Automatic multimedia slideshows for social media-enabled mobile devices

• US 10,102,208 B2
• Filed: 10/29/2010
• Issued: 10/16/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Law, Veronica Y., Lemson, Kathryn C., Xu, Lejie
• Primary Examiner(s): Cosme, Natasha W
• Application Number:
  US12/916,377
• Publication Number:
  US 20120108293A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,909 Days
• Field of Search: 455557, 455573, 455574
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/4393 Multimedia presentations, e.g. slide shows, multimedia albums

Abstract

Apparatus, computer-readable storage media, and methods are disclosed for allowing wireless communication device users to retrieve and view photographs, videos, and other media content using mobile computing platforms for display using a slideshow application. According to one disclosed embodiment, a method of performing a client-side slideshow application on a wireless communication device comprises, based on detecting that that wireless communication device is connected to a charging device, automatically invoking a slideshow application operable to display a series of images using the wireless communication device. The method further comprises transmitting a request for images via the Internet and receiving a series of images selected based at least in part on the request, adding at least one image from the series of images to an image playlist, and displaying at least a portion of the image playlist sequentially using the slideshow application on the wireless communication device.

Claims

1. A method of performing a client-side slideshow application on a wireless communication device configured to have a private mode and a non-private mode, the method comprising:

responsive to detecting that the wireless communication device is connected to a charging device;

initiating a search of user history data to select media data relevant to a user of the wireless communication device, the user history data including history data associated with a frequency with which the user visits online content associated with at least one third-party user;

transmitting a request for the selected media data via a computer network;

receiving, via the computer network, the selected media data, the selected media data being selected based at least in part on the search of the user history data; and

displaying at least a portion of the selected media data sequentially using the slideshow application on the wireless communication device, wherein;

when the wireless communication device is in the non-private mode, then the displaying does not comprise displaying selected media data that does not have a privacy tag designation, and

when the wireless communication device is in the private mode, then the displaying comprises displaying at least one selected media data that has a privacy tag designation.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising adding at least one image stored locally on the wireless communication device to the selected media data, wherein the displaying comprises displaying at least one locally-stored image and at least one image of the received selected media data.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising playing back local media data stored on the wireless communication device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the slideshow application is operable to playback still images, video images, or photo and video images on a display coupled to the wireless communication device.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the display is not mechanically coupled to the wireless communication device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting is based on at least one of the following criteria:

whether the wireless communication device is connected to a charging device;

whether the wireless communication device is in an idle period for a predetermined period of time;

whether the wireless communication device has access to a non-empty set of media data; and

whether the slideshow application has been previously enabled by a user setting.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising playing back media data using the slideshow application based on an orientation of the wireless communication device, wherein:

when the orientation is determined to be a first orientation, playing back at least one still image and at least one video image, and

when the orientation is determined to be a second orientation, playing back one or more still images but not playing back any video images.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the user history data includes data based on previous communication between a user of the wireless communication device and other third-party users of a social network application.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising, based on the request, searching first data associated with the wireless communication device, the first data including data associating a member of a social network with one or more of the other third-party users of the social network, producing search results, wherein the selected media data is selected based at least in part on the search results.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the history data includes history data associated with sending or receiving messages to or from the user and at least one of the other third-party users, wherein the messages include at least one or more of the following:

voice calls, voice mails, instant messages, SMS messages, electronic mail, web browsing, or social networking.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

checking whether the wireless communication device is connected to a charging device, and based on the checking;

when a charging device is detected connected to the wireless communication device, then performing the displaying the at least a portion of the selected media more frequently than when the wireless communication device is not connected to the charging device, and

when a charging device is not detected connected to the wireless communication device, then performing the displaying the at least a portion of the selected media less frequently than when the wireless communication device is connected to the charging device.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the slideshow application is further configured to have an interactive mode and a photo frame mode;

based on the slideshow being in the interactive mode, the wireless communication device is put in the non-private mode;

based on the slideshow being in the photo frame mode;

the wireless communication device is put in the private mode; and

the search includes a request to search data for one or more third-party users having a friend connection to the user of the wireless communication device.

