Method and apparatus for providing a user interface having a guided task flow among a plurality of devices

• US 9,298,334 B1
• Filed: 02/15/2012
• Issued: 03/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Marvell Asia Pte Limited (Marvell Technology Group Limited)
• Original Assignee: Marvell International Limited (Marvell Technology Group Limited)
• Inventors: Zimmerman, Gary D., Stokes, DeVerl, Mahaffy, Brian, Allen, Bryan
• Primary Examiner(s): Baderman, Scott
• Assistant Examiner(s): Velez-Lopez, Mario M
• Application Number:
  US13/396,902
• Time in Patent Office: 1,504 Days
• Field of Search: 715/740
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/38 for implementing user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/453 Help systems

Abstract

Systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with providing a user interface having a guided task flow among a plurality of devices are described. According to one embodiment, a method includes receiving, by a first device, a request from a second device requesting a user interface. The request includes a parameter describing a configuration of the second device. The second device is remote from the first device and includes a display. The method also includes generating, from a template user interface, a user interface for the second device based, at least in part, on the parameter. The user interface includes a task flow for controlling the first device to perform a series of tasks. The method includes providing the user interface to the second device for display on the display of the second device.

Claims

1. A controller for a first device, the controller comprising:

interface logic configured to;

receive a parameter from a second device, wherein the second device is a mobile device that is remote from the first device and includes a display, and wherein the first device is an imaging device,

generate a user interface based, at least in part, on the parameter received from the second device, wherein the user interface includes a task flow for controlling the first device to perform a series of tasks,

populate the task flow with tasks that correspond to functions capable of being performed by the first device,

wherein the interface logic is configured to populate the task flow with one or more tasks that correspond to native functions of the second device as indicated by the parameter to provide access to the native functions of the second device through the user interface,

provide the user interface to the second device for display on the display of the second device, and

receive, from the second device, a control signal including an indication of a first task selected from the series of tasks in the task flow, the first task having been selected through the user interface displayed on the display of the second device; and

control logic configured to, in response to the indication contained in the control signal, control the first device to automatically perform the first task selected from the series of tasks in the task flow.

2. The controller of claim 1, wherein the first task comprises a batch flow task configured to cause the first device to iteratively perform a set of actions on a plurality of files stored on the first device, wherein the interface logic is configured to arrange tasks in the series of tasks in a predefined order to sequentially guide a user of the second device through multiple multi-step functions capable of being performed by the first device,

wherein the predefined order is based, at least in part, on a dependence of tasks on other tasks in the series of tasks, wherein the dependence is a processing dependence that indicates when one task depends on processing of another task in the series of tasks.

3. The controller of claim 1, wherein:

the parameter comprises a resolution and an orientation for a display of the second device; and

the interface logic is configured to configure the user interface to cause the second device to display the user interface on the display of the remote device in accordance with the resolution and the orientation.

4. The controller of claim 1, wherein the first device is a multifunction printer.

5. The controller of claim 1, wherein the interface logic is configured to provide the user interface to a third device while simultaneously providing the user interface to the second device, wherein the third device is remote from each of the first device and the second device.

6. The controller of claim 1, wherein the interface logic is configured to arrange the series of tasks in the predefined order according to which tasks occur prior to other tasks in the series of tasks when processing a document, and wherein the controller is configured to provide network access to the second device.

7. The controller of claim 1, wherein the predefined order is based, at least in part, on a dependence of at least one task on other tasks in the series of tasks, and wherein the interface logic is configured to dynamically modify the predefined order by removing a task, adding a task, or re-arranging a task from the series of tasks based, at least in part, on a user input from the second device, wherein the interface logic is configured to receive drag and drop inputs from the user to modify the series of tasks.

8. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a first device that is an imaging device, a request from a second device requesting a user interface, wherein the request includes a parameter describing a configuration of the second device, and wherein the second device is a mobile device that is remote from the first device and includes a display;

generating, from a template user interface, a user interface for the second device based, at least in part, on the parameter, wherein the user interface includes a task flow for controlling the first device to perform a series of tasks,

wherein generating the user interface includes populating the task flow with tasks that correspond to functions capable of being performed by the first device, and wherein generating the user interface includes generating the user interface with one or more tasks in the task flow that correspond to native functions of the second device as indicated by the parameter to provide access to the native functions of the second device through the user interface; and

providing the user interface to the second device for display on the display of the second device.

