Shortcut Patents (Class 715/847)
  • Publication number: 20130268898
    Abstract: Provided is an image folder transmission/playing device which can transmit an image folder regardless of whether or not a name of the image folder complies with DCF standard and further can display an image file included in the image folder on a monitor. A CPU determines whether or not there is an album setting folder file in the image folder. When there is no album setting folder file, the CPU creates the album setting folder file in the image folder included in the album setting folder file. The CPU transmits the image folder and displays an electronic album on the monitor in accordance with information included in the album setting folder file. Accordingly, a user can view the electronic album with a user's favorite layout.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2010
    Publication date: October 10, 2013
    Applicant: Visionarist Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sukeichi Miki, Shinichi Miki, Manabu Miki, Hikaru Miki
  • Publication number: 20130254720
    Abstract: The disclosure discloses a method for customizing a shortcut in a mobile terminal, comprising: providing an operation interface for a user to select to enter a customized shortcut setting process; capturing each key pressing operation of the user and the time consumed by each key pressing operation in the process when the user enters the customized shortcut setting process; recording and saving the key name and the corresponding operation time through a file with a unique path; when the user clicks the file name of the shortcut, generating a key message according to the order of the key pressing operations and the corresponding operation time and completing the key pressing process automatically. The disclosure also discloses a device for customizing a shortcut in a mobile terminal. The method or the device provided by the disclosure improves the flexibility for setting a shortcut in a mobile terminal and enables the operation of the mobile terminal more convenient and simple.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2011
    Publication date: September 26, 2013
    Applicant: ZTE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Zhiqiang Qi
  • Patent number: 8539358
    Abstract: Methods and computer program products for tracking rescheduled meetings on an electronic calendar. When a meeting is rescheduled from a first time to a second time, the visual appearance of the meeting notice for the first time is altered. A link that changes the calendar page to the page showing the second time is provided on the page corresponding to the first time, so that the user may move conveniently to the rescheduled meeting notice. The meeting notice at the second time may be provided with a link that changes the calendar page to the page showing the first time, so that the user may move conveniently to the meeting notice as originally scheduled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Kenneth Alexander McKethan, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8514174
    Abstract: There is disclosed a device which realizes a shortcut function without providing any key exclusively used for the shortcut function. When a home key is operated in a state where a lower screen at a lower position of a hierarchical structure is displayed, a home screen at an upper position of the hierarchical structure is displayed, and data to specify the lower screen when the home key is operated are stored in association with the home key. When the home key is operated in a state where the home screen is displayed, the lower screen is displayed based on the stored data to take a shortcut to the lower screen from the home screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: TEAC Corporation
    Inventors: Yasushi Kato, Ikuomi Natori
  • Patent number: 8463696
    Abstract: A trading system includes: a first set of two or more functions and a second set of two or more functions, wherein each of the functions in the first set and the second set includes a variable that is of a common variable type, wherein the value of the variable that is of the common variable type in the first set of functions and the value of the variable that is of the common variable type in the second set of functions may be different at a given point in time; and a function editing mechanism through which the value of the variable that is of the common variable type in the first set of functions may be edited for each of the functions in the first set of functions without affecting the value of the variable that is of the common variable type in the second set of functions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Precision Trading IP, LLC
    Inventor: Adam Sheldon
  • Publication number: 20130139113
    Abstract: A shortcut is created that groups and sequences actions to perform a task. A user may record actions both within an application and outside of an application to perform the task. For example, a user may record launching an application, accessing an item within the application, and performing one or more actions that involve the item. An Application Programming Interface (API) may be used by one or more applications to specify recordable actions that are associated with the application. For example, an application may specify that configuration settings for the application are not recordable while other user actions are recordable. After recording the actions for the task, a shortcut is created. The shortcut may be accessible from a home display of a mobile device (e.g. a start screen of a smart phone) and/or some other accessible location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2011
