User Peripheral

Abstract

A peripheral device for use with a user terminal, the peripheral device comprising an interface for connecting to the user terminal; at least one of a light and/or a speaker; and control logic for interfacing with the user terminal in order to interact with a communication client application running on the user terminal, which enables a voice or video call service that is conducted over a packet-based network from the user terminal using the communication client application. The control logic is configured to receive a notification from said communication client application of an event or state in the voice or video call service, and to provide to a user an indication of the event or state by providing an output from the light and/or speaker; wherein this indication is provided while the user terminal is in a locked or sleep state.

1 . A peripheral device for use with a user terminal, said peripheral device comprising:
 an interface for connecting with said user terminal;   at least one of a light and/or a speaker;   control logic for interfacing with the user terminal via said interface, in order to interact with a communication client application running on the user terminal, said communication client application operable to enable a voice or video call service that is conducted over a packet-based network from the user terminal using the communication client application;   wherein the control logic is configured to receive a notification from said communication client application of an event or state in the voice or video call service, and to provide to a user an indication of said event or state by providing an output from said light and/or said speaker; and   wherein the peripheral is adapted to provide said user indication while the user terminal is in a locked or sleep state.   
     
     
         2 . The peripheral device according to  claim 1 , wherein the peripheral device does not comprise any display screen. 
     
     
         3 . The peripheral device according to  claim 1 , wherein the peripheral cannot be used as a standalone user terminal without being connected as a peripheral to a user terminal. 
     
     
         4 . The peripheral device according to  claim 1 , wherein the event or state in the voice or video call service is at least one of an incoming call, an active call, a live meeting, a missed call, a voicemail, a mute state, or an app launch. 
     
     
         5 . The peripheral device according to  claim 1 , wherein the control logic is configured to map said notification to one of a plurality of audio and/or visual indications. 
     
     
         6 . The peripheral of  claim 5 , wherein said mapping comprises mapping notifications of different states or events to different output patterns or states of a single light output. 
     
     
         7 . The peripheral device according to  claim 1 , wherein the voice or video call service is not the native calling service of the user terminal. 
     
     
         8 . The peripheral device according to  claim 1 , wherein the voice or video call service uses a proprietary Internet Telephony protocol. 
     
     
         9 . The peripheral device according to  claim 8 , wherein said peripheral does not provide said user indication of an event or state of other voice or video call services on the user terminal 
     
     
         10 . The peripheral device according to  claim 1 , wherein said peripheral is adapted to map received Human Interface Device (HID) protocol control messages from said communication client application to output indications from said light and/or said speaker. 
     
     
         11 . The peripheral device according to  claim 1 , wherein the peripheral device comprises a docking station, said interface being arranged to form said connection with the user terminal when the user terminal is docked with the docking station. 
     
     
         12 . The peripheral according to any  claim 1 , wherein said peripheral is moveable between at least two physical configurations, and wherein said light is operable to provide a user indication in said at least two configurations. 
     
     
         13 . A method comprising:
 receiving, at a peripheral device from a user terminal, a notification from a communication client application running on said user terminal of an event or state in a voice or video call service; and   providing, at the peripheral device, to a user, an audio and/or visual indication of said event or state;   wherein said voice or video call service is conducted over a packet-based network from the user terminal using the communication client application; and   wherein said indication is provided while the user terminal is in a locked or sleep state.   
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein said notification is received according to Human Interface Device (HID) protocol. 
     
     
         15 . A method according to  claim 14 , further comprising mapping, at the peripheral device, said notification to one of a plurality of audio and/or visual indications. 
     
     
         16 . A method according to  claim 15 , wherein notification of different states or events are mapped different output patterns or states of a single light output. 
     
     
         17 . A method according to  claim 16 , wherein said different output patterns or states are provided by controlling at least one of colour, intensity, and dynamic effect of said light output. 
     
     
         18 . A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer readable instructions which when run on a peripheral device cause the peripheral device to perform a method comprising:
 receiving, at the peripheral device from a user terminal, a notification from a communication client application running on said user terminal of an event or state in a voice or video call service, and   providing, at the peripheral device, to a user, an audio and/or visual indication of said event or state;   wherein said voice or video call service is conducted over a packet-based network from the user terminal using the communication client application; and   wherein said indication is provided while the user terminal is in a locked or sleep state.   
     
     
         19 . A non-transitory computer readable medium according to  claim 18 , wherein said notification is received according to Human Interface Device (HID) protocol. 
     
     
         20 . A non-transitory computer readable medium according to  claim 19 , wherein the method further comprises mapping, at the peripheral device, said notification to one of a plurality of audio and/or visual indications.