Patent Publication Number: US-2012030596-A1

Title: User interface

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     When viewing a digital display device, a user couples the digital display device to one or more devices. The user then accesses one or more files on one or more of the devices and proceeds to load the files onto the digital display device through one or more connection ports available on the digital display device. Once the files have been loaded onto the digital display device, the files can be rendered for the user to view on the digital display device. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       Various features and advantages of the disclosed embodiments will be apparent from the detailed description which follows, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which together illustrate, by way of example, features of the embodiments. 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a machine coupled to a digital display device and one or more input devices according to an embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a block diagram of an interface application selecting a user profile to load as a user interface and identifying one or more content associated with the user profile according to an embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a block diagram of an interface application rendering a user interface for display on a digital display device in response to a selected user profile according to an embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a user creating or editing one or more user profiles according to an embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 5  illustrates a machine with an embedded interface application and an interface application stored on a removable medium being accessed by the machine according to an embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a flow chart illustrating a method for rendering a user interface according to an embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 7  is a flow chart illustrating a method for rendering a user interface according to another embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       FIG. 1  illustrates a machine  100  coupled to a digital display device  190  and one or more input devices  150  according to an embodiment of the invention. In one embodiment, the machine  100  is a digital photo frame. In other embodiments, the machine  100  is a desktop, a laptop, a server, and/or any device that a digital display device  190  is coupled to. As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the machine  100  is coupled to the digital display device  190  and includes a processor  120 , one or more input device  150 , a memory/storage device  180 , a network interface  160 , and a communication bus  170  for the machine  100  and/or one or more components of the machine  100  to communicate with one another. 
     Further, as illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the memory/storage device  180  stores an interface application  110 , one or more user profiles  140 , one or more content  130 , and a user interface  135 . In other embodiments, the machine  100  includes additional components and/or is coupled to additional components in addition to and/or in lieu of those noted above and illustrated in  FIG. 1 . 
     As noted above, the machine  100  includes a processor  120 . The processor  120  sends data and/or instructions to the components of the machine  100 , such as one or more input devices  150 , the memory/storage device  180 , the digital display device  190 , and the interface application  110 . Additionally, the processor  120  receives data and/or instruction from components of the machine  100 , such as the interface application  110 . 
     The interface application  110  is an application which can render a user interface  135  for display on the digital display device  190 . In rendering the user interface, the interface application  110  selects one of the user profiles  140  to be loaded as the user interface  135  in response to a user accessing the digital display device  190 . 
     Once the interface application  110  has selected a user profile  140 , the interface application  110  can proceed to identify and load one or more content  130  associated with the selected user profile  140  as part of the user interface  135 . The interface application  110  will then render the user interface  135  to include the content  130  associated with the selected user profile  140  for display on the digital display device  190 . 
     The interface application  110  can be firmware which is embedded onto the machine  100 . In other embodiments, the interface application  110  is a software application stored on the machine  100  within ROM or on a storage device  180  accessible by the machine  100  or the interface application  110  is stored on a computer readable medium readable and accessible by the machine  100  from a different location. Additionally, in one embodiment, the storage device  180  is included in the machine  100 . In other embodiments, the storage device  180  is not included in the machine, but is accessible to the machine  100  utilizing a network interface  160  included in the machine  100 . The network interface  160  may be a wired or wireless network interface card. 
     In a further embodiment, the interface application  110  is stored and/or accessed through a server coupled through a local area network or a wide area network. The interface application  110  communicates with devices and/or components coupled to the machine  100  physically or wirelessly through a communication bus  170  included in or attached to the machine  100 . In one embodiment the communication bus  170  is a memory bus. In other embodiments, the communication bus  170  is a data bus. 
     As noted above, the interface application  110  renders a user interface  135  for display on the digital display device  190 . The user interface  135  is a rendered output of the digital display device  190  which the user can view and interact with. Additionally, the user interface  135  can include one or more images, text, and/or videos. Further, the user interface  135  is rendered for display on the digital display device  190 . 
