SMART PHONE THAT INCLUDES A TOUCH SENSITIVE SCREEN AND A WIRELESS COMMUNICATION UNIT COMPATIBLE TO BLUETOOTH AND/OR IEEE802.11 STANDARDS FOR TRANSMITTING AUDIO CONTENT

• US 20120258700A1
• Filed: 05/21/2012
• Published: 10/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Flexiworld Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Flexiworld Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Chang, William Ho, Liu, Christina Ying
• Granted Patent: US 9,037,088 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/418
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1203 Improving or facilitating administration, e.g. print management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1205 resulting in increased flexibility in print job configuration, e.g. job settings, print requirements, job tickets
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1208 resulting in improved quality of the output result, e.g. print layout, colours, workflows, print preview
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/122 with regard to computing resources, e.g. memory, CPU
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1226 Discovery of devices having required properties
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1228 Printing driverless or using generic drivers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1229 Printer resources management or printer maintenance, e.g. device status, power levels
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1236 Connection management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1238 Secure printing, e.g. user identification, user rights for device usage, unallowed content, blanking portions or fields of a page, releasing held jobs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1245 by conversion to intermediate or common format
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1247 by conversion to printer ready format
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1253 Configuration of print job parameters, e.g. using UI at the client
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1258 by updating job settings at the printer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/128 Direct printing, e.g. sending document file, using memory stick, printing from a camera
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1284 Local printer device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1285 Remote printer device, e.g. being remote from client or server
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1286 via local network
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1288 : in client-server-printer device configuration
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1292 : Mobile client, e.g. wireless printing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/14 : Digital output to display device ; Cooperation and interconnection of the display device with other functional units
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/162 : Interface to dedicated audio devices, e.g. audio drivers, interface to CODECs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 : Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/02 : using printers
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/181 : Receiving print data characterized by its formatting, e.g. particular page description languages
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/1836 : Rasterization
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 : specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/22 : Procedures used during a speech recognition process, e.g. man-machine dialogue
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/30 : Distributed recognition, e.g. in client-server systems, for mobile phones or network applications
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 2015/223 : Execution procedure of a spoken command
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 : Terminal profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 : Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00244 : with a server, e.g. an internet server fax-servers or the like for store and forward H04N1/324
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00283 : with a television apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00307 : with a mobile telephone apparatus constructional features of portable telephone sets H04M1/0202; mobile radio systems H04W84/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00403 : Voice input means, e.g. voice commands
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00411 : the display also being used for user input, e.g. touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00488 : providing an audible output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00854 : Recognising an unauthorised user or user-associated action
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00938 : Software related arrangements, e.g. loading applications program loading in general G06F9/445
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32534 : details of interfacing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32582 : Output interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/4413 : involving the use of passwords, ID codes or the like, e.g. PIN
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/442 : using a biometric data reading device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0039 : Connection via a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0041 : Point to point H04N2201/0039 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0053 : Optical, e.g. using an infrared link
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0055 : By radio
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0082 : Image hardcopy reproducer H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0094 : Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/16 : Analogue secrecy systems; Analogue subscription systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 : Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/068 : using credential vaults, e.g. password manager applications or one time password [OTP] applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 : Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 : Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 : Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 : Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 : Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 : WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 : Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

Smart phones are herein disclosed and enabled. The smart phones include a graphical user interface, a touch sensitive screen, a digital camera, a wireless communication unit compatible with Bluetooth® and/or IEEE802.11 standards, and an Internet browsing application. The user may install additional applications to the smart phones. In one example, the smart phones may connect wirelessly to a Bluetooth® wireless audio output device. To setup wireless connection, the smart phone provides an interface over the touch sensitive screen to initiate wireless discovery, discovers one or more wireless devices for user selection, and locks a wireless communication connection between the smart phone and the selected wireless audio output device for wireless output of the audio content. A password or code may be required for connection. A security key may be stored in the smart phones to facilitate future connections. The smart phones also may support IEEE802.11 standards for direct wireless communication.

Claims

1. A method for wireless transmission of audio digital content from a smart phone to a wireless audio output device over wireless communication, said smart phone being a mobile and wireless information apparatus with access to at least part of the audio digital content, the smart phone including:

a digital camera,

a touch sensitive screen,

a graphical user interface for interacting with a user over the touch sensitive screen,

a speaker;

a processing unit,

a memory or storage unit,

an operating system to facilitate operation of client applications at the smart phone,

a document creation application,

a document editing application,

an Internet browsing application,

a communication manager or client application for managing wireless communication at the smart phone, and

a wireless communication unit that includes a radio frequency controller for establishing wireless communication with one or more wireless devices that are distinct devices from the smart phone, the wireless communication being compatible at least partly to a Bluetooth®

wireless standard or at least partly to an IEEE802.11 wireless standard, the method comprising;

(a) obtaining, by the communication manager or client application at the smart phone, an indication from over the graphical user interface of the touch sensitive screen for initiating wireless discovery of one or more wireless devices over the wireless communication that is compatible at least partly to a Bluetooth®

wireless standard or at least partly to an IEEE802.11 wireless standard;

