Patent Application
20120131570
Service providers and device manufacturers (e.g., wireless, cellular, etc.) are continually challenged to deliver value and convenience to consumers by, for example, providing compelling network services. One area of interest has been development of services for customizing a user device including the external look of the device as well as the user interface and software of the device. However, such customization services and/or related tools often are dependent on extensive user interaction and can be quite burdensome and time-consuming to the user. This burden can often degrade the user experience associated with the customization process and discourage users from taking advantage of available customization options. In particular, when users first purchase a new device (e.g., a new mobile phone), it is noted that users often do not want to spend a significant amount of time or effort customizing the new device, but would rather proceed to use the device for its intended functions. Accordingly, service providers and device manufacturers face significant technical challenges in enabling users to more customize and/or obtain content for user devices.
Therefore, there is a need for an approach for efficiently customizing device content while minimizing user burden.
According to one embodiment, a method comprises receiving an input for specifying one or more content items for a device. The method also comprises determining to detect the device. The method further comprises determining to initiate installation of the one or more content items at the device based, at least in part, on the detection.
According to another embodiment, an apparatus comprises at least one processor, and at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause, at least in part, the apparatus to receive an input for specifying one or more content items for a device. The apparatus is also caused to determine to detect the device. The apparatus is further caused to determine to initiate installation of the one or more content items at the device based, at least in part, on the detection.
According to another embodiment, a computer-readable storage medium carries one or more sequences of one or more instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause, at least in part, an apparatus to receive an input for specifying one or more content items for a device. The apparatus is also caused to determine to detect the device. The apparatus is further caused to determine to initiate installation of the one or more content items at the device based, at least in part, on the detection.
According to another embodiment, an apparatus comprises means for receiving an input for specifying one or more content items for a device. The apparatus also comprises means for determining to detect the device. The apparatus further comprises means for determining to initiate installation of the one or more content items at the device based, at least in part, on the detection.
According to another embodiment, a method comprises facilitating access to at least one interface configured to allow access to at least one service, the at least one service configured to receive an input for specifying one or more content items for a device. The at least one service is also configured to determine to detect the device. The at least one service is further configured to determine to initiate installation of the one or more content items at the device based, at least in part, on the detection.
According to another embodiment, a computer program product including one or more sequences of one or more instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause an apparatus to receive an input for specifying one or more content items for a device. The apparatus is also caused to determine to detect the device. The apparatus is further caused to determine to initiate installation of the one or more content items at the device based, at least in part, on the detection.
Still other aspects, features, and advantages of the invention are readily apparent from the following detailed description, simply by illustrating a number of particular embodiments and implementations, including the best mode contemplated for carrying out the invention. The invention is also capable of other and different embodiments, and its several details can be modified in various obvious respects, all without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the drawings and description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not as restrictive.
The embodiments of the invention are illustrated by way of example, and not by way of limitation, in the figures of the accompanying drawings:
Examples of a method, apparatus, and computer program for customizing device content are disclosed. In the following description, for the purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments of the invention. It is apparent, however, to one skilled in the art that the embodiments of the invention may be practiced without these specific details or with an equivalent arrangement. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form in order to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the embodiments of the invention.
To address this problem, a system 100 of
In one sample use case, when a user first purchases a user device from a store, the user may be provided with an option of customizing the user device at the point of the sale. The store may have a computer or a touch pad device with a user interface having connectivity to a service for customizing device content. This enables the user to customize the device content remotely at the point of purchase of the device, for example. The user may first create a user account for the service using the computer at the store. If the user already has a user account, the user may log into the user account at the service, using the user interface of the computer at the store. The user account may be associated with the user device such that the service may be able to communicate with the user device based on the information of the user account. Once logged into the user account, the user may select content items available on the service for the user device customization, via the computer at the store. Then, the user may turn on the user device for the first time after the purchase. The user device may request the user to enter the user name and a password which correspond to the user account for the service and which are authenticated by the service with respect to the user account. When the user device is turned on and establishes a connection with the service via a communication network, the service detects the device and transmits the selected content items to the device. Instead of transmitting the selected content items, the service may also transmit links that can be used to download the content items. When the content items are downloaded to the user device, the user device installs the content items and customizes the user device according to the downloaded content items.
