text:
A do not disturb system and method in a computer system at which communications such as voice calls and text messages are received. A user or process may set a computer system into a do not disturb mode, in which any communication routed through the machine will be evaluated against a set of rules to determine how that communication is to be handled, based on criteria such as the source of the communication and the type of communication. A notification and outgoing action is selected and performed in accordance with user-configurable settings. The outgoing action may include a return communication to the source of the communication indicating that the do not disturb mode is in effect.
1. In a computer system, a method comprising:
receiving a type of communication at the computer system of a plurality of available types of communications;
evaluating a current state of a do not disturb mode with respect to the received communication type; and
outputting a notification based on the current state.
2. The method of
3. The method of
4. The method of
5. The method of
6. The method of
7. The method of
8. The method of
9. The method of
10. The method of
11. The method of
12. The method of
13. The method of
14. The method of
15. The method of
16. The method of
17. The method of
18. The method of
19. The method of
20. The method of
21. The method of
22. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the method of
23. In a computer system having an operating system, a subsystem comprising:
a communication display mechanism;
a do not disturb mechanism, the do not disturb mechanism operably coupled to provide do not disturb state data to the operating system; and
an operating system component that receives the do not disturb state data from the do not disturb mechanism and determines how to process a received communication based on the do not disturb state data.
24. The subsystem of
25. The subsystem of
26. The subsystem of
27. The subsystem of
28. The subsystem of
29. The subsystem of
30. The subsystem of
31. The subsystem of
32. The subsystem of
33. The subsystem of
34. The subsystem of
35. The subsystem of
36. The subsystem of
37. The subsystem of
38. The subsystem of
39. The subsystem of
40. The subsystem of
41. The subsystem of
42. The subsystem of
43. The subsystem of
44. The subsystem of
45. In a computer system, a method comprising:
receiving a communication at the computer system;
evaluating a current state of a do not disturb mode with respect to the received communication; and
determining a notification to provide and an action to take based on the current state.
46. The method of
47. The method of
48. The method of
49. The method of
50. The method of
51. The method of
52. The method of
53. The method of
54. The method of
55. The method of
54. The method of
55. The method of
56. The method of
57. The method of
58. The method of
59. The method of
60. The method of
61. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the method of
62. In a computing environment, a system comprising:
means for evaluating a current state of a do not disturb mode with respect to a type of communication received at the computer system relative to a plurality of available types of communications; and
means for outputting a notification based on the current state.
63. In a computing environment, a system comprising:
means for receiving a command to enter a do not disturb mode;
means for activating the do not disturb mode, including providing a indication that the do not disturb mode is active; and
means for handling a received communication a plurality of available types of communications differently when in the do not disturb mode relative to when not in the do not disturb mode.
64. The system of
65. The system of
66. The system of
66. The system of
67. The method of
68. The method of
69. The method of
[0001] The present invention is related to the following copending U.S. patent applications Ser. No. filed concurrently herewith, assigned to the assignee of the present invention, and hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties:
[0002] �Method and System for Auxiliary Display of Information for a Computing Device,� Attorney Docket No. 3810;
[0003] �Real-Time Communications Architecture and Methods for use with a Personal Computer System,� Attorney Docket No. 3820;
[0004] �Record Button on a Computer System,� Attorney Docket No. 3830;
[0005] �Method and System for Auxiliary Processing Of Information for a Computing Device,� Attorney Docket No. 3840;
[0006] �System and Method for Activating a Computer System;� Attorney Docket No. 3850;
[0007] �Computer Camera System and Method for Reducing Parallax,� Attorney Docket No. 3870;
[0008] �Control and Communications Panel for a Computer System,� Attorney Docket No. 3880; and
[0009] �Notification Lights, Locations and Rules for a Computer System,� Attorney Docket No. 3900.
[0010] The invention relates generally to computer systems and communications.
[0011] People communicate in many ways over many types of devices and channels, including by voice, by audio/video, and by text or the like. Voice communications include audio over landline telephones such as connected to POTS (plain old telephone service) lines or PBX (private branch exchange) lines, and cellular and satellite telephones, as well as voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). Audiovisual communications include video tele-conference (VTC), which also may be Internet Protocol-based communication. Text communications include electronic mail, instant messaging, pagers with text messaging, and so forth.
[0012] Some contemporary devices provide multiple ways to communicate, e.g., pocket sized personal computers may have a cellular telephone connection to place audio calls, and a wireless internet connection for sending and receiving electronic mail messages and instant messaging communications. Some mobile devices (e.g., a Smartphone) are considered to be more like telephones, but likewise provide Internet access, and may handle text messaging generally.
[0013] One problem with any communications device is that users do not necessarily want to receive communications all the time. For example, in the past when telephone was the main (or only practical) way to reach someone remotely, a telephone user in an important client meeting would tell a receptionist to �hold my calls� in order to avoid being interrupted. Some contemporary telephone systems provide a �do not disturb� feature that essentially does the same thing, such as to route any incoming calls to a voicemail system.
[0014] While this is beneficial for telephone calls, such an automatic do not disturb feature does not help with other types of communications that can be similarly distracting. For example, a visible notification may appear on a user's main display screen when an email message is received. Further, the conventional do not disturb feature on a telephone is little more than a switching mechanism that does not discriminate based on the source of the call, take action based on the type of call, or perform other operations that are more intelligent with respect to how an incoming communication is handled, that is, in a way that resembles how a human receptionist might act given the same communication.
[0015] What is needed is an automated do not disturb system and related methods for handling contemporary communications in a computer system. The system and method should operate in what is perceived to be an intelligent manner, and be fairly comprehensive in handling communications, as well as flexible and extensible to handle many user scenarios and usage patterns. At the same time, the do not disturb system and method should be straightforward for users to implement and activate.
[0016] Briefly, the present invention provides a do not disturb system and method in a computer system at which communications are received. Communications may include virtually any kind of notifications over which a computer system may have some control, including audio over landline telephones such as connected to POTS (plain old telephone service) lines or PBX (private branch exchange) lines, and cellular and satellite telephones, as well as voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). Audiovisual communications include video tele-conference (VTC), which also may be Internet Protocol-based communication. Text (whether actual text, handwriting or some other human-perceptible format) communications include electronic mail, instant messaging, pagers with text messaging, subscription-based messages such as stock quotes and so forth.
[0017] A user may set a computer system into a do not disturb mode by pressing a button such as on a keyboard or on the machine, by setting other physical state such as closing an office door, or by clicking on a user interface of an appropriate software program. The mode may also be entered by an automated process, such as at a scheduled certain time. While in this do not disturb mode, any communication routed through the machine will be evaluated against a set of rules to determine how that communication is to be handled, based on criteria such as the source of the communication (e.g., the caller or sender's identity), the type of communication (e.g., voice or text, and possibly accompanying priority data), and possibly other criteria, such as a level of do not disturb, time-of-day and so forth. Based on the rules versus such criteria, an action comprising a notification and outgoing action is selected, such as via a database lookup and/or applying rules to the criteria.
[0018] The action may range from no notification whatsoever for anyone, to limited notifications for certain users and/or types of messages, to full notifications when certain rules are met. Notifications may include any audible, visual or tactile feedback. The rules may be set to include or exclude any particular communicant or group of communicants, and/or any communications types. For example, a rule and action may be set up to block all incoming phone calls based on received caller ID information, except calls from a family member or the user's supervisor, and then only provide a visual notification by flashing an LED and showing the caller ID data. The visual notification need not be on the user's main display screen.
[0019] The resultant action taken in response to a communication may include sending a return communication back to the caller or sender. The return communication need not be of the same type as the incoming call or message. For example, an email message, instant message or some other visual notification may be returned to a voice caller indicating that the do not disturb mode is in effect at the recipient's computer, which acts as the center for communications. In the event that the caller ID and/or other information from that call is known, possibly including preset knowledge such as that the incoming telephone number belongs to a mobile device, the output can be adjusted as appropriate, e.g., although a text message should be sent, the text message may be converted to speech to leave a voice message when the call was known to be from a source with indeterminate technological capabilities, such as from a mobile phone that may not handle text, or when the caller is known to be traveling.
[0020] In addition to providing an indication to the user, such as lighting an LED proximate the do not disturb button, to remind the user that this mode is active, a publicly visible indicator such as a light atop a user's cubicle wall or by an office door may also communicate this information to others in advance. Colors and/or flash patterns may be varied to enhance visibility and/or indicate a do not disturb level, e.g., do not disturb at all, do not disturb unless very important, do not disturb unless specific clearance was previously given, and so forth. A broadcast message may be sent to selective others, such as to proactively notify other members of a work team of a user's do not disturb status before such disturbance is attempted.
[0021] Other advantages will become apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the drawings, in which:
[0022]FIG. 1 is a block diagram generally representing a computer system into which the present invention may be incorporated;
[0023]FIG. 2 is a general representation of a computer system arranged with communications-related do not disturb mechanism in accordance with an aspect of the present invention;
[0024]FIG. 3 is a block diagram generally representing the central control of communication devices and connections to communications channels, in accordance with an aspect of the present invention;
[0025]FIG. 4 is a general representation of a partial keyboard including a �do not disturb� button incorporated into the keyboard, in accordance with an aspect of the present invention;
[0026]FIG. 5a is a representation of a control panel positioned beneath a computer monitor and having a �do not disturb� button incorporated into the control panel, in accordance with an aspect of the present invention;
[0027]FIG. 5b is a representation of a �do not disturb� button incorporated into the monitor, in accordance with an aspect of the present invention;
[0028]FIG. 5c is a representation of a �do not disturb� activation device, in accordance with an aspect of the present invention;
[0029]FIG. 6 is a representation of an alternative control panel having �do not disturb� button in accordance with an aspect of the present invention;
[0030]FIG. 7 is a block diagram generally representing components to respond to a do not disturb button and control and display the do not disturb state in accordance with an aspect of the present invention;
[0031]FIG. 8 is a block diagram generally representing components for configuring do not disturb settings and for entering a do not disturb state of operation in accordance with an aspect of the present invention;
[0032]FIG. 9 is a block diagram generally representing components to control the operation of a computer system based on a do not disturb state in accordance with an aspect of the present invention;
[0033]FIG. 10 is a representation of a switch/detector for controlling a do not disturb state in accordance with an aspect of the present invention;
[0034]FIG. 11 is a representation of a computer monitor conveying information by emanating light in a generally outward direction;
[0035]FIG. 12 is a representation of a computer monitor conveying different information relative to FIG. 14 by emanating light in a generally downward direction; and
[0036]FIG. 13 is a representation of a computer housing conveying information by emanating light in a generally outward direction.
[0037] Exemplary Operating Environment
[0038]FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a suitable computing system environment 100 on which the invention may be implemented. The computing system environment 100 is only one example of a suitable computing environment and is not intended to suggest any limitation as to the scope of use or functionality of the invention. Neither should the computing environment 100 be interpreted as having any dependency or requirement relating to any one or combination of components illustrated in the exemplary operating environment 100.
[0039] The invention is operational with numerous other general purpose, or special purpose computing system environments or configurations. Examples of well known computing systems, environments, and/or configurations that may be suitable for use with the invention include, but are not limited to: personal computers, server computers, hand-held or laptop devices, tablet devices, multiprocessor systems, microprocessor-based systems, set top boxes, programmable consumer electronics, network PCs, minicomputers, mainframe computers, distributed computing environments that include any of the above systems or devices, and the like.
[0040] The invention may be described in the general context of computer-executable instructions, such as program modules, being executed by a computer. Generally, program modules include routines, programs, objects, components, data structures, and so forth, which perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types. The invention may also be practiced in distributed computing environments where tasks are performed by remote processing devices that are linked through a communications network. In a distributed computing environment, program modules may be located in local and/or remote computer storage media including memory storage devices.
[0041] With reference to FIG. 1, an exemplary system for implementing the invention includes a general purpose computing device in the form of a computer 110. Components of the computer 110 may include, but are not limited to, a processing unit 120, a system memory 130, and a system bus 121 that couples various system components including the system memory to the processing unit 120. The system bus 121 may be any of several types of bus structures including a memory bus or memory controller, a peripheral bus, and a local bus using any of a variety of bus architectures. By way of example, and not limitation, such architectures include Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) bus, Micro Channel Architecture (MCA) bus, Enhanced ISA (EISA) bus, Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA) local bus, and Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus also known as Mezzanine bus.
[0042] The computer 110 typically includes a variety of computer-readable media. Computer-readable media can be any available media that can be accessed by the computer 110 and includes both volatile and nonvolatile media, and removable and non-removable media. By way of example, and not limitation, computer-readable media may comprise computer storage media and communication media. Computer storage media includes volatile and nonvolatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storage of information such as computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules or other data. Computer storage media includes, but is not limited to, RAM, ROM, EEPROM, flash memory or other memory technology, CD-ROM, digital versatile disks (DVD) or other optical disk storage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium which can be used to store the desired information and which can accessed by the computer 110. Communication media typically embodies computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules or other data in a modulated data signal such as a carrier wave or other transport mechanism and includes any information delivery media. The term �modulated data signal� means a signal that has one or more of its characteristics set or changed in such a manner as to encode information in the signal. By way of example, and not limitation, communication media includes wired media such as a wired network or direct-wired connection, and wireless media such as acoustic, RF, infrared and other wireless media. Combinations of the any of the above should also be included within the scope of computer-readable media.
[0043] The system memory 130 includes computer storage media in the form of volatile and/or nonvolatile memory such as read only memory (ROM) 131 and random access memory (RAM) 132. A basic input/output system 133 (BIOS), containing the basic routines that help to transfer information between elements within computer 110, such as during start-up, is typically stored in ROM 131. RAM 132 typically contains data and/or program modules that are immediately accessible to and/or presently being operated on by processing unit 120. By way of example, and not limitation, FIG. 1 illustrates operating system 134, application programs 135, other program modules 136 and program data 137.
[0044] The computer 110 may also include other removable/non-removable, volatile/nonvolatile computer storage media. By way of example only, FIG. 1 illustrates a hard disk drive 141 that reads from or writes to non-removable, nonvolatile magnetic media, a magnetic disk drive 151 that reads from or writes to a removable, nonvolatile magnetic disk 152, and an optical disk drive 155 that reads from or writes to a removable, nonvolatile optical disk 156 such as a CD ROM or other optical media. Other removable/non-removable, volatile/nonvolatile computer storage media that can be used in the exemplary operating environment include, but are not limited to, magnetic tape cassettes, flash memory cards, digital versatile disks, digital video tape, solid state RAM, solid state ROM, and the like. The hard disk drive 141 is typically connected to the system bus 121 through a non-removable memory interface such as interface 140, and magnetic disk drive 151 and optical disk drive 155 are typically connected to the system bus 121 by a removable memory interface, such as interface 150.
[0045] The drives and their associated computer storage media, discussed above and illustrated in FIG. 1, provide storage of computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules and other data for the computer 110. In FIG. 1, for example, hard disk drive 141 is illustrated as storing operating system 144, application programs 145, other program modules 146 and program data 147. Note that these components can either be the same as or different from operating system 134, application programs 135, other program modules 136, and program data 137. Operating system 144, application programs 145, other program modules 146, and program data 147 are given different numbers herein to illustrate that, at a minimum, they are different copies. A user may enter commands and information into the computer 110 through input devices such as a tablet, or electronic digitizer, 164, a microphone 163, a keyboard 162 and pointing device 161, commonly referred to as mouse, trackball or touch pad. Other input devices not shown in FIG. 1 may include a joystick, game pad, satellite dish, scanner, or the like. These and other input devices are often connected to the processing unit 120 through a user input interface 160 that is coupled to the system bus, but may be connected by other interface and bus structures, such as a parallel port, game port or a universal serial bus (USB). A monitor 191 or other type of display device is also connected to the system bus 121 via an interface, such as a video interface 190. The monitor 191 may also be integrated with a touch-screen panel or the like. Note that the monitor and/or touch screen panel can be physically coupled to a housing in which the computing device 110 is incorporated, such as in a tablet-type personal computer. In addition, computers such as the computing device 110 may also include other peripheral output devices such as speakers 195 and printer 196, which may be connected through an output peripheral interface 194 or the like.
[0046] The computer 110 may operate in a networked environment using logical connections to one or more remote computers, such as a remote computer 180. The remote computer 180 may be a personal computer, a server, a router, a network PC, a peer device or other common network node, and typically includes many or all of the elements described above relative to the computer 110, although only a memory storage device 181 has been illustrated in FIG. 1. The logical connections depicted in FIG. 1 include a local area network (LAN) 171 and a wide area network (WAN) 173, but may also include other networks. Such networking environments are commonplace in offices, enterprise-wide computer networks, intranets and the Internet. For example, in the present invention, the computer system 110 may comprise source machine from which data is being migrated, and the remote computer 180 may comprise the destination machine. Note however that source and destination machines need not be connected by a network or any other means, but instead, data may be migrated via any media capable of being written by the source platform and read by the destination platform or platforms.
[0047] When used in a LAN networking environment, the computer 110 is connected to the LAN 171 through a network interface or adapter 170. When used in a WAN networking environment, the computer 110 typically includes a modem 172 or other means for establishing communications over the WAN 173, such as the Internet. The modem 172, which may be internal or external, may be connected to the system bus 121 via the user input interface 160 or other appropriate mechanism. In a networked environment, program modules depicted relative to the computer 110, or portions thereof, may be stored in the remote memory storage device. By way of example, and not limitation, FIG. 1 illustrates remote application programs 185 as residing on memory device 181. It will be appreciated that the network connections shown are exemplary and other means of establishing a communications link between the computers may be used.
[0048] Do Not Disturb Computing
[0049] The present invention is generally directed towards operating a computer system in a mode which intelligently routes, provides notifications for and otherwise appropriately handles communications and other notifications received at the computer. As such, the computer is generally arranged as a central communications point for multiple communications-related devices, such as generally described in the related copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. entitled �Real-Time Communications Architecture and Methods for use with a Personal Computer System.� As will be understood, the various communication channels, devices and scenarios described herein are only examples, and there are many others to which the present invention will apply.
