Methods and systems for displaying content on multiple networked devices with a simple command

• US 8,749,452 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2011
• Issued: 06/10/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Original Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Inventors: Hosein, Marc Peter, Yankovich, Steve
• Primary Examiner(s): PARDO, THUY N
• Application Number:
  US13/340,308
• Publication Number:
  US 20120188147A1
• Time in Patent Office: 894 Days
• Field of Search: 345/2.2, 345/1.1, 345/1.2, 345/2.1, 345/156, 709/227, 340/5.8, 455/41.2, 715/863
• US Class Current: 345/2.2
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1454 involving copying of the display data of a local workstation or window to a remote workstation or window so that an actual copy of the data is displayed simultaneously on two or more displays, e.g. teledisplay
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42209 for displaying non-command information, e.g. electronic program guide [EPG], e-mail, messages or a second television channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4222 Remote control device emulator integrated into a non-television apparatus, e.g. a PDA, media center or smart toy remote control device for a television receiver integrated into a mobile phone H04M1/72415
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42224 Touch pad or touch panel provided on the remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805

Abstract

A method for displaying content displayed on one or more first devices on a second device is provided. The method includes receiving a request to display content currently displayed on a first device on a second device, the request including a gesture made on a screen of the first device, and pairing the first device to the second device. The method further includes transmitting instructions to the second device to display the content currently displayed on the first device, and transmitting the content currently displayed on the first device to the second device for display thereon.

Claims

1. A non-transitory machine-readable medium comprising a plurality of machine-readable instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, are configured to cause the one or more processors to perform a method comprising:

receiving a request to display content currently displayed on a first device on a second device, the request comprising a gesture made on a screen of the first device;

pairing the first device to the second device;

transmitting instructions to the second device to display the content currently displayed on the first device;

transmitting the content currently displayed on the first device to the second device for display thereon;

receiving a request to cease displaying the content on the second device;

transmitting instructions to the second device to cease the display of the content on the second device; and

transmitting the content to the first device, wherein the content is displayed on the first device in a same state as it was displayed on the second device before the display of the content on the second device was ceased.

2. The machine-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the first device comprises a smartphone or tablet computer and the second device comprises a television.

3. The machine-readable medium of claim 1, wherein:

receiving a request further comprises receiving content from the first device along with the request; and

transmitting instructions further comprises transmitting the received content along with the instructions.

4. The machine-readable medium of claim 1, wherein transmitting instructions comprises transmitting at least one of a destination web address or a content location.

5. The machine-readable medium of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving control instructions for controlling the content displayed on the second device; and

transmitting the control instructions to the second device.

6. The machine-readable medium of claim 5, wherein receiving control instructions comprises receiving control instructions from the first device.

7. The machine-readable medium of claim 5, wherein receiving control instructions comprises receiving control instructions from a peripheral device coupled to the second device and the server.

8. The machine-readable medium of claim 5, wherein the peripheral device comprises a motion capture device.

9. The machine-readable medium of claim 1, wherein:

receiving a request comprises receiving instructions from the first device located at a first location; and

transmitting instructions comprises transmitting the instructions to the second device located at a second location that is remote from the first location.

10. The machine-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the first device and the second device are coupled to a network.

11. The machine-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the first device has geographical positioning system (GPS) capabilities and the second device is associated with a particular geographic location.

12. The machine-readable medium of claim 11, wherein pairing the first device to the second device comprises using geofencing to pair the first device to the second device based on a location of the first device in a vicinity of the second device.

13. The machine-readable medium of claim 1, wherein pairing the first device to the second device comprises generating a request for acceptance of the content.

14. The machine-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the first device comprises a plurality of first devices, and receiving a request to display content currently displayed on a first device on a second device comprises receiving a request from one or more of the plurality of first devices.

15. The machine-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the gesture comprises a flick gesture.

16. The machine-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the first device is directly coupled to the second device.

17. The machine-readable medium of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying, on the second device, additional information related to the displayed content.

18. The machine-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the additional information comprises online auctions for merchandise related to the content.

19. The machine-readable medium of claim 17, wherein displaying the additional information comprises:

parsing metadata associated with the displayed content; and

searching an internet database for the parsed metadata.

20. The machine-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the internet database comprises an online auction database.