The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 17, 2016
Filed:
Jan. 24, 2013
Microsoft, Redmond, WA (US);
Doron J. Holan, Seattle, WA (US);
Esaias E. Greeff, Redmond, WA (US);
Douglas K. Brubacher, Sammamish, WA (US);
Randall E. Aull, Kenmore, WA (US);
Narayanan Ganapathy, Redmond, WA (US);
James G. Cavalaris, Kirkland, WA (US);
Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC, Redmond, WA (US);
Abstract
A computer system that recognizes multi-function devices and associates functions with multi-function devices. Each multi-function device may be represented by a multi-function object, allowing tools, applications or other components within the computer to take actions relating to the entire device or relating to a function based on the association of that function with other functions in the same device. These actions include displaying information about devices, instead of or in addition to information about functions. Actions also include selecting functions based on proximity within a device. Functions may be associated with a multi-function device using a unique device identifier provided by the device or generated for the function based on a connection hierarchy between functions and the computer. Devices may be configured to provide the same identifier regardless of the transport over which the device is accessed.