As shown in
The initiation of the installation may include transmitting the content items from the service 103 to the UE 101. After the content items are transmitted to the UE 101, the installation of the content items may be performed at the UE 101. Additionally or alternatively, the initiation of the installation may include transmitting links from the service 103 to the UE 101, wherein the links can be used to retrieve the content items. Then, to complete the installation, the service 103 causes actions that result in retrieval of the content items via the links, and installation of the retrieved content items at the UE 101. The links may direct the UE 101 to the service 103 or other sources to download the content items to the UE 101. In one embodiment, the service 103 may determine characteristics of the content items. Then, based on the characteristics, the content items may be sent to the UE 101 or links to the content items may be sent to the UE 101. The characteristics may include the size and type of the content item, priority rating of the content item, etc. In one example, if the service 103 determines that the size of the content item to be installed at the UE 101 is too large to transmit from the service 103 to the UE 101, the service 103 may determine to transmit the link to the content item to the UE 101, instead transmitting the content item to the UE 101. Then, the UE 101 may use the information in the link to download the content item to the UE 101 from a source specified in the link, wherein the source may be the service 103 or other services or online databases, for example. Further, in one embodiment, the initiation of the installation of the content items and/or the installation itself at the UE 101 may be performed without any notification or indication to the user of the UE 101. Thus, the installation of the content items may be performed at the UE 101 without having the user notice that the installation is initiated and/or is in process. This initiation of the installation may also include utilizing a push notification service (not shown), wherein the content items and/or the links to the content items are pushed from the service 103 to the UE 101 via the push notification service. Because some push notification service has a limit on the size of the data to be pushed, a link to the content item may be pushed to the UE 101 if the content item is too big to be pushed to the UE 101.
In one embodiment, the system 100 may associate the content items with an account associated with the UE 101. When the account becomes active over the communication network 105, the service receives a notification that the account is active. The account may be active when a user turns on the UE 101 and signs into the account for the UE 101. Thus, the detection of the UE 101 by the service 103 may be based on the detection of this notification. The user may create an account associated with the UE 101, and select the content items under the account. In one example, the computer application 117 may request the user to sign into the user account of the service 103, wherein the user account is associated with the UE 101. Thus, the user account of the service 103 may be specific for the UE 101, and the content manager 107 may display only the content items that are compatible with the UE 101.
In one embodiment, the service 103 may determine to generate a user interface for presenting options associated with specifying of the content items. The user interface may be a web interface that the computer device 115 can access using a web browsing capability of the computer application 117. Then, using the user interface, the user can browse the content items available at the service 103 and specifies the content items. The user interface may have various features in addition to the features enabling the users to specify the content items for the UE 101. For example, the user interface may include ratings and reviews for the content items as well as descriptions of the content items. The user interface may also include prices of the content items and payment means, if the content items are not free. In one embodiment, the service may also determine to request via this user interface approval information for the installation. Some content may need approval and/or acceptance of agreements, licenses, etc. from the user to be installed at the UE 101. Thus, the input for specifying the content item may also include an input associated with the approval information. Then, the user may read the approval information such as user agreements via the user interface, and then chooses to approve or disapprove the installation of the user contents. In this way, the subsequent push installation of the content items at the device can proceed without interruption or need for user input.
Therefore, an advantage of this approach is that by providing a user a way to customize the user device via the service and having the service initiating the customization of the device, the user does not have to go through a cumbersome manual process of customization using the device after the device is purchased. For example, the user can specify the content items to be installed at the user device via the service using a device at a point of purchase of the user device, such that customization of the user device using the content items can be performed automatically as the device is detected by the service. Because this approach enables the user to install content items in the user device without much effort according to the user's preferences, the user has more incentive to customize the device.
By way of example, the communication network 105 of system 100 includes one or more networks such as a data network (not shown), a wireless network (not shown), a telephony network (not shown), or any combination thereof. It is contemplated that the data network may be any local area network (LAN), metropolitan area network (MAN), wide area network (WAN), a public data network (e.g., the Internet), short range wireless network, or any other suitable packet-switched network, such as a commercially owned, proprietary packet-switched network, e.g., a proprietary cable or fiber-optic network, and the like, or any combination thereof. In addition, the wireless network may be, for example, a cellular network and may employ various technologies including enhanced data rates for global evolution (EDGE), general packet radio service (GPRS), global system for mobile communications (GSM), Internet protocol multimedia subsystem (IMS), universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS), etc., as well as any other suitable wireless medium, e.g., worldwide interoperability for microwave access (WiMAX), Long Term Evolution (LTE) networks, code division multiple access (CDMA), wideband code division multiple access (WCDMA), wireless fidelity (WiFi), wireless LAN (WLAN), Bluetooth®, Internet Protocol (IP) data casting, satellite, mobile ad-hoc network (MANET), and the like, or any combination thereof.
