U.S. patent application number 10/006952 was filed with the patent office on 2003-05-08 for data prioritization and distribution limitation system and method.
This patent application is currently assigned to Palm, Inc.. Invention is credited to Kammer, David.
Application Number | 20030087602 10/006952 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 21723433 |
Filed Date | 2003-05-08 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030087602 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kammer, David |
May 8, 2003 |
Data prioritization and distribution limitation system and
method
Abstract
A method of communicating between a handheld computer and other
local area computing devices having wireless communication
capability includes providing a handheld computer and identifying a
plurality of other local area computing devices having wireless
communication capability. The method further includes creating an
identifier for one or more of the plurality of other local area
computing devices and listing each identifier on a display. The
list is sorted in order of at least one of distance and direction
from the handheld computer.
Inventors: |
Kammer, David; (Seattle,
WA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
FOLEY & LARDNER
777 EAST WISCONSIN AVENUE
SUITE 3800
MILWAUKEE
WI
53202-5308
US
|
Assignee: |
Palm, Inc.
|
Family ID: |
21723433 |
Appl. No.: |
10/006952 |
Filed: |
November 5, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
455/41.2 ;
455/517 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04L 67/75 20220501;
H04W 8/26 20130101; H04M 2250/02 20130101; H04W 8/005 20130101;
H04W 40/246 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
455/41 ;
455/517 |
International
Class: |
H04B 005/00 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A method of communicating between a handheld computer and other
local area computing devices having wireless communication
capability, comprising the steps of: providing a handheld computer;
identifying a plurality of other local area computing devices
having wireless communication capability; creating an identifier
for one or more of the plurality of other local area computing
devices; and listing each identifier on a display, wherein the list
is sorted in order of at least one of distance and direction from
the handheld computer.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the hand held computer is
configured to communicate with the plurality of other local area
computing devices utilizing a Bluetooth standard.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the hand held computer is
configured to communicate with the plurality of other local area
computing devices utilizing an IEEE 802.11 standard.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the hand held computer is
configured to communicate with the plurality of other local
wireless devices utilizing RF signals.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the handheld computer is
configured to communicate with the plurality of other local
wireless devices utilizing infrared signals.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the information necessary to sort
the list by at least one of distance and direction is provided by
electronic pinging between the handheld computer and the plurality
of other local area computing devices.
7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of choosing
one or more of the listed identifiers and sharing information with
the local area computing device corresponding to the chosen
identifier.
8. A method of sharing information between a handheld computer and
a group of local area computing devices having wireless
communication capability, comprising the steps of: specifying a
distance; identifying one or more local area computing devices
having wireless communication capability within the specified
distance from the handheld computer; and transmitting a wireless
message to the one or more local area computing devices having
wireless communication capability within the specified
distance.
9. The method of claim 8, wherein the display is a touch screen
display.
10. The method of claim 8, wherein the wireless message is
transmitted utilizing a Bluetooth standard.
11. The method of claim 8, wherein the wireless message is
transmitted utilizing an IEEE 802.11 standard.
12. The method of claim 8, wherein the wireless message is
transmitted utilizing RF signals.
13. The method of claim 8, wherein the wireless message is
transmitted utilizing infrared signals.
14. The method of claim 8, wherein the information necessary to
transmit the wireless message only within the specified distance is
provided by electronic pinging between the handheld computer and
the one or more local area computing devices.
15. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of receiving
a wireless message from the one or more local area computing
devices having wireless communication capability within the
specified distance.
16. A local area wireless communication device, comprising: a
housing; a processor supported by the housing; a memory coupled to
the processor; a transmitter supported by the housing; and a
display; wherein the processor instructs the display to list a
plurality of other computing devices located within range of the
transmitter, sorted in order of at least one of the distance and
the direction from the wireless communication device.
17. The method of claim 16, wherein the display is a touch screen
display.
18. The method of claim 16, wherein the local area wireless
communication device is configured to communicate with the
plurality of other local area computing devices utilizing a
Bluetooth standard.