    Publication date: May 30, 2013
    Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Bibhu Choudhary, Nizam Ahmed, Purushottam Raj, Ashwani Kumar, Sachin Jindal
  • Patent number: 8434021
    Abstract: A centralized User Interface (UI) comprising a supplementary UI and a desktop UI is employed to bring in enterprise constructs into the desktop application. The supplementary UI is generated and dynamically positioned based on selections on the desktop application UI. Summary information associated with data that is to be synchronized or transferred between the desktop application and an LOB application is presented in the supplementary UI along with controls that enable a user to bind additional items to be synchronized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Maarten W. Mullender, Sangya Singh, Eric Danas, Jay Hilwig, Karen MacCubbin
  • Patent number: 8429208
    Abstract: Systems and methods for managing data, such as metadata. In one exemplary method, metadata from files created by several different software applications are captured, and the captured metadata is searched. The type of information in metadata for one type of file differs from the type of information in metadata for another type of file. Other methods are described and data processing systems and machine readable media are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Yan Arrouye, Dominic Giampaolo, Bas Ording, Gregory Christie, Stephen Olivier Lemay, Marcel van Os, Imran Chaudhri, Kevin Tiene, Pavel Cisler
  • Patent number: 8411201
    Abstract: A multifunctional display device displays a menu including shortcut objects. A processor assigns each object to one of a broadcast channel, network address, or an application. The objects may be an alphabetical character, number, symbol, or icon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Haengjoon Kang, Myongwon Suh
  • Patent number: 8406961
    Abstract: A reconfigurable vehicle user interface system is presented. A vehicle user interface has a touch sensitive input devices such as touchpads and a touch screen that have specific function commands mapped to them. A user can select which function commands are mapped to which portions of the touch screen. This allows a user to customize the steering wheel function commands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Rabindra Pathak, Peter Veprek, Kem Gallione, Tsuyoshi Tanaka
  • Patent number: 8402382
    Abstract: A method, system and computer program for organizing and visualizing display objects within a virtual environment is provided. In one aspect, attributes of display objects define the interaction between display objects according to pre-determined rules, including rules simulating real world mechanics, thereby enabling enriched user interaction. The present invention further provides for the use of piles as an organizational entity for desktop objects. The present invention further provides for fluid interaction techniques for committing actions on display objects in a virtual interface. A number of other interaction and visualization techniques are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Anand Agarawala, Ravin Balakrishnan
  • Publication number: 20130061180
    Abstract: Methods and systems for adjusting a device setting in response to a single motion are provided herein. The method includes initiating a user interface in response to a tap down on a device setting icon without releasing. The method also includes adjusting a device setting in response to a dragging or sliding on the device setting icon without releasing. The method further includes confirming the device setting by releasing once a desired device setting level has been attained.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2011
    Publication date: March 7, 2013
    Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Niels van Dongen, Richie Fang, Vincent Celie, Bennett Hornbostel, Jianming Zheng
  • Patent number: 8370308
    Abstract: When a document in which a shortcut has been set is exchanged to another document, a shortcut to the document before the exchange is enabled to effectively act on the document after the exchange. When a formation of a shortcut of the document is instructed, the shortcut including a document ID of the document is formed and attributes (shortcut formation history) of the document are updated. After that, when a deletion of the document into a trash box and a formation of a proxy entity of the document are instructed, a proxy entity in which a user ID set into the document to be deleted has been set is formed. The proxy entity is formed in a same folder as a folder in which the deletion document exists. The document ID of the deletion document and the document ID of the formed proxy entity are exchanged and the deletion document is moved into the trash box.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Toshihiko Hosotsubo
  • Patent number: 8365098
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for displaying key information in a portable terminal. Display of key information is provided such that a user can easily confirm information about a shortcut key set by the user or a function for each key of a key input module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jong-Sang Won, Gwang-Woo Choe, Min-Bum Kim, Jung-Sook Cha
  • Patent number: 8351915
