User Interface

• US 20140196089A1
• Filed: 09/06/2012
• Published: 07/10/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lacour, Olivier, Gardes, Laurent, Prat, Yann, Lallemant, Berangere
• Granted Patent: US 9,197,844 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/41
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4112 having fewer capabilities than the client, e.g. thin client having less processing power or no tuning capabilities
• 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 21/42209 for displaying non-command information, e.g. electronic program guide [EPG], e-mail, messages or a second television channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47208 for requesting near-video-on-demand content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4722 for requesting additional data associated with the content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8133 specifically related to the content, e.g. biography of the actors in a movie, detailed information about an article seen in a video program
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/91 Television signal processing therefor

Abstract

A method is described. The method includes: displaying a user interface on a first display device associated with a client device, the user interface enabling user interaction with the client device; enabling an electronic device to control the client device; detecting an orientation change of the electronic device; and displaying the user interface on a second display device associated with the electronic device upon detecting the orientation change. Related methods and apparatus are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

displaying a user interface on a first display device associated with a client device, said user interface enabling user interaction with said client device;

enabling an electronic device to control said client device;

detecting a current orientation of said electronic device;

enabling a user of said electronic device to interact with said user interface displayed on said first display device upon detecting said current orientation;

detecting an orientation change of said electronic device; and

displaying said user interface on a second display device associated with said electronic device upon detecting said orientation change.

2. The method of claim 1, said method further comprising:

detecting a further orientation change of said electronic device;

displaying said user interface on said first display device associated with said client device upon detecting said further orientation change.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said detecting an orientation change of said electronic device comprises detecting a rotation of said electronic device around an axis perpendicular to a plane of said second display device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said detecting an orientation change of said electronic device comprises detecting a rotation of said electronic device around an axis perpendicular to a plane of said second display device and a rotation of said electronic device around an axis parallel to a plane of said second display device.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein said detecting a further orientation change of said electronic device comprises detecting a rotation of said electronic device around an axis perpendicular to a plane of said second display device.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein said detecting a further orientation change of said electronic device comprises detecting a rotation of said electronic device around an axis perpendicular to a plane of said second display device and a rotation of said electronic device around an axis parallel to a plane of said second display device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said enabling an electronic device to control said client device comprises:

pairing said electronic device to said client device; and

enabling a user of said electronic device to interact with said user interface displayed on said first display device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said displaying said user interface on a second display device comprises:

saving visual and execution states of said user interface displayed on said first display device at a time said orientation change is detected;

customizing said user interface according to characteristics of said second display device; and

displaying said customized user interface on said second display device, said customized user interface being resumed on said second display device at said saved visual and execution states.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said characteristics comprise one of more of:

aspect ratio, dimension, or resolution of said second display device.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein said customizing said user interface comprises retrieving relevant metadata suitable for use on said second display device.

11. The method of claim 2, wherein said displaying said user interface on said first display device comprises:

saving visual and execution states of said user interface displayed on said second display device at a time said further orientation change is detected;

customizing said user interface according to characteristics of said first display device; and

displaying said customized user interface on said first display device, said customized user interface being resumed on said first display device at said saved visual and execution states.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said characteristics comprise one of more of:

aspect ratio, dimension, or resolution of said first display device.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein said customizing said user interface comprises retrieving relevant metadata suitable for use on said first display device.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein said displaying said user interface on a second display device comprises:

stopping displaying said user interface on said first display device; and

synchronizing said stopping displaying said user interface on said first display device and said displaying said user interface on said second display device according to a visual animation.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said synchronizing comprises:

defining a start time and a duration for said visual animation; and

starting said stopping displaying and displaying operations at said defined start time to be performed for said duration.

16. A system comprising:

a client device;

a first display device associated with said client device and operable to display a user interface, said user interface enabling user interaction with said client device; and

an electronic device operable to control said client device, said electronic device comprising;

an orientation module operable to detect a current orientation and an orientation change of said electronic device; and

a second display device;

wherein said electronic device is further operable to enable a user to interact with said user interface displayed on said first display device upon said orientation module detecting said current orientation; and

said second display device is operable to display said user interface upon said orientation module detecting an orientation change of said electronic device.