U.S. patent application number 15/078035 was filed with the patent office on 2017-05-25 for mobile device output to external device.
The applicant listed for this patent is International Business Machines Corporation. Invention is credited to Eli M. Dow, James P. Gilchrist, Steven K. Schmidt, Charles J. Stocker, IV.
Application Number | 20170150537 15/078035 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 58721506 |
Filed Date | 2017-05-25 |
United States Patent
Application |
20170150537 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Dow; Eli M. ; et
al. |
May 25, 2017 |
MOBILE DEVICE OUTPUT TO EXTERNAL DEVICE
Abstract
A method for outputting content to an external device comprises
receiving with a mobile device, a signal from a first external
device, identifying a direction of the first external device
relative to the mobile device, receiving a user input action on the
mobile device that corresponds to the identified direction of the
first external device relative to the mobile device, initiating a
communicative connection between the mobile device and the first
external device responsive to receiving the user input action that
corresponds to the identified direction of the first external
device relative to the mobile device, and outputting content from
the mobile device to the first external device via the
communicative connection.
Inventors: |
Dow; Eli M.; (Wappingers
Falls, NY) ; Gilchrist; James P.; (Poughkeepsie,
NY) ; Schmidt; Steven K.; (Essex Junction, VT)
; Stocker, IV; Charles J.; (Plainsboro, NJ) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
International Business Machines Corporation |
Armonk |
NY |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
58721506 |
Appl. No.: |
15/078035 |
Filed: |
March 23, 2016 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
14950123 |
Nov 24, 2015 |
|
|
|
15078035 |
|
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|
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06F 3/03 20130101; G06F
3/0485 20130101; G06F 3/04883 20130101; H04M 1/7253 20130101; G06F
3/04845 20130101; H04W 4/80 20180201; G06F 3/017 20130101; G06F
3/0488 20130101; H04W 76/14 20180201; H04W 76/10 20180201 |
International
Class: |
H04W 76/02 20060101
H04W076/02; G06F 3/0488 20060101 G06F003/0488; H04W 4/00 20060101
H04W004/00 |
Claims
1. A method for outputting content to an external device, the
method comprising: receiving with a first sensor of a mobile
device, a signal from a first external device wherein the first
sensor is one of a plurality of sensors that are disposed on
different portions of the mobile device; identifying a direction of
the first external device relative to the mobile device by using
the signal received by the first sensor, wherein the direction is
identified based at least in part on a location of the first sensor
on the mobile device; receiving a user input action on the mobile
device that corresponds to the identified direction of the first
external device relative to the mobile device; initiating a
communicative connection between the mobile device and the first
external device responsive to receiving the user input action that
corresponds to the identified direction of the first external
device relative to the mobile device; and outputting content from
the mobile device to the first external device via the
communicative connection.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving with the
mobile device, a signal from a second external device; identifying
a direction of the second external device relative to the mobile
device; receiving a user input action on the mobile device that
corresponds to the identified direction of the second external
device relative to the mobile device; initiating a communicative
connection between the mobile device and the second external device
responsive to receiving the user input action that corresponds to
the identified direction of the second external device relative to
the mobile device; and outputting content from the mobile device to
the second external device via the communicative connection.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the signal from the first
external device is an infrared signal.
4. (canceled)
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the user input action includes a
swipe of a finger of a user on a touch screen of the mobile device
that is substantially in the direction of the first external
device.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the user input action includes an
acceleration of the mobile device substantially in the direction of
the first external device.
7. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying a graphical
representation of the first external device on a screen of the
mobile device, the graphical representation of the first external
device providing the user an indication of a direction to direct
the user input action.
Description
DOMESTIC PRIORITY
[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 14/950,123 filed Nov. 24, 2015, the disclosure
of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
BACKGROUND
[0002] The present invention relates to mobile devices, and more
specifically, to mobile device data output to an external
device.
[0003] Mobile devices such as smartphones, tablets, and personal
computers, often include touch screens that receive user inputs by
touching the screen. The devices often also include accelerometers
and other sensors that allow a user to provide inputs by moving the
device in particular motions.
[0004] Mobile devices also include wireless transmitters and
software that allows content from the mobile devices to be sent to
external devices such as other mobile devices, personal computers,
televisions, projectors, video screens, audio devices, and other
external devices. The content may include textual, video, slides,
audio, or live streaming of the content shown on the display of the
mobile device.
