User interface to facilitate exchanging files among processor-based devices

• US 20040044723A1
• Filed: 08/27/2002
• Published: 03/04/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Bell, Cynthia S., Smith, Nathan Y.
• Granted Patent: US 7,376,696 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/62 Establishing a time schedule for servicing the requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A first processor-based device (PBD), such as a personal computer functioning as a host and containing digital media files, may share a selected file with a second PBD. Media file-sharing may be facilitated by an automated technique including graphical user interfaces (GUIs). In one embodiment, when a device user wishes to transfer a file to another device, the user hovers the file over a particular desktop icon and drops it, causing it to be automatically transmitted to a corresponding destination. Optionally, in response to hovering, a software program automatically generates a GUI indicating potential destinations. The user then selects a destination, and the system automatically transfers the file to that destination. In another embodiment, media sharing can be initiated from a digital appliance, such as a digital picture frame, and a file can be sent to another PBD, such as another digital picture frame via an intermediary PBD.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

storing a plurality of digital media files on a host;

displaying a visual representation of at least one of the digital media files; and

receiving a user command to transfer the at least one digital media file, including detecting the selection of a specific portion of a desktop of the host, wherein the user command specifies a destination processor-based device other than the host.

2. The method recited in claim 1 wherein the visual representation comprises one of a thumbnail, an icon, and a file identifier.

3. The method recited in claim 1 and further comprising:

displaying a plurality of potential processor-based device destinations.

4. The method recited in claim 3 wherein the plurality of potential processor-based device destinations are displayed in a window.

5. The method recited in claim 1 wherein the user command includes a request to electronically mail the at least one digital media file.

6. The method recited in claim 1 and further comprising:

transferring the at least one digital media file to the specified destination processor-based device.

7. The method recited in claim 6 wherein, in transferring, the at least one digital media file is transferred to one of a server, a second host, an appliance, and a digital picture frame.

8. The method recited in claim 7 wherein, in transferring, the at least one digital media file is transferred to a second host, and the method further comprises:

transferring the at least one digital media file from the second host to one of an appliance and a digital picture frame during a synchronization event.

9. The method recited in claim 7 wherein, in transferring, the at least one digital media file is transferred as an email.

10. The method recited in claim 7 wherein, in transferring, the at least one digital media file is transferred through the Internet.

11. The method recited in claim 6 and further comprising:

storing information concerning characteristics of the destination processor-based device.

12. The method recited in claim 11 and further comprising:

using the information to modify the at least one digital media file prior to transferring.

13. The method recited in claim 1, wherein displaying includes displaying the visual representation of the at least one digital media file on the desktop.

14. The method recited in claim 13 wherein, in receiving, the visual representation is hovered over the specific portion of the desktop, and wherein the specific portion of the desktop comprises one of an icon and a drop spot.

15. The method recited in claim 13 and further comprising:

in response to detecting, displaying a menu of potential processor-based device destinations.

16. The method recited in claim 15 and further comprising:

specifying a destination processor-based device by selecting an item in the menu.

17. The method recited in claim 15 and further comprising:

adding new processor-based device destinations to the menu as the new processor-based device destinations are registered by the host.

18. The method recited in claim 1 wherein, in receiving, a pathname is determined for the digital media file.

19. A method comprising:

displaying a digital media file on an appliance;

displaying a list of destination processor-based devices;

receiving a user command to transfer the digital media file to one of the destination processor-based devices on the list; and

transferring the digital media file through an intermediary processor-based device to the one of the destination processor-based devices.

20. The method recited in claim 19 wherein, in transferring, the digital media file is wirelessly transmitted to the intermediary processor-based device.

21. The method recited in claim 19 wherein, in transferring, the intermediary processor-based device comprises a first host.

22. The method recited in claim 21 wherein, in transferring, the digital media file is modified by the first host to satisfy performance characteristics of the one processor-based device.

23. The method recited in claim 21 wherein, in transferring, the digital media file is transferred from the first host to a network server before being transferred to the one of the destination processor-based devices.

24. The method recited in claim 23 and further comprising:

the network server performing a security check.

