Patent Publication Number: US-2013238992-A1

Title: Method and Device for Content Control Based on Data Link Context

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     A portable device, such as a mobile phone, laptop computer, digital camera, or tablet device, can be connected via a multimedia cable to a display device, such as a television, LCD, or other type of display. Media content, such as digital images and video, that is stored on the portable device can then be displayed on the connected display device, such as to share photos taken with the portable device for viewing with others in a room on a larger display. Typically, a user can connect a portable device to a display device, and then navigate user interfaces and actuatable controls on the portable device to select the media content for display on the display device. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Embodiments of content control based on data link context are described with reference to the following Figures. The same numbers may be used throughout to reference like features and components that are shown in the Figures: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates an example system in which embodiments of content control based on data link context can be implemented. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates examples of media content control interfaces for display on a portable electronic device in accordance with one or more embodiments of content control based on data link context. 
         FIG. 3  illustrates additional examples of media content control interfaces for display on a portable electronic device in accordance with one or more embodiments of content control based on data link context. 
         FIG. 4  illustrates an example data table that correlates data link identifiers with media rendering device types and recently-used media control interfaces in accordance with one or more embodiments of content control based on data link context. 
         FIG. 5  illustrates example method(s) of content control based on data link context in accordance with one or more embodiments. 
         FIG. 6  illustrates various components of an example electronic device that can implement embodiments of content control based on data link context. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     In embodiments of content control based on data link context, a portable electronic device can be implemented to automatically display a most-recent, previously displayed media control interface on the portable electronic device when a data link to a peripheral media rendering device is detected. For example, a mobile phone can detect a data link to a peripheral display device and a most-recent, previously displayed media control interface (e.g., a music control interface, an images slideshow control interface, a video control interface, or combination thereof) is initiated for display on the mobile phone. 
     An identifiable data link, such as a device dock or identifiable HDMI cable, can be detected when the portable electronic device is connected to a media rendering device, and the most-recent, previously displayed media control interface that correlates to the identified data link can be initiated for display on the portable electronic device. For example, a user may connect a mobile phone to a peripheral display device that was previously used to display photos, and when the data link that connects the devices is detected, the images slideshow control interface is automatically initiated for display on the mobile phone to resume displaying the photos. 
     Alternatively, a non-identifiable data link, such as an HDMI cable or other non-identifiable communication link, can be detected when the portable electronic device is connected to the media rendering device, and the most-recent, previously displayed media control interface can be initiated for display on the portable electronic device. Alternatively, the non-identifiable data link can be detected and, if a media control interface has not been recently displayed, a media control selection menu can be initiated for display as a user interface, from which a user can then select one or a combination of the media control interfaces. 
     While features and concepts of content control based on data link context can be implemented in any number of different devices, systems, and/or configurations, embodiments of content control based on data link contexture described in the context of the following example devices, systems, and methods. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates an example system  100  in which embodiments of content control based on data link context can be implemented. The example system  100  includes a portable electronic device  102 , such as a mobile phone  104 , a tablet device, a laptop computer, or a digital camera that has still image and video capture features. The portable electronic device can be implemented with various components, such as one or more processors and memory, as well as with any combination of differing components as further described with reference to the example electronic device shown in  FIG. 6 . The portable electronic device can capture, store, receive, and/or otherwise maintain media content  106 , such as any type of audio content  108 , digital images  110 , and/or video content  112 . 
     The example system  100  also includes a media rendering device  114  that can be implemented as an audio system  116  and/or a display system  118 . The media rendering device may be any one or combination of a display device  120 , television, stereo system speakers, or any other type of device that includes the audio system  116  to render audio data and/or the display system  118  to render video and image data. The portable electronic device  102  can be communicatively linked to the media rendering device via a data link  122 . For example, a mobile phone can be communicatively linked to the media rendering device that renders the audio content  108  and/or displays the digital images  110  and the video content  112  that is stored on the mobile phone. In this example, the media rendering device  114  is external to the portable electronic device  102  and communicatively linked via the data link  122 . 