(b) discovering, at the smart phone, over the wireless communication that is compatible at least partly to a Bluetooth®

wireless standard or at least partly to an IEEE802.11 wireless standard, one or more wireless devices that has broadcasted its availability over the wireless communication for wireless device discovery;

(c) receiving, over the graphical user interface of the touch sensitive screen of the smart phone, a selected wireless audio output device from among the one or more wireless devices discovered over the wireless communication that is compatible at least partly to a Bluetooth®

standard, the selected wireless audio output device being a distinct device from the smart phone;

(d) locking a wireless communication connection between the smart phone and the discovered and selected wireless audio output devices for transmitting at least part of the audio digital content from the smart phone to the wireless audio output device;

(e) transmitting, through the wireless communication unit of the smart phone and over the locked wireless communication connection that is compatible at least partly to a Bluetooth®

standard, at least part of the audio digital content to the selected wireless output device for output;

(f) storing information associated with the discovered and selected wireless audio output device in the memory or storage unit of the smart phone,

wherein, the storing of the information associated with the discovered and selected wireless audio output device in the smart phone, enables the smart phone to skip at least part of the wireless discovery step (b) to facilitate future connections to the wireless audio output device; and

wherein, the smart phone is further configurable for installing additional applications for expanding the functionalities of the smart phone.

2. The method of claim 1 in which the smart phone and the wireless audio output device each includes a wireless communication unit that is compatible at least partly to a Bluetooth®

wireless standard, and the wireless communication between the smart phone and the wireless audio output device is compatible at least partly to a Bluetooth®

wireless standard.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising obtaining, at the smart phone and over the wireless communication connection, at least an indication related to an identity or a name associated with the wireless audio output device for selection by the user over the touch sensitive screen of the smart phone.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising obtaining, at the smart phone and over the wireless communication connection, an output device profile from the wireless audio output device, the output device profile including one or more of a communication profile information, a communication protocol information, a device dependent information, an identification information, an authentication information, a security key information, and a service information, individually or in any combination;

and wherein transmitting at least part of the audio digital content to the selected wireless audio output device in step (e) further comprises;

conforming at least part of the audio digital content into audio intermediate output data based, at least in part, on the output device profile; and

transmitting at least part of the audio intermediate output data to the wireless audio output device for output of the at least part of the digital content.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising retrieving, at the smart phone, an output device profile or object associated with the wireless audio output device, and the output device profile including one or more of communication profile information, communication protocol information, device dependent information, identification information, authentication information, security key information, and service information, individually or in any combination;

and wherein transmitting at least part of the audio digital content to the selected wireless audio output device in step (e) further comprises;

conforming at least part of the audio digital content into audio intermediate output data based, at least in part, on the output device profile; and

transmitting at least part of the audio intermediate output data to the wireless audio output device for output of the at least part of the digital content.

6. The method of claim 5 in which the output device profile or object associated with the wireless audio output device stored in the smart phone is previously obtained from the wireless audio output device.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising obtaining authentication or security information at the smart phone for locking the wireless communication connection between the smart phone and the discovered and selected wireless audio output devices, the authentication or security information including one or more of a name, an ID number, a password, a security key, or biometric information, individually or in any combination.

8. A smart phone for wireless transmission of audio digital content from the smart phone to a wireless audio output device over wireless communication, said smart phone being a mobile and wireless information apparatus with access to at least part of the audio digital content, the smart phone including:

a digital camera,

a touch sensitive screen,

a graphical user interface for interacting with a user over the touch sensitive

screen,

a speaker;

a processing unit,

a memory or storage unit,

an operating system to facilitate operation of client applications at the smart phone,

a document creation application,

a document editing application,

an Internet browsing application,

a communication manager or client application for managing wireless communication at the smart phone, and

a wireless communication unit that includes a radio frequency controller for establishing wireless communication with one or more wireless devices that are distinct devices from the smart phone, the smart phone further comprising;

means for retrieving, at the smart phone, an output device profile or object associated with the wireless audio output device that is stored in the smart phone, the output device profile stored in the smart phone being previously obtained from communicating with the wireless audio output device, and the output device profile including one or more of communication profile information, communication protocol information, device dependent information, identification information, authentication information, security key information, and service information, individually or in any combination;

means for receiving, by the communication manager or client application at the smart phone and over the graphical user interface of the touch sensitive screen of the smart phone, an indication associated with the wireless audio output device as a selected wireless audio output device;

means for establishing a wireless communication connection between the smart phone and the selected wireless audio output device for transmitting at least part of the audio digital content from the smart phone to the selected wireless audio output device, the establishing of wireless communication connection being in dependence of the availability of the selected wireless audio output device;

means for conforming at least part of the audio digital content into audio intermediate output data based, at least in part, on the information included in the output device profile; and

means for transmitting, through the wireless communication unit of the smart phone and over the established wireless communication connection, at least part of the audio intermediate output data associated with the audio digital content to the selected wireless output device for output; and

wherein, the smart phone is further configurable for installing additional applications for expanding the functionalities of the smart phone.

