Systems and methods for widget rendering and sharing on a personal electronic device

• US 8,521,857 B2
• Filed: 03/01/2010
• Issued: 08/27/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BBY Solutions Incorporated (Best Buy Co., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: BBY Solutions Incorporated (Best Buy Co., Inc.)
• Inventors: Maxwell, Duane Stewart, Huang, Andrew S., Steele, Kenneth Earl, Tomlin, Stephen L., Adler, Steven Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Osman, Ramy M
• Application Number:
  US12/715,331
• Publication Number:
  US 20110060994A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,275 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/223, 709/229, 709/217, 715/762, 715802-805, 715/217, 719/328
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/147 using display panels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/027 Arrangements and methods specific for the display of internet documents
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2380/16 Digital picture frames
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/10 Multimedia information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/60 Scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests, e.g. requests for application data transmissions using the analysis and optimisation of the required network resources admission control or resource allocation H04L47/70
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00204 with a digital computer or a digital computer system, e.g. an internet server programmed control between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device H04N1/32561
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00244 with a server, e.g. an internet server fax-servers or the like for store and forward H04N1/324
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00973 from a remote device, e.g. receiving via the internet instructions input to a computer terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8153 comprising still images, e.g. texture, background image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8166 involving executable data, e.g. software arrangements for executing specific programs G06F9/44; broadcasting computer programmes in broadcast systems H04H20/91; involving the movement of software or configuration parameters H04L67/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0039 Connection via a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0086 Image transceiver H04N2201/0093 and H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0087 Image storage device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0089 : Image display device
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 : Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor

Abstract

Systems and methods for providing, sharing, storing and playing widgets and associated media content on a personal audiovisual device, such as a digital photo frame, are described. In one implementation, widgets may be selected by a user for rendering based on capabilities of a user'"'"'s device, with the widgets then provided to the device for playback. Digital content such as audio files, images, and/or video may be rendered in conjunction with playback of the widget. Widgets may be shared between users so as to facilitate sharing of media content.

Claims

1. An electronic device assembly configured for operation in a network, the device assembly comprising:

a processor;

a display interface configured to output a graphical user interface;

a network interface through which a plurality of widget programs are downloaded by the device assembly from a remote server, the plurality of widget programs comprising distinct instances of one or more downloaded software applications providing display content for output in the graphical user interface; and

a memory having computer program code executable by the processor embodied therein, the computer program code including;

a control panel module comprising components for output in the graphical user interface, the control panel module including;

a widget player operative to facilitate execution of the plurality of widget programs in an ordered sequence, the ordered sequence downloaded from the remote server;

a widget manager module operative to modify the ordered sequence of execution of the plurality of widget programs in response to instructions received via the graphical user interface, the ordered sequence stored at the remote server;

a utilities layer comprised of a plurality of client software modules accessible to said widget player operative to provide a client runtime environment facilitating operation of the widget player; and

a device operating system operative to provide output via the graphical user interface with operation of the widget player, the widget manager module, and the utilities layer;

wherein the one or more downloaded software applications are configured for real-time execution on the device assembly without permanent storage to the memory, and wherein the one or more downloaded software applications are temporarily cached on the device assembly for playback in the widget player.

2. The electronic device assembly of claim 1 wherein the distinct instances of the one or more downloaded software applications and content for display by the one or more downloaded software applications are received by the electronic device assembly from the remote server over the network.

3. The electronic device assembly of claim 2 wherein at least a subset of the instances of the plurality of widget programs are temporarily stored within the memory and wherein additional instances of the at least a subset plurality of widget programs are subsequently received from over the network and temporarily stored within the memory.

4. The electronic device assembly of claim 1 wherein at least one of the widget programs is operative to manage media content stored within the memory.

5. The electronic device assembly of claim 1 wherein the widget player operates to provide services furnished by one or more of the plurality of client software modules during execution of ones of the widget programs.

6. The electronic device assembly of claim 1 wherein one of the plurality of client software modules provides a client runtime environment facilitating operation of the widget player.

7. The electronic device assembly of claim 6 wherein the plurality of widget programs are in the form of Flash Lite movies and wherein the one of the plurality of client software modules comprises a Flash Lite player.

8. The electronic device assembly of claim 1 wherein one of the plurality of widget programs comprises an Internet radio application and wherein one of the plurality of client software modules comprises an audio streaming utility.

9. The electronic device assembly of claim 1 wherein the electronic device assembly forms part of a digital picture frame, a television, a television set-top box, a game console, a cellular phone, or a portable computing device.

10. An electronic device for operation in a network, said device comprising:

a plurality of hardware components including a processor, a display, and a network interface unit; and

a device memory arrangement including;

an embedded user interface module configured to render a graphical user interface upon the display;

a plurality of widget programs received via the network interface unit, the one or more widget programs being included among a set of widget programs presented for selection based upon one or more capabilities of the electronic device, the plurality of widget programs comprising distinct instances of one or more downloaded software applications providing display content for output in the graphical user interface, the one or more downloaded software applications configured for real-time execution on the electronic device assembly;

a widget manager module capable of defining an ordered sequence of execution of the plurality of widget programs in response to instructions received via the graphical user interface, the ordered sequence stored at the remote server;

a widget player configured to execute the one or more widget programs in the ordered sequence, the ordered sequence downloaded from the remote server;

a plurality of device drivers associated with the plurality of hardware components; and

an operating system configured to provide output via the graphical user interface with operation of the widget player, the widget manager module, and the plurality of device drivers;

wherein the one or more downloaded software applications are configured for real-time execution on the electronic device without permanent storage, and wherein the one or more downloaded software applications are temporarily cached for playback in the widget player.