     The data link  122  can be implemented as a standard, non-identifiable high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI) cable, or an identifiable HDMI cable, such as the HDMI cable  124  shown communicatively linking the mobile phone  104  and the display device  120 . Alternatively, the data link  122  can be implemented as a device dock that connects the portable electronic device  102  to the media rendering device  114  when the portable electronic device is placed into the device dock. An HDMI connector may be implemented as a Type A, Type B (mini), or Type C (micro) cable, as well as other custom or proprietary connectors, and the HDMI connector provides an HD video plus audio interface connection via which the portable electronic device can be communicatively linked to the media rendering device. An identifiable HDMI cable can be identified by the portable electronic device, such as by including a micro-chip in the cable and/or by a unique resistance that is consistent with a particular type of peripheral device connected by the HDMI cable to the portable electronic device. Alternatively or in addition, an identifiable HDMI cable may be identified by a unique code for the cable. 
     Additionally, an identifiable HDMI cable may be utilized to authenticate a peripheral, such as the media rendering device  114 . For example, the portable electronic device  102  can include an authenticator that compares an identifier of a peripheral with a database of identifiers known to be authentic. A peripheral can be authenticated, or determined to be potentially authentic, when the peripheral is a device (or class of devices) previously known to function with the portable electronic device. In implementations, a peripheral may include an authentication module that responds to a cryptographic challenge from the portable electronic device. 
     In this example, the portable electronic device  102  includes media control interfaces  126  and a media control selection menu  128 . The media control interfaces can be displayed on an integrated display  130  of the portable electronic device, such as on the mobile phone  104 , for user-selectable control of the various media content  106 . For example, the media control interfaces can include a music control interface to control playback of the audio content  108  at the audio system  116 , and an example of the music control interface  132  is shown displayed on the integrated display of the mobile phone. The media control interfaces can also include an images slideshow control interface to control displaying the digital images  110  on the display system  118 , and a video control interface to control playback of the video content  112  on the audio system and display system. 
     Examples of the media control interfaces  126  are shown and further described with reference to  FIG. 2 , and examples of combined media content control interfaces are shown and further described with reference to  FIG. 3 . The media control selection menu  128  can be displayed as a user interface for user-selection of one of the media control interfaces, and an example of the media control selection menu is shown displayed at  134  on the display device  120 . 
     In embodiments, the portable electronic device  102  includes a media manager  136  that can be implemented as computer-executable instructions, such as a software application, and executed by one or more processors to implement the various embodiments of content control based on data link context described herein. The media manager is implemented to detect the data link  122  to the media rendering device  114 , such as when a user connects the mobile phone  104  to the display device  120  via the HDMI cable  124 . The media manager can then determine whether the data link was previously utilized to communicatively link the portable electronic device to the media rendering device. 
     In an implementation, the media manager  136  can identify or determine whether a particular data link was previously utilized from a data table  138  that is maintained on the portable electronic device  102 . An example of the data table is shown and further described with reference to  FIG. 4 . In this example, the data table correlates an identifiable data link to the media rendering device and a type of media control interface that was most-recently displayed on the portable electronic device when communicatively linked to that media rendering device. 
     Alternatively, the media manager may be implemented to identify whether a particular data link was previously utilized from any other type of memory or data structure used to correlate previous data links, the type of connected media rendering device, and the type of media control interface that was most-recently displayed on the portable electronic device. In implementations, the media manager can also obtain Extended Display Identification Data (EDID) from the media rendering device  114  via the data link, and the EDID structure indicates the display capabilities, such as the resolution and profile, of the display system  118  at the media rendering device. 
