TASK SWITCH BETWEEN TWO COMPUTING DEVICES

• US 20100042733A1
• Filed: 10/26/2009
• Published: 02/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Palm, Inc. (TCL Technology Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Jeffrey, Hawkins
• Granted Patent: US 7,844,297 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/228
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2757 by data transmission, e.g. downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72409 by interfacing with external accessories hands-free H04M1/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages

Abstract

A method is provided to enable the person to switch use of computing devices when working with records and/or documents. A method such as described may be implemented for an individual operating two (or more) computing devices that share and synchronize sets of records. One or more operations may be performed to update and maintain correspondence between the two sets of records. A switchover event may be detected, where the event corresponds to the individual using a second computing device while already using a first computing device. Once the switchover event is detected, state of use information may be received on the second computing device. This information indicates the state of use of one or more records on the first computing device. This information may be used to affect the state of use of corresponding records on the second computing device. In particular, the corresponding records on the second computing device may be placed in a state of use, or in a selected state for subsequent use.

Claims

1. A method for switching use between a first computing device and a second computing device, the method comprising:

establishing a communication link between the first computing device and the second computing device;

detecting at the second computing device an event corresponding to a switchover of an operation from a first application operating on the first computing device to a second application operating on the second computing device;

receiving at the second computing device through the communication link, in response to detecting the event, (1) state information corresponding to a first application state of the first application operational on the first computing device, the first application state reflecting the operation performed on the first computing device, and (2) information identifying an application resource in a first resource state on the first computing device; and

performing one or more actions at the second computing device on the second application, in response to acquiring the state information, for continuing the operation on the second computing device, the one or more actions including;

(1) placing the second application in a second application state equivalent to the first application state,

(2) identifying an application resource on the second computing device that has correspondence to the identified application resource on the first computing device, and

(3) providing the application resource on the second computing device in a second resource state equivalent to the first resource state.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising performing one or more synchronization processes to establish correspondence between a first set of application resources on the first computing device and a second set of application resources on the second computing device, the identified application resource on the first computing device being in the first set of application resources, the identified application resource on the second computing device being in the second set of application resources.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein continuing the operation on the second computing device further comprises:

displaying the operation on the second computing device at the switchover to continue the operation on the second computing device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more actions further include:

determining whether a given application resource on the first computing device is new and without a corresponding application resource on the second computing device; and

responding to the given application resource on the first computing device being determined new and without a corresponding application resource on the second computing device, creating a corresponding application resource of the given application resource on the second computing device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first resource state indicates the corresponding application resource is opened by the first application.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the application resource on the first computing device and the application resource on the second computing device comprise one of a record, a document, a message, a program, an executable, a script, and a macro.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the one or more actions further include:

generating a body or an address for the corresponding application resource on the second computing device in response to acquiring the state information, wherein the state information indicates the identified application resource on the first computing device is opened and contains the body or the address.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more actions further include:

(4) determining whether a given record on the first computing device is modified in relation to a corresponding record on the computing device, and

(5) updating the corresponding record on the computing device.

9. A computer-readable storage medium encoded with executable computer program code for switching use between a first computing device and a second computing device, the computer program code comprising program code for:

establishing a communication link between the first computing device and the second computing device;

detecting at the second computing device an event corresponding to a switchover of an operation from a first application operating on the first computing device to a second application operating on the second computing device;

receiving at the second computing device through the communication link, in response to detecting the event, (1) state information corresponding to a first application state of the first application operational on the first computing device, the first application state reflecting the operation performed on the first computing device, and (2) information identifying an application resource in a first resource state on the first computing device; and

performing one or more actions at the second computing device on the second application, in response to acquiring the state information, for continuing the operation on the second computing device, the one or more actions including;

(1) placing the second application in a second application state equivalent to the first application state,

(2) identifying an application resource on the second computing device that has correspondence to the identified application resource on the first computing device, and

(3) providing the application resource on the second computing device in a second resource state equivalent to the first resource state.

10. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the computer program code further comprises program code for:

performing one or more synchronization processes to establish correspondence between a first set of application resources on the first computing device and a second set of application resources on the second computing device, the identified application resource on the first computing device being in the first set of application resources, the identified application resource on the second computing device being in the second set of application resources.

11. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein continuing the operation on the second computing device further comprises:

displaying the operation on the second computing device at the switchover to continue the operation on the second computing device.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the one or more actions further include:

determining whether a given application resource on the first computing device is new and without a corresponding application resource on the second computing device; and

responding to the given application resource on the first computing device being determined new and without a corresponding application resource on the second computing device, creating a corresponding application resource of the given application resource on the second computing device.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the first resource state indicates the corresponding application resource is opened by the first application.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the application resource on the first computing device and the application resource on the second computing device comprise one of a record, a document, a message, a program, an executable, a script, and a macro.

15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the one or more actions further include:

generating a body or an address for the corresponding application resource on the second computing device in response to acquiring the state information, wherein the state information indicates the identified application resource on the first computing device is opened and contains the body or the address.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the one or more actions further include:

(4) determining whether a given record on the first computing device is modified in relation to a corresponding record on the computing device, and

(5) updating the corresponding record on the computing device.

17. A method for switching use between a first computing device and a second computing device, the method comprising:

initiating an operation on a first application resource using a first application operating on the first computing device;

receiving at the first computing device a user input corresponding to a switchover of the operation from the first application to a second application operating on the second computing device;

establishing a communication link between the first computing device and the second computing device; and

transmitting information from the first computing device to the second computing device through the communication link to continue the operation on the second computing device, comprising;

(1) transmitting a signal to the second computing device through the communication link, the signal indicating the switchover of the operation,

(2) transmitting state information to the second computing device through the communication link, the state information including information about a first application state of the first application reflecting the operation performed on the first computing device when the user input is received, the state information also including information about a resource state of the first application resource.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the first resource state indicates the corresponding application resource is opened by the first application.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the application resource comprises one of a record, a document, a message, a program, an executable, a script, and a macro.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the state information further includes a message body and a message address.