Wireless device with an aggregate user interface for controlling other devices

• US 20070224937A1
• Filed: 03/24/2006
• Published: 09/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Uber Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Searete LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Jung, Edward, Malamud, Mark, Lord, Robert, Levien, Royce, Rinaldo, John, Wood, Lowell
• Granted Patent: US 7,725,077 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.200
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72415 for remote control of appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72469 for operating the device by selecting functions from two or more displayed items, e.g. menus or icons

Abstract

An apparatus, device, methods, computer program product, and system are described that make a determination that a wireless device is in proximity to at least one secondary wireless device, and determine an aggregate user interface on the wireless device based on the determination.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

making a determination that a wireless device is in proximity to at least one secondary wireless device; and

determining an aggregate user interface on the wireless device based on the determination.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein making a determination that a wireless device is in proximity to at least one secondary wireless device comprises:

making a determination that the wireless device is in proximity to one or more of a plurality of secondary wireless devices.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein determining an aggregate user interface on the first wireless device based on the determination comprises:

providing an available interaction with one or more operations related to the at least one secondary wireless device based on the determination.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein determining an aggregate user interface on the first wireless device based on the determination comprises:

providing a menu of operations on the wireless device including at least one operation for one or more of the at least one secondary wireless device based on the determination.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein determining an aggregate user interface on the wireless device based on the determination comprises:

identifying one or more of the at least one secondary wireless device;

identifying a function for one or more of the at least one secondary wireless device;

identifying a property, attribute, sub-component, or element for one or more of the at least one secondary wireless device;

identifying a relative location for one or more of the at least one secondary wireless device;

identifying an ownership of one or more of the at least one secondary wireless device; and

/or

identifying any access restrictions of one or more of the at least one secondary wireless device.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein determining an aggregate user interface on the wireless device based on the determination comprises:

providing an aggregate user interface on the wireless device based on a function of one or more of the at least one secondary wireless device;

providing an aggregate user interface on the wireless device based on a capability of one or more of the at least one secondary wireless device;

providing an aggregate user interface on the wireless device based on a location of one or more of the at least one secondary wireless device;

providing an aggregate user interface on the wireless device based on an ownership of one or more of the at least one secondary wireless device;

providing an aggregate user interface on the wireless device based on any access restrictions of one or more of the at least one secondary wireless device;

providing an aggregate user interface on the wireless device based on a history of use of one or more of the at least one secondary wireless device;

providing an aggregate user interface on the wireless device based on a user configuration with respect to one or more of the at least one secondary wireless device; and

/or

providing an aggregate user interface on the wireless device based on a closure rate with respect to one or more of the at least one secondary wireless device.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein determining an aggregate user interface on the wireless device based on the determination comprises:

receiving information at the wireless device indicating at least one function of one or more of the at least one secondary wireless device; and

providing an aggregate user interface on the wireless device indicating the at least one function of one or more of the at least one secondary wireless device based on the information.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein determining an aggregate user interface on the wireless device based on the determination comprises:

determining a state or property of an application on the wireless device; and

providing an aggregate user interface on the wireless device based on the determination and based on the determining a state or property of an application on the wireless device.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein determining an aggregate user interface on the wireless device based on the determination comprises:

determining that a first secondary wireless device is closest to the wireless device; and

providing an aggregate user interface on the wireless device including an available interaction with one or more operations related to the first secondary wireless device.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein determining an aggregate user interface on the wireless device based on the determination comprises:

determining that a second secondary wireless device is currently closest to the wireless device; and

providing an updated aggregate user interface on the wireless device including an available interaction with one or more operations related to the second secondary wireless device.

11. The method of claim 1 and further comprising:

receiving information at the wireless device, the information including at least one of updated proximity information for the at least one secondary wireless device, key-related inputs from a user, and gestures by a user using the wireless device; and

providing an updated aggregated user interface on the wireless device based on the information.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein receiving information at the wireless device comprises:

receiving information at the wireless device, the information including at least one of updated proximity information for the at least one secondary wireless device, and gestures by a user using the wireless device, the gestures from a user including at least one of moving the wireless device, tilting the wireless device, reorienting the wireless device with respect to the at least one secondary wireless device, moving the wireless device towards the at least one secondary wireless device, moving the wireless device away from the at least one secondary wireless device, pointing a portion of the wireless device at the at least one secondary wireless device, or touching the wireless device to the at least one secondary wireless device.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein providing an updated aggregate user interface on the wireless device based on the information comprises:

updating an order of information elements of the aggregate user interface provided on the wireless device based on the information;

removing one or more of the information elements of the aggregate user interface provided on the wireless device based on the information; and