The UE 101 is any type of mobile terminal, fixed terminal, or portable terminal including a mobile handset, station, unit, device, multimedia computer, multimedia tablet, Internet node, communicator, desktop computer, laptop computer, notebook computer, netbook computer, tablet computer, personal communication system (PCS) device, personal navigation device, personal digital assistants (PDAs), audio/video player, digital camera/camcorder, positioning device, television receiver, radio broadcast receiver, electronic book device, game device, or any combination thereof, including the accessories and peripherals of these devices, or any combination thereof. It is also contemplated that the UE 101 can support any type of interface to the user (such as “wearable” circuitry, etc.).
By way of example, the UE 101, service 103 and the computer device 115 communicate with each other and other components of the communication network 105 using well known, new or still developing protocols. In this context, a protocol includes a set of rules defining how the network nodes within the communication network 105 interact with each other based on information sent over the communication links. The protocols are effective at different layers of operation within each node, from generating and receiving physical signals of various types, to selecting a link for transferring those signals, to the format of information indicated by those signals, to identifying which software application executing on a computer system sends or receives the information. The conceptually different layers of protocols for exchanging information over a network are described in the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) Reference Model.
Communications between the network nodes are typically effected by exchanging discrete packets of data. Each packet typically comprises (1) header information associated with a particular protocol, and (2) payload information that follows the header information and contains information that may be processed independently of that particular protocol. In some protocols, the packet includes (3) trailer information following the payload and indicating the end of the payload information. The header includes information such as the source of the packet, its destination, the length of the payload, and other properties used by the protocol. Often, the data in the payload for the particular protocol includes a header and payload for a different protocol associated with a different, higher layer of the OSI Reference Model. The header for a particular protocol typically indicates a type for the next protocol contained in its payload. The higher layer protocol is said to be encapsulated in the lower layer protocol. The headers included in a packet traversing multiple heterogeneous networks, such as the Internet, typically include a physical (layer 1) header, a data-link (layer 2) header, an internetwork (layer 3) header and a transport (layer 4) header, and various application headers (layer 5, layer 6 and layer 7) as defined by the OSI Reference Model.
In one embodiment, the communication module 203 receives an input for specifying the content items for the UE 101. The input may be entered via the computer device 115, and may be communicated to the communication module 203 of the service 103. The communication module 203 may also detect the UE 101, as the UE 101 becomes available on the communication network 105. The input for specifying the content items is sent to the content module 205. Then, the content module 205 may determine to initiate installation of the specified content items at the UE 101, based on the detection of the UE 101. Thus, once the UE 101 is active over the communication network 105, the installation of the content items may be initiated at the UE 101.
In one embodiment, the content module 205 may determine to associate the specified content items with the account associated with the UE 101, by communicating with the account module 207. For example, the specified content items may be specifically for the account associated with the UE 101. Then, as the communication module 203 receives a notification that the account is active over the communication network 105, the detection of the UE 101 may be based on the notification of the account being active. By way of example, a user may activate the UE 101 that automatically signs into the account, and then the account becomes active online over the communication network 105. As the account becomes active online, the communication network 105 may receive the notification of the active account. The input for specifying the content item may be received on a sale, an activation, a remote management event, or a combination thereof of the UE 101. For example, when a user first purchases the UE 101 and activates the UE 101 at a store where the user made the purchase or a kiosk that supports the UE 101, the user may use a computer or a touchpad device (e.g. the computer device 115) to enter the input for specifying the content item.
In one embodiment, the initiation of the installation includes determining to transmit the specified content items to the UE 101. The initiation of the installation may also include determining to transmit links to the specified content items to the UE 101. If the links are transmitted to the UE 101, then the initiation of the installation may also include causing actions that result in retrieval and the installation of the content items in the UE 101, using the links. For example, the content module 205 may determine to cause the UE 101 to download the specified content items from the service 103 or any other sources of the content items as indicated by the links. The transmission of the content items and/or the links to the content items may be performed via the communication module 203. In another embodiment, the content module 205 may determine characteristics of the content items, and determine whether to transmit the links or the content items based on the characteristics. The characteristics may include the size and type of the content items as well as priority rating of the content items. For example, if the size of the content item is too big for efficient transmission from the service 103 to the UE 101, then the content module 205 may determine to transmit the link to the content item instead of transmitting the content item, such that the UE 101 may use the link to download the content item. As another example, if the priority rating of the content item is high, the content module 205 may transmit the content item itself to the UE 101, instead of providing the link. Further, the content module 205 may transmit the content item or the link for the content item with the highest priority rating first and then transmit the content item or the link for the content item with a lower priority rating. In addition, the initiation of the installation of the content items and/or the installation of the content items may be performed without generating a notification of such initiation and/or installation to the user of the UE 101. This may be advantageous in that the user may not be interrupted by receiving a notification about the initiation of the installation and/or installation.
