Abstract:
System and methods for viewing a mobile screen from a mobile device on the desktop of a computer by operating a predefined pair of a mobile application program and a computer application program to provide continuous seamless integration of the processing of the data file as a pseudo-single session. When the user operates certain operations, the document opened by the mobile device application program is saved as a file, and automatically transferred from the mobile device storage file system to the computer storage file system. A pre-defined equivalent application software on the computer is launched and the copied computer file is opened on the computer screen outside or overlapping to the mobile device screen emulation window.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    Not Applicable 
       STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
       [0002]    Not Applicable 
       INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC 
       [0003]    Not Applicable 
       NOTICE OF MATERIAL SUBJECT TO COPYRIGHT PROTECTION 
       [0004]    A portion of the material in this patent document is subject to copyright protection under the copyright laws of the United States and of other countries. The owner of the copyright rights has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the United States Patent and Trademark Office publicly available file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever. The copyright owner does not hereby waive any of its rights to have this patent document maintained in secrecy, including without limitation its rights pursuant to 37 C.F.R. §1.14. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0006]    This invention pertains generally to a computer interface, and more particularly to a computer interface between a mobile device and computer. 
         [0007]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0008]    There is often a need to interface portable information devices, such as PDA&#39;s, smartphones, and other mobile devices, with a computer such as a desktop computer or laptop. Existing technology (shown as system  40  in  FIG. 2 ) uses PC emulation software  42  intended to emulate the screen display replication  20  and user input device  12  (keyboard, and/or mouse) operations, and simple cut/copy/paste operations, drag and drop file transfers. Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide improved emulation between a mobile device and computer. At least some of these objectives will be met in the following disclosure. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    The system and methods of present invention allow a user to view a mobile screen (e.g. from a PDA, smart phone, or other portable device) on the desktop of a computer. Furthermore, the mobile device may be controlled by using desktop keyboard and mouse. The system of the present invention allows for Copy/Cut/Paste operations of text between the mobile device and desktop, capture of part or all of a mobile screen, drag and drop of files to the mobile device. The system is preferably configured to support ActiveSync/IP Connection and applications such as Mobile Explorer (File Browse). 
         [0010]    The present invention treats the predefined pair of a mobile application program and a computer application program, and provides continuous seamless integration of the processing of the data file as a pseudo-single session. On the emulated mobile (PDA) device screen on the screen of the connected computer, an application program is running on the mobile device and a document is displayed for viewing/processing/editing and its screen image is replicated on the computer screen. When the user operates certain operations, the document opened by the mobile device application program is saved as a file, and automatically transferred from the mobile device storage file system to the computer storage file system. Then a predefined equivalent application software on the computer will be launched and the copied computer file is opened on the computer screen outside or overlapping to the mobile device screen emulation window. When the computer processing of the file is completed, the file is transferred back to the mobile device. 
         [0011]    An aspect of the invention is an interface system for coupling a mobile device to a PC, comprising: a PC emulation module configured emulate the screen of a mobile device in a first window on the display of a PC coupled to the mobile device; a file application association module configured to open an application associated with a file located in memory on the mobile device and display the application in a second window on the PC display; and a processor for operating the PC emulation module and file application association module. 
         [0012]    In a preferred embodiment, the file application association module is configured to open the associated application in a second window overlapping or outside the first window. For example, the file application association module is configured to open a PC application stored on the PC to operate the file, wherein the PC application is associated with an application stored on the mobile device and is opened in the second window. Preferably, the file application association module is configured to operate the PC application using the PC&#39;s processor. 
         [0013]    In another embodiment, the file application association module is configured to map one or more mobile device conditions to one or more PC actions in a database located on either the PC or mobile device. The mobile device conditions may comprise a mobile device application software identifier, a file type associated with the mobile device application software and other conditions. The one or more PC actions may comprise executing the PC application with the file. 
         [0014]    Another aspect is an interface system for coupling a mobile device to a PC, comprising: a PC having a processor for executing a PC application stored in memory on the PC, and a display for displaying the executed PC application; a mobile device having a processor for executing a mobile device application stored in memory on the mobile device, and a display for displaying the executed mobile device application; a PC emulation module configured emulate the screen of the mobile device in a first window on the display of the PC; and a file application association module configured to execute a file on the mobile device with a PC application that is associated with the file and a mobile device application stored in memory on the mobile device, wherein the file application association module is configured to display the executed PC application in a second window on the PC display. Preferably, the file application association logic is configured to execute the PC application in a second window overlapping or outside the first window. 
