Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080233971 | Facilitating use of a device based on short-range wireless technology - Various devices may include a short-range wireless transmitter and/or one or more short-range wireless readers. When a first device including the transmitter is placed near a second device including the one or more readers, a relative location of the first device may be determined. Information regarding the relative location of the first device, may be used to facilitate use of the first device with a processing device. In one embodiment, the processing device may automatically configure itself, such that the first device may be used with the processing device. In another embodiment, the processing device may provide feedback, such as, for example, step-by-step instructions to facilitate setup and use of the first device with the processing device. In some embodiments, an application program interface may provide information about the device to an application executing on the processing device. | 09-25-2008 |
20080270715 | Life Moment Tagging and Storage - A secure memory device and method for obtaining and securely storing information relating to a life moment is disclosed. In the method, a parameter is received and inputted in a search heuristic. A search is made for the information according to the search heuristic and, upon finding the information, metadata is appended to the information. The information and metadata is then stored in a secure memory location. The secure memory location has a housing fabricated to withstand a predetermined stress, a detachable connection to a computer and a memory that stores the information and protects it from unauthorized deletion. In some embodiments, the stored information may be selectively deleted in a safe and controlled manner. | 10-30-2008 |
20090085863 | MOTION BASED DISPLAY MANAGEMENT - A display manager is configured to handle the drawing of windows on one or more displays for an application differently based on detected motion information that is associated with a device. The display manager may not display windows for some applications while motion is detected, while the display manager may display windows for other applications even when motion is detected. Motion enabled applications may interact with the display manager and motion information to determine how to display windows while motion is detected. | 04-02-2009 |
20090089705 | VIRTUAL OBJECT NAVIGATION - A navigation manager is configured to navigate the display of an object that is larger than a computer's display based on manipulation of the display screen itself. Sensing devices associated with the display detect movement of the device and/or interaction with the display. When the movement and/or the interaction with the display is sensed, the display of the object is updated accordingly. For example, moving the display to the left may scroll the display of the object to the left, whereas pressing down on the device may zoom in on the object. | 04-02-2009 |
20090305695 | REAL-TIME COMMUNICATIONS ARCHITECTURE AND METHODS FOR USE WITH A PERSONAL COMPUTER SYSTEM - A system and method for improved real-time communications in a computer system that eliminates the distinctions between various communication devices, communication channels and types of communication, including voice, text and video, is provided. When connected for communication, the user may easily move between modalities, including switching devices on which the user is communicating, switching networks, and transitioning between types of communication. A computer system includes various integrated communications-related devices, and a controller controls those devices based on user actions entered via buttons or user interface software and provides notifications to the user. The user is able to input data via any appropriate input mechanism, and receive data on any suitable output mechanism. Improved non-linear caller ID navigation is also provided. | 12-10-2009 |
20100070922 | START MENU OPERATION FOR COMPUTER USER INTERFACE - Described is distinguishing between input mechanisms to determine which input mechanism was used to activate a start menu. A start menu is selected that corresponds to the input mechanism that was used to activate it. Further data corresponding to start menu interaction is received, and action is taken via based on the further interaction. For example, upon detecting activation of a start menu, how the start menu was activated from among activation types is used to present a first start menu/behavior for a first activation type, which may differ from a second start menu/behavior activated via a second activation type. For example, a determination may be made as to whether a start menu was invoked via a pointing device or via keyboard; when via keyboard, a search entry region may be provided, by which a user may directly enter search criteria via the keyboard. | 03-18-2010 |
20100210210 | FACILITATING USE OF A DEVICE BASED ON SHORT-RANGE WIRELESS TECHNOLOGY - Various devices may include a short-range wireless transmitter and/or one or more short-range wireless readers. When a first device including the transmitter is placed near a second device including the one or more readers, a relative location of the first device may be determined. Information regarding the relative location of the first device, may be used to facilitate use of the first device with a processing device. In one embodiment, the processing device may automatically configure itself, such that the first device may be used with the processing device. In another embodiment, the processing device may provide feedback, such as, for example, step-by-step instructions to facilitate setup and use of the first device with the processing device. In some embodiments, an application program interface may provide information about the device to an application executing on the processing device. | 08-19-2010 |
20100245376 | FILTER AND SURFACING VIRTUAL CONTENT IN VIRTUAL WORLDS - The claimed subject matter provides a system and/or a method that facilitates displaying virtual content within a virtual environment. A virtual environment can enable at least one user to connect in order to interact with a portion of virtual content. A collection of virtual content can be viewed from a user connected to and being present within the virtual environment. A filter component that can automatically adjust a displayable feature of a portion of the collection of virtual content based upon a relevancy to an index, wherein the adjustment of the displayable features provides at least one of an emphasis of the portion of the collection of virtual content or a de-emphasis of the portion of the collection of the virtual content. | 09-30-2010 |
