Unified object transfer for multiple wireless transfer mechanisms

• US 7,130,585 B1
• Filed: 04/04/2006
• Issued: 10/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2005
• 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): Anderson, Matthew D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pan, Yuwen
• Application Number:
  US11/397,089
• Time in Patent Office: 210 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
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• 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 28/18 Negotiating wireless communication parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

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 without requiring user identification of a wireless transfer technology, the method comprising the following:

an act of identifying one or more wireless technologies that detected destination devices are capable of using, each different wireless technology corresponding to a distinct communication path from the source device to one of the destination devices;

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

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

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

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

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

an act of detecting the local presence of the one or more destination devices at the source device, the detected local presence indicating that the one or more destination devices are available to receive the one or more items in response to receiving a user selection of the one or more items.

4. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

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

5. 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 communication paths.

6. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the one or more wireless transfer technologies include one or more of infrared wireless technologies and Bluetooth technologies.

7. 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 user identification of a wireless transfer technology, the method comprising the following:

an act of identifying one or more wireless technologies that the detected destination devices are capable of using, each different wireless technology corresponding to a distinct communication path from the source device to the a destination device;

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

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

8. A method in accordance with claim 7, further comprising:

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

9. A method in accordance with claim 7, further comprising:

an act of detecting the local presence of the one or more destination devices at the source device, the detected local presence indicating that the one or more destination devices are available to receive the one or more items in response to receiving a user selection of the one or more items.

10. A method in accordance with claim 7, further comprising:

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

11. A method in accordance with claim 7, 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 communication paths.

12. A method in accordance with claim 7, 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 a list of the one or more destination devices to the user in the unified user interface; and

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

13. 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 without requiring user identification of a wireless transfer technology, the computer program product comprising one or more computer-readable media having stored thereon the following:

computer-executable instructions for identifying one or more wireless technologies that detected destination devices are capable of using, each different wireless technology corresponding to a distinct communication path from the source device to one of the destination devices;

computer-executable instructions for receiving a user selection of an entry for one or more destination devices without requiring separate user selection of a wireless technology for transferring one or more items to each of the selected destination devices; and

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

14. A computer program product in accordance with claim 13, further comprising:

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

15. A computer program product in accordance with claim 13, further comprising:

computer-executable instructions for detecting the local presence of the one or more destination devices at the source device, the detected local presence indicating that the one or more destination devices are available to receive the one or more items in response to receiving a user selection of the one or more items.

16. A computer program product in accordance with claim 13, further comprising:

computer-executable instructions for the source wireless device presenting one selectable entry for each of the detected destination devices at a unified user interface, each selectable entry representing a destination device independent of different wireless transfer technologies the destination device is capable of using and independent of the number of distinct communication paths from the source device to the destination device.

17. 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 device configured to perform the following;

identify one or more wireless technologies that detected destination devices are capable of using, each different wireless technology corresponding to a distinct communication path from the source device to one of the destination devices;

receive a user selection of an entry for one or more destination devices without requiring separate user selection of a wireless technology for transferring one or more items to each selected destination device; and

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

18. A wireless network in accordance with claim 17, further comprising:

the source device being configured to receive a user selection of the one or more items the source device is to send to the destination device.

19. A wireless network in accordance with claim 17, further comprising:

the source device being configured to detect the local presence of the one or more destination devices at the source device, the detected local presence indicating that the one or more destination devices are available to receive the one or more items in response to receiving a user selection of the one or more items.

20. A wireless network in accordance with claim 17, further comprising:

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