Methods and apparatuses for programming user-defined information into electronic devices

• US 8,447,290 B2
• Filed: 08/16/2012
• Issued: 05/21/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Solocron Media, LLC (Solocron Group, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Solocron Media, LLC (Solocron Group, LLC)
• Inventors: Shanahan, Michael E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Beamer, Temica M
• Application Number:
  US13/587,428
• Publication Number:
  US 20120311646A1
• Time in Patent Office: 278 Days
• Field of Search: 455/418, 455/419, 455/420, 455/414.1, 455/557, 455/567, 455/502, 379/88.13
• US Class Current: 455/418
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/61 Indexing; Data structures therefor; Storage structures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/00 Digital computing or data processing equipment or methods, specially adapted for specific functions information retrieval, database structures or file system structures therefor G06F16/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72409 by interfacing with external accessories hands-free H04M1/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72442 for playing music files
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72445 for supporting Internet browser applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72448 with means for adapting the functionality of the device according to specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup

Abstract

A device for programming user-defined information into an electronic device is provided. The programmer allows a user to program customized information, such as user-selected audio, video, or Internet access information into his or her programmable device. Such electronic devices include wireless telephones, pagers, and personal digital assistants. The programmer allows a user to, among other things, customize the device to suit his or her particular taste.

Claims

1. A method of providing a video file in a compatible digital video file format to a communications device, the method comprising:

providing to a browser of a communications device a listing of video files, wherein at least one video file in the listing is available in two or more different digital video formats;

receiving an electronic request from the browser of the communications device that identifies the at least one video file;

automatically selecting at least one compatible digital video format of the at least one video file, wherein the compatible digital video format is automatically selected from the two or more different digital video formats associated with the at least one video file, and wherein the compatible digital video format is compatible with the wireless communications device; and

automatically transferring to the communications device the compatible digital video format of the at least one video file.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein automatically selecting the compatible digital video format is transparent to a user of the communications device.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein automatically selecting the compatible digital video format comprises polling the communications device.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the communications device is a wireless communications device.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the compatible digital video format is at least one of the group consisting of:

JPEG, MPEG, GIF, and AVI.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising allowing the user to search for the at least one video file with the browser.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the browser is an internet browser.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the browser is a Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) compliant browser.

9. A system that provides a video file in a compatible digital video file format to a communications device, the system comprising:

one or more computer processors comprising computer hardware that are configured to provide to a browser of a communications device, a listing of at least one video file, wherein the at least one video file is available in two or more different digital video formats;

one or more computer processors configured to receive an electronic request from the browser of the communications device that identifies the at least one video file wherein the at least one compatible digital video format of the at least one video file is automatically selected from the two or more different digital video formats associated with the at least one video file, and wherein the compatible digital video format is compatible with the wireless communications device; and

one or more computer processors configured to automatically transfer to the communications device, the compatible digital video format of the at least one video file.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein automatically selecting the compatible digital video format is transparent to a user of the communications device.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein automatically selecting the compatible digital video format comprises polling the communications device.

12. The system of claim 9 wherein the communications device is a wireless communications device.

13. The system of claim 9 wherein the compatible digital video format of the at least one video file is at least one of the group consisting of:

JPEG, MPEG, GIF, and AVI.

14. The system of claim 9 wherein one or more computer processors are configured to allow the user to search for the at least one video file with the browser.

15. The system of claim 9 wherein the browser is an internet browser.

16. The system of claim 9 wherein the browser is a Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) compliant browser.