[0050] Turning to FIG. 2 of the drawings, there is shown a computer system, such as the computer system 110 of FIG. 1, in which various communications-related devices are integrated. For example, the computer system 110 includes a monitor 191 having an attached camera 202, an attached telephone (e.g., handset) 204, and an attached speaker 206, which along with a microphone 208, may function as a speakerphone. Other devices not separately represented in FIG. 2 include mobile communications devices such as a cellular telephone or other mobile computing device capable of connecting in some way (e.g., by wired cradle or Bluetooth� technology) with the computer system. Although shown as individual devices in FIG. 2, it is understood that any or all of these devices, such as the speaker 195 and microphone 163, may be combined into a unitary assembly, or built into other devices, such as the monitor 191. In any event, each of these devices may be present and if so are connected directly or indirectly by a wired or wireless connection to interfaces at the main PC housing 214 (containing at least the motherboard, but also typically containing some non-volatile storage). As used herein, the term �connect� and its variants and �couple� are equivalent and generally mean that there is some type of information capable of being transferred between one entity and another, regardless of whether directly or indirectly via any intermediaries and/or any transformation of the information.
[0051] Also represented in FIG. 2 is an auxiliary display device 220, such as for displaying caller ID data or like information as described below. The auxiliary display 220 is typically small (relative to the main display screen 191), and may be the display of another device, such as the screen of a mobile computing device, but may also be a dedicated display, such as one that is operably coupled to the computer operating system when the computer system 110 is in a powered-up state. Further, note that the auxiliary display need not be an actual display, but can be a projection (e.g., onto a wall) of the information. The auxiliary display device 220 may provide some of its own processing and storage resources, so as to remain functional to some extent when the computer operating system is not running. The auxiliary display device 220 may also have its own controls 221 for interfacing therewith, possibly including controls that allow setting a do not disturb state. The keyboard 162 and/or monitor 191 (and/or possibly the pointing device 161) may also include non-conventional buttons 222, such as buttons related to controlling a do not disturb state with respect to real-time communications, and non-conventional LED indicators 224, such as indicators related to the do not disturb state.
[0052] As generally represented in FIG. 3, the computer system 110 may include a real-time communications controller 300, primarily implemented in a software component or set of software components, that intelligently handles various aspects of a user's real-time communication needs, including facilitating communications in general, and also handling do not disturb operations. Note that the real-time communications controller 300 need not be built into the computer system 110, but can connect thereto as an add-on device, such as via a USB connection.
[0053] To handle a user's various communications needs, the real-time communications controller 300 allows a user to connect to various communication channels (e.g., a telephone company switching network, a mobile phone network, the internet or an intranet, and virtually any other local area or wide area network over which communication is possible) using the various communications-related data input/output devices. In general, the user is able to input data via any input mechanism, e.g., any microphone on any device, via any text or pointing-based user data entry mechanism 302 such as the keyboard and/or mouse, and/or the camera 202, and have that data configured as appropriate (e.g., converted from speech to text) and sent to an appropriate (one or possibly more) of the available communication channels. Similarly, the real-time communications controller 300 is able to receive data and output appropriate data to the user on any one or more of the output mechanisms, such as the speaker of a speakerphone 304 when the user has selected that device, the handset telephone 204 when lifted, a headset 306 if activated, the mobile phone or similar computing device 308 if selected, a PBX phone 310 connected to a PBX mechanism 312 and/or a network card 314. When video, graphical and/or text information is available, data can also be displayed on the main display 191 (if active), and/or the auxiliary display 220. Note that some of the devices are represented in FIG. 3 as directly connected to the computer system while other are shown as being wireless, however it is understood that any device may be wired or wireless, e.g., a typical mobile computing device or mobile telephone may be cradled and thus �wired� to the computer, and/or may integrate a cellular phone, Wireless Ethernet (also known as 802.11b or Wi-Fi), and/or Bluetooth� wireless technology.
[0054] In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, the real-time communications controller 300 controls various communication modes for the user, including the do not disturb mode. To enter this mode, the user can interact with the computer via software, e.g., by pointing and clicking on an a user interface component of an application or operating system program. Alternatively, a more straightforward way for a user to enter a do not disturb mode is by actuation of a hardware button (term button used loosely to indicate one of a variety of available switch types), such as represented in FIGS. 4-6.
[0055] For example, in one alternative implementation generally represented in FIG. 4, the computer system 110 includes the do not disturb button 422 among keyboard-based keys and other controls such as among routing controls 402 on the keyboard 162. As shown in FIG. 4, a do not disturb indicator 424 may comprise an external indicator, e.g., an LED above the do not disturb button 422 or located elsewhere. In general, the do not disturb indicator 424 should be close to the do not disturb button 422, so that the user sees it when pressing the do not disturb button 422, but may be positioned (and/or duplicated in some appropriate location) so as to enhance its visibility. Note that although not shown, the do not disturb indicator may be incorporated into the do not disturb button.
[0056]FIGS. 5a and 5 b show alternative arrangements, with the do not disturb button 522 again provided among routing controls 502 in FIG. 5a, or by itself in FIG. 5b, shown magnified in FIG. 5a and 5 b. In FIG. 5a, a control panel 540 is shown as being attached to or underneath the main display 191, which provides very good visibility of the do not disturb light 524, but it may not be as convenient for the user to press the do not disturb button 522 (as compared to pressing one on a keyboard as in FIG. 4). In FIG. 5b, the do not disturb button 522 is on the monitor bezel. A wired or wireless do not disturb button 510 such as constructed to be held by a user, may also be provided. FIG. 5c provides an activation mechanism, or switch, that allows a user to control the do not disturb state like an ignition key.
[0057]FIG. 6 provides an alternative control panel 640 including an auxiliary display 220. In FIG. 6, the do not disturb button 622 is shown as not being grouped (except by general location) with any other button, to exemplify the various ways in which a do not disturb button 622 may be presented. Thus, the do not disturb button 622 need not be grouped with one or more other routing controls, but may be grouped with some other set of buttons, or may be an independent button. In fact, the do not disturb button may be placed on a microphone, headset, handset, and so forth, and/or may be an add-on to a computer system, such as by providing a button (such as the button 610 in FIG. 6) that connects to a USB or infrared port, or a as a Bluetooth� device or other wired or wireless connection.
[0058] Turning to an explanation of the use of a do not disturb button 722, as generally represented in FIG. 7, the do not disturb button 722 operably connects through an appropriate hardware/software interface 700 to signal state data to the operating system 134. The operating system 134 in turn may interpret what the state means via a do not disturb mode selection mechanism 720, such as to determine an action to take based on the button, e.g., to turn on a do not disturb mode and filter and/or respond to communications, as described below, or let the communication notifications arrive in a normal state. Different actuation patterns may result in different levels of a do not disturb mode, as selected by the do not disturb mode selection mechanism 720.
[0059] A user interface 736 also may be used to select the do not disturb mode, as well as to configure the do not disturb rules and resultant actions. As described below, the RTC controller 300 includes logic for controlling what actions occur when communications are received with respect to a do not disturb operating state.
[0060] An automated process 738 also may be used to select the do not disturb mode. For example, a user may set up a schedule to select the do not disturb mode at the same hour every day, or whenever some other event occurs or is occurring, e.g., when on a video call the user may not want anything to disturb that call.
[0061] The operating system 134 may control the display of the indicator 724. For example, the do not disturb indicator 602 may be lit as steady amber when the do not disturb mode is active, although this may be configurable, e.g., by color-blind individuals. Other colors and/or patterns may indicate additional information to users, such as a level of a do not disturb mode, as described below.
[0062] By way of example, consider a �complete� do not disturb mode having no notifications whatsoever (as if the user shut off each telephone ringer and disconnected a network connection), versus a �standard� do not disturb mode in which visual indicators continue to function along with an auxiliary display to allow call screening, however no audible or modal alerts occur that distract the user's attention away from the main task at hand. An amber flashing pattern on the indicator 724 may indicate the �complete� do not disturb mode, while a steady amber light may indicate the �standard� mode. If audible notifications are allowed, ring patterns, tones and/or volume levels may vary based on the state of the do not disturb mode.
[0063] As generally represented in FIG. 8, the do not disturb mode or modes and related operations are accomplished by responding to the user's selection, via do not disturb (DND) control logic 800 in the real-time communications controller 300 (FIG. 3) that follows various do not disturb rules 802 with respect to user-configurable settings and a current operating state 804. The DND control logic 800 likewise responds to external events, such as incoming calls, pages, text messages, forwarded voicemail messages, and so forth.
[0064] User actions can occur and be detected in any number of ways, including hardware button and software activation and deactivation of the do not disturb mode as described above. The present invention contemplates essentially any way of activating or changing the mode, such as by program, remote control, dial-up, audio commands and so on. User action information may also be communicated by wireless radio 834, and/or from a network connection or other communication channel. Motion and/or proximity sensing can likewise serve as a user action sensor, e.g., related to a user's presence.
[0065] Where appropriate, a graphical user interface component 840 shown as part of the DND control logic 800 (but possibly anywhere in the computer system, such as in another application program) may facilitate entry of the user action and do not disturb information. For example, the user may interact with a software program such as related to user contacts to set the variables for how communications received from that contact are handled in each mode. The user may also use the graphical user interface 840 to configure various do not disturb settings.
[0066] The present invention similarly outputs information to the user in any feasible manner, including via the user interface when appropriate. Essentially, anything capable of outputting something that can be sensed by a user can serve as an output mechanism, including the displays 191 and/or 220, lights and other indicators 224, the speaker 206 or other audio generating device such as a ringer on a cell phone, and other mechanisms such as one that provides tactile feedback (e.g., a vibrating cell phone). Thus, as used herein, the term �display� is only an example, and is not limited to visible information, but can include any sensed output including non-visual representations. For example, a tone and pattern can �display� communications-related information audibly.
[0067] In general, the DND logic 800 receives remotely communicated data (such as an incoming call), and based on various real-time do not disturb rules 802 and user configurable settings 804, responds in a proper manner. For example, for an incoming telephone or cellular call, the DND control logic 400 may display the caller ID information on the auxiliary display 220, or possibly the main display 191 if so configured by the user, flash an indicator but not sound a ring or call waiting tone on the speaker 206, and wait for a user action. If the user presses a phone control button such as a speakerphone button, the call will be connected to the appropriate device, e.g., routed to the speaker 206 and microphone 208. Any other audio, such as music that the user was listening to, may be automatically muted until the call is complete, e.g., until the user again presses the speakerphone button to disconnect. Otherwise the call may be responded to with an automatic action, such as providing a voice mail message and/or sending a text message.
[0068] Note that the return action may be specific to the do not disturb mode, (as opposed to a not answering or busy message), and need not be of the same type as the call. For example, a text message may respond to a voice call to indicate that the called party is present, but has requested privacy. In the event that the caller ID and/or other information from that call is known, possibly including preset knowledge such as that the incoming telephone number belongs to a mobile device, the output can be adjusted as appropriate, e.g., although a text message should be sent, the text message may be converted to speech (e.g., by a text to speech converter 832 of FIG. 8) to leave a voice message when the call was known to be from a phone that does not handle text, or when the caller is known to be traveling. Other actions may include automatically discarding a received message based on the rules, categorizing a message before storing it, forwarding the message or the call to another with a special do not disturb introductory message to the party to which the call is being forwarded, and so forth.
[0069] The present invention thus automatically and transparently responds in an appropriate and seemingly intelligent manner to a user's do not disturb needs. By way of example, consider the example above of a user who is working at the computer when a call comes in. Instead of simply sending the call to a recording, the DND control logic 800 analyzes the call data to figure out what type of call it is and who it is from, determines how (if at all) the user should be notified, and provides the notification. Further, the logic 800 determines whether to take an action, and if so, takes the action. With telephone and cellular calls, caller ID may be evaluated to determine the caller's identity, while instant messaging and email provide an identity for network-received messages. Unknown callers and unsolicited text messages may be filtered. However, the present invention is more than a conventional message filter, as it instead takes action to notify, preserve and/or discard incoming communications, and also to possibly automatically respond with an outgoing communication.
[0070]FIG. 9 provides a block diagram representation of how the do not disturb (DND) logic 800 works when an incoming communication 902 is received. In general, the DND logic 800 determines a DND level (which may be zero, or off for example) from data 904, and, as necessary, uses the type of incoming data (e.g., voice call, video call, instant message, email message, or other notification) in data in conjunction with the source of the communication (an identifier of who called or sent the message) to take an action.
[0071] The DND logic 800 accesses local notification rules 906 to determine how the user should be notified, (if at all), while outgoing action rules 908 determine what information (if any) will be returned to the other communicating party. A lookup (or lookups) in a database 910, using the caller/sender and the type of call/message as keys, may be one way to obtain the appropriate rules. Note that within types of messages such as email messages, subtypes such as high priority, regular priority and low priority may be used as search keys and/or criteria so as to be assigned their own rules and actions. Other factors such as a DND level 904 (which may vary by time of day, a time out operation and so forth) may be used as part of a search key.
[0072] Note that not all type rules and source rules may be contained in the database 910. For example, the user may set special exceptions that may be used before searching the database (or to override or supplement a database result). In this manner, for example, the normal database 910 does not have to be modified for a one-time change that may expire. Type rules 912 and source rules 914 based on user preferences and/or defaults may provide or factor into the final results. An address book may be used in part, e.g., a user may flag a particular contact so as to always let a notification come through for that contact as if DND was off, regardless of the actual DND level.
[0073] Once the appropriate type or types of notification is known, a local notification 920 (or more than one) is given to the user based on the notification rules 906. Note that no notification may be given. If a notification is provided, some configurable amount of time may be given, if appropriate, to allow the user to accept the communication before an outgoing communication 922 based on the outgoing action rules 908 is issued. An outgoing communication may be provided, such as a voice mail recording requesting that a voicemail message may be recorded, and/or an instant message or email sent. The message may be �do not disturb� specific, e.g., to indicate that the user is present but currently in a privacy mode, and suggest an alternative course of action for very important calls/messages.
[0074] In addition to a set of rules, notification thresholds and presence may also be adjusted when the �Do Not Disturb� state is in already in effect. A software slider bar, or actuation pattern of the DND button may change the current level, or individual settings. For example, when increasing the level, by default, thresholds may be adjusted up one level and presence is set to indicate �Busy�, however this can be customized according to user preferences. A user interface allows the �Do Not Disturb� button to enter a privacy mode that is customizable by user for appropriate visibility, notification and filtering capabilities. For example, a slider bar may set the do not disturb level and bring in various per source and per type settings, with appropriate default levels that may be changed and preserved (e.g., in the database) for each combination, such as by manipulating checkboxes, radio buttons or the like.
[0075] As can be readily appreciated, there are any number of user interfaces, types of communications, sources, rules, local notifications and outgoing communications that may be arranged in a given implementation. For example, in one do not disturb state, a user may want the system set such that no calls sound an audible alert except a call from the user's direct boss. Calls that have previously recognized caller ID information may provide a pop-up message and the caller ID information on all calls in which a known caller ID is provided. All other calls are immediately routed to voice mail, and instant messages should be redirected to the auxiliary display instead of popping up on the main display. With the present invention, the user may make selections that alter general rules and/or defaults to provide the desired exceptions, and thereby obtain the appropriate results. A user who is still suffering too many disturbances can dynamically adjust the DND level on demand, or provide additional exceptions.
[0076] Further, any number of switches and/or mechanisms such as sensors may control the do not disturb state. For example, in FIG. 10, a Multistate DND button/switch equivalent to �door open,� �door ajar,� and �door closed� literal and physical settings is provided, e.g., as defined by workplace communications protocol. Door sensors or the like can detect and control the do not disturb state.
[0077] In addition to the notifying the user and the caller/sender upon a communication, like the DND reminder light for a user, a publicly visible indicator such as a light atop a user's cubicle wall or by an office door may also communicate this do not disturb state to others in advance. Colors and/or flash patterns may be varied to enhance visibility and/or indicate a do not disturb level, e.g., do not disturb at all, do not disturb unless very important, do not disturb unless specific clearance was previously given, and so forth. A broadcast message may be automatically sent to selective others users, such as to notify other members of a work team of a change in a user's do not disturb status (e.g., to or from on or off). Further, do not disturb status may be displayed on another person's workstation (e.g. �busy� in their instant message contact list).
[0078] It should be noted that other types of lighting are feasible and may be alternatively implemented. By way of example, as represented in FIG. 11 by the arrows, a light emanating from a computer monitor bezel that is lit when the computer system is in one mode communicates one set of information to a user and others, with respect to another mode in which the light diminishes from around the monitor and emanates from the base of the monitor and/or near the housing, indicating that processing and computing activity has been engaged and that the computer system is on, as in FIG. 12. The general lighting may be different colors, which need not remain constant but can vary over time for attractiveness purposes. The housing 214 can emanate light as in FIG. 13.
[0079] This same alternative light source (or sources) can be used (as an alternative or in addition to an LED indicator) to communicate alternative states of computer system use or activity including the do not disturb mode. In this condition, the light emanating from the base may works together with a do not disturb control button to indicate a shift in the way the computer is being used. When so configured, selecting the do not disturb mode causes the light emanating from the base to indicate to the user and other people around the user that the computer is now in a different use state.
[0080] Further, other aspects of a user's computing environment may change while in the do not disturb mode relative to other modes. For example a desktop theme or appearance may change, including the computers background, fonts, colors and so forth. Sounds may be different, background music may play, and other noticeable difference may occur as generally selected by the user to remind the user and/or notify others of the do not disturb state of operation.
[0081] As can be seen from the foregoing detailed description, there is provided a do not disturb communications method and system in a computer system for intelligently handling the incoming notifications with appropriate outputs in the form of local notifications and/or two-way communications. Users may customize the system and method to adjust for their particular needs. At the same time, a simple actuation of a button or software enters or exits the do not disturb mode, or varies a level of the do not disturb mode. The method and system thus provide significant advantages and benefits needed in contemporary computing and communications.
[0082] While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative constructions, certain illustrated embodiments thereof are shown in the drawings and have been described above in detail. It should be understood, however, that there is no intention to limit the invention to the specific forms disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, alternative constructions, and equivalents falling within the spirit and scope of the invention.
Referenced by
Legal Events
Original Image


