User interface to facilitate exchanging files among processor-based devices

• US 9,049,178 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2011
• Issued: 06/02/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Bell, Cynthia S., Smith, Nathan Y.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bycer, Eric J
• Application Number:
  US13/333,995
• Publication Number:
  US 20120096370A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,259 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/249, 715/769
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/62 Establishing a time schedule for servicing the requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A first processor-based device (PBD), such as a personal computer functioning as a host and containing digital media files, may share a selected file with a second PBD. Media file-sharing may be facilitated by an automated technique including graphical user interfaces (GUIs). In one embodiment, when a device user wishes to transfer a file to another device, the user hovers the file over a particular desktop icon and drops it, causing it to be automatically transmitted to a corresponding destination. Optionally, in response to hovering, a software program automatically generates a GUI indicating potential destinations. The user then selects a destination, and the system automatically transfers the file to that destination. In another embodiment, media sharing can be initiated from a digital appliance, such as a digital picture frame, and a file can be sent to another PBD, such as another digital picture frame via an intermediary PBD.

Claims

1. An article comprising a machine-accessible non-transitory medium having associated instructions, wherein the instructions, when accessed, result in a processor performing:

receiving a user request to transfer a digital media file from the processor to at least one specified processor-based device;

providing a graphical user interface to detect the presence of a thumbnail corresponding to the digital media file hovering over a first desktop icon of a desktop of a display coupled to the processor;

in response to the presence of the thumbnail, displaying a first menu to indicate a first plurality of potential digital media file destinations without requiring a user selection of a destination;

detecting the presence of the thumbnail hovering over a second desktop icon of the desktop;

displaying a second menu to indicate a second plurality of potential digital media file destinations; and

in response to detecting the presence of the thumbnail hovering over either the first or second desktop icon, displaying the corresponding menu, receiving a selection of a digital media file destination from the corresponding menu, and transferring the digital media file to the selected digital media file destination, which is the at least one specified processor-based device.

2. The article recited in claim 1 wherein, in transferring, the digital media file is transferred to the at least one specified processor-based device via an intermediary processor-based device.

3. The article recited in claim 2 wherein, in transferring, the digital media file is wirelessly transmitted to the intermediary processor-based device via a transceiver coupled to the processor in accordance with ones of the instructions.

4. The article recited in claim 1 wherein, in displaying, the display is to display at least one menu of the first and second menus of potential digital media file destinations in the form of a buddy list.

5. The article recited in claim 1 wherein the processor is part of an apparatus that comprises one of a digital picture frame, an Internet appliance, a personal digital assistant, a cellular telephone, a pager, a music reproduction device, and a hand-held computer.

6. The article recited in claim 1 wherein, in transferring, ones of the instructions, when executed, enable the processor to determine a pathname of the digital media file corresponding to the thumbnail dragged over and dropped upon the first or second desktop icon.

7. The article recited in claim 2 wherein, in transferring, the intermediary processor-based device comprises a first host.

8. The article recited in claim 7 wherein, in transferring, the digital media file is transferred from the first host to a network server before being transferred to the at least one specified processor-based device.

9. The article recited in claim 8 wherein, in transferring, the network server is to perform a security check, and wherein the security check comprises a comparison with a list of authorized buddies.

10. The article recited in claim 8 wherein, in transferring, the digital media file is transferred from the network server to a second host before being transferred to the at least one specified processor-based device.

11. The article recited in claim 1 wherein, in transferring, the at least one specified processor-based device comprises one or more from the group consisting of a digital picture frame, an Internet appliance, a personal digital assistant, a cellular telephone, a pager, a music reproduction device, and a hand-held computer.

12. The article recited in claim 1 wherein, in transferring, the at least one specified processor-based device is one of a server, a host, and a digital picture frame.

13. The article recited in claim 12 wherein, in transferring, the digital media file is transferred to a host, and wherein the digital media file is transferred from the host to the at least one specified processor-based device during a synchronization event.

14. The article recited in claim 1 wherein, in transferring, information concerning characteristics of the at least one specified processor-based device is stored in a memory coupled to the processor.

15. The article recited in claim 14 wherein, in transferring, the processor uses the information to modify the digital media file prior to transferring the digital media file to the at least one specified processor-based device.