Touch sensitive screen information apparatus that includes close proximity or near distance radio frequency field communication

• US 9,069,510 B2
• Filed: 05/19/2010
• Issued: 06/30/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Flexiworld Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Flexiworld Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Chang, William Ho, Liu, Christina Ying
• Primary Examiner(s): Riley, Marcus T
• Application Number:
  US12/783,504
• Publication Number:
  US 20100227550A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,868 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1203 Improving or facilitating administration, e.g. print management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1205 resulting in increased flexibility in print job configuration, e.g. job settings, print requirements, job tickets
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1208 resulting in improved quality of the output result, e.g. print layout, colours, workflows, print preview
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/122 with regard to computing resources, e.g. memory, CPU
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1226 Discovery of devices having required properties
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1228 Printing driverless or using generic drivers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1229 Printer resources management or printer maintenance, e.g. device status, power levels
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1236 Connection management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1238 Secure printing, e.g. user identification, user rights for device usage, unallowed content, blanking portions or fields of a page, releasing held jobs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1245 by conversion to intermediate or common format
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1247 by conversion to printer ready format
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1253 Configuration of print job parameters, e.g. using UI at the client
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1258 by updating job settings at the printer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/128 Direct printing, e.g. sending document file, using memory stick, printing from a camera
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1284 Local printer device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1285 Remote printer device, e.g. being remote from client or server
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1286 via local network
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1288 : in client-server-printer device configuration
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1292 : Mobile client, e.g. wireless printing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/14 : Digital output to display device ; Cooperation and interconnection of the display device with other functional units
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/162 : Interface to dedicated audio devices, e.g. audio drivers, interface to CODECs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 : Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/02 : using printers
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/181 : Receiving print data characterized by its formatting, e.g. particular page description languages
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/1836 : Rasterization
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 : specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/22 : Procedures used during a speech recognition process, e.g. man-machine dialogue
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/30 : Distributed recognition, e.g. in client-server systems, for mobile phones or network applications
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 2015/223 : Execution procedure of a spoken command
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 : Terminal profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 : Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• 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 1/00283 : with a television apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00307 : with a mobile telephone apparatus constructional features of portable telephone sets H04M1/0202; mobile radio systems H04W84/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00403 : Voice input means, e.g. voice commands
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00411 : the display also being used for user input, e.g. touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00488 : providing an audible output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00854 : Recognising an unauthorised user or user-associated action
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00938 : Software related arrangements, e.g. loading applications program loading in general G06F9/445
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32534 : details of interfacing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32582 : Output interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/4413 : involving the use of passwords, ID codes or the like, e.g. PIN
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/442 : using a biometric data reading device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0039 : Connection via a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0041 : Point to point H04N2201/0039 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0053 : Optical, e.g. using an infrared link
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0055 : By radio
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0082 : Image hardcopy reproducer H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0094 : Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/16 : Analogue secrecy systems; Analogue subscription systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 : Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/068 : using credential vaults, e.g. password manager applications or one time password [OTP] applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 : Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 : Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 : Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 : Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 : Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 : WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 : Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

A touch sensitive screen mobile information apparatus having a wireless communication unit for wireless device discovery is herein disclosed. Close proximity wireless device discovery is enabled by wireless searching near distance via radio frequency field for a wireless device, receiving information from the wireless device over the near distance wireless communication, and storing the received information at the information apparatus for future wireless connections. Authentication or pairing of devices may be eliminated due to close proximity of the direct wireless device discovery. After wireless device discovery, the information apparatus and the wireless device may become locked or paired for subsequent wireless communication over any number of wireless communication protocols or standards (e.g., Bluetooth, IEEE 802.11, 2.4GHz) without the need to repeat wireless discovery or pairing. Examples of information apparatus include smart phones, digital camera, laptops, or information pads. Examples of wireless devices include televisions, audio output devices, or printers.