9. The method of claim 8, comprising:

receiving, from the second device in the first device, a control signal including an indication of a first task selected from the series of tasks in the task flow, the first task having been selected through the user interface displayed on the display of the second device; and

controlling the first device to automatically perform the first task from the series of tasks in response to the indication in the control signal from the user interface on the second device,

wherein generating the user interface includes arranging tasks in the series of tasks in a predefined sequence to sequentially guide a user of the second device that displays the user interface through multiple multi-step functions capable of being performed by the first device,

wherein the predefined order is based, at least in part, on a dependence of tasks on other tasks in the series of tasks, and wherein the dependence is a processing dependence that indicates when one task depends on processing of another task in the series of tasks.

10. The method of claim 8, comprising:

dynamically modifying a sequence of the series of tasks by re-arranging a task in the series of tasks, removing a task, or adding a task.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the sequence of the series of tasks is based, at least in part, on a dependence of at least one task on other tasks in the series of tasks, and wherein arranging tasks in the series of tasks in predefined sequence includes arranging the series of tasks according to which tasks occur prior to other tasks in the series of tasks when processing a document.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the first task in the task flow is a batch flow task for controlling the first device to iteratively perform a set of actions on a plurality of files stored on the first device.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the parameter includes a resolution and an orientation for the display of the second device and generating the user interface includes configuring the user interface to cause the second device to display the user interface on the display of the second device based on the orientation and resolution.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the first device is a multifunction printer.

15. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

providing network access to the second device by the first device, wherein providing the user interface to the second device includes simultaneously providing a second user interface to a third device that is remote from each of the first device and the second device.

16. An integrated circuit in a controller of a first device that is an imaging device, the controller comprising:

interface logic implemented in hardware and configured to;

receive a parameter from a second device, wherein the second device is a mobile device that is remote from the first device and includes a display,

generate a user interface based, at least in part, on the parameter received from the second device, wherein the user interface includes a task flow for controlling the first device to perform a series of tasks,

populate the task flow with tasks that correspond to functions capable of being performed by the first device, wherein the interface logic is configured to populate the task flow with one or more tasks that correspond to native functions of the second device as indicated by the parameter,

provide the user interface to the second device for display on the display of the second device, and

receive, from the second device, a control signal including an indication of a first task selected from the series of tasks in the task flow, the first task having been selected through the user interface displayed on the display of the second device; and

control logic implemented in hardware and configured to, in response to the indication contained in the control signal, control the first device to automatically perform the first task selected from the series of tasks in the task flow.

17. The integrated circuit of claim 16, wherein the first task comprises a batch flow task configured to cause the first device to iteratively perform a set of actions on a plurality of files stored on the first device,

wherein the interface logic is configured to arrange tasks in the series of tasks in a predefined order to sequentially guide a user of the second device through multiple multi-step functions capable of being performed by the first device,

wherein the predefined order is based, at least in part, on a dependence of tasks on other tasks in the series of tasks, and wherein the dependence is a processing dependence that indicates when one task depends on processing of another task in the series of tasks.

18. The integrated circuit of claim 16, wherein:

the parameter comprises a resolution and an orientation for a display of the second device, and

the interface logic is configured to configure the user interface to cause the second device to display the user interface on the display of the remote device in accordance with the resolution and the orientation.

19. The integrated circuit of claim 16, wherein the interface logic is configured to provide the user interface to a third device while simultaneously providing the user interface to the second device, wherein the third device is remote from each of the first device and the second device and

wherein the control logic is configured to provide network access to the second device.

20. The integrated circuit of claim 16, wherein

the interface logic is configured to dynamically modify the predefined order by removing a task, adding a task, or re-arranging a task from the series of tasks based, at least in part, on a user input from the second device.