9. The smart phone of claim 8 in which means for conforming at least part of the audio digital content into audio intermediate output data includes one or more of an encryption operation, an encoding operation, and an authentication operation, individually or in any combination.

10. The smart phone of claim 8 in which the smart phone and the wireless audio output device each includes a wireless communication unit that is compatible at least partly to a Bluetooth®

wireless standard, and the wireless communication between the smart phone and the wireless audio output device is compatible at least partly to a Bluetooth®

wireless standard.

11. The smart phone of claim 8 in which the smart phone and the wireless audio output device each includes a wireless communication unit that is compatible at least partly to an IEEE802.11 wireless standard, and the wireless communication between the smart phone and the wireless audio output device is compatible at least partly to an IEEE802.11 wireless standard.

12. The smart phone of claim 8 in which the smart phone is an Internet-phone.

13. The smart phone of claim 8, further comprising means for obtaining authentication or security information at the smart phone for locking the wireless communication connection between the smart phone and the discovered and selected wireless audio output devices, the authentication or security information including one or more of a name, an ID number, a password, a security key, or biometric information, individually or in any combination.

14. The smart phone of claim 8 in which the wireless audio output device is at least one of a Bluetooth®

audio output device, a music output device, a sound output device, and a television, individually or in any combination.

15. A smart phone for wireless transmission of audio digital content from the smart phone to a wireless audio output device over wireless communication, said smart phone being a mobile and wireless information apparatus with access to at least part of the audio digital content, the smart phone including:

a digital camera,

a touch sensitive screen,

a graphical user interface for interacting with a user over the touch sensitive screen,

a speaker;

a processing unit,

a memory or storage unit,

an operating system to facilitate operation of client applications at the smart phone,

a document creation application,

a document editing application,

an Internet browsing application,

a communication manager or client application for managing wireless communication at the smart phone, and

a wireless communication unit that includes a radio frequency controller for establishing wireless communication with one or more wireless devices that are distinct devices from the smart phone, the smart phone further including;

software associated with the communication manager or client application at the smart phone for providing a graphical user interface over the touch sensitive screen for initiating wireless device discovery of one or more wireless devices over the wireless communication;

software for discovering, at the smart phone and over the wireless communication, one or more wireless devices that have broadcasted its availability for wireless device discovery over the wireless communication;

software for receiving, over the graphical user interface of the touch sensitive screen of the smart phone, an indication associated with the wireless audio output device as a selected wireless output device from among the one or more wireless devices discovered over the wireless communication, the selected wireless audio output device being a distinct device from the smart phone;

software for obtaining authentication or security information at the smart phone for locking a wireless communication connection between the smart phone and the selected wireless audio output device, the authentication or security information includes one or more of a name, an ID number, a password, a security key, or a biometric information, individually or in any combination;

software for locking a wireless communication connection between the smart phone and the selected wireless audio output device for transmitting at least part of the audio digital content from the smart phone to the selected wireless audio output device, the locking of the wireless communication connection employing at least in part the obtained authentication or security information;

software for transmitting, through the wireless communication unit of the smart phone and over the locked wireless communication, at least part of the audio digital content to the selected wireless output device for output; and

wherein, the smart phone is further configurable for installing additional applications for expanding the functionalities of the smart phone.

16. The smart phone of claim 15, further comprising software for storing information associated with the selected wireless audio output device in the smart phone, the storing of the information associated with the selected wireless audio output device in the smart phone, being for enabling the smart phone to skip at least part of the wireless device discovery operations in future connections to the selected wireless audio output device.

17. The smart phone of claim 15 in which the smart phone and the wireless audio output device each includes a wireless communication unit that is compatible at least partly to a Bluetooth®

wireless standard, and the wireless communication between the smart phone and the wireless audio output device is compatible at least partly to a Bluetooth®

wireless standard.

18. The smart phone of claim 15 in which the smart phone and the wireless audio output device each includes a wireless communication unit that is compatible at least partly to an IEEE802.11 wireless standard, and the wireless communication between the smart phone and the wireless audio output device is compatible at least partly to an IEEE802.11 wireless standard.

19. The smart phone of claim 15, further comprising software for obtaining, at the smart phone and over the wireless communication connection, at least an indication related to an identity or a name associated with the wireless audio output device for selection by the user over the touch sensitive screen of the smart phone.

20. The smart phone of claim 15, further comprising software for obtaining, at the smart phone and over the wireless communication connection, an output device profile from the wireless audio output device, the output device profile including one or more of communication profile information, communication protocol information, device dependent information, identification information, authentication information, security key information, and service information, individually or in any combination;

and wherein the software for transmitting at least part of the audio digital content to the selected wireless audio output device further comprises;

software for conforming at least part of the audio digital content into audio intermediate output data based, at least in part, on the output device profile; and

software for transmitting at least part of the audio intermediate output data to the wireless audio output device for output of the at least part of the audio digital content.