Claims

1. A wireless information apparatus method for wireless device discovering in close proximity of one or more output devices over short range wireless communication and for transferring, from the wireless information apparatus to the one or more output devices over a wireless communication channel, at least part of digital content accessible, at least partly, by the wireless information apparatus, the short range wireless communication being a close proximity wireless communication directly between the wireless information apparatus and the one or more output devices, and the wireless information apparatus being a distinct device from the one or more output devices, the one or more output devices being at least one of a printing device, a display device, a projection device, an audio output device, a sound output device, and a television, individually or in any combination, the wireless information apparatus including:

a wireless communication unit supporting at least one protocol or standard for establishing short range wireless communication directly between the wireless information apparatus and the one or more output devices,

an interface that includes a touch sensitive screen interface and a graphical user interface for interacting with a user, and

one or more applications for enabling the user to view at least part of the digital content over the graphical user interface, and

an operating system to facilitate operation of the one or more applications; and

the wireless information apparatus method comprising;

(a) wireless device discovering, over short range wireless communication with the wireless communication unit at the wireless information apparatus, for one or more output devices available within close proximity for short range wireless communication directly between the wireless information apparatus and the one or more output devices;

(b) establishing, with the wireless communication unit and at the wireless information apparatus, a short range wireless communication directly between the wireless information apparatus and the one or more output devices discovered in the wireless device discovery step (a);

(c) receiving, at the wireless information apparatus and directly from the one or more output devices, information over the short range wireless communication established in step (b), the received information related to the one or more output devices not previously available and not previously stored in the wireless information apparatus prior to having executed at least part of the wireless device discovery step (a);

(d) providing, over the interface of the wireless information apparatus to the user, at least an indication associated with at least part of said information related to the one or more output devices discovered in the wireless device discovery step (a) and directly received from the one or more output devices in step (c) over the short range wireless communication established in step (b);

(e) establishing, at the wireless information apparatus, a wireless communication channel with one of the discovered output devices from among the one or more output devices wireless discovered over the short range wireless communication in step (a);

(f) generating, at the wireless information apparatus, output data associated with at least part of the digital content for output at the one of the discovered output devices over the established wireless communication channel in step (e);

(g) wireless transferring, from the wireless information apparatus, at least part of the output data associated with at least part of the digital content to the one of the discovered output devices over the wireless communication channel established in step (e) for outputting of the at least part of the digital content; and

(h) repeating, at the wireless information apparatus, any combination of steps (d) to (g) for wireless connecting and transferring of at least part of digital content from the wireless information apparatus to the one or more output devices discovered in step (a), without the need for repeating the wireless device discovering step (a).

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the short range wireless communication established directly between the wireless information apparatus and the one or more output devices in step (b) does not require the Internet or a wide area network.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising obtaining, at the wireless information apparatus, authentication information from the user over the interface of the wireless information apparatus, and in dependence of a successful authentication with the obtained authentication information, enabling the wireless information apparatus at least one of:

step (b) establishing, with the wireless communication unit of the wireless information apparatus, short range wireless communication directly between the wireless information apparatus and the one or more output devices;

or

step (e) establishing, at the wireless information apparatus, a wireless communication channel with a discovered output device.

4. The method according to claim 3, in which the authentication information includes one or more of an identity of the wireless information apparatus, a user name, a password, an ID number, signatures, physical or digital security keys, biometrics, fingerprints, and a voice, individually or in any combination.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising receiving, over the touch sensitive screen interface of the wireless information apparatus from the user, a selected output device from among the one or more discovered output devices in step (a), the selected output device based, at least in part, on said information related to the one or more discovered output devices provided to the user over the interface in step (d) for user selection.

6. The method according to claim 1, in which generating output data includes at least one of:

conforming at least part of the digital content into a device dependent output data that is related, at least in part, to the information received over the short range wireless communication and from the one or more output devices discovered in step (a);

or

conforming at least part of the digital content into a device independent output data related, at least in part, to a predefined standard or a proprietary format or language.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein:

the wireless device discovering in step (a) is compatible, at least partly, with a close proximity short range wireless communication protocol; and

the establishing of wireless communication channel in step (e) is compatible with at least one protocol within Bluetooth standard, or compatible with at least one protocol within IEEE 802.11 standard; and

the repeating of wireless connecting and transferring in step (h) is compatible with at least one protocol within Bluetooth standard, or compatible with at least one protocol within IEEE 802.11 standard.