19. The method of claim 16, wherein the local area wireless
communication device is configured to communicate with the
plurality of other local area computing devices utilizing an IEEE
802.11 standard.
20. The method of claim 16, wherein the local area wireless
communication device is configured to communicate with the
plurality of other local wireless devices utilizing RF signals.
21. The method of claim 16, wherein the local area wireless
communication device is configured to communicate with the
plurality of other local wireless devices utilizing infrared
signals.
22. The method of claim 16, wherein the information necessary to
sort the list by at least one of distance and direction is provided
by electronic pinging between the local area wireless communication
device and the plurality of other local area computing devices.
23. The method of claim 16, wherein the wireless communication
device is a handheld computer.
24. A user interface for a handheld computer, comprising: a display
providing a list of indicators corresponding to a plurality of
local area computing devices with which communication is possible;
wherein the list is sorted by at least one of distance and
direction from the handheld computer.
25. The method of claim 24, wherein the display is a touch
screen.
26. The method of claim 24, wherein the handheld computer is
configured to communicate with the plurality of local area
computing devices utilizing a Bluetooth standard.
27. The method of claim 24, wherein the handheld computer is
configured to communicate with the plurality of local area
computing devices utilizing an IEEE 802.11 standard.
28. The method of claim 24, wherein the handheld computer is
configured to communicate with the plurality of local wireless
devices utilizing RF signals.
29. The method of claim 24, wherein the handheld computer is
configured to communicate with the plurality of local wireless
devices utilizing infrared signals.
30. The method of claim 24, wherein the information necessary to
sort the list by distance is provided by electronic pinging between
the handheld computer and the plurality of local area computing
devices.
31. The method of claim 24, wherein the information necessary to
sort the list by at least one of distance and direction is provided
by electronic pinging between the handheld computer and the
plurality of other local area computing devices.
32. The method of claim 24, further comprising the step of choosing
one or more of the listed identifiers and sharing information with
the local area computing device corresponding to the chosen
identifier.
Description
BACKGROUND
[0001] Handheld computing devices such as personal digital
assistants or handheld computers generally provide some combination
of personal information management, database functions, word
processing and spreadsheets, as well as communications network
connectivity, internet connectivity, voice memo recording, and
telephony functions. Further, handheld computing devices may
include local area wireless technology permitting communication
with other computing devices within a local area.
[0002] Handheld computing devices that include local area wireless
capabilities may communicate with other computing devices using
protocols or standards such as but not limited to Bluetooth
wireless technology, IEEE 802.11 architecture, or other relevant
technologies or standards. Local area wireless communications are
typically between devices located proximate one another, such as
within twenty meters. The communication signals sent between the
computing devices are typically radio frequency (RF) signals but
may also include infrared or ultrasonic signals.
[0003] While handheld computing devices that include local area
wireless communication capability may communicate with each other,
they may also communicate with computing devices connected to land
lines, such as a wired local area network access point, or other
hardwired computing devices. Further, the wireless handheld
computing devices may share information with other types of
wireless electronic devices such as cellular phones or laptop
computers.
[0004] Local area wireless communication capability permits
computing devices to communicate and share information such as
files with one another without the use of a wired or cellular
network. Sharing information may involve one or both of
transmitting and receiving information. A local area wireless
connection may be used to interface with a wired computer network
or to browse the internet utilizing a nearby computing device that
is connected to the internet. Further, documents, business cards,
computer files, and even voice communications may be communicated
between multiple computing devices that are linked together in a
wireless local area network. Further still, local wireless
connectivity permits the synchronization of various computing
devices such as handheld computers, cellular phones, and laptops
without the use of wired connections or more complicated wireless
computing protocols such as those used by cellular phones.
[0005] In order for handheld computing devices to communicate with
one another and other computing devices via local area wireless
technologies, the various devices and their users of ten desire to
be able to accept or decline messages that are received, and
preferably target outgoing messages to particular receiving
devices, rather than indiscriminately broadcasting communications
to all proximate wireless computing devices.
[0006] One way for computing devices to more selectively
communicate with one another is for the user to select the device
or devices to which a communication should be made prior to sending
the communication. The device may then send the communication such
that it is received only by the chosen computing devices rather
than all computing devices within range of the transmitted signal.
