Smart phones that include a digital camera, a touch sensitive screen, support for voice activated commands, and support to at least part of a protocol within IEEE 802.11 standards

• US 9,092,177 B2
• Filed: 12/07/2012
• Issued: 07/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Flexiworld Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Flexiworld Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Chang, William Ho, Liu, Christina Ying
• Primary Examiner(s): Louie, Oscar
• Assistant Examiner(s): Liu, Lin
• Application Number:
  US13/708,607
• Publication Number:
  US 20130095887A1
• Time in Patent Office: 963 Days
• Field of Search: 709/227, 709/206, 358/1.15, 455/3.01, 455/557, 455/151.2
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/16 Combinations of two or more digital computers each having at least an arithmetic unit, a program unit and a register, e.g. for a simultaneous processing of several programs coordinating program control therefor G06F9/52; in regulating and control system G05B
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/12 Digital output to print unit , e.g. line printer, chain printer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1206 resulting in increased flexibility in input data format or job format or job type
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1226 Discovery of devices having required properties
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1247 by conversion to printer ready format
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/126 Job scheduling, e.g. queuing, determine appropriate device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1285 Remote printer device, e.g. being remote from client or server
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1292 Mobile client, e.g. wireless printing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/14 Digital output to display device ; Cooperation and interconnection of the display device with other functional units
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3224 Transactions dependent on location of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3226 Use of secure elements separate from M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/327 Short range or proximity payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3278 RFID or NFC payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4012 Verifying personal identification numbers [PIN]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40145 : Biometric identity checks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/405 : Establishing or using transaction specific rules
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 2220/00 : Business processing using cryptography
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2805 : Home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2809 : indicating that an appliance service is present in a home automation network monitoring functionality H04L43/0817; discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services, H04L67/51
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2838 : Distribution of signals within a home automation network, e.g. involving splitting/multiplexing signals to/from different paths adaptations of television systems for transmission by electric cable for domestic distribution H04N7/106; hybrid transport H04L12/6418; home network arrangements specially adapted for distribution of digital video signals H04N7/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2841 : Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2849 : Audio/video appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/285 : Generic home appliances, e.g. refrigerators
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0803 : Configuration setting
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2478 : Telephone terminals specially adapted for non-voice services, e.g. email, internet access centralized arrangements where telephones services are combined H04M7/0024; for recording text messages H04M3/5322; for accessing Internet H04M3/4938
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 : Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/003 : locating network equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 : Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 : Terminal devices

Abstract

A Smart Phone specification is disclosed, the Smart Phone supports voice activated commands and may include a touch sensitive screen, a digital camera, a wireless communication unit supporting at least partly a protocol within IEEE802.11 standards, an operating system, a graphical user interface, an e-mail application, an Internet browsing application, and an application for playing audio or video content. The Smart Phone may provide an application programming interface (API) to support applications. The Smart Phone may further include a microphone, a speaker, and voice activated command functions for receiving voice commands from the user. In some examples, the digital camera of the Smart Phone may take a picture and transfer the picture to an output device. In other examples, the Smart Phone may stream or transfer digital content over the air or wirelessly in response to voice activated commands or selections over the touch sensitive screen.

Claims

1. A Smart Phone supporting both touch sensitive screen and voice activated command interfaces for interacting with a user, the Smart Phone being an Internet-Phone operable for accessing the Internet and having one or more applications with access to digital content, the Smart Phone further being a mobile and wireless information apparatus, the Smart Phone including each of the following applications installed or pre-installed:

a voice communication application,

an e-mail application,

a messaging application,

a digital imaging application,

an audio application,

a video application,

a document creation application,

an Internet browsing application, and

operating system software in the Smart Phone supporting an object model or an application programming interface (API) to facilitate at least one of said messaging application, said e-mail application, said audio application, said video application, said digital imaging application, said document creation application, and said Internet browsing application, individually or in any combination, interfacing with device management applications in the Smart Phone, and

wherein, the Smart Phone is operable to allow the user to install additional applications associated for running on said operating system software to further expand the functionalities of the Smart Phone;

the Smart Phone further comprising;

a digital camera for taking pictures,

a touch sensitive screen interface for interacting with the user,

a graphical user interface over the touch sensitive screen,

a microphone interface,

a speaker interface for outputting sound to the user,

a voice activated command function for receiving voice commands from the user over the microphone interface,

a processing unit,

a memory or storage unit for storing at least part of the digital content, and

a wireless communication unit that includes a radio frequency controller and an antenna for establishing radio frequency wireless communication with the Smart Phone, the wireless communication unit being compatible, at least partly, with at least part of a protocol within IEEE 802.11 standards; and

wherein, the Smart Phone is further operable to;

