Method and system for transferring a computer session between devices

• US 7,487,248 B2
• Filed: 10/08/2002
• Issued: 02/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Contemporary Display LLC (IPValuation Partners, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Brian Moran, David A. Feinleib
• Inventors: Feinleib, David A., Moran, Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): Coulter, Kenneth R
• Application Number:
  US10/266,908
• Publication Number:
  US 20040068567A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,310 Days
• Field of Search: 709/227, 709/228, 709220-222, 709/206
• US Class Current: 709/227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066

Abstract

A method and system for transferring a computer session between devices, such as a land-line device to a wireless device. A user launches a computer session on a first device, such as a personal computer. The user may then selectively transfer the computer session to another device, such as a wireless device, through activation of a triggering signal or other transfer request means. In response, the context of the computer session is determined as it is being performed on the first device, and corresponding context data is transferred to the second device. An applicable application on the second device is opened and loaded with applicable context data to continue the session. Several session transfer mechanisms, including use of an online service, proxy mechanisms, and peer-to-peer communication links, are disclosed.

Claims

1. A hardware-based machine-implemented method for transferring a computer session from a first device to a second device, comprising:

enabling a user to initiate a computer session via the first device, the computer session facilitated via a first communication link between the first device and a third device accessed over a network;

enabling the user to selectively initiate a transfer of the computer session to the second device;

establishing a second communication link between the first device and the second device; and

enabling the computer session to be continued on the second device by employing the first device as a proxy for the second device through use of the first and second communication links, wherein after transferring the computer session to the second device communications between the second device and the third device are routed through the first device via the first and second communication links.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to a user input, receiving a triggering signal from the second device at the first device to transfer the session; and

transferring the computer session to the second device in response to the triggering signal.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the triggering signal is sent in response to the user activating a hard or soft button or entering a key sequence on the wireless device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein a client side of the computer session is hosted by an application program running on the first device and the user is enabled to initiate the transfer of the computer session by activating a user-interface control or menu option provided by the application program.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the computer session corresponds to an online session hosted by an online service provider, and wherein proxy operations are performed by the first device in a manner that is transparent to the online service provider such that the online service is unaware a transfer of the computer session has occurred.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the second communication link comprises a peer-to-peer communication link between the first device and the second device.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the peer-to-peer communication link is a direct link between the first device and the second device comprising one of an infrared link, a serial link, a universal serial bus link, a wireless Bluetooth link or a wireless 802.11 link.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the third device comprises a network server that is accessed via the Internet using the first communication link.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the third device comprises a network server that hosts at least one of an application or service associated with the computer session.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a context of the computer session on the first device; and

transferring session context information corresponding to the context of the computer session on the first device from the first device to the second device via the second communication link,

wherein the session context information is configured to enable, in part, the computer session to be continued on the second device when implemented by the second device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the second device is a wireless device, and wherein transferring the computer session to the wireless device automatically performs the functions of:

opening an application that enables a computer session corresponding to the computer session on the first device to be hosted on the wireless device;

establishing a wireless Internet connection;

employing the wireless Internet connection as part of the second communication link; and

loading the application with data associated with the session context information such that the context of the computer session is transferred to the wireless device.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the functions are automatically performed in response to the user activating a hard or soft button or entering a key sequence on the wireless device.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein determining the context of the computer session further comprises acquiring a snapshot of computer session as it is being performed on the first device, and wherein transferring the context of the session to the second device returns the user to a point in the computer session at which the snapshot was acquired.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the method operations are facilitated, at least in part, via execution of software on at least one of the first or second devices.

15. A computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon to perform operations when executed comprising:

enabling a user to selectively initiate a transfer of a computer session running on a first device to a second device, the computer session facilitated via a first communication link between the first device and a third device accessed via a network;

establishing a second communication link between the first device and the second device;

enabling the computer session to be continued on the second device by employing the first device as a proxy for the second device through use of the first and second communication links, wherein after transferring the computer session to the second device communications between the second device and the third device are routed through the first device via the first and second communication links.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein a client side of the computer session is hosted by an application program running on the first device and execution of the instructions on the first device further enables the user to initiate the transfer of the computer session by activating a user-interface control or menu option associated with the application program.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the computer session corresponds to an online session hosted by an online service provider, and wherein the proxy operations are performed by the first device in a manner that is transparent to the online service provider such that the online service is unaware a transfer of the computer session has occurred.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein execution of the instructions on the first device perform further operations comprising:

setting up a peer-to-peer communication link between the first device and the second device comprising the second communications link.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the third device comprises a network server that hosts at least one of an application or service associated with the computer session.

20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein execution of the instructions further performs operations including:

determining a context of the computer session on the first device; and

transferring session context information corresponding to the context of the computer session on the first device from the first device to the second device via the second communication link,

wherein the session context information is configured to enable, in part, the computer session to be continued on the second device when implemented by the second device.

21. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 20, wherein execution of the instructions further performs operations including:

receiving a triggering signal from the second device indicating the user is ready to transfer the session; and

transferring the session context data to the second device in response to the triggering signal.

22. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 20, further including instructions to be executed on a second device comprising a wireless device to perform operations comprising:

opening an application that enables a computer session corresponding to the computer session on the first device to be hosted on the wireless device;

receiving session context data from the first device; and

loading the application with context data such that the context of the computer session is transferred to the wireless device.

23. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein the operations are automatically performed in response to the user activating a hard or soft button or entering a key sequence on the wireless device.

24. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 20, wherein determining the context of the computer session further comprises acquiring a snapshot of the computer session as it is being performed on the first device, and wherein transferring the context of the session to the second device returns the user to a point in the computer session at which the snapshot was acquired.

25. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the third device comprises a network server that is accessed via the Internet using the first communication link.

26. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the third device comprises a network server that hosts at least one of an application or service associated with the computer session.

27. A hardware-based machine-implemented method for transferring a chat session from a first device to a second device, comprising:

performing, in response to user input, one of launching a new chat session or joining an existing chat session via the first device, the chat session facilitated via a first communication link between the first device and one of an instant messaging service host or a chat session peer;

enabling a user to selectively initiate a transfer of a chat session from the first device to the second device;

establishing a second communication link comprising a peer-to-peer communication link between the first device and the second device;

determining a context of the chat session on the first device; and

transferring session context data corresponding to the context of the chat session on the first device from the first device to the second device via the peer-to-peer communication link, the session context data configured to enable, in part, the computer session to be continued on the second device when implemented by the second device;

enabling the computer session to be continued on the second device by employing the first device as a proxy for the second device through use of the first and second communication links, wherein after transferring the computer session to the second device communications between the second device and the instant messaging service host or a chat session peer are routed through the first device via the first and second communication links.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the second device is a wireless device, the method further comprising:

opening a chat session application or browser that supports access to an instant messaging service associated with the chat session on the wireless device; and

loading the chat session application or browser with context data associated with the session context data such that the context of the chat session is transferred to the wireless device.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the operations are automatically performed in response to the user activating a hard or soft button or entering a key sequence on the wireless device to request transfer of the chat session.

30. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

redirecting outbound messages from the second device intended for the instant messaging service host to the first device in a manner that is transparent to the chat session application or browser.

31. The method of claim 27, wherein the user is enabled to initiate the transfer of the chat session by activating a user-interface control or menu option associated with the chat session application or browser.

32. The method of claim 27, wherein the proxy operations are performed by the first device in a manner that is transparent to the instant messaging service host such that the instant messaging service host is unaware a transfer of the computer session has occurred.

33. The method of claim 27, wherein determining the context of the chat session further comprises acquiring a snapshot of the chat session as it is being performed on the first device, and wherein transferring the context of the session to the second device returns the user to a point in the chat session at which the snapshot was acquired.

34. The method of claim 27, wherein the peer-to-peer communication link comprises a direct link between the first device and the second device comprising one of an infrared link, a serial link, a universal serial bus link, a wireless Bluetooth link or a wireless 802.11 link.

35. The method of claim 27, wherein the method operations are facilitated, at least in part, via execution of software on at least one of the first or second devices.

36. A computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon to facilitate transfer of a chat session from a first device to a second device when executed on the first device via operations comprising:

enabling a user to selectively initiate a transfer of a chat session running on the first device to the second device, the chat session facilitated via a communication link between the first device and one of an instant messaging service host and a chat session peer;

determining, via the first device, a context of the chat session on the first device;

establishing a second communication link between the first device and the second device;

transferring context data corresponding to the context of the chat session from the first device to the second device; and

enabling the chat session to be continued on the second device by employing the first device as a proxy for the second device, wherein after transferring the computer session to the second device communications between the second device and the instant messaging service host or the chat session peer are routed through the first device via the first and second communication links.

37. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 36, wherein the second device is a wireless device, further comprising instructions to be executed on the wireless device to perform operations comprising:

opening a chat session application or browser that supports access to an instant messaging service associated with the chat session on the wireless device; and

loading the chat session application or browser with the context data such that the context of the chat session is transferred to the wireless device.

38. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 37, wherein the operations are automatically performed in response to the user activating a hard or soft button or entering a key sequence on the wireless device to request transfer of the chat session.

39. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 37, further comprising instructions to be executed on the wireless device to redirect outbound messages intended for the instant messaging service host to the first device in a manner that is transparent to the chat session application or browser.

40. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 36, further comprising instructions to be executed on the first device to enable a user to initiate the transfer of the chat session by activating a user-interface control or menu option associated with a chat session application or browser used as a chat session client.

41. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 36, wherein the proxy operations are performed by the first device in a manner that is transparent to the instant messaging service host or the chat session peer such that the instant messaging service host or the chat session peer is unaware a transfer of the chat session has occurred.

42. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 36, wherein determining the context of the chat session further comprises acquiring a snapshot of chat session as it is being performed on the first device, and wherein transferring the context of the session to the second device returns the user to a point in the computer session at which the snapshot was acquired.