SYNCHRONIZING USER INTERFACE ACROSS MULTIPLE DEVICES

• US 20150188776A1
• Filed: 12/29/2014
• Published: 07/02/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: KT Corporation
• Original Assignee: KT Corporation
• Inventors: LEE, Sang-Wook, LEE, Seung-Woo
• Application Number:
  US14/584,043
• Publication Number:
  US 20150188776A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 34/04 Signal transfer or data transmission arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: F24C 7/08 Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/00 Arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless electrical link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/30 User interface
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/93 Remote control using other portable devices, e.g. mobile phone, PDA, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/668 Microwave heating devices connected to a telecommunication network
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/68 for monitoring or control

Abstract

Provided is a method of synchronizing with associated electronic devices to have a designated user interface. The method may include generating, by a first electronic device, user interface context information when a user input is received from a user to change at least one of properties of a current user interface of the first electronic device and transmitting, by the first electronic device, the generated user interface context information to at least one of the associated electronic devices.

Claims

1. A method of synchronizing with associated electronic devices to have a designated user interface, the method comprising:

generating, by a first electronic device, user interface context information upon generation of a predetermined event; and

transmitting, by the first electronic device, the generated user interface context information to at least one of the associated electronic devices.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the generating comprises:

determining a service type of the first electronic device, as service type information;

obtaining information on the first electronic device as device information and information on a current user interface of the first electronic device as user interface information; and

generating the user interface context information by including the service type information, the device information, and the user interface information.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the determining comprises:

determining the service type based on profile data stored in a memory of the first electronic device when the first electronic device is a single-purpose device; and

determining the service type based on active applications and contents being processed by the active applications when the first electronic device is a multi-purpose device.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the obtaining comprises:

determining a user input type to recognize a user input received from the user based on properties of the current user interface; and

determining a user output type to output a result of a predetermined operation to a user based on properties of the current user interface.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein:

the user input type includes at least one of a voice input type, a gesture input type, a touch input type, a text input type, a button input type, a keyboard input type, a motion input type, and a button input type; and

the user output type includes at least one of a voice output type, a vibration output type, and a display output type.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting comprises:

selecting target electronic devices to transmit the generated user interface context information based on at least one of a distance from the first electronic device and a service type of the first electronic device;

generating a synch request message to include the generated user interface context information; and

transmitting the generated synch request message to the selected target electronic devices.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the selecting comprises:

transmitting a request message to an associated home gateway to select electronic devices having a service type associated with the service type of the first electronic device, as the target electronic devices to transmit the generated user interface context information.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the generating comprises:

determining whether a user input has been received after setting the at least one of properties of the current user interface; and

generating the user interface context information only when the user input has been received.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the generating comprises:

detecting a user input to change a user input type of the current user interface; and

generating a synch request message including information on the changed user input type for requesting the associated electronic devices to have a designated user interface in association with the changed user input type.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined event includes at least one of:

receipt of a user input for changing at least one of properties of a current user interface of the first electronic device;

receipt of a synch request message;

maintaining of a current user interface for a predetermined time period;

expiration of a predetermined time duration; and

detection of a predetermined electronic device located within a predetermined distance from the first electronic device.

10. A method of synchronizing associated electronic devices to have a designated user interface, the method comprising:

receiving, by a second electronic device, a synch request message including user interface context information from a first electronic device; and

changing, by the second electronic device, at least one property of a user interface of the second electronic device based on information on a user interface of the first electronic device, which is included in the received synch request message.

11. The method of claim 10, comprising:

extracting user interface context information from the synch request message;

obtaining information on a requested service type and a requested user interface type from service type information and user interface information included in the extracted user interface context information; and

selecting a target user interface based on the obtained information on the requested service type and the requested user interface type.

12. The method of claim 10, comprising:

obtaining a requested service type and a requested user interface type from the received synch request message;

determining whether the second electronic device has a service type associated with the requested service type and whether the second electronic device supports the requested user interface type; and

changing the current user interface of the second electronic device when the second electronic device has the associated service type and supports the requested user interface type.

13. The method of claim 10, comprising:

obtaining information on a requested user interface type from the received synch request message; and

selecting, as a target user interface, one associated with the requested user interface type from user interface types supported by the second electronic device,

wherein a current user interface of the second electronic device is changed to the target user interface.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the target user interface is one of a same user interface as compared to the first electronic device and a user interface designated in association with the requested user interface type.

15. The method of claim 10, comprising:

determining whether the second electronic device receives any user input from a user after the changing;

changing a changed user interface back to an original user interface when no user input is received;

otherwise, maintaining the changed user interface.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the changing comprises:

determining a requested user input type based on information included in the synch request message; and

changing a user input type of a current user interface to one of a requested user input type and a user input type designated in association with the requested user input type.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein:

the synch request message includes user interface context information of the first electronic device;

the user interface context information includes information on at least one of a user input type and a user output type, changed by a user of the first electronic device;

the user input type includes at least one of a voice input type, a gesture input type, a touch input type, a text input type, a button input type, a keyboard input type, a motion input type, and a button input type; and

the user output type includes at least one of a voice output type, a vibration output type, and a display output type.

18. An electronic device of synchronizing with associated electronic devices to have a designated user interface, the electronic device configured to:

generate user interface context information upon generation of a predetermined event; and

transmit the generated user interface context information to the associated electronic devices for requesting the associated electronic devices to have the designated user interface.

19. The electronic device of claim 18, wherein the electronic device is configured to:

receive a synch request message including user interface context information from one of the associated electronic devices; and

change at least one property of a current user interface based on information on a user interface of the one, which is included in the received synch request message.

20. The electronic device of claim 18, wherein the electronic device is configured to:

obtain information on a requested user interface type from the received synch request message;

select, as a target user interface, one of a user interface identical to the requested user interface and a user interface designated in association with the requested user interface type from supported user interfaces; and

change a current user interface to the target user interface.

22. The electronic device of claim 18, wherein the predetermined event includes at least one of:

receipt of a user input for changing at least one of properties of a current user interface;

receipt of a synch request message;

maintaining of a current user interface for a predetermined time period;

expiration of a predetermined time duration; and

detection of a predetermined electronic device located within a predetermined distance from the electronic device.