33154results about How to "Improve user experience" patented technology

The present invention is directed to a method and system for disaggregating and connecting A / V components, and communicating A / V content stream information. An A / V stream from a source device is packaged for transmission over an IP network to one or more output devices. A brick device enables the integration of legacy A / V systems into the network supported A / V system. The brick device operates to provide analog signal and IP protocol conversion, along with the synchronization of received A / V stream data packets. The rendering and play of the A / V stream content on multiple output devices is synchronized to overcome distortions and other network idiosyncrasy and to facilitate a pleasant user experience.

A content-targeting ad system is provided with a user behavior (e.g., selection (e.g., click), conversion, etc.) feedback mechanism. The performance of individual ads, or groups of ads, may be tracked on a per document (e.g. per URL) and / or on a per host (e.g. per Website) basis. The performance of ad targeting functions may also be tracked on a per document, and / or per host basis. Such user behavior feedback data may be processed (e.g., aggregated) into useful data structures. Such user behavior feedback data (raw or processed) may then be used in a content-targeting ad system to improve ad quality, improve user experience, and / or maximize revenue.

A method and apparatus for providing streaming content over telephones is described. The creation of a voice portal is supported by the invention. Embodiments of the invention use allows users to place a telephone call to access the voice portal. The user can access many different types of content. This content can include text based content which is read to the user by a text to speech system (e.g., news reports, stock prices, text content of Internet sites), audio content which can be played to the user (e.g., voicemail messages, music), and streaming audio content (e.g., Internet broadcast radio shows, streaming news reports, and streaming live broadcasts). This content can be accessed from many different places. For example, the content can be retrieved from a news feed, a local streaming content server, an audio repository, and / or an Internet based streaming content server. The streaming content allows the user to access live web broadcasts even though the user may not have access to a computer. The system allows audio signals from multiple sources to be combined to enhance the user experience. Additionally, the user can control many aspects of the delivery of the streaming content. Personalization features of the voice portal allow for an improved user experience during streaming content delivery.

In one embodiment, a user interface is presented for initiating activities in an electronic device. The user interface includes an element referred to as a “launch wave”, which can be activated at substantially any time, even if the user is engaged with an activity, without requiring the user to first return to a home screen. In various embodiments, the user can activate the launch wave by performing a gesture, or by pressing a physical button, or by tapping at a particular location on a touchscreen, or by activating a keyboard command. In one embodiment, activation of the launch wave and selection of an item from the launch wave can be performed in one continuous operation on a touch-sensitive screen, so as to improve the expediency and convenience of launching applications and other items.

Various techniques for adaptively varying audio feedback data on an electronic device are provided. In one embodiment, an audio user interface implementing certain aspects of the present disclosure may devolve or evolve the verbosity of audio feedback in response to user interface events based at least partially upon the verbosity level of audio feedback provided during previous occurrences of the user interface event. In another embodiment, an audio user interface may be configured to vary the verbosity of audio feedback associated with a navigable list of items based at least partially upon the speed at which a user navigates the list. In a further embodiment, an audio user interface may be configured to vary audio feedback verbosity based upon the contextual importance of a user interface event. Electronic devices implementing the present techniques provide an improved user experience with regard to audio user interfaces.

A data access, replication or communications system is distributed across a terminal-side executable running on a terminal and a server-side executable. Together the terminal-side executable and the server-side executable form a client to a larger server and collaborate by sending messages using a message queuing system over a network. The larger server can be, for example, a mail server. Splitting the client into a terminal-side executable and a server-side executable allows a terminal, such as mobile device with limited processing capacity, power, and connectivity, to enjoy the functionality of full-featured client access to a server environment using minimum resources on the mobile device by distributing some of the functionality normally associated with the client onto the server side executable, which is not so resource constrained.

A WiFi communication framework that is particularly suitable for mobile devices. The framework provides comprehensive tools for establishing seamless Internet access for web applications on mobile handheld devices. In addition, it can provide user location to enable applications requiring such information. The framework may be implemented as a client on the handheld device. The broadband radio on the device is generally kept off. When the user activates an application requiring broadband service, communication protocol is established, causing the client to turn the broadband radio on and to establish connection to an available WiFi access point.

An apparatus for preserving privacy of a determined location(s) of a device may include a processor and memory storing executable computer code causing the apparatus to at least perform operations including receiving a request for determining a location of a device based on received fingerprint data corresponding to a summary of radio information identifying a physical place, location, area, or region. The summary based on information received from radio frequency (RF) devices. The computer program code may further cause the apparatus to determine whether fingerprint data associated with a geographical location of the RF devices is stored locally for determining whether to request a network device to determine the location of the device based on providing the network device with fingerprint data and false fingerprint data relating to a location(s) that does not correspond to a current location of the device. Corresponding methods and computer program products are also provided.

Digital technology based consumer media devices have many desirable features, including the ability to easily find and watch television shows, and / or automatically record programs of interest. Disclosed is a system and method for allowing a group of television viewers to share program viewing information. This information, exchanged through various on-line community modalities (including Internet chat rooms, email, Internet Web Logs, and the like), can be used within a consumer media device to influence the decision process concerning which programs to record, buffer or view.

A particular method includes determining a battery charge value of a battery at a particular time and comparing the battery charge value at the particular time to a threshold battery charge value of a battery usage profile associated with the particular time, where the threshold battery charge value varies over time (e.g., a dynamic threshold). When the battery charge value does not satisfy the threshold battery charge value, the method includes prompting a user to select a power save mode. For example, the power save mode may include activating a different backlight element of a plurality of backlight elements of a display device in response to a motion sensor of a portable electronic device detecting movement of the portable electronic device from a first orientation to a second orientation.

Digital technology based consumer media devices have many desirable features, including the ability to easily find and watch television shows, and / or automatically record programs of interest. Disclosed is a system and method for allowing a group of television viewers to share program viewing information. This information, exchanged through various on-line community modalities (including Internet chat rooms, email, Internet Web Logs, and the like), can be used within a consumer media device, such as a Digital video Recorder to influence the decision process concerning which programs to record, buffer or view.