Obtaining information for proximate devices

• US 20060064472A1
• Filed: 09/20/2004
• Published: 03/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Charles A Mirho
• Original Assignee: Charles A Mirho
• Inventors: Mirho, Charles A.
• Application Number:
  US10/945,818
• Publication Number:
  US 20060064472A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/220
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/18 Negotiating wireless communication parameters

Abstract

User-interface information is wirelessly communicated from a first device to a second device as a result of the second device being brought into proximity with the first device. The second device in configured in conformance with the user-interface information such that the second device provides a user-interface to the first device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

wirelessly communicating user-interface information from a first device to a second device as a result of the second device being brought into proximity with the first device; and

configuring the second device in conformance with the user-interface information such that the second device provides a user-interface to the first device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the configuring the second device in conformance with the user-interface information such that the second device provides a user-interface to the first device further comprises:

mapping functions of the first device to controls of the second device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first device further comprises:

at least one of a factory machine, a home appliance, or a power tool.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the first device further comprises:

a consumer electronics device.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the consumer electronics device further comprises:

a home or car stereo system device, a portable music player, a digital video disk player, or a television.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the second device further comprises:

a wireless consumer electronics remote control.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the second device further comprises:

a device comprising at least one of a cell phone, a camera, or a portable music player.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the first device further comprises:

a medical device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the configuring the second device in conformance with the user-interface information such that the second device provides a user-interface to the first device further comprises:

displaying, according to the user-interface information, a user interface on the second device.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the displaying, according to the user-interface information, a user interface on the second device further comprises:

displaying a user interface showing a correspondence between at least one of buttons, dials, or levers of the second device with functions of the first device.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the displaying, according to the user-interface information, a user interface on the second device further comprises:

marking off touch sensitive areas on a display of the second device.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the user-interface information further comprises:

Hypertext Markup Language information.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the proximity with the first device further comprises:

short-range wireless communication range.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the short-range wireless communication range further comprises:

Bluetooth communication range.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the user-interface information further comprises:

Hypertext Markup Language information.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the first device further comprises:

at least one of a factory machine, a home appliance, or a power tool.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the first device further comprises:

a consumer electronics device.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the consumer electronics device further comprises:

a home or car stereo system device, a portable music player, a digital video disk player, or a television.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the second device further comprises:

a wireless consumer electronics remote control.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the second device further comprises:

a device comprising at least one of a cell phone, a camera, or a portable music player.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the first device further comprises:

a medical device.

22. A method comprising:

wirelessly communicating user-interface information from a first device to a second device automatically in response to coming into proximity with the first device, or in response to operating a control of the second device; and

configuring the second device in conformance with the user-interface information such that the second device provides a user-interface to the first device.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the configuring the second device in conformance with the user-interface information such that the second device provides a user-interface to the first device further comprises:

mapping functions of the first device to controls of the second device.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the first device further comprises:

at least one of a factory machine, a home appliance, or a power tool.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the first device further comprises:

a consumer electronics device.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the consumer electronics device further comprises:

a home or car stereo system device, a portable music player, a digital video disk player, or a television.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein the second device further comprises:

a wireless consumer electronics remote control.

28. The method of claim 23, wherein the second device further comprises:

a device comprising at least one of a cell phone, a camera, or a portable music player.

29. The method of claim 23, wherein the first device further comprises:

a medical device.

30. The method of claim 22, wherein the configuring the second device in conformance with the user-interface information such that the second device provides a user-interface to the first device further comprises:

displaying, according to the user-interface information, a user interface on the second device.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the displaying, according to the user-interface information, a user interface on the second device further comprises:

displaying a user interface showing a correspondence between at least one of buttons, dials, or levers of the second device with functions of the first device.

32. The method of claim 30, wherein the displaying, according to the user-interface information, a user interface on the second device further comprises:

marking off touch sensitive areas on a display of the second device.

33. The method of claim 30, wherein the user-interface information further comprises:

Hypertext Markup Language information.

34. The method of claim 22, wherein the proximity with the first device further comprises:

short-range wireless communication range.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the short-range wireless communication range further comprises:

Bluetooth communication range.

36. The method of claim 22, wherein the user-interface information further comprises:

Hypertext Markup Language information.

37. The method of claim 22, wherein the first device further comprises:

at least one of a factory machine, a home appliance, or a power tool.

38. The method of claim 22, wherein the first device further comprises:

a consumer electronics device.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the consumer electronics device further comprises:

a home or car stereo system device, a portable music player, a digital video disk player, or a television.

40. The method of claim 22, wherein the second device further comprises:

a wireless consumer electronics remote control.

41. The method of claim 22, wherein the second device further comprises:

a device comprising at least one of a cell phone, a camera, or a portable music player.

42. The method of claim 22, wherein the first device further comprises:

a medical device.

43. A method comprising:

establishing a wireless communication connection between a first device and a second device in response to one of bringing the second device into proximity with the first device or operating a control of the second device; and

wirelessly communicating user-interface information from a first device to a second device automatically in response to coming into proximity with the first device, and/or in response to operating a control of the second device.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein the proximity with the first device further comprises:

short-range wireless communication range.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein the short-range wireless communication range further comprises:

Bluetooth communication range.

46. The method of claim 43, wherein the user-interface information further comprises:

Hypertext Markup Language information.

47. The method of claim 43, wherein the first device further comprises:

at least one of a factory machine, a home appliance, or a power tool.

48. The method of claim 43, wherein the first device further comprises:

a consumer electronics device.

49. The method of claim 48, wherein the consumer electronics device further comprises:

a home or car stereo system device, a portable music player, a digital video disk player, or a television.