The number of computing devices within range of a computing device
with a wireless transmitter may be large given the rapidly
increasing use of local area wireless technologies and the long
range of RF signals as compared to the infrared signals used by
earlier devices.
[0007] Permitting the user to choose the local computing devices
with which information should be shared presents difficulties if
the number of possible receiving devices is large. A typical method
of presenting the possible choices to the user would be to list the
devices on a display associated with the user's handheld computer.
The user may then scroll through the list or use a stylus to tap on
the desired devices to which the user wishes to transmit
information. However, as the number of possible devices grow large,
the action required by the user becomes more cumbersome, as it may
be necessary to scroll through a long list of local area devices,
and choose one or more of them. Further, it may not be immediately
apparent to the user which nearby computing device corresponds to
the indicator shown on the user's computer device, making the
selection more difficult.
[0008] Therefore, there is a need for a handheld computing device
with local area wireless technology that permits the user to more
easily choose other computing devices in the local area with which
the user wishes to communicate. Further, there is a need for a more
logical approach to selecting a group of one or more devices to
which a wireless communication should be sent without individually
selecting each device from a list.
[0009] The teachings herein extend to those embodiments that fall
within the scope of the appended claims, regardless of whether they
accomplish one or more of the above-mentioned needs.
SUMMARY
[0010] An exemplary embodiment relates to a method of communicating
between a handheld computer and other local area computing devices
having wireless communication capability. The method includes
providing a handheld computer, identifying a number of other local
area computing devices having wireless communication capability,
creating an identifier for one or more of the plurality of other
local area computing devices, and listing each identifier on a
display, wherein the list is sorted in order of at least one of the
distance and direction from the handheld computer.
[0011] Another exemplary embodiment relates to a method of sharing
information between a handheld computer and a group of local area
computing devices having wireless communication capability. The
method includes specifying a distance, identifying one or more
local area computing devices having wireless communication
capability within the specified distance from the handheld
computer, and transmitting a wireless message to the one or more
local area computing devices having wireless communication
capability within the specified distance.
[0012] A further exemplary embodiment relates to a local area
wireless communication device. The local area wireless
communication device includes a housing, a processor supported by
the housing, a memory coupled to the processor, a transmitter
supported by the housing, and a display. The processor instructs
the display to list a plurality of other computing devices located
within range of the transmitter, sorted in order of at least one of
the distance and the direction from the wireless communication
device.
[0013] A still further exemplary embodiment relates to a user
interface for a handheld computer. The user interface includes a
display providing a list of indicators corresponding to a plurality
of local area computing devices with which communication is
possible. The list is sorted by at least one of distance and
direction from the handheld computer.
[0014] Alternative exemplary embodiments relate to other features
and combination of features as may be generally recited in the
claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] The invention will become more fully understood from the
following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the
accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to
like elements in which:
[0016] FIG. 1 is an exemplary front elevation view of a handheld
computer;
[0017] FIG. 2 is a top view of a handheld computer;
[0018] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a handheld computer and
expansion card;
[0019] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a local area containing
various computing devices;
[0020] FIG. 5 is a front view of a handheld computer displaying a
list of local area computing devices;
[0021] FIG. 6 is a front view of a handheld computer displaying a
list of local area computing devices sorted by distance; and
[0022] FIG. 7 is a front view of a handheld computer displaying a
list of computing devices sorted in order of direction.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS
[0023] Referring to FIG. 1, a portable electronic device, shown as,
but not limited to, handheld computer 100 is depicted according to
an exemplary embodiment. Handheld computer 100 may include Palm
style computers manufactured by Palm, Inc., of Santa Clara, Calif.
Other exemplary embodiments may include Windows CE handheld
computers, or other handheld computers and personal digital
assistants, as well as mobile telephones, and other mobile
computing devices.