    Abstract: The present application discloses a method of storing status of an application. According to some embodiments, whether a user of a mobile communication terminal made a selection to store the status of an application in a shortcut is determined. In response to the selection to store the status of the application in the shortcut, a single string value is generated and stored in the shortcut, where the single string value includes an application parameter and application status information of the application at the time of the storage of the single string value. If the single string value is selected by operating the shortcut, the status, at the time of the storage of the single string value, of the application is reinstated, and execution of the application is resumed according to the application parameter and the application status information of the application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: SK Planet Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Youngmin Park, Chaeyong Yi, Hoojong Kim
  • Patent number: 8341551
    Abstract: A system and method is disclosed that provides for displaying on the screen of a handheld electronic device, an extended menu or a short menu, which is a subset of the corresponding extended menu. The system and method include a contact data entry record of an address book application being displayed on a screen. If a contact data entry record is designated through use of the auxiliary user input device and no menu is displayed, the user may initiate an ambiguous request. Various short menus are provided with their respective menu items being dependent and adjustable based upon the position of a cursor on the display page, the currently opened application, and/or the previous selections. Further, a selection from the short menu is capable of displaying the extended menu corresponding thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventor: Matthew Richard Lee
  • Patent number: 8340726
    Abstract: The method of a communication device to implement a caller's area dependent ringtone modifying function, wherein when receiving a phone call from a caller's device, a caller's device current location which indicates the current geographic location of said caller's device is identified, if said caller's device current location indicates to be located in a 1st geographic area, a 1st ringtone audio data is output from said speaker with the sound volume indicated by a 1st ringtone sound volume data, if said caller's device current location indicates to be located in a 2nd geographic area, a 2nd ringtone audio data is output from said speaker with the sound volume indicated by a 2nd ringtone sound volume data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Inventor: Iwao Fujisaki
  • Patent number: 8334988
    Abstract: There is provided an information processing device that has a display control unit that causes, when one or more of setting items for specifying a processing are sequentially specified by a manipulation made by an operator, a display unit to display processing information sets each including setting items in a predetermined order on the basis of the sequentially specified setting items, and has a processing execution unit that executes a processing specified by setting items included in a processing information set specified by a manipulation made by the operator among the displayed processing information sets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2012
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshihiro Sekine
  • Patent number: 8302027
    Abstract: A graphic user interface management system displays all shortcuts on surfaces of a first three-dimensional (3D) graph displayed on a desktop background. The first 3D graph streams objects during rotating. On projection paths of the objects, a first preset number of objects forms system time to be displayed on the desktop background, a second preset number of objects forms a process wall, which displays running processes of shortcuts invoked by a user from the first 3D graph. The shortcuts dragged from the first 3D graph to other positions of the desktop background are represented by second 3D graphs. A rotation speed and direction of the first 3D graph change according to an operation speed and direction on the first 3D. The system further performs corresponding desktop display actions according to manipulated operations on the first 3D graph, the process wall, or the second 3D graphs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: FIH (Hong Kong) Limited
    Inventors: Kai-Feng Chiu, Shih-Yun Yang
  • Patent number: 8255833
    Abstract: Electronic equipment capable of registering and changing shortcut functions. When a menu is displayed on an LCD of electronic equipment, a list of shortcuts assigned to respective function keys on a home screen is displayed in the form of a split screen as a result of operation of any of the function keys. When a user selects a function to be assigned from the menu and selects a function key to be assigned, a selected function is assigned to the newly-selected function key.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: TEAC Corporation
    Inventor: Hirotoshi Shimada
  • Publication number: 20120185803
    Abstract: A portable electronic device, a control method and a computer program product of the same are provided for providing a shortcut on a lock screen of the portable electronic device. The control method includes the following steps. An application usage history of a number of applications of the portable electronic device is stored. At least one of a current time and a current location of the portable electronic device is obtained. A most-likely-used application is determined from the applications according to the application usage history and at least one of the current time and the current location. A shortcut icon of the most-likely-used application is displayed on the lock screen of the portable electronic device. The most-likely-used application is opened when the portable electronic device is unlocked from the lock screen via a shortcut icon.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2011