text:
Favstar gets even better if you sign in.
Challenge: do it for Pittsburgh! RT @fellowplanner: Neat idea - a map that shows the slope of streets in a town... pic.twitter.com/R4ln4w7WGm
if you have to use CSS (or like short tech-related games) check out http://flukeout.github.io/ really well done.
@mrscrappy @thejqs wing night @fatheadspgh. 60c/wing. get as many of each flavor as you want, eat in only. add beer and tweeps to taste.
the PLCB is hitting the streets of @southsidepgh to drop some knowledge about what they do and how awesome they are. pic.twitter.com/9v01I45J6e
@lexyquinn 13 hour shifts are the barge. I had 12ish ones in Iraq. not cool yo.
yay for tech and transit: "How we mapped the world's weirdest streets" by @transitapp https://medium.com/@transitapp/hello-nairobi-cc27bb5a73b7?source=tw-lo_b799862396eb-1423786368316 …
@lexyquinn man, I'm always the them. unless we're talking about Canadians. they usually win at it being cold.
according to the weather app it's only 6 degrees colder in pgh than LA right now. I'm wearing a thin (soft!!) tshirt. maybe I have a chance!
@msprout woot city. I'm looking forward to the fat heads portland opening in a little over a week. my 1oz tastes at GABF weren't enough.
@lexyquinn maybe in general. but some of us still crave to reproduce those college days we miss so much..
@justinkownacki sounds rather Canadian. though, I guess erie isn't that far from the border. :)
Sad to hear of Robin Williams passing. certainly one of the best entertainers and people during my lifetime.
@pensboozeanger i went yesterday for lunch because i didn't have time to bring my other leftovers to shadyside. got what @lexyquinn had.
@lexyquinn as long as the sidewalks are safe, go GTA style on those idiots. tonight was full of "oh yeah, those people".
@pghpubs you should write a book, but leverage your tweet prowess. short but entertaining.
pretty cool minimalist renderings of MLB stadiums, but I feel PNC should have looked better since skyline.. https://www.behance.net/gallery/10452911/MLB-Baseball-Stadiums …
@pivoprosim just saw the tweet from @msprout. good luck with everything! awesome twitter name too, which slavic language? i know 4 with that
facebook is rolling out more behavioral based ads. this site lets you set local cookies to opt-out of most sites http://www.aboutads.info/choices/
@lexyquinn I'm in a bar called the chart room. not seeing any references to barges yet. *sigh*
@lexyquinn I'll be back in July. and hopefully staying on SS for the month. my legacy shall return!
a semi-nomadic software developer with an interest in ice hockey, craft beers, and tech in general.
Like @psylum's tweets? Send them a Favstar Pro Membership to show you care.Gift them Pro!
Stats can't be shown as @psylum has never signed in to Favstar.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Unique and sophisticated urban living for today's discerning homebuyer
Today's master-planned urban living options put residents in the heart of a sophisticated city lifestyle while offering amenities, style and even hints of nature and community in all new ways.
Modern master-planned developments integrate the latest design trends while providing a low-maintenance lifestyle, luxury living, community connectivity and easy access to the sought-after amenities that make urban living desirable.
Civita, a sustainable, transit-oriented village in San Diego's Mission Valley, has modeled enticing urban living since sales there opened in December 2011. This 230-acre development by Sudberry Properties is transforming a former sand and gravel quarry into a hub of growth, town spirit and civic pride. It offers a mix of condominiums, townhomes and single-family homes in the heart of San Diego.
Overall, five residential phases are planned for the Civita development during the next 10 to 15 years. Three of the attached neighborhoods feature luxury living by Shea Homes that specifically highlight the options urban living can offer.
"We designed all three of our new neighborhoods at Civita to be destination projects," said Jan Percival, spokesperson for Shea Homes San Diego. "We think consumers will go out of their way to see them, and we believe they will attract buyers who value urban sophistication."
Each of the three neighborhoods introduced by Shea in Civita is unique.
Percival noted that Origen, the first Civita community by Shea, introduced three- and four-story townhomes that soared up to 50 feet above Mission Valley.
"The sleek vertical elements and multilevel, two-sided glass walls marked a new architectural aesthetic for Shea," Percival said.
Percival noted the important role architecture plays in all of Shea's offerings in Civita.
"It's all about the architecture. This dramatic vertical design is something new, something people haven't seen before," she said.
In addition to Origen, Shea offers homes in two other Civita neighborhoods for buyers who value an urban lifestyle.
Civita's Frame & Focus neighborhood opened in November 2013, and features an innovative new brand of urban townhomes by Shea Homes. Frame & Focus showcases open floor plans, decks, patios, small yards and large-scale windows with two unique architectural styles. Shea Homes offers two variations of the popular row home concept in Frame & Focus.
"At Frame, the buildings line the perimeter of the project and literally frame the 'Focus' homes on the interior of the community. Frame has private rear yards, whereas Focus spills out to shared front patios and a private pool/spa complex," she said.
In April, Civita welcomed Lucent, a mid-rise condominium neighborhood by Shea Homes offering the feel of a luxury hotel and the elegant space of a Manhattan loft. These condominiums feature two to three bedrooms and two to 2.5 baths, in homes ranging from 1,457 to 1,878 square feet.
"Lucent is introducing dramatic new concepts in vertical architecture, with 36 of 54 homes offering all living space on a single level, surrounded on three sides by walls of windows and balconies," said Percival. "The other 18 homes are two-story penthouses, which feature an upstairs family room and an outdoor deck and fireplace."


