Extending Digital Artifacts Through An Interactive Surface

• US 20110273368A1
• Filed: 05/17/2011
• Published: 11/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Wilson, Andrew D., Hinckley, Kenneth P.
• Granted Patent: US 10,044,790 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0384 Wireless input, i.e. hardware and software details of wireless interface arrangements for pointing devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/08 specially adapted for terminal emulation, e.g. Telnet
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces

Abstract

A unique system and method that facilitates extending input/output capabilities for resource deficient mobile devices and interactions between multiple heterogeneous devices is provided. The system and method involve an interactive surface to which the desired mobile devices can be connected. The interactive surface can provide an enhanced display space and customization controls for mobile devices that lack adequate displays and input capabilities. In addition, the interactive surface can be employed to permit communication and interaction between multiple mobile devices that otherwise are unable to interact with each other. When connected to the interactive surface, the mobile devices can share information, view information from their respective devices, and store information to the interactive surface. Furthermore, the interactive surface can resume activity states of mobile devices that were previously communicating upon re-connection to the surface.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

identifying at least one mobile device;

establishing a connection between the at least one mobile device and an interactive surface component; and

visualizing a display from the at least one mobile device on a display space of the interactive surface component to extend input/output capabilities of the at least one mobile device to the interactive surface.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising calling a protocol corresponding to the at least one mobile device being identified.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising facilitating data sharing among the mobile device connected to the interactive surface as a first identified mobile device and a second identified mobile device.

4. A method as recited in claim 3, wherein the first identified mobile device and the second identified mobile device are heterogeneous mobile devices.

5. A method as recited in claim 3, further comprising creating at least one communication channel when the first identified mobile device and the second identified mobile device are placed on the display space of the interactive surface component.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising determining a spatial relationship between a first mobile device connected to the interactive surface component and a second mobile device connected to the interactive surface component.

7. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising grouping a first mobile device connected to the interactive surface component and a second mobile device connected to the interactive surface component based at least in part on a spatial relationship of the first and second mobile devices relative to each other when connected to the interactive surface component to form a group of connected mobile devices.

8. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising employing input controls on the interactive surface component to more readily manipulate data on the at least one mobile device.

9. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising copying data from the interactive surface to the at least one mobile device responsive, at least in part, to the at least one mobile device being placed over the data.

10. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising creating a display workspace for the at least one mobile device proximate the at least one mobile device when the at least one mobile device is put together with the interactive surface component, the workspace facilitating background monitoring via display on the interactive surface of less important programs and data of the at least one mobile device.

11. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising sharing an input device between the at least one mobile device as a first mobile device and a second mobile device without requiring a pairing procedure.

12. A system comprising:

an interactive surface component comprising enhanced input/output resources to extend input/output capabilities of a mobile device;

an interface for connecting the mobile device to the interactive surface component to employ the enhanced input/output resources of the interactive surface component;

a registration component to identify the mobile device and call a protocol corresponding to the mobile device being identified; and

a communication component that creates a communication channel between the mobile device and the interactive surface component to control interaction between the mobile device and the interactive surface component.

13. A system as recited in claim 12, further comprising an association component that facilitates data sharing among the mobile device connected to the interactive surface as a first mobile device and another mobile device identified by the registration component as a second mobile device.

14. A system as recited in claim 13, wherein the first mobile device and the second mobile device are heterogeneous mobile devices.

15. A system as recited in claim 13, wherein the association component creates at least one communication channel when the first mobile device and the second mobile device are placed on the interactive surface.

16. A system as recited in claim 12, wherein the interface for connecting the mobile device to the interactive surface component includes a display component.

17. A computer storage memory or media device having computer-executable instructions recorded thereon, the computer-executable instructions upon execution by a processor, programming an interactive surface component to perform operations comprising:

establishing a connection between at least one mobile device and the interactive surface component;

identifying the at least one mobile device; and

visualizing a display from the at least one mobile device on a display space of the interactive surface component to extend input/output capabilities of the at least one mobile device to the interactive surface.

18. A computer storage memory or media device as recited in claim 17, the operations further comprising calling a protocol corresponding to the at least one mobile device being identified.

19. A computer storage memory or media device as recited in claim 17, the operations further comprising facilitating data sharing among the mobile device connected to the interactive surface as a first identified mobile device and a second identified mobile device.

20. A computer storage memory or media device as recited in claim 19, wherein the first identified mobile device and the second identified mobile device are heterogeneous mobile devices.