/or

updating an order of information elements of the aggregate user interface based in part on a closure or closure rate.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein determining an aggregate user interface on the wireless device based on the determination comprises:

determining a location for one or more of the at least one secondary wireless device;

determining one or more operations available on one or more of the at least one secondary wireless device;

sorting the one or more operations available, based at least in part on the location; and

providing an aggregate user interface on the wireless device based at least in part on the sorting the one or more operations available, based at least in part on the location.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein determining an aggregate user interface on the wireless device based on the determination comprises:

determining one or more default operations available on one or more of the at least one secondary wireless device;

determining one or more non-default operations available on one or more of the at least one secondary wireless device;

providing an aggregate user interface on the wireless device based at least in part on the determining one or more default operations available on one or more of the at least one secondary wireless device and the determining one or more non-default operations available on one or more of the at least one secondary wireless device; and

invoking substantially automatically at least one of the one or more default operations if no action occurs.

16. The method of claim 1 and further comprising:

sending a command to one or more of the at least one secondary wireless device via the aggregate user interface.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein sending a command to one or more of the at least one secondary wireless device via the aggregate user interface further comprises:

selecting an entry in a menu.

21. The method of claim 16 wherein sending a command to one or more of the at least one secondary wireless device via the aggregate user interface further comprises:

sending a command to one or more of the at least one secondary wireless device via the aggregate user interface, wherein the command is to transition one or more of the least one secondary wireless device from an off state to an on state.

22. The method of claim 16 wherein sending a command to one or more of the at least one secondary wireless device via the aggregate user interface further comprises:

sending a command to one or more of the at least one secondary wireless device via the aggregate user interface, wherein the command is to transition one or more of the least one secondary wireless device from an on state to an off state.

23. The method of claim 16 wherein sending a command to one or more of the at least one secondary wireless device via the aggregate user interface further comprises:

sending a command to one or more of the at least one secondary wireless device via the aggregate user interface, wherein the command is to transition one or more of the at least one secondary wireless device from a first state to a second state.

24. The method of claim 1 and further comprising:

sending a command to one or more of the at least one secondary wireless device without using the aggregate user interface.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein sending a command to one or more of the at least one secondary wireless device without using the aggregate user interface further comprises:

providing a menu.

31. The method of claim 24 wherein sending a command to one or more of the at least one secondary wireless device without using the aggregate user interface further comprises:

sending a command to one or more of the at least one secondary wireless device without using the aggregate user interface, wherein the command is to transition one or more of the least one secondary wireless device from a first state to a second state.

32. The method of claim 1 wherein making a determination that a wireless device is in proximity to at least one secondary wireless device further comprises:

making a determination that the wireless device is in proximity to a first secondary wireless device and a second secondary wireless device.

33. The method of claim 32 wherein determining an aggregate user interface on the wireless device based on the determination comprises:

sending at least one command to the first and second secondary wireless devices to control the first and second secondary wireless devices to perform first and second related operations, respectively.

18. (canceled)

19. (canceled)

20. (canceled)

26. (canceled)

27. (canceled)

28. (canceled)

29. (canceled)

30. (canceled)

34. A computer program product comprising:

a signal-bearing medium bearing at least one of

(a) one or more instructions for making a determination that a wireless device is in proximity to at least one secondary wireless device; and

(b) one or more instructions for determining an aggregate user interface on the wireless device based on the determination.

35. (canceled)

36. (canceled)

37. (canceled)

38. A system comprising:

a computing device; and

instructions that when executed on the computing device cause the computing device to

(a) make a determination that a wireless device is in proximity to at least one secondary wireless device, and

(b) determine an aggregate user interface on the wireless device based on the determination.

39. (canceled)

40. A device comprising:

(a) a wireless device configured to determine when it is in proximity to at least one secondary wireless device, and

(b) an aggregate user interface configured to be determined on the wireless device.

41. The device of claim 40 wherein aggregate user interface further comprises:

an available interaction with one or more operations related to the at least one secondary wireless device.

42. The device of claim 40 wherein the aggregate user interface further comprises:

a menu of operations configured to be provided to a display on the wireless device including at least one operation for one or more of the at least one secondary wireless device.