     The digital display device  190  is a device that can be configured by the interface application  110  to display, and/or project the user interface  135 . Additionally, the digital display device  190  can be configured to display content  130  included as part of the user interface  135 . In one embodiment, the digital display device  190  is a monitor and/or television. In another embodiment, the digital display device  190  is a projector and/or a touch screen. 
     As noted above, in rendering the user interface  135 , the interface application  110  selects one of the user profiles  140  to be loaded as the user interface  135  in response to a user accessing the digital display device  190 . A user profile  140  includes information and layout preferences corresponding to a user which has been registered with the machine  100 . The user profile  140  can identify at least one from the group consisting of a background image to be used in the user interface  135 , one or more icons to be included in the user interface  135 , one or more content  130  to be included in the user interface  135 , and a layout of one or more of the icons and one or more of the content  130  for the user interface  135 . 
     Additionally, a user profile can be created and/or edited by a user accessing a webpage from the digital display device  190 , the user accessing the webpage from another device, and/or the user accessing one or more input devices  150 . In one embodiment, the user can access the webpage or one or more of the input devices  150  to specify which background image to be used for the user&#39;s interface, one or more icons to be included in the user&#39;s interface, one or more content to be included in the user&#39;s interface, and/or the layout of the icons and content. 
     Further, as illustrated in  FIG. 1 , a memory/storage device  180  coupled to the machine  100  can be utilized to store one or more of the user profiles  140 . In another embodiment, one or more of the user profiles  140  are stored on another device and accessible to the interface application  110  through the network interface  160 . Additionally, all of the user profiles  140  can be displayed by the interface application  110  as a list on the digital display device  190 . In another embodiment, the interface application  110  additionally renders a user interface preview of one or more of the user profiles  140 . 
     As noted above, one of the user profiles  140  can be selected in response to a user accessing the digital display device  190 . In one embodiment, the user can access the digital display device  190  by manually accessing one or more input devices  150  coupled to the machine  100  and/or the digital display device  190 . In another embodiment, the user can access the digital display device  190  in response to one or more of the input devices  150  detecting the user and interfacing with the user. 
     One or more input devices  150  are devices which can receive input and/or commands from the user. In one embodiment, one or more of the input devices  150  are input buttons which can be utilized by the user when the user is selecting one of the user profiles  140  to loaded as the user interface  135 . Additionally, as noted above, one or more of the input devices  150  can detect when a user is present. One or more of the input devices  150  can utilize motion sensing technology to determine whether a user is present. 
     Further, one or more input devices  150  can be utilized by the user and/or the interface application  110  to authenticate the user. When authenticating the user, one or more of the input devices  150  can capture an image of the user and/or a voice of the user. The interlace application  110  can then utilize facial recognition technology and/or voice recognition technology to determine whether the user is registered with the machine  100 . In another embodiment, the user can manually access one or more of the input devices  150  to enter a password or a pin when authenticating himself. 
     One or more of the input devices  150  can include at least one from the group consisting of a camera, a touch screen, a fingerprint scanner, a keyboard, a mouse, a microphone, and/or an input button. In one embodiment, one or more of the input devices  150  can be coupled to the digital display device  190  and/or coupled to the machine  100 . In another embodiment, one or more of the input devices  150  can be integrated as part of the digital display device  190  and/or integrated as part of the machine  100 . 
     Once a user profile  140  has been selected, the interface application  110  can proceed to utilize the information from the selected user profile  140  to render the user interface  135 . When rendering the user interface  135 , the interface application  110  extracts the information listed in the selected user profile  135  to determine which background image to utilize, which icons to include, which content  130  to include, and/or how to organize all of the icons and content. Additionally, when rendering the user interface  135 , the interface application  110  identifies and loads one or more of the content  130  associated with the selected user profile  140 . 
