Context-aware auxiliary display platform and applications

• US 20050243019A1
• Filed: 05/03/2004
• Published: 11/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Fuller, Andrew J., Rhoten, Matthew P., Perez, Juan, Steeb, Curt A., Schoppa, Christopher A., Dongen, Niels van
• Granted Patent: US 7,511,682 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/1.300
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/544 Remote
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/542 Event management; Broadcasting; Multicasting; Notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 according to context-related or environment-related conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10

Abstract

Described is a mechanism by which application programs (or plug-ins) and an auxiliary service adjust the output and/or data available for output on an auxiliary device based on changes detected in the current context of the auxiliary display. Context sensors detect and report changes in context, whereby some action is taken with respect to what information is displayed or can be displayed on the auxiliary display device. Examples of context data that can change include the physical location of the display, detected movement or motion data, presence of a particular user or others, power state, network connectivity status, privacy status and so forth. The auxiliary device can have context as to its position relative to the main display. Information sensitivity levels may be used to specify whether an application program'"'"'s data can be displayed, based on the perceived sensitivity of the information and the user'"'"'s current context.

Claims

1. In a computing environment having a computer system, a system comprising:

an auxiliary device coupled to the computer system to output auxiliary information;

at least one context sensor that indicates a current context that is able to change; and

a service coupled to the context sensor that manages the output of information on the auxiliary device based on the current context.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising a program that registers with the service to indicate whether information corresponding to that program is to be displayed based on the current context.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the context sensor detects a state of network connectivity as a current context.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the context sensor detects a change in location of the auxiliary device relative to a main display of the computer system.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the context sensor detects a change in a physical location the computer system.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the context sensor detects a change in a physical location the computer system based on global positioning system data.

7. The system of claim 5 wherein the context sensor detects a change in a physical location the computer system based on detection of a wireless signal.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the context sensor detects a presence of at least one person near the auxiliary device.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the context sensor detects an online or offline power state of the main computer.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the context sensor corresponds to a button on an actuator of the auxiliary display.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the service manages the output of information on the auxiliary device by modifying data in an offline cache in response to a context change.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein the service manages the output of information on the auxiliary device by notifying an application program in response to a context change, the application adjusting its output in response to the context change notification.

13. In a computing environment having a computer system and an auxiliary device coupled to the computer system to output auxiliary information, a method comprising:

detecting a context change, and adjusting the information that can be output on the auxiliary device based on the context change detection.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein detecting a context change comprises receiving data indicative of a location change of the auxiliary device relative to a main display of the computer system.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein detecting a context change comprises receiving data indicative of a physical location of the auxiliary device.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein detecting a context change comprises receiving data indicative of a change in the state of network connectivity.

17. The method of claim 13 wherein detecting a context change comprises receiving data indicative of a presence of at least one person near the auxiliary device.

18. The method of claim 13 wherein detecting a context change comprises receiving data indicative of an online or offline power state of the main computer.

19. The method of claim 13 wherein detecting a context change comprises detecting actuation of an actuator associated with the auxiliary device.

20. The method of claim 13 wherein adjusting the output comprises modifying data in an offline cache in response to a context change.

21. The method of claim 13 wherein adjusting the output comprises notifying an application program in response to a context change, the application adjusting its output in response to the context change notification.

22. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions, which when executed perform the method of claim 13.

23. In a computing environment having a main computer system and an auxiliary device, a method comprising:

receiving, at the auxiliary device, information corresponding to a context change;

communicating context-related data corresponding to the context change to the main computer system; and

changing a state of the main computer system based on the context-related data.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein communicating the context-related data comprises sending an event from the auxiliary device to a program running on the main computer system.

25. The method of claim 23 further comprising, registering a program on the main computer system to receive an event from the auxiliary device indicative of the context change.

26. The method of claim 23 wherein the main computer system is offline when the information corresponding to a context change is received, and wherein communicating the context-related data comprises maintaining the information in storage until the main computer system is online.

27. The method of claim 23 wherein communicating the context-related data comprises responding to a query from a program running on the main computer system.

28. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions, which when executed perform the method of claim 23.