[0024] Preferably, handheld computer 100 includes memory, a
processor, and interactive hardware and software that performs
functions such as maintaining calendars, phone lists, task lists,
notepads, calculator applications, spreadsheets, games, and other
applications capable of running on a computing device. Further,
handheld computer 100 may be configured for such functions as voice
memo recording and play back, as well as communications network
connectivity, internet connectivity and wireless telephony.
[0025] Handheld computer 100, depicted in FIG. 1, includes a
plurality of input function keys 112 and a display 114 having
graphical user interface features. Display 114 may be provided with
a touch screen interface that allows a user to select and alter
displayed content using a pointer, such as, but not limited to, a
stylus 116 (see FIG. 2), a pen tip, a finger tip, or other pointing
devices.
[0026] Handheld computer 100 may also include local area wireless
technology to permit wireless communication with other portable
electronic devices and computing devices that have compatible
communication technology. The local area wireless technology may be
Bluetooth or IEEE 802.11 compatible, or may support yet another
wireless communication protocol.
[0027] To support local area wireless communications, handheld
computer 100 may include wireless connectivity software integrated
into the operating system or stored in memory of handheld computer
100 or further added via an expansion card or transferred from
another computer or computer system. Further, to effectuate local
area communications, handheld computer 100 may include an RF
transceiver 124, or other electromagnetic reception and
transmission device. RF transceiver 124 may be provided on handheld
computer 100 as part of an expansion card or may alternatively be
integrated into handheld computer 100. Referring to FIG. 2,
handheld computer 100 may transmit and receive local area wireless
communications via infrared port 120. Expansion card 124, including
an RF transceiver, may be installed in handheld computer 100 via an
expansion slot 122 used to house expansion cards such as, but not
limited to, secure digital (SD) cards. Referring to FIG. 3, one
such expansion card 124 is shown disposed proximate expansion card
slot 122. An installed expansion card 124 that may be used for
local area wireless communications is depicted in FIG. 1. RF
transceiver 124 may be a Bluetooth transceiver, an IEEE 802.11
transceiver, or any of a variety of other RF, VHF, UHF, ultrasonic,
or other wireless transceiver devices.
[0028] Referring to FIG. 4, handheld computer 100 may be capable of
communicating with other computing devices within local area 126.
In the exemplary situation of FIG. 4, handheld computer 100 may be
able to communicate with various other local area computing devices
such as, but not limited to computing devices having wireless
communication capability such as soda machine 200, first handheld
computer (Paula's Handheld) 202, second handheld computer (Steve's
Handheld) 204, laptop computer (Diane's Laptop) 206, cellular phone
(Chuck's Cellular Phone) 208, local area network (LAN) port 210,
and automated teller machine (ATM) 212.
[0029] Referring to FIG. 5, handheld computer 100 may assign each
of the other computing devices 200 through 212 a name to facilitate
identification of possible communication devices by the user of
handheld computer 100. The name or indicator associated with the
other local area wireless devices 200-212 is descriptive in an
exemplary embodiment rather than corresponding to a numerical
computer address for the other devices. In the embodiment shown in
FIG. 5, the device indicators include the name of the user of
certain devices to facilitate identification. The list of other
local area wireless devices may be placed on display 114 of
handheld computer 100 for possible selection by the user. As shown
on FIG. 5, the list may be sorted alphabetically by device
indicator. In other embodiments, the list may be randomly set
forth. If the user of handheld computer 100 wishes to communicate
with soda machine 200, user may be required to scroll through a
list of all local area computing devices, such as 200-212 to find
and select soda machine 200.
[0030] Referring to FIG. 6, in an exemplary embodiment of the
present invention, handheld computer 100 displays a list of local
area wireless computing devices presented in order of distance from
handheld computer 100. Because it is likely that the user of
handheld computer 100 wishes to communicate with a device located
proximate handheld computer 100, listing available devices in order
of distance from handheld computer 100 will present the most likely
desired choice by user at or near the top of the list, creating a
more efficient selection process. For example, soda machine 200 is
most proximate to handheld computer 100 and therefore is listed at
the top of display 114, facilitating selection by user as compared
to the list shown in FIG. 5. The more efficient ordering of
selection possibilities is especially important with respect to
devices such as handheld computer 100 because the limited space on
display 114 may require scrolling through several pages of possible
choices with less efficient ordering methodologies.
