Computing device operable to work in conjunction with a companion electronic device

Abstract

A computing device is operable to work in conjunction with a companion electronic device. The computing device and the companion electronic device each have their own electronics and/or own operating system and each is able to construct a partial or complete user environment. The computing device is operable to send data to the companion device, on request of the companion device, which the companion electronic device then uses to locally construct its own user environment, in whole or in part.

1 . A method of constructing a constructed complete user environment in a companion electronic device, the method including the steps of:
 (i) the companion electronic device connecting to a mobile phone computing device, using an interface of the companion electronic device in communication with an interface of the mobile phone computing device;   (ii) the mobile phone computing device enabling the use of elements of a complete user environment of at least one application executing on the mobile phone computing device for use in conjunction with the companion electronic device;   (iii) the companion electronic device is enabled to receive from the mobile phone computing device elements of a complete user environment, wherein a complete user environment is a complete set of software and hardware components that together provide for output to and input from a user;   (iv) the companion electronic device receiving from the mobile phone computing device directly or via a server connected to the companion electronic device or mobile phone computing device elements of the complete user environment;   (v) the companion electronic device using the received elements of the complete user environment to locally construct its own constructed complete user environment, wherein the constructed complete user environment is adapted to a form factor of the companion electronic device, wherein the form factor of the companion electronic device is different to a form factor of the mobile phone computing device.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the constructed complete user environment is adapted to a modality of usage of the companion electronic device. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein microprocessor cores and other electronics, (e.g., application-specific ICs) present in the mobile phone computing device and the companion electronic device are used to provide or generate or receive or process data that is sent from the mobile phone computing device to the companion electronic device and to provide services to the companion electronic device. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1  in which the complete user environment for the mobile phone computing device and the companion electronic device is the complete set of software and hardware components, including applications on either device, that together provide for output to and input from a user, where a user is a person, persons or another device (for example, for machine to machine (M2M) applications). 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1  in which the mobile phone computing device is selected from the list: Feature phone; Smartphone; Portable media player, PDA; media player, Tablet; Netbook/smartbook; Laptop; Convertible computer (e.g., netbook/tablet), a smart watch, smart glasses, or Devices with the appearance and or function in whole or in part of any of the preceding devices. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1  in which the companion device is selected from the list: Secondary display(s), Peripherals such as memory, etc; Tablet computers; Automobile e.g. Human Machine Interface (HMI) displays, In vehicle infotainment (IVI), Dashboard/Driver display(s), Passenger displays, Heads Up Display (HUD), HMI or IVI devices with multiple displays, or other transport displays; e.g, motorbike dashboards, aircraft passenger displays, train passenger displays, truck driver displays, e-bike and pedal bike displays; Server; Keyboard; Remote control; Electronic navigation device; Multimedia receiver/player; Other multimedia system; e.g. Car Audio system; Smartphone; Netbook/smartbook; Laptop; Convertible computer (e.g., combined netbook/tablet); automobile docking stand; or Devices with the appearance and or function in whole or in part of any of the preceding devices. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the data the mobile phone computing device sends to the companion electronic device includes elements that are directly or indirectly used in the constructed complete user environment of the companion electronic device, using mechanisms on either the mobile phone computing device and or the companion electronic device. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein an application resident on the mobile phone computing device enables other applications running on the mobile phone computing device to adapt their complete user environment or elements of their complete user environment which are sent to the companion electronic device for use by the companion electronic device to create it's constructed complete user environment. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein an application resident on the mobile phone computing device, modifies or converts the complete user environment or elements of the complete user environment of other applications running on the mobile phone computing device which are sent to the companion electronic device for use by the companion electronic device to create it's constructed complete user environment 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the data the mobile phone computing device sends to the companion electronic device is, at the companion electronic device, combined with elements generated locally at the companion electronic device to build the companion electronic device constructed complete user environment. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the data the mobile phone computing device sends to the companion electronic device includes one or more of: content (for example, audio or video information and or media, and or graphics), data (for example device data, system data, network data, user data, application data), application results, applications themselves, input/output, user feedback, information and/or data, wherein graphics data is described using methods such as scalable vector graphics (SVG), XML or other standards and non-standards based methods. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the mobile phone computing device or the companion electronic provides services or peripherals, or connections or hardware/software capabilities to each other. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein functionality may be distributed between the mobile phone computing device and the companion device(s) or between the devices or devices servers connected to them, or any or all devices in the system. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the mobile phone computing device provides functions or services including application execution on the mobile phone computing device, for use by the companion electronic device, or users of the companion electronic device. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the companion electronic device or servers connected to it provide functions or services including application execution on the companion electronic device, for use by the mobile phone computing device or data such as user input data which is sent from the companion electronic device to the mobile phone computing device. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the mobile phone computing device is operable to detect or informs or is informed of the presence of the companion electronic device, or in which the companion electronic device is operable to detect or inform or is informed of the presence of the mobile phone computing device, wherein the mobile phone computing device or the companion electronic device is operable to connect and does so or not based on a device setting, hardware configuration, application, setting or status, user preference, software policy or command or system policy. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the mobile phone computing device or the companion electronic device modifies or adjusts its functionality in accordance with the detection. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the mobile phone computing device is not operable to detect the configuration of the companion electronic device, but in which the companion electronic device is operable to (i) detect the configuration of the mobile phone computing device or (ii) to inform the mobile phone computing device of the companion electronic device's functionality or capability or configuration, or (iii) to instruct the mobile phone computing device to operate in a manner which is suitable for the companion electronic device's configuration or modality of use. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , in which the mobile phone computing device or the companion electronic device, or peripherals connected to them when in a linked state, act independently to display information shared between them in a manner consistent with policies, preferences or procedures on each device or servers connected to them. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1  in which the computing device or the companion electronic device(s) or peripherals connected to them when in a linked state, act to display information sent from the mobile phone computing device to one or more companion electronic device(s) or to one or more displays connected to the companion electronic device(s) in accordance with an application or software command or instruction or with policies, preferences or procedures or settings on the mobile phone computing device or companion electronic device. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein changes received by the mobile phone computing device including hardware or software devices changes, OS changes, user data, system data, application changes and status; configuration changes and status; and/or device settings, configuration and status, are changes from the companion electronic device, or from peripherals/servers connected to the companion electronic device, so that the mobile phone computing device retains and maintains a master, set of data. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the mobile phone computing device operating in conjunction with a companion electronic device which receives changes including hardware or software devices changes, OS changes, user data, system data, application changes and status; configuration changes and status; and/or device settings, configuration and status changes back from the mobile phone computing device, or from servers or, another device connected to the mobile phone computing device, so that the companion electronic device retains and maintains a master, set of data. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the mobile phone computing device and companion electronic device receive changes including status, data, settings configuration, wherein the changes are exchanged with each other so that data coherency is retained and maintained between the devices. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a connected server retains the status of the mobile phone computing device, or the companion electronic device, or peripherals connected to either device. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the mobile phone computing device or the companion electronic device retains and or shares its state persistency information, such as maintaining browsing session, open applications, application state, device state, etc., when connecting to, operating with, or disconnecting from each other. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the mobile phone computing device and/or the companion electronic device communicate status or setting information or capabilities to one another in order to facilitate upscaling/downscaling or other behavior modifications, such as one device using capabilities of the other device in preference to its own, wherein the status, setting or capabilities information communicated is one or more of: available general purpose processing power, the availability or presence of specific processing capability (such as the presence of a graphic processing unit), available runtime or storage memory, battery capacity, battery voltage, peripheral availability, function availability (e.g., camera), audio systems, antennas systems navigation systems or components, peripherals connected to the computing device or companion electronic device or servers connected to them. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the mobile phone computing device or the companion electronic device(s) or a local or remote server connected to either the mobile phone computing device or the companion electronic device(s) is used, where user interaction on one device or the applications resident on one device may be executed in whole or in part on the other device and/or on a server(s) connected to them, and where the user interaction or application execution in whole or in part may be switched from one device to the other device and/or server(s) at any time. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the mobile phone computing device, companion electronic device, peripherals or server(s) are connected, where data or instructions such as video data, audio data, device data, navigation data, automobile system data, sensor data, user input/output data or instructions, user voice data or instructions may be acquired from or shared amongst any of the devices or peripherals to be used with applications running on the mobile phone computing device and or companion electronic device. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the functionality, capability or behavior of the application being executed on one device may be extended, modified or enhanced or take on a context dependent role, such as for use in an automotive application by utilizing additional or different capabilities of either device or any of the peripherals or devices/sensors connected to them. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the mobile phone computing device shares a common file management system or physical memory or logical memory for the storage and or manipulation of data with the companion electronic device. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the mobile phone computing device is intended to be operable with the companion electronic device or the companion electronic device is intended to be operable with the mobile phone computing device. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the mobile phone or computing device are not originally intended to be operable with each other but which may be made so operable through the addition of hardware components, software components, servers, and/or intermediary or peripheral devices, whether local or remote to the mobile phone computing device or the companion electronic devices. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the mobile phone computing device sends application related data, one or more video signal(s) or one or more data representation of a single or multiple video signals to the companion electronic device(s), which is modified/enhanced/adapted on the companion electronic device(s) and incorporated into a constructed complete user environment to be suitable for the user preferences capabilities and/or configuration/modality of use of the companion electronic device(s), for example for output on a larger or smaller display or in a larger font size or in 3D, or for displays on multiple companion electronic devices or companion devices some of which may have multiple displays, which displays may have different configurations and or functions, and may require a different modification, or adaptation of the video signal or data representation of the video signal for each companion electronic device display. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the companion electronic device transmits a video signal or data representation of a video signal to the mobile phone computing device, and the video signal or data representation of a video signal is then modified/enhanced/adapted on the mobile phone computing device to be suitable for the user preferences capabilities and/or configuration of the mobile phone computing device, for example for output on a larger or smaller display or in larger font size or in 3D. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the mobile phone computing device sends data, or changes including hardware or software devices changes, OS changes, user data, system data, application changes and status; configuration changes and status; and/or device settings, configuration and status related to an application or to multiple applications running on the mobile phone computing device or a server or servers connected to it wherein the data or changes that are sent to the companion electronic device, it's display or displays connected to it is under the instruction of the mobile phone computing device is combined with elements of the companion electronic devices complete user environment to create a constructed complete user environment wherein the constructed complete user environment is adapted for each companion electronic device display or displays connected to it based on the modality of use. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the mobile phone computing device in conjunction with a companion electronic device transmits over an interface an audio signal or a data representation of an audio signal to the companion electronic device, which is then enriched or adapted on the companion electronic device for output to the user, for example at a louder sound level or processed differently to suit for an example an automobiles acoustics. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 1 , in which the mobile phone computing device or the companion electronic device or server(s) connected to either when in a linked state adapts, limits, puts into the background, switches off/on, suspends, or puts into sleep or into a reduced activity mode including but not limited to one or more of the following display, display driver, audio drivers, portions of memory, communication systems and components, input and output devices, device capabilities and other software or system elements, of the mobile phone computing device or companion electronic device or applications running on either device based on one or more of the following: the device(s) status, motion, location, polices, settings, preferences, application results, modality e.g., such as when a user is operating a automobile or other form of transport. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 1 , in which one or more mobile phone computing device is connected over an interface or interfaces to one or more companion electronic devices, where the interface is one of: physical and/or wireless and/or network interface and the interface characteristics are adjusted or is switched to a new interface and the adjustment or switch is done to suit the state or status of either the mobile phone computing device or the companion electronic device or the capabilities of either the mobile phone computing device(s) or the companion electronic device(s) or the resources available to them or by an application being run on either the mobile phone computing device or the companion electronic device or in response to a user action or to a limitation on an interface such as the presence of interference on that interface. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the mobile phone computing device, or software running on the mobile phone computing device, executes or selects or enables the control or simultaneous use of the same applications, in whole or in part, or modified versions of the same applications, in whole or in part, or different applications, in whole or in part running on the mobile phone computing device, for use with one or more companion electronic devices with one or more displays wherein a complete constructed user environment appropriate for the modality of use is created for each display of a companion electronic or displays connected to it. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the mobile phone computing device or the companion electronic device are operable to detect appropriate companion electronic devices or peripherals connected to them, for the use of their capabilities, hardware or software resources or services or the servicing of or running of applications. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 1 , in which the mobile phone computing device and/or the companion device distributes or shares, combines, exchanges, substitutes, enables, hardware or software capabilities or computing tasks, data, software tasks or applications when in a linked state such that the devices behave differently than when operated in a standalone state in accordance with a preference, policy, procedure, or software application or other software requirement or in accordance with the status and or capabilities available to the mobile phone computing device and/or the companion electronic device such that the resulting system forms a context dependent system suitable for automobile and transport vehicular use. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the mobile phone computing device or an application running on it in whole or in part provides elements of a complete user environment including branding or skinning that corresponds, in whole or in part, to the complete user environment branding or skinning of the mobile phone computing device, or an application running on the mobile phone computing device or is associated with the operating system of the mobile phone computing device for use by the companion electronic device to create its own constructed complete user environment. 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the companion electronic device, under its own control or in conjunction with the mobile phone computing device, in whole or in part generates or deploys a complete constructed user environment including a skin that corresponds, in whole or in part, to the complete user environment, operating system or skin of the mobile phone computing device or an application running on the computing device. 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the constructed complete user environment including but not limited to the: display orientation or presentation, language, layout, font, style texture, focus, size, scale, resolution of information in either device can be formatted, defined or controlled by the companion electronic device(s), or servers connected to it. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein elements of the constructed complete user environment of the companion electronic device such as: language, layout, font, style, texture, focus, size, scale, resolution are formatted or defined, or controlled by the mobile phone computing device and combined with elements of a complete user environment of the companion electronic device to create a constructed complete user environment on the companion electronic device. 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the mobile phone computing device can switch between being a master to a companion electronic device and being a slave to a companion electronic device. 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the companion electronic device or devices connected to the companion electronic device function as a peripheral, such as a mouse or controller, or sensor for the mobile phone computing device or the companion electronic device when the companion electronic device is connected to the mobile phone computing device. 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the mobile phone computing device is used in conjunction with the companion electronic device, another device, server, a token or peripherals which in conjunction with each other and/or with software resident on both or either device functions as a security or access control to either the hardware, software or systems both on the companion electronic device or the mobile phone computing device and to devices/servers connected to them. 
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 1 , in which the settings or state persistency information on the mobile phone computing device are used to inform or are used in whole or in part to control the companion electronic device or devices or peripherals, connected to the companion electronic device and set the preferences the user wants or an application wants and what mode or settings the companion electronic device or devices connected need to be in such as climate control mode/settings, navigation mode/settings, telephony mode/settings, language mode/settings, seat position mode/settings, audio mode/settings etc. based on criteria such as the user preferences, system defaults, companion electronic device's or the mobile phone computing device's capabilities, or the capabilities of peripheral devices attached to either device. 
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein constructed complete user environment generation, adaptation, transformation, etc., functions of the companion electronic device are performed in whole or in part by a remote or local server, or intermediary device with the results then relayed to the companion electronic device or multiple companion electronic device either through local or remote connections, including for example, over an interface, private network or over the internet. 
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein peripherals are selected from a list including displays, touch screens, buttons, microphones, speakers, cameras, control knobs, memory, mirrors, lights, smart watches, smart glasses, wearable electronic devices, T.V's, multi media systems, access devices e.g. electronic keys, a electronic mouse, controller, antennas. 
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the mobile phone computing device can update the software of the companion electronic device including applications, OS and other software on the companion electronic device or devices connected to the companion electronic device. 
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 1 , in which an application running on either device, or the operating system it runs on, or extensions to the operating system, or an application running on the operating system, selects or instructs or recommends, or informs as to whether a display on the mobile phone computing device or the companion electronic device is to be used, or whether multiple displays that are connected to the companion electronic device are to be used to display information in whole or in part, including information from applications running on the mobile phone computing device, elements of which may be used in the constructed complete user environment of the companion electronic device on one or more displays and which may be displayed differently on each display, based upon each displays modality of use. 
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 38 , in which the original interface connecting the mobile phone computing device and the companion electronic device is one of: physical and/or wireless and/or network interface and the interface characteristics are adjusted or is switched to a new interface and the adjustment or switch is done to suit the state or status of either the mobile phone computing device or the companion electronic device or the capabilities of either the mobile phone computing device(s) or the companion electronic device(s) or the resources available to them or by a user preference or by an application being run on either the mobile phone computing device or the companion electronic device or in response to a user action or to a limitation on an interface such as the presence of interference on that interface. 
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 1 , in which an intermediary device or peripheral is attached to the mobile phone computing device or companion electronic device, wherein the intermediary device supplements or improves the capability of the mobile phone computing device or companion electronic device including any of the following data transmission, data conversion, wireless data or audio/video transmission; audio/video conversion, encoding, decoding or transformation, formatting, user element generation or description or elements of a complete user environment Connector adaptation and/or transformation; Mechanical adaptation and/or transformation between the mobile phone computing device and the companion electronic device.to allow the mobile phone computing device and the companion electronic device to to operate as an automotive system.