Further, in one embodiment, the presentation module 209 may generate a user interface for presenting options associated with the specifying of the content items. For example, the user interface may be provided to the computer device 115 such that the user interface may be accessed via the computer application 117. Then, the user may utilize the user interface at the computer device 115 to select the content items for the UE 101. The user interface may be a web interface that may be accessed by a web browser, and the computer application 117 may have the web browser capability to access the web interface. The presentation module 209 may also request via this user interface approval information for the installation of the specified content items. The approval information may be presented to the user via the user interface such that the installation of the content items may be performed only after the user agrees to the approval information. The approval information may be various forms of agreements such as an end user license agreement (EULA).
Further, the content manager 107 may determine to request via the user interface approval information for the installation of the specified content items. For example, the content manager 107 may present the approval information on a user interface displayed at the computer device 115, such that the user may view the approval information. The user may also enter an input to indicate that the user agrees to the approval information. The approval information may include a user agreement such as the end user licensing agreement. Thus, in one embodiment, the content items may be installed at the user's device only after the use agrees to the approval information.
In step 303, the content manager 107 detects the device. The content manager 107 may detect the device as the device is turned on and is active over the communication network 105. Once the device is detected, the content manager 107 determines to initiate installation of the content items at the device based on the detection, as shown in step 305. In one example, the UE 101 may already be turned on and active over the network, before the content items are specified. Then, as soon as the content manager 107 receives the input for specifying the content items, the specified content items may be transmitted to the UE 101. If the content items are specified first, then the transmission of the content items to the UE 101 may not occur until the user turns on the UE 101 and activates the UE 101 over the network.
The initiation of the installation may include determining to transmit the content items from the service 103 to the device (e.g. the UE 101). Once the content items are transmitted to the device, the content items may be installed at the device. In addition or alternatively, the initiation of the installation may include determining to transmit links to the content items from the service 103 to the device (e.g. the UE 101), and then causing actions that result in the retrieval and the installation of the content items at the device. The content manager 107 may determine whether to transmit the content items from the service 103 or the links to the content items from the service, based on the characteristics of the content items. The characteristics of the content items may include size, type of the content items as well as priority associated with the content items. By way of example, if the initiation of the installation is performed via a push notification service from the service 103 to the device (e.g., the UE 101), then it may not be desirable to utilize the push notification service for a large data. Thus, if the size of the content item is large, the link to the content item may be transmitted to the device via the push notification service, and then the device may retrieve the content item based on the link. Further, based on the type or the priority rating, the order of the transmission for the content items and/or the links to the content items may be determined. For example, the content item with the highest priority rating may be transmitted to the device first, before other content items are transmitted.
This process is advantageous in that it provides an easy way to initiate and perform installation of the content items at the device according to the user's specified content items. The content manager 107 is a means for achieving this advantage.
This process is advantageous in that it provides a way to maintain a user account to provide easy selection of the content items for the device and convenient detection of the device based on the detection of the active user account over the network. The content manager 107 is a means for achieving this advantage.
