25. The system of claim 19, wherein at least one substrate is positioned in a vehicle and at least one other substrate positioned outside of the vehicle.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. In the operation of an ad hoc wireless network utilizing a data communication device as a node of the network, the data communication device including both,
a two-way communications component comprising a first receiver and transmitter, and
a second receiver,
wherein the second receiver activates the two-way communications component from a dormant state upon receipt by the second receiver of a wake-up broadcast that includes a wake-up identifier of the data communication device,
a method of providing information via the second receiver, which information is auxiliary to the wake-up of the two-way communications component, the method comprising:
(a) receiving, via the second receiver of the data communications device, a wake-up broadcast including a data construct comprising a wake-up identifier and the auxiliary information; and
(b) determining, at the data communication device, that the wake-up identifier of the received wake-up broadcast does not correspond to the wake-up identifier of the data communication device and, thereby, not activating the two-way communications component from the dormant state based upon the received wake-up broadcast,
(i) processing, at the data communication device irrespective of whether the wake-up identifier of the received wake-up broadcast corresponds to the wake-up identifier of the data communication device and irrespective of whether the two-way communications component is in the dormant state, the received auxiliary information to ascertain networking information; and
(ii) storing, at the data communication device, data representing the ascertained networking information;
(iii) wherein the auxiliary information comprises a node identification from which the wake-up broadcast is transmitted;
(iv) wherein the ascertained networking information includes the confirmed presence of another node of the network within a single hop from the data communication device, such information being ascertained based on the node identification from which the wake-up broadcast was transmitted; and
(v) wherein the ascertained networking information includes the presumed presence of a node corresponding to the wake-up identifier of the received wake-up broadcast.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the auxiliary information comprises a transmission count regarding wake-up broadcasts transmitted by a node.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the auxiliary information comprises an encryption key.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the auxiliary information comprises application specific data.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the auxiliary information comprises an indication of the status of a sensor.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the second receiver draws substantially less current while listening for a wake-up broadcast than the two-way communications component would draw while listening for a wake-up broadcast.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the second receiver draws less current while listening for a wake-up broadcast than the two-way communications component would draw while listening for a wake-up broadcast, the difference in current draw being at least an order of magnitude (such as milliamps versus microamps).
8. The method of claim 1, wherein the second receiver utilizes a stepped wake-up sequence based on at least two criteria, and wherein the last criteria before awakening the two-way communications component comprises identifying a wake-up identifier of the data communication device in the wake-up broadcast.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein the second receiver is part of a wake-up transceiver, the wake-up transceiver further comprising a second transmitter of the data communication device that is configured to transmit a wake-up broadcast for receipt by another wake-up receiver of another data communication device.
10. The method of claim 1, wherein the data communication device is a node in a common designation wireless ad hoc sensor network.
11. The method of claim 1, wherein the data communication device is a node in a class based wireless ad hoc network.
12. In the operation of an ad hoc wireless network utilizing a data communication device as a node of the network, the data communication device including both,
a two-way communications component comprising a first receiver and transmitter, and
a second receiver,
wherein the second receiver activates the two-way communications component from a dormant state upon receipt by the second receiver of a wake-up broadcast that includes a wake-up identifier of the data communication device,
a method of receiving information by the data communication device via the second receiver, which information is auxiliary to the wake-up of two-way communications component, the method comprising:
receiving, via the second receiver of the data communications device, a wake-up broadcast, the wake-up broadcast including a data construct comprising a wake-up identifier and the auxiliary information; and
activating, in response to receipt of the wake-up broadcast, the two-way communications component from a dormant state if a wake-up identifier of the data communications device is found in the wake-up broadcast, and not activating, in response to receipt of the wake-up broadcast and irrespective of whether a wake-up identifier of the data communication device is found in the wake-up broadcast, the two-way communications component from a dormant state if a wake-up identifier of the data communications device is not found in the wake-up broadcast,
(i) processing, at the data communication device irrespective of whether the wake-up identifier of the received wake-up broadcast corresponds to the wake-up identifier of the data communication device and irrespective of whether the two-way communications component is in the dormant state, the received auxiliary information to ascertain networking information; and
(ii) recording, at the data communication device, data representing the ascertained networking information;
(iii) wherein the auxiliary information comprises a node identification from which the wake-up broadcast is transmitted;
(iv) wherein the ascertained networking information includes the confirmed presence of another node of the network within a single hop from the data communication device, such information being ascertained based on the node identification from which the wake-up broadcast was transmitted; and
(v) wherein the ascertained networking information includes the presumed presence of a node corresponding to the wake-up identifier of the received wake-up broadcast.
13. The method of claim 12, wherein the auxiliary information comprises a transmission count regarding wake-up broadcasts transmitted by a node.
