Wireless device with an aggregate user interface for controlling other devices

• US 7,725,077 B2
• Filed: 03/24/2006
• Issued: 05/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Uber Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: The Invention Science Fund I, L.L.C. (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Wood, JR., Lowell L., Malamud, Mark A., Levien, Royce A., Lord, Robert W., Rinaldo, Jr., John D., Jung, Edward K. Y.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cumming, William D
• Application Number:
  US11/389,669
• Publication Number:
  US 20070224937A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,523 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.2, 455/456.3, 340/5.32, 340/825.69
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72415 for remote control of appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72469 for operating the device by selecting functions from two or more displayed items, e.g. menus or icons

Abstract

An apparatus, device, methods, computer program product, and system make a determination that a wireless device is in proximity to at least one secondary wireless device, and determine an aggregate user interface on the wireless device based on the determination.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

means for making a determination that a wireless device is in proximity to at least one secondary wireless device;

means for determining an aggregate user interface on the wireless device based on the determination;

wherein the means for determining an aggregate user interface on the wireless device based on the determination comprises;

means for identifying one or more of the at least one secondary wireless device;

means for identifying a function for one or more of the at least one secondary wireless device;

means for identifying a property, attribute, sub-component, or element for one or more of the at least one secondary wireless device;

means for identifying a relative location for one or more of the at least one secondary wireless device;

means for identifying an ownership of one or more of the at least one secondary wireless device; and

/or

means for identifying any access restrictions of one or more of the at least one secondary wireless device.

2. A system comprising:

means for making a determination that a wireless device is in proximity to at least one secondary wireless device;

means for determining an aggregate user interface on the wireless device based on the determination;

wherein the means for determining an aggregate user interface on the wireless device based on the determination comprises;

means for providing an aggregate user interface on the wireless device based on a function of one or more of the at least one secondary wireless device;

means for providing an aggregate user interface on the wireless device based on a capability of one or more of the at least one secondary wireless device;

means for providing an aggregate user interface on the wireless device based on a location of one or more of the at least one secondary wireless device;

means for providing an aggregate user interface on the wireless device based on an ownership of one or more of the at least one secondary wireless device;

means for providing an aggregate user interface on the wireless device based on any access restrictions of one or more of the at least one secondary wireless device;

means for providing an aggregate user interface on the wireless device based on a history of use of one or more of the at least one secondary wireless device;

means for providing an aggregate user interface on the wireless device based on a user configuration with respect to one or more of the at least one secondary wireless device; and

/or

means for providing an aggregate user interface on the wireless device based on a closure rate with respect to one or more of the at least one secondary wireless device.

3. A system comprising:

means for making a determination that a wireless device is in proximity to at least one secondary wireless device;

means for determining an aggregate user interface on the wireless device based on the determination; and

means for sending a command to one or more of the at least one secondary wireless device via the aggregate user interface,

wherein the means for sending a command to one or more of the at least one secondary wireless device via the aggregate user interface further comprises;

means for sending a command to one or more of the at least one secondary wireless device via the aggregate user interface, wherein the command is to transition one or more of the at least one secondary wireless device from a first state to a second state.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the means for making a determination that a wireless device is in proximity to at least one secondary wireless device comprises:

means for making a determination that the wireless device is in proximity to one or more of a plurality of secondary wireless devices.

5. The system of claim 3 wherein the means for determining an aggregate user interface on the first wireless device based on the determination comprises:

means for providing an available interaction with one or more operations related to the at least one secondary wireless device based on the determination.

6. The system of claim 3 wherein the means for determining an aggregate user interface on the first wireless device based on the determination comprises:

means for providing a menu of operations on the wireless device including at least one operation for one or more of the at least one secondary wireless device based on the determination.

7. The system of claim 3 wherein the means for determining an aggregate user interface on the wireless device based on the determination comprises:

means for receiving information at the wireless device indicating at least one function of one or more of the at least one secondary wireless device; and

means for providing an aggregate user interface on the wireless device indicating the at least one function of one or more of the at least one secondary wireless device based on the information.

8. The system of claim 3 wherein the means for determining an aggregate user interface on the wireless device based on the determination comprises:

means for determining a state or property of an application on the wireless device; and

means for providing an aggregate user interface on the wireless device based on the determination and based on the determining a state or property of an application on the wireless device.

9. A system comprising:

means for making a determination that a wireless device is in proximity to at least one secondary wireless device; and

means for determining an aggregate user interface on the wireless device based on the determination;

wherein the means for determining an aggregate user interface on the wireless device based on the determination comprises;

means for determining that a first secondary wireless device is closest to the wireless device; and

means for providing an aggregate user interface on the wireless device including an available interaction with one or more operations related to the first secondary wireless device.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the means for determining an aggregate user interface on the wireless device based on the determination further comprises:

means for determining that a second secondary wireless device is currently closest to the wireless device; and

means for providing an updated aggregate user interface on the wireless device including an available interaction with one or more operations related to the second secondary wireless device.

