An electronic system and method of pervasive output allow an information apparatus to output data content conveniently to virtually any output device. One method includes establishing a communication channel between the information apparatus and an output device and receiving at the information apparatus over the communication channel an attributes corresponding to the output device. The output device may then be selected at the information apparatus based at least in part on the attributes. The data content is delivered to the output device for rendering.

Claims

97 · 8 independent · depth 4

97 granted claims

›1.independentA wireless data output method for outputting at one or more wireless output devices digital content accessed from a wireless mobile information appara…+25

A wireless data output method for outputting at one or more wireless output devices digital content accessed from a wireless mobile information apparatus without requiring a device-dependent output device driver specific to each one or more wireless output devices, the wireless mobile information apparatus including an interface for interacting with a user, one or more application software for providing functionalities to the wireless mobile information apparatus, an output management software for output of digital content from the wireless mobile information apparatus to a wireless output device, and a wireless communication unit for wireless communication with the one or more wireless output devices, the method comprising:npassing at the wireless mobile information apparatus at least part of digital content from the one or more application software to the output management software for wireless output;searching at the wireless mobile information apparatus with the wireless communication unit and over radio frequency wireless communication for one or more wireless devices;discovering at the wireless mobile information apparatus over the radio frequency wireless communication one or more wireless output devices;selecting at the wireless mobile information apparatus a selected output device from among the one or more output devices discovered in the wireless search;establishing a radio frequency wireless connection directly between the wireless mobile information apparatus and the selected output device for output of digital content directly from the wireless mobile information apparatus to the selected output device, the direct wireless connection not including an external output server between the information apparatus and the selected output device;receiving at the wireless mobile information apparatus over the radio frequency wireless communication connection information or components from the selected output device for generating output data, the information or components being necessary for generating at the wireless mobile information apparatus an output data from the digital content suitable for transferring to the selected output device;generating at the wireless mobile information apparatus an output data from the digital content for outputting at the selected output device, using at least partly the information or components received over the wireless communication connection; andtransferring the output data over the radio frequency wireless communication connection directly from the wireless mobile information apparatus to the selected output device for output.

›2.↳ 1The method of claim 1 in which the interface includes a touch-sensitive screen.d2

›3.↳ 1The method of claim 1 further including obtaining the data content from a data source distinct from the wireless mobile information apparatus.d2

›4.↳ 1The method of claim 1 further comprising obtaining authentication information from the wireless mobile information apparatus and authenticating permis…d2

›5.↳ 1The method of claim 1 further including obtaining from the wireless mobile information apparatus payment information to administer payment for the out…d2

›6.↳ 1The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving over the interface from the user at least an indication related to outputting digital content from …d2

›7.↳ 1The method of claim 1 in which discovering the one or more output devices includes the wireless mobile information apparatus broadcasting a discovery …d2

›8.↳ 1The method of claim 1 in which passing at least part of digital content from the one or more application software to the output management software in…d2

›9.↳ 1The method of claim 1 in which the discovering of one or more output devices involves determining if the one or more output devices satisfy one or mor…d2+1

›11.↳ 1The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving over the radio frequency wireless communication one or more device-dependent attributes related to …d2+2

›14.↳ 1The method of claim 1 in which the one or more application software comprises one or more of an e-mail, a messaging, a voice communication, an interne…d2

›15.↳ 1The method of claim 1 in which the selecting of the one or more output devices includes input from a user.d2

›16.↳ 1The method of claim 1 in which the selecting of the one or more output devices is based at least in part upon a predetermined default criterion that i…d2

›17.↳ 1The method of claim 1 in which the information or components related to the selected output device includes one or more of data, parameters, algorithm…d2+2

›20.↳ 1The method of claim 1 in which the wireless mobile information apparatus includes at least one of a digital camera, an Internet-enabled cellular phone…d2

›21.↳ 1The method of claim 1 in which the one or more output devices include one or more of a printing device, a display device, a projection device, and an …d2

›22.↳ 1The method of claim 1 in which generating output data includes at least partial raster image processing of the data content.d2

›23.↳ 1The method of claim 1 further comprising installing and or executing at the wireless mobile information apparatus one or more components received over…d2+1