14. The method of claim 12, wherein the auxiliary information comprises an encryption key.
15. The method of claim 12, wherein the auxiliary information comprises application specific data.
16. The method of claim 12, wherein the auxiliary information comprises an indication of the status of a sensor.
17. The method of claim 12, wherein the second receiver draws substantially less current while listening for a wake-up broadcast than the two-way communications component would draw while listening for a wake-up broadcast.
18. The method of claim 12, wherein the second receiver draws less current while listening for a wake-up broadcast than the two-way communications component would draw while listening for a wake-up broadcast, the difference in current draw being at least an order of magnitude (such as milliamps versus microamps).
19. The method of claim 12, wherein the second receiver utilizes a stepped wake-up sequence based on at least two criteria, and wherein the last criteria before awakening the two-way communications component comprises identifying a wake-up identifier of the data communication device in the wake-up broadcast.
20. The method of claim 12, wherein the second receiver is part of a wake-up transceiver, the wake-up transceiver further comprising a second transmitter of the data communication device that is configured to transmit a wake-up broadcast for receipt by another wake-up receiver of another data communication device.
21. The method of claim 12, wherein the data communication device is a node in a common designation wireless ad hoc sensor network.
22. The method of claim 12, wherein the data communication device is a node in a class based wireless ad hoc network.
23. The method of claim 12, further comprising using the auxiliary information by the data communication device for facilitating network communications by the two-way communications component.
24. The method of claim 23, wherein the auxiliary information comprises network information that is reviewed by the data communication device when determining network paths for communicating with a desired node, whereby network communications are facilitated.
25. The method of claim 24, wherein the network information includes the identification of one or more nodes that are within direct communication range of the data communication device.
26. The method of claim 24, wherein the network information includes the identification of a gateway node that is within direct communication range of the data communication device.
27. The method of claim 24, wherein the network information includes the identification of one or more nodes from which wake-up broadcasts have been received, either directly or indirectly, by the second wake-up receiver.
28. The method of claim 24, wherein the network information includes the identification of one or more common designations from which wake-up broadcasts have been received, either directly or indirectly, by the second wake-up receiver.
29. An ad hoc wireless network system, comprising:
(a) an ad hoc wireless network utilizing a plurality of data communication devices as nodes of the network;
(b) wherein each data communication device includes both,
(i) a two-way communications component comprising a first receiver and transmitter, and
(ii) a second receiver, wherein the second receiver activates the two-way communications component from a dormant state upon receipt by the second receiver of a wake-up broadcast that includes a wake-up identifier of the data communication device, and wherein the second receiver does not activate the two-way communications component from the dormant state upon receipt by the second receiver of a wake-up broadcast that does not include a wake-up identifier of the data communication device;
(iii) wherein information is provided via each second receiver, which information is auxiliary to the wake-up of the two-way communications component, by transmitting a wake-up broadcast, which the second receiver is capable of receiving, that includes a data construct comprising a wake-up identifier and the auxiliary information, the auxiliary information including a node identification from which the wake-up broadcast is transmitted;
(c) wherein each data communication device is configured to process auxiliary information of wake-up broadcasts received via its second receiver, irrespective of whether the wake-up identifier of the received wake-up broadcast corresponds to its wake-up identifier and irrespective of whether the two-way communications component is in the dormant state, to ascertain networking information, and to record data representing the ascertained networking information;
(d) wherein the ascertained networking information includes the confirmed presence of another node of the network within a single hop from the data communication device, such information being ascertained based on the node identification, in received auxiliary information, of a node from which a wake-up broadcast was transmitted; and
(e) wherein the ascertained networking information includes the presumed presence of a node corresponding to the wake-up identifier of a received wake-up broadcast.
30. A data communication device for utilization as a node in an ad hoc wireless network, comprising:
(a) a two-way communications component comprising a first receiver and transmitter; and
(b) a second receiver, wherein the second receiver activates the two-way communications component from a dormant state upon receipt by the second receiver of a wake-up broadcast that includes a wake-up identifier of the data communication device;
(c) wherein information is provided via the second receiver, which information is auxiliary to the wake-up of the two-way communications component, by transmitting a wake-up broadcast, which the second receiver is capable of receiving, that includes a data construct comprising a wake-up identifier and the auxiliary information, and does not activate the two-way communications component from the dormant state upon receipt by the second receiver of a wake-up broadcast that does not include a wake-up identifier of the data communication device;
(d) wherein each data communication device is configured to process auxiliary information of wake-up broadcasts received via its second receiver, irrespective of whether the wake-up identifier of the received wake-up broadcast corresponds to its wake-up identifier and irrespective of whether the two-way communications component is in the dormant state, to ascertain networking information, and to record data representing the ascertained networking information;
(e) wherein the ascertained networking information includes the confirmed presence of another node of the network within a single hop from the data communication device, such information being ascertained based on the node identification, in received auxiliary information, of a node from which a wake-up broadcast was transmitted; and
(f) wherein the ascertained networking information includes the presumed presence of a node corresponding to the wake-up identifier of a received wake-up broadcast.