         [0015]    In one embodiment, the system further includes a database coupled to the file application association module, wherein file application association module is configured to map one or more mobile device conditions to one or more PC actions in the database. 
         [0016]    Another aspect is a method for interfacing between a mobile device to a PC, comprising: coupling a mobile device to a PC; the PC having a processor for executing a PC application stored in memory on the PC, and a display for displaying the executed PC application; emulating the screen of the mobile device in a first window on the display of the PC; executing a file on the mobile device using a PC application that is associated with the file and a mobile device application stored in memory on the mobile device; and displaying the executed PC application in a second window on the PC display. 
         [0017]    In a preferred embodiment, the executed PC application is displayed in a second window overlapping or outside the first window, and is executed using the PC&#39;s processor. The method also may include synchronizing the file between memory on the mobile device and the PC 
         [0018]    In another embodiment, executing the PC application comprises selecting PC application software compatible with the file and associated mobile device application. For example, selecting PC application software may comprise mapping one or more mobile device conditions to one or more PC actions. The mobile device conditions may comprise a mobile device application software identifier and a file type associated with the mobile device application software. Optionally, the mobile device conditions may comprise status of the PC application, status of the opened file, or exception conditions. 
         [0019]    In another embodiment, selecting the PC application software further comprises: looking up a receiving system action from a database according to the selected file and its associated application software. 
         [0020]    In yet another embodiment, the receiving system action comprises executing the PC application, the method further comprising executing the receiving system action to execute the PC application and corresponding file. 
         [0021]    Further aspects of the invention will be brought out in the following portions of the specification, wherein the detailed description is for the purpose of fully disclosing preferred embodiments of the invention without placing limitations thereon. 
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S) 
       [0022]    The invention will be more fully understood by reference to the following drawings which are for illustrative purposes only: 
         [0023]      FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram of a PDA coupled to a computer in accordance with the present invention. 
         [0024]      FIG. 2  illustrates a prior art emulation system. 
         [0025]      FIG. 3  illustrates a diagram of the mobile device emulation system of the present invention. 
         [0026]      FIG. 4  shows a flow diagram of the application association logic in accordance with the present invention. 
         [0027]      FIG. 5  illustrates originating system conditions in that are mapped by the application association logic of  FIG. 4 . 
         [0028]      FIG. 6  illustrates exception conditions that may be mapped by the application association logic of  FIG. 4 . 
         [0029]      FIG. 7  is a diagram of the receiving actions in the association database of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0030]    Referring more specifically to the drawings, for illustrative purposes the present invention is embodied in the apparatus generally shown in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 3  through  FIG. 7 . It will be appreciated that the apparatus may vary as to configuration and as to details of the parts, and that the method may vary as to the specific steps and sequence, without departing from the basic concepts as disclosed herein. 
         [0031]      FIG. 1  illustrates an image recognition system  10  in accordance with the present invention. System  10  includes a mobile device (PDA)  12  having a screen  14  coupled to a computer  16  with display  18 . The connection between the mobile device  12  and the computer  16  can be a local medium, such as USB connection  28  connecting ports  24  and  30 , wireless connection  26  (e.g. Bluetooth connection or the like) coupling wireless antennas  22  and  32 , or a remote connection  26  using network connections to the common network infrastructure, such as an Internet based file synchronization service. 
         [0032]      FIG. 3  illustrates a schematic diagram of the system  50  of the present invention. PC emulation module or software  52 , which may be loaded in memory  58  on the PC  16 , memory  46  mobile of device  12 , or both, provides an emulated PDA screen  20  on the screen of the connected computer  16 . An application program  44  may be run on the mobile device  12  such that a document (or other window) is displayed for viewing/processing/editing and its screen image  20  is replicated on the computer screen  18 . 
         [0033]    When the user performs certain operations, the document opened by the mobile device  12  application program  44  is saved as a file, and automatically transferred from the mobile device storage file system  46  to the computer storage file system  58 . Application association logic module  54  is configured to launch predefined equivalent PC application software  60  on the computer  18 , wherein the copied computer file is opened via user interface  64  on the computer screen  28  in a window  62  outside or overlapping to the mobile device screen emulation window  20 . The application association logic  54  is configured to find the equivalent PC application  60  for the mobile device application  44  of the selected file. For example, the mobile device  12  may have Mobile Outlook or Mobile Office (e.g. Mobile Word, Mobile Excel, and Mobile PowerPoint) loaded in memory. Thus, if a word document is selected, the application association logic  54  seeks the equivalent PC application  60  (MS Word) to the mobile device application  44  (Mobile Word). 
