REMOTE CONTROL OF A PRESENTATION

• US 20100169790A1
• Filed: 12/29/2008
• Published: 07/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Vaughan, Paul Bradford, Peirce, Michael Richard
• Granted Patent: US 9,342,231 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/740
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/14 Digital output to display device ; Cooperation and interconnection of the display device with other functional units
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72415 for remote control of appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

Techniques for remotely controlling a presentation application are disclosed. In accordance with these techniques, a device, such as a handheld device, is linked over a network with a presentation running on a presentation application. In one embodiment, the remote control application allows the presentation to be controlled over the network by direct communication with the presentation application. In certain embodiments, the remote control application displays parts of the presentation, such as a slide being currently presented, and allows navigation of the presentation. In addition, in certain embodiments, the remote control application displays presentation notes, preview slides, or other information useful to a presenter operating the remote control application.

Claims

1. A handheld device comprising:

a display;

a network device;

a memory;

a storage device physically encoding one or more routines capable of;

interacting with a presentation application over a network via the network device;

displaying on the display at least an image of a current slide or slide build of a presentation playing on the presentation application;

receiving user inputs related to the play of the presentation and transmitting corresponding commands to the presentation application over the network; and

a processor capable of executing the one or more routines when loaded in the memory.

2. The handheld device of claim 1, wherein the storage device physically encodes a routine capable of making the handheld device locatable on the network to the presentation application.

3. The handheld device of claim 1, interacting with the presentation application comprises exchanging a token with the presentation application.

4. The handheld device of claim 1, wherein the storage device physically encodes a routine capable of receiving a token from the presentation application and of storing the token for future interactions.

5. The handheld device of claim 1, wherein the storage device physically encodes a routine capable of requesting an indication from the presentation application of the current slide or slide build.

6. The handheld device of claim 5, wherein the storage device physically encodes a routine capable of requesting the image based upon the indication of the current slide or slide build.

7. The handheld device of claim 1, wherein the storage device physically encodes a routine capable of maintaining a TCP stream with the presentation application.

8. The handheld device of claim 1, wherein the storage device physically encodes a routine capable of displaying corresponding notes in conjunction with the image of the current slide.

9. The handheld device of claim 1, wherein the storage device physically encodes a routine capable of displaying an image of an upcoming slide in conjunction with the image of the current slide.

10. The handheld device of claim 1, wherein the storage device physically encodes a routine capable of receiving and storing a sliding window of slide images from which the image of the current slide or slide build is retrieved for display.

11. A method for remotely controlling a presentation, comprising:

communicating with a presentation application over a network;

forming an association with a presentation running on the presentation application;

receiving one or more images of respective slides of the presentation over the network;

displaying a respective image concurrently with the display of a corresponding slide by the presentation application; and

transmitting one or more commands over the network to control the play of the presentation at the presentation application.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein forming the association with the presentation comprises generating a pass code which may be entered at the presentation application to form the association.

13. The method of claim 11, comprising displaying one or more of corresponding notes or images of upcoming slides in conjunction with the respective image.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein forming the association comprises exchanging a token with the presentation application.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein communicating with the presentation application comprises maintaining a TCP stream with the presentation application.

16. The method of claim 11, comprising periodically requesting an indication of a current slide or slide build being displayed at the presentation application.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein receiving the one or more images comprises receiving and updating a sliding window of images.

18. The method of claim 11, comprising:

receiving notes corresponding to the respective image; and

displaying the notes in conjunction with the respective image.

19. The method of claim 11, comprising displaying an image of an upcoming slide in conjunction with the respective image.

20. A computer-readable media, the computer-readable media encoding routines comprising:

a routine capable of linking to a presentation application over a network;

a routine capable of receiving at least images of slides of a slideshow presentation from the presentation application over the network;

a routine capable of displaying a respective image of a slide or slide build being displayed at the presentation application, wherein the respective image is displayed on a screen of a device on which the presentation application is not running; and

a routine capable of transmitting commands to the presentation application over the network, wherein the commands control the play of a presentation by the presentation application.

21. The computer-readable media of claim 20, comprising a routine for exchanging a token with the presentation application to facilitate linking to the presentation application.

22. The computer-readable media of claim 20, comprising a routine capable of advertising on the network the availability of a device to serve as a remote control for the presentation application.

23. The computer-readable media of claim 20, comprising a routine capable of maintaining a TCP stream with the presentation application.

24. The computer-readable media of claim 20, comprising a routine capable of requesting an indication of the slide or slide build being displayed at the presentation application.

25. The computer-readable media of claim 20, wherein the routine capable of receiving at least images of slides of the slideshow presentation receives a sliding window of images.

26. The computer-readable media of claim 20, comprising:

a routine capable of receiving notes for at least the respective image of the slide or slide build being displayed; and

a routine capable of displaying the notes with the respective image.

27. The computer-readable media of claim 20, comprising a routine capable of displaying an image of an upcoming slide with the respective image.