Unified object transfer for multiple wireless transfer mechanisms

• US 6,999,721 B2
• Filed: 01/17/2002
• Issued: 02/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Jacobs, Andrew W., Ollis, Joseph K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Corsaro, Nick
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pan, Yuwen
• Application Number:
  US10/051,528
• Publication Number:
  US 20030134629A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,489 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.1, 455/41.2, 455/552.1, 455/553.1, 455/556, 455/557, 455/559, 455/3.02, 455/3.03, 455/3.06, 455/13.1, 455/12.1, 455/13.3, 455/13.4, 455/16.25
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• CPC Class Codes: H03J 1/0025 in a remote control unit remote control tuning in general H03J9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/64 file transfer between terminals download of applications H04M1/72406; transfer of messages, e.g. SMS, e-mail or MMS H04M1/7243
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/02 Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing

Abstract

A source wireless device is capable of transmitting items over a wireless network using a number of different wireless transfer mechanism such as, for example, Infra-Red (IR) or Bluetooth. Several potential destination wireless devices may be capable of receiving the item using at least one of the different wireless transfer mechanisms. The user selects one or more destination wireless devices to send items to using a unified user interface that lists the various potential destination wireless devices. After a user selects items to transfer as well as the destination wireless device(s), the wireless transfer mechanism appropriate for transfer to each device is then automatically identified without requiring user selection of the particular wireless transfer mechanism.

Claims

1. In a wireless network that includes a number of wireless devices including a source wireless device capable of transferring items over the wireless network using a plurality of different wireless transfer technologies, and including a plurality of destination wireless devices capable of receiving items over the wireless network using at least one of the different wireless transfer technologies, a method for facilitating user selection of one or more destination wireless devices from the plurality of destination wireless devices without requiring that the user of the source wireless device identify a wireless transfer technology, the method comprising the following:

an act of receiving a user selection of one or more items the source wireless device is to send;

an act of detecting the local presence of a plurality of destination wireless devices that are available to receive items in response to receiving the user selection of the one or more items the source wireless device is to send,

for each detected locally present destination wireless device in the plurality of destination wireless devices;

an act of identifying one or more different wireless technologies that the detected locally present destination device is capable of using, each different wireless technology corresponding to a distinct communication path from the source wireless device to the locally present destination wireless device such that the one or more items can be transferred from the source wireless device to the locally present destination device in accordance with one or more different wireless transfer technologies over a corresponding one or more distinct communication paths respectively;

an act of the source wireless device presenting one selectable entry for each of the detected locally present destination wireless devices at a unified user interface, each selectable entry representing a detected locally present destination wireless device independent of different wireless transfer technologies the locally present destination wireless device is capable of using and independent of the number of distinct communication paths from the source wireless device to the detected locally present destination wireless device;

an act of receiving a user selection of a selectable entry for one or more detected locally present destination wireless devices without requiring separate user selection of a wireless transfer technology for transferring the one or more items to each of the one or more selected locally present destination wireless devices; and

an act of automatically, and without user intervention, identifying a distinct communication path for technologies for each of the one or more selected locally present destination wireless devices in response to the received user selections, each identified distinct communication path corresponding to a wireless technology to use when transferring the one or more items to a selected locally present destination wireless devices.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising the following:

an act of sending the one or more items to the selected one or more destination wireless devices via the identified distinct communication paths.

3. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising the following:

an act of determining that it is appropriate to send the one or more items to the selected one or more destination wireless devices.

4. A method in accordance with claim 3, further comprising the following:

an act of sending the one or more items to the selected one or more destination wireless devices via the identified distinct communication paths.

5. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising the following:

an act of determining that it is inappropriate to send at least some of the one or more items to the selected one or more destination wireless devices.

6. A method in accordance with claim 5, further comprising the following:

an act of sending all of the one or more items except for the at least some of the one or more items to the selected one or more destination wireless devices via the identified distinct communication paths.

7. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising the following:

an act of identifying the one or more items to be sent based on the receipt of a user selection of the one or more items.

8. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the plurality of wireless transfer technologies includes one or more infrared wireless transfer technologies.

9. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the at least one of the plurality of wireless transfer technologies for each of the plurality of detected locally present destination wireless devices is obscured from user view.

10. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the at least one of the plurality of wireless transfer technologies for each of the plurality of detected locally present destination wireless devices is identified in the unified user interface by using a visually distinguishable feature for the at least one of the plurality of wireless transfer technologies.

11. A method in accordance with claim 10, wherein the plurality of detected locally present destination wireless devices are presented in a color that depends on the at least one of the plurality of wireless transfer technologies for each of the plurality of detected locally present destination wireless devices.

12. A method in accordance with claim 10, wherein the plurality of detected locally present destination wireless devices are presented in a font that depends on the at least one of the plurality of wireless transfer technologies for each of the plurality of detected locally present destination wireless devices.

13. A method in accordance with claim 10, wherein the plurality of detected locally present destination wireless devices are presented in a size that depends on the at least one of the plurality of wireless transfer technologies for each of the plurality of detected locally present destination wireless devices.

14. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the at least one of the plurality of wireless transfer technologies for each of the plurality of detected locally present destination wireless devices is identified in the unified user interface by using an audibly distinguishable feature for the at least one of the plurality of wireless transfer technologies.