text:
Events for June 8, 2013
2013 44th Annual World Series of Poker
When: From 05/29/2013 to 07/15/2013
10th Annual Blues, Brew & BBQ Festival
When: 06/08/2013
- Tumblr
- Facebook
You've got a special plan? We've got a special answer. Our signature Trump Attac...Read More
- Twitter
Here are a couple of packing tips for the business traveler put together by @TrumpNewYork http://t.co/tFWU2iepDPRead More
- Google+
- YouTube
Trump International Hotel Las Vegas Hosts Autism FundraiserRead More


text:
AD Tag – GNN
2AD – grey matter book ad
3Ad – caverns of blood
4AD – Brain Damage
Ad – Sam Hain
AD – Zoe Suckers Novel Ad
AD – level 33
New Ad – Wil Jackson
ad space
Ad – Scares that Care Weekend
Social Arena Banner
Subscribe and Follow
zergnet widget
News header
springboard widget – move reviews under
Film Reviews header
podcasts header
interviews header
Interview: Todd Lincoln - Director (V/H/S: Viral, The Apparition, Gorgeous Vortex)March 26th, 2015Interviewed by: Todd Martin
Exclusive Interview: Michael Berryman - Wednesday, March 25th at 9pm ESTMarch 23rd, 2015Interviewed by: Mike Joy
book reviews header
Book Review: The Pendle Curse - Author Catherine CavendishReviewed by: Dave Gammon
Book Review: Mutations - Authors E.L. Loraine and Tim FrasierReviewed by: Todd Martin
Film Review: Not Of This Earth (1957)
SYNOPSIS: "An alien agent from the distant planet Davanna is sent to Earth via a high-tech matter transporter. There he terrorizes Southern California in an attempt to acquire blood for his dying race, the result of a devastating nuclear war." (courtesy IMDB) REVIEW: For more than half a century, my old friend Roger Corman has been somewhat of a maverick in the film industry. He's been a writer, a director, a producer, a distributor and … Continue reading


