Apparatus and Method for Providing a User Interface for Facilitating Communications Between Devices

• US 20100262920A1
• Filed: 04/14/2010
• Published: 10/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Starr, Robert J., Tischer, Steven, Zellner, Samuel N.
• Granted Patent: US 8,416,804 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/745
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/14 Relay systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals

Abstract

An apparatus and method for providing a user interface for facilitating communications between devices are provided. According to one aspect, an interface device provides communications between a first device and a second device. The interface device has an input for receiving data in a first format from the first device. Logic within the interface device is configured to receive a request to interact with the interface device and to provide a user interface in response to receiving the request. The logic identifies a second device for receiving the data from the first device. The logic identifies a second format that is compatible with the second device and translates the data to the second format. The interface device further has an output for transmitting the translated data to the second device.

Claims

1. An interface device for providing communications between a first device and a second device, comprising:

a first interface for receiving data in a first format from the first device;

logic configured for

identifying the second device for receiving the data,

identifying a second format compatible with the second device, and

translating the data to the second format;

a second interface for transmitting the translated data to the second device;

a user input interface for enabling interaction with the interface device; and

the logic further configured for

receiving a request to interact with the interface device, the request received via one of the first interface and the second interface, wherein each of the first interface and the second interface is associated with one of a plurality of user interfaces based on a capability of each of the plurality of user interfaces to be displayed on the first device and the second device,

selecting one of the plurality of user interfaces based upon whether the request is received via the first interface or the second interface, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of user interfaces is configured to be displayed on at least one of the first device and second device and wherein each of the plurality of user interfaces is configured for receiving user input to interact with the interface device, and

providing the selected one of the plurality of user interfaces in response to receiving the request.

2. The interface device of claim 1, wherein the user input includes a request to access a user profile stored on the interface device.

3. The interface device of claim 1, wherein the user input interface includes at least one of a mouse interface, a touchpad interface, a motion sensor interface, and a touchscreen interface.

4. The interface device of claim 1, wherein the first interface and the second interface include at least one of a computer interface and a cellular telephone interface.

5. The interface device of claim 1, wherein the interface device is located in a home or a business.

6. The interface device of claim 1, wherein the first device is associated with a first communications network and the second device is associated with a second communications network and wherein the first communications network is a wireless communications network and the second communications network is a wired communications network.

7. The interface device of claim 1, further comprising logic configured for performing at least one of enhancing the data, applying equalizer settings to the data, improving a signal carrying the data based on known characteristics of the first device, degrading the signal carrying the data, and adding a digital watermark to the data.

8. The interface device of claim 1, wherein the logic is further configured for:

determining whether a relay device is present, wherein the first interface receives data from the first device via the relay device; and

if the relay device is present, then providing an instruction to the second device to power up.

9. A method for providing communications between a first device and a second device, comprising:

receiving, at a first interface of an interface device, data in a first format from the first device;

identifying the second device for receiving the data;

identifying a second format compatible with the second device;

translating the data to the second format;

transmitting the translated data to the second device via a second interface of the interface device;

receiving a request to interact with the interface device, the request received via one of the first interface and the second interface, wherein each of the first interface and the second interface is associated with one of a plurality of user interfaces based on a capability of each of the plurality of user interfaces to be displayed on the first device and the second device;

selecting one of the plurality of user interfaces based upon whether the request is received via the first interface or the second interface, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of user interfaces is configured to be displayed on at least one of the first device and second device and wherein each of the plurality of user interfaces is configured for receiving user input to interact with the interface device, and

providing the selected one of the plurality of user interfaces in response to receiving the request.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the user input interface includes at least one of a mouse interface, a touchpad interface, a motion sensor interface, and a touchscreen interface, and wherein the first interface and the second interface include at least one of a computer interface and a cellular telephone interface.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the user input includes a request to access a user profile stored on the interface device.