Distributed sensing techniques for mobile devices

• US 20070124503A1
• Filed: 10/31/2005
• Published: 05/31/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Ramos, Gonzalo, Hinckley, Kenneth
• Granted Patent: US 7,636,794 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/248
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/21 for social networking applications

Abstract

Methods and apparatus of the various embodiments allow the coordination of resources of devices to jointly execute tasks or perform actions on one of the devices. In the method, a first gesture input is received at a first mobile computing device. A second gesture input is received at a second mobile computing device. In response, a determination is made as to whether the second gesture is accepted at the initiating device. If it is determined that the second gesture inputs is accepted, then resources of the devices are combined to jointly execute a particular task associated with the shared resources.

Claims

1. A method of coordinating resources between at least two devices, comprising:

initiating a first stitching gesture at a first device;

receiving the gesture at at least one other device;

performing an action on the at least one other device to consummate the coordination of resources between the first device and the at least one other device, while the first gesture is active; and

coordinating resources based upon the performed actions.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving an indication at the first device of the action performed by the at least one other device.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein prior to coordination resources performing the step of:

determining if resources are to be coordinated between the first device and any of the at least one other device.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein determining comprises:

allowing the resources to be coordinated between some of the at least one other devices; and

disallowing the resources to be coordinated between some of the at least one other devices.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the first gesture is active for a period of time.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the period of time is predetermined.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein initiating comprises:

performing an action on a display device of the first device; and

wherein the period of time corresponds to a period of time of the action.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the action comprises:

using a pointing device to initiate the first gesture; and

the period of time of the action comprises holding the pointing device over a predetermined area of the display device.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

creating a second resource coordination connection between one of the devices and at least one other of the devices.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein creating a second resource coordination comprises:

initiating a second stitching gesture at one device;

receiving the second gesture at at least one other device;

performing an action on the at least one other device to consummate the coordination of resources between the one device and the at least one other device, while the first gesture is active; and

coordinating resources based upon the performed actions.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

defining a level of coordination between each of the devices.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the level of coordination develops a wormhole link between the devices.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the level of coordination uses a buffer to manage resource coordination.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the buffering is done by device.

15. A computer readable medium containing computer executable instructions that, when executed, cause a computer to perform the steps of:

transmit a first stitching gesture from a first device to at least one other device;

receive an indication from the at least one other device indicating that the gesture was accepted;

coordinate resources between the first device and the at least one other device.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 15 further comprising instructions to:

select a number of accepted connection to coordinate resources.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 16 wherein the select step is configured to receive a stylus input on a display of the first device.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 15 further comprising instruction to:

hold the first gesture open for a period of time.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 18 wherein the first gesture is transmitted while a stylus is held down on a portion of a display device on the first machine.