SUMMARY
[0005] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a
method for outputting content to an external device comprises
receiving with a mobile device, a signal from a first external
device, identifying a direction of the first external device
relative to the mobile device, receiving a user input action on the
mobile device that corresponds to the identified direction of the
first external device relative to the mobile device, initiating a
communicative connection between the mobile device and the first
external device responsive to receiving the user input action that
corresponds to the identified direction of the first external
device relative to the mobile device, and outputting content from
the mobile device to the first external device via the
communicative connection.
[0006] According to another embodiment of the present invention, a
system comprises a mobile device having a processor operative to
receive a signal from a first external device, identify a direction
of the first external device relative to the mobile device, receive
a user input action on the mobile device that corresponds to the
identified direction of the first external device relative to the
mobile device, initiate a communicative connection between the
mobile device and the first external device responsive to receiving
the user input action that corresponds to the identified direction
of the first external device relative to the mobile device, and
output content from the mobile device to the first external device
via the communicative connection.
[0007] According to yet another embodiment of the present
invention, a computer program product comprising a computer
readable storage medium having program instructions embodied
therewith, the program instructions executable by a processor to
cause the processor to perform a method that comprises receiving
with a mobile device, a signal from a first external device,
identifying a direction of the first external device relative to
the mobile device, receiving a user input action on the mobile
device that corresponds to the identified direction of the first
external device relative to the mobile device, initiating a
communicative connection between the mobile device and the first
external device responsive to receiving the user input action that
corresponds to the identified direction of the first external
device relative to the mobile device, and outputting content from
the mobile device to the first external device via the
communicative connection.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of an exemplary
embodiment of a system.
[0009] FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a mobile
device.
[0010] FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a system that
includes the mobile device, a first external device and a second
external device.
[0011] FIG. 4 illustrates a block diagram of an exemplary method of
operation of the system of FIG. 3.
[0012] FIG. 5 illustrates a block diagram of another exemplary
method of operation of the system of FIG. 3.
[0013] FIGS. 6A and 6B illustrate a block diagram of another
exemplary method of operation of the system of FIG. 3.
[0014] FIG. 7 illustrates a block diagram of an exemplary method of
operation of an exemplary embodiment of the mobile device of FIG.
2.
[0015] FIGS. 8A and 8B illustrate another exemplary method of
operation of the system.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0016] The systems and methods described herein provide for a
mobile device to receive a user input to initiate a communicative
connection to an external device such as, for example, a display or
audio output device. The mobile device is operative to determine a
position of the external device relative to the position of the
mobile device. The user may perform an input action such as, for
example, a gesture or swipe on the mobile device screen in the
direction of the external device that the user desires to use to
present data or content from the mobile device. The system is
operative to distinguish and recognize the relative position of
multiple external devices in a given space.
[0017] In this regard, FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of an
exemplary embodiment of a system 100 that includes a processor 102
that is communicatively connected to a memory 104, a display 106,
an input device 108 and a network 110.
[0018] FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a mobile
device 200 that includes the system 100 (of FIG. 1). The mobile
device 200 may include, for example, a smartphone, tablet, mobile
personal computer, or any other suitable type of mobile device. The
mobile device 200 includes a touchscreen display 204, and sensors
202. The touchscreen 204 is operative to receive touch inputs from
a user which may include, for example, gestures using one or more
fingers such as swiping gestures or scrolling gestures. A swiping
gesture includes, for example, a user touching the touchscreen 204
with a finger and dragging their finger in a particular direction
on the touchscreen 204 while maintaining contact between the finger
of the user and the touch screen 204.
[0019] The sensors 202 may include any type of sensor that is
operative to receive a signal from an external device. In one
exemplary embodiment, the sensors 202 are operative to receive and
sense inferred signals. In other embodiments, the sensors 202 may
include audio sensing devices such as microphones. Alternatively,
the sensors 202 may include antennas or other devices operative to
receive signals from an external device.
[0020] The mobile device 200 may also include accelerometers (not
shown) that may sense the motion of the mobile device 200. Such
accelerometers may sense the motion of the mobile device 200 when
the user makes a gesture with the mobile device 200 such as, for
example, shaking the mobile device 200, or moving the mobile device
towards an object such as, an external device or point in
space.