In the description section 613, the themes section 615 has a see all button 617 to show all available themes, and displays three recommended themes. In this case, the recommended themes are an industrial theme 619, a nature theme 621, a beach theme 623, and the three themes have ratings in the number of stars. There are also send to mobile buttons 625, 627 and 629 corresponding to the industrial theme 619, the nature theme 621 and the beach theme 623, respectively. The send to mobile button 627 is highlighted, as the nature theme 737 is selected. The send to mobile buttons 625, 627 and 629 may be selected to select a theme to send to the UE 101. The apps and games section 631 displays recommended applications and/or games, and also has a see all button 633 to show all available applications and games. In this example, the recommended applications and games include a sword game 635, a puzzle game 637 and a social network application 639, and these three have ratings in the number of stars. There are also send to mobile buttons 641, 643 and 645 corresponding to the sword game 635, the puzzle game 637 and the social network application 639. The send to mobile buttons 641 and 645 are highlighted, as the sword game 635 and the social network application 645 are selected. Further, the wallpapers section 647 shows three recommended wallpapers, and also has a see all button 649 to show all available wallpapers. The three recommended wallpapers in this example are a black & white wallpaper 651, a water wallpaper 653 and a leaf wallpaper 655, and these three wall papers have ratings in the number of stars. There are also send to mobile buttons 657, 659 and 661 corresponding to the black & white wallpaper 651, the water wallpaper 653 and the leaf wallpaper 655. The send to mobile button 661 is highlighted as the leaf wallpaper 655 is selected. When the selections are done, then the done button 663 to show a list of the selected content items and a preview, as shown in
The processes described herein for customizing device content may be advantageously implemented via software, hardware, firmware or a combination of software and/or firmware and/or hardware. For example, the processes described herein, may be advantageously implemented via processor(s), Digital Signal Processing (DSP) chip, an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), etc. Such exemplary hardware for performing the described functions is detailed below.
A bus 810 includes one or more parallel conductors of information so that information is transferred quickly among devices coupled to the bus 810. One or more processors 802 for processing information are coupled with the bus 810.
A processor (or multiple processors) 802 performs a set of operations on information as specified by computer program code related to customizing device content. The computer program code is a set of instructions or statements providing instructions for the operation of the processor and/or the computer system to perform specified functions. The code, for example, may be written in a computer programming language that is compiled into a native instruction set of the processor. The code may also be written directly using the native instruction set (e.g., machine language). The set of operations include bringing information in from the bus 810 and placing information on the bus 810. The set of operations also typically include comparing two or more units of information, shifting positions of units of information, and combining two or more units of information, such as by addition or multiplication or logical operations like OR, exclusive OR (XOR), and AND. Each operation of the set of operations that can be performed by the processor is represented to the processor by information called instructions, such as an operation code of one or more digits. A sequence of operations to be executed by the processor 802, such as a sequence of operation codes, constitute processor instructions, also called computer system instructions or, simply, computer instructions. Processors may be implemented as mechanical, electrical, magnetic, optical, chemical or quantum components, among others, alone or in combination.
Computer system 800 also includes a memory 804 coupled to bus 810. The memory 804, such as a random access memory (RAM) or any other dynamic storage device, stores information including processor instructions for customizing device content. Dynamic memory allows information stored therein to be changed by the computer system 800. RAM allows a unit of information stored at a location called a memory address to be stored and retrieved independently of information at neighboring addresses. The memory 804 is also used by the processor 802 to store temporary values during execution of processor instructions. The computer system 800 also includes a read only memory (ROM) 806 or any other static storage device coupled to the bus 810 for storing static information, including instructions, that is not changed by the computer system 800. Some memory is composed of volatile storage that loses the information stored thereon when power is lost. Also coupled to bus 810 is a non-volatile (persistent) storage device 808, such as a magnetic disk, optical disk or flash card, for storing information, including instructions, that persists even when the computer system 800 is turned off or otherwise loses power.
Information, including instructions for customizing device content, is provided to the bus 810 for use by the processor from an external input device 812, such as a keyboard containing alphanumeric keys operated by a human user, or a sensor. A sensor detects conditions in its vicinity and transforms those detections into physical expression compatible with the measurable phenomenon used to represent information in computer system 800. Other external devices coupled to bus 810, used primarily for interacting with humans, include a display device 814, such as a cathode ray tube (CRT), a liquid crystal display (LCD), a light emitting diode (LED) display, an organic LED (OLED) display, a plasma screen, or a printer for presenting text or images, and a pointing device 816, such as a mouse, a trackball, cursor direction keys, or a motion sensor, for controlling a position of a small cursor image presented on the display 814 and issuing commands associated with graphical elements presented on the display 814. In some embodiments, for example, in embodiments in which the computer system 800 performs all functions automatically without human input, one or more of external input device 812, display device 814 and pointing device 816 is omitted.
In the illustrated embodiment, special purpose hardware, such as an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) 820, is coupled to bus 810. The special purpose hardware is configured to perform operations not performed by processor 802 quickly enough for special purposes. Examples of ASICs include graphics accelerator cards for generating images for display 814, cryptographic boards for encrypting and decrypting messages sent over a network, speech recognition, and interfaces to special external devices, such as robotic arms and medical scanning equipment that repeatedly perform some complex sequence of operations that are more efficiently implemented in hardware.
