U.S. patent application number 15/263337 was filed with the patent office on 2016-12-29 for visual indication of a device connection speed.
The applicant listed for this patent is MONTEREY RESEARCH, LLC. Invention is credited to Dave Gilbert, Eric J. Luttmann.
Application Number | 20160378347 15/263337 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 45092819 |
Filed Date | 2016-12-29 |
United States Patent
Application |
20160378347 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Luttmann; Eric J. ; et
al. |
December 29, 2016 |
VISUAL INDICATION OF A DEVICE CONNECTION SPEED
Abstract
A method of providing visual indication of a device connection
speed proceeds by determining a connection speed of the device and
selecting a visual indicator representative of the connection
speed. Once the appropriate indicator has been selected, the visual
indicator is then displayed.
Inventors: |
Luttmann; Eric J.; (Boise,
ID) ; Gilbert; Dave; (Boise, ID) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
MONTEREY RESEARCH, LLC |
SANTA CLARA |
CA |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
45092819 |
Appl. No.: |
15/263337 |
Filed: |
September 12, 2016 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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13324952 |
Dec 13, 2011 |
9442625 |
|
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15263337 |
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|
11872499 |
Oct 15, 2007 |
8078973 |
|
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13324952 |
|
|
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|
10180475 |
Jun 25, 2002 |
|
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11872499 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
715/772 |
Current CPC
Class: |
Y10S 715/965 20130101;
G06F 3/0673 20130101; G06F 3/04817 20130101; G06F 3/0605 20130101;
G06F 3/0632 20130101; G06F 2206/1008 20130101; G06F 3/0629
20130101 |
International
Class: |
G06F 3/06 20060101
G06F003/06; G06F 3/0481 20060101 G06F003/0481 |
Claims
1. A method comprising: determining a connection speed of a
USB-connected device; selecting a visual indicator representative
of the connection speed; and displaying the visual indicator.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser.
No. 13/324,952, filed on Dec. 13, 2011, which is a continuation of
U.S. application Ser. No. 11/872,499, filed Oct. 15, 2007, now U.S.
Pat. No. 8,078,973, which is a continuation of U.S. application
Ser. No. 10/180,475, filed Jun. 25, 2002, all of which are
incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The present invention relates to a method of informing a
user regarding a speed of a connection between a device and a host.
More particularly, this invention relates to a method of visually
displaying an indicator representing the connection speed of the
device.
BACKGROUND
[0003] When a USB device (such as a Mass Storage device) is plugged
into a USB bus of a host computer, the host operating system (OS)
enumerates the device and mounts it to a desktop of the OS. Each
mounted device conventionally has a graphic icon associated with it
that can be displayed on the desktop, such as in a desktop window.
A display screen (such as a computer monitor) connected to the host
computer displays the desktop to a user. Traditionally, it has been
difficult (or impossible) for a user to determine what bus speed
the USB device was enumerated at (e.g., low speed (LS), full speed
(FS), or high speed (HS)). The differences in throughput between LS
(1.5 Mbit/sec), FS (12 Mbit/sec), and HS (480 Mbit/sec) is
significant.
[0004] FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a desktop window
representing connected devices in a conventional manner Referring
to FIG. 1, a first icon 12 in a operating system desktop window 10
represents a removable disk drive. A second icon 14 represents a
local hard drive. A third icon 16 represents a USB connected mass
storage device. As shown in FIG. 1, when a USB device (such as a
mass storage device) is enumerated in a traditional system, a
graphic icon 16 representing the device is displayed on the
desktop. The graphic icon is selected based solely on the type of
device (e.g., a local drive, a removable drive, a CD-ROM drive,
etc.). There has traditionally been no easy way to identify the
speed at which a device has been enumerated.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a
method of providing visual indication of a device connection speed
is provided. According to this method, a connection speed of the
device is determined and a visual indicator representative of the
connection speed is selected. Once the appropriate indicator has
been selected, it is then displayed. In addition to representing
the speed of connection, the visual indicator can also be selected
to represent the type of device connected.
[0006] According to another aspect of the invention, a system can
be configured to visually represent a device connection speed. The
system preferably includes a host and a peripheral device connected
to the host. Microprocessor(s) can be programmed to provide means
for determining a connection speed of the peripheral device and
means for selecting a visual indicator corresponding to the
connection speed. A display unit can be configured to display the
selected visual indicator.
[0007] In a preferred embodiment, a device is connected to a host
computer via a USB connection. A visual indicator, preferably
comprising a graphic icon that represents the speed of the USB
connection, can be selected using software running on the host
computer. The selected graphic icon can then be displayed on a
display screen of a computer monitor connected to the host
computer. The display screen can be configured to display the icon
on a desktop, in a desktop window, or in a desktop tray of the host
operating system, for example.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] The foregoing and additional aspects and advantages of the
present invention will become more readily apparent through the
following detailed description of preferred embodiments, made with
reference to the attached drawings, in which:
[0009] FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a desktop window of a
computer operating system containing a conventional visual
representation of a USB-connected device;
[0010] FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of a desktop window
including a visual representation of a connection speed of a device
according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0011] FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration of a desktop window
including a visual representation of a high-speed device connection
according to another aspect of the invention;
[0012] FIG. 4 is a schematic illustration of a desktop tray and
pop-up window of a computer operating system including a visual
representation of a low-speed device connection and a visual
representation of a high-speed device connection according to still
further aspects of the present invention; and
[0013] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating a system
configured to visually represent the speed of a device connection
to a user.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0014] The principles of the present invention will be described
more fully hereinafter with reference to preferred embodiments
thereof. It should be noted, however, that these embodiments are
provided by way of example, and not by way of limitation, and that
the embodiments disclosed herein may be modified in form and detail
without departing from the principles and scope of the
invention.
