Devices and methods to receive input at a first device and present output in response on a second device different from the first device

• US 9,213,659 B2
• Filed: 12/03/2013
• Issued: 12/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lenovo PC International Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Lenovo Singapore Pte Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Beaumont, Suzanne Marion, VanBlon, Russell Speight, Waltermann, Rod D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mamo, Elias
• Application Number:
  US14/095,093
• Publication Number:
  US 20150154134A1
• Time in Patent Office: 742 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/36 for access to common bus or bus system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/00 Input arrangements for transferring data to be processed into a form capable of being handled by the computer; Output arrangements for transferring data from processing unit to output unit, e.g. interface arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1423 controlling a plurality of local displays, e.g. CRT and flat panel display
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/02 Constructional features of telephone sets

Abstract

An apparatus includes a processor and a memory accessible to the processor. The memory bears instructions executable by the processor to receive user input into the apparatus implicating an output in response, and present the response on a device separate and apart from the apparatus instead of presenting the response on the apparatus.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor;

a memory accessible to the processor and bearing instructions executable by the processor to;

receive user input into the apparatus implicating an output in response;

determine to present the output on a device separate from the apparatus at least in part based on a first determination that the user is looking at the device; and

in response to the first determination and to a second determination that a distance between the device and the apparatus satisfies a test, present the output on the device.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is a tablet computer and the device is a wireless telephone, and wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to:

responsive at least in part to a determination that the input to the tablet computer is a command to make a telephone call, automatically initiate the telephone call using the wireless telephone without further command or input from the user.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second determination comprises:

determining a location of the apparatus; and

determining that the device is at least one of at the location based on position information received from the device, within a threshold distance of the location based on position information received from the device, and at the threshold distance to the location based on position information received from the device;

wherein at least in part based on a determination that the device is at least one of at the location, within the threshold distance of the location, and at the threshold distance of the location, the instructions are executable to present the output on the device.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to present the output on the device at least in part based on input from a temperature sensor.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to present the output on the device at least in part based on input from a humidity sensor.

6. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to present the output on the device at least in part used on input from an ambient light sensor.

7. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to present the output on the device at least in part based on input from one of the group consisting of:

a heat sensor, a sonar receiver, an infrared receiver.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to:

determine to present the output on the device at feast in part based on a determination that the device is a nearest device to the apparatus physically.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the instructions are executable to:

determine to present the output on the device at least in part based on the determination that the user is looking at the device and at least in part based on a determination that the user is gesturing at least toward the device, the determination that the user is gesturing at least toward the device being based a least in part on data received from a camera in communication with the apparatus.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the determination to present the output on the device separate from the apparatus is at least in part based on a determination using eye tracking software that the user is looking at the device.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, comprising a camera accessible to the processor, wherein the determination to present the output on the device is at least in part based on a determination using eye tracking software and data from the camera that the user is looking at the device.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the instructions are executable to determine to present the output on the device at least in part based identification of the user looking at the device as being a command to present the output on the device.

13. A method, comprising;

receiving user input into an apparatus implicating an output in response;

determining to present the output on a device separate from the apparatus at least in part based on a first determination that a user is looking at the device; and

in response to the first determination and to a second determination that a distance between the device and the apparatus satisfies a test, presenting the output on the device.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the second determination comprises:

determining a location of the apparatus; and

determining that the device is at least one of at the location based on position information received from the device, within a threshold distance of the location based on position information received from the device, and at the threshold distance to the location based on position information received from the device;

wherein the method includes, at least in part based on a determination that the device is at least one of at the location, within the threshold distance of the location, and at the threshold distance of the location, presenting the output on the device.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the method comprises:

determining to present the output on the device at least in part based on a determination that the device is a nearest device to the apparatus physically.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the method comprises:

determining to present the output on the device at least in part based on the determination that the user is looking at the device and at least in part based on a determination that the user is gesturing at least toward the device, the determination that the user is gesturing at least toward the device being based at least on part on data received from a can in communication with the apparatus.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the determining to present the output on the device separate from the apparatus is at least in part based on a determination using eye tracking software that the user is looking at the device.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the determining to present the output on the device is at least in part based on a determination using eye tracking software and data from camera coupled to the apparatus that the user is looking at the device.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein method comprises determining to present the output on the device at least in part based identification of the user looking at the device as being a command to present the output on the device.

20. A system, comprising:

a first processor;

a network adapter; and

storage bearing instructions executable by a second processor for;

receiving, user input into an apparatus accessible to the second processor implicating an output in response;

determining to present the output on a device accessible to the second processor and separate from the apparatus at least in part based on a first determination that a user is looking at the device; and

in response to the first determination and to a second determination that a distance between the device and the apparatus satisfies a test, presenting the output on the device;

wherein the first processor transfers the instructions over a network via the network adapter.