›25.↳ 1The method of claim 1 further comprising driving at the wireless mobile information apparatus the output device employing at least in part the informa…d2

›26.↳ 1The method of claim 1 in which the radio frequency wireless communication channel is compatible with a Bluetooth wireless protocol or with one operati…d2

›27.independentA wireless data output method for outputting at a selected wireless output device digital content accessed from a wireless mobile information apparatu…+26

›28.↳ 27The method of claim 27 in which the digital content resides in the wireless mobile information apparatus.d2

›29.↳ 27The method of claim 27 further including obtaining the digital content from a data source distinct from the wireless mobile information apparatus.d2

›30.↳ 27The method of claim 27 further comprising obtaining authentication information from the wireless mobile information apparatus and authenticating permi…d2

›31.↳ 27The method of claim 27 further including obtaining from the wireless mobile information apparatus payment information to administer payment for output…d2

›32.↳ 27The method of claim 27 further including the wireless mobile information apparatus discovering the selected output device via radio wireless discovery…d2+5

›38.↳ 27The method of claim 27 in which the one or more components or information is or are stored in the selected output device.d2

›39.↳ 27The method of claim 27 in which the one or more components or information is or are stored in an output controller associated with the selected output…d2

›40.↳ 27The method of claim 27 in which the one or more components include at least part of a component related to a printer driver, an audio driver, a displa…d2

›41.↳ 27The method of claim 27 in which the one or more components include software code or a software application.d2

›42.↳ 27The method of claim 27 in which the one or more components include information relating to one or more of a projection device, a printer, a display de…d2

›43.↳ 27The method of claim 27 further comprising installing at wireless mobile information apparatus at least part of the one or more components received ove…d2

›44.↳ 27The method of claim 27 further comprising executing at wireless mobile information apparatus at least part of the one or more components received over…d2+1

›46.↳ 27The method of claim 27 in which conforming the data content includes performing raster image processing on the data content.d2

›47.↳ 27The method of claim 27 further including performing raster image processing on the output data at the selected output device.d2

›48.↳ 27The method of claim 27 further including converting the output data into a form compatible to one of an output engine, a display engine, an audio engi…d2

›49.↳ 27The method of claim 27 in which the output data is further processed in an output controller associated with the selected output device before being d…d2

›50.↳ 27The method of claim 27 in which the wireless mobile information apparatus includes one or more of a digital camera, an Internet-enabled cellular phone…d2

›51.↳ 27The method of claim 27 in which the output device includes one or more of a printing device, a display device, a projection device, and an audio outpu…d2

›52.↳ 27The method of claim 27 in which the output data includes compressed data.d2

›53.↳ 27The method of claim 27 in which the radio frequency wireless communication channel is compatible with a Bluetooth wireless protocol or with one operat…d2

›54.independentIn a non-transitory computer-readable storage unit, containing software program executable by a processor in a wireless mobile information apparatus f…+1

In a non-transitory computer-readable storage unit, containing software program executable by a processor in a wireless mobile information apparatus for output of digital content from the wireless mobile information apparatus to at one or more output devices over wireless communication without requiring a device-dependent output device driver specific to each output device, the unit further comprising:nsoftware for searching over a radio frequency communication channel at the wireless mobile information apparatus for one or more output devices;software for receiving at the wireless mobile information apparatus over the radio frequency communication channel one or more device-dependent attributes corresponding to the one or more output devices;software for selecting at the wireless mobile information apparatus a selected output device from the one or more output devices based at least partly on the one or more device dependent attribute received over the radio frequency communication channel;software for establishing a radio frequency wireless connection directly between the wireless mobile information apparatus and the selected output device for output of digital content directly from the information apparatus to the selected output device, the direct wireless connection not including an external output server between the information apparatus and the selected output device;software for receiving at the wireless mobile information apparatus over the radio frequency wireless communication connection information or components from the selected output device, the information or component being necessary for generating at the wireless mobile information apparatus an output data from the digital content suitable for sending to the selected output device;software for generating at the wireless mobile information apparatus an output data from the digital content based at least in part on the information or component receiving over the radio frequency wireless communication connection; andsoftware for sending the output data over the radio frequency communication connection directly from the wireless mobile information apparatus to the selected output device for output.