20100325589 | BLOCK VIEW FOR GEOGRAPHIC NAVIGATION - Various embodiments provide techniques for geographic navigation via one or more block views. According to some embodiments, a block view can include a visual image of a geographic location that is visually similar to a panoramic image. In some example implementations, a block view can be scrolled to navigate images of a geographic location. In one or more embodiments, a bubble view can be displayed of one or more locations within the block view. The bubble view can include a zoomed image of one or more aspects of a block view. Further to some embodiments, a map view can be utilized along with the block view and/or the bubble view. The map view can include a two-dimensional representation of the geographic location from an aerial perspective, and can include a more general level of detail concerning the geographic location, such as streets, cities, states, bodies of water, and so on. | 12-23-2010 |
20110320116 | PROVIDING AN IMPROVED VIEW OF A LOCATION IN A SPATIAL ENVIRONMENT - Technologies are described herein for providing an improved view of a location in a spatial environment. A current image associated with a current location of a geographic area is displayed. A user-selected point on the current image is received. A target location of the geographic area is determined based on the user-selected point. A distance between the current location and the target location is determined. A determination is made as to whether the distance between the current location and the target location is greater than a distance threshold. If this distance is greater than the distance threshold, then a far distance process configured to determine and display a first target view of the target location is performed. If this distance is not greater than the distance threshold, then a near distance process configured to determine and display a second target view of the target location is performed. | 12-29-2011 |
20120062455 | MOTION BASED DISPLAY MANAGEMENT - A display manager is configured to handle the drawing of windows on one or more displays for an application differently based on detected motion information that is associated with a device. The display manager may not display windows for some applications while motion is detected, while the display manager may display windows for other applications even when motion is detected. Motion enabled applications may interact with the display manager and motion information to determine how to display windows while motion is detected. | 03-15-2012 |
20120270562 | Facilitating Use of a Device Based on Short-Range Wireless Technology - Various devices may include a short-range wireless transmitter and/or one or more short-range wireless readers. When a first device including the transmitter is placed near a second device including the one or more readers, a relative location of the first device may be determined. Information regarding the relative location of the first device, may be used to facilitate use of the first device with a processing device. In one embodiment, the processing device may automatically configure itself, such that the first device may be used with the processing device. In another embodiment, the processing device may provide feedback, such as, for example, step-by-step instructions to facilitate setup and use of the first device with the processing device. In some embodiments, an application program interface may provide information about the device to an application executing on the processing device. | 10-25-2012 |
20130290903 | START MENU OPERATION FOR COMPUTER USER INTERFACE - A distinction is made between input mechanisms to determine which input mechanism was used to activate a start menu. A start menu is selected that corresponds to the input mechanism that was used to activate it. Further data corresponding to start menu interaction is received, and action is taken via based on the further interaction. For example, upon detecting activation of a start menu, how the start menu was activated from among activation types is used to present a first start menu/behavior for a first activation type, which may differ from a second start menu/behavior activated via a second activation type. For example, a determination may be made as to whether a start menu was invoked via a pointing device or via keyboard; when via keyboard, a search entry region may be provided, by which a user may directly enter search criteria via the keyboard. | 10-31-2013 |
20130342426 | FACILITATING USE OF A DEVICE BASED ON SHORT-RANGE WIRELESS TECHNOLOGY - Various devices may include a short-range wireless transmitter and/or one or more short-range wireless readers. When a first device including the transmitter is placed near a second device including the one or more readers, a relative location of the first device may be determined. Information regarding the relative location of the first device, may be used to facilitate use of the first device with a processing device. In one embodiment, the processing device may automatically configure itself, such that the first device may be used with the processing device. In another embodiment, the processing device may provide feedback, such as, for example, step-by-step instructions to facilitate setup and use of the first device with the processing device. In some embodiments, an application program interface may provide information about the device to an application executing on the processing device. | 12-26-2013 |
20140104197 | MULTI-MODAL USER EXPRESSIONS AND USER INTENSITY AS INTERACTIONS WITH AN APPLICATION - Architecture that enables single and multi-modal interaction with computing devices, as well as interpreting user intensity (or liveliness) in the gesture or gestures. In a geospatial implementation, a multi-touch interaction can involve the detection and processing of tactile pressure (touch sensitive) to facilitate general navigation between two geographical points. This is further coupled with providing detailed information that facilitates navigation and turn-by-turn directions. This includes the use of time and/or pressure to release or increase the zoom level of map tiles, the touching of the two geographical points and speaking to obtain directions between these two geographical points, and the blending of tiles to create a compelling user experience, where the map is in different levels of zoom on the same view. | 04-17-2014 |
20140317523 | USER EXPERIENCE MODE TRANSITIONING - One or more techniques and/or systems are provided for transitioning between user experience modes. That is, a device may comprise a computing environment (e.g., an operating system, a social network application, a user interface, a communication application, etc.). A first user experience mode may be applied to the computing environment based upon interaction by a first user (e.g., text may be displayed in English, a first email account of the first user may be provided, a high contrast display mode may be applied, etc.). Responsive to detecting transfer of the device to a second user (e.g., the first user may rotate the device towards the second user), the computing environment may be transitioned to a second user experience mode (e.g., text may be displayed in French, an email application may be logged out of the first email account and into a second email account of the second user, etc.). | 10-23-2014 |