Computer system 800 also includes one or more instances of a communications interface 870 coupled to bus 810. Communication interface 870 provides a one-way or two-way communication coupling to a variety of external devices that operate with their own processors, such as printers, scanners and external disks. In general the coupling is with a network link 878 that is connected to a local network 880 to which a variety of external devices with their own processors are connected. For example, communication interface 870 may be a parallel port or a serial port or a universal serial bus (USB) port on a personal computer. In some embodiments, communications interface 870 is an integrated services digital network (ISDN) card or a digital subscriber line (DSL) card or a telephone modem that provides an information communication connection to a corresponding type of telephone line. In some embodiments, a communication interface 870 is a cable modem that converts signals on bus 810 into signals for a communication connection over a coaxial cable or into optical signals for a communication connection over a fiber optic cable. As another example, communications interface 870 may be a local area network (LAN) card to provide a data communication connection to a compatible LAN, such as Ethernet. Wireless links may also be implemented. For wireless links, the communications interface 870 sends or receives or both sends and receives electrical, acoustic or electromagnetic signals, including infrared and optical signals that carry information streams, such as digital data. For example, in wireless handheld devices, such as mobile telephones like cell phones, the communications interface 870 includes a radio band electromagnetic transmitter and receiver called a radio transceiver. In certain embodiments, the communications interface 870 enables connection to the communication network 105 for customizing device content.
The term “computer-readable medium” as used herein refers to any medium that participates in providing information to processor 802, including instructions for execution. Such a medium may take many forms, including, but not limited to computer-readable storage medium (e.g., non-volatile media, volatile media), and transmission media. Non-transitory media, such as non-volatile media, include, for example, optical or magnetic disks, such as storage device 808. Volatile media include, for example, dynamic memory 804. Transmission media include, for example, twisted pair cables, coaxial cables, copper wire, fiber optic cables, and carrier waves that travel through space without wires or cables, such as acoustic waves and electromagnetic waves, including radio, optical and infrared waves. Signals include man-made transient variations in amplitude, frequency, phase, polarization or other physical properties transmitted through the transmission media. Common forms of computer-readable media include, for example, a floppy disk, a flexible disk, hard disk, magnetic tape, any other magnetic medium, a CD-ROM, CDRW, DVD, any other optical medium, punch cards, paper tape, optical mark sheets, any other physical medium with patterns of holes or other optically recognizable indicia, a RAM, a PROM, an EPROM, a FLASH-EPROM, an EEPROM, a flash memory, any other memory chip or cartridge, a carrier wave, or any other medium from which a computer can read. The term computer-readable storage medium is used herein to refer to any computer-readable medium except transmission media.
Logic encoded in one or more tangible media includes one or both of processor instructions on a computer-readable storage media and special purpose hardware, such as ASIC 820.
Network link 878 typically provides information communication using transmission media through one or more networks to other devices that use or process the information. For example, network link 878 may provide a connection through local network 880 to a host computer 882 or to equipment 884 operated by an Internet Service Provider (ISP). ISP equipment 884 in turn provides data communication services through the public, world-wide packet-switching communication network of networks now commonly referred to as the Internet 890.
A computer called a server host 892 connected to the Internet hosts a process that provides a service in response to information received over the Internet. For example, server host 892 hosts a process that provides information representing video data for presentation at display 814. It is contemplated that the components of system 800 can be deployed in various configurations within other computer systems, e.g., host 882 and server 892.
At least some embodiments of the invention are related to the use of computer system 800 for implementing some or all of the techniques described herein. According to one embodiment of the invention, those techniques are performed by computer system 800 in response to processor 802 executing one or more sequences of one or more processor instructions contained in memory 804. Such instructions, also called computer instructions, software and program code, may be read into memory 804 from another computer-readable medium such as storage device 808 or network link 878. Execution of the sequences of instructions contained in memory 804 causes processor 802 to perform one or more of the method steps described herein. In alternative embodiments, hardware, such as ASIC 820, may be used in place of or in combination with software to implement the invention. Thus, embodiments of the invention are not limited to any specific combination of hardware and software, unless otherwise explicitly stated herein.