11. The electronic device of claim 10 wherein the device memory arrangement further includes a utilities layer comprised of a plurality of client software modules accessible to said widget player.

12. The electronic device of claim 11 wherein one of the plurality of client software modules provides a client runtime environment facilitating operation of the widget player.

13. The electronic device of claim 12 wherein the plurality of widget programs are in the form of Flash Lite movies and wherein the one of the plurality of client software modules comprises a Flash Lite player.

14. The electronic device of claim 10 wherein one of the plurality of widget programs comprises an Internet radio application and wherein one of the plurality of client software modules comprises an audio streaming utility.

15. A computer program product, comprising a non-transitory computer usable medium having a computer readable program code embodied therein, said computer readable program code adapted to be executed to implement a platform environment for a client device, the product comprising:

program code for a widget player operative to facilitate execution of a plurality of widget programs received through a network interface of the client device in an ordered sequence, the ordered sequence downloaded from a remote server, wherein the plurality of widget programs include distinct instances of one or more software applications downloaded from the remote server, the one or more software applications configured for real-time execution on the client device;

program code for a widget control panel capable of initiating the execution of ones of the plurality of widget programs in the ordered sequence in response to instructions received via a graphical user interface of the client device;

program code for a utilities layer comprised of a plurality of client software modules accessible to the widget player, the utilities layer operative to facilitate playback operations of the widget player; and

program code for an operating system of the client device, the operating system operative to provide output via the graphical user interface with operation of the widget player, the widget manager module, and the utilities layer;

wherein the one or more software applications are configured for real-time execution on the client device without permanent storage to the client device, and wherein the one or more downloaded software applications are temporarily cached by the client device for playback in the widget player.

16. The computer program product of claim 15 wherein at least one of the widget programs is operative to manage media content stored within a memory of the client device.

17. The computer program product of claim 15 wherein one of the plurality of client software modules provides a client runtime environment facilitating operation of the widget player.

18. The computer program product of claim 17 wherein the plurality of widget programs are in the form of Flash Lite movies and wherein the one of the plurality of client software modules comprises a Flash Lite player.

19. The computer program product of claim 15 wherein one of the plurality of widget programs comprises an Internet radio application and wherein one of the plurality of client software modules comprises an audio streaming utility.

20. The computer program product of claim 15 wherein the client device comprises a digital picture frame, a television, a television set-top box, a game console, a cellular phone, or a portable computing device.

21. A method of operating an electronic picture frame device including a user interface, the method comprising:

downloading, from a remote server, a show widget providing display content for output in a graphical user interface of the electronic picture frame device, the show widget comprising a software application configured for real-time execution on the device assembly without installation to the electronic picture frame device;

defining the show widget to reference a plurality of items associated with media content;

defining an ordered sequence of widgets comprising a channel in response to instructions received via the graphical user interface, said show widget being included within said ordered sequence of widgets, the ordered sequence of widgets being stored at the remote server; and

executing said ordered sequence of widgets wherein said graphical user interface renders said media content upon execution of said show widget.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein at least one of said plurality of items comprises a first album of digital photos stored within a memory of said device.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein another of said plurality of items comprises a second album of digital photos accessible from a server remote from said device, said executing including requesting said second album of digital photos from said server.

24. The method of claim 22 wherein another of said plurality of items comprises a file of video information stored within a memory of said device.

25. The method of claim 22 wherein said first album of digital photos further includes a reference to an audio file stored within a memory of said device.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein said defining includes selecting said audio content from among a list of Internet-based sources of audio material.

27. The method of claim 22 wherein said first album of digital photos further includes a reference to audio content accessible from a server remote from said device.

28. A computer program product, comprising a non-transitory computer usable medium having a computer readable program code embodied therein, said computer readable program code adapted to be executed to implement a method for operating an electronic picture frame device, the method comprising:

downloading, from a remote server, a show widget providing display content for output in a graphical user interface of the electronic picture frame device, the show widget comprising a software application configured for real-time execution on the device assembly without permanent storage to the electronic picture frame device;

defining the show widget to reference a plurality of items associated with media content;

defining an ordered sequence of widgets comprising a channel in response to instructions received via the graphical user interface, said show widget being included within said ordered sequence of widgets, the ordered sequence of widgets being stored at the remote server; and

executing said ordered sequence of widgets wherein a user interface of said electronic picture frame device renders said media content in the graphical user interface upon execution of said show widget.

29. The computer program product of claim 28 wherein said defining a show widget includes selecting at least one of said plurality of items from among a list of Internet-based sources of media content.