COLLABORATIVE PHONE-BASED FILE EXCHANGE

• US 20090006972A1
• Filed: 06/27/2007
• Published: 01/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Smith, Gregory, Karlson, Amy Kathleen, Robertson, George G., Czerwinski, Mary, Meyers, Brian R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,782,527 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/737
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/28 Timers or timing mechanisms used in protocols

Abstract

A collaborative phone-based file exchange technique that wirelessly synchronizes a user'"'"'s work context with his or her mobile phone and makes this context readily available and sharable in collaborative situations. When the user is away from their desk, collaboration with others is possible by sharing/downloading between the mobile phone and a paired PC, which may be a colleague'"'"'s computer or a meeting room workstation/computer. When the user returns to their office, any recently downloaded files are automatically synchronized back to their office PC.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented process for synchronizing files between a mobile phone and a computing device, comprising:

creating a database of files and associated file usage data on a computing device;

connecting the computing device with a mobile phone which contains a database of files and associated file usage data;

comparing the database of files and file usage data on the computing device against the files and file usage data on the mobile phone;

uploading selected files from the computing device to the mobile phone to automatically synchronize the files on the mobile phone with the files on the computing device.

2. The computer-implemented process of claim 1 further comprising downloading new files from the mobile phone to the computing device.

3. The computer-implemented process of claim 1 wherein the database of files and associated file usage data on the computing device is created by logging user activity while creating or accessing files.

4. The computer-implemented process of claim 3 wherein logging user activity comprises one or more of:

logging user activity in applications;

logging user activity in an operating system; and

logging user activity when using input devices.

5. The computer-implemented process of claim 1 wherein the computing device connects to the mobile phone via a limited range wireless network.

6. The computer-implemented process of claim 5 wherein the limited range wireless network is a Bluetooth network.

7. The computer-implemented process of claim 1 wherein the files in the database of files and associated file usage data on the computing device are compared to the database of files and associated file usage data on the mobile phone by comparing a list of timestamps marking when the files were last changed on the computing device to a list of timestamps as to when they were last changed on the mobile phone.

8. The computer-implemented process of claim 7 wherein the files that are uploaded to the mobile phone are files that are new or have been changed on the computing device but not on the mobile phone.

9. A computer-implemented process for sharing and displaying files using one or more mobile phones and a computing device, comprising:

a mobile phone locating a computing device that is sending a meeting broadcast;

the mobile phone acknowledging the meeting broadcast to the computing device;

the computing device adding the mobile phone to a meeting;

the computing device sending the mobile phone meeting parameters; and

the computing device managing the meeting by allowing one or more mobile phone users to display and manipulate files using their mobile phones on a shared display.

10. The computer-implemented process of claim 9, further comprising:

a second mobile phone acknowledging the meeting broadcast to the computing device; and

the second phone being added to the meeting to display and manipulate files on a shared display.

11. The computer-implemented process of claim 9 further comprising the computing device managing the meeting by allowing the one or more mobile phone users to display and manipulate files on the shared display until all mobile phones disconnect from the meeting.

12. The computer-implemented process of claim 9 wherein the meeting parameters comprise an attendee list and a list of files shared in the meeting.

13. The computer-implemented process of claim 9 wherein a mobile phone that has been added to the meeting can upload a file to the computing device to be shared on the shared display.

14. The computer-implemented process of claim 13 wherein only a mobile phone that can upload a file to the computing device to be shared on the shared display can remove the file from the shared display.

15. The computer-implemented process of claim 9 wherein a mobile phone that has been added to the meeting download a file that is being shared on the shared display.

16. The computer-implemented process of claim 9 wherein each of the mobile phones that the one or more mobile phones users use to manipulate files on a shared display further comprise a graphical user interface displayed on a display of their mobile phone, comprising at least one of:

a window for displaying connection status between the mobile phone and the computing device;

a window for displaying the status of attendees and shared files;

a window and controls for displaying and controlling a list of shared files;

a window and controls for allowing a user to share a file from their mobile phone;

a window and controls for allowing a user to download a shared file to their mobile phone; and

a window for displaying file information and window controls for manipulating shared files.

17. The computer-implemented process of claim 9 wherein managing the meeting by allowing one or more mobile phone users to display and manipulate files using their mobile phones on a shared display, comprises:

allowing a mobile phone to display a file on a shared display;

allowing a mobile phone to remove a file on a shared display;

allowing a mobile phone to download a file from the shared display to the mobile phone;

obtaining information about a mobile phone user; and

allowing a mobile phone to control a window displayed on the shared display.

18. A system for synchronizing and sharing files between a computer and one or more mobile phones, comprising:

a general purpose computing device;

a computer program comprising program modules executable by the general purpose computing device, wherein the computing device is directed by the program modules of the computer program to,

synchronize files resident on a mobile phone with files resident on the general purpose computing device; and

display files resident on the mobile phone on a shared display to one or more mobile phone users.

19. The process of claim 18 further comprising a program module to allow the one or more mobile phone users to manipulate the displayed files using the one or more mobile phones.

20. The system of claim 18 wherein the module to synchronize files resident on a mobile phone with files resident on the general purpose computing device, comprises sub-modules to:

pair the mobile phone with the general purpose computing device using a limited range wireless network;

access a list of files that are time-stamped on the mobile phone;

access a list of files that are time-stamped on the general purpose computing device;

calculate files needed on the mobile phone by comparing the difference in the timestamps of the files in the list of files on the mobile phone with the timestamps of the list of files on the general purpose computing device;

producing a list of files needed for the mobile phone based on comparison of the files;

transferring files needed for the mobile phone from the general purpose computing device.