8. The method according to claim 1, in which the wireless information apparatus includes one or more of a laptop computer, a smart phone, an Internet phone, an Internet pad, an Information pad, a Web pad, an Internet appliance, or a digital camera, individually or in any combination;

and the discovered output device includes one or more of a television, a display device, a projection device, an audio output device, a sound output device, a copier machine, an output controller, and a printer, individually or in any combination.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the short range wireless communication or the wireless communication channel between the wireless information apparatus and a discovered output device is compatible, at least partly, with part of a short range wireless communication protocol that is at least one of a Bluetooth, an infrared, one within IEEE 802 and a wireless standard based on 2.4 GHz frequency, individually or in any combination.

10. A wireless information apparatus for wireless device discovering in close proximity one or more output devices over short range wireless communication and for establishing wireless connection with the one or more output devices, the short range wireless communication being a close proximity wireless communication directly between the wireless information apparatus and the one or more output devices, and the wireless information apparatus being a distinct device from the one or more output devices, the one or more output devices being at least one of a printing device, a display device, a projection device, an audio output device, a sound output device, an output controller device, and a television, individually or in any combination, and the wireless information apparatus including:

a wireless communication unit supporting at least one protocol or standard for establishing within close proximity short range wireless communication directly between the wireless information apparatus and the one or more output devices,

an interface that includes a touch sensitive screen interface and a graphical user interface for interacting with a user,

one or more applications for enabling the user to view at least part of the digital content over the graphical user interface,

an operating system to facilitate operation of the one or more applications and to facilitate installation of additional applications for expanding the functionalities of the wireless information apparatus, and

at least one processing unit to execute software at the wireless information apparatus for enabling operations of said wireless information apparatus, comprising;

(a) interacting with the user over the interface that includes a touch sensitive screen interface;

(b) wireless device discovering, via the wireless communication unit of the wireless information apparatus and over short range wireless communication, for the one or more output devices available within close proximity for direct short range wireless communication with the wireless information apparatus;

(c) establishing, at the wireless information apparatus, short range wireless communication directly between the wireless information apparatus and the one or more output devices found in the wireless device discovery in (b);

(d) receiving, at the wireless information apparatus, information related, at least in part, to the one or more output devices directly from the one or more output devices over the short range wireless communication established in between the wireless information apparatus and the one or more output devices in (c), the received information not previously available to the wireless information apparatus until having executed at least part of the wireless device discovery step in (b) to the short range wireless communication establishing step in (c);

(e) providing, over the touch sensitive screen interface of the wireless information apparatus to the user, at least part of said information related, at least in part, to the one or more output devices discovered in (b) for user selection;

(f) receiving, over the touch sensitive screen interface of the wireless information apparatus from the user, an indication related to a selected output device, the selected output device being related to said information associated with the one or more output devices provided to the user over the touch sensitive screen interface for user selection in (e);

(g) establishing, at the wireless information apparatus, a wireless communication connection from the wireless information apparatus to the selected output device selected in (f);

(h) repeating, at the wireless information apparatus, any combination of (b) to (f), in dependence of not receiving at least an indication of a discovered output device in (b) or not receiving at least an indication of a selected output device from the user in (f); and

(i) repeating, at the wireless information apparatus, any combination of (e) to (g) for wireless connecting to a selected output device from among the one or more output devices that were previously discovered in (b), without the need to repeat the wireless device discovery step in (b).

11. An apparatus according to claim 10 in which the wireless information apparatus includes one or more of a laptop computer, a smart phone, an Internet phone, an Internet pad, an Information pad, a Web pad, an Internet appliance, and a digital camera, individually or in any combination;

and the selected output device includes an output controller device, a television, a monitor, a display device, a projection device, an audio output device, a sound output device, a copier, and a printer, individually or in any combination.

12. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the short range wireless communication directly between the wireless information apparatus and the one or more output devices in (c) does not require a wide area network or the Internet;

and wireless communication connection between the wireless information apparatus and the selected output device in (g) is compatible, at least partly, with part of a short range wireless communication protocol that is at least one of a Bluetooth, one within IEEE 802, and a wireless standard based on 2.4 GHz frequency, individually or in any combination.

13. An apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising obtaining, at the wireless information apparatus, authentication information from the user over the interface of the wireless information apparatus, the authentication information not previously stored in the wireless information apparatus, and in dependence of a successful authentication with the authentication information, enabling the wireless information apparatus wireless access to the selected output device.