         [0034]    When the computer processing of the file is completed, the file is transferred back to the memory  46  of the mobile device  12 . File synchronization module  56  is configured to synchronize files that may be stored in memory  46  of device  12  or memory  58  of the computer  16 , and update either of the files stored on the mobile device  12  or computer  16  if the file has been operated on either the mobile device  12  or computer  16  while not coupled to each other. The application association logic  54  and/or file synchronization module  56  are preferably configured to save the file on the mobile device memory  46  in a format that is readable by associated the mobile device application program  44 . 
         [0035]    User operation can be various types of user interfaces. For example, a user may perform a mouse drag/drop of the opened document rendition from/to the emulated mobile screen  20  on the computer display  18  to the other areas of the computer screen outside of the mobile device screen emulation window  20 , e.g. the desktop or another window displayed on screen  18 . The user may also perform equivalent GUI user operations on the mobile device screen  14 . The user may also invoke GUI based menus or buttons of the emulation window  20 . Furthermore, if the mobile device  12  is capable of detecting physical movements of the device body by means of, but not limited to, enclosed accelerometers (not shown) etc., swinging or movements mimicking the action of throwing the device contents to outside may be used to initiate file transfer initiation. 
         [0036]    File transfer operations to/from the mobile device  12  from/to the 16 computer can be processed automatically by the initiation of user operations described above, or can cause prompting for confirmation of the file transfer between the devices, as well as special instructions such as the non-standard locations of the storage file structures (folders, etc.). Other special instructions may also be implemented, such as file synchronization of copies of the document or file that are stored on both devices. 
         [0037]    The function of the application association logic  54  is detailed in the method  70  illustrated in  FIG. 4 . The determination of the application software selection upon transition of the processing subject from the mobile device  12  to the computer  16  or visa versa is processed in the application association logic  54 . It is appreciated that the bulk of processing of the following method is performed via the computer processor  68  (to take advantage of the generally higher processing power of the computer). However, some or all of the processing may also be achieved via the processor  48  of the mobile device  12 . 
         [0038]    In step  72 , the mobile device  12  is coupled to the computer  16  via either wireless connection  26  or wired connection  28 . At step  74 , the PDA screen is emulated, and upon selection of a PDA software application  44 , the application association software  54  is initiated in step  76 . 
         [0039]    The application association logic  54  preferably comprises an algorithm that maps the originating system conditions to the receiving system actions to file application association database  66  at step  78 . In a typical situation, the originating system is the PDA  12 , and the receiving system is the PC  16 . However, it is appreciated that these roles may be reversed based on the desired function of the user. Database  66  is shown in  FIG. 3  to be located or stored at the PC&#39;s memory  58 . However, it is appreciated that the database may also be stored or cached on the PDA memory  46 . 
         [0040]    The originating system conditions  100 , detailed further in  FIG. 5 , are a combination of parameters  102 - 110 . For example, the originating system conditions  100  comprise application software type/identifier  102  and the file type  104  of the user data being processed in the originating application software  44 . 
         [0041]    An additional operating system condition may optionally comprise mode or status  106  of the application program, such as read-only viewing, open for modification, etc. 
         [0042]    An optional operating system condition may comprise the status of the opened document data file  108 . For example, criteria may comprise whether the document or file opened without exclusivity and has not been modified, opened with exclusivity and has not been modified, opened without exclusivity and modified unsaved, opened with exclusivity and modified unsaved, etc. Some information (e.g.  106 ,  108 ) may not be available for all application programs. 
         [0043]    Optional parameters may also comprise exception conditions  110  detailed in  FIG. 6 . Exception conditions  110  may be one or more of the system or usage conditions not directly derived from the file types or the application program. Examples may be file size  112 , or remaining available storage capacity  114  of the originating and/or receiving system. Remaining capacity definitions can be either the absolute data size, or the relative value to the total capacity of the file system. 
         [0044]    Additional exception conditions may comprise network connection status/availability  116  between systems, presence of the operating systems or other underlying middle-ware data synchronization facilities  118 , time, day of the week, and other scheduling status  120 , or physical location information  122  obtained from the geographical location detection sensors on either systems, such as GPS receivers, etc., or schedule information from PIM application or subsystem that has location information attached. 
         [0045]    Referring back to  FIG. 4 , the algorithm at step  80  looks up the receiving system action output from the database  66  by the current subject document/application software program on the originating system. If a matching condition is found (step  82 ), the defined action is executed on the receiving system, at step  84 . If not (i.e. no matching conditions), the receiving system algorithm checks at step  86  if application association of the originating data file is defined by the receiving system&#39;s operating systems layer. If the application association for the originating data file is found, the defined action is executed on the receiving system at step  88 . If no match is found or defined in the operating systems layer, a default action is taken at step  90 . The default action my comprise opening the operating systems&#39; general purpose file manager (e.g. Windows Explorer on the computer system) for the destination folder of the receiving system, or do nothing. 