    Publication date: July 19, 2012
    Applicant: HTC Corporation
    Inventors: Hui-Wen Wang, Yih-Feng Kao
  • Patent number: 8214767
    Abstract: The present application discloses a method for generating a shortcut for launching computer program functionality on a computer. The method comprises the steps of monitoring a sequence of user actions resulting in the launch of the functionality; determining a launch frequency of the functionality; determining a complexity rating for the launch; comparing the launch frequency and the complexity rating with a predefined criterion; and generating the shortcut for activating the functionality if the predefined criterion is met. The present application further discloses a computer program product implementing the above method and a computer comprising such a computer program.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Muralikrishna Sridhar, Dinesh Mandalapu, Naveen Sundar Govindarajulu, Sriganesh Madhvanath
  • Patent number: 8156443
    Abstract: A stand-alone icon (i.e., an icon that is not part of an application interface) is provided to facilitate communications across a network between users of at least one communications program. The icon represents a contact or a set of contacts. Status information regarding the contact or set of contacts is received and displayed using the icon or in response to an operation performed on the icon. The icon additionally may provide an interface for performing actions related to the contact or set of contacts. The actions may generally include, for example, retrieving profile information about the contact, setting an alert to indicate that the contact's network/login status (e.g., login, logout, or idle) has changed, or performing communications with the contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: AOL Inc.
    Inventors: Scott A. Quillen, Ira Rosenblatt
  • Patent number: 8151217
    Abstract: A method for dynamically displaying application shortcut icons of an electronic device constructs a dependency relation graph according to applications whose invoked frequency has reached a predetermined frequency value, and further according to browsing paths whose count has reached a predetermined dependency rule. The method further computes a weight value of each node in the dependency relation graph for ranking the applications to display application shortcut icons of the applications on the electronic device according to the rank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Chi Mei Communication Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Sheng-Feng Lin
  • Patent number: 8145276
    Abstract: An event displaying method and a portable terminal adapted to the method are provided. The method displays events in the portable terminal whose environments are set according to pieces of user information. The method includes setting an environment of the portable terminal based on an environment selected from among the pieces of information, identifying, if a communication event is received by the portable terminal while it is operated in the set environment, connecting information included in the received communication event, determining whether the identified connecting information is included in the selected user information, determining, if it is determined that the identified connecting information is not included in the selected user information, whether the identified connecting information exists in other user information, and displaying, if it is determined that the identified connecting information exists in other user information, the other user information and the communication event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Sang Hoon Lee, Young Hae Kim
  • Publication number: 20120069231
    Abstract: An unlocking method of a touch screen and an electric device with camera function thereof are disclosed. A camera module is used for capturing a plurality of images. A touch screen shows an application function icon, a shooting mode icon, an activate area and a slide path connecting the icons and the activate area while the touch screen is locked. A processing module is electrically connected with the camera module and the touch screen. While detecting that the application function icon or the shooting mode icon is dragged to the activate area through the slide path, the processing module transmits an unlocking signal to the touch screen. The touch screen unlocks according to the unlocking signal and shows a screen of application function operation or a screen of camera function. Therefore, users would feel more convenient than before while using an electric device with camera function.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2010
    Publication date: March 22, 2012
    Applicant: ALTEK CORPORATION
    Inventor: CHIH-YI CHAO
  • Patent number: 8141001