[0021] FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a system 300
that includes the mobile device 200, a first external device 302a
and a second external device 302b. The external devices 302 may
include any type of device or system that is operative to present
content to a user, for example, a monitor, television, display,
projector, audio system, audio/video system, or any combination of
these systems. The external devices 302 include emitters 306a and
306b respectively that are operative to emit unique signals 304a
and 304b. The emitters 306 may emit any type of suitable signal. In
the illustrated exemplary embodiment 304, the emitters 306 are
operative to emit an inferred signal. In alternate exemplary
embodiments, the emitters, may emit for example, sound signals,
light signals, or other types of electromagnetic signals.
[0022] In the illustrated embodiment, the sensors 202 of the mobile
device 200 are operative to receive the signals 304a and 304b from
the external devices 302a and 302b respectively and determine a
direction from which the signals 304a and 304b originated from
relative to the orientation of the mobile device 200. The mobile
device 200 in the illustrated embodiment has more than one sensor
202, the mobile device 200 may use any suitable method for
determining the direction from which the signals 304a and 304b
originated from. In alternative embodiments, the mobile device 200
may only have a single sensor 202. The mobile device 200 may, for
example, compare the strengths of the signals received from the
external devices 302. Rotating the mobile device 200 changes the
relative orientation of the sensors 200 to the emitters 306, and
thus may be used to determine a relative direction of the external
devices 302 to the orientation of the mobile device 200.
[0023] The signals 304 output from the external devices 302 may
include data in any suitable format that may include for example, a
unique identifier of the external device 302, a description of the
external device such as, the type of device 302 (e.g., display,
audio device, audio/video system), the operational specifications
of the device 302 (e.g., display type, resolution, color, size),
communication protocols or schemes supported by the device (e.g.,
wireless protocols), and any other data that facilitates a
communicative connection between the mobile device 200 and the
external devices 302.
[0024] FIG. 4 illustrates a block diagram of an exemplary method of
operation of the system 300. In this regard, the system 300 may be
arranged in an environment such as, for example a conference room.
In the illustrated example, the first external device 302a is
arranged on a first wall 401, and the second external device 302b
is arranged on a second wall 403 that opposes the first wall 401.
The mobile device 200 is arranged between the first wall 401 and
the second wall 403.
[0025] In operation, the sensors 202 on the mobile device 200
receive signals from the emitters 306a and 306b. The mobile device
200 processes the received signals and determines a direction
relative to the orientation of the mobile device 200 of the
external device 302a and the external device 302b. In the
illustrated example, the arrow 405 indicates the front of the
mobile device 202 where the external device 302a is orientated to
the left of the mobile device 202 and the external device 302b is
orientated to the right of the mobile device 202.
[0026] The mobile device 200 receives the signals from the emitters
306 and may process the signals to identify specifications of each
of the external devices 302. Once the mobile device 200 determines
the relative orientation, direction, or position of the external
devices 302, and other relevant information about the external
devices 302 such as, the type of external device 302, and
communication protocols or standards supported by each of the
external devices 302, the user may perform an input action to
identify which external device the user would like to use to
present content that is sent from the mobile device 202 to the
selected external device 302. In this regard, the input action of
the user is a swipe gesture on the touchscreen 204 that is in the
direction of the external device 302b. In the illustrated example,
the arrow 402 illustrates the path of a finger of the user on the
touch screen 204. Thus, the user may swipe or gesture towards the
external device 302b when the user would like content sent from the
mobile device 204 to the external device 302b. The content may
include any type of data such as visual, graphical, video, audio,
textual or other information that may be sent from the mobile
device 204 to the external device 302b. Once the user makes the
input action, a communicative connection 404 is initiated between
the mobile device 200 and the second external device 302b. In the
illustrated exemplary embodiment, the external device 302b includes
a video screen and audio output such that once the communicative
connection 404 is established between the mobile device 200 and the
external device 302b, the mobile device 200 may send video and
audio to the external device 302b for display on the screen of the
external device 302b. Audio associated with the video may be output
by the external device 302b or another system that is associated
with the external device 302b.
[0027] FIG. 5 further illustrates an example of the operation of an
embodiment of the system 300. In this regard, the user has
performed an input action such as a swipe in the direction of the
arrow 502 on the touch screen 204 of the mobile device 200. The
input action is in the direction of the first external device 302a.