     In embodiments, the media manager  136  can detect an HDMI cable at an HDMI data port of the portable electronic device  102  and initiate the media control selection menu  128  for display, from which a user can then select one of the media control interfaces  126 . Alternatively, the media manager  136  can initiate one of the media control interfaces for display, such as the previous, most-recently displayed media control interface (i.e., the media control interface that was displayed when the devices were previously connected via the data link). 
     For example, when a user initially connects the portable electronic device  102  to the media rendering device  114  via the data link  122 , the media manager  136  detects the data link and initiates the media control selection menu  128  for display. The user can then select one of the media control interfaces for display to control playback of media content on the media rendering device, such as the music control interface  132  shown displayed on the mobile phone  104  to control playback of the audio content  108  on the audio system  116 . After the playback is finished, the user may disconnect from the data link  122  (or disconnect the data link  122  from the media rendering device  114 ). When the user subsequently connects the portable electronic device  102  to the media rendering device  114  with the data link  122 , such as with the same or a different HDMI cable, the media manager can again detect the data link and initiate the most-recently displayed media control interface, such as the music control interface  132  shown displayed on the mobile phone. 
     In other embodiments, the media manager  136  can detect identifiable HDMI cables at an HDMI port of the portable electronic device  102  and correlate each different identifiable HDMI cable with a specific media rendering device. For example, a first identifiable HDMI cable may be used as the data link  122  to connect the portable electronic device  102  to the audio system  116 , and the media manager  136  determines that the most-recently displayed media control interface associated with the audio system is the music control interface  132  for user control to playback the audio content  108 . Alternatively, a second identifiable HDMI cable may be used as the data link to connect the portable electronic device to the display system  118 , and the media manager determines that the most-recently displayed media control interface associated with the display system is an images slideshow control interface to control playback of the digital images  110  on the display system. In an implementation, the media manager  136  can first determine an identifiable HDMI cable from a cable identifier and secondarily, may determine a specific media rendering device from a device identifier to correlate the identifiable HDMI cable with the specific media rendering device. 
     Similarly, the media manager  136  can detect from hardware connectivity when the portable electronic device  102  is positioned in a device dock, which is another example of the data link  122 , and the media manager can initiate any of the various media control interfaces  126 , the media control selection menu  128 , or any other display and/or user interface. The media manager can determine the most-recently displayed media control or selection menu interface from the data table  138 , which correlates the device dock and a type of the media control interface that was most-recently displayed on the portable electronic device when positioned in the device dock. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates examples  200  of media control interfaces for display on a portable electronic device, such as the mobile phone  104  described with reference to  FIG. 1 . The examples  200  include a media control selection menu  202  from which any one of a video control interface  204 , music control interface  206 , or images slideshow control interface  208  can be selected by a user for display on the portable electronic device. Each of the different media control interfaces include various user-selectable controls that a user can manipulate to control the respective media content, such as playback of the audio content  108  ( FIG. 1 ) on the audio system  116 , displaying the digital images  110  on the display system  118 , and/or playback of the video content  112  on the audio system and the display system. 
       FIG. 3  illustrates examples  300  of content control interfaces for display on a portable electronic device, such as the mobile phone  104  described with reference to  FIG. 1 . The examples  300  include a combination images slideshow and music control interface  302 , and a video and music control interface  304 . Each of the different content control interfaces includes various user-selectable controls that a user can manipulate to control the respective combinations of media content. For example, a user can control displaying the digital images  110  ( FIG. 1 ) on the display system  118  while the audio content  108  is played back on the audio system  116 . Similarly, a user can control playback of the video content  112  on the display system  118  while separate audio content  108  is also played back on the audio system  116 . 