text:
first off I get along with just about everyone. I like every one to have a good time. I'm from Kentucky but have been here most my life. I live on my own with two dogs. I'm a very goal minded persons but at the same time I like to go out and have fun. At this point I'm just looking for friends to hang out with and go from there.
Join OkCupid
Find better matches with our advanced
Find better matches with our advanced
matching system
—% Match
—% Enemy
26 • McDonough, GA • Man
I'm looking for
- Women
- Ages 19–28
- Located anywhere
- Who are single
- For new friends, long-term dating, short-term dating
My details
- Last online
- May 13, 2014
- Orientation
- Straight
- Ethnicity
- White
- Height
- 6′ 0″ (1.83m)
- Body type
- Athletic
- Diet
- Anything
- Smokes
- No
- Drinks
- Socially
- Drugs
- —
- Religion
- Christianity
- Sign
- Capricorn, but it doesn't matter
- Education
- Dropped out of space camp
- Job
- Sales / Marketing
- Income
- —
- Status
- Single
- Type
- —
- Offspring
- Doesn't have kids, but might want them
- Pets
- Has dogs
- Speaks
- English
Similar Users
My self-summary
Write a little about yourself. Just a paragraph will do.
What I'm doing with my life
Don't overthink this one; tell us what you're doing day-to-day.
I own a business in McDonough and Griffin Georgia, work a lot of hours but fortunately I get to set them. In my off time i like to fish. I live near a lake. , drinking margaritas, luke bryan concerts, running, go out on the lake and snuggling while watching a movie
The first things people usually notice about me
I'm an empty essay… fill me out!
they say I look like Ryan Reynolds... idk
On a typical Friday night I am
Netflix and takeout, or getting your party on — how do you let loose?
Around McDonough ga
You should message me if
Offer a few tips to help matches win you over.
Have no previous drama.
Connect your existing OkCupid account
Sign in
Welcome Back!
Restore your account to continue meeting new people.
Reset your password
We'll email you a link to reset it.
Email sent!
An email is on its way to . If you don't see it, try checking your Spam folder.


text:
Ask Search Post
Merchandise > USA > CA > SF Bay Area
Searches Related to
Merchandise for Sale in 94115Items for Sale on Oodle San Francisco Used Appliances San Francisco Used Bags and Luggages San Francisco Used Books & Magazines San Francisco Used CDs and DVDs San Francisco Used Mobile Phones San Francisco Used Clothes & Accessories San Francisco Used Computers & Accessories San Francisco Used Electronics San Francisco Used Furniture San Francisco Used Jewelry San Francisco Used Musical Instruments San Francisco Used Sporting Goods & Bicycles San Francisco Used Tools San Francisco Used Video Games and Consoles San Francisco Antiques San Francisco Arts & Crafts San Francisco Collectibles San Francisco Baby & Kid Stuff San Francisco Garage Sales San Francisco Home & Garden Products San Francisco Health & Beauty Products
Merchandise for Sale in 94115(1 - 15 of 28,465)
$169 Restaurant Bar StoolStools · San Jose, CAwww.mikga.com - specializes in commercial projects with designers, hospitality restaurants, commercial and residential customers by offer...MIKGA · 23 hours ago
$150 New Intuit QuickBooks Accountant 2015Computer Software · San Jose, CAThe software includes fully functioning 2015 QuickBooks Pro and Premier Editions!! Organize your business finances easily. Take a tour o...Robel G. · 2 days ago
Kirby vacuum bags Generation bags HEPA Rohnert Park Ukiah Santa RosaAppliances · Rohnert Park, CAKirby vacuum bags Generation G3 G4 G5 G6 UG bags. Kirby belts Kirby vacuum cleaner repair Kirby shampoo. Danny's Vacuum Shop 279 N Sta...Danny's Vacuum Shop · 5 hours ago
$19.95 Home Wedding on a Small Budget EbookBooks & Magazines · Walnut Creek, CAOver 500 designer ideas with photos and instruction! Because we want you to enjoy the luxuries of an upscale wedding without the upscale ...Home Stages Designs · 3 days ago
$20 Unique Serving PlateAntiques · San Jose, CAEverything is 25% off! Use Code Empl_01 for Your discount. Get a great deal on vintage items like onyx bookends, dishes, candle holders a...Fariha P. · 3 days ago
$29.99 A Timeless Treasure Ebay StoreShirts & Tops · Los Gatos, CAHAWAIIAN SHIRTS CYCLING BIBS JERSEYS SHORTS TRIATHLON SUITS COMANY T SHIRTS MOTORCYLE SHIRTSAndrew T. · 3 days ago
hydijh Steeroids/pain relieversSupplements · Los Gatos, CAwe offer impressive Bath salts, Research chemicals, Herbal incense, Steroids/pain killers online at wholesale prices with discrete shippi...Euivm E. · 1 day ago
$75 sellWashing Machines & Dryers · San Jose, CAKenmore gas dryer in great condiion!Gail Barnett R. · 3 days ago
$650 Custom Single Speed BikeBicycles · San Francisco, CAThis is a custom refurbished fixed gear single speed with brand new paint and all new parts, never been ridden. This bike has a flip flop...Maxwell O. · 6 days ago
$1 pain killers and benzosOther Furniture · San Francisco, CAi do sell benzos and sleeping tabletsCaroline G. · 6 days ago
$2 Jumper House/Bounce House kid party rental San Jose CheapBaby & Kid Stuff · San Jose, CAFree Delivery in San Jose & Surrounding Areas in South Bay - Call (408) 425 - 0540 Turn your yard into the ultimate playground courtesy ...
$320 Medical Cannabis for SellHealth & Beauty · San Francisco, CAMEDICAL CANNABIS FOR SELL,OG KUSH, WHITE WIDOW,SKUNK. Email….....derick.njie100***gmail***com Text / call...(850) 898-0837 30grams Mendo...Samuel W. · 6 days ago
$1 jumper house/ bounce house rental San JoseBaby & Kid Stuff · San Jose, CAJump House & Bounce House Kid Party Rentals - San Jose, CA Free Delivery in San Jose & Surrounding Areas in South Bay - Call (408) 425 - ...
$3,600 Desk - High EndOffice Equip & Supplies · Sunnyvale, CAFantastic piece of office furniture. This is the modern equivalent of the old fashion roll up desk, lots of cubby holes and drawers & poc...James B. · 1 week ago
$1 Jumper House/ Bounce House kid party rental San Jose [phone removed]Baby & Kid Stuff · San Jose, CAOur jump houses are perfect for birthday parties, events, fund raisers, school events, corporate events, promotions, carnivals, fairs, et...
Find Listings on Oodle Marketplace Baltimore Merchandise | Cincinnati Merchandise | Colorado Springs Merchandise | Dallas Merchandise | Denver Merchandise | Detroit Merchandise | Fort Myers Merchandise | Fresno Merchandise | Grand Rapids Merchandise | Indianapolis Merchandise | Orlando Merchandise | Phoenix Merchandise | Sarasota Merchandise | Winter Haven Merchandise | Woodbridge Merchandise. Oodle Marketplace is a great place to find used cars, used motorcycles, used RVs, used boats, apartments for rent, homes for sale, job listings, and local businesses.
Safety Tips
Safety Tips
- Meet the seller in person and inspect items before paying.
- Be cautious of underpriced offers.
- Don't wire money or take advance payments.
- Only pay for shipping if you know the seller.
To learn more, visit the Safety Center. Report suspicious listings by clicking on .


