Managing user interface data on wireless devices

• US 7,272,412 B2
• Filed: 06/06/2002
• Issued: 09/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tahoe Research Limited (f/k/a Learndale Limited) (Vector Capital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Adamson, Peter S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Phu; Sanh D.
• Application Number:
  US10/165,377
• Publication Number:
  US 20030228888A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,930 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.1, 455/41.2, 455/552.1, 455/553.1, 455/556.1, 455/556.2, 455/566, 345/1.3, 345/2.1, 345/2.2, 345/2.3
• US Class Current: 455/552.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user

Abstract

User interface data, from a central server, which define user options with respect to information stored at the central server may be managed by receiving the data at a wireless device. The wireless device may communicate some of the data to another wireless device that is in the vicinity of the first device. The later wireless device may display user options that are based on the user interface data.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, at a first portable wireless device, user interface data from a server, the user interface data defining user options with respect to information stored at the server;

determining whether to transfer the user interface data from the first portable wireless device to a second portable wireless device based on the user interface data; and

communicating at least some of the user interface data from the first portable wireless device to the second portable wireless device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying user options that are based on the user interface data on the second portable wireless device.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising,

receiving, at the first portable wireless device, a user option selection from the second portable wireless device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising,

converting at least some of the user interface data.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the user interface data is converted by an OBEX protocol.

6. The method of claim 1 in which the information stored at the central server comprises a voice message.

7. The method of claim 6 in which the user options comprise at least one of playing the voice message and deleting the voice message.

8. A method comprising:

receiving, at a portable wireless device, user interface data from a portable wireless phone in the vicinity of the portable wireless device, the user interface data defining user options with respect to voice messages stored at a central server; and

displaying the user options on the portable wireless device based on the user interface data.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising,

selecting an option from the user options on the portable wireless device.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising,

transmitting an option of the user options from the portable wireless device to the portable wireless phone.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising,

converting an option from the user options on the portable wireless device.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the option is converted by an OBEX protocol.

13. A portable wireless device comprising:

a processor to execute instructions; and

a memory storing instructions capable of causing the processor to,

receive user interface data from a central server, the user interface data defining user options with respect to information stored at the central server,

determine whether to transfer the user interface data from the portable wireless device to a second portable wireless device based on the user interface data, and

communicate at least some of the user interface data from the portable wireless device to the second portable wireless device in the vicinity of the portable wireless device for display of user options that are based on the user interface data.

14. The portable wireless device of claim 13, wherein the instructions include causing the processor to receive a user option selection from the second portable wireless device.

15. The portable wireless device of claim 13, wherein the instructions include causing the processor to convert at least some of the user interface data.

16. The portable wireless device of claim 15, wherein the user interface data is converted by an OBEX protocol.

17. A portable wireless device comprising:

a processor to execute instructions; and

a memory storing instructions capable of causing the processor to,

receive user interface data from a portable wireless phone in the vicinity of the portable wireless device, the user interface data defining user options with respect to voice messages stored at a central server, and

display the user options based on the user interface data.

18. The portable wireless device of claim 17, wherein the instructions includes causing the processor to select an option from the user options.

19. The portable wireless device of claim 17, wherein the instructions include causing the processor to transmit an option from the user options to the portable wireless phone.

20. The portable wireless device of claim 17, wherein the instructions include causing the processor to convert an option from the user options.

21. The portable wireless device of claim 20, wherein the option is converted by an OBEX protocol.

22. An article comprising a machine-readable medium that stores instructions capable of causing a portable wireless device to:

receive user interface data from a central server, the user interface data defining user options with respect to information stored at the central server;

determine whether to transfer the user interface data from the portable wireless device to a second portable wireless device based on the user interface data; and

communicate at least some of the user interface data to the second portable wireless device in the vicinity of the portable wireless device for display at the second portable wireless device of user options that are based on the user interface data.

23. The article of claim 22, wherein the instructions are further capable of causing the portable wireless device to receive a user option selection from the second portable wireless device.

24. The article of claim 22, wherein the instructions are further capable of causing the portable wireless device to convert at least some of the user interface data.

25. The article of claim 24, wherein the user interface data is converted by an OBEX protocol.

26. A system comprising:

a portable wireless phone configured to receive user interface data from a central server, the user interface data defining user options with respect to voice messages stored at the central server; and

a portable wireless device in the vicinity of the portable wireless phone configured to receive at least some of the user interface data from the portable wireless phone for display at the portable wireless device of user options that are based on the user interface data.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the wireless phone determines whether to transfer the user interface data from the wireless phone to the wireless device based on the user interface data.

28. The system of claim 26, wherein the wireless phone receives a user option selection from the wireless device.

29. A method comprising:

receiving, at a first wireless device, user interface data from a central server, the user interface data defining user options with respect to information stored at the central server; and

communicating at least some of the user interface data from the first wireless device wirelessly to a second wireless device in the vicinity of the first wireless device for display at the second wireless device of user options that are based on the user interface data;

wherein the user options are selectable through both the first and second wireless devices.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising,

determining whether to transfer the user interface data from the first wireless device to the second wireless device based on the user interface data.

31. The method of claim 29, further comprising converting at least some of the user interface data using an OBEX protocol.

32. The method of claim 29 in which each user option is selectable by a key on the first wireless device.

33. The method of claim 29 in which each user option is selectable by a spoken word that is received at the first wireless device.

34. The method of claim 29, further comprising sending a dual-tone multi-frequency (DTMF) signal from the first wireless device to the central server, the DTMF signal representing the user option selection.

35. A method comprising:

receiving, at a first device, user interface data from a central server, the user interface data defining user options with respect to information stored at the central server;

determining whether to transfer at least some of the user interface data from the first device wirelessly to a second device in the vicinity of the first device based on the user interface data; and

communicating the at least some of the user interface data from the first device wirelessly to the second device for display at the second device of user options that are based on the user interface data.

36. The method of claim 35 wherein the user options are selectable through both the first and second devices.

37. A method comprising:

receiving, at a device, user interface data from a phone in the vicinity of the device through a wireless communication link, the user interface data defining user options with respect to voice messages stored at a central server;

converting an option from the user options on the device by an OBEX protocol; and

displaying the user options on the device based on the user interface data.