       FIG. 4  illustrates an example data table  400  that correlates data links to media rendering device types, as well as the most-recently used media control interface for a specific media rendering device. The data table  400  is an example of the data table  138  described with reference to  FIG. 1 . In this example, the data table  400  includes data link identifiers  402 , such as to identify a data link  122  that is an identifiable HDMI cable or device dock. If the data link  122  itself is not identifiable, the table  400  may use an identifier from the media rendering device  114 , create a “placeholder” identifier, or leave the data link identifier field blank. The data table also includes media rendering device types  404 , such as a type of the media rendering device  114  (e.g., an audio system  116  and/or a display system  118 ) that is communicatively linked to the portable electronic device  102  by a corresponding data link. Further, the data table includes the recently-used control interfaces  406 , such as any of the media control interfaces  126  that correspond to the respective media rendering device type  404  and associated data link identifier  402 . Additionally, the data table includes time-stamps  408  of the last connection of a respective media rendering device to the portable electronic device  102  with an associated data link. 
     In embodiments, the media manager  136  can reference the data table  400  to correlate an identified data link  122  to a media rendering device type(e.g., by the correlation of a data link identifier  402  with a media rendering device type  404 ). In an event that a data link identifier  402  is duplicated in the data table  400 , such as when a particular data link is first utilized to communicatively link the portable electronic device  102  with an audio rendering device, and then subsequently utilized to communicatively link the portable electronic device with a different, audio and/or video rendering device, the media manager  136  can resolve priority by deferring to the latest time-stamp  408  for a particular connection, or by the most-recent entry of the two in the data table. Alternatively, the media manager  136  may initiate displaying the media control selection menu  128 , from which a user can then reconfigure and/or select the desired media control interface  126 . 
     Example method  500  is described with reference to  FIG. 5  in accordance with one or more embodiments of content control based on data link context. Generally, any of the methods, components, and modules described herein can be implemented using software, firmware, hardware (e.g., fixed logic circuitry), manual processing, or any combination thereof. A software implementation represents program code that performs specified tasks when executed by a computer processor, and the program code can be stored in computer-readable storage media devices. 
       FIG. 5  illustrates example method(s)  500  of content control based on data link context. The order in which the method blocks are described are not intended to be construed as a limitation, and any number or combination of the described method blocks can be combined in any order to implement a method, or an alternate method. 
     At block  502 , a data table is maintained that correlates identifiable data links to media rendering devices and types of media control interfaces displayed on a portable electronic device. For example, the portable electronic device  102  ( FIG. 1 ) maintains the data table  138 , an example of which is the data table  400  shown and described with reference to  FIG. 4 . The data table correlates an identifiable data link to a type of media rendering device and a type of the media control interface that was most-recently displayed on the portable electronic device when communicatively linked to the media rendering device. At block  504 , the portable electronic device is detected as being communicatively linked to a media rendering device via a data link. For example, the media manager  136  at the portable electronic device  102  detects the data link  122  to the media rendering device  114 , such as when a user connects the mobile phone  104  to the display device  120  via the HDMI cable  124 . The media manager can also detect the data link  122  to the media rendering device as an identifiable HDMI cable, or as a device dock when the portable electronic device is positioned in the device dock. 
     At block  506 , the data table is referenced to determine whether the data link was previously utilized to communicatively link the portable electronic device to the media rendering device. For example, the media manager  136  at the portable electronic device  102  references the data table  138  to determine whether the data link  122  (e.g., an HDMI cable, an identifiable HDMI cable, or a device dock) was previously utilized to communicatively link the portable electronic device to that media rendering device. 
     At block  508 , a determination is made as to whether the detected data link is an identifiable device dock. For example, the media manager  136  at the portable electronic device  102  determines whether the detected data link  122  is an identifiable device dock from the data table  138 , which correlates the device dock and a type of the media control interface that was most-recently displayed on the portable electronic device when positioned in that device dock. If the detected data link is not an identifiable device dock (i.e., “no” from block  508 ), then at block  510 , a determination is made as to whether the detected data link is an identifiable HDMI cable. For example, the media manager  136  at the portable electronic device  102  determines whether the detected data link  122  is an identifiable HDMI cable from the data table  138 . Alternatively, the media manager may be implemented to identify whether a particular data link was previously utilized from any other type of memory or data structure utilized to correlate previous data links, the type of connected media rendering device, and the type of media control interface that was most-recently displayed on the portable electronic device when connected via the data link. 
