Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Microsoft Corporation

Jason Robert Tuck

Ross David Heeter

Cyrus Kanga

David E Gardner

Andrew E Einaudi

Anthony J Giardini

Ankit Tandon

Alex Anthony Tursi

Anton W Krantz

Kathleen Patricia Mulcahy

Shiraz Jitendra Cupala

Zhangwei Xu

Silas Varga

Szymon Piotr Stachniak

Kenneth Alan Lobb

Neil Warren Black

MacBeth Watson

Sarah E Zuberec

Russell P Songco

Mario Esposito

Prarthana H Panchal

William F Schiefelbein

John Darren Elliott

Joshua C Zana

Clinton Chi-Wen Woon

Michael Howard Hill

Howard Benjamin Nager

Alexander D Tudor

Heather Grantham Brodie

Marc V Haddad

Cyrus R Kanga

Matthew Alan Medak

Andrew Davis

Santhosh Raman

Marcelo Ivan Garcia

Nicolae Velea

Eric Christopher Voreis

Alexander James Soule

Marc Victor Haddah

Ronald Oswin Pessner Jr

Sarah Zuberec

Howard B Nager

Jr Pessner Ronald Oswin

Embodiments of the present invention provide a process-management interface on a companion device that allows a user to control characteristics of an application running on a primary device. The interface can change a size or position of a viewport and change the primary device's control focus to or away from viewport. The process-management interface also allows a user to target a process on the companion device.

Remote process management

Embodiments of the present invention provide an active-application interface on a companion device that allows a user to control an application running on a primary device. The active-application interface may describe state information for a plurality of applications running on the primary device and allow the user to manipulate the application through one or more contextual controls. The active-application interface may be used to control applications running out-of-control focus on the primary device, including applications that do not presently have a visible viewport.

Remote application control interface

Aspects of the invention can log a user into a primary device in a more efficient manner. For example, aspects of the invention may eliminate the need for the user to supply user credentials directly to a primary device. Instead, the companion device recognizes relevant primary devices located proximate to the companion device and automatically initiates a user login to the primary device without user intervention. Aspects of the invention can automatically login a user to known and unknown primary devices.

Multidevice authentication

Embodiments of the present invention provide a contextual remote control interface, which is a companion application that allows a user to use a companion device to control experiences generated by an application running on a primary device. Web browsers, games, and streaming media applications are examples of applications running on a primary device that may be controlled using the companion device. Interfaces associated with each of the media applications on the primary device may be displayed on a television or other device coupled to the primary device. A unique set of virtual controls are included in the remote control interface for each application and may be tailored to the current state of the application.

Contextual remote control interface

Embodiments of the invention provide underlying communication functionality to enable companion experiences. A companion experience allows the user to interact with content playing on a primary device through a companion device. An application on the companion device interacts with an application running on a base device (e.g., a game console, PC, or TV) to provide additional interface options on the companion that are related to a title or application playing on the base device.

Control of remote applications using companion device

Display screen with graphical user interface

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Kirkland, WA, United States of America

Jason Robert Tuck