Granted Patent B2

US 12,438,949 · App. 18/076,121 · Granted Oct 7, 2025

Inventors: Joshua Donlan (Oviedo, FL); Hong Tai Wei (Seattle, WA); Andrew Sibert (Santa Cruz, CA)

Assignee: Backbone Labs, Inc.

H04L67/131A63F13/22A63F13/25A63F13/537A63F13/92A63F13/98G06F3/048G06F3/0481H04L67/10

Abstract

Claims (43)

1. A method comprising:

performing in a computing device in communication with a controller:

determining whether content is focusable or un-focusable; and

performing at least one of the following:

in response to determining that the content is focusable, assigning a first function to one or more user input devices of the controller, wherein the first function selectively focuses and un-focuses the content; and

in response to determining that the content is un-focusable, assigning a second function to the one or more user input devices of the controller, wherein the second function selectively swaps the content between a foreground and a background.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein content streamed from a server is focusable and content local to the computing device is un-focusable.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising displaying un-focused content in a minimized area of a picture-in-picture display.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising displaying un-focused content as an overlay to other displayed content.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein assigning at least one of the first function and second function comprises sending mapping information to the controller.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the content is playable via a controller app in the computing device.

7. A controller comprising:

an interface configured to place the controller in communication with a computing device;

one or more user input devices; and

one or more processors configured to communicate with the interface and the one or more user input devices, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to receive mapping information from the computing device to map a function to the one or more input devices based on a context of content, wherein the context specifies whether the content is focusable or un-focusable.

8. The controller of claim 7 , wherein the context further specifies whether the content is local content or streamed content.

9. The controller of claim 7 , wherein the controller comprises a game controller and the computing device comprises a mobile device.

10. The controller of claim 7 , wherein the controller is configured to fit around the computing device.

11. The controller of claim 1 wherein the content is playable via a controller app in the computing device.

12. A system comprising:

a controller; and

a computing device comprising:

one or more processors; and

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program having instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

determine whether content is focusable or un-focusable; and

perform at least one of the following:

in response to determining that the content is focusable, assign a first function to one or more user input devices of a controller, wherein the first function selectively focuses and un-focuses the content; and

in response to determining that the content is un-focusable, assign a second function to the one or more user input devices of the controller, wherein the second function selectively swaps the content between a foreground and a background.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein content streamed from a server is focusable and content local to the computing device is un-focusable.

14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the one or more processors to display un-focused content in a minimized area of a picture-in-picture display.

15. The system of claim 12 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the one or more processors to display un-focused content as an overlay to other displayed content.

16. The system of claim 12 , wherein assigning at least one of the first function and second functions comprises sending mapping information to the controller.

17. The system of claim 12 , wherein the content is playable via a controller app in the computing device.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program having instructions that, when executed by one or more processors in a computing device, cause the one or more processors to:

determine whether content is focusable or un-focusable; and

perform at least one of the following:

in response to determining that the content is focusable, assign a first function to one or more user input devices of a controller, wherein the first function selectively focuses and un-focuses the content; and

in response to determining that the content is un-focusable, assign a second function to the one or more user input devices of the controller, wherein the second function selectively swaps the content between a foreground and a background.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18 , wherein content streamed from a server is focusable and content local to the computing device is un-focusable.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the one or more processors to display un-focused content in a minimized area of a picture-in-picture display.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the one or more processors to display un-focused content as an overlay to other displayed content.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18 , wherein assigning at least one of the first function and second functions comprises sending mapping information to the controller.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18 , wherein the content is playable via a controller app in the computing device.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (2)

References Cited (400)

Cited By (3)

US 12,661,595 US 12,678,689 US 12,684,040