15. In a wireless network that includes a number of wireless devices including a source wireless device capable of transferring items over the wireless network using a plurality of different wireless transfer technologies, and including a plurality of destination wireless devices capable of receiving items over the wireless network using at least one of the different wireless transfer technologies, a method for facilitating user selection of one or more destination wireless devices without requiring that the user of the source wireless device identify a wireless transfer technology, the method comprising the following:

an act of receiving a user selection of one or more items the source wireless device is to send;

an act of detecting the local presence of a plurality of destination wireless devices that are available to receive items in response to receiving the user selection of the one or more items the source wireless device is to send;

for each detected locally present destination wireless device in the plurality of destination wireless devices;

an act of identifying one or more different wireless technologies that the detected locally present destination device is capable of using, each different wireless technology corresponding to a distinct communication path from the source wireless device to the locally present destination wireless device such that the one or more items can be transferred from the source wireless device to the locally present destination device in accordance with one or more different wireless transfer technologies over a corresponding one or more distinct communication paths respectively;

a step for using a unified user interface to identify one or more destination wireless devices, the unified user interface being independent of the plurality of different wireless transfer technologies supported by the source wireless device so that a user need not identify any particular wireless transfer technology for communicating with the one or more destination wireless devices; and

automatically, and without user intervention, identifying a distinct communication path for each of the one or more selected locally present destination wireless devices in response to the received user selections, each identified distinct communication path corresponding to a wireless technology to use when transferring one or more items to a locally present destination wireless devices.

16. A method in accordance with claim 15, wherein the step for using a unified user interface to identify one or more destination wireless devices comprises the following:

an act of the source wireless device presenting the plurality of locally present destination wireless devices to the user in the unified user interface; and

an act of receiving a user selection of one or more locally present destination wireless devices of the plurality of locally present destination wireless devices without requiring separate user selection of the specific wireless transfer technology for each of the one or more selected locally present destination wireless devices.

17. A computer program product for use in a wireless network that includes a number of wireless devices including a source wireless device capable of transferring items over the wireless network using a plurality of different wireless transfer technologies, and including a plurality of destination wireless devices capable of receiving items over the wireless network using at least one of the different wireless transfer technologies, the computer program product for implementing a method for facilitating user selection of one or more destination wireless devices from the plurality of destination wireless devices without requiring that the user of the source wireless device identify a wireless transfer technology, the computer program product comprising one or more computer-readable media having stored thereon the following:

computer-executable instructions for receiving a user selection of one or more items the source wireless device is to send;

computer-executable instructions for detecting the local presence of a plurality of destination wireless devices that are available to receive items in response to receiving the user selection of the one or more items the source wireless device is to send;

for each detected locally present destination wireless device in the plurality of destination wireless devices;

computer-executable instructions for identifying one or more different wireless technologies that the detected locally present destination device is capable of using, each different wireless technology corresponding to a distinct communication path from the source wireless device to the locally present destination wireless device such that the one or more items can be transferred from the source wireless device to the locally present destination device in accordance with one or more different wireless transfer technologies over a corresponding one or more distinct communication paths respectively;

computer-executable instructions for causing one selectable entry for each of the plurality of detected locally present destination wireless devices to be presented to the user in a unified user interface, each selectable entry representing a detected locally present destination wireless device independent of different wireless transfer technologies the locally present destination wireless device is capable of using and independent of the number of distinct communication paths from the source wireless device to the detected locally present destination wireless device;

computer-executable instructions for detecting the receipt of a user selection of a selectable entry of one or more detected locally present destination wireless devices without requiring separate user selection of a wireless transfer technology for transferring the one or more items to each of the one or more selected locally present destination wireless devices; and

computer-executable instructions for automatically, and without user intervention, identifying a distinct communication path for each of the one or more selected locally present destination wireless devices in response to the received user selections, each identified distinct communication path corresponding to a wireless technology to use when transferring the one or more items to selected locally present destination wireless devices.

18. A computer program product in accordance with claim 17, wherein the one or more computer-readable media are physical storage media.

19. A computer program product in accordance with claim 17, wherein the one or more computer-readable media further have stored thereon the following:

computer-executable instructions for causing the one or more items to be sent to the selected one or more locally present destination wireless devices using the identified wireless transfer technologies.

20. A computer program product in accordance with claim 17, wherein the one or more computer-readable media further have stored thereon the following:

computer-executable instructions for determining that it is appropriate to send the one or more items to the selected one or more locally present destination wireless devices.

21. A computer program product in accordance with claim 17, wherein the one or more computer-readable media further have stored thereon the following:

computer-executable instructions identifying the one or more items to be sent based on the receipt of a user selection of the one or more items.

22. A wireless network comprising the following:

a source wireless device capable of transferring items over the wireless network using a plurality of different wireless transfer technologies; and

a plurality of destination wireless devices available for receiving one or more items over the wireless network, each using at least one distinct wireless transfer technology;

wherein the source wireless device configured to perform the following;

receive a user selection of one or more items the source wireless device is to send

detect the local presence of a plurality of destination wireless devices that are available for receiving items in response to receiving the user selection of the one or more items the source wireless device is to send;

for each detected locally present destination wireless device;

identify one or more different wireless technologies that the detected locally present destination device is capable of using, each different wireless technology corresponding to a distinct communication path from the source wireless device to the locally present destination wireless device such that the one or more items can be transferred from the source wireless device to the locally present destination device in accordance with one or more different wireless transfer technologies over a corresponding one or more distinct communication paths respectively;

present one selectable entry for each of the plurality of detected locally present destination wireless devices at a unified user interface, each selectable entry representing a detected locally present destination wireless device independent of different wireless transfer technologies the locally present destination wireless device is capable of using and independent of the number of distinct communication paths from the source wireless device to the detected locally present destination wireless device;

receive a user selection of a selectable entry one or more detected locally present wireless devices without requiring separate user selection of a wireless transfer technology for transferring the one or more items to each of the one or more selected locally present destination wireless devices; and

automatically, and without user intervention, identify a distinct communication path for each of the one or more selected locally present destination wireless devices in response to the received user selections, each identified distinct communication path corresponding to a wireless technology to use when transferring the one or more items to a selected locally present destination wireless devices.