Once the mobile device 200 has received the user input action that
is in the direction of the external device 302a, a communicative
connection 504 is initiated between the external device 302a and
the mobile device 200. As discussed above, the mobile device 200
may send any type of suitable content to the external device 306a
for presentation to the user on the external device 302a.
[0028] FIGS. 6A and 6B illustrate another example of operation of
an exemplary embodiment of the system 300. Referring to FIG. 6A,
after the mobile device 200 receives signals from the emitters 306a
and 306b and determined a location of the external devices 302a and
302b relative to the orientation of the mobile device 200, the user
performs an input action that includes accelerating the mobile
device 200 substantially along the arrow 602 in the direction of
the first external device 302a. Following the user input action
that indicates that the user would like to display content on the
first external device 302a, a communicative connection 504 is made
between the mobile device 200 and the first external device 302a.
Once the communicative connection 504 is established, content may
be sent from the mobile device 200 to the first external device
302a and presented to the user on the external device 302a.
[0029] FIG. 6B illustrates a subsequent user input action where the
user has accelerated the mobile device 200 in a direction
substantially along the arrow 604 in the direction of the second
external device 302b. Following the user input action, a
communicative connection 404 is established between the mobile
device 200 and the second external device 302b. Following the
establishment of the communicative connection 404, content may be
sent from the mobile device 200 to the second external device 302b
and presented to the user on the second external device 302b. The
content sent to the second external device 302b may be the same or
different content than the content sent to the first external
device 302a.
[0030] Although the illustrated exemplary embodiments described
herein include one mobile device 200 and two external devices 302,
alternate exemplary systems may include any number of mobile
devices and external devices 302.
[0031] FIG. 7 illustrates a block diagram of an exemplary method of
operation of an exemplary embodiment of the mobile device 200 (of
FIG. 2). In block 702, the mobile device 200 receives a signal from
the first external device 302a (of FIG. 3) and the second external
device 302b. In block 704, the mobile device 200 processor
determines the position of the first external device 302a relative
to the orientation of the mobile device 200. In block 706, the
mobile device 200 processor determines the position of the second
external device 302b relative to the orientation of the mobile
device 200. In block 708, the mobile device 200 receives an input
action (e.g., swipe, or acceleration in the direction of the first
external device 302a) that corresponds to the relative direction of
the first external device 302a. A communicative connection is
initiated and established between the mobile device 200 and the
first external device 302a in block 710. In block 712, the mobile
device 200 outputs data and content to the first external device
302a for presentation to the user on the first external device
302a.
[0032] FIGS. 8A and 8B illustrate another exemplary method of
operation of the system 300 (of FIG. 3). In this regard, referring
to FIG. 8A, the external devices 302a and 302b are arranged on a
wall 801. The proximity of the external devices 302a and 302b to
each other may cause some ambiguity as to a direction that a user
would direct an input action to choose which external device 302a
or 302b to initiate a communicative connection with the mobile
device 200. When the mobile device 200 determines that external
devices 302a and 302b are in close proximity to each other, the
mobile device 200 may display graphical or textual representations
802 and 804 on the screen 204 that represent the relative locations
of the external devices 302a and 302b.
[0033] Referring to FIG. 8B, the user has performed an input action
in the direction of the arrow 806, which is towards the graphical
representation 804 of the external device 302b. The input action
initiates the establishment of a communicative connection 808
between the mobile device 200 and the external device 302b. Once
the communicative connection 808 has been established, the mobile
device 200 may send content to the external device 302b for
presentation to the user on the external device 302b.
[0034] The present invention may be a system, a method, and/or a
computer program product. The computer program product may include
a computer readable storage medium (or media) having computer
readable program instructions thereon for causing a processor to
carry out aspects of the present invention.
[0035] The computer readable storage medium can be a tangible
device that can retain and store instructions for use by an
instruction execution device. The computer readable storage medium
may be, for example, but is not limited to, an electronic storage
device, a magnetic storage device, an optical storage device, an
electromagnetic storage device, a semiconductor storage device, or
any suitable combination of the foregoing. A non-exhaustive list of
more specific examples of the computer readable storage medium
includes the following: a portable computer diskette, a hard disk,
a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable
programmable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory), a static
random access memory (SRAM), a portable compact disc read-only
memory (CD-ROM), a digital versatile disk (DVD), a memory stick, a
floppy disk, a mechanically encoded device such as punch-cards or
raised structures in a groove having instructions recorded thereon,
and any suitable combination of the foregoing. A computer readable
storage medium, as used herein, is not to be construed as being
transitory signals per se, such as radio waves or other freely
propagating electromagnetic waves, electromagnetic waves
propagating through a waveguide or other transmission media (e.g.,
light pulses passing through a fiber-optic cable), or electrical
signals transmitted through a wire.