     One or more content  130  can include information, text, and/or media which the user specifies to be included in the user interface  135 . In one embodiment, one or more of the content  130  can include at least one from the group consisting of one or more news sources, one or more stock sources, one or more weather forecast, one or more blogs, one or more web pages, and one or more media files. Additionally, one or more of the media files can include pictures, videos, and/or music. In other embodiments, one or more of the content  130  can include additional information, text, and/or media which the user wishes to view in the user interface  135 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , one or more of the content  130  can be stored on the memory/storage medium  180  coupled to the machine  100 . In another embodiment, one or more of the content  130  is stored on another device, server, and/or web space and is accessible to the interface application  110  through the network interface  160 . 
     The network interface  160  is a device coupled to the machine  100  which the interface application  110  can utilize to send and/or receive information, such as one or more content  130 . In one embodiment, the network interface  160  establishes a physical connection with a device, server, and/or web space to retrieve the content  130 . In another embodiment, the network interface  160  is a wireless device and retrieves the content  130  through a wireless connection, 
     Additionally, one or more of the content  130  displayed in the user interface  135  can be updated periodically when the device, server, and/or web space has indicated a change in one or more of the content or when new content becomes available. Once, the interface application  110  has retrieved the content  130 , the interface application  110  can proceed to load the content  130  to be included in the user interface  110 , The interface application  110  can then create the user interface  135  and organize a layout of the user interface  135  to include the background image, the icons, and the content  130  listed in the selected user profile  140 . 
     In organizing the user interface  135 , the interface application  110  will determine from the selected user profile where in the user interface  135  to place one or more of the icons. Additionally, the interface application  135  will determine where to place one or more of the content  130 . Once, the user interface  135  has been created and organized, the interface application  110  will proceed to render the user interface  135  for display on the digital display device  190 . In one embodiment, the user interface  135  can be updated to include new content, replace existing content, and/or modify existing content. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates a block diagram of an interface application  210  selecting a user profile  230  to be loaded as a user interface and identifying one or more content  250  associated with the user profile  240  according to an embodiment of the invention. As noted above, in one embodiment, the interface application  210  can be included in a machine  200 . 
     Additionally, as noted above and illustrated in  FIG. 2 , one or more user profiles  230  can be stored on a memory/storage device  280  of the machine  200 . In other embodiments, one or more of the user profiles  230  can be stored on additional devices which can be accessed by the interface application  210  through a network interface of the machine  200 . 
     As noted above, the user profiles  230  can correspond to users  220  which have been registered with the machine  200 . In the present embodiment, user profile  1  corresponds to user  1 , user profile  2   240  corresponds to user  2 , user profile  3  corresponds to user  3 , and user profile  4  corresponds to user  4 . 
     In one embodiment, in response to a user accessing a digital display device coupled to the machine  200 , one of the user profiles  230  can be selected to be loaded as a user interface. Additionally, as noted above, a user profile  230  can be manually selected by a user accessing one or more input devices or automatically by the interface application  110  in response to the user  220  being authenticated. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , in one embodiment, user profile  2   240  has been selected by the interface application  210 . As noted above, once a user profile has been selected, the interface application  210  proceeds to extract information from the selected user profile  2   240  to identify a background image to be used in the user interface, one or more icons to be used in the user interface, one or more content to be used in the user interface, and/or the layout of the icons and the content. 
     Additionally, as noted above and as illustrated in  FIG. 2 , when rendering the user interface, the interface application  210  additionally identifies one or more of the content associated with the selected user profile  2 . As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the interface application  210  identifies that the content of user profile  2   250  lists news sources, stock sources, a weather forecast, blogs, web pages, and media files. As a result, the interface will proceed to locate and load the identified news sources, stock sources, the weather forecast, blogs, web pages, and media files in the user interface. 
       FIG. 3  illustrates a block diagram of an interface application  310  rendering a user interface  320  for display on a digital display device  330  in response to a selected user profile  340  according to an embodiment of the invention. As illustrated in  FIG. 3 , in one embodiment, the user profile  2   340  has been selected by the interface application  310  or a user accessing the digital display device  330 . 
