Method for activating an application in context on a remote input/output device

• US 20020067338A1
• Filed: 12/28/2001
• Published: 06/06/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Vong, William H., Adan, Manolito E., Ladas, Corey M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,227,511 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1431 using a single graphics controller

Abstract

A computer system is provided including a host computer such as a PC and one or more remote peripheral devices controlled by the host computer for providing status/notification information, applications, system messages, and the like. Software can track the activities/commands of a user. The sequence of activities/commands can be saved and translated into a format that the host computer understands. Responsive to actuation of a button by a user on the remote peripheral device, the host computer can launch directly into the context currently being presented to the user at the remote peripheral device.

Claims

1. In a computer system including a host computer, a main display unit and a remote peripheral device associated with an auxiliary display unit, the remote peripheral device communicating with the host computer, a method comprising:

providing on the auxiliary display unit notification of an event;

responsive to a first user input at the remote peripheral device, displaying on the auxiliary display unit information associated with the event;

forming a query based upon the first user input; and

responsive to a second user input at the remote peripheral device, executing the query to cause an application associated with the event to be launched by the host computer.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the event represents receipt of a message.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein said executing includes displaying the message on the main display unit.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein the event represents receipt of a calendar message.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the notification comprises a visual signal.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the notification comprises an audio signal.

7. The method according to claim 2, wherein the information includes subject and author of a message.

8. The method according to claim 1, where the first user input includes plural user inputs.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the second user input includes a single user input.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the application is a calendar application.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the application is an Internet browser.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the application is a messaging application.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the event is a news event and the information includes news information.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein said executing includes displaying the information on the main display unit.

15. A computer readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the steps recited in claim 1.

16. The method according to claim 1, further including

displaying on the auxiliary display unit a plurality of first soft labels representing a plurality of applications, including the application associated with the event;

responsive to actuation of a first button on the remote peripheral device associated with one of the first soft labels representing the application, displaying on the auxiliary display unit a plurality of second soft labels, each second soft label representing a different function within the application, the second soft labels replacing the first soft labels on the auxiliary display unit; and

responsive to actuation of a second button on the remote peripheral device associated with one of the second soft labels, executing a function within the application on the remote peripheral device,

wherein the first user input includes actuation of the first button followed by actuation of the second button.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the first and second input/output devices are remote peripheral devices.

19. The method according to claim 17, wherein the first input/output device is a remote peripheral device and the second input/output device is part of the host computer.

20. The method according to claim 17, wherein the second information includes richer content than the first information.

21. The method according to claim 17, wherein the application is a browser.

22. The method according to claim 17, wherein the application is a messaging application.

23. The method according to claim 22, wherein the information includes subject and author of a message.

24. The method according to claim 17, wherein the second user input is a single user input.

25. The method according to claim 17, wherein the first user input includes plural user inputs.

26. The method according to claim 17, wherein said forming the query includes translating the first user input into instructions understood by the host computer.

27. The method according to claim 17, wherein the first and second information are news information, the first information including a news story headline and the second information including the news story.

28. The method according to claim 17, wherein the first and second information are news information, the first information including an abstract of a news story and the second information including a full version of the news story.

29. A computer readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the steps recited in claim 17.

30. The method according to claim 17, wherein the second user input identifies an input/output device type, said method further comprising, responsive to the second user input, determining that the second input/output device type is the closest input/output device to the first input/output device of the identified type.

31. The method according to claim 17, wherein the query is a URL query string.

17. In a computer system including a host computer and first and second input/output devices, a method comprising:

providing first information in a context at the first input/output device in response to a first user input;

forming a query associated with providing said context at the first input/output device; and

responsive to a second user input, launching an application based on the query to provide second information in said context at a second input/output device.

32. In a computer system including a host computer, a main user interface and a remote peripheral device associated with an auxiliary user interface, the remote peripheral device in communication with the host computer, a method comprising:

storing activations from the auxiliary user interface to obtain a context;

building a query from the activations, the query being understood by the host computer; and

responsive to a single activation from one of the main user interface or the auxiliary interface, executing the query to provide the context on the main user interface.

33. The method according to claim 32, wherein the context is a browser context.

34. The method according to claim 32, wherein the context is in a messaging application context.

35. A computer readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the steps recited in claim 32.