›56.independentIn a non-transitory computer-readable storage unit, storing data output software executable by a processor at a wireless mobile information apparatus …+2

›59.independentA wireless data output method for output digital content accessed from a wireless mobile information apparatus to an output system, the output system …+9

A wireless data output method for output digital content accessed from a wireless mobile information apparatus to an output system, the output system including a wireless output controller and an output device, the wireless output controller for facilitating wireless communication, the wireless output controller being directly connected to the output device and dedicated for to the output device, the wireless mobile information apparatus including one or more application software for providing functionalities to the wireless mobile information apparatus, an output management software to implement at least in part output of digital content from the wireless mobile information apparatus to the output system, and a wireless communication unit for wireless communication with the wireless output controller, the method comprising:npassing at the wireless mobile information apparatus at least part of digital content from the one or more application software to the output management software for wireless output;discovering the wireless output controller via radio wireless discovery;establishing a radio frequency communication connection directly between the wireless mobile information apparatus and the wireless output controller, the direct wireless connection not including an external output server between the information apparatus and the wireless output controller;receiving at the wireless mobile information apparatus over the radio frequency wireless communication connection information or components related to the output system from the wireless output controller, the information or components being necessary for generating at the wireless mobile information apparatus an output data from the digital content suitable for sending to the output system;generating at the wireless mobile information apparatus an output data from the digital content for output at the output system based at least in part on the information or components received over the radio frequency wireless communication connection; andsending over the direct wireless connection the output data from the wireless mobile information apparatus to the wireless output controller for output at the output system without requiring a device-dependent output device driver specific to the output device.

›60.↳ 59The method of claim 59 in which passing at the wireless mobile information apparatus at least part of digital content from the one or more application…d2

›61.↳ 59The method of claim 59 further comprising selecting at the wireless mobile information apparatus the output system.d2

›62.↳ 59The method of claim 59 in which passing at the wireless mobile information apparatus at least part of digital content from the one or more application…d2+6

›69.independentA method for driving an output device from a wireless mobile information apparatus over wireless communication without requiring a device-dependent ou…+16

›70.↳ 69The method of claim 69 further comprising installing at the wireless mobile information apparatus at least part of the one or more components received…d2

›71.↳ 69The method of claim 69 further comprising sending at the wireless mobile information apparatus over the direct wireless connection an output data rela…d2

›72.↳ 69The method of claim 69 in which the output device includes an output controller.d2+6

›79.↳ 69The method of claim 69 in which the one or more components include at least part of a component related to a printer driver.d2

›80.↳ 69The method of claim 69 in which the one or more components include software code or executable software.d2

›81.↳ 69The method of claim 69 in which the one or more components relate to at least part of one or more of a device driver, a display driver, an audio drive…d2

›82.↳ 69The method of claim 69 in which the one or more components include information characterizing an output service provided by the output device.d2

›83.↳ 69The method of claim 69 in which the wireless mobile information apparatus includes one or more of a mobile computing device, a pervasive device, an In…d2

›84.↳ 69The method of claim 69 in which the output device includes one or more of a printing device, a projection device, a display device, and an audio outpu…d2

›85.↳ 69The method of claim 69 in which the radio frequency communication channel is compatible with a Bluetooth wireless protocol or with one operating withi…d2

›86.independentA wireless mobile information apparatus for outputting digital content to one or more output devices over wireless communication, the wireless mobile …+5

›92.independentA wireless mobile information apparatus for driving an output device from the wireless mobile information apparatus over wireless communication withou…+5

Classifications

4 codes

IPC · International Patent Classification

Section G — Physics

G06F3/12
G06F15/16

USPC · US Patent Classification

709/227358/1.15

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Pendency

8.9 y

3,267 days filing → grant

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non-final + final

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3 RCE

Examiner

Ajay Bhatia

art unit 2445 · TC 2400

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1 priority documents

›Priority documents — 1

Type	Document	Date
related publication	US 20020083121 A1	27 Jun 2002

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