Method and system for remotely operating a computer

• US 20030234809A1
• Filed: 06/19/2002
• Published: 12/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Calsyn, Martin R., Woodruff, Bryan A., Kakivaya, Gopala Krishna R., Fong, Jeffrey C., Parker, Kathryn L., Weinberg, Mark Jeffrey, Rhoten, Molly Scoville, Flora, William T. Jr.
• Application Number:
  US10/174,707
• Publication Number:
  US 20030234809A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/740
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/025 for remote control or remote monitoring of applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability

Abstract

A method and system for operating a computer remotely whereby a hand-held device is used to input commands to control the computer. A logical connection is established within a network computing environment between the hand-held device and the computer. Client and server applications are started that facilitate two-way communication between the computer and the hand-held device. Media devices and entertainment devices connected to the computer can also be controlled by the hand-held device.

Claims

1. A method for remotely operating a computer, comprising:

providing for the logical coupling of a hand-held device to the computer;

providing for the presentation of a user interface on the hand-held device for controlling the computer; and

providing for the reception of control commands transmitted from the hand-held device whereby the computer responds to the reception of the control commands.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the providing for the logical coupling of a hand-held device to the computer comprises:

enabling the computer to be connected to a network; and

enabling the hand-held device to be connected to the network.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein enabling the computer to be connected to the network includes enabling the computer to be connected to a wireless network.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the providing for the presentation of a user interface on the hand-held device includes:

running a server application on the computer for transmitting a user interface to the hand-held device and for receiving commands from the hand-held device; and

running a client application on the hand-held device for receiving the user interface and transmitting commands to the computer.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein providing for the reception of control commands includes providing for the transfer of a file on the computer to the hand-held device.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing for a coupling of a plurality of components to the computer, wherein the computer response to the reception of the control commands includes controlling one of the plurality of components coupled to the computer.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the components are media components.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the media components are selected from a group consisting of the following:

a television, a video player, a video recorder, an audio player, an audio recorder, a camera, a secondary computer, and a gaming console.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the components are household components.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the household components are selected from a group consisting of the following:

a temperature control device, a refrigeration device, a set of window blinds, a light, an electrical outlet, a cooking device, and a home monitoring device.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein the computer response to the reception of the control commands includes controlling an application running on the computer.

12. A method for operating a computer remotely, comprising:

providing for the logical coupling of a hand-held device to the computer;

providing for the reception on the hand-held device of a user interface for operating the computer; and

providing for the transmission of a control command from the hand-held device to the computer, whereby the computer responds to the control command.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein providing for the logical coupling of a hand-held device to the computer includes equipping the hand-held device with a wireless network access component for accessing a wireless network.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein providing for the reception of the user interface includes providing for the reception of a user interface transmitted from the computer.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein providing for the reception of a user interface from the computer occurs by programming the hand-held device to execute a version of Terminal Services.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein providing for the transmission of a control command from the hand-held device includes providing for a transmission of a command inputted via a user on the hand-held device to the computer via the network.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein providing for the transmission of a control command includes providing for a file transmission request, whereby a file from the computer is transmitted to the hand-held device in response to the file transmission request.

18. A hand-held device programmed to perform the steps recited in the method of claim 12.

19. A method for controlling components coupled to a computer, comprising:

logically coupling a hand-held device to the computer;

establishing a user interface on the hand-held device for controlling the components; and

issuing control commands from the hand-held device whereby the device responds to the issuing of the control commands.

20. A system for remotely controlling a computer, comprising:

a computer equipped with a transceiving device;

a hand-held device logically coupled to the computer;

a server application for transceiving commands to and from the hand-held device; and

a client application for transceiving commands to and from the server computer, whereby a plurality of components are controlled via commands issued from the hand-held device.

21. A hand-held device-readable medium with hand-held device-executable instructions embedded theron for remotely controlling a computer, which when executed perform the steps comprising:

logically coupling the a hand-held device to the computer;

displaying on the hand-held device a user interface for operating the computer; and

transmitting a control command from the hand-held device to the computer whereby the computer responds to the control command.

22. The hand-held device-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the step of logically coupling the hand-held device to the computer includes establishing a connection between the hand-held device and the computer via a wireless network.

23. The hand-held device-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the step of displaying the user interface on the hand-held device includes receiving a graphical user interface transmitted from the computer.

24. The hand-held device-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the step of displaying the user interface on the hand-held device includes executing a user interface presentation module locally on the hand-held device.

25. The hand-held device-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the step of transmitting a control command from the hand-held device includes transmitting a command entered by a user at the hand-held device to the computer.

26. The hand-held device-readable medium of claim 25, wherein the computer response to the reception of the control commands includes controlling one of the plurality of components to the computer.

27. The hand-held device-readable medium of claim 25, wherein the computer response to the reception of the control commands includes controlling an application running on the computer.

28. The hand-held device-readable medium of claim 25, wherein the computer response to the reception of the control commands includes transmitting a file from the computer to the hand-held device.

29. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon for remotely controlling components coupled to a computer, the computer-readable instructions, comprising:

code for logically coupling a hand-held device to the computer;

code for presenting a user interface on the hand-held device for controlling the components;

code for receiving control commands transmitted from the hand-held device, whereby the computer responds to the reception of the control commands.

30. The computer-readable medium of claim 29, wherein code for logically coupling a hand-held device to the computer comprises:

code for enabling the computer to be connected to a network; and

code for enabling the hand-held device to be connected to the network.

32. The computer-readable medium of claim 29, wherein code for presenting the user interface on the hand-held device includes:

code for running a server application on the computer for transmitting a user-interface to the hand-held device and for receiving commands from the hand-held device; and

code for running a client application on the hand-held device for receiving the user interface and transmitting commands to the computer.

31. The computer-readable medium of 30, wherein code for enabling the computer to be connected to a network includes code for enabling the computer to be connected to a wireless network.

33. A method in a computing network environment for controlling components coupled to a computer using a personal data assistant (PDA), comprising:

establishing a wireless link between the computer and the PDA;

running a control application on the computer that controls the components coupled to the computer, the control application having a user interface; and

transmitting the user interface to the PDA whereby inputs made at the PDA control the components.

34. A method for operating home-entertainment equipment using a Pocket PC device, comprising:

coupling the home-entertainment equipment to a personal computer;

establishing a wireless link between the personal computer and the Pocket PC device;

launching a home-entertainment equipment-control application having a user interface on the computer; and

receiving the user interface at the Pocket PC device, whereby inputs made at the Pocket PC device control the home-entertainment equipment.