         [0046]    Referring to  FIG. 7 , receiving actions from the file application association logic  54  and association database  66  may include executing an application program on the receiving system with the received data file at step  130 , or sequencing of the data file manipulation steps at step  132 . Sequencing steps may comprise: copying/moving of the data file that has been automatically synchronized by the operating systems layer or separate data synchronization middle-ware, opening the file with an application program for processing, and updating the related synchronization folders of the processed/updated data file. 
         [0047]    At least part of the sequences in steps  130  and  132  may include file conversion utility processing  134  if the file format of the originating system can be better handled in an application program on the receiving system, or timing functions  136 , such as delay for a defined duration of the time, or on condition such as the size of the completed file transfer by absolute data size or relative value to the total file size being transferred, etc. 
         [0048]    It is appreciated that in all of the previously described embodiments, the data file may be substituted to the network contents/objects by referencing in Universal Resource Identifiers or URL&#39;s. 
         [0049]    The association database  66  definitions may be predefined before the installation of the device  12 , or they may be user-configurable, or upgradeable by the manufacturer or the administrator, or any combination of the above. In addition, the system may be configured so that the application association logic can be turned on or off, permanently or temporarily, by the user. 
         [0050]    Embodiments of the present invention are described with reference to flowchart illustrations of methods and systems according to embodiments of the invention. These methods and systems can also be implemented as computer program products. In this regard, each block or step of a flowchart, and combinations of blocks (and/or steps) in a flowchart, can be implemented by various means, such as hardware, firmware, and/or software including one or more computer program instructions embodied in computer-readable program code logic. As will be appreciated, any such computer program instructions may be loaded onto a computer, including without limitation a general purpose computer or special purpose computer, or other programmable processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the computer program instructions which execute on the computer or other programmable processing apparatus create means for implementing the functions specified in the block(s) of the flowchart(s). 
         [0051]    Accordingly, blocks of the flowcharts support combinations of means for performing the specified functions, combinations of steps for performing the specified functions, and computer program instructions, such as embodied in computer-readable program code logic means, for performing the specified functions. It will also be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations, can be implemented by special purpose hardware-based computer systems which perform the specified functions or steps, or combinations of special purpose hardware and computer-readable program code logic means. 
         [0052]    Furthermore, these computer program instructions, such as embodied in computer-readable program code logic, may also be stored in a computer-readable memory that can direct a computer or other programmable processing apparatus to function in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored in the computer-readable memory produce an article of manufacture including instruction means which implement the function specified in the block(s) of the flowchart(s). The computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer or other programmable processing apparatus to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer or other programmable processing apparatus to produce a computer-implemented process such that the instructions which execute on the computer or other programmable processing apparatus provide steps for implementing the functions specified in the block(s) of the flowchart(s). 
         [0053]    As can be seen, therefore, the present invention includes the following inventive embodiments among others: 
         [0054]    1. An interface system for coupling a mobile device to a PC, comprising: a PC emulation module; said PC emulation module configured to emulate the screen of a mobile device in a first window on the display of a PC coupled to the mobile device; a file application association module; the file application association module configured to open an application associated with a file located in memory on the mobile device and display the application in a second window on the PC display; and a processor for operating the PC emulation module and file application association module. 
         [0055]    2. An interface system as recited in embodiment 1, wherein the file application association module is configured to open the associated application in a second window overlapping or outside the first window. 
         [0056]    3. An interface system as recited in embodiment 2, further comprising: 
         [0057]    a file synchronization module for synchronizing the file to be stored in memory on the mobile device and the PC. 
         [0058]    4. An interface system as recited in embodiment 3, wherein: the file application association module is configured to open a PC application stored on the PC to operate said file; wherein the PC application is associated with an application stored on the mobile device; and wherein the PC application is opened in the second window. 
         [0059]    5. An interface system as recited in embodiment 4, wherein file application association module is configured to operate the PC application using the PC&#39;s processor. 
         [0060]    6. An interface system as recited in embodiment 4, wherein file application association module is configured to map one or more mobile device conditions to one or more PC actions in a database located on either the PC or mobile device. 
         [0061]    7. An interface system as recited in embodiment 6, wherein the mobile device conditions comprise a mobile device application software identifier. 