3. A method comprising:

responsive to detecting that a wireless communication device is connected to a charging device;

initiating a search of user history data to select media data relevant to a user of the wireless communication device;

determining whether the wireless communication device is authenticated with an online application; and

based on the determining;

when the wireless communication device is authenticated with the online application, receiving media data from the online application,

when the wireless communication device is not authenticated to the online application, receiving media data from local storage coupled to the wireless communication device but not from the online application, and

displaying at least a portion of the selected media data sequentially using a slideshow application on the wireless communication device, wherein;

when the wireless communication device is in a non-private mode, then the displaying does not comprise displaying selected media data that does not have a privacy tag designation, and

when the wireless communication device is in a private mode, then the displaying comprises displaying at least one selected media data that has a privacy tag designation.

22. The method of claim 3, further comprising adding at least one image stored locally on the wireless communication device to the selected media data, wherein the displaying comprises displaying at least one locally-stored image and at least one image of the received media data.

23. The method of claim 3, wherein the user history data includes data based on previous communication between a user of the wireless communication device and other third-party users of a social network application.

5. A method of performing a client-side slideshow application on a wireless communication device, comprising:

based on detecting that the wireless communication device is connected to a charging device, automatically invoking the slideshow application, wherein the slideshow application is operable to display a series of images using the wireless communication device;

transmitting a request for images via a computer network, the request comprising user history data;

receiving, via the computer network, the series of images, wherein the images in the series of images are selected based at least in part on the user history data transmitted with the request;

adding at least one image from the series of images to an image playlist; and

checking whether the wireless communication device is connected to a charging device, and based on the checking, displaying at least a portion of the image playlist sequentially using the slideshow application on the wireless communication device, wherein;

when a charging device is detected to be connected to the wireless communication device, the displaying of the image playlist occurs more frequently than when the wireless communication device is detected not to be connected to the charging device, and

when a charging device is not detected connected to the wireless communication device, the displaying of the image playlist occurs less frequently than when the wireless communication device is detected to be connected to the charging device.

20. The method of claim 5, wherein:

the wireless communication device is configured to have a private mode and a non-private mode, wherein;

when the wireless communication device is in the non-private mode, then the displaying of the image playlist does not comprise displaying selected media data that does not have a privacy tag designation, and

when the wireless communication device is in the private mode, then the displaying of the image playlist comprises displaying at least one selected media data that has a privacy tag designation.

24. The method of claim 5, wherein the search data includes history data associated with a frequency with which the user visits online content associated with at least one of the third-party users.

10. One or more computer-readable storage devices or memory storing computer-readable instructions that when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method, the method comprising:

based on detecting that a wireless communication device is connected to a charging device;

automatically invoking a slideshow application operable to display a series of images using the wireless communication device, the slideshow application having an interactive mode and a photo frame mode;

automatically transmitting a request for images via a computer network, the request submitted to search data for one or more third-party users having a friend connection to a user of the wireless communication device an online application;

receiving, via the computer network, a series of images, at least a portion of the received images being designated as private;

based on the slideshow being in the interactive mode, displaying at least one of the private images using the slideshow application on the wireless communication device; and

based on the slideshow being in the photo frame mode, displaying at least one of the series of images, but not displaying any of the images designated as private.

13. The computer-readable storage devices or memory of claim 10, wherein the search data associates the device user with one or more of the other third-party users by a friend connection created on a social networking site.

15. The computer-readable storage devices or memory of claim 10, wherein the search data includes history data for communications to or from the user and at least one of the third-party users.

16. The computer-readable storage devices or memory of claim 10, wherein the search data includes history data associated with sending or receiving messages to or from the user and at least one of the third-party users, wherein the messages include at least one or more of the following:

voice calls, voice mails, instant messages, SMS messages, electronic mail, web browsing, or social networking.

17. The computer-readable storage devices or memory of claim 10, wherein the search data includes history data associated with a frequency with which the user visits online content associated with at least one of the third-party users.

18. The computer-readable storage devices or memory of claim 10, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving calendar entry data associated with the user, wherein the calendar entry data includes appointment data associated with the user and the at least one of the third-party users; and

based on the received calendar entry data, performing the acts of transmitting the request, and displaying the at least a portion of the series of images.