Terminal, method and computer program product for interacting with a physical entity

• US 20050138630A1
• Filed: 12/17/2003
• Published: 06/23/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Reynolds, Franklin
• Granted Patent: US 9,606,714 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 719/310
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0383 Signal control means within the pointing device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07758 arrangements for adhering the record carrier to further objects or living beings, functioning as an identification tag
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0008 General problems related to the reading of electronic memory record carriers, independent of its reading method, e.g. power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/246 Connectivity information discovery

Abstract

A terminal for interacting with a physical entity includes a controller capable of selecting a physical entity, and thereafter receiving data from the entity at a terminal at least partially over an air interface. The controller can also identify a type of the entity based upon the data. Thereafter, the controller can be capable of performing at least one action based upon the entity type, an application operating on the terminal and a selection event. The application can comprise any of a number of applications, such as an application associated with the type of entity or an alternative application other than the associated application. Likewise, the selection event can comprise any of a number of different predefined events, such as “select and get information,” “select and open,” and/or “select drag and drop.”

Claims

1. A method of interacting with a physical entity comprising:

selecting a physical entity, and thereafter receiving data from the entity at a terminal at least partially over an air interface;

identifying a type of the entity based upon the data; and

performing at least one action based upon the entity type, an application operating on the terminal and a selection event.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the type of entity has an associated application, and wherein performing at least one action comprises executing, on the terminal, the application associated with the entity type when the application operating on the terminal comprises an application launcher.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein performing at least one action further comprises at least one of sending and receiving information relating to the entity.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the type of entity has an associated application, and wherein performing at least one action comprises at least one of sending and receiving information relating to the entity when the application operating on the terminal comprises the associated application.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the type of entity has an associated application, and wherein performing at least one action comprises:

executing an alternative application other than the application associated with the type of entity; and

operating the alternative application to at least one of send and receive information relating to the entity.

6. A method according to claim 5 further comprising:

selecting one of the alternative application and a second entity associated with the alternative application; and

when selecting one of the alternative application and a second entity comprises selecting a second entity,

receiving data from the second entity at the terminal at least partially over an air interface;

identifying a type of the second entity based upon the data; and

identifying the alternative application based upon the entity type of the second entity.

7. A method according to claim 1 further comprising:

selecting content stored in memory of the terminal before selecting the physical entity, wherein the content is associated with an application and the type of entity has an associated application comprising an alternative application other than the application associated with the content,

and wherein performing at least one action comprises executing and operating the alternative application to receive the selected content.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein performing at least one action comprises:

determining a listing of at least one action based upon the entity type, and thereafter receiving a selection of an action from the listing; and

performing the selected action based upon the application operating on the terminal and the selection event.

9. A terminal for interacting with a physical entity comprising:

a controller capable of selecting a physical entity, and thereafter receiving data from the entity at least partially over an air interface, wherein the controller is capable of identifying a type of the entity based upon the data, and performing at least one action based upon the entity type, an application operating on the terminal and a selection event.

10. A terminal according to claim 9, wherein the type of entity has an associated application, and wherein the controller is capable of executing, on the terminal, the application associated with the entity type when the application operating on the terminal comprises an application launcher.

11. A terminal according to claim 10, wherein the controller is further capable of at least one of sending and receiving information relating to the entity.

12. A terminal according to claim 9, wherein the type of entity has an associated application, and wherein the controller is capable of at least one of sending and receiving information relating to the entity.

13. A terminal according to claim 9, wherein the type of entity has an associated application, and wherein the controller is capable of executing an alternative application other than the application associated with the type of entity, and thereafter operating the alternative application to at least one of send and receive information relating to the entity.

14. A terminal according to claim 13, wherein the controller is further capable of selecting one of the alternative application and a second entity associated with the alternative application, and when the controller selects the second entity, the controller is capable of receiving data from the second entity, identifying a type of the second entity based upon the data, and identifying the alternative application based upon the entity type of the second entity.

15. A terminal according to claim 9 further comprising:

a memory capable of storing content associated with an application, wherein the type of entity has an associated application comprising an alternative application other than the application associated with the content,

and wherein the controller is further capable of executing and operating the alternative application to receive the selected content.

16. A terminal according to claim 9, wherein the controller is capable of determining a listing of at least one action based upon the entity type, and thereafter receiving a selection of an action from the listing, and wherein the controller is capable of performing the selected action based upon the application operating on the terminal and the selection event.

17. A computer program product for interacting with a physical entity, the computer program product comprising a computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein, the computer-readable program code portions comprising:

a first executable portion for selecting a physical entity, and thereafter receiving data from the entity at a terminal at least partially over an air interface;

a second executable portion for identifying a type of the entity based upon the data; and

a third executable portion for performing at least one action based upon the entity type, an application operating on the terminal and a selection event.

18. A computer program product according to claim 17, wherein the type of entity has an associated application, and wherein the third executable portion is adapted to execute, on the terminal, the application associated with the entity type when the application operating on the terminal comprises an application launcher.

19. A computer program product according to claim 18, wherein the third executable portion is further adapted to at least one of send and receive information relating to the entity.

20. A computer program product according to claim 17, wherein the type of entity has an associated application, and wherein the third executable portion is adapted to at least one of send and receive information relating to the entity.

21. A computer program product according to claim 17, wherein the type of entity has an associated application, and wherein the third executable portion is adapted to execute an alternative application other than the application associated with the type of entity, and operate the alternative application to at least one of send and receive information relating to the entity.

22. A computer program product according to claim 21 further comprising:

a fourth executable portion for selecting one of the alternative application and a second entity associated with the alternative application; and

when selecting one of the alternative application and a second entity comprises selecting the second entity,

a fifth executable portion for receiving data from the second entity at the terminal at least partially over an air interface;

a sixth executable portion for identifying a type of the second entity based upon the data; and

a seventh executable portion for identifying the alternative application based upon the entity type of the second entity.

23. A computer program product according to claim 17 further comprising:

a fourth executable portion for selecting content stored in memory of the terminal before selecting the physical entity, wherein the content is associated with an application and the type of entity has an associated application comprising an alternative application other than the application associated with the content,

and wherein the third executable portion is adapted to execute and operate the alternative application to receive the selected content.

24. A computer program product according to claim 17, wherein the third executable portion is adapted to perform at least one action by determining a listing of at least one action based upon the entity type, receiving a selection of an action from the listing, and thereafter performing the selected action based upon the application operating on the terminal and the selection event.