SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR WIDGET RENDERING AND SHARING ON A PERSONAL ELECTRONIC DEVICE
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An electronic device assembly configured for operation in a network, the device assembly comprising:
- a processor;
a user interface;
a network interface through which are received a plurality of widget programs; and
a memory having computer program code executable by the processor embodied therein, the computer program code including;
a control panel module including;
a widget player operative to facilitate execution of the plurality of widget programs;
a widget manager module capable of predefining a sequence of execution of the plurality of widget programs in response to instructions received via the user interface;
a utilities layer comprised of a plurality of client software modules accessible to said widget player; and
a device operating system.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods for providing, sharing, storing and playing widgets and associated media content on a personal audiovisual device, such as a digital photo frame, are described. In one implementation, widgets may be selected by a user for rendering based on capabilities of a user'"'"'s device, with the widgets then provided to the device for playback. Digital content such as audio files, images, and/or video may be rendered in conjunction with playback of the widget. Widgets may be shared between users so as to facilitate sharing of media content.
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Citations
64 Claims
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1. An electronic device assembly configured for operation in a network, the device assembly comprising:
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a processor; a user interface; a network interface through which are received a plurality of widget programs; and a memory having computer program code executable by the processor embodied therein, the computer program code including; a control panel module including; a widget player operative to facilitate execution of the plurality of widget programs; a widget manager module capable of predefining a sequence of execution of the plurality of widget programs in response to instructions received via the user interface; a utilities layer comprised of a plurality of client software modules accessible to said widget player; and a device operating system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An electronic device for operation in a network, said device comprising:
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a plurality of hardware components including a processor, a display and a network interface unit; and a device memory arrangement including; an embedded user interface module configured to render a user interface upon the display; a plurality widget programs received via the network interface unit, the one or more widget programs being included among a set of widget programs presented for selection based upon one or more capabilities of the electronic device; a widget player configured to execute the one or more widget programs; a plurality of device drivers associated with the plurality of hardware components; and an operating system. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A computer program product, comprising a computer usable medium having a computer readable program code embodied therein, said computer readable program code adapted to be executed to implement a platform environment for a client device, the product comprising:
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program code for a widget player operative to facilitate execution of a plurality of widget programs received through a network interface of the client device; program code for a widget control panel capable of initiating the execution of ones of the plurality of widget programs in response to instructions received via a user interface of the client device; program code for a utilities layer comprised of a plurality of client software modules accessible to the widget player; and program code for an operating system of the client device. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method for enabling selection of widgets to be distributed by a service provider over a communication network to an electronic device, the method comprising:
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storing a plurality of widgets within a database of the service provider, the widgets being capable of execution by the electronic device; receiving, at the service provider, information relating to characteristics of the electronic device; and displaying representations of a set of the plurality of widgets compatible with the characteristics, wherein ones of the set of the plurality of widgets may be selected for distribution to the electronic device. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A method of operating an electronic picture frame device including a user interface, the method comprising:
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defining a show widget referencing a plurality of items associated with media content; defining a sequence of widgets comprising a channel, said show widget being included within said sequence of widgets; and executing said sequence of widgets wherein said user interface renders said media content upon execution of said show widget. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A computer program product, comprising a computer usable medium having a computer readable program code embodied therein, said computer readable program code adapted to be executed to implement a method for operating an electronic picture frame device, the method comprising:
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defining a show widget referencing a plurality of items associated with media content; defining a sequence of widgets comprising a channel, said show widget being included within said sequence of widgets; and executing said sequence of widgets wherein a user interface of said electronic picture frame device renders said media content upon execution of said show widget. - View Dependent Claims (35)
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36. A method of operating an electronic picture frame device including a user interface, the method comprising:
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defining a first album of first digital media content stored within a local memory; defining a second album of second digital media content accessible from a first server remote from said device; defining a show widget comprised of said first album and said second album; and executing said show widget such that said user interface renders the first digital media content and the second digital media content. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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42. A method of operating an electronic device including a user interface, the method comprising:
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defining, in response to user input received through the user interface, a first album widget including first digital media content stored within a local memory; defining, in response to additional user input received through the user inrterface, a second album widget including second digital media content accessible from a first server remote from said device; adding said first album widget to a first channel, said first channel comprising a first sequence of widgets executable by said device; and adding said second album widget to a second channel, said second channel comprising a second sequence of widgets executable by said device. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
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48. In a system including a plurality of electronic devices capable of communication with a service provider over a network, a method comprising:
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receiving, at the service provider, a request from a first system user to send digital media content to a second system user; uploading the digital media content to a network server; creating a widget corresponding to the digital media content, the widget including information referencing the network server; and transmitting an instance of the widget to at least one of the plurality of electronic devices associated with the second system user; wherein the at least on of the plurality of electronic devices is capable of executing the widget in order to render the digital media content. - View Dependent Claims (49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54)
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55. In a system including a plurality of electronic devices capable of communication with a service provider over a network, a method comprising:
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receiving, at the service provider, an invitation from a first system user relating to establishment of an associative relationship with a second system user; transmitting, from the service provider, the invitation to one of the plurality of electronic devices associated with the second system user; receiving, at the service provider, an acceptance of the invitation; and transmitting, from the service provider, an instance of a widget generated in response to information provided by the first system user to the one of the plurality of personal electronic devices wherein the one of the plurality of personal electronic devices is capable of executing the instance of the widget. - View Dependent Claims (56, 57, 58)
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59. In a system including a plurality of electronic devices capable of communication with a service provider over a network, a method comprising:
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receiving, at the service provider, an invitation sent by a first of the plurality of electronic devices relating to establishment of an associative relationship; transmitting, from the service provider, the invitation to a second of the plurality of electronic devices; receiving, at the service provider, an acceptance of the invitation sent by the second of the plurality of electronic devices; receiving, at the service provider, information sent by the first of the plurality of devices identifying a widget to be sent to the second of the plurality of devices; and sending an instance of the widget to the second of the plurality of devices. - View Dependent Claims (60)
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61. An electronic device for use in a system in which a service provider is in communication with a plurality of electronic devices over a network associated with a plurality of system users, the device comprising:
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a user interface; a network interface; a memory containing computer readable code; a processor configured to execute the computer readable code to implement a method for operating the electronic device;
the method comprising;displaying, via the user interface, profile information relating to at least one of the system users with respect to which a user of the electronic device has established an associative relationship; receiving, via the network interface, a widget specified by the at least one of the system users; and displaying, via the user interface, descriptive information relating the widget. - View Dependent Claims (62, 63, 64)
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Specification