14. A wireless information apparatus for wireless device discovering in close proximity one or more output devices over short range wireless communication and for transferring at least part of digital content from the wireless information apparatus to the one or more output devices over a wireless communication channel, the short range wireless communication being a close proximity wireless communication directly between the wireless information apparatus and the one or more output devices, and the wireless information apparatus being a distinct device from the one or more output devices, the one or more output devices being at least one of an output controller device, a printing device, a display device, a projection device, an audio output device, a sound output device, and a television, individually or in any combination, and the wireless information apparatus including:

a wireless communication unit supporting at least one protocol or standard for establishing within close proximity short range wireless communication directly between the wireless information apparatus and the one or more output devices,

an interface that includes a touch sensitive screen interface and a graphical user interface for interacting with a user,

one or more applications for enabling the user to access and to view at least part of the digital content over the graphical user interface,

an operating system to facilitate operations of the one or more applications at the wireless information apparatus and to facilitate installation of additional applications for expanding the functionalities of the wireless information apparatus, and

at least one processing unit to execute software at the wireless information apparatus for enabling operations of said wireless information apparatus, comprising;

(a) interacting with the user over the interface that includes the touch sensitive screen interface;

(b) short range wireless device searching over the short range wireless communication with the wireless communication unit at the wireless information apparatus for one or more output devices that are within close proximity and are available for direct short range wireless communication with the wireless information apparatus;

(c) short range wireless device discovering, over the direct short range wireless communication and at the wireless information apparatus, the one or more output devices that are found in the wireless device search in (b) over the direct short range wireless communication;

(d) providing, over the touch sensitive screen interface of the wireless information apparatus to the user, information related to the one or more output devices discovered in (c) for user selection, the information not being previously stored or available at the wireless information apparatus prior to having executed at least part of the short range wireless device searching in (b) to the short range wireless device discovering in (c);

(e) obtaining from the user, over the touch sensitive screen interface at the wireless information apparatus, a selected wireless output device from among the one or more discovered wireless output devices discovered in (c);

(f) establishing, at the wireless information apparatus, a wireless communication channel with the selected output device in dependence, at least in part, on the selected output device having previously been short range wireless device discovered in (c);

(g) transferring at least part of the digital content from the wireless information apparatus to the selected wireless output device over the established wireless communication channel in (f) for output of at least part of the digital content at the selected output device;

(h) repeating, at the wireless information apparatus, any combination of short range wireless device searching of (b) to short range wireless device discovering of (c) in dependence of not wireless device discovering the one or more output devices in (c); and

(i) repeating, at the wireless information apparatus, any combination from (d) to (g), without the need for repeating at least part of the short range wireless device searching in (b) to the short range wireless device discovering in (c).

15. An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the short range wireless communication channel in (f) is compatible, at least partly, with part of a short range wireless communication protocol that is one or more of a Bluetooth, one within IEEE 802, and a wireless standard based on 2.4 GHz frequency, individually or in any combination, and the short range wireless communication channel is a direct wireless communication from the wireless information apparatus to the selected wireless output device.

16. An apparatus according to claim 14 in which the at least one processing unit to execute software at the wireless information apparatus for enabling further operations of said wireless information apparatus comprising:

obtaining, at the wireless information apparatus, authentication information for enabling authenticated wireless access of the wireless information apparatus to the selected wireless output device; and

sending, at the wireless information apparatus, over the short range wireless communication, at least part of the authentication information for authentication of wireless access of the wireless information apparatus to the selected wireless output device.

17. An apparatus according to claim 16, in which the authentication information includes one or more of an identity of the wireless information apparatus, a user name, a password, an ID number, signatures, physical or digital security keys, biometrics, fingerprints, and a voice, individually or in any combination.

18. An apparatus according to claim 14 in which the at least one processing unit to execute software at the wireless information apparatus for enabling further operations of said wireless information apparatus comprising:

coupling the wireless information apparatus to a wireless network that includes the Internet for accessing digital content over the Internet;

generating, at the wireless information apparatus, an intermediate output data that includes image data, the intermediate output data being related to at least part of the digital content; and

transferring at least part of the intermediate output data from the wireless information apparatus to the selected output device over the wireless communication channel from the wireless information apparatus to the selected wireless output device for rendering of at least part of the digital content.

