Resource controlled user interface resource management

• US 9,182,839 B2
• Filed: 08/09/2012
• Issued: 11/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Karaoguz, Jeyhan, Bennett, James D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Augustine, Nicholas
• Application Number:
  US13/570,975
• Publication Number:
  US 20120303820A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,188 Days
• Field of Search: 715/735, 715/737, 715/738, 715/745, 715/747, 715/769, 715/773
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/954 Navigation, e.g. using categorised browsing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0384 Wireless input, i.e. hardware and software details of wireless interface arrangements for pointing devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/50 Testing arrangements

Abstract

A communication link may be managed between the user interface and a system, where the user interface allows a user to select the system. The user interface is determined to be capable of being used with the system. It is communicated that the user interface may be used with the system. The user requests that the user interface be allocated for use with the system. The user interface is allocated for use with the system.

Claims

1. A method for managing a portable user interface device, comprising:

establishing, with a processing module, respective communication links between the portable user interface device and a plurality of systems;

dynamically determining with the processing module that the portable user interface device is available for use as an input device and is compatible with a first system and a second system included among the plurality of systems;

communicating to the first system with an output device over the communication link that the portable user interface device may be used as an input device with the first system;

receiving a request that the portable user interface device be allocated for use with the first system;

allocating the portable user interface device for use with the first system when the portable user interface device is within a communication range of the first system; and

updating a database stored in a memory of the portable user interface device with availability information of the first system and the second system, and that the portable user interface device is currently allocated to the first system.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising establishing a second wireless communication link between the portable user interface device and the second system, and wherein

the communicating comprises communicating that the portable user interface device may be used with the second system.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining further comprises determining whether using the portable user interface device with the first system is authorized.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining further comprises determining secure communication capability of at least one of the first system and the portable user interface device.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising encrypting information communicated between the first system and the portable user interface device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the requesting further comprises using an input device of the portable user interface device to request that the portable user interface device be allocated for use with the first system.

7. The method of claim 1, where the portable user interface device allows selection of the first system from among the plurality of systems.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the communicating further comprises communicating, on the output device of the portable user interface device, that the portable user interface device may be used with the second system.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing information of the second system related to the allocation of the portable user interface device.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the allocating further comprises allocating the portable user interface device with the second system.

11. A portable user interface device, comprising:

a communication module to communicatively couple the portable user interface device with a plurality of systems including a first system and a second system;

an input module connected with the communication module, the input module to communicate information to the systems;

an availability determination module connected with the communication module, the availability determination module to dynamically determine whether the portable user interface device is compatible as an input device with any of the systems, and communicate that the portable user interface device has compatibility for use as an input device with the first system and the second system;

an allocation module that receives a request from the input module to allocate the portable user interface device for use with the first system, and allocates the portable user interface device for use with the first system; and

an output module to display an availability of the portable user interface device for use with the first system and the second system, and to indicate that at least a portion of the user interface device is allocated to the first system.

12. The portable user interface device of claim 11, wherein the determination module further determines whether using the portable user interface device with each of the systems is authorized.

13. The portable user interface device of claim 11, wherein the determination module further determines secure communication capability of the portable user interface device and each of the systems.

14. The portable user interface device of claim 11, further comprising a secure communication module communicatively coupled to the communication module that encrypts and decrypts information communicated between the portable user interface device and the systems.

15. The portable user interface device of claim 11, wherein the allocation module communicates information related to the allocation request to the portable user interface device.

16. The portable user interface device of claim 11, wherein the allocation module communicates a second system information related to an allocation of the portable user interface device for use with the second system.

17. The portable user interface device of claim 11, further comprising a U/I resource interface device module communicatively coupled to a second portable user interface device, and wherein the allocation module further allocates the second portable user interface device for use with the system.

18. A portable user interface device, comprising:

a processor;

an availability determination module executed by the processor to identify a plurality of systems that the portable user interface device may communicate with by determination of which of the systems the portable user interface device is available and compatible for use as an input device with;

an output module connected with the availability determination module, the output module executed by the processor to display indication of a first system and a second system, from among the plurality of systems, that the portable user interface device may connect with as an input device;

an input module connected with the output module, the input module executed by the processor to select at least one of the first system and the second system from the plurality of systems to connect with; and

the output module executed by the processor to provide an indication of allocation of the portable user interface device being in use with at least one of the first system and the second system in accordance with the selection.

19. The portable user interface device of claim 18, further comprising a communication module executed by the processor to communicatively couple the portable user interface device with the selected first system and/or the second system.

20. The portable user interface device of claim 18, wherein the availability determination module is further executed by the processor to analyze compatibility characteristics to determine whether use of the portable user interface device with the first system and/or the second system is appropriate.