DYNAMIC COMPANION DEVICE USER INTERFACE

• US 20120089923A1
• Filed: 10/08/2010
• Published: 04/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Pettit, Bradley Robert, Lancester, Eilish
• Application Number:
  US12/901,370
• Publication Number:
  US 20120089923A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/746
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/452 Remote windowing, e.g. X-Window System, desktop virtualisation protocols for virtual reality H04L67/131
• 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 21/431 Generation of visual interfaces for content selection or interaction; Content or additional data rendering
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/436 Interfacing a local distribution network, e.g. communicating with another STB or one or more peripheral devices inside the home
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/858 Linking data to content, e.g. by linking an URL to a video object, by creating a hotspot

Abstract

A method of dynamically changing a user interface of a companion device configured to remotely control an entertainment system is provided. The method includes establishing two-way communication with the entertainment system, and registering one or more trigger events with the entertainment system. The method further includes, upon occurrence of a trigger event, receiving a notification of the trigger event from the entertainment system, and dynamically changing the user interface of the companion device responsive to the notification.

Claims

1. On a companion device configured to remotely control an entertainment system, a method of dynamically changing a user interface of the companion device, the method comprising:

establishing two-way communication with the entertainment system;

registering one or more trigger events with the entertainment system;

upon occurrence of a trigger event, receiving a notification of the trigger event from the entertainment system; and

dynamically changing the user interface of the companion device responsive to the notification.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein registering one or more trigger events includes sending a registration message from the companion device to the entertainment system, the registration message defining a category of trigger event that is to be reported.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the registration message further defines an address to which the notification of the trigger event is to be reported upon occurrence of that category of trigger event.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the trigger event comprises an event occurring at the entertainment system.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the trigger event comprises a changing of content being provided by the entertainment system.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interface is dynamically changed to include user interface elements sent from the entertainment system.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interface is dynamically changed to include user interface elements sent from a network-accessible service.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein dynamically changing the user interface of the companion device comprises updating a theme of the user interface based on content being provided by the entertainment system.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein dynamically changing the user interface of the companion device comprises visually presenting an advertisement.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein two-way communication is established between the companion device and the entertainment system via the Internet.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein two-way communication is established directly between the companion device and the entertainment system.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the companion device is a mobile communication device.

13. On an entertainment system, a data-holding subsystem holding instructions executable by a logic subsystem to:

establish two-way communication with a companion device;

receive a registration message from the companion device for one or more trigger events at the entertainment system;

register the companion device;

upon registering the companion device, determine a trigger event has occurred;

in response to the trigger event, send a notification of the trigger event to the companion device; and

send user interface elements to the companion device for changing a user interface of the companion device.

14. The data-holding subsystem of claim 13, wherein the instructions are further executable to provide content to a display device, and wherein the user interface elements are associated with the content.

15. The data-holding subsystem of claim 13, wherein the trigger event comprises a changing of content being provided by the entertainment system.

16. The data-holding subsystem of claim 13, wherein the registration message defines a category of trigger event that is to be reported.

17. The data-holding subsystem of claim 16, wherein the registration message further defines an address to which the notification of the trigger event is to be reported upon occurrence of that category of trigger event.

18. A companion device, comprising:

a display for displaying a user interface;

a communication subsystem configured to communicatively couple the companion device with one or more other computing devices;

a logic subsystem for executing instructions;

a data-holding subsystem holding instructions executable by the logic subsystem to;

establish, via the communication subsystem, two-way wireless communication with an entertainment system configured to provide content to a television;

register one or more trigger events with the entertainment system;

upon occurrence of a trigger event comprising a channel change or a program boundary transition at the entertainment system, receive notification of the trigger event from the entertainment system;

receive, from one of the entertainment system and a network-accessible service, user interface elements for changing the user interface displayed on the display; and

dynamically change the user interface displayed on the display to include the user interface elements.

19. The companion device of claim 18, wherein the instructions are executable to register one or more trigger events with the entertainment system by sending a registration message from the companion device to the entertainment system, the registration message defining a category of trigger event that is to be reported.

20. The companion device of claim 18, wherein the instructions are further executable to query the entertainment system to determine the content being provided to the television.