INTUITIVE DATA TRANSFER BETWEEN CONNECTED DEVICES

• US 20100275135A1
• Filed: 04/28/2009
• Published: 10/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Ramanowski, William, Dunton, Randy R.
• Granted Patent: US 9,160,814 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/753
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/282 based on user interaction within the home receiver circuitry for displaying additional information being controlled by a remote control apparatus H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2838 Distribution of signals within a home automation network, e.g. involving splitting/multiplexing signals to/from different paths adaptations of television systems for transmission by electric cable for domestic distribution H04N7/106; hybrid transport H04L12/6418; home network arrangements specially adapted for distribution of digital video signals H04N7/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/75 Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4147 PVR [Personal Video Recorder] H04N5/76 takes precedence ; arrangements for broadcast with accumulation-type receivers H04H20/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43632 involving a wired protocol, e.g. IEEE 1394 high-speed IEEE 1394 serial bus H04L12/40052
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43637 involving a wireless protocol, e.g. Bluetooth, RF or wireless LAN [IEEE 802.11] arrangements for wireless networking or broadcasting of information in indoor or near-field type systems H04B10/114
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72

Abstract

Techniques for sharing or transferring content between connected devices via dynamic collaboration user interfaces. An embodiment involves creating a first collaboration user interface between a first device and a second device. Via the first collaboration user interface, selecting content to be made available to a third device, where the selected content is currently available to the first device and not currently available to the third device. A second collaboration user interface is created between the second device and the third device. State information may be provided to a user via at least one of the first collaboration user interface and the second collaboration user interface. The second collaboration user interface causes the selected content to be available to the third device. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

creating a first collaboration user interface between a first device and a second device;

via the first collaboration user interface, selecting content to be made available to a third device, wherein the selected content is currently available to the first device and not currently available to the third device;

creating a second collaboration user interface between the second device and the third device;

providing state information to a user via at least one of the first collaboration user interface and the second collaboration user interface; and

via the second collaboration user interface, causing the selected content to be available to the third device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein providing state information to the user via the first collaboration user interface comprises representing to the user when the first collaboration user interface is activated by displaying a first device icon on a second device graphical user interface (GUI) and displaying a second device icon on a first device GUI, and wherein providing state information to the user via the second collaboration user interface comprises representing to the user when the second collaboration user interface is activated by displaying a third device icon on the second device GUI and displaying the second device icon on a third device GUI.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein providing state information to the user via the first collaboration user interface comprises representing to the user when the first collaboration user interface is activated by extending an edge boundary of a first device graphical user interface (GUI) to include a representation of the second device and extending an edge boundary of a second device GUI to include a representation of the first device, and wherein providing state information to the user via the second collaboration user interface comprises representing to the user when the second collaboration user interface is activated by extending an edge boundary of a the second device GUI to include a representation of the third device and extending an edge boundary of a third device GUI to include a representation of the second device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein providing state information to a user via the first collaboration user interface comprises:

highlighting the selected content on a first device graphical user interface (GUI); and

representing the selected content on a second device GUI as one or more iconic representations.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein providing state information to a user via the first collaboration user interface further comprises allowing the user to select the selected content on the second device GUI by pressing down on the one or more iconic representations.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein creating the first collaboration user interface comprises:

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

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

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

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising at least one of:

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

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

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first device is a media center appliance (MCA) and the second device is a mobile device.

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

10. A system, comprising:

a first device, wherein the first device to create a first collaboration user interface between the first device and a second device, wherein the first collaboration user interface to be used to select content to be made available to a third device, wherein the selected content is currently available to the first device and not currently available to the third device, wherein the second device to create a second collaboration user interface between the second device and the third device, wherein at least one of the first and second collaboration user interfaces to provide state information to a user, and wherein the second collaboration user interface to cause the selected content to be available to the third device.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the first collaboration user interface to provide state information to the user of when the first collaboration user interface is activated by displaying a first device icon on a second device graphical user interface (GUI) and displaying a second device icon on a first device GUI, and wherein the second collaboration user interface to provide state information to the user of when the second collaboration user interface is activated by displaying a third device icon on the second device GUI and displaying the second device icon on a third device GUI.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the first collaboration user interface to provide state information to the user of when the first collaboration user interface is activated by extending an edge boundary of a first device graphical user interface (GUI) to include a representation of the second device and extending an edge boundary of a second device GUI to include a representation of the first device, and wherein the second collaboration user interface to provide state information to the user of when the second collaboration user interface is activated by extending an edge boundary of a the second device GUI to include a representation of the third device and extending an edge boundary of a third device GUI to include a representation of the second device.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the first collaboration user interface to provide state information to the user by highlighting the selected content on a first device graphical user interface (GUI) and representing the selected content on a second device GUI as one or more iconic representations.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the first collaboration user interface to provide state information to the user by allowing the user to select the selected content on the second device GUI by pressing down on the one or more iconic representations.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the creation of the first collaboration user interface comprises determining that the first device and the second device are within certain proximity of each other, exchanging user interface capabilities between the first and second devices, and creating the collaboration user interface based on the exchanged user interface capabilities.

16. 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:

creating a first collaboration user interface between a first device and a second device;

via the first collaboration user interface, selecting content to be made available to a third device, wherein the selected content is currently available to the first device and not currently available to the third device;

creating a second collaboration user interface between the second device and the third device;

providing state information to a user via at least one of the first collaboration user interface and the second collaboration user interface; and

via the second collaboration user interface, causing the selected content to be available to the third device.

17. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein providing state information to the user via the first collaboration user interface comprises representing to the user when the first collaboration user interface is activated by displaying a first device icon on a second device graphical user interface (GUI) and displaying a second device icon on a first device GUI, and wherein providing state information to the user via the second collaboration user interface comprises representing to the user when the second collaboration user interface is activated by displaying a third device icon on the second device GUI and displaying the second device icon on a third device GUI.

18. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein providing state information to the user via the first collaboration user interface comprises representing to the user when the first collaboration user interface is activated by extending an edge boundary of a first device graphical user interface (GUI) to include a representation of the second device and extending an edge boundary of a second device GUI to include a representation of the first device, and wherein providing state information to the user via the second collaboration user interface comprises representing to the user when the second collaboration user interface is activated by extending an edge boundary of a the second device GUI to include a representation of the third device and extending an edge boundary of a third device GUI to include a representation of the second device.

19. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein providing state information to a user via the first collaboration user interface comprises:

highlighting the selected content on a first device graphical user interface (GUI); and

representing the selected content on a second device GUI as one or more iconic representations.

20. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein providing state information to a user via the first collaboration user interface further comprises allowing the user to select the selected content on the second device GUI by pressing down on the one or more iconic representations.