The signals transmitted over network link 878 and other networks through communications interface 870, carry information to and from computer system 800. Computer system 800 can send and receive information, including program code, through the networks 880, 890 among others, through network link 878 and communications interface 870. In an example using the Internet 890, a server host 892 transmits program code for a particular application, requested by a message sent from computer 800, through Internet 890, ISP equipment 884, local network 880 and communications interface 870. The received code may be executed by processor 802 as it is received, or may be stored in memory 804 or in storage device 808 or any other non-volatile storage for later execution, or both. In this manner, computer system 800 may obtain application program code in the form of signals on a carrier wave.
Various forms of computer readable media may be involved in carrying one or more sequence of instructions or data or both to processor 802 for execution. For example, instructions and data may initially be carried on a magnetic disk of a remote computer such as host 882. The remote computer loads the instructions and data into its dynamic memory and sends the instructions and data over a telephone line using a modem. A modem local to the computer system 800 receives the instructions and data on a telephone line and uses an infra-red transmitter to convert the instructions and data to a signal on an infra-red carrier wave serving as the network link 878. An infrared detector serving as communications interface 870 receives the instructions and data carried in the infrared signal and places information representing the instructions and data onto bus 810. Bus 810 carries the information to memory 804 from which processor 802 retrieves and executes the instructions using some of the data sent with the instructions. The instructions and data received in memory 804 may optionally be stored on storage device 808, either before or after execution by the processor 802.
In one embodiment, the chip set or chip 900 includes a communication mechanism such as a bus 901 for passing information among the components of the chip set 900. A processor 903 has connectivity to the bus 901 to execute instructions and process information stored in, for example, a memory 905. The processor 903 may include one or more processing cores with each core configured to perform independently. A multi-core processor enables multiprocessing within a single physical package. Examples of a multi-core processor include two, four, eight, or greater numbers of processing cores. Alternatively or in addition, the processor 903 may include one or more microprocessors configured in tandem via the bus 901 to enable independent execution of instructions, pipelining, and multithreading. The processor 903 may also be accompanied with one or more specialized components to perform certain processing functions and tasks such as one or more digital signal processors (DSP) 907, or one or more application-specific integrated circuits (ASIC) 909. A DSP 907 typically is configured to process real-world signals (e.g., sound) in real time independently of the processor 903. Similarly, an ASIC 909 can be configured to performed specialized functions not easily performed by a more general purpose processor. Other specialized components to aid in performing the inventive functions described herein may include one or more field programmable gate arrays (FPGA) (not shown), one or more controllers (not shown), or one or more other special-purpose computer chips.
In one embodiment, the chip set or chip 900 includes merely one or more processors and some software and/or firmware supporting and/or relating to and/or for the one or more processors.
The processor 903 and accompanying components have connectivity to the memory 905 via the bus 901. The memory 905 includes both dynamic memory (e.g., RAM, magnetic disk, writable optical disk, etc.) and static memory (e.g., ROM, CD-ROM, etc.) for storing executable instructions that when executed perform the inventive steps described herein to customize device content. The memory 905 also stores the data associated with or generated by the execution of the inventive steps.
Pertinent internal components of the telephone include a Main Control Unit (MCU) 1003, a Digital Signal Processor (DSP) 1005, and a receiver/transmitter unit including a microphone gain control unit and a speaker gain control unit. A main display unit 1007 provides a display to the user in support of various applications and mobile terminal functions that perform or support the steps of customizing device content. The display 1007 includes display circuitry configured to display at least a portion of a user interface of the mobile terminal (e.g., mobile telephone). Additionally, the display 1007 and display circuitry are configured to facilitate user control of at least some functions of the mobile terminal. An audio function circuitry 1009 includes a microphone 1011 and microphone amplifier that amplifies the speech signal output from the microphone 1011. The amplified speech signal output from the microphone 1011 is fed to a coder/decoder (CODEC) 1013.
A radio section 1015 amplifies power and converts frequency in order to communicate with a base station, which is included in a mobile communication system, via antenna 1017. The power amplifier (PA) 1019 and the transmitter/modulation circuitry are operationally responsive to the MCU 1003, with an output from the PA 1019 coupled to the duplexer 1021 or circulator or antenna switch, as known in the art. The PA 1019 also couples to a battery interface and power control unit 1020.
