Micro Personal Digital Assistant with a Compressed BIOS System

Abstract

A personal digital assistant module with a local CPU, memory, and I/O interface has a host interface comprising a bus connected to the local CPU and a connector at a surface of the personal digital assistant for interfacing to a bus connector of a host general-purpose computer, providing direct bus communication between the personal digital assistant and the host general-purpose computer. In an embodiment, the personal digital assistant also has a means for storing a security code. The personal digital assistant according to the invention forms a host/satellite combination with a host computer having a docking bay, wherein upon docking a docking protocol controls access by the host to memory of the personal digital assistant based on one or more passwords provided by a user to the host. In another embodiment the personal digital assistant has a compressed BIOS chip, and in yet another embodiment also has an expansion port connected to the local CPU, and expansion peripheral devices may be connected and operated through the expansion port.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . An information vending system, comprising:
 a data repository having stored thereon at least one of an information entity and a program entity;   and a communication link by which a stored entity may be streamed from a data repository to a handheld appliance;   wherein a user of the handheld appliance is enabled to connect the handheld appliance to the data repository, to select for purchasing at least one information entity or program entity stored on the data repository, and to initiate payment for the selected entity, and wherein the selected entity is streamed to the appliance in response to the payment.   
     
     
         3 . The vending system of  claim 2  wherein, after the handheld appliance is connected to the data repository, information regarding one or more entities stored on the data repository is displayed on a display of the handheld appliance. 
     
     
         4 . The vending system of  claim 2  wherein information relating to the selected entity is displayed on a display of the handheld appliance. 
     
     
         5 . The vending system of  claim 3  further comprising a vending system display, wherein the information regarding the one or more entities stored on the data repository is displayed on the vending system display. 
     
     
         6 . The vending system of  claim 2  wherein the at least one stored entity is a program, and the vending system displays for potential purchase only stored entities that are compatible with the handheld appliance. 
     
     
         7 . The vending system of  claim 2  wherein the handheld appliance has a unique digital identifier that is transmitted to the vending system when the handheld appliance is connected to the data repository. 
     
     
         8 . The vending system of  claim 7  wherein, in response to the transmission of the digital identifier, the vending system sorts entities to be displayed for potential purchase according to the identifier. 
     
     
         9 . The vending system of  claim 8  wherein the sorting causes only information about entities that are compatible with the handheld appliance to be displayed. 
     
     
         10 . The vending system of  claim 2  wherein the selected entity is s stored in a memory of the appliance. 
     
     
         11 . The vending system of  claim 2  further comprising a removable-media drive, wherein the selected entity is streamed to the removable media drive and stored thereon. 
     
     
         12 . The vending system of  claim 2  wherein, prior to selection for purchase, the user may select a trial version of an entity, which is streamed free-of-charge or at a reduced price relative to a regular purchase price associated with the entity. 
     
     
         13 . The vending system of  claim 11  wherein the user may command the vending system to access one or more selected programs or files from the handheld appliance to be stored on a media in the removable-media drive prior to selecting any entity for trial or purchase. 
     
     
         14 . The vending system of  claim 7  wherein a program entity purchased from the vending system will operate only on the handheld appliance or a selected subset of like appliances. 
     
     
         15 . The vending system of  claim 14  wherein the unique identifier is used as a key or a portion of a key in scrambling or customizing a purchased entity. 
     
     
         16 . The vending system of  claim 2  wherein the information entity includes at least one of local, national, or world news, stock quotes, financial reports, weather, transportation schedules, road maps, and email or other messages for the user of the handheld appliance. 
     
     
         17 . The vending system of  claim 2  wherein the program entity includes at least one of a currency exchange application and a language translator. 
     
     
         18 . The vending system of  claim 2  wherein the communication link comprises a wireless link. 
     
     
         19 . The vending system of  claim 18  wherein the wireless link comprises at least one of an infrared (IR) link and a radio frequency (RF) link. 
     
     
         20 . The vending system of  claim 2  wherein the communication link comprises a physical link. 
     
     
         21 . A handheld appliance, comprising:
 an interface for communicating with an external system;   a means for browsing and selecting from a list of digital entities for sale, the list provided via the interface;   a means for initiating payment for one or more entities selected;   and a means for receiving and storing the one or more digital entities selected and for which payment was initiated.   
     
     
         22 . The appliance of  claim 21  wherein the interface is a wireless interface. 
     
     
         23 . The appliance of  claim 21  wherein the interface is a physical interface. 
     
     
         24 . The appliance of  claim 21  wherein the appliance comprises a display, and the list of digital entities is displayed on the display of the appliance. 
     
     
         25 . The appliance of  claim 21  further comprising a unique digital identifier transmittable via the communication interface. 
     
     
         26 . The appliance of  claim 25  wherein the appliance transmits the unique digital identifier, and the list as a result contains only entities for sale that are digitally compatible with the appliance. 
     
     
         27 . The appliance of  claim 25  wherein the unique digital identifier is used as a key or a portion of a key in scrambling or customizing a purchased entity. 
     
     
         28 . A method for vending at least one of a digital information entity and a program entity, comprising steps of:
 (a) storing one or more entities to be vended in a data repository coupled to an intelligent vendor;   (b) providing a communication interface for the intelligent vendor, with which the vendor may stream the one or more digital entities;   (c) providing, via the communication interface, a list of one or more entities for sale in response to a request from a potential purchaser;   and (d) streaming, via the communication interface, one or more entities selected for purchase.   
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 26  further comprising accepting payment for a stored entity before streaming the one or more selected entities. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 28  wherein, in step (c), the request is accompanied by a digital identifier, and the identifier is used in populating the list of entities for sale. 
     
     
         31 . A machine-readable storage medium containing a set of instructions for causing a handheld appliance to perform a method including;
 (a) establishing communication with a system for vending digital entities;   (b) requesting a list of one or more entities for sale;   (c) selecting a selected entity from the list;   and (d) downloading the selected entity.   
     
     
         32 . The medium of  claim 31  wherein the method further comprises a step for initiating payment for the selected entity. 
     
     
         33 . The medium of  claim 31  wherein the method further comprises a step for transmitting a digital identifier uniquely identifying a particular class of appliances. 
     
     
         34 . The medium of  claim 31  further comprising displaying the list of entities for sale. 
     
     
         35 . A machine-readable storage medium containing a set of instructions for causing a vending system to perform a method including:
 (a) establishing communication with an appliance;   (b) providing a list of one or more entities for sale;   (c) receiving from the appliance a selection of a selected entity;   and (d) streaming the selected entity to the appliance.   
     
     
         36 . The medium of  claim 35  wherein the method comprises an additional step for receiving a digital identifier, and sorting the list according to the identifier. 
     
     
         37 . The medium of  claim 35  wherein the method includes negotiating payment for a selection before streaming the selection.