50. The method of claim 43, wherein the second device further comprises:

a wireless consumer electronics remote control.

51. The method of claim 43, wherein the second device further comprises:

a device comprising at least one of a cell phone, a camera, or a portable music player.

52. The method of claim 43, wherein the first device further comprises:

a medical device.

53. A method comprising:

wirelessly communicating operating instructions for a first device from the first device to a second device automatically in response to coming into proximity with the first device, or in response to operating a control of the second device.

54. The method of claim 53, wherein the proximity with the first device further comprises:

short-range wireless communication range.

55. The method of claim 54, wherein the short-range wireless communication range further comprises:

Bluetooth communication range.

56. The method of claim 53, wherein the first device further comprises:

at least one of a factory machine, a home appliance, or a power tool.

57. The method of claim 53, wherein the first device further comprises:

a consumer electronics device.

58. The method of claim 57, wherein the consumer electronics device further comprises:

a home or car stereo system device, a portable music player, a digital video disk player, or a television.

59. The method of claim 53, wherein the second device further comprises:

a wireless consumer electronics remote control.

60. The method of claim 53, wherein the second device further comprises:

a device comprising at least one of a cell phone, a camera, or a portable music player.

61. The method of claim 53, wherein the first device further comprises:

a medical device.

62. A method comprising:

wirelessly communicating at least one of maintenance or repair instructions for a first device from the first device to a second device in response to operating a control of the second device or automatically in response to coming into proximity with the first device.

63. The method of claim 62, wherein the proximity with the first device further comprises:

short-range wireless communication range.

64. The method of claim 63, wherein the short-range wireless communication range further comprises:

Bluetooth communication range.

65. The method of claim 62, wherein the first device further comprises:

at least one of a factory machine, a home appliance, or a power tool.

66. The method of claim 62, wherein the first device further comprises:

a consumer electronics device.

67. The method of claim 66, wherein the consumer electronics device further comprises:

a home or car stereo system device, a portable music player, a digital video disk player, or a television.

68. The method of claim 62, wherein the second device further comprises:

a wireless consumer electronics remote control.

69. The method of claim 62, wherein the second device further comprises:

a device comprising at least one of a cell phone, a camera, or a portable music player.

70. The method of claim 62, wherein the first device further comprises:

a medical device.

71. A radio tag comprising:

logic to respond to a wireless signal by providing at least one of operating instructions, installation instructions, configuration instructions, assembly instructions, repair instructions, diagnostic instructions, or maintenance instructions for a device to which the radio tag is or will be affixed.

72. A radio tag comprising:

logic to respond to a wireless signal by providing at least one of Hypertext Markup Language or Extensible Markup Language information comprising at least one of a operating information, repair information, or maintenance information for a device to which the radio tag is or will be affixed.

73. The radio tag of claim 72, further comprising:

logic to provide different information according to differences in the wireless signal received.

74. The radio tag of claim 72, wherein the Hypertext Markup Language or Extensible Markup Language information further comprises:

information about one or more of how to operate, repair, maintain, diagnose, or interact with a part of the device to which the radio tag is or will be affixed.

75. The radio tag of claim 72, wherein the operating instructions, installation instructions, configuration instructions, assembly instructions, repair instructions, diagnostic instructions, or maintenance instructions for a device further comprises:

operating instructions, installation instructions, configuration instructions, assembly instructions, repair instructions, diagnostic instructions, or maintenance instructions for a factory machine, a home appliance, or a power tool.

76. The radio tag of claim 72, wherein the operating instructions, installation instructions, configuration instructions, assembly instructions, repair instructions, diagnostic instructions, or maintenance instructions for a device further comprises:

operating instructions, installation instructions, configuration instructions, assembly instructions, repair instructions, diagnostic instructions, or maintenance instructions for a consumer electronics device.

77. The radio tag of claim 76, wherein the operating instructions, installation instructions, configuration instructions, assembly instructions, repair instructions, diagnostic instructions, or maintenance instructions for a consumer electronics device further comprises:

operating instructions, installation instructions, configuration instructions, assembly instructions, repair instructions, diagnostic instructions, or maintenance instructions for a home or car stereo system device, a portable music player, a digital video disk player, or a television.

78. The radio tag of claim 72, wherein information comprising at least one of a operating information, repair information, or maintenance information further comprises:

information comprising at least one of a operating information, repair information, or maintenance information for a medical device.

79. The radio tag of claim 73, wherein the first device further comprises:

at least one of a factory machine, a home appliance, or a power tool.

80. The method of claim 79, wherein the user-interface information further comprises:

at least one of Extensible Markup Language and Hypertext Markup Language information.

81. The method of claim 79, wherein the first device further comprises:

at least one of a factory machine, a home appliance, or a power tool.

82. The method of claim 79, wherein the first device further comprises:

a consumer electronics device.

83. The method of claim 82, wherein the consumer electronics device further comprises:

a home or car stereo system device, a portable music player, a digital video disk player, or a television.

84. The method of claim 79, wherein the second device further comprises:

a wireless consumer electronics remote control.

85. The method of claim 79, wherein the second device further comprises:

a device comprising at least one of a cell phone, a camera, or a portable music player.

86. The method of claim 79, wherein the third device further comprises:

a device operating at least in part as a network server.

87. The method of claim 79, wherein the identifying a first proximate device further comprises:

receiving identifying signals from a radio tag affixed to the first device.

88. The method of claim 79, wherein the first device further comprises:

a medical device.

79-1. A method comprising:

a second device identifying a first proximate device via wireless signals;

the second device wirelessly communicating an identification of the first device to a third device; and

the second device receiving from the third device user-interface information for the first device.