Systems and methods for gesture-based distribution of files

• US 8,464,184 B1
• Filed: 11/30/2010
• Issued: 06/11/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CA, Inc. (d/b/a CA Technologies) (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Symantec Corporation (NortonLifeLock Inc.)
• Inventors: Cook, Randall R., Mackay, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Hailu, Tadeese
• Assistant Examiner(s): ULRICH, NICHOLAS S
• Application Number:
  US12/956,541
• Time in Patent Office: 924 Days
• Field of Search: 715/769, 715/863, 726/1, 709/212, 709/213, 709/219
• US Class Current: 715/863
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1694 the I/O peripheral being a single or a set of motion sensors for pointer control or gesture input obtained by sensing movements of the portable computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

A method for gesture-based distribution of files may include 1) receiving, at a first computing device, input that identifies a file for gesture-based distribution to one or more other computing devices; 2) detecting a plurality of additional computing devices in physical proximity of the first computing device; 3) for each computing device in the plurality of additional computing devices, determining a physical location of the additional computing device; 4) detecting, on the first computing device, a gesture of a user of the first computing device; 5) determining, based on one or more of the physical locations of the additional computing devices, that the gesture of the user was directed toward one or more of the additional computing devices; 6) distributing the file to the one or more additional computing devices toward which the user gestured. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for gesture-based distribution of files, at least a portion of the method being performed by a computing device comprising at least one processor, the method comprising:

receiving, at a first computing device, input that identifies a file for gesture-based distribution to one or more other computing devices;

detecting a plurality of additional computing devices in physical proximity of the first computing device;

for each computing device in the plurality of additional computing devices, determining a physical location of the additional computing device;

detecting, on the first computing device, a gesture of a user of the first computing device;

determining, based on one or more of the physical locations of the additional computing devices, that the gesture of the user was directed toward one or more of the additional computing devices;

identifying a distribution policy that indicates whether gesture-based distribution of the file is allowed;

using the distribution policy to determine whether the file is allowed to be distributed using gestures;

determining, based on the distribution policy, that gesture-based distribution of the file is allowed;

in response to determining that gesture-based distribution of the file is allowed, distributing the file to the one or more additional computing devices toward which the user gestured, wherein the distribution policy indicates at least one of the following;

that the file can only be distributed within predefined physical boundaries that designate a room within which the file can be distributed using gesture-based distribution,

that the file can only be distributed within predefined altitude limits,

that the file can only be distributed within a predetermined floor of a building.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the distribution policy indicates that a predefined file type is excluded from gesture-based distribution.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the distribution policy indicates that only a predefined type of file may be distributed using gesture-based distribution.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the distribution policy designates at least one user that is prohibited from sending files using gesture-based distribution.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the distribution policy designates at least one user that is prohibited from receiving files using gesture-based distribution.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the distribution policy designates at least one user that is permitted to send files using gesture-based distribution.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the distribution policy designates at least one user that is permitted to receive files using gesture-based distribution.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the gesture comprises a sweeping gesture.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the sweeping gesture indicates that all computing devices within an arch of the sweeping gesture should be sent the file.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the distribution policy identifies a time period for which gesture-based distribution is permitted.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the distribution policy indicates that the file may only be distributed by gestured-based distribution to devices within a predefined distance of the first computing device.

12. A system for gesture-based distribution of files, the system comprising:

a file-identification module programmed to receive, at a first computing device, input that identifies a file for gesture-based distribution to one or more other computing devices;

a proximity-detection module programmed to;

detect a plurality of additional computing devices in physical proximity of the first computing device;

for each computing device in the plurality of additional computing devices, determine a physical location of the additional computing device;

a gesture-detection module programmed to;

detect, on the first computing device, a gesture of a user of the first computing device;

determine, based on one or more of the physical locations of the additional computing devices, that the gesture of the user was directed toward one or more of the additional computing devices;

a file-distribution module programmed to;

identify a distribution policy that indicates whether gesture-based distribution of the file is allowed;

use the distribution policy to determine whether the file is allowed to be distributed using gestures;

determine, based on the distribution policy, that gesture-based distribution of the file is allowed;

in response to determining that gesture-based distribution of the file is allowed, distribute the file to the one or more additional computing devices toward which the user gestured;

one or more processors configured to execute the file-identification module, the proximity-detection module, the gesture-detection module, and the file-distribution module, wherein the distribution policy indicates at least one of the following;

that the file can only be distributed within predefined physical boundaries that designate a room within which the file can be distributed using gesture-based distribution,

that the file can only be distributed within predefined altitude limits,

that the file can only be distributed within a predetermined floor of a building.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the proximity-detection module is programmed to detect the plurality of additional computing devices in physical proximity of the first computing device by identifying computing devices present in the same room as the first computing device at the beginning of a meeting.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein:

the one or more additional computing devices toward which the user gestured comprises a printer;

the file-distribution module is programmed to distribute the file to the one or more additional computing devices toward which the user gestured by causing the printer to print the file.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein:

the one or more additional computing devices toward which the user gestured comprises a projector;

the file-distribution module is programmed to distribute the file to the one or more additional computing devices toward which the user gestured by causing the file to be sent to the projector and displayed by the projector.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein:

the system further comprises a file-distribution management server that is remote from the first computing device;

the file-distribution module is programmed to distribute the file to the one or more additional computing devices toward which the user gestured by sending a signature of the file to the file-distribution management server;

the file-distribution management server is programmed to use the signature to locate the file and transmit the file to the one or more additional computing devices toward which the user gestured.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein:

the system further comprises a file-distribution management server that is remote from the first computing device;

the file-distribution module is programmed to distribute the file to the one or more additional computing devices toward which the user gestured by sending the file to the file-distribution management server;

the file-distribution management server is programmed to transmit the file to the one or more additional computing devices toward which the user gestured.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein the distribution policy identifies one or more predefined files that are allowed to be distributed using gesture-based distribution;

the one or more predefined files that are allowed to be distributed using gestured-based distribution comprise the file.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein the proximity-detection module is programmed to detect the plurality of additional computing devices in physical proximity of the first computing device by querying a location database to determine the physical locations of the plurality of additional computing devices.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising one or more computer-executable instructions that, when executed by at least one processor of a computing system, cause the computing system to:

receive, at a first computing device, input that identifies a file for gesture-based distribution to one or more other computing devices;

detect a plurality of additional computing devices in physical proximity of the first computing device;

for each computing device in the plurality of additional computing devices, determine a physical location of the additional computing device;

detect, on the first computing device, a gesture of a user of the first computing device;

determine, based on one or more of the physical locations of the additional computing devices, that the gesture of the user was directed toward one or more of the additional computing devices;

identify a distribution policy that indicates whether gesture-based distribution of the file is allowed;

use the distribution policy to determine whether the file is allowed to be distributed using gestures;

determine, based on the distribution policy, that gesture-based distribution of the file is allowed;

in response to determining that gesture-based distribution of the file is allowed, distribute the file to the one or more additional computing devices toward which the user gestured, wherein the distribution policy indicates at least one of the following;

that the file can only be distributed within predefined physical boundaries that designate a room within which the file can be distributed using gesture-based distribution,

that the file can only be distributed within predefined altitude limits,

that the file can only be distributed within a predetermined floor of a building.