    Abstract: A method, system and computer-readable media for enabling a user of a computer to initiate a defragmentation process of a hard disc of a hard disc drive are provided. One version of the method includes (a.) presenting an icon identifying a defragmentation process, the presentation comprised within a desktop startup display of a computer; and (b.) in response to only a single action performed by a user, directing the computer to execute the defragmentation process. The single action may be a depression of, i.e., a clicking, a button of a computer mouse, a pointing device, or a television remote control, or of a key on a key pad of a computer. The computer may be a personal computer, a wireless telephone, a computer game console, a digital television, or a personal digital assistant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Inventor: Harold Lee Peterson
  • Patent number: 8132107
    Abstract: A multifunctional apparatus is capable of switching between a standard operation mode in which a Web service layer stops operating and an OS mode in which the Web service layer operates. In the OS mode, the multifunctional apparatus informs an external control apparatus of pressed-hardware-button information indicative of a pressed hardware button detected by a user interface layer. In the control apparatus, an event process section reads out, from a shortcut button storage section, process-contents information corresponded with button identification information indicative of the hardware button indicated by the pressed-hardware-button information, and a device control section transmits, to the multifunctional apparatus, a control instruction for executing a device process indicated by the process-contents information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tomoyuki Honma
  • Patent number: 8117554
    Abstract: A method, system and computer program product recorded on a computer-readable medium for execution on at least one processor, for seamless integration of a non-native application into a host OS, including launching a first Virtual Execution Environment (VEE) on a computing system that has a host operating system and a host desktop displayed to a user; displaying a window corresponding to the VEE on the host desktop; upon a user invoking a user application that is non-native to both the host OS and the first VEE, (a) installing a second VEE that is compatible with the user application, (b) installing the user application into the second VEE, (c) launching the application inside the second VEE, and (d) displaying the non-native application window within a window of the second VEE. The VEE can be a Virtual Private Server or a Virtual Machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Parallels Holdings, Ltd.
    Inventors: Alexander A. Grechishkin, Maxim A. Kuzkin, Alexey B. Koryakin, Sergei Malykhin, Andrey A. Omelyanchuk, Alexander G. Tormasov
  • Publication number: 20120036451
    Abstract: An electronic device includes a screen, a processor, and a storage unit. The storage unit stores one or more computerized instructions. The storage unit includes a meeting user interface (UI) module. The meeting UI module includes a meeting information display sub-module and an application control sub-module. The meeting information display sub-module is may display meeting subject item, an attendee contact list, and a file list on a desktop of the display screen. The application control sub-module may display shortcuts on the desktop of the display screen. The shortcuts are associated with a voice recording application, a note application, and a task editing application.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2011
    Publication date: February 9, 2012
    Applicant: HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: CHUN-WEN WANG, CHIEN-HUANG CHANG, CHI-FAN HO
  • Patent number: 8103972
    Abstract: A method and operator control unit is disclosed that uses a screen, softkey buttons and an operating button. If, after a first on-screen display is invoked by briefly pressing a softkey button, the operating button is then pressed while that first on-screen display is displayed on the screen, a user menu is displayed as a second on-screen display on the screen. Then, a softkey button is pressed for a longer length of time while the user menu is displayed, the softkey button pressed in this manner becomes a shortcut on the user menu. The shortcut allows the user to directly invoke said first on-screen display from the user menu. Thus, the operating button provides a user-selected menu of shortcuts that gives the user direct access to predetermined softkey on-screen displays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Uwe Scheuermann
  • Publication number: 20120011456
    Abstract: There is provided an information processing device including an imaging section configured to image an object, a display section configured to display at least an icon for controlling the imaging section, an operation section configured to acquire a first operation and a second operation on the icon, and a controller configured to, when the operation section has acquired the first operation, set a timer in accordance with an operation amount of the first operation and change a display of the icon on the display section in accordance with a progress of the timer, and to, when the operation section has acquired the second operation or when the timer has expired, cause the imaging section to image the object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2011
    Publication date: January 12, 2012
    Inventors: Takuro NODA, Yasushi Okumura
  • Publication number: 20110275418