     If the detected data link is an identifiable device dock (i.e., “yes” from block  508 ), or if the detected data link is an identifiable HDMI cable (i.e., “yes” from block  510 ), then at block  512 , the most-recently displayed, previous media control interface that correlates to the identifiable data link (e.g., the device dock or the HDMI cable) is determined. For example, the media manager  136  at the portable electronic device  102  determines the most-recently displayed, previous media control interface that correlates to the identifiable data link  122  (i.e., the media control interface that was displayed when the devices were previously connected via the data link). Examples of media control interfaces are shown and described with reference to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , such as a video control interface  204  ( FIG. 2 ), a music control interface  206 , an images slideshow control interface  208 , a combination images slideshow and music control interface  302  ( FIG. 3 ), and a video and music control interface  304 . 
     If the detected data link is not identifiable (i.e., “no” from block  510 ), then at block  514 , a determination is made as to whether a media control interface was previously displayed. For example, the media manager  136  at the portable electronic device  102  determines whether one of the media control interfaces was previously displayed when the portable electronic device  102  was communicatively linked to the media rendering device  114  via the data link  122 . If a media control interface was previously displayed (i.e., “yes” from block  514 ), or continuing from a determination of a most-recently displayed, previous media control interface that correlates to an identifiable data link at block  512 , the most-recent, previous media control interface is initiated for display on the portable electronic device at block  516 . 
     If a media control interface was not previously displayed (i.e., “no” from block  514 ), then at block  518 , the media manager at the portable electronic device initiates a media control selection menu for display on the portable electronic device. For example, when a user initially connects the portable electronic device  102  to the media rendering device  114  via the data link  122 , the media manager  136  detects the data link and initiates the media control selection menu  202  ( FIG. 2 ) for display. The user can then select one of the media control interfaces  126  for display to control playback of media content  106  on the media rendering device, such as the music control interface  132  shown displayed on the mobile phone  104  to control playback of the audio content  108  on the audio system  116 . The user may disconnect the portable electronic device from the data link  122  (or disconnect the data link from the media rendering device  114 ). When the user subsequently connects the portable electronic device to the media rendering device with the data link, such as with the same or a different HDMI cable, the media manager can again detect the data link and initiate the most-recently displayed media control interface, such as the music control interface shown displayed on the mobile phone. 
       FIG. 6  illustrates various components of an example electronic device  600  that can be implemented as any device described with reference to any of the previous  FIGS. 1-5 . The electronic device may be implemented as any one or combination of a fixed or mobile device, in any form of a consumer, computer, portable, user, communication, phone, gaming, media playback, and/or electronic device. 
     The electronic device  600  includes communication transceivers  602  that enable wired and/or wireless communication of device data  606 , such as received data, data that is being received, data scheduled for broadcast, data packets of the data, etc. The device data  606  is an example of the media content  106  at the portable electronic device  102  ( FIG. 1 ), and the device data may include the audio content  108 , the digital images  110 , and/or the video content  112 . Example communication transceivers  602  include wireless personal area network (WPAN) radios compliant with various IEEE 802.15 (also referred to as Bluetooth™) standards, wireless local area network (WLAN) radios compliant with any of the various IEEE 802.11 (also referred to as WiFi™) standards, wireless wide area network (WWAN) radios for cellular telephony, wireless metropolitan area network (WMAN) radios compliant with various IEEE 802.15 (also referred to as WiMAX™) standards, and wired local area network (LAN) Ethernet transceivers. 
