Preserving a user experience with content across multiple computing devices using location information

• US 7,870,272 B2
• Filed: 12/05/2006
• Issued: 01/11/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Berkowitz, David, Crowley, Matthew William
• Primary Examiner(s): Elchanti; Hussein A
• Application Number:
  US11/567,178
• Publication Number:
  US 20080133529A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,498 Days
• Field of Search: 709/223, 709/238, 709/240, 709/231, 709/217, 709/219, 709/229
• US Class Current: 709/229
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/40 of multimedia data, e.g. slideshows comprising image and additional audio data retrieval of still image data G06F16/50; retrieval of audio data G06F16/60; retrieval of video data G06F16/70
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1027 Persistence of sessions during load balancing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes

Abstract

A content management system stores location information indicating a location within a content item where a user exited from or last-accessed the content item. This location information is synchronized or otherwise shared between or among a plurality of devices associated with the user. With this information stored on or accessible to these multiple devices, the system enables the user to start from that location when subsequently accessing the content item on any of these devices. The user'"'"'s experience with the content item is thus preserved over time and independently of the device on which the content item is accessed.

Claims

1. A method for accessing static content items from multiple computing devices, the method comprising:

receiving a request to access a static content item on a first computing device, the static content item comprising two or more pages of information;

receiving location information for the static content item at the first computing device from a remote computing device over a network, the location information separate from the static content item and indicating a location within the two or more pages of information in the static content item of information in the static content item where a user discontinued access to the static content item at a second computing device;

the first computing device determining the location of static content item from which to start accessing the static content item based on the received location information;

accessing the static content item on the first computing device at the determined location in the static content item corresponding to the location information responsive to determining the location of the static content item; and

displaying the static content item to the user at the determined location.

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

discontinuing access to the static content item at the first computing device; and

updating the location information based on a location in the content item where the user discontinued the static content item at the first computing device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein accessing the location information comprises retrieving the static content item from a file storage within the first computing device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein accessing the location information comprises retrieving the static content item from a third-party service provider.

5. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising:

determining whether the static content item is being accessed by the second computing device; and

denying access to the static content item by the first computing device responsive to the content item being accessed by the second computing device.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing the static content item in its entirety on the first computing device for accessing on the first computing device.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving the static content item from a content source located remote from the first computing device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the static content item comprises e-books, web pages, and documents.

9. A non-transitory computer readable medium structured to store instructions executable by a processor in a first computing device, the instructions, when executed cause the processor to:

receive a request to access a static content item on the first computing device, the static content item comprising two or more pages of information;

receive location information for the static content item at the first computing device from a remote computing device over a network, the location information separate from the static content item and indicating a location within the two or more pages of information in the static content item of information in the static content item where a user discontinued access to the static content item at a second computing device;

determine the location of static content item from which to start accessing the static content item based on the received location information;

access the content item on the first computing device at the determined location in the static content item corresponding to the location information responsive to determining the location; and

display the static content item to the user.

10. The computer readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the stored instructions further causes the processor to:

discontinue access to the static content item at the first computing device; and

update the location information based on a location in the static content item where the user discontinued the static content item at the first computing device.

11. The computer readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the stored instructions causes the processor to retrieve the static content item from a file storage within the first computing device.

12. The computer readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the stored instructions causes the processor to retrieve the static content item from a third-party service provider.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the stored instructions further causes the processor to store the static content item in its entirety on the first computing device for accessing on the first computing device.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the stored instructions further causes the processor to receive the static content item from a content source located remote from the first computing device.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the stored instructions further causes the processor to receive the static content item from a content source located remote from the first computing device.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein the static content item comprises e-books, web pages, and documents.

17. A method for accessing static content items on multiple computing devices, the method comprising:

accessing a static content item at a first computing device, the static content item comprising two or more pages of information;

discontinuing the accessing of the static content item at the first computing device;

generating location information separate from the static content item and indicating a location within the two or more pages of information in the static content item information in the static content item at which access to the static content item was discontinued on the first computing device;

sending the location information to a remote computing device over a network for retrieval by a second computing device, the second computing device determining the location in the static content item from which to start accessing the static content item based on the retrieved location information; and

displaying the static content item to the user at the determined location.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the method further comprises determining whether to allow the second computing device to access the static content item.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the method further comprises caching the static content item on the remote computing device.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein at least one of the multiple computing devices is a mobile device.

21. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

storing the static content item in its entirety on the first computing device for accessing on the first computing device.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein the static content item comprises e-books, web pages, and documents.

23. A mobile device operable to access a static content item, the mobile device comprising:

a memory for storing first location information for a static content item accessible by the mobile device, the static content item comprising two or more pages of information, the first location information separate from the static content item and indicating a location within the one or more pages of information in the static content item of information in the static content item where a user discontinued the static content item at the mobile device;

a location information manager for generating the first location information responsive to the user discontinuing access to the static content items on the mobile device;

a communication module coupled to the location information manager, the communication module operable to send the first location information to a remote computing device over a network for retrieval by another mobile device, the other mobile device determining the location from which to start accessing the static content item based on the first location information; and

an application for displaying the static content item to the user at the determined location.

24. The mobile device of claim 23, wherein the communication module is operable to receive second location information from the remote computing device, the location information manager further configured to provide the second location information to the applications running on the mobile device for accessing a static content item associated with the second location information at a location of the static content item corresponding to the second location information.

25. The mobile device of claim 23, wherein the file storage module stores the static content item in its entirety.

26. The method mobile device of claim 23, wherein the mobile device receives the static content item from a content source remote from the mobile device.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein the static content item comprises e-books, web pages, and documents.