Methods and systems for providing and displaying information on a keyboard

• US 6,834,294 B1
• Filed: 11/10/2000
• Issued: 12/21/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Screenboard Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Katz, Samuel F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Burgess, Glenton B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Brancolini, John R
• Application Number:
  US09/709,248
• Time in Patent Office: 1,502 Days
• Field of Search: 709/201-203, 709/225-226, 709/217-219, 709/227-229, 341/22-24
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0219 Special purpose keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0238 Programmable keyboards key guide holders G06F3/0224

Abstract

One embodiment of the present invention is a system and method of communicating information over a network between a remote server and a client computer keyboard system. The state of the client computer and the identity of the user using the client computer are determined. Based on the computer state and the user identity, a request is made to a client-side cache for a message to be displayed on a keyboard key display and an action to be associated with the keyboard key. A determination is made as to whether the requested message and action are in the cache. Upon determining that the requested message and action are in the cache, they are retrieved from the cache and the message is displayed on the keyboard key display and the action is associated with the keyboard key. If it is determined that the requested message and action are not in the cache, a request for the message and action is transmitted to the remote server, which provides the requested message and action.

Claims

1. A method of communicating information over a network between a remote server and a client computer keyboard system, comprising:

receiving an identifier associated with a user of the client computer;

identifying a state of the client computer;

requesting from a client-side keyboard message cache a message to be displayed on a display of a keyboard key and an action to be associated with the keyboard key, wherein the request is based at least in part on the identifier and the state of the client computer;

determining if the requested message and action are in the cache;

upon determining that the requested message and action are in the cache, retrieving the message and action from the cache, displaying the message on the keyboard key display, and performing the action at least partly in response to the keyboard key being depressed; and

upon determining that the requested message and action are not in the cache, requesting the message and action from the remote server, receiving the requested message, displaying the message on the keyboard key display, and performing the action at least partly in response to the keyboard key being depressed.

2. The method as defined in claim 1, further comprising requesting a second message at least partly in response to an expiration time being reached for a previous message.

3. The method as defined in claim 1, further comprising executing a browser on the client computer, wherein the state of the client computer is related to which address that the client browser is currently accessing.

4. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the state of the client computer is related to what application software is currently active on the client.

5. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the message is in a bit mapped format.

6. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the action is a browser command.

7. A method of communicating information over a network between a remote server and a client computer keyboard system, comprising:

determining a state of the client computer;

requesting from a client-side cache a message to be displayed on a keyboard key display and an action to be associated with the keyboard key, wherein the request is based at least in part on the state of the client computer;

determining if the requested message and action are in the cache;

upon determining that the requested message and action are in the cache, retrieving the message and action from the cache and displaying the message on the keyboard key display and executing the action on the client; and

upon determining that the requested message and action are not in the cache, transmitting over the network a request for the message and action to the remote server, receiving the requested message and action from the remote server, executing the action on the client, and displaying the message on the keyboard key display.

8. The method as defined in claim 7, wherein the message includes a name of a first networked site.

9. The method as defined in claim 7, further comprising requesting a second message in response to the client computer being in a second state.

10. The method as defined in claim 7, further comprising:

recording on the client computer a record of a plurality of activations of the display key; and

transmitting the record over the network to the remote server.

11. The method as defined in claim 7, wherein the keyboard key display is visible on a face of the keyboard key.

12. A method of communicating information over a network between a first computer and a second computer, the second computer including a keyboard system having keys with key displays, comprising:

receiving at the first computer a log from the second computer, the log including a history of at least one display key activation;

based at least in part on the log, selecting content and a related action wherein the content is intended to be displayed on a keyboard key display and the action is intended to be performed by the second computer in response to the display key being activated; and

transmitting the selected content and action over a network to the second computer.

13. The method as defined in claim 12, wherein the first computer initiates a transfer of real-time content to the second computer.

14. The method as defined in claim 12, further comprising transmitting to the second computer expiration data for the selected content.

15. The method as defined in claim 12, further comprising transmitting to the second computer a display effect for the selected content.

16. The method as defined in claim 12, wherein the action is implemented as a script file.

17. The method as defined in claim 12, wherein the selected content was received by the first computer from a content provider.

18. A method of providing data over a network to a computer keyboard, the method comprising:

determining that a client computer is accessing a first network site, wherein the client computer has a keyboard including at least a first key with a programmable key display;

selecting a first media to be displayed on the first keyboard key'"'"'s programmable key display, where the selection of the first media is based at least in part on the determination that the client computer is accessing the first network site; and

displaying the first media on the first key'"'"'s programmable key display and maintaining the display of the first media on the first key'"'"'s programmable key display when the client computer is accessing a second network site.

19. The method as defined in claim 18, further comprising receiving an identifier associated with the keyboard.

20. The method as defined in claim 18, further comprising receiving an identifier associated with a client computer user, wherein the selection of the first media is based at least in part on the identifier.

21. The method as defined in claim 18, further comprising receiving a client user'"'"'s definition of media to be displayed on a second key having a programmable key display.

22. A method of communicating information over a network between a first computer and a second computer, the second computer including a keyboard system having keys with key displays, comprising:

detecting the online presence over the network of the second computer by the first computer;

selecting content by the first computer based on at least one of a geographical location of the second computer, the current date, and information related to the user of the second computer; and

transmitting the content by the first computer over the network to the second computer for display on at least one keyboard key having a key display.

23. The method as defined in claim 22, wherein the content includes a plurality of messages.