11. A system comprising:

means for making a determination that a wireless device is in proximity to at least one secondary wireless device; and

means for determining an aggregate user interface on the wireless device based on the determination;

means for receiving information at the wireless device, the information including at least one of updated proximity information for the at least one secondary wireless device, key-related inputs from a user, and gestures by a user using the wireless device; and

means for providing an updated aggregated user interface on the wireless device based on the information.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the means for receiving information at the wireless device comprises:

means for receiving information at the wireless device, the information including at least one of updated proximity information for the at least one secondary wireless device, and gestures by a user using the wireless device, the gestures from a user including at least one of moving the wireless device, tilting the wireless device, reorienting the wireless device with respect to the at least one secondary wireless device, moving the wireless device towards the at least one secondary wireless device, moving the wireless device away from the at least one secondary wireless device, pointing a portion of the wireless device at the at least one secondary wireless device, or touching the wireless device to the at least one secondary wireless device.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein the means for providing an updated aggregate user interface on the wireless device based on the information comprises:

means for updating an order of information elements of the aggregate user interface provided on the wireless device based on the information;

means for removing one or more of the information elements of the aggregate user interface provided on the wireless device based on the information; and

/or

means for updating an order of information elements of the aggregate user interface based in part on a closure or closure rate.

14. A system comprising:

means for making a determination that a wireless device is in proximity to at least one secondary wireless device; and

means for determining an aggregate user interface on the wireless device based on the determination;

wherein the means for determining an aggregate user interface on the wireless device based on the determination comprises;

means for determining a location for one or more of the at least one secondary wireless device;

means for determining one or more operations available on one or more of the at least one secondary wireless device;

means for sorting the one or more operations available, based at least in part on the location; and

means for providing an aggregate user interface on the wireless device based at least in part on the sorting the one or more operations available, based at least in part on the location.

15. A system comprising:

means for making a determination that a wireless device is in proximity to at least one secondary wireless device; and

means for determining an aggregate user interface on the wireless device based on the determination;

wherein the means for determining an aggregate user interface on the wireless device based on the determination comprises;

means for determining one or more default operations available on one or more of the at least one secondary wireless device;

means for determining one or more non-default operations available on one or more of the at least one secondary wireless device;

means for providing an aggregate user interface on the wireless device based at least in part on the determining one or more default operations available on one or more of the at least one secondary wireless device and the determining one or more non-default operations available on one or more of the at least one secondary wireless device; and

means for invoking substantially automatically at least one of the one or more default operations if no action occurs.

16. A system comprising:

means for making a determination that a wireless device is in proximity to at least one secondary wireless device;

means for determining an aggregate user interface on the wireless device based on the determination; and

means for sending a command to one or more of the at least one secondary wireless device via the aggregate user interface,

wherein the means for sending a command to one or more of the at least one secondary wireless device via the aggregate user interface further comprises;

means for selecting an entry in a menu.

17. A system comprising:

means for making a determination that a wireless device is in proximity to at least one secondary wireless device;

means for determining an aggregate user interface on the wireless device based on the determination; and

means for sending a command to one or more of the at least one secondary wireless device via the aggregate user interface,

wherein the means for sending a command to one or more of the at least one secondary wireless device via the aggregate user interface further comprises;

means for sending a command to one or more of the at least one secondary wireless device via the aggregate user interface, wherein the command is to transition one or more of the least one secondary wireless device from an off state to an on state.

18. A system comprising:

means for making a determination that a wireless device is in proximity to at least one secondary wireless device;

means for determining an aggregate user interface on the wireless device based on the determination; and

means for sending a command to one or more of the at least one secondary wireless device via the aggregate user interface,

wherein the means for sending a command to one or more of the at least one secondary wireless device via the aggregate user interface further comprises;

means for sending a command to one or more of the at least one secondary wireless device via the aggregate user interface, wherein the command is to transition one or more of the least one secondary wireless device from an on state to an off state.

19. A system comprising:

means for making a determination that a wireless device is in proximity to at least one secondary wireless device;

means for determining an aggregate user interface on the wireless device based on the determination; and

means for sending a command to one or more of the at least one secondary wireless device without using the aggregate user interface.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the means for sending a command to one or more of the at least one secondary wireless device without using the aggregate user interface further comprises:

means for providing a menu.

21. The system of claim 19 wherein the means for sending a command to one or more of the at least one secondary wireless device without using the aggregate user interface further comprises:

means for sending a command to one or more of the at least one secondary wireless device without using the aggregate user interface, wherein the command is to transition one or more of the least one secondary wireless device from a first state to a second state.

22. A system comprising:

means for making a determination that a wireless device is in proximity to at least one secondary wireless device; and

means for determining an aggregate user interface on the wireless device based on the determination;

wherein the means for making a determination that a wireless device is in proximity to at least one secondary wireless device further comprises;

means for making a determination that the wireless device is in proximity to a first secondary wireless device and a second secondary wireless device.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein the means for determining an aggregate user interface on the wireless device based on the determination comprises:

means for sending at least one command to the first and second secondary wireless devices to control the first and second secondary wireless devices to perform first and second related operations, respectively.