Adaptive user interface for multi-source systems

• US 9,686,145 B2
• Filed: 09/13/2012
• Issued: 06/20/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Brison, Uriel R., Sherman, Itay, Bychkov, Eyal, Segalov, Yaron
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, THANH T
• Application Number:
  US13/612,879
• Publication Number:
  US 20130036366A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,741 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0238 Programmable keyboards key guide holders G06F3/0224
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0879 Manual configuration through operator
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72409 by interfacing with external accessories hands-free H04M1/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72442 for playing music files
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7246 by connection of exchangeable housing parts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72466 with selection means, e.g. keys, having functions defined by the mode or the status of the device
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A mufti-source client-host system that maintains a uniform look & feel user interface, including a host device including a central processing unit, a storage memory for storing look & feel parameters for a graphical user interface, the graphical user interface employing a plurality of graphic images for user interaction, and a display for displaying the graphic images employed by the graphical user interface, a client device that can be attached to and detached from the host device, including a central processing unit, and a configuration program for generating at least one of the graphic images employed by the graphical user interface, the at least one of the graphic images conforming to the look & feel parameters, and a communication channel between the host transceiver and the client transceiver, for data transmission.

Claims

1. A host device comprising:

a display;

one or more computer processors; and

one or more computer-readable storage media having instructions stored thereon that, responsive to execution by the one or more computer processors, perform operations comprising;

presenting, on the display, a host configuration screen user interface having host configuration screen user interface visual elements that the display uses when displaying the host configuration screen, the host configuration screen user interface visual elements including a user interface size, a font style, a font type, a font size, a font color, a background, a menu type, a menu topology, a control topology, a screen template, or transitional entry effects;

transmitting the host configuration screen user interface visual elements to a client device via a communication network, the host configuration screen user interface visual elements enabling the client device to alter a client configuration screen user interface to have a visual format conforming to the host configuration screen user interface visual elements; and

receiving, from the client device, the altered client configuration screen user interface and presenting the altered client configuration screen user interface on the display;

or

causing the client device to display the altered client configuration screen user interface on a display of the client device.

2. The host device of claim 1, wherein the communication network is a wired network.

3. The host device of claim 1, wherein the communication network is a wireless network.

4. The host device of claim 1, wherein the host configuration screen user interface includes a control that enables the host device to switch between a host mode of operation and a client mode of operation when the client device is attached to the host device.

5. The host device of claim 1, wherein the host configuration screen user interface includes a plurality of controls, the controls representing user commands supported by the client device when the client device is attached to the host device.

6. The host device of claim 5, the operations further comprising:

transmitting, to the client device when the plurality of controls are activated, the user commands represented by the plurality of controls; and

receiving, from the client device in response to the client device receiving the user commands, an element for presenting on the host configuration screen user interface.

7. The host device of claim 1, wherein the host configuration screen user interface enables configuration of the functionality of the host device.

8. The host device of claim 7, wherein the configuration of the functionality of the host device includes defining a function and a location of a multi-function key.

9. A host device, comprising:

a display;

one or more computer processors; and

one or more computer-readable storage media having instructions stored thereon that, responsive to execution by the one or more computer processors, perform operations comprising;

presenting, on the display, a host configuration screen user interface using a web page for user interaction, the host configuration screen user interface having host configuration screen user interface visual elements that the display uses when displaying the host configuration screen, the host configuration screen user interface visual elements including a user interface size, a font style, a font type, a font size, a font color, a background, a menu type, a menu topology, a control topology, a screen template, or transitional entry effects;

transmitting the host configuration screen user interface visual elements to a client device via a communication network, the host configuration screen user interface visual elements enabling the client device to alter another web page to have a visual format conforming to the host configuration screen user interface visual elements; and

receiving, from the client device, the altered web page and presenting the altered web page on the display;

or

causing the client device to display the altered web page on a display of the client device.

10. The host device of claim 9, wherein the host configuration screen user interface is a web browser.

11. The host device of claim 9, wherein the communication network is a wired network.

12. The host device of claim 9, wherein the communication network is a wireless network.

13. The host device of claim 9, wherein the host configuration screen user interface includes a control that an enables the host device to switch between a host mode of operation and a client mode of operation when the client device is attached to the host device.

14. The host device of claim 9, wherein the host configuration screen user interface includes a plurality of controls representing user commands supported by the client device when the client device is attached to the host device.

15. The host device of claim 14, the operations further comprising:

transmitting, to the client device when the plurality of controls are activated, the user commands represented by the plurality of controls; and

receiving, from the client device in response to the client device receiving the user commands, a second web page for presenting on the host configuration screen user interface, the second web page different from the web page and the other web page.

16. The host device of claim 9, wherein the host configuration screen user interface enables configuration of the functionality of the host device.

17. The host device of claim 16, wherein the configuration of the functionality of the host device includes defining a function and a location of a multi-function key.