[0036] Computer readable program instructions described herein can
be downloaded to respective computing/processing devices from a
computer readable storage medium or to an external computer or
external storage device via a network, for example, the Internet, a
local area network, a wide area network and/or a wireless network.
The network may comprise copper transmission cables, optical
transmission fibers, wireless transmission, routers, firewalls,
switches, gateway computers and/or edge servers. A network adapter
card or network interface in each computing/processing device
receives computer readable program instructions from the network
and forwards the computer readable program instructions for storage
in a computer readable storage medium within the respective
computing/processing device.
[0037] Computer readable program instructions for carrying out
operations of the present invention may be assembler instructions,
instruction-set-architecture (ISA) instructions, machine
instructions, machine dependent instructions, microcode, firmware
instructions, state-setting data, or either source code or object
code written in any combination of one or more programming
languages, including an object oriented programming language such
as Java, Smalltalk, C++ or the like, and conventional procedural
programming languages, such as the "C" programming language or
similar programming languages. The computer readable program
instructions may execute entirely on the user's computer, partly on
the user's computer, as a stand-alone software package, partly on
the user's computer and partly on a remote computer or entirely on
the remote computer or server. In the latter scenario, the remote
computer may be connected to the user's computer through any type
of network, including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area
network (WAN), or the connection may be made to an external
computer (for example, through the Internet using an Internet
Service Provider). In some embodiments, electronic circuitry
including, for example, programmable logic circuitry,
field-programmable gate arrays (FPGA), or programmable logic arrays
(PLA) may execute the computer readable program instructions by
utilizing state information of the computer readable program
instructions to personalize the electronic circuitry, in order to
perform aspects of the present invention.
[0038] Aspects of the present invention are described herein with
reference to flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of
methods, apparatus (systems), and computer program products
according to embodiments of the invention. It will be understood
that each block of the flowchart illustrations and/or block
diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations
and/or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer readable
program instructions.
[0039] These computer readable program instructions may be provided
to a processor of a general purpose computer, special purpose
computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to
produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via
the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing
apparatus, create means for implementing the functions/acts
specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.
These computer readable program instructions may also be stored in
a computer readable storage medium that can direct a computer, a
programmable data processing apparatus, and/or other devices to
function in a particular manner, such that the computer readable
storage medium having instructions stored therein comprises an
article of manufacture including instructions which implement
aspects of the function/act specified in the flowchart and/or block
diagram block or blocks.
[0040] The computer readable program instructions may also be
loaded onto a computer, other programmable data processing
apparatus, or other device to cause a series of operational steps
to be performed on the computer, other programmable apparatus or
other device to produce a computer implemented process, such that
the instructions which execute on the computer, other programmable
apparatus, or other device implement the functions/acts specified
in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.
[0041] The flowchart and block diagrams in the Figures illustrate
the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible
implementations of systems, methods, and computer program products
according to various embodiments of the present invention. In this
regard, each block in the flowchart or block diagrams may represent
a module, segment, or portion of instructions, which comprises one
or more executable instructions for implementing the specified
logical function(s). In some alternative implementations, the
functions noted in the block may occur out of the order noted in
the figures. For example, two blocks shown in succession may, in
fact, be executed substantially concurrently, or the blocks may
sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the
functionality involved. It will also be noted that each block of
the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, and combinations
of blocks in the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, can
be implemented by special purpose hardware-based systems that
perform the specified functions or acts or carry out combinations
of special purpose hardware and computer instructions.
[0042] The descriptions of the various embodiments of the present
invention have been presented for purposes of illustration, but are
not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the embodiments
disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to
those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope
and spirit of the described embodiments. The terminology used
herein was chosen to best explain the principles of the
embodiments, the practical application or technical improvement
over technologies found in the marketplace, or to enable others of
ordinary skill in the art to understand the embodiments disclosed
herein.
* * * * *