[0031] Handheld computer 100 may determine the distance to other
local area computing devices 200 through 212 in a number of ways.
In an exemplary embodiment, handheld computer 100 sends an
electronic locator signal to other local devices and calculates the
locations of the other devices utilizing the response time from the
other devices. Such "electronic pinging" may be continuously done
by handheld computer 100 without interaction from the user, and may
elicit automatic responses from other local area computing devices
200 through 212.
[0032] The listing of devices with which the user may wish to
communicate may be presented on display 114 of handheld computer
100 or may be presented utilizing other methodologies, such as an
audible communication.
[0033] Referring to FIG. 7, in another embodiment, handheld
computer 100 may present a directional listing of local area
computing devices 200 through 212. For example, if handheld
computer 100 is pointed directly at Steve's handheld 204, the list
of communications choices presented by handheld computer 100 to the
user may begin with Steve's handheld 204 and Diane's laptop 206
before listing the closer devices soda machine 200 and Paula's
handheld 202 because the list is keyed to direction from handheld
computer 100 rather than solely based on proximity.
[0034] A directional listing of local area wireless computing
devices may be more useful than other list orders because it is
likely that the user of handheld computer 100 will be pointing
handheld computer 100 at the device with which the user wishes to
share information. The directional information used for sorting the
list of proximate devices may be acquired by handheld computer 100
through the electronic pinging of other local area computing
devices 200 through 212.
[0035] Handheld computer 100 may utilize both distance and
direction simultaneously to sort indicators of other computing
devices 200 through 212. For example, a number of computing devices
may be located at a similar distance, and accordingly handheld
computer 100 may sort the list based first on distance from
handheld computer 100, but secondly based on the direction from
handheld computer 100 if necessary.
[0036] The user of handheld computer 100 may wish to choose a
subset of devices with which to communicate out of the larger set
of all local area wireless devices. One way of making such a
selection would be to scroll through the list of all local area
devices set forth on display 114 and choose each member of the
subset of devices individually. Rather than performing such an
individual selection process, in an exemplary embodiment, a
distance metric may be used to select the subset of devices.
[0037] For example, user of handheld computer 100 may wish to send
a message to all local area wireless devices within a particular
radius of handheld computer 100, denoted by sub area 128 on FIG. 4.
If user of handheld computer 100 wishes to share information with
all local area wireless devices within sub area 128, a distance
metric equal to the radius of sub area 128 maybe chosen such that
communications will be effectuated between handheld computer 100
and wireless devices 200, 202, 204, 206, and 208 but not to and
from wireless devices 210 and 212 which are outside sub area 128.
In an exemplary embodiment, the user may be permitted to choose any
distance metric for communicating with a desired sub-group of
wireless devices within a particular radius of handheld computer
100.
[0038] The software used to permit the various display ordering and
groupings of local area computing devices 200 through 212 may be
part of an operating system, such as Palm OS, or may be a program
loaded separately onto handheld computer 100. The software may be
developed in any number of conventional programming languages. In
other embodiments, the instructions may be carried out by hard
wired circuitry or by a combination of circuitry and software.
[0039] The user interface and display methodologies described
herein address the various needs of the conventional art by
permitting efficient communication between local area wireless
devices. By permitting a user of handheld computer 100 to list
proximate devices categorized by distance or direction, or by
permitting the grouping of devices by a distance metric, the user
of handheld computer 100 may more efficiently communicate with
other computing devices.
[0040] While the detailed drawings, specific examples, and
particular formulations given describe exemplary embodiments, they
serve the purpose of illustration only. The hardware and user
interface configurations shown and described may differ depending
on the chosen performance characteristics and physical
characteristics of the computing devices. The systems shown and
described are not limited to the precise details and conditions
disclosed. Furthermore, other substitutions, modifications,
changes, and omissions may be made in the design, operating
conditions, and arrangement of the exemplary embodiments without
departing from the scope of the invention as expressed in the
appended claims.
* * * * *