Method of and device for transferring content

• US 8,204,959 B2
• Filed: 10/03/2011
• Issued: 06/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NXP B.V. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Original Assignee: NXP B.V. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Inventors: Tabaaloute, Zahra
• Primary Examiner(s): Hamza, Faruk
• Application Number:
  US13/252,108
• Publication Number:
  US 20120021682A1
• Time in Patent Office: 260 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709217-218, 709224-225, 709/227
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2812 describing content present in a home automation network, e.g. audio video content retrieval from the Internet G06F16/95
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2827 Reporting to a device within the home network; wherein the reception of the information reported automatically triggers the execution of a home appliance functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2849 Audio/video appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes

Abstract

A method of transferring content between at least two devices, the devices being capable of outputting said content, and a device itself is disclosed. First, the devices are connected via associated interfaces. Then, there is a detection or negotiation which of the devices is currently outputting content. Finally, content, which is currently being output, is transferred from the corresponding outputting device or devices to the other device or devices via the interfaces.

Claims

1. A method of transferring content between at least two devices, comprising:

connecting a first device to a second device via an interface, the interface configured to the standard for Near Field Communication (NFC), the first device being configured to output said content;

detecting an outputting status-information of the first or second device; and

transferring content from the first device to the second device via said interface based on the outputting status-information, wherein the first device acts as an NFC initiator and detects whether the first device is currently outputting content and if yes, sends this content to the second device acting as NFC target and if no, receives content currently being output by the second device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the content transfer is started upon user confirmation.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the content transfer is only started if there is just one outputting device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said content is one of a picture, an audio clip or a music track, a video clip or a movie, a text, or a combination of any of these.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first device is one of a digital picture frame, a MP3 player, a stereo or Dolby surround device, a TV set, a DVD recorder, a satellite receiver, a digital book, a PC, a mobile phone, or a PDA.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein, if content shall be transferred from the NFC initiator to the NFC target, the NFC initiator gets a unique identification address from the NFC target.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the unique identification address is selected from the group consisting of an IP address, a web URL, and a Bluetooth ID.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein, if content shall be transferred from the NFC initiator to the NFC target, the NFC initiator gets a location on the NFC target where said content can be sent.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein, if content shall be transferred from the NFC target to the NFC initiator, the NFC initiator sends a unique identification address to the NFC target.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the unique identification address is selected from the group consisting of an IP address, a web URL, and a Bluetooth ID.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein, if content shall be transferred from the NFC target to the NFC initiator, the NFC initiator sends a location on the NFC initiator where said content can be sent.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the initiator is a mobile phone and the target is a digital picture frame.

13. A device, comprising:

a reproduction or rendering device configured to output content; and

an interface configured to;

connect to at least another device wherein the interface is configured according to the standard for Near Field Communication (NFC);

detect an outputting status-information of one of said devices;

transmit or receive content via said interface based on the outputting status-information, wherein content is sent to another device or devices acting as an NFC target or targets if the device is currently outputting the content, and content is received from the other device or devices acting as an NFC target or targets if the device is not currently outputting content in the case of the device acting as an NFC initiator.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the content transfer is started upon user confirmation.

15. The device of claim 13, wherein the content transfer is only started if there is just one outputting device.

16. The device of claim 13, wherein the device is one of a digital picture frame, a MP3 player, a stereo or Dolby surround device, a TV set, a DVD recorder, a satellite receiver, a digital book, a PC, a mobile phone, or a PDA.

17. The device of claim 13, wherein, if content shall be transferred from the NFC initiator to the NFC target, the NFC initiator gets a unique identification address from the NFC target.

18. The device of claim 13, wherein, if content shall be transferred from the NFC initiator to the NFC target, the NFC initiator gets a location on the NFC target where said content can be sent.

19. The device of claim 13, wherein, if content shall be transferred from the NFC target to the NFC initiator, the initiator sends a unique identification address to the NFC target.

20. The device of claim 13, wherein, if content shall be transferred from the NFC target to the NFC initiator, the NFC initiator sends a location on the NFC initiator where said content can be sent.