text:
The Ministry of Defence is looking for ideas on how best to preserve the legacy of the Royal Navy's Invincible-Class aircraft carriers.The last of the ships, 'HMS Illustrious', is due to retire in late 2014 after 32 years of distinguished service that has seen her involved in operations around the world.
Following the announcement last year that the 22,000-tonne ship will be preserved in some form, MOD is now inviting private companies, charities and trusts who are interested in buying her to come forward with ideas for her future use.
HMS Illustrious is currently the UK's high readiness helicopter and commando carrier, able to deploy Merlin, Chinook, Sea King, Lynx or Apache helicopters. She is currently deployed east of Suez as part of the Royal Navy's Cougar 13 deployment of the UK's Response Force Task Group.
The ship 210 metres long warship, was involved in the First Gulf War and the conflict in Afghanistan in 2001, and supported evacuations from Sierra Leone in 2000 and Lebanon in 2006.
MOD wants HMS Illustrious to remain in the UK and bids for her future use must be viable and include plans for part or all of the ship to be developed for heritage purposes.
The Minister for Defence Equipment, Support and Technology, Philip Dunne, said:
"HMS Illustrious, like her 2 sister ships Invincible and Ark Royal, has provided an invaluable service to this country over more than 3 decades. This competition will provide the opportunity for organisations to put forward innovative and viable proposals to honour the role and history of this iconic class of ship and all those who served on board them."
The UK's new Queen Elizabeth-Class aircraft carriers, which will replace the Invincible-Class ships, are currently under construction. HMS Queen Elizabeth, which is almost complete, will begin sea trials in 2017 before undertaking flight trials with the F-35 Lightning II aircraft in 2018.
The U.S. should immediately begin a push to exploit its enormous trove of oil in the Arctic waters off of Alaska, or risk a renewed reliance on imported oil in the future, reports AP.
A joint venture (JV) between CB&I, Chiyoda International and Zachry Industrial has won a contract worth over $2bn from FLNG Liquefaction 3 for a liquefied natural
Viking Supply Ships has entered into a contract with an Oil major for the charter of "Brage Viking" commencing 1stof April 2015. The duration is for 2 years and 8 months firm,
Maritime forces from Gulf of Guinea nations, Europe, South America, and the United States and several regional and international organizations concluded the multinational maritime exercise,
Vietnam's new submarines could alter the balance in the South China Sea quite dramatically, say maritime security analysts.
Vietnam and China have long contested
India is reportedly considering a project to incorporate six Japanese Soryu-class diesel-electric submarines into its fleet, says The Japan Times.
The Defense
The robotic series that remade crusade in skies will shortly extend to a low sea, with underwater view "satellites," drone-launching pods on a sea building and unmanned ships sport submarines,
The Gulf Bridge Express Service will shortly be terminated with the last roundtrip voyage being MV Saint Nikolaos voyage 00008S, ETA New Orleans on April 22, 2015.
The damaged Scandlines ferry M/V Prinsesse Benedikte is being repaired at the Polish shipyard Remontowa and is expected to be ready before the end of June 2015.
Chinese officials on Saturday fleshed out some details for the country's ambitious 21st Century Maritime Silk Road (MSR) project in its "one belt, one road," action plan.
The heavy rainfall that battered Chile's usually arid north this week happened because of climate change, a senior meteorologist said, as the region gradually
Mexico on Friday said it will cap its greenhouse gas emissions by 2026, becoming one of the first countries to formally submit its national climate plan the
The Greek government will sell its majority stake in the port of Piraeus within weeks, the country's deputy prime minister told China's official Xinhua news agency,


text:
MSRP: $59.95 Bitybean's UltraCompact Carrier is a cleverly, compact, child carrier, designed and engineered with state of the art materials for ease and comfort for active families. Weighing just 8 ounces and smaller than a water bottle, the UltraCompact Carrier fits in any bag or purse.
MSRP- $199.99 Always In View is a video, baby monitor designed exclusively for cars. A high-definition camera placed inside the plush broadcasts images of the baby to a color monitor conveniently placed on the dashboard of the car. A puppy, giraffe, or monkey plush, each with long arms and
Breastfeeding Step-by-Step Learn your baby's signs of hunger. She may root or nuzzle your breast, move her mouth as though she's feeding, and become more fussy or alert. Start by finding a comfortable position. Use pillows to support your arms and back, and position your baby so that her
'Tis the sneezin' For germs! Learn the safe way to soothe yourself and protect your baby on board. Pregnancy may guarantee you a seat on the bus, but it doesn't grant you a free pass from germs. In fact, your developing baby puts your immune system into relaxation mode, making you more
Your husband or your hormones? Back in the day, you are able to tolerate coming home to dirty dishes piled sky-high in the sink while your hub be set on the couch watching SportsCenter. And you could overlook how he forgot to pick up the dry cleaning – for the umpteenth time this month. Now that
Bundle of joy A couple without hope becomes unexpectedly pregnant after eight years of marriage, with various options having failed, my has been denied completely lost hope of having a baby. We were living our lives in despair. Then one day I went in for my regular checkup for diabetes. My
Q: Is stress during pregnancy harmful to the developing baby? A: The short answer is yes, but we're talking about the kind of stress that makes it difficult to get through the day, pregnant or not. When stress is that intense, the risk of pregnancy complications such as premature birth, low birth
Baby K'tan Breeze baby carrier The Baby K'tan Breeze Baby Carrier has the same great double-loop design as the original Baby K'tan but is made of 50% cotton and 50% breathable mesh. This cotton-mesh construction makes the carrier lightweight and breathable while still allowing parents
MSRP: $129.50 No screen; Works with free iPad or iPhone app steminnovation.com We love the sleek look of the IZON, which has the look and feel of an Apple product and sets it apart from the rest of the crowd. This is a monitor for design lovers. It was easy to set up using a simple QR code that
Blossoming flowers, baby animals, rays of sunshine…… Spring is certainly on its way! If you're not ready, don't worry – Pregnancy Magazine has prepared a week of giveaways to prepare you for being out and active with your baby or bump this season! We'll be giving away prizes to two


text:
Burberry make over
Christopher Bailey wows front row guests Anna Wintour, Kate Beckinsale and Tinie Tempah with his makeover of the trench coat which sees bold leopard and giraffe prints and hints of gold transform the classic look. AP video. (Feb. 19)
Exhibit looks at iconic American toys LIRR to demolish, replace 118-year-old Great Neck bridge Meet one of LI's 'Little Free Library' owners Officials: Blaze destroys Fire Island hotel, homes Cops: Woman, 32, fatally stabbed in Glen Cove Cops: Music teacher sexually abused students Officials: Blaze destroys club, hotel in Cherry Grove Cops: Pedestrian struck in Lake Success East Village fire injures dozen, 3 critically Cop hurt in hit-run among 51 promoted Nine Connetquot students arrested in street brawl Luxury modular building comes to Hempstead


text:
Singer Robin Thicke and actress wife Paula Paton split
Patricia Reaney, Reuters
NEW YORK - R&B singer Robin Thicke and his actress wife Paula Patton said on Monday that they have separated after nearly 10 years of marriage.
"Blurred Lines" singer Thicke, who caused a sensation with a raunchy MTV Video Music Awards performance last year with Miley Cyrus, and Patton met as teenagers and have been married since 2005. They have one son, Julian, who was born in 2010.
Are you a newspaper subscriber but you don't have a Digital Access account yet? https://secure.forumcomm.com/?publisher_ID=40&event=subscriber/lookup.
You will need your subscription account number and phone number. Not sure if you have an account? Email us at firstname.lastname@example.com and we can help you.


