PROXIMITY BASED USER INTERFACE COLLABORATION BETWEEN DEVICES

• US 20100121921A1
• Filed: 11/10/2008
• Published: 05/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Dunton, Randy R.
• Application Number:
  US12/267,688
• Publication Number:
  US 20100121921A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/205
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/16 Combinations of two or more digital computers each having at least an arithmetic unit, a program unit and a register, e.g. for a simultaneous processing of several programs coordinating program control therefor G06F9/52; in regulating and control system G05B
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/42 Systems for two-way working , e.g. conference systems H04N1/32 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/00 Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD] real-time bi-directional transmission of motion video data H04N7/14 ; broadcast or conference over packet switching networks H04L12/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4222 Remote control device emulator integrated into a non-television apparatus, e.g. a PDA, media center or smart toy remote control device for a television receiver integrated into a mobile phone H04M1/72415
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/436 Interfacing a local distribution network, e.g. communicating with another STB or one or more peripheral devices inside the home

Abstract

Techniques for proximity based user interface collaboration between devices. In an embodiment, a connected media center device or appliance (“MCA”) is adapted to receive multiple inputs supporting different sources of media or content. The MCA is further adapted to interact with a mobile device in such a way that when the two are within certain proximity of each other, the mobile device is able to act as a remote control for the MCA. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

determining that a first device and a second device are within certain proximity of each other;

exchanging user interface capabilities between the first and second devices; and

creating a collaboration user interface based on the exchanged user interface capabilities.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

activating the collaboration user interface such that the second device operates as a remote control device for the first device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the collaboration user interface represents one or more interaction options between the first and second devices.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the first device is a media center appliance (MCA) and the second device is a mobile device.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the collaboration user interface is activated by activating a MCA icon on a graphical user interface (GUI) of the mobile device and wherein the MCA icon is displayed only when the MCA and the mobile device are within certain proximity of each other.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the collaboration user interface is dynamically created each time the first and second devices are within certain proximity of each other.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying the second device by the first device via one of radio frequency identification (RFID) technology and Bluetooth technology.

8. A system, comprising:

a first device adapted to determine when a second device is within close proximity, wherein the first device is adapted to receive user interface capabilities of the second device, wherein the first device is adapted to create a collaboration user interface based on the user interface capabilities of the first and second devices, wherein the first device is adapted to determine when the collaboration user interface is activated on the second device, and, once activated, the first device is adapted to be remotely controlled by the second device.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the first device is adapted to display a second device icon on a graphical user interface (GUI) to indicate that the first and second devices facilitate the collaboration user interface.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the second device icon is displayed on the GUI only when the first and second devices are within close proximity.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the collaboration user interface represents one or more interaction options between the first and second devices.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the collaboration user interface is dynamically created each time the first and second devices are within certain proximity of each other.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the first device is a media center appliance (MCA) and the second device is a mobile device.

14. A machine-readable storage medium containing instructions which, when executed by a processing system, cause the processing system to perform a method, the method comprising:

determining that a first device and a second device are within certain proximity of each other;

exchanging user interface capabilities between the first and second devices; and

creating a collaboration user interface based on the exchanged user interface capabilities.

15. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 14, further comprising:

activating the collaboration user interface such that the second device operates as a remote control device for the first device.

16. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the collaboration user interface represents one or more interaction options between the first and second devices.

17. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the first device is a media center appliance (MCA) and the second device is a mobile device.

18. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the collaboration user interface is activated by activating a MCA icon on a graphical user interface (GUI) of the mobile device and wherein the MCA icon is displayed only when the MCA and the mobile device are within certain proximity of each other.

19. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the collaboration user interface is dynamically created each time the first and second devices are within certain proximity of each other.

20. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 14, further comprising:

identifying the second device by the first device via one of radio frequency identification (RFID) technology and Bluetooth technology