     Once user profile  2   340  has been selected, the interface application  310  proceeds to extract information from user profile  340  to create the user interface  320 . As noted above, when creating the user interface  320 , the interface application  310  identifies, loads, and organizes the background image, icons, and content  350  listed in user profile  2   340 . 
     As noted above, in identifying and loading the content from user profile  2   340 , the interface application  310  identifies the content  350  listed in user profile  2   340 , As illustrated in  FIG. 3 , in the present embodiment, the interface application  310  identifies that the content  350  to be included in the user interface  320  includes news sources, a weather forecast, web pages, stock sources, blogs, and media files. 
     Once the interface application  310  has identified all of the content from user profile  2   340 , the interface application  310  proceeds to retrieve the content  350 . As illustrated in  FIG. 3 , in one embodiment, one or more of the content  350  for user profile  2   340  can be stored on a memory/storage device coupled to a machine where the interface application  310  is located. In other embodiments, one or more of the content  350  can be stored on additional devices and/or memory/storage devices accessible to the interface application  310  through a network interface of the machine. 
     When one or more of the content  350  is stored on additional devices accessible through the network interface, the interface application  310  can download the content  350  to be included in the user interface. In another embodiment, the interface application  310  streams one or more of the content  350 . In other embodiments, the interface application  310  can update one or more of the content  350  in the user interface periodically or upon demand. 
     Once all of the content  350  has been identified and retrieved, the interface application will proceed to load the content  350  to be included as part of the user interface  320 . As noted above, the interface application  310  can organize the background image, icons, and/or content  350  of user profile  2   340 . As noted above, the interface application  310  can determine where on the user interface to place one or more of the icons. Additionally, the interface application  310  can determine where to place one or more of the content  350 . The interface application  310  will then proceed to render the user interface  320  for display on the digital display device  330 . 
       FIG. 4  illustrates a user  400  creating or editing one or more user profiles according to an embodiment of the invention. As noted above, the user  400  can access a digital display device  410  to select a user profile to be loaded as a user interface. Additionally, as noted above, an interface application can initially determine whether the user  400  accessing the digital display device  410  is registered with the machine before allowing the user  400  to select a user profile. 
     In determining whether the user is registered with the machine, the interface application can utilize one or more input devices  420 ,  430  to authenticate the user  400 . In one embodiment, as illustrated in  FIG. 4 , one or more of the input devices  420  can be integrated as part of the digital display device  410 . Additionally, one or more of the input devices  420  can be a camera. As illustrated in  FIG. 4 , the input device  420  can capture an image of the user  400  and proceed to utilize facial recognition technology to authenticate the user  400  and to determine whether the user  400  is registered with the machine. 
     In another embodiment, the user  400  can access one or more of the input devices  430  to authenticate himself. As noted above, one or more of the input devices  430  can be input buttons coupled to the digital display device  410  that the user  400  can access. In one embodiment, the user accesses one or more of the input devices  430  to enter a pin. If the user  400  cannot be authenticated, the interface application will determine that the user  400  is not registered with the machine and proceed to prompt the user  400  to register with the machine using one or more of the input devices  420 ,  430  and/or another device  440 . 
     As noted above and as illustrated in  FIG. 4 , the user  400  can access a web page  450  from the digital display device  410  and/or another device  440 . When accessing the web page  450 , the user  400  can proceed to fill out user and/or profile information corresponding to the user  400  through one or more customization fields. Once the user  400  has finished filling out the user and/or profile information, the user and/or profile information can be saved and accessible to the machine. The user  400  is then registered with the machine. In other embodiments, the user  400  can access one or more input devices  420 ,  430  coupled to the digital display device  410  to register with the machine. 