text: Toppa Top 10: The Best Dancehall Riddims of 2012 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 2. MONEY BOX We are living in a time that does not allow any excluding of Chimney Records when it comes to the top songs of the moment. Their latest masterpiece was released this summer and contains some of my top songs for 2012. Aidonia talks to the herbalists, Mavado speaks about stacking up the papers, Stein gives a detailed description of what could happen if you violate his girl and Supa Hype teams up with Munga, Chi Ching and Gyptian to deliver another immortal party anthem. Definitely top three! Pingback: DJ SHIRKHAN LISTS HIS TOP 10 RIDDIMS IN 2012 | Safari SoundSafari Sound


text:
Help with Spray Adhesive
I need some help in choosing/using spray adhesive. My mother-in-law was recently diagnosed with breast cancer and will soon be undergoing surgery. I want to make a pink themed Christmas wreath for her. I finally was able to locate some pink Christmas balls (with gold filigree design) and an angel with a pink velvet gown. I also found some garland made of clear pink beads that I broke apart into sprays. Anyway, here is my problem. I bought a green wreath and it just looks too "green" LOL - I had the idea to put white glitter on the tips to kind of soften it up a bit. I have never used spray adhesive. If I was to lightly spray the wreath with the adhesive, do you think the glitter would stick to the tips? I was also thinking of perhaps mixing in a very small amount of pink glitter with the whie. I have also had a time finding ribbon for a bow. I finally found a sheer white with some gold filigree on it. I couldn't believe how difficult it was to find white/gold - everything is white/silver. I was thinking about maybe trying to also spray the bow and then lightly sprinking it with pink glitter. Would it be better to do the ribbon before I do the bow - or should I just not put glitter on the bow? What is a good adhesive to get? Thanks for your help!
Some spray adhesives stay tacky, so you might wind up with a "tacky" wreath, no pun intended.LOL Maybe if you were careful to just get the tips it might work. What about just painting an ordinary craft glue on the edges with a paint brush and then sprinkling on the glue.
Thanks for all the suggestions. I did actually do what you suggested gardener1908 - I mixed the "snowy" glitter with just a little pink glitter, painted the tips with craft glue and then sprinkled on the glitter mixture. I really like the way it came out. Now I just have to put all the things on. I am not sure if I am going to put any pink glitter on the ribbon. I think that may be overdoing it.


text:
View Gallery
Brazil's Miss Bum Bum Pageant Is Awesome
This pageant is looking for Brazil's best back side and this is a great thi...
This pageant is looking for Brazil's best back side and this is a great thi...
Some of you are going to be so bummed.
Bums play important roles in the global ecosystem
nice ass
bum giving the finger
Crack head
I took this picture of this homeless guy in San Francisco.
Bum style in barcelona
got him drunk and then drew on his face with some sharpies
Bum fell asleep selling newspapers and pissed on himself.. all standing!
Bummed your in ambulance, I guess they're right
The winner was crowned in Brazil's Miss Bum Bum pageant, crowning the best ...
At least he finally found someone who would listen to his conspiracy theori...
Creepy dudes.
Get that pic, creepy dudes!


text:
Shelter Dogs Shine with Celebrity Names
What's in a name? Potentially a life! Animal shelters all over the country are using a clever new tactic to help facilitate adoptions and increase the bond between animals and potential adopters--they're naming the animals after celebrities.
This new marketing strategy helps potential adopters empathize with the homeless animals and hopefully see them in a different light. Dogs that may otherwise be overlooked can now be seen in a more anthropomorphized form, and that can make all the difference for potential adopters.
In an interview with the New York Times, adopter Heather Allard said she adopted her dog, James Earl Jones, almost solely because of his name. Her first dog's name was Simba, and James Earl Jones played the voice of Simba's father in Disney's The Lion King. She took it as a sign that James Earl Jones was meant to be her next dog, and he went from homeless to a beloved pet that day.
I think this is a fantastic strategy for shining a new light on otherwise overlooked homeless pets.When choosing a new four-legged friend, it can be difficult to decide on a dog, especially when you're at an animal shelter. While what's most important is determining that the dog's temperament, energy level, and size are appropriate for your lifestyle and living situation, a quirky name might just be the cherry on top that helps you choose your next dog.
Have you adopted a dog based on its name? Is your dog named after a celebrity? Leave your comment below.
Episode 323
Victoria and Holly reconnect for a special holiday-themed episode of the Positively Podcast to recap the year in dogs, share the...
Episode 322
Holly stumps Victoria with an Animal Academy after Victoria recaps her skiing trip. Dr. Duffy Jones of Peachtree Hills Animal...
Episode 321
Holly introduces Victoria to After the Rapture, Victoria talks ski vacations, & Dr. Marty Becker (America's Vet) calls in to...
Articles from Victoria Stilwell
- National Fire Dog Monument Vandalized
- Georgia Sheriff Fights for Animal Rights
- Behind the Scenes at Crufts
- Meet "Ms. Manners"!
- How to "Fix" Pet Overpopulation...


text:
Recent Comments
- 1 year ago Myah! Posted via Android Central App
- 1 year ago Sup?
- 2 years ago Me wantzz
- Member for
- 2 years 3 months
Get it in one place
you ask we answer
Get your hands on it
Get it here
Bloop bloop bloop
Smartphone Futurology
A better M8 - but is that enough?
Ionizing radiation and you
Tag Heuer smartwatch
update all the things
Portions of this page are modifications based on work created and shared by the Android Open Source Project
and used according to terms described in the Creative Commons 2.5 Attribution License. AndroidCentral is an independent site
that is not affiliated with or endorsed by Google.


