User interface for multi-device control
First Claim
1. A system including a graphical user interface for managing a plurality of system devices within a controlled environment, comprising:
- one or more processors configured to generate the graphical user interface, the graphical user interface configured to;
display a set of first control objects associated with a plurality of respective system devices within the controlled environment;
enable a user to select a system device of the plurality of respective system devices for active user control of the selected system device by at least providing an activation input for a corresponding control object of the set of first control objects; and
display a device control interface configured to simultaneously present, automatically in response to at least the activation input being provided;
an indication of the selected system device;
a set of second control objects associated with a plurality of respective affiliate system devices within the controlled environment, the respective affiliate system devices being selected by the at least one or more processors based on a determination by the at least one of the one or more processors that the respective affiliate system devices are child devices in a chain of system devices of the selected system device, the affiliate system devices being configured to provide an input to the selected system device; and
control options for the selected system device, each control option being associated with a sequence of commands that, when executed, sends instructions to control at least one of operations or functions of the chain of system devices of the selected system device;
wherein activation of a control object from the set of second control objects populates the device control interface with control options for an affiliate system device associated with the activated control object from the set of second control objects; and
wherein each control option for the affiliate system device is associated with a sequence of commands that, when executed, sends instructions to control at least one of the operations or the functions of the affiliate system device.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A control server, or similar central processor, manages the distribution of data (including audio and video), voice, and control signals among a plurality of system components connected via a wired and/or wireless communications network. The system components include audio/visual components (such as, televisions, monitors, PDAs, notepads, notebooks, MP3, portable stereo, etc.) as well as household appliances (such as, lighting, ovens, alarm clocks, etc.). A portable controller allows a user to access and control the system components from any location within a controlled residential and/or non-residential environment, including its surrounding areas. The portable controller includes a user and management interface that contains customized control screens for the system components. The control screens are stored in a hierarchical architecture that is searchable by region or component type.
151 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A system including a graphical user interface for managing a plurality of system devices within a controlled environment, comprising:
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one or more processors configured to generate the graphical user interface, the graphical user interface configured to; display a set of first control objects associated with a plurality of respective system devices within the controlled environment; enable a user to select a system device of the plurality of respective system devices for active user control of the selected system device by at least providing an activation input for a corresponding control object of the set of first control objects; and display a device control interface configured to simultaneously present, automatically in response to at least the activation input being provided; an indication of the selected system device; a set of second control objects associated with a plurality of respective affiliate system devices within the controlled environment, the respective affiliate system devices being selected by the at least one or more processors based on a determination by the at least one of the one or more processors that the respective affiliate system devices are child devices in a chain of system devices of the selected system device, the affiliate system devices being configured to provide an input to the selected system device; and control options for the selected system device, each control option being associated with a sequence of commands that, when executed, sends instructions to control at least one of operations or functions of the chain of system devices of the selected system device; wherein activation of a control object from the set of second control objects populates the device control interface with control options for an affiliate system device associated with the activated control object from the set of second control objects; and wherein each control option for the affiliate system device is associated with a sequence of commands that, when executed, sends instructions to control at least one of the operations or the functions of the affiliate system device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of managing a plurality of system devices within a controlled environment, comprising:
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presenting, on a user interface, a set of first control objects, each control object being associated with one or more system devices within the controlled environment; selecting a system device for active user control in response to at least receipt of an activation signal associated with a control object from the set of first control objects; populating the user interface with control options for the selected system device; presenting, on the user interface simultaneously with the control options, a set of second control objects representing one or more affiliate system devices that are configured to provide an input to the selected system device, wherein presenting the set of second control objects is based on an automatic determination by a processing device that the one or more affiliate system devices are in a chain of system devices with the selected system device; associating each control option with a sequence of executable commands that sends instructions to control at least one of operations or functions of the chain of system devices; populating the user interface with control options for at least one of the one or more affiliate system devices in response to activation of a control object from the set of second control objects; and associating each control option for the at least one of the one or more affiliate system devices with a sequence of executable commands that sends instructions to control at least one of the operations or the functions of the at least one of the one or more affiliate system devices. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A computer program product comprising a computer useable memory, which is not a signal, having computer readable program code embedded in the memory for causing a processor-based system to manage a plurality of system devices within a controlled environment, the computer program product configured to perform operations comprising:
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present, on a user interface, a set of first control objects, each control object being associated with one or more system devices within the controlled environment; select a system device for active user control in response to at least receipt of an activation signal associated with a control object from the set of first control objects; populate the user interface with control options for the selected system device in response to selecting the system device; present, on the user interface simultaneously with the control options, a set of second control objects representing one or more affiliate system devices based on an automatic determination that the one or more affiliate system devices are child devices of the selected system device in a chain of system devices; associate each control option with a sequence of executable commands that sends instructions to control at least one of operations or functions of the chain of system devices; populate the user interface with control options for at least one of the one or more affiliate system devices in response to activation of a control object from the set of second control objects; and associate each control option for the at least one of the one or more affiliate system devices with a sequence of executable commands that sends instructions to control at least one of the operations or the functions of the at least one of the one or more affiliate system devices. - View Dependent Claims (21)
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Specification