    Abstract: In some embodiments, a portable multifunction device with a touch screen display performs a method that includes: displaying a phone call user interface on the touch screen display, wherein the phone call user interface includes: a first informational item associated with an active phone call between a user of the device and a first party, a second informational item associated with a suspended phone call between the user and a second party, and a merge call icon; upon detecting a user selection of the merge call icon, merging the active phone call and the suspended phone call into a conference call between the user, the first party, and the second party, and replacing the phone call user interface with a conference call user interface. The conference call user interface includes: a third informational item associated with the conference call, and a conference call management icon.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 5, 2011
    Publication date: November 10, 2011
    Inventors: Scott Forstall, Imran Chaudhri, Michael Matas, Marcel Van Os, Stephen O. Lemay, Patrick Lee Coffman, Elizabeth Caroline Furches, Greg Christie
  • Patent number: 8056018
    Abstract: Conflict resolution of web application keyboard shortcuts implementation includes a web application being loaded in a web browser and application keyboard shortcuts for the web application are registered with the web browser. The web browser identifies application keyboard shortcuts for the web application that conflict with keyboard shortcuts for the web browser. Then the web browser resolves each conflict.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Anthony Wayne Erwin, Timothy Charles Mossing, Christopher A. Robbins, Brian Owen Wood
  • Patent number: 8046718
    Abstract: A computing system and computer readable medium storing computer instructions are disclosed, which when the computer instructions are executed, enables a computer system to manage data using a file name on a computer system having a graphical user interface and a file system storing files with a file hierarchy. The computer instructions comprise, in part, entering a command from an application to create a file; displaying the file hierarchy; allowing a user to select at least one folder; saving data in a first file having a file name in one selected folder; in each of the other selected folders, creating a shortcut file having the same file name and containing a pointer to the first file; and creating a hidden file in the folder containing the first file, the hidden file containing a list of pointers to the shortcut files.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Joaquin Picon, Pierre Secondo, Gerard Marmigere
  • Patent number: 8041863
    Abstract: The present invention permits registry settings and other pertinent shared artifacts to be distributed across many different computing devices. More specifically, the invention permits applications installed on an external drive to be activated, when the external drive is connected to a main computing device. When connected, a drive agent can detect registry settings stored on the external drive and can synchronize these settings with a main registry of the main computing device. Further, interface elements, such as icons for the new applications can be added to a GUI of the main computing device. Once the registry settings are included in the main registry, applications on the external drive can used from the main computing device. When the external drive is detached from the main computing device, the device agent can automatically remove all registry settings, shared artifacts, and interface elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Hung Tack Kwan, Tassanee K. Supakkul, Mathews Thomas
  • Patent number: 8031353
    Abstract: A data processing device includes a registering unit, a display unit, a settings-acquiring unit, and a virtual device renaming unit. The registering unit registers a plurality of communicable printers as a plurality of virtual devices. Each of the plurality of virtual devices has a plurality of functions. The display unit displays a plurality of virtual device names for the plurality of virtual devices. The settings-acquiring unit acquires a setting for at least one of the plurality of functions for each of the plurality of virtual device. The virtual device renaming unit changes at least one of the virtual device names for the plurality of the virtual devices to a device name representing the setting of a corresponding virtual device acquired by the settings-acquiring unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yuji Miyata
  • Patent number: 8020096
    Abstract: A method and system for providing a hot key corresponding to a particular function in a computer system is disclosed. The computer system has a graphical user interface (GUI) and a context in which the particular function is provided. The method and system include integrating a hot key configuring function into the GUI such that a user can access the hot key configuring function from the context. The method and system further allow a user to utilize the hot key configuring function in the context to map the hot key to the particular function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: William G. Pagan
  • Publication number: 20110202884
    Abstract: An instinctive operating method and an electronic device using the same are provided. The operating method includes displaying a virtual environment view composed of a plurality of images, wherein the plurality of images includes at least an object image, the plurality of images are disposed in the virtual environment view in a customary manner, and the spatial arrangement of each image in the virtual environment view is associated with each other. The operating method further includes sensing an object-image selection signal to enable the electronic device to execute a function associated with the object image when the object image is selected. The electronic device includes a touch sensitive screen and a computing device. The touch sensitive screen is capable of displaying the virtual environment view and sensing a selection signal. The computing device is coupled to the touch sensitive screen and includes a function module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2011