25. The method recited in claim 24 wherein the security check comprises a comparison with a list of authorized buddies.

26. The method recited in claim 23 wherein, in transferring, the digital media file is transferred from the network server to a second host before being transferred to the one of the destination processor-based devices.

27. The method recited in claim 26 and further comprising:

transferring the digital media file from the second host to the one of the destination processor-based devices during a synchronization event.

28. The method recited in claim 26 and further comprising:

transferring the digital media file from the second host to one of an appliance and a digital picture frame during a synchronization event.

29. The method recited in claim 19 and further comprising:

storing information concerning characteristics of the one of the destination processor-based devices.

30. The method recited in claim 29 and further comprising:

using the information to modify the digital media file prior to transferring.

31. The method recited in claim 19 wherein, in transferring, the digital media file is transferred to the one of the destination processor-based devices through at least one of a first host, a network server, and a second host.

32. The method recited in claim 31 and further comprising:

the at least one of a first host, a network server, and a second host storing information concerning characteristics of the one processor-based device; and

the at least one of a first host, a network server, and a second host using the information to modify the digital media file.

33. An appliance comprising:

a memory to store a plurality of digital media files, and further to store program instructions;

a processor coupled to the memory to execute ones of the program instructions;

a display coupled to the processor to display one or more of the plurality of digital media files, and further to display a list of destination processor-based devices, in accordance with ones of the program instructions;

a selection element to receive a user command to transfer one of the digital media files to at least one specified processor-based device, in accordance with ones of the program instructions; and

a communications element to transmit the one digital media file along with destination information to the at least one specified processor-based device via an intermediary processor-based device.

34. The appliance recited in claim 33 wherein the communications element comprises a transceiver coupled to the processor to wirelessly transmit to the intermediary processor-based device, in accordance with ones of the program instructions, the one digital media file.

35. The appliance recited in claim 33, wherein the display is to display the list of destination processor-based devices in the form of a buddy list.

36. An article comprising a machine-accessible medium having associated instructions, wherein the instructions, when accessed, result in a machine performing:

displaying a digital media file;

presenting a list of destination processor-based devices;

receiving a user command to transfer the digital media file to at least one of the destination processor-based devices; and

transmitting the one digital media file along with destination information, identifying the at least one of the destination processor-based devices, to an intermediary processor-based device.

37. The article recited in claim 36 wherein, in presenting, a buddy list is presented.

38. The article recited in claim 36 wherein, in transmitting, the one digital media file and destination information are wirelessly transmitted to a host.

39. The article recited in claim 36 wherein, in presenting, the destination processor-based devices comprise one or more from the group consisting of a digital picture frame, an Internet appliance, a personal digital assistant, a cellular telephone, a pager, a music reproduction device, and a hand-held computer.

40. A system comprising:

a processor; and

a storage coupled to the processor to store instructions that, when executed, enable the processor to receive a user request to transfer a media file from one processor to another processor, to display a graphical user interface to indicate a plurality of potential media file destinations and, in response to receiving selection of a destination, to transfer the media file to the selected destination.

41. The system recited in claim 40 wherein the storage stores instructions to enable the processor to receive a request to transfer a media file.

42. The system recited in claim 41 wherein the storage stores instructions to enable the processor to display a graphical user interface to detect the presence of a cursor hovering over a desktop icon and, in response to the presence of the cursor, to display a menu of potential media file destinations.

43. The system recited in claim 42 wherein the storage stores instructions to enable the processor to select a destination by detecting a selection of an item in the menu.

44. The system recited in claim 40 wherein the storage stores instructions to enable the processor to transfer a media file to an appliance.

45. The system recited in claim 40 wherein the storage stores instructions to enable the processor to transfer a media file to a digital picture frame.

46. The system recited in claim 40 wherein the storage stores instructions to enable the processor to detect the presence of a cursor hovering over an icon and, in response to the detection of the presence of the cursor, to initiate an application to route a media file to an appliance.

47. The system recited in claim 46 wherein the storage stores instructions to enable the processor to determine a pathname of a media file dragged over and dropped upon the icon.

48. The system recited in claim 40 wherein the storage stores instructions to enable the processor to transfer a media file over the Internet.

49. The system recited in claim 48 wherein the storage stores instructions to enable the processor to transfer information from a host to an appliance in response to a synchronization event.