         [0062]    8. An interface system as recited in embodiment 7, wherein the mobile device conditions further comprise a file type associated with the mobile device application software. 
         [0063]    9. An interface system as recited in embodiment 6, wherein the one or more PC actions comprises executing the PC application with the file. 
         [0064]    10. An interface system for coupling a mobile device to a PC, comprising: a PC having a processor for executing a PC application stored in memory on the PC, and a display for displaying the executed PC application; a mobile device having a processor for executing a mobile device application stored in memory on the mobile device, and a display for displaying the executed mobile device application; a PC emulation module; said PC emulation module configured to emulate the screen of the mobile device in a first window on the display of the PC; a file application association module; wherein the file application association module is configured to execute a file on the mobile device with a PC application that is associated with said file and a mobile device application stored in memory on the mobile device; wherein the file application association module is configured to display the executed PC application in a second window on the PC display. 
         [0065]    11. An interface system as recited in embodiment 10, wherein the file application association logic is configured to execute the PC application in a second window overlapping or outside the first window. 
         [0066]    12. An interface system as recited in embodiment 10, further comprising: a file synchronization module for synchronizing the file to be stored in memory on the mobile device and the PC. 
         [0067]    13. An interface system as recited in embodiment 10, wherein file application association module is configured to execute the PC application using the PC&#39;s processor. 
         [0068]    14. An interface system as recited in embodiment 10, further comprising a database coupled to the file application association module; wherein file application association module is configured to map one or more mobile device conditions to one or more PC actions in the database. 
         [0069]    15. An interface system as recited in embodiment 14, wherein the mobile device conditions comprise a mobile device application software identifier. 
         [0070]    16. An interface system as recited in embodiment 15, wherein the mobile device conditions further comprise a file type associated with the mobile device application software. 
         [0071]    17. An interface system as recited in embodiment 15, wherein the one or more PC actions comprises executing the PC application with the file. 
         [0072]    18. An method for interfacing between a mobile device to a PC, comprising: coupling a mobile device to a PC; the PC having a processor for executing a PC application stored in memory on the PC, and a display for displaying the executed PC application; emulating the screen of the mobile device in a first window on the display of the PC; executing a file on the mobile device using a PC application that is associated with said file and a mobile device application stored in memory on the mobile device; and displaying the executed PC application in a second window on the PC display. 
         [0073]    19. A method as recited in embodiment 18, wherein the executed PC application is displayed in a second window overlapping or outside the first window. 
         [0074]    20. A method as recited in embodiment 19, further comprising: synchronizing the file between memory on the mobile device and the PC. 
         [0075]    21. A method as recited in embodiment 19, wherein the PC application is executed using the PC&#39;s processor. 
         [0076]    22. A method as recited in embodiment 18, wherein executing the PC application comprises selecting PC application software compatible with said file and associated mobile device application. 
         [0077]    23. A method as recite in embodiment 22, wherein selecting PC application software comprises: mapping one or more mobile device conditions to one or more PC actions. 
         [0078]    24. A method as recited in embodiment 23, wherein the mobile device conditions comprise a mobile device application software identifier and a file type associated with the mobile device application software. 
         [0079]    25. A method as recited in embodiment 24, wherein the mobile device conditions additionally comprise on or more of the following: status of the PC application, status of the opened file, or exception conditions. 
         [0080]    26. A method as recited in embodiment 23, wherein selecting the PC application software further comprises: looking up a receiving system action from a database according to the selected file and its associated application software. 
         [0081]    27. A method as recited in embodiment 23, wherein the receiving system action comprises executing the PC application, the method further comprising: executing the receiving system action to execute the PC application and corresponding file. 
         [0082]    Although the description above contains many details, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention but as merely providing illustrations of some of the presently preferred embodiments of this invention. Therefore, it will be appreciated that the scope of the present invention fully encompasses other embodiments which may become obvious to those skilled in the art, and that the scope of the present invention is accordingly to be limited by nothing other than the appended claims, in which reference to an element in the singular is not intended to mean “one and only one” unless explicitly so stated, but rather “one or more.” All structural, chemical, and functional equivalents to the elements of the above-described preferred embodiment that are known to those of ordinary skill in the art are expressly incorporated herein by reference and are intended to be encompassed by the present claims. Moreover, it is not necessary for a device or method to address each and every problem sought to be solved by the present invention, for it to be encompassed by the present claims. Furthermore, no element, component, or method step in the present disclosure is intended to be dedicated to the public regardless of whether the element, component, or method step is explicitly recited in the claims. No claim element herein is to be construed under the provisions of 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, unless the element is expressly recited using the phrase “means for.”