AUTOMATIC MULTIMEDIA SLIDESHOWS FOR SOCIAL MEDIA-ENABLED MOBILE DEVICES

• US 20120108293A1
• Filed: 10/29/2010
• Published: 05/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Law, Veronica Y., Lemson, Kathryn C., Xu, Lejie
• Granted Patent: US 10,102,208 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/557
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/4393 Multimedia presentations, e.g. slide shows, multimedia albums

Abstract

Apparatus, computer-readable storage media, and methods are disclosed for allowing wireless communication device users to retrieve and view photographs, videos, and other media content using mobile computing platforms for display using a slideshow application. According to one disclosed embodiment, a method of performing a client-side slideshow application on a wireless communication device comprises, based on detecting that that wireless communication device is connected to a charging device, automatically invoking a slideshow application operable to display a series of images using the wireless communication device. The method further comprises transmitting a request for images via the Internet and receiving a series of images selected based at least in part on the request, adding at least one image from the series of images to an image playlist, and displaying at least a portion of the image playlist sequentially using the slideshow application on the wireless communication device.

Claims

1. A method of performing a client-side slideshow application on a wireless communication device, comprising:

based on detecting that that wireless communication device is connected to a charging device, automatically invoking the slideshow application, wherein the slideshow application is operable to display a series of images using the wireless communication device;

transmitting a request for images via the Internet;

receiving, via the Internet, the series of images, wherein the images in the series of images are selected based at least in part on the request;

adding at least one image from the series of images to an image playlist; and

displaying at least a portion of the image playlist sequentially using the slideshow application on the wireless communication device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising adding at least one image stored locally on the wireless communication device to the image playlist, wherein the displaying comprises displaying at least one locally-stored image and at least one image of the series of images.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether the wireless communication device is authenticated with an online application; and

based on the determining;

if the wireless communication device is authenticated with the online application, receiving media data from the online application, and

if the wireless communication device is not authenticated to the online application, receiving media data from local storage coupled to the wireless communication device but not from the online application.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising playing back local media data stored on the wireless communication device.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the slideshow application plays the received media data more frequently when the wireless communication device is connected to a charging device than when the wireless communication device is not connected to the charging device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the slideshow application is operable to playback still images, video images, or photo and video images on a display coupled to the wireless communication device.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the display is not mechanically coupled to the wireless communication device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting is based on at least one of the following criteria:

whether the wireless communication device is connected to a charging device;

whether the wireless communication device is in an idle period for a predetermined period of time;

whether the wireless communication device has access to a non-empty set of media data; and

whether the slideshow application has been previously enabled by a user setting.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising playing back media data using the slideshow application based on an orientation of the wireless communication device, wherein:

when the orientation is determined to be a first orientation, playing back at least one still image and at least one video image, and

when the orientation is determined to be a second orientation, playing back one or more still images but not playing back any video images.

10. One or more computer-readable storage media storing computer-readable instructions that when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform the method of claim 1.

11. One or more computer-readable storage media storing computer-readable instructions executable by a computer for executing a slideshow application to play back media associated with social network members, the computer-readable instructions comprising:

computer-readable instructions for searching first data associated with a wireless communication device, the first data including data associating a member of a social network with one or more third-party members of the social network, producing search results;

computer-readable instructions for receiving selected media data associated with at least one of the third-party members, wherein the received media data is selected based at least in part on the search results; and

computer-readable instructions for playing back at least a portion of the received media data using the slideshow application on the wireless communication device.

12. The computer-readable storage media of claim 11, wherein the first data includes history data for communications to or from the user and the at least one of the other users.

13. The computer-readable storage media of claim 12, wherein the history data includes history data associated with sending or receiving messages to or from the user and the at least one other user, wherein the messages include at least one or more of the following:

voice calls, voice mails, instant messages, SMS messages, electronic mail, web browsing, or social networking.

14. The computer-readable storage media of claim 12, wherein the history data includes history data associated with the frequency that the user visits online content associated with the at least one of the other users.

15. The computer-readable storage media of claim 11, wherein the computer-readable instructions further comprise:

computer-readable instructions for determining the level of ambient light in an area of proximity to the wireless communication device, and

computer-readable instructions for comparing the determined level of ambient light to a predetermined level and based on comparing, executing the instructions for;

searching the first data, receiving the selected media data, and playing back the at least a portion of the media data.

16. The computer-readable storage media of claim 11, further comprising:

computer-readable instructions for receiving calendar entry data associated with the user, wherein the calendar entry data includes appointment data associated with the user and the at least one of the other users; and

computer-readable instructions for, based on the received calendar entry data, executing the instructions for searching the first data, receiving the selected media data, and playing back the at least a portion of the media data.

17. The computer-readable storage media of claim 11, wherein:

the slideshow application has an interactive mode and a photo frame mode;

the received media data includes private media data designated as private;

when the slideshow application is in the interactive mode, the slideshow application is operable to play back the private media data; and

when the slideshow application is in the photo frame mode, the slideshow is not operable to play back the private media data.

18. The computer-readable storage media of claim 11, wherein:

the slideshow application has an interactive mode and a photo frame mode;

when the slideshow application is in the interactive mode, the slideshow application uses at least one user-defined setting to determine a playback option; and

when the slideshow application is in the photo frame mode, the slideshow uses a pre-defined setting to determine the playback option, wherein the pre-defined setting is not configurable by the user.

19. The computer-readable storage media of claim 11, further comprising:

computer-readable instructions for stopping execution of the instructions for;

searching the first data, receiving the media data, and displaying the at least a portion of the media data, when battery charge level for the wireless communication device reaches a predetermined level.

20. A method of providing media data to a slideshow application executable on a remote device, comprising:

receiving slideshow media data associated with a first user;

receiving metadata associated with the slideshow media data;

receiving a request from the remote device to transmit slideshow media data, wherein the remote device is associated with a second user, wherein the request includes data associating the first user with the second user;

determining relevant media data from the received slideshow media data based at least in part on the received metadata and the data associating the first user with the second user; and

transmitting at least a portion of the relevant media data for use by a slideshow application to the remote device.