receive, via the voice activated command function from the user, a request to transmit or output at least part of the digital content from the Smart Phone, the digital content including one or more of an e-mail, audio content, video content, a receipt, a confirmation, a map, a photo, graphics, a web page, and a document, individually or in any combination, and

pass at least part of the digital content from at least one of said audio application, said digital imaging application, said document creation application, said e-mail application, said Internet browsing application, and said video application, individually or in any combination, for transmission or output of at least part of the digital content from the Smart Phone, the passing of at least part of the digital content being facilitated, at least in part, by the object model or the application programming interface (API) supported by the Smart Phone operating system software, and

transmit or output, over the wireless communication unit of the Smart Phone, at least part of the digital content from the Smart Phone;

whereby, the mobile and wireless Smart Phone is operable to receive voice activated commands from the user to transmit or output at least part of the digital content from the Smart Phone; and

wherein, the Smart Phone is further operable to;

take a picture that includes an image with the digital camera included in the Smart Phone,

establish, via the wireless communication unit that is compatible, at least partly, with at least part of a protocol within IEEE 802.11 standards, a radio frequency wireless connection from the Smart Phone to a wireless output device for transfer of at least part of an image associated with the picture taken with the digital camera, and

transfer, via the wireless communication unit included in the Smart Phone, at least part of an image associated with the picture taken with the digital camera over the established radio frequency wireless connection from the Smart Phone to the wireless output device; and

wherein, the mobile and wireless Smart Phone is further operable to receive, via the touch sensitive screen interface of the Smart Phone, a wireless output device from the user for transfer or output of at least part of an image associated with the picture taken with the digital camera of the Smart Phone to the wireless output device over the established radio frequency wireless connection between the Smart Phone and the wireless output device.

2. The Smart Phone of claim 1, wherein the Smart Phone is further operable to:

receive, via the voice activated command function from the user of the Smart Phone, a voice activated command for transmitting or outputting at least part of the digital content from the Smart Phone to a wireless output controller device, the wireless output controller device being a distinct device from the Smart Phone, the wireless output controller device being the wireless output device or a controller box externally connectable to the wireless output device, and the wireless output device is at least one of a television, a sound output device, a music playing device, a display device, or a projection device, individually or in any combination;

establish, via the wireless communication unit, a wireless connection from the Smart Phone to the wireless output controller device for transmission or output of at least part of the digital content to the wireless output controller device; and

transmit or output, over the wireless communication unit of the Smart Phone, at least part of the digital content to the wireless output controller device over the established wireless connection from the Smart Phone to the wireless output controller device.

3. The Smart Phone of claim 1, wherein the Smart Phone is further operable to:

provide, via at least one of the speaker interface of the Smart Phone or the touch sensitive screen interface of the Smart Phone, one or more wireless output controller devices to the user for selection, the one or more wireless output controller devices being distinct devices from the Smart Phone;

receive, via the voice activated command function from the user of the Smart Phone, a selected wireless output controller device from among the one or more wireless output controller devices that are provided to the user for selection by the user, the selected wireless output controller device being a distinct device from the Smart Phone; and

transmit or output, over the wireless communication unit of the Smart Phone, at least part of the digital content to the selected wireless output controller device.

4. The Smart Phone of claim 1, wherein the Smart Phone is further operable to:

search, over a radio frequency wireless communication and through the wireless communication unit of the Smart Phone, for a wireless output controller device in response to the received voice request;

discover, over the radio frequency wireless communication and through the wireless communication unit of the Smart Phone that is compatible, at least partly, with at least part of a protocol within IEEE 802.11 standards, the wireless output controller device; and

provide, over the touch sensitive screen interface, at least the wirelessly discovered wireless output controller device for user selection.

5. The Smart Phone of claim 1, wherein the Smart Phone further includes an output manager in the Smart Phone for managing transfer or output of at least part of the digital content to the wireless output device, the Smart Phone being further operable to pass at least part of the digital content from at least one of said e-mail application, said audio application, said digital imaging application, said document creation application, said Internet browsing application, and said video application, individually or in any combination, to the output manager in the Smart Phone, the passing of at least part of the digital content being facilitated, at least in part, by the object model or the application programming interface (API) supported by the Smart Phone operating system software.

6. The Smart Phone of claim 1, wherein the Smart Phone is further operable to obtain authentication or security information at the Smart Phone for wireless connection with a selected wireless output device, the Smart Phone being further operable to establish a restricted radio frequency wireless connection from the Smart Phone to the selected wireless output device for transfer or output of at least part of the digital content to the selected wireless output device.

7. The Smart Phone of claim 1, wherein the Smart Phone is an Internet-Phone that is Internet accessible and connectable to a wireless local area network via the wireless communication unit that is compatible, at least partly, with at least part of a protocol within IEEE 802.11 standards.