text:
How to balance this softscape?
We are slowly upgrading the curb appeal of our small 70's ranch. A few years ago we replaced our front walkway with pavers. Last year members of the decorating forum helped us with a plan to update the curb appeal by painting the front door, adding shutters and a windowbox. (This work is scheduled for early June, so my photos are "photo-shopped"). After the carpentry is done we will replace all plantings.
I've spoken to designers at several local nurseries (we're in zone 6). They've helped in the selection of plantings but I don't feel the whole design is cohesive; the balance is off.
This is the original "photo-shopped" image with all existing plantings removed:
The photo below shows the plants that we selected at the nursery. We're looking for easy maintenance so we selected short-growing shrubs. The pots on the steps and the windowbox will hold summer annuals for that splash of color.
To the left of the front door are short evergreens under the window and 2 flowering evergreen shrubs (Elf Mountain Laurel or Japanese Andromeda). Iris will be transplanted in front of the flowering shrubs
To the right of the front door are 3 Bigleaf "Endless Summer" Hydrangea and several more short evergreens under the windows.
Two specimen trees will be on each side of the house (dogwood, eastern redbud or a camperdown elm).
The problem is the area to the right of the house, between the driveway and the walkway. It seems to be hidden behind one of the dogwood trees but, in fact, it is a huge open area. I can add short evergreens here but I'm not convinced that would help to balance the layout from the road.
Something is missing.
We would appreciate any thoughts on the design.
Something we've discussed here on the forum lately is how having no visible sidewalk makes curb appeal really challenging. The house looks as it if is floating randomly in the lawn, and visitors are puzzled as to how to approach. A visible walkway from the street or beginning of driveway might add that intangible something that you are after.
Beware advice to add window boxes! Window moustaches do not suit every house, they are an intrusion into your building envelope and a possible nightmare to maintain in attractive condition year-round. To be, oh, a bit blunt, in many cases they are an amateur's way of compensating for not being able to actually come up with a suitable design.
Finally, again tongue in cheek: if you really want to address the house, "step away from the foundation, ma'am!" Just adding an apron to the house, and fussing with the details of the apron, is not landscape design - it's foundation planting, which has it's place in landscape design but is not the sum total of it.
Since you're photoshopping, play with a walkway and maybe a tree here or there... you might see that using the whole canvas will get you a better picture.
Re. balancing the two sides of the house, consider that you've photoshopped in the iris on the left, but nothing in front of the steps or in front of the shrubs on the right. I don't know if you plan to have beds there or if you'll plant grass. The important thing is that in your photoshop, you have a left side with very deep beds and a right side with nothing but five foundation shrubs: of course it doesn't look balanced!
Admittedly, the house itself is not balanced: the right side is wider, the right roof is higher and has the weight of the gambrel-roof gable thingie (sorry: not an architect). However, on the left you have the height and mass of that huge tree, which might balance out the wider right side and higher right roof: we can't see enough of the tree to know exactly how it affects the house and the rest of the landscape. A photo showing a much wider view of the yard would be a big help, because the house and the plants immediately in front of it don't exist in a vacuum.
Another unbalancing factor is that your two new lawn trees aren't centered in relation to the front door or in relation to the front corners of the house (though again, we can only guess where the left corner is).
As for what to do in that "tongue" in-between the driveway and the walkway, these are the options I can see (not a pro designer either):
= You can continue whatever you plan to plant on the house side of the walkway all the way from the front steps to the driveway. We can assume it'll either be lawn or something low enough not to hide the hydrangeas in all their blue glory.
= Or off to the right beyond the corner of the house, you can add one or more additional bushes (though I'm not fond of the alternating hydrangeas and non-flowering shrubs, and extending the row would only make it weirder).
= Or you could add an accent shrub or very small tree in the "tongue" fairly close to its end. You would want something that wouldn't impinge on the driveway, something that won't get very large. Depending exactly where you place the two trees in the lawn, you may want to make sure this shrub doesn't conflict with the tree which is more or less in front of it (for example, they probably shouldn't flower at the same time, especially if they're different colors).
I don't know if it's part of the photoshopping or if your foundation is actually white. If the foundation is white, please consider painting it the color of the siding. This is particularly important on the hydrangea side, because the foundation will be visible behind the bare hydrangea branches in winter -- and only in those spots, as (if I understand correctly) all the other foundation shrubs are evergreens.
But regardless of the color of the foundation, by placing the evergreens under the windows and the hydrangeas in front of the bare walls, in winter you'll end up with a stripey look: bare brown wall with nearly-invisible brown hydrangea branches // dark window with dark evergreens underneath // bare brown wall with nearly-invisible brown hydrangea branches // etc.
Why is the front bare brown? Are you planning on some flowers there, a brick patio/walkway, or just grass . . . ?
In the empty bed by the driveway at the corner of the house, in front of the downspout, I'd plant a lilac. It will cover your view of the downspout, and provide something nice smelling and pretty to look at in the spring as you walk from the driveway to the house or into the garage. It also goes with your color scheme.
Otherwise I think it looks great! I wouldn't do windowboxes, on the second story, they are pretty but a pain to maintain. That's why so many people put fake flowers in them. I definately wouldn't go for that look, although it might not be too bad if you used realistic looking ones. But even they will have to be replaced as they weather. Just seems like way too much work, really not necessary.
karinl - "step away from the foundation"
Thank you thank you! I was thinking only of the foundation and plantings around the walkway but wasn't thinking of the entire landscape (a scary thought when you have such a big front yard). Since I couldn't get a photo of the entire front yard I used bing.com to capture the entire area.
Not only is the walkway invisible from the road due to the distance it's also up a very steep hill (hard to tell in the photo). (Such a shame because we used beautiful pavers!)
There's alot of room between the walkway and the house for plants. I think it's 11 feet wide.
Well that got me thinking about a house down the street that is beautifully landscaped. I walked by it again last night but I was uncomfortable staring at the house. So what's the next best way to stare at a house without being a voyeur? Bring it up using bing!
I photo-shopped the separate photos together since our houses are not close by.
Comparing the two layouts I can see how balanced the other house looks (and how off-balance, and bare, mine is).
They have 2 trees in the lawn but one is much closer to the walkway. I like that.
They also have a large shrub between the walkway and the driveway. I think that's the balance I was looking for but couldn't visualize.
missingtheobvious - Thanks for the "stripey" comment about alternating the evergreen shrubs and hydrangeas. I have enough room to plant evergreens directly along the foundation with the hydrangeas in front of them. Then, in the "tongue", add either a tall thin evergreen or a shrub.
And yes, the foundation is white. Don't know why I didn't realize that it'll be obviously visible in the winter. Will get a paintbrush to it.
lpinkmountain - Limited funds will keep the front as brown mulch for the near future. Maybe at some point will add low-growing junipers or other ground cover. (Can you tell that I like the color brown?)
Moustache???? Hahaha. I've read that comment many times on this forum but, of course, never thought it applied to my house.
Actually posters on the home decorating forum convinced me to add the windowbox instead of shutters; they don't like shutters on a picture window because they don't look "real". I agree that windowboxes can be time-consuming but I was planning to invest in self-watering inserts so I would only need to water once a week. Again didn't think about the winter time.
So I'll play around with a few more layouts and shutter configurations.
What a pleasure to get someone thinking!
Shutters I can sometimes live with, window boxes as a design solution just curl my liver! It's a bit like someone suggesting you just put on a nice necklace when you ask for advice about a dress.
I think we get somewhere in overcoming the tendency to window boxes and shutters if we understand what people who recommend them are afraid of, what they are trying to achieve. I think part of the goal is to add personality and charm, part is softening, and finally a sense of enclosure of some sort. They seem to be afraid of starkness and exposure and isolation of the building, but also oblivious to the lines of the bigger picture. This is not an unattractive house. It does not have anything to hide.
If you step back and take the view that you've thought of taking - from above, from a distance - we can often see how much more scope there is for achieving those objectives if you use the canvas of the whole property.
I'm not a designer, so my terminology tends to be less precise than I'd like, and also I can't always name the concepts, rather kind of feeling my way to the right outcome, but I think if you consider different views of the house and how they either enhance or occlude the house, you come to some new ideas. Your consideration should, however, also always incorporate how you experience the house and yard from inside the space. For instance, the trees you like at the neighbours' for me are too close to the walkway and would constrain how I feel walking along it. Those trees could mitigate the house front just as well if they were midway between street and house.
Hard to tell from the air just where your neighbours' (I know they're not right next door) should have put the trees or their front road-edge garden based on slope, but for me they are still clinging to the perimeter of their property like a swimmer scared to let go of the edge of the pool.
I think in general paintbrush terms if I were doing your house I would
a) plan some sizable trees in the front yard, not little decorative ones but serious (deciduous) trees with presence and eventual high canopies. NOT low canopies, those just block the house for looking in and out (especially of windows).
b) keep the foundation planting low, maybe even perennial/herbaceous to provide interest up close. I really hate (sorry!) the evergreens you've photoshopped in under the windows, they close the windows in and choke the house. I'd want that area to be friendly, airy, flowery. Obviously in winter this will be less attractive, but if it snows you're good, and you know what, it's dark most of the winter anyway :-)
c) break up the lawn with some shrub borders IN it. I think that foundation planting is all too often an attempt to counterbalance the expanse of lawn. Why not just reduce the expanse of lawn in the first place? Make a fair bit of this evergreen, and that will mitigate any bareness in the foundation plantings. If that's a slope, then bed shape may also be apparent from the road and making it interesting will be an additional design feature.
The thread linked below might give you an entirely different perspective on your own house, as might looking at other threads on this forum. You can often see principles much more clearly on different houses than you can on your own.
Here is a link that might be useful: Kiki's thread
Just want to add a few words about the hydrangeas -- they can get to be 5 feet tall and wide. That might be fine in those spots, but they'll be taller and stick out more than the image shows, especially without pruning. They also might not be blue, depending on your soil -- if it's neutral to alkaline, Endless Summer will turn pink. (There are many other hydrangea options, but none stay blue in alkaline soil. My new favorite is Fuji Waterfall, which is white, but a cool and unusual plant. I really didn't want pink ...) I love hydrangeas, but just wanted to make sure you know these things.
How much sun does the front of your house get, and when?
I have a split level with low windows too -- also unbalanced and lacking landscaping. In my attempt to balance it out, I recently put a hydrangea on the smaller side between two windows, and some Drift roses on the "heavier" side -- these shrub roses are supposed to stay less than 2 feet tall, flower all summer, and be resistant to common rose diseases. I also incorporated some other plants that are the common to both sides of the front so it wouldn't look like two completely unrelated beds. Don't know yet if this will look good, but thought I'd share since I'm in a similar boat.
karinl - I think I get it! The landscaping rule for thinking "out of the box" is to think inside the box.
It seems to be true. Over 90% of the homes in my area have trees/shrubs in 3 areas: along the foundation, on the perimeter and around the mailbox. Otherwise there's a large expanse of lawn.
Your idea of "airy and flowery" is terrific. I've always longed for a cottage garden but had never considered one in the front yard. I thought it was too much maintenance.. But, after some investigation, I found over a dozen drought-resistant, easy-care perennials and herbs that will fit perfectly. And they won't cover the lower windows. (Just recently found out that's DH's only rule is: "don't block the windows". So the evergreens wouldn't have worked anyhow.)
A single tall evergreen will be planted to the right of the beds to hide the exposed foundation.
With all the lovely colors in the foundation bedding the windowbox won't be needed.
Adding pockets of evergreens within the front lawn will also give me the space for some of the larger shrubs.
1dahlia4me - the middle of the lawn is the perfect place for those 5 foot hydrangeas! The front of the house faces west so they'll get sun almost all day.
And thanks for the idea of the shrub roses! I think they'll look terrific along the foundation (and will work well with my cottage garden theme). Do you have photos of your house?
lazygardens - I agree with your observation of the floating steps. But what should be planted between the walkway and the road? Something low such as creeping junipers or perhaps a low mounding ornamental grass?
One more question/problem:
DH wants to remove the lawn from the steep slope to the right of the driveway. (He's tired of using the hand-mower.) There's already a cherry tree and a lilac bush at the top of the sloping area. I'd like to fill this entire area with mulch and perhaps add a few low-growing shrubs. But is the balance off again?
Perhaps the same pattern should be continued to the left of the driveway? But then this is along the perimeter again.
Your design eye seems to be coming along very nicely! Very good observation about your neighbours. The term that's been used here for that tendency is perimeteritis. Sometimes it works as a design approach, but usually it's just a missed opportunity. And that's exactly what I meant about the window boxes!
I'm linking to another resource below, some photos posted by a guy who used to post regularly here and on Gardening with Stone. I'm doing this partly to make the point that some hardscape in the landscape somewhere, once you are sure where you want your beds, might not hurt, and can help with things like balance, year-round interest, etc. Actually jugglerguy posted a funny picture on this forum just recently, search his name and it will come up.
But also, his photos show a house with a sloped yard similar to yours, and he's got beds in the middle of the space. In some photos, he has no foundation planting yet, and you can see the extent to which the island bed already functions to mitigate the foundation and the house.
Regarding balance, this has many dimensions, and should not be confused with symmetry, which in your case is not happening anyway due to the fundamental layout. Balance accommodates all sorts of elements of visual weight, including plant mass and density, contrast, ground area, and even flower colour, so can vary. You can make that bed at the opening to the driveway, and give it more or less visual weight relative to the rest of the landscape. And as it happens, you have an almost serendipitous balance in the trees on either side of your property, so I think you have a lot of flexibility. Someone else may be better at discussing this though; balance is not my strong suit.
Basically, I'd make the amount of lawn beds you're comfortable with having for now. It is easier to add beds than to return to lawn, I think, and given the babying that a new bed can need the first year, one a year or so might be a good pace.
Here is a link that might be useful: Jugglerguy's page
I love your new design!
One more note on hydrangeas, though -- they like shade, so they wouldn't be happy in the middle of the yard. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news!
I don't have pictures yet. I still have a long way to go. Maybe I can compare "after" photos with you in a month or two. :)