In use, a user of mobile terminal 1001 speaks into the microphone 1011 and his or her voice along with any detected background noise is converted into an analog voltage. The analog voltage is then converted into a digital signal through the Analog to Digital Converter (ADC) 1023. The control unit 1003 routes the digital signal into the DSP 1005 for processing therein, such as speech encoding, channel encoding, encrypting, and interleaving. In one embodiment, the processed voice signals are encoded, by units not separately shown, using a cellular transmission protocol such as enhanced data rates for global evolution (EDGE), general packet radio service (GPRS), global system for mobile communications (GSM), Internet protocol multimedia subsystem (IMS), universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS), etc., as well as any other suitable wireless medium, e.g., microwave access (WiMAX), Long Term Evolution (LTE) networks, code division multiple access (CDMA), wideband code division multiple access (WCDMA), wireless fidelity (WiFi), satellite, and the like, or any combination thereof.
The encoded signals are then routed to an equalizer 1025 for compensation of any frequency-dependent impairments that occur during transmission though the air such as phase and amplitude distortion. After equalizing the bit stream, the modulator 1027 combines the signal with a RF signal generated in the RF interface 1029. The modulator 1027 generates a sine wave by way of frequency or phase modulation. In order to prepare the signal for transmission, an up-converter 1031 combines the sine wave output from the modulator 1027 with another sine wave generated by a synthesizer 1033 to achieve the desired frequency of transmission. The signal is then sent through a PA 1019 to increase the signal to an appropriate power level. In practical systems, the PA 1019 acts as a variable gain amplifier whose gain is controlled by the DSP 1005 from information received from a network base station. The signal is then filtered within the duplexer 1021 and optionally sent to an antenna coupler 1035 to match impedances to provide maximum power transfer. Finally, the signal is transmitted via antenna 1017 to a local base station. An automatic gain control (AGC) can be supplied to control the gain of the final stages of the receiver. The signals may be forwarded from there to a remote telephone which may be another cellular telephone, any other mobile phone or a land-line connected to a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), or other telephony networks.
Voice signals transmitted to the mobile terminal 1001 are received via antenna 1017 and immediately amplified by a low noise amplifier (LNA) 1037. A down-converter 1039 lowers the carrier frequency while the demodulator 1041 strips away the RF leaving only a digital bit stream. The signal then goes through the equalizer 1025 and is processed by the DSP 1005. A Digital to Analog Converter (DAC) 1043 converts the signal and the resulting output is transmitted to the user through the speaker 1045, all under control of a Main Control Unit (MCU) 1003 which can be implemented as a Central Processing Unit (CPU) (not shown).
The MCU 1003 receives various signals including input signals from the keyboard 1047. The keyboard 1047 and/or the MCU 1003 in combination with other user input components (e.g., the microphone 1011) comprise a user interface circuitry for managing user input. The MCU 1003 runs a user interface software to facilitate user control of at least some functions of the mobile terminal 1001 to customize device content. The MCU 1003 also delivers a display command and a switch command to the display 1007 and to the speech output switching controller, respectively. Further, the MCU 1003 exchanges information with the DSP 1005 and can access an optionally incorporated SIM card 1049 and a memory 1051. In addition, the MCU 1003 executes various control functions required of the terminal. The DSP 1005 may, depending upon the implementation, perform any of a variety of conventional digital processing functions on the voice signals. Additionally, DSP 1005 determines the background noise level of the local environment from the signals detected by microphone 1011 and sets the gain of microphone 1011 to a level selected to compensate for the natural tendency of the user of the mobile terminal 1001.
The CODEC 1013 includes the ADC 1023 and DAC 1043. The memory 1051 stores various data including call incoming tone data and is capable of storing other data including music data received via, e.g., the global Internet. The software module could reside in RAM memory, flash memory, registers, or any other form of writable storage medium known in the art. The memory device 1051 may be, but not limited to, a single memory, CD, DVD, ROM, RAM, EEPROM, optical storage, magnetic disk storage, flash memory storage, or any other non-volatile storage medium capable of storing digital data.
An optionally incorporated SIM card 1049 carries, for instance, important information, such as the cellular phone number, the carrier supplying service, subscription details, and security information. The SIM card 1049 serves primarily to identify the mobile terminal 1001 on a radio network. The card 1049 also contains a memory for storing a personal telephone number registry, text messages, and user specific mobile terminal settings.
While the invention has been described in connection with a number of embodiments and implementations, the invention is not so limited but covers various obvious modifications and equivalent arrangements, which fall within the purview of the appended claims. Although features of the invention are expressed in certain combinations among the claims, it is contemplated that these features can be arranged in any combination and order.