8. A method for transmitting digital content from a Smart Phone via a voice activated command interface, the Smart Phone operable for accessing the Internet and having one or more applications with access to digital content, the Smart Phone further being a mobile and wireless information apparatus, the Smart Phone including each of the following applications installed or pre-installed:

a voice communication application,

an e-mail application,

a messaging application,

a digital imaging application,

an audio application,

a video application,

a document editing application,

an Internet browsing application, and

operating system software in the Smart Phone supporting an object model or an application programming interface (API), and

wherein, the Smart Phone is operable to allow the user to install additional applications associated for running on said operating system software to further expand the functionalities of the Smart Phone;

the Smart Phone further comprising;

a digital camera for taking pictures,

a touch sensitive screen interface for interacting with the user,

a graphical user interface over the touch sensitive screen,

a microphone interface,

a speaker interface for outputting sound to the user,

a voice activated command function for receiving voice commands from the user over the microphone interface,

a processing unit,

a memory or storage unit for storing at least part of the digital content, and

a wireless communication unit that includes a radio frequency controller and an antenna for establishing radio frequency wireless communication between the Smart Phone and one or more wireless output devices that are distinct devices from the Smart Phone, the wireless communication unit being compatible, at least partly, with at least part of a protocol within IEEE 802.11 standards, the method comprising;

receiving, via the voice activated command function from the user, a request to transfer at least part of the digital content from the Smart Phone to a selected one of the one or more wireless output devices that are available for outputting or transferring of the at least part of the digital content;

providing, to the user via at least one of the speaker interface of the Smart Phone or the touch sensitive screen interface of the Smart Phone, one or more wireless output devices that are available for outputting or transferring at least part of the digital content for selection by the user;

receiving, via the voice activated command function from the user or via the touch sensitive screen interface of the Smart Phone, the selected wireless output device from among the one or more wireless output devices that are available for outputting or transferring at least part of the digital content and that are provided to the user for selection by the user;

establishing a radio frequency wireless connection via the wireless communication unit that is compatible, at least partly, with at least part of a protocol within IEEE 802.11 standards, from the Smart Phone to the selected wireless output device for output or transfer at least part of the digital content to the selected wireless output device;

passing at least part of the digital content from at least one of said audio application, said digital imaging application, said document editing application, said e-mail application, said Internet browsing application, and said video application, individually or in any combination, for transferring at least part of the digital content from the Smart Phone to the selected wireless output device, the passing of at least part of the digital content being facilitated, at least in part, by the object model or the application programming interface (API) supported by the Smart Phone operating system software; and

transferring at least part of the digital content to the selected wireless output device over the established radio frequency wireless connection from the Smart Phone to the selected wireless output device; and

wherein, at least part of the digital content in the Smart Phone and accessible from at least one of said audio application, said digital imaging application, said document editing application, said e-mail application, said Internet browsing application, and said video application, individually or in any combination, is transferred or outputted to the selected wireless output device over the radio frequency wireless communication connection established between the Smart Phone and the selected wireless output device when the mobile and wireless Smart Phone receives voice activated commands from the user to initiate such transfer.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising discovering, over a radio frequency wireless communication and through the wireless communication unit of the Smart Phone, one or more wireless output devices that are available for establishing a radio frequency wireless connection.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising searching, over a radio frequency wireless communication and through the wireless communication unit of the Smart Phone, for one or more wireless output devices in response to the received voice request.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

taking a picture with the digital camera included in the Smart Phone; and

transferring, via the wireless communication unit included in the Smart Phone, at least part of an image associated with the picture taken with the digital camera over the established radio frequency wireless connection from the Smart Phone to the selected wireless output device.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the Smart Phone further includes an image acquisition application for image data acquisition and an output manager for managing transfer of at least part of the digital content to the one or more wireless output devices, the method further comprising passing at least part of the digital content from said image acquisition application to the output manager via, at least in part, the object model or the application programming interface (API) supported by the Smart Phone operating system software.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising obtaining authentication or security information at the Smart Phone for establishing a radio frequency wireless connection to the selected wireless output device, and wherein establishing a radio frequency wireless connection from the Smart Phone to the selected wireless output device includes establishing a restricted radio frequency wireless connection from the Smart Phone to the selected wireless output device for transferring at least part of the digital content to the selected wireless output device.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the Smart Phone further includes a voice interface, and wherein providing one or more wireless output devices to the user for selection includes providing to the user, via the voice interface of the Smart Phone, one or more wireless output devices for selection by the user.

