Phonepad

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9699291-B2
Application number	US-201414467501-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 25, 2014
Priority date	Aug 25, 2014
Publication date	Jul 4, 2017
Grant date	Jul 4, 2017

Abstract

Example apparatus and methods concern a first device (e.g., phone) having a first set of input or output capabilities interacting with a second device(s) (e.g., tablet) having a second set of input or output capabilities. The first device may detect the second device and establish a communication link with the second device. The first device may receive inputs presented at the second device and provide outputs to be presented by the second device. In response to an action (e.g., touch, gesture) on the second device, an application running on the first device may receive an input, which may in turn determine an output that is provided to the second device. The first device may use the second device to provide an input/output experience that is superior to what the first device could provide with its own built-in input/output components. The combination saves energy and reduces computing complexity.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method performed by a general purpose mobile computing device having a first level of input or output capability, the method comprising:
detecting a componentized device in range of the general purpose mobile computing device, wherein the componentized device has a second level of input or output capability that is greater than the first level of input or output capability;
establishing a relationship with the componentized device, wherein the relationship comprises a wireless communication link with the componentized device;
receiving inputs from the componentized device;
providing outputs to the componentized device;
determining that a second componentized device is in range of the general purpose mobile computing device, wherein the second componentized device has a third level of input or output capability that is greater than the first level of input or output capability;
severing the relationship with the componentized device in response to determining that the second componentized device is in range of the general purpose mobile computing device; and
establishing a wireless communication link with the second componentized device to receive inputs from the second componentized device and provide outputs to the second componentized device.

2. The method of claim 1 , where the general purpose mobile computing device is a cellular telephone and the componentized device is a tablet device.

3. The method of claim 1 , where the componentized device has a second greater level of input and output capability.

4. The method of claim 1 , comprising controlling the componentized device to provide inputs to the general purpose mobile computing device only and controlling the componentized device to accept outputs from the general purpose mobile computing device only.

5. The method of claim 1 , where the inputs are associated with a touch event or a hover event.

6. The method of claim 1 , where the outputs are display outputs, tactile outputs, audio outputs, thermal outputs, or olfactory outputs.

7. The method of claim 1 , comprising:
establishing a communication link with two or more componentized devices having second levels of input or output capability that are different than the first level of input or output capability;
receiving inputs from the two or more componentized devices, and
providing outputs to the two or more componentized devices.

8. The method of claim 7 , comprising:
providing the inputs from the two or more componentized devices to a multi-user application running on the general purpose mobile computing device, and
providing different outputs from the multi-user application running on the general purpose mobile computing device to different members of the two or more componentized devices.

9. The method of claim 1 , comprising controlling the componentized device to selectively power down a circuit or process not associated with providing the input or output capability.

10. An apparatus, comprising:
a processor;
a memory;
a cellular telephony circuit;
a set of logics that facilitate using an input capability or output capability provided by a separate apparatus, and
a physical interface to connect the processor, the memory, the cellular telephony circuit, and the set of logics,
the set of logics comprising:
a first logic that detects a second apparatus in range of the apparatus, wherein the second apparatus has an input capability superior to the apparatus or that has an output capability superior to the apparatus;
a second logic that controls the second apparatus to provide input data or control to the apparatus and that receives the input data or control from the second apparatus, via a wireless communication link;
a third logic that provides outputs to the second apparatus and controls the second apparatus to present the outputs; and
further logic that determines that a third apparatus is in range of the apparatus, wherein the third apparatus has an input capability superior to the apparatus or has an output capability superior to the apparatus, severs the wireless communication link with the second apparatus in response to determining that the third apparatus is in range of the apparatus, and establishes a wireless communication link with the third apparatus to receive inputs from the third apparatus and provide outputs to the third apparatus.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , where the outputs are based, at least in part, on the input data or control.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 , comprising a fourth logic that selects the second apparatus from two or more available apparatus based, at least in part, on an input capability associated with an application running on the apparatus or on an output capability associated with an application running on the apparatus.

13. The apparatus of claim 10 , where the first logic selects a first second apparatus for input and selects a second second apparatus for output.

14. The apparatus of claim 10 , where the second apparatus is a componentized device that is only capable of providing the input data or control or presenting the outputs.

15. The apparatus of claim 10 , where the outputs are a display output, a tactile output, an audio output, a thermal output, or an olfactory output.

16. The apparatus of claim 10 , where the input data or control concern a touch input, a hover input, an audible input, a voice input, or a haptic input.

17. The apparatus of claim 10 , where the first logic controls the second apparatus to reduce power to a circuit or process not needed to provide the input capability or the output capability.

18. The apparatus of claim 10 , where the first logic detects two or more second apparatus that may participate in a multi-user experience provided by the apparatus.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 , where the second logic controls members of the two or more second apparatus to provide user-specific inputs associated with the multi-user experience and where the third logic provides user-specific outputs to different members of the two or more second apparatus.

20. A system, comprising:
a smart phone running an operating system and an application; and
a componentized tablet that is not running an operating system and an application, wherein the tablet is in range of the smart phone and is in an established relationship with the smart phone, wherein the relationship comprises a wireless communication link with the smart phone,
where the smart phone controls the tablet to provide inputs to the smart phone,
where the smart phone controls the tablet to produce outputs determined by the smart phone,
where the smart phone determines that a componentized device is in range of the smart phone, wherein the componentized device has a level of input or output capability that is greater than the level of input or output capability of the smart phone,
where the smart phone severs the relationship with the tablet in response to determining that the componentized device is in range of the smart phone, and
where the smart phone establishes a wireless communication link with the componentized device to receive inputs from the componentized device and provide outputs to the componentized device.

Assignees

• Microsoft Technology Licensing Llc

Inventors

• Zhao Pengxiang
• Zheng Frank
• Zhu Robert
• Chin Ying
• Zhang Zach

Classifications

• H04W76/14

  Direct-mode setup · CPC title

• H04W4/00

  Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor · CPC title

• H04W56/002

  Mutual synchronization · CPC title

• G06F3/01

  Input arrangements or combined input and output arrangements for interaction between user and computer (G06F3/16 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H04W4/80 Primary

  Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication · CPC title