[0015] According to various preferred embodiments of this
invention, a graphic icon displayed for a USB-connected drive or
other device is selected based on a speed of a connection (e.g.,
whether the device is enumerated at low speed (LS), full speed
(FS), or high speed (HS)). By implementing the principles of the
present invention, a user can determine the speed of the connection
simply by glancing at the graphic icon (or other visual indicator)
representing the mounted device.
[0016] FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of a host OS desktop
window 10 displaying a graphic icon 16a that represents a USB Mass
Storage device enumerated at full speed, according to one aspect of
the present invention. FIG. 3 shows a desktop window 10 displaying
a different graphic icon 16b representing a USB Mass Storage device
enumerated at high speed, according to another aspect of the
present invention. A still different icon could be used to
represent a low speed connection.
[0017] Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, by selecting and displaying a
graphic icon 16a, 16b that indicates the connection speed of the
connected device, a user will be able to readily determine at what
USB bus speed (e.g., LS, FS, or HS) the device can operate. A
microprocessor (CPU) of a host computer can be programmed to
retrieve information about the speed of connection of the mounted
device. Information regarding the speed of connection could be
retrieved, for instance, from the device or from the host OS. Once
the speed has been determined, the appropriate icon 16a, 16b can
then be selected and displayed. The icon 16a, 16b is preferably
selected to represent both the connection speed and the type of
device enumerated. Once selected, the icon 16a, 16b can then be
displayed on a computer screen displaying a desktop or desktop
window of the computer OS.
[0018] Of course, other visual display methods are also
contemplated. According to another embodiment of the invention, for
instance, visual indication of the device connection speed can be
provided in a tray icon, either directly in a tray itself or in a
pop-up window of the tray. FIG. 4 illustrates one alternative
embodiment, in which a tray icon 22a, 22b is used to represent
device connection speed. Referring to FIG. 4, a colored icon 22b
(color not shown) in a pop-up window 30 of the desktop tray 20 can
be used to represent a device enumerated at high speed, whereas a
gray icon 22a can be used to represent a device enumerated at full
speed. Rather than using color to indicate the speed of connection,
different icons could be used, as in the previous embodiment. Other
methods of providing visually distinguishable icon features could
also be used.
[0019] Many other ways of providing a visual representation of
device connection speed to a user could also be used. Among other
things, the type of icons and the display locations can be varied
with respect to a desktop OS display system. The icons themselves
can be modified in any desired manner (e.g., size, shape, color,
etc.) to represent different connection speeds. Further, although
the visual indicator in the preferred embodiment is a graphic icon
displayed on a computer monitor or similar display device, other
visual indicators such as LEDs or images or symbols on a display
panel (e.g., an LCD panel or screen) could also be used to provide
visual indication of USB enumerated speed to a user. Instead of a
computer monitor that is part of the host computer system, the
display unit can be a light or display panel that is part of the
USB connection cable or part of the USB device.
[0020] In summary, a method of providing visual indication of a
device connection speed includes determining a connection speed of
a device. A visual indicator representative of the connection speed
is then selected and displayed.
[0021] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating a system 100
configured to visually represent a device connection speed.
Referring to FIG. 5, the system preferably includes a USB device
110 connected to a host computer 115 via a USB connection 112. The
host computer 115 is connected to a display unit 120, such as a
computer monitor, which is configured to visually represent the
speed of the device connection to a user. The USB device 110 is
enumerated, for example, at either a low, full, or high bus
speed.
[0022] A visual indicator is selected based on the speed at which
the USB device 110 is enumerated. The visual indicator is
preferably a graphic icon 16a displayed on a display screen 122 of
the display unit 120. The display screen 122 can, for example,
display the graphic icon 16a in a desktop window of a host OS. A
software program running on the host computer 115 can instruct the
host computer 115 to determine the connection speed, select an
appropriate graphic icon 16a, and display the icon 16a on the
screen 122.
[0023] Although the graphic icon 16a of FIG. 5 is shown displayed
in a desktop window, the graphic icon could alternatively be
displayed directly on a desktop of the host OS, in a tray of the
host OS desktop, in a pop-up window of the tray, or in any other
desired location. In addition, the visual indicator can be selected
to not only represent the speed of connection, but also the type of
device connected. As discussed above, other types of display units
and visual indicators could also be used.
[0024] In summary, a system can be configured to visually represent
a device connection speed. The system preferably includes a host,
such as a personal computer, and a peripheral device connected to
the host. The peripheral device is preferably connected to the host
via a USB connection. Means for determining a connection speed of
the peripheral device can include a processor programmed to
determine the connection speed of the peripheral device. Means for
selecting a visual indicator corresponding to the connection speed
can likewise be a processor programmed to select the visual
indicator. The processor(s) can be part of the host, the USB
device, or a separate cable or device. A visual display unit is
preferably configured to display the selected visual indicator, and
can include a computer monitor connected to the host or any other
visual display device.
[0025] As discussed above, a method of visually representing a
connection speed of a USB-connected device preferably includes
determining a connection speed of a USB device connected to a host,
selecting a graphic icon representative of the connection speed,
and displaying the graphic icon. The graphic icon can be further
selected to represent the USB device as well as the connection
speed. The speed can, for example, be either low speed, full speed,
or high speed. Displaying the graphic icon preferably comprises
displaying the graphic icon on a display screen. The display screen
can be configured to display a desktop of a computer operating
system, a desktop window, a desktop tray of a computer operating
system, or other desired image including the graphic icon.
[0026] While the principles of this invention have been shown and
described with reference to preferred embodiments thereof, it will
be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in
form and details may be made without departing from those
principles. The invention should therefore be interpreted to
encompass all such variations coming within the spirit and scope of
the appended claims.
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