Techniques for setting and indicating presence for a device

• US 20070287376A1
• Filed: 06/13/2006
• Published: 12/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Pall, Gurdeep S., Yee, Dawson, Riemann, Alex
• Granted Patent: US 7,907,051 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/316 by observing the pattern of computer usage, e.g. typical user behaviour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2139 Recurrent verification

Abstract

Techniques are provided for specifying a presence setting selection and for displaying a presence indicator status of a user with respect to a device associated with the user. The presence setting selection includes providing an input selection component on a surface of a first component of the device. A presence setting is received at the device in accordance with a manual presence selection made using the input selection component. In connection with the presence indicator status, one or more indicators are provided on a surface portion of a first component of the device. The presence indicator status indicating the presence of the user with respect to the device is received. One or more indicators at the device are set in accordance with the presence indicator status.

Claims

1. A method for specifying a presence setting selection for a device comprising:

providing an input selection component on a surface of a first component of the device associated with a user, wherein said input selection component is a dedicated physical component for use in connection with specifying a presence setting; and

receiving a selected presence setting at said device in accordance with a manual presence selection made using said input selection component.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said input selection component is a button included on a front surface of said first component.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein, in response to subsequent depressions of said button, a state associated with said button advances to another presence setting option.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said device is a computer.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said first component is a keyboard used with said computer and said input selection component reflects a selection by a registered user of said computer.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said device is a phone.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said first component is a handset of said phone.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said device is a mobile communications device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said input selection component is an outer circumferential portion of a wheel included on a surface of said first component.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein a user scrolls through a plurality of presence settings in accordance with depressing particular areas of said outer circumferential portion.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein a user touching said outer circumferential portion without cycling through one or more presence setting options results in a default presence setting selection indicating that the user is available.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing audio feedback in accordance with said presence setting selected.

13. A method for displaying a presence indicator status of a user with respect to a device associated with the user, the method comprising:

providing one or more indicators on a surface portion of a first component of the device associated with the user;

receiving the presence indicator status indicating the presence of the user with respect to the device; and

setting said one or more indicators at said device in accordance with said presence indicator status.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said surface portion includes a single indicator which is set to one of a plurality of colors in accordance with a current value of said presence indicator status.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein said surface portion includes a plurality of color indicators, a current value of said presence indicator status being represented by a single unique one of said color indicators being displayed at a single point in time.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein said surface portion includes a plurality of color indicators, a current value of said presence indicator status being represented by more than one of said color indicators being displayed at a single point in time.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein said single indicator is a hub portion of a wheel included on a surface of said first component.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein said one or more indicators are included on a side surface of said first component.

19. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

providing audio feedback in accordance with said presence indicator status displayed by said one or more indicators.

20. An apparatus for specifying a presence setting and displaying a presence indicator status comprising:

an input selection component on a surface of a first component of the device associated with a user, wherein said input selection component is used in connection with making a manual presence selection indicating a presence of a user registered with said device; and

one or more visual color indicators on a surface portion of the first component of the device, wherein said one or more indicators are set at the device in accordance with said presence indicator status indicating the presence of the user with respect to the device, said presence indicator status being determined using said manual presence selection.