     Once the user  400  has been registered and/or authenticated, the user  400  can proceed to create a new user profile or edit an existing user profile. Similar to registering with the machine, the user  400  can access one or more of the input devices  420 ,  430  to create and/or edit a user profile. Further, the user  400  can access the webpage  450  through the digital display device  410  and/or through the device  440  in order to create a new user profile or edit an existing user profile. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 4 , the user  400  can also select one or more user profiles to be loaded as the user interface for the digital display device  410 . As illustrated in  FIG. 4 , the user can utilize one or more of the input devices  420 ,  430  to select one or more user profiles to be loaded. In another embodiment, the interface application can automatically select a user profile to be loaded in response to authenticating the user  400 . 
       FIG. 5  illustrates a machine  500  with an embedded interface application  510  and an interface application  510  stored on a removable medium being accessed by the machine  500  according to an embodiment of the invention. For the purposes of this description, a removable medium is any tangible apparatus that contains, stores, communicates, or transports the application for use by or in connection with the machine  500 . As noted above, in one embodiment, the interface application  510  is firmware that is embedded into one or more components of the machine  500  as ROM. In other embodiments, the interface application  510  is a software application which is stored and accessed from a hard drive, a compact disc, a flash disk, a network drive or any other form of computer readable medium that is coupled to the machine  500 . 
       FIG. 6  is a flow chart illustrating a method for rendering a user interface according to an embodiment of the invention. The method of  FIG. 6  uses a machine coupled to a digital display device, one or more input devices, a display application, one or more user profiles, and one or more content. In other embodiments, the method of  FIG. 6  uses additional components and/or devices in addition to and/or in lieu of those noted above and illustrated in  FIGS. 1 ,  2 ,  3 ,  4 , and  5 . 
     As noted above, an interface application of the machine can initially determine whether a user is accessing the digital display device. Additionally as noted above, the user can access the digital display device by manually accessing one or more input devices and/or buttons on the digital display device. In another embodiment, the user can be determined to be accessing the digital display device when one or more of the input devices detect a presence of the user. The interface application can then select a user profile to be loaded in response to the user accessing the digital display device  600 . 
     As noted above, the user profile identifies at least one from the group consisting of a background image to be used as the interface, one or more content to be included and displayed in the user interface, one or more icons to be included and displayed in the user interface, one or more content to be included and displayed in the user interface, and a layout or organization of one or more of the icons and/or one or more of the content in the user interface. 
     Additionally, as noted above, the user can manually select one of the user profiles to be loaded by accessing the digital display device. The user can access one or more input buttons on the digital display device and/or the digital display device can display a list of user profiles available which the user can choose from. 
     In another embodiment, the interface application can configure one or more of the input devices to interact with user. One or more of the input devices can detect a voice prompt which specifies which user profile to select. Additionally, the interface application can utilize facial recognition technology and/or voice recognition technology to authenticate the user and choose a user profile which corresponds to the authenticated user. 
     Once the interface application has selected a user profile to be loaded, the interface application will proceed to build and organize the layout of the user interface to include the background image and the icons listed in the user profile. Further, the interface application will proceed to identify and load one or more of the content associated with the user profile  610 . 
     As noted above, when identifying one or more of the content, the interface application accesses the user profile and identifies content listed in the user profile. As noted above, the content can include at least one from the group consisting of one or more news sources, one or more stock sources, one or more weather forecast, one or more blogs, one or more web pages, and/or one or more media files. 
     Further, once the content has been identified, the interface application can proceed to retrieve the content. In one embodiment, one or more of the content is stored on a memory/storage device coupled to the machine. In another embodiment, one or more of the content is stored on additional devices accessible to the interface application through a network interface on the machine. 
     When the content is stored on the additional devices accessible through the network interface, the interface application can download the content to be included in the user interface. In another embodiment, the interface application can stream the content to be included in the user interface. 
     Once the content associated with the user profile has been loaded and included as part of the user interface, the interface application can proceed to create the user interface and organize the user interface. As noted above, in organizing the user interface, the interface application can determine whether to position one or more of the icons in the user interface. Additionally, the interface application can determine where to position one or more of the content in the user interface. 
