User experience for collaborative ad-hoc networks

• US 7,433,324 B2
• Filed: 04/01/2005
• Issued: 10/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Switzer, David, Tumsi Dayakar, Kamesh C., Bernstein, Michael S., Soin, Ravipal S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Anderson; Matthew
• Assistant Examiner(s): Aminzay; Shaima Q
• Application Number:
  US11/095,599
• Publication Number:
  US 20060221858A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,285 Days
• Field of Search: 370/254, 370/328, 370/338, 370/347, 370/349, 370/395.1, 370/397, 370/400, 370/409, 370/410, 370/463, 370/470, 370/471, 370/310, 455/41.2, 455/13.1, 455/513, 709/206
• US Class Current: 370/254
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

A system and method for creating an ad-hoc network is described. A user may navigate a number of options to create an ad-hoc network and/or join an ad-hoc network using the described system.

Claims

1. A computing device comprising:

a user interface allowing a user to instruct the computing device to create or join an ad-hoc network, said user interface displayable on a computer screen, said user interface comprising at least one dialog box that allows the user to launch access to said ad-hoc network where information is pre-populated in said dialog box for said user, and

at least one computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions which, when executed, cause the computing device, upon leaving said ad-hoc network, to reconfigure network connectivity settings on the computing device to a state prior to the access to the ad-hoc network.

2. The computing device of claim 1, where said access to said ad-hoc network is launched from a menu bar.

3. The computing device of claim 1, where said access to said ad-hoc network is launched upon selecting at least one of a file transfer option relating to one or more files, audio/video streaming option, a gaming option, and an option that connects users in a point to point network.

4. The computing device of claim 1, wherein said user interface alerts said user that network connections will be lost when reconfiguring a network adaptor.

5. The computing device of claim 1, where said user interface permits manual leaving from an ad-hoc network.

6. The computing device of claim 1, said user interface including a dialog that indicates other users in said network.

7. The computing device of claim 6, wherein a system determines the other users in said network and displays them in said dialog.

8. The computing device of claim 1, further comprising a file transfer dialog.

9. The computing device of claim 8, said file transfer dialog including an indication of the status of files in said file transfer dialog.

10. The computing device of claim 1, further comprising a chat dialog.

11. The computing device of claim 1, further comprising a people control dialog.

12. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the user interface further comprises at least one second dialog box that allows the user to instruct the computing device whether to execute the computer-executable instructions to reconfigure the network connectivity settings.

13. A process for initiating an ad-hoc network from an operating system of a computing device, said process comprising:

receiving a user indication to use an ad-hoc network;

determining if said user wants to join or create an ad-hoc network;

performing at least one of joining the existing ad-hoc network and creating the ad-hoc network;

using said ad-hoc network; and

reconfiguring network settings on the computing device to a state prior to the act of performing upon leaving said ad-hoc network.

14. The process according to claim 13, wherein using said ad-hoc network further comprises at least one of:

sharing files;

audio/video streaming; and

gaming.

15. The process according to claim 13, wherein using said ad-hoc network further comprises:

chatting.

16. The process according to claim 13, wherein using said ad-hoc network further comprises:

controlling people having access to said ad-hoc network.

17. The process according to claim 13, said method further comprising the step of modifying a network connection to create said ad-hoc network.

18. The process according to claim 13, said method further comprising the step of modifying a network connection to join said ad-hoc network.

19. The process according to claim 13, said method further comprising the step of modifying a network connection when leaving said ad-hoc network.

20. A computer storage medium comprising computer executable instructions, when executed by the computer, perform the process, comprising:

receiving a user indication to use an ad-hoc network;

determining if said user wants to join or create an ad-hoc network;

performing at least one of joining the existing ad-hoc network and creating the ad-hoc network;

using said ad-hoc network, and reconfiguring network settings on the computing device to a state prior to the act of performing upon leaving said ad-hoc network.