19. An apparatus according to claim 14, in which the wireless information apparatus is one or more of a laptop computer, a mobile phone, a smart phone, an Internet phone, an Internet pad, an Information pad, a Web pad, an Internet appliance, and a digital camera, individually or in any combination.

20. An apparatus according to claim 14 in which the at least one processing unit to execute software at the wireless information apparatus for enabling further operations of said wireless information apparatus comprising:

receiving, at the wireless information apparatus, information related, at least in part, to the one or more output devices in (c), the information received directly from the one or more output devices over the short range wireless communication, and the received information not previously available to the wireless information apparatus until having executed at least part of the short range wireless device searching in (b) or the short range wireless device discovering in (c); and

storing the received information at the wireless information apparatus for future wireless connection to the one or more output devices.

21. A wireless information apparatus method for wireless device discovering, in close proximity, one or more output devices over short range wireless communication, and for transmitting over a wireless connection at least part of digital content to at least one of the discovered one or more output devices, the wireless information apparatus being at least a smart phone, and the wireless information apparatus being a distinct device from the one or more output devices, and the one or more output devices being at least one of a printing device, a display device, a projection device, an audio output device, a sound output device, an output controller device, and a television, individually or in any combination, the wireless information apparatus that is at least a smart phone including:

a close proximity wireless communication unit supporting at least one protocol within a wireless standard for establishing close proximity short range wireless communication directly between the wireless information apparatus and the one or more output devices;

a wireless communication unit for establishing a wireless communication connection between the wireless information apparatus and the one or more output devices, the wireless communication unit being compatible, at least partly, with at least one protocol within Bluetooth standards, or compatible, at least partly, with at least one protocol within IEEE 802.11 standards;

an interface that includes a touch sensitive screen interface and a graphical user interface for interacting with a user;

one or more applications for enabling the user to view at least part of the digital content over the graphical user interface;

a memory unit or storage unit for storing data;

an operating system to facilitate operation of the one or more applications and to facilitate installation of additional applications for expanding the functionalities of the wireless information apparatus that is at least a smart phone; and

the wireless information apparatus method comprising;

(a) wireless device discovering, via the close proximity wireless communication unit of the wireless information apparatus and over short range wireless communication, for the one or more output devices available within close proximity for direct short range wireless communication with the wireless information apparatus;

(b) establishing, via the close proximity wireless communication unit at the wireless information apparatus, short range wireless communication directly between the wireless information apparatus and a discovered output device of the one or more output devices found in the wireless device discovery in (a);

(c) receiving, via the close proximity wireless communication unit at the wireless information apparatus, information related, at least in part, to the discovered output device in (a), and directly from the discovered output device in (a) over the short range wireless communication established between the wireless information apparatus and the discovered output device in (b), the received information not previously available to the wireless information apparatus until having executed at least part of the wireless device discovery step in (a) to the short range wireless communication establishing step in (b);

(d) providing, over the touch sensitive screen interface of the wireless information apparatus to the user, information related, at least in part, to the discovered output device discovered in (a);

(e) storing, in the memory unit or the storage unit of the wireless information apparatus, the at least part of the information received in (c), the information related, at least in part, to the discovered output device discovered in (a);

(f) establishing, at the wireless information apparatus, a wireless communication connection from the wireless communication unit of the wireless information apparatus to the discovered output device in (a), the wireless communication connection being compatible, at least partly, with at least one protocol within Bluetooth standards, or compatible, at least partly, with at least one protocol within IEEE 802.11 standards;

(g) transmitting at least part of digital content over the wireless communication connection established in (f) from the wireless information apparatus to the discovered output device in (a); and

(h) repeating, at the wireless information apparatus, any combination of (f) to (g) for wireless connecting via the wireless communication unit to a previously discovered output device that was previously discovered in (a), without the need to repeat the wireless device discovery step in (a), the wireless communication unit being compatible, at least partly, with at least one protocol within Bluetooth standards, or being compatible, at least partly, with at least one protocol within IEEE 802.11 standards.