     The electronic device  600  may also include one or more data input ports  604  via which any type of data, media content, and/or inputs can be received, such as user-selectable inputs, messages, music, television content, recorded video content, and any other type of audio, video, and/or image data received from any content and/or data source. The data input ports may include USB ports, coaxial cable ports, and other serial or parallel connectors (including internal connectors) for flash memory, DVDs, CDs, and the like. These data input ports may be used to couple the electronic device to components, peripherals, or accessories such as microphones or cameras. Additionally, the electronic device  600  may include media capture components  608 , such as an integrated microphone to capture audio and a camera to capture still images and/or video media content. 
     The electronic device  600  includes one or more processors  610  (e.g., any of microprocessors, controllers, and the like), which process computer-executable instructions to control operation of the device. Alternatively or in addition, the electronic device can be implemented with any one or combination of software, hardware, firmware, or fixed logic circuitry that is implemented in connection with processing and control circuits, which are generally identified at  612 . Although not shown, the electronic device can include a system bus or data transfer system that couples the various components within the device. A system bus can include any one or combination of different bus structures, such as a memory bus or memory controller, a peripheral bus, a universal serial bus, and/or a processor or local bus that utilizes any of a variety of bus architectures. 
     The electronic device  600  also includes one or more memory devices  614  that enable data storage, examples of which include random access memory (RAM), non-volatile memory (e.g., read-only memory (ROM), flash memory, EPROM, EEPROM, etc.), and a disk storage device. A disk storage device may be implemented as any type of magnetic or optical storage device, such as a hard disk drive, a recordable and/or rewriteable disc, any type of a digital versatile disc (DVD), and the like. The electronic device  600  may also include a mass storage media device. 
     A memory device  614  provides data storage mechanisms to store the device data  606 , other types of information and/or data, and various device applications  620  (e.g., software applications). For example, an operating system  622  can be maintained as software instructions within a memory device and executed on the processors  610 . The device applications may also include a device manager, such as any form of a control application, software application, signal-processing and control module, code that is native to a particular device, a hardware abstraction layer for a particular device, and so on. In embodiments, the electronic device also includes a media manager  636  that implements content control based on data link context. The media manager  636  is an example of the media manager  136  at the portable electronic device  102  shown in  FIG. 1 . 
     The electronic device  600  also includes an audio and/or video processing system  624  that generates audio data for an integrated audio system  616  and/or generates display data for an integrated display system  618 . The audio system and/or the display system may include any devices that process, display, and/or otherwise render audio, video, display, and/or image data. Additionally, or alternately, display data and audio signals can be communicated via media data port  626  to an external audio component and/or to an external display component via an RF (radio frequency) link, S-video link, HDMI (high-definition multimedia interface), composite video link, component video link, DVI (digital video interface), analog audio connection, or other similar communication link. For example, the media data port  626  can convey audio data and display data to the audio system  116  and display system  118  of the media rendering device  114  shown in  FIG. 1 . 
     As described above, content control based on data link context provides that a most-recent, previously displayed media control interface (e.g., a music control interface, an images slideshow control interface, a video control interface, or combination thereof) can be automatically displayed on a portable electronic device, such as a mobile phone, when a data link to a peripheral media rendering device is detected. An identifiable data link, such as a device dock or identifiable HDMI cable, can be detected when the portable electronic device is connected to a media rendering device, and the most-recent, previously displayed media control interface that correlates to the identified data link can be initiated for display on the portable electronic device. Alternatively, a non-identifiable data link, such as an HDMI cable or other non-identifiable communication link, can be detected when the portable electronic device is connected to the media rendering device, and the most-recent, previously displayed media control interface can be initiated for display on the portable electronic device. Alternatively, the non-identifiable data link can be detected and if a media control interface has not been recently displayed, a media control selection menu can be initiated for display as a user interface, from which a user can then select one or a combination of the media control interfaces. 
     Although embodiments of content control based on data link context have been described in language specific to features and/or methods, the subject of the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or methods described. Rather, the specific features and methods are disclosed as example implementations of content control based on data link context.