    Publication date: August 18, 2011
    Inventor: Yu-Hsien Li
  • Patent number: 7984384
    Abstract: A user-activatable dashboard (also referred to as a unified interest layer) contains any number of user interface elements, referred to herein as “widgets,” for quick access by a user. In response to a command from a user, the dashboard is invoked and the widgets are shown on the screen. The user can activate the dashboard at any time, causing the dashboard to temporarily replace the existing user interface display on the user's screen. Once the dashboard has been activated, the user can interact with any or all of the widgets, and can configure the dashboard by adding, deleting, moving, or configuring individual widgets as desired. When the user wishes to return to the normal user interface he or she was working with, the user issues a command causing the dashboard to be dismissed. Once the dashboard has been dismissed, the previous user interface state is restored, allowing the user to resume normal interactions with the operating system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Imran A. Chaudhri, John Louch, Andrew M. Grignon, Gregory N. Christie
  • Publication number: 20110161885
    Abstract: A wireless location-based gas detection system and method includes a gas detector for wirelessly detecting location information associated with a hazardous gas event. The gas detector includes one or more remote gas sensors that monitor for the occurrence of a gas event and wirelessly communicates information with respect to the location of the event in association with time information to a server or location manager. A wireless communication device in association with one or more location anchor points periodically and under event conditions, transmits the location information and the gas concentration level. A location engine calculates an estimated location of the gas detector based on information received from the wireless communication device and provides the location data to the location manager. The location manager records the gas concentration level, the estimated location, and the time information and stores this information within a database.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2010
    Publication date: June 30, 2011
    Applicant: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Patrick Gonia, Soumitri Kolavennu
  • Publication number: 20110154174
    Abstract: Embedded Media Markers (EMM) are optical-filter-like overlaid marks that can be printed on a part of a paper document that signify the existence of media associated with that part of the document. Users take a picture of an EMM-signified document patch using a cell phone camera, and the media associated with the EMM-signified document location is retrieved and displayed on the phone. Unlike bar codes, EMMs are nearly transparent and thus do not interfere with the document contents. Retrieval of media associated with an EMM is based on image local features of the captured EMM-signified document patch. A semi-automatically technique places an EMM at a location in a document, in such a way that the EMM encompasses sufficient identification features with minimal disturbance to the original document.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2009
    Publication date: June 23, 2011
    Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Qiong Liu, Chunyuan Liao, Lynn Wilcox, Anthony Dunnigan, Bee Liew
  • Publication number: 20110138331
    Abstract: A method including receiving a user selection of a first media content, determining a second media content based on characteristics of the first media content in relation to characteristics of the second media content, and determining a third media content based on the characteristics of the second media content in relation to characteristics of the third media content. The method further includes causing, at least in part, display of a first icon representing the second media content and a second icon representing the third media content.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2009
    Publication date: June 9, 2011
    Applicant: Nokia Corporation
    Inventors: Craig PUGSLEY, Jesmond ALLEN, Jonathan DAVIES
  • Publication number: 20110131664
    Abstract: A device includes a memory to store instructions; and a processor to execute the instructions to determine that access rights, associated with a particular user in relation to particular content, have expired; degrade an appearance of the particular content or a representation of the particular content, where the degradation is amplified over a grace period that commences upon the expiration of the access rights, in response to determining that the access rights have expired; determine that the grace period associated with the expired access rights has ended; and end access to the particular content, in response to determining that the grace period has ended.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2009
    Publication date: June 2, 2011
    Applicant: SONY ERICSSON MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS AB
