METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DYNAMICALLY ASSIGNABLE USER INTERFACE

• US 20150020191A1
• Filed: 01/08/2013
• Published: 01/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Synacor, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Synacor, Inc.
• Inventors: Vida, Gabor, Mackenzie, Stephen
• Granted Patent: US 9,646,145 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/17
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/44 Program or device authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2149 Restricted operating environment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

With their ubiquitous nature and perceived personalized character portable electronic devices are increasingly forming part of individual'"'"'s life as applications exist for practically anything today and new ones are released daily. It is therefore increasingly important for these electronic devices to dynamically adapt applications, information, user interface etc. According to embodiments of the invention user interfaces provide: Biometric Recognition—the user interface (UI) configuration discretely or in combination with other context factors varies according to the identity of the recognized user; Electronic Environment Context—the electronic environment to the electronic device provides contextual basis for the UI; Dynamic Context Adjustment?, and Micro-Contexts—the UI configuration UI adapts as macro- and micro-contexts change with macro-contexts divided into multiple micro-contexts; Intuitive User Interface—user motions are more intuitive and more closely resemble real world actions; and Smart Agent—application notifications are parsed for impact to other actions/activities in other applications.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing a sensor for registering a biometric characteristic of a user;

providing a microprocessor executing a user interface application relating to a user interface for the device;

providing a memory for storing;

the user interface application,

at least one reference biometric characteristic of a plurality of reference biometric characteristics, each reference biometric characteristic relating to an authorised user of the device;

at least one contextual dashboard of a plurality of contextual dashboards; and

at least one user profile of a plurality of user profiles, each user profile associated with a predetermined portion of the plurality of contextual dashboards and each contextual dashboard relates to configurations for a predetermined set of software applications to be provided to a predetermined user;

providing at least one wireless interface of a plurality of wireless interfaces, each wireless interface operating according to a predetermined standard;

executing with the microprocessor the user interface application to verify an intended user of the device as an authorised user and provide a contextual dashboard for display, the contextual dashboard selected in dependence upon at least the authorised user, a macro-context of the electronic device and a micro-context of the electronic device.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein,

the micro-context is determined in dependence upon at least one associated device identity of a plurality of device identities, each associated device being in communication with the device through at least one wireless interface of a plurality of wireless interfaces.

2. The method according to claim 2 wherein,

the contextual dashboard relates to configurations for a predetermined set of software applications, said configurations including at least one of location, size, status, and permission rights.

4. A method comprising:

providing a user interface application in execution upon a device comprising at least a memory and a microprocessor;

providing a plurality of contextual dashboards within the memory, each contextual dashboard relating to the identities and settings of a predetermined set of software applications;

establishing a first contextual dashboard upon a display in dependence upon the user interface application, an identity of a user of the device, a macro-context, and a micro-context;

detecting a change in at least one of the user identity, the macro-context and the micro-context;

dynamically modifying the first contextual dashboard to a second contextual dashboard, the second contextual dashboard being determined in dependence upon the user interface application, the changed at least one of the user identity, the macro-context and the micro-context and the unchanged at least ones of the user identity, the macro-context and the micro-context.

5. The method according to claim 4 wherein,

detecting a change in the user of the device comprises employing a sensor providing a biometric characteristic of the user of the device.

6. The method according to claim 4 wherein,

detecting a change in the micro-context comprises automatically detecting at least one of a change in associations of other electronic devices to the device and additional individuals with the user via at least one input interface of the device.

7. The method according to claim 4 wherein,

the device automatically stores and analyses aspects of the user'"'"'s use of the device together with information relating to macro-contexts and micro-contexts at the time of the stored user activity and prompts the user to the potential of creating a new contextual dashboard to improve their use of the device.

8. The method according to claim 4 wherein,

dynamically modifying comprises at least one of changing the contextual dashboard in a single event and changing aspects of the first contextual dashboard to provide the second contextual dashboard in a series of steps based upon activity with the applications within the first contextual dashboard.

9. A method comprising:

providing an application in execution upon a device comprising at least a memory, a touchpad and a microprocessor;

detecting a predetermined motion of the user'"'"'s fingers on the touchpad in association with an object displayed to the user;

associating the predetermined motion of the user'"'"'s fingers to an action relating to the object displayed to the user;

displaying to the user the result of applying the action relating to the object to the object.

10. The method according to claim 9 wherein,

the predetermined motion of the user'"'"'s fingers on the touchpad in association with the object displayed to the user resemble the user'"'"'s action with the object in the real world.

11. The method according to claim 9 wherein,

the predetermined motion of the user'"'"'s fingers on the touchpad in association with the object is at least one of:

bringing the user'"'"'s finger and thumb together either side of the object to at least one of pick the object and pinch the object;

bringing the user'"'"'s finger to the object and making a first motion to open the object; and

bringing the user'"'"'s finger to the object and making a second motion to close the object.

12. The method according to claim 9 further comprising;

moving the object to another location on the display associated with another displayed object;

performing an action relating to the object in dependence upon the identity of the another displayed object.

13. The method according to claim 12 wherein,

performing the action comprises at least one of:

securely deleting the object from at least one of the memory and another memory when the another displayed object is a shredder;

archiving the object from at least one of the memory and another memory to a further memory when the another displayed object is a storage box; and

opening the object when the another displayed object is a filing cabinet.

14. A method comprising;

executing upon a first computer comprising a microprocessor a smart agent application;

parsing communications at least one of to and from a first software application of a plurality of software applications with the smart agent application for instances of communications containing data relating to an item of information within the first software application;

determining with the smart agent an impact of the data to the item of information; and

determining a proposed modification to the item of information in dependence upon at the least the data.

15. The method according to claim 14 further comprising;

presenting the proposed modification to the item of information and the data to the user;

receiving an indication from the user relating to the proposed modification of the item of information; and

making the proposed modification in dependence upon the indication being an acceptance of the proposed modification.

16. The method according to claim 14 wherein,

determining a proposed modification to the item of information further comprises determining whether another user is impacted by the proposed modification.

17. The method according to claim 16 further comprising;

presenting the proposed modification to the item of information, the data, and whether another user is impacted to the user;

receiving an indication from the user relating to the proposed modification of the item of information; and

communicating the proposed modification to the another user in dependence upon the indication being an acceptance of the proposed modification.