     Once the interface application has created and organized the user interface, the interface application will proceed to render the user interface with the content associated with the selected user profile for display on the digital display device  620 . The method is then complete or the interface application can determine when a user is accessing the digital display device and proceed to select a user profile to render for display on the digital display device. In other embodiments, the method of  FIG. 6  includes additional steps in addition to and/or in lieu of those depicted in  FIG. 6 . 
       FIG. 7  is a flow chart illustrating a method for rendering a user interface according to another embodiment of the invention. Similar to the method of  FIG. 6 , the method of  FIG. 7  uses a machine coupled to a digital display device, one or more input devices, a display application, one or more user profiles, and one or more content. In other embodiments, the method of  FIG. 7  uses additional components and/or devices in addition to and/or in lieu of those noted above and illustrated in  FIGS. 1 ,  2 ,  3 ,  4 , and  5 . 
     As noted above, an interface application initially utilizes one or more input devices to determine whether a user is accessing the digital display device. If the user is accessing the digital display device, the interface application will proceed to determine whether the user is registered on the machine  700 . As noted above, the user is registered with the machine if one or more user profiles on the machine corresponds to the user. 
     If the interface application determines that the user is not registered on the machine, the user can utilize a webpage or one or more input devices to create a user profile  710 . As noted above, the user can access the webpage from the machine, the digital display device, and/or another device. In another embodiment, the interface application can configure the digital display device to display a message prompting the user to create a user profile. 
     If the interface application finds a corresponding user profile for the user and determines that the user is registered on the machine, the interface application can additionally determine whether the user wishes to create a new user profile or edit the an existing user profile  720 . As noted above, the user can utilize a webpage or one or more input devices to create and/or edit a user profile  710 , 
     If the user does not wish to create and/or edit an existing user profile, the interface application can proceed to authenticate the user with one or more input devices, facial recognition technology, and/or voice recognition technology  730 . As noted above, in one embodiment, the user can access one or more of the input devices to enter a password or pin code to authenticate himself. In another embodiment, one or more input devices can capture an image of the user&#39;s face and scan for a matching image registered on the machine. In other embodiments, one or more of the input devices can capture a voice from the user and proceed to scan for a matching voice. 
     Once the user has been authenticated, a user profile can be selected and loaded as a user interface for the digital display device  740 . As noted above, the user profile can manually be selected by the user or the user profile can be automatically selected by the interface application in response to authenticating the user. Further, when loading the user interface, the interface application can identify a background image to be used as the background of the user interface. Additionally, the interface application can identify one or more icons to be included in the user interface. Further the interface application can identify and load one or more content associated with the user profile as part of the user interface  750 . 
     As noted above, one or more of the content can be stored on a memory/storage device coupled on the machine. Additionally, one or more of the content can be stored on additional devices accessible to the user interface through a network interface. As noted above, when the content is stored on the additional devices accessible through the network interface, the interface application can download or stream the content to be included in the user interface. 
     Once the content has been identified and loaded as part of the user interface, the interface application can create and organize a layout of the user interface. As noted above, the interface application can determine where to position one or more of the icons and determine where to position one or more of the content. The interface application can then render the user interface to include the content associated with the selected user profile for display on the digital display device  760 . 
     The method is then complete or the interface application can continue to load one or more selected user profiles and render the user interface to include content associated with the user interface when a user accesses the digital display device. In other embodiments, the method of  FIG. 7  includes additional steps in addition to and/or in lieu of those depicted in  FIG. 7 . 
     By identifying a user and selecting a user profile in response to the user accessing a digital display device, a customized user interface for the user can be rendered for display on the digital display device. As a result, a more convenient and user friendly experience can be created for the user when viewing the digital display device. Additionally, by identifying one or more content associated with the user profile, retrieving the content, and rendering the user interface to include the content, a more personalized viewing experience can be created for the user.