    Inventor: Håkan Lars Emanuel Jonsson
  • Patent number: 7954061
    Abstract: Internet location objects are created and displayed as icons in a graphical user interface environment. When an object is dragged from within an application into a system window, a drag object describing what is being dragged is passed from the application to the operating system. Depending on the drag object, the file manager either causes an Internet location object to be created directly or intelligently parses a text string that has been dragged and dropped onto the user desktop to determine whether the text string is likely a URL. If a text string is found to likely be a URL, then an Internet location object is created to contain a URL by transforming the text string into the URL. When the user “opens” an Internet location object, a browser or other program is launched and retrieves the resource identified by the URL stored as part of the Internet location object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Peter Joseph McInerney
  • Patent number: 7953702
    Abstract: A document administration apparatus, includes a sharing request receiving portion configured to receive a request of sharing a document stored in a first box among boxes which are divided storing areas, a box information receiving portion configured to receive box information on one or more second boxes each correlated with each user sharing the document to which the sharing request is made, a shortcut creating portion configured to create a shortcut to all of the second boxes represented by the box information received by the box information receiving portion, the shortcut including link information to the document stored in the first box, and a link portion configured to process an access to the shortcut created by the shortcut creating portion by replacing the access with an access to the document which is a linked destination written in the shortcut.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Atsushi Tomita
  • Publication number: 20110126141
    Abstract: Methods, apparatuses, and computer-readable storage media for displaying an image at an electronic device are disclosed. In a particular embodiment, an electronic device is disclosed that includes a first panel having a first display surface to display a graphical user interface element associated with an application. The electronic device also includes a second panel having a second display surface. The first display surface is separated from the second display surface by a gap. A processor is configured to execute program code including a graphical user interface. The processor is configured to launch or close the application in response to user input causing a movement of the graphical user interface element in relation to the gap.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2009
    Publication date: May 26, 2011
    Applicant: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Bennett M. King, Dimosthenis Kaleas, Sten Jorgen Ludvig Dahl, Mark A. Charlebois, Robert S. Daley, Thomas E. Kilpatrick, II
  • Publication number: 20110119626
    Abstract: A method of operating an entertainment system having a user interface including a plurality of menus may include computer-implemented steps. Steps may include receiving a menu selection via the user interface. The menu selection may be associated with a menu. The menu may be displayed on the user interface in response to receiving the menu selection. The menu selection may be stored for subsequent retrieval. A key (or button) may be associated with the stored menu selection such that activating the key causes the menu associated with the stored menu selection to be retrieved and displayed on the user interface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2009
    Publication date: May 19, 2011
    Applicant: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Jens Faenger
  • Patent number: 7913189
    Abstract: There are provided an image processing apparatus, an image generating apparatus, and an image processing method, capable of automating assignment of keys to functions and registration of macros provided by the image generating apparatus and presenting an index such as a shortcut key associated with one of the registered functions to a user at the timing when the user uses that function. To achieve this, first an operation command issued by a user through a control panel 1000 is received and history information about the operation command is stored in a storage device 900. A controller unit 200 detects history information about an operation command received through the control panel 1000 from among the history information, creates and registers a shortcut key for performing a operation command received through the control panel 1000 on the basis of the result of the detection, and presents the shortcut key to the user at a predetermined timing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tatsuru Baba
  • Patent number: 7908414
    Abstract: A USB host/client system includes a USB host device, a USB client device connected via a USB cable to the USB host device, and a power supply unit remote from the USB host device for powering the USB host device through the USB cable connecting the USB client device to the USB host device. The USB host device can have means for communicating with a computer while the USB host device is connected to a USB client device, and/or the power supply unit supplies sufficient power for all normal operations of the USB host device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: James Lee Combs, David Allen Crutchfield