15. A Smart Phone including Smart Phone software containing a program of commands executable by a processor of the Smart Phone to facilitate transfer of digital content from the Smart Phone to a wireless output device, the Smart Phone being a mobile and wireless information apparatus, and the Smart Phone including each of the following applications installed or pre-installed:

a voice communication application,

an e-mail application,

a messaging application,

a digital imaging application,

an audio application,

a video application,

a document editing application,

an Internet browsing application, and

operating system software in the Smart Phone supporting an object model or an application programming interface (API) to facilitate at least one of said messaging application, said e-mail application, said audio application, said video application, said digital imaging application, said document editing application, and said Internet browsing application, individually or in any combination, included in the Smart Phone, and

wherein, the Smart Phone is operable to allow the user to install additional applications to further expand the functionalities of the Smart Phone;

the Smart Phone further comprising;

a digital camera for taking pictures,

a touch sensitive screen interface for interacting with the user,

a graphical user interface over the touch sensitive screen,

a microphone interface,

a speaker interface for outputting sound to the user,

a voice activated command function for receiving voice commands from the user,

a processing unit,

a memory or storage unit for storing at least part of the digital content, and

a wireless communication unit that includes a radio frequency controller and an antenna for establishing radio frequency wireless communication between the Smart Phone and one or more wireless output devices that are distinct devices from the Smart Phone, the wireless communication unit being compatible, at least partly, with at least part of a protocol within IEEE 802.11 standards, the Smart Phone software being further executable by the processor of the Smart Phone to facilitate the Smart Phone to;

receive, via the voice activated command function from the user, a request to transmit or output at least part of the digital content from the Smart Phone, the digital content including one or more of an e-mail, a receipt, a confirmation, a map, a photo, graphics, a web page, and a document, individually or in any combination, and

transmit or output, over the wireless communication unit of the Smart Phone, at least part of the digital content from the Smart Phone;

whereby, the mobile and wireless Smart Phone is operable to receive voice activated commands from the user to transmit or output at least part of the digital content from the Smart Phone; and

wherein, the Smart Phone software is further executable by the processor of the Smart Phone to facilitate the Smart Phone to;

take a picture with the digital camera included in the Smart Phone,

discover, over a radio frequency wireless communication and through the wireless communication unit of the Smart Phone, one or more wireless output devices that are available for service,

provide, to the user via the touch sensitive screen interface of the Smart Phone, the one or more discovered wireless output devices for selection by the user,

receive, from the user via the touch sensitive screen interface of the Smart Phone, a selection of a wireless output device from among the one or more discovered wireless output devices that are provided to the user for selection,

establish via the wireless communication unit that is compatible, at least partly, with at least part of a protocol within IEEE 802.11 standards, a radio frequency wireless connection from the Smart Phone to the selected wireless output device for transfer or output of at least part of an image associated with the picture taken with the digital camera, and

transfer, via the wireless communication unit included in the Smart Phone, at least part of an image associated with the picture taken with the digital camera over the established radio frequency wireless connection from the Smart Phone to the selected wireless output device.

16. The Smart Phone of claim 15, wherein the Smart Phone software is further executable by the processor of the Smart Phone to:

receive, via the voice activated command function from the user of the Smart Phone, a voice activated command for transmitting or outputting at least part of the digital content from the Smart Phone to a wireless output controller device, the wireless output controller device being a distinct device from the Smart Phone, the wireless output controller device being the selected wireless output device or an output controller box externally connectable to the selected wireless output device.

17. The Smart Phone of claim 15, wherein the Smart Phone software is further executable by the processor of the Smart Phone to:

provide, via at least one of the speaker interface of the Smart Phone or the touch sensitive screen interface of the Smart Phone, one or more wireless output controller devices to the user for selection, the one or more wireless output controller devices being distinct devices from the Smart Phone;

receive, via the voice activated command function from the user of the Smart Phone, a selected wireless output controller device from among the one or more wireless output controller devices that are provided to the user for selection by the user, the selected wireless output controller device being a distinct device from the Smart Phone, and

transmit or output, over the wireless communication unit of the Smart Phone, at least part of the digital content to the selected wireless output controller device.

18. The Smart Phone of claim 15, wherein the selected wireless output device is at least one of a music playing device, a sound output device, a video output device, an image display device, a television, a projection device, and a printing device, individually or in any combination.

19. The Smart Phone of claim 15, wherein the Smart Phone is an Internet-Phone that is Internet accessible and the smart phone is connectable to a wireless local area network via the wireless communication unit that is compatible, at least partly, with at least part of a protocol within IEEE 802.11 standards.

20. The Smart Phone of claim 15, wherein the Smart Phone further includes a voice interface, the Smart Phone being further operable to provide to the user, via the voice interface of the Smart Phone, information associated with one or discovered more wireless output devices.