Dual-mode controller
First Claim
1. A system for operating a dual-mode controller, the system comprising:
- a controller comprising a processor, a non-transitory machine-readable memory, and a first display; and
a plurality of ancillary components coupled to and in communication with the controller to send and receive information between each, the plurality of ancillary components comprising two or more of a location positioning component, a satellite communication component, a messaging component, a sound and/or image component, a climate control component, an alert component, one or more sensors, one or more transducers, or an emergency rescue beacon component;
wherein the controller is configured to operate in a first mode of controlling the plurality of ancillary components,wherein, when operating in the first mode, the first display serves as a control interface for user control inputs for regulating operation of the plurality of ancillary components via a portion of a first number of functional commands provided at the first display; and
wherein the controller is configured to operate in a second mode of controlling the plurality of ancillary components based on receipt of a wireless signal from an external computing device indicating that a user wishes to control the plurality of ancillary components in the second mode,wherein, when operating in the second mode, the processor enables the external computing device toa) serve as control interface for one or more of the plurality of ancillary components,b) communicate, by a second processor of the external computing device, by sending and receiving information between each of a portion of the one or more of the plurality of ancillary components, andc) provide, via a second display of the external computing device, a portion of a second number of functional commands to the user for regulating operation of the plurality of ancillary components,wherein certain commands of the second number of functional commands are unavailable in the first number of functional commands, andwherein the processor displays a portion of information at the first display of the controller that is displayed at the second display of the external computing device responsive to certain other commands included in both the first number of functional commands and the second number of functional commands.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A dual-mode controller may include a communication interface between a handheld electronic device and subsystems on a computing bus or network. The dual-mode controller may operate in a “master mode” when a user directly manipulates the dual-mode controller to communicate with any subsystem(s). In this mode, the dual-mode controller may serve as a master controller and accesses and controls various subsystems on the bus or network (such as location positioning subsystems, satellite communication subsystems, emergency rescue beacon subsystems, sensors and transducers) as a master controller. In a slave mode, the interface may act as an adapter or interface between the handheld device and the subsystems.
109 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A system for operating a dual-mode controller, the system comprising:
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a controller comprising a processor, a non-transitory machine-readable memory, and a first display; and a plurality of ancillary components coupled to and in communication with the controller to send and receive information between each, the plurality of ancillary components comprising two or more of a location positioning component, a satellite communication component, a messaging component, a sound and/or image component, a climate control component, an alert component, one or more sensors, one or more transducers, or an emergency rescue beacon component; wherein the controller is configured to operate in a first mode of controlling the plurality of ancillary components, wherein, when operating in the first mode, the first display serves as a control interface for user control inputs for regulating operation of the plurality of ancillary components via a portion of a first number of functional commands provided at the first display; and wherein the controller is configured to operate in a second mode of controlling the plurality of ancillary components based on receipt of a wireless signal from an external computing device indicating that a user wishes to control the plurality of ancillary components in the second mode, wherein, when operating in the second mode, the processor enables the external computing device to a) serve as control interface for one or more of the plurality of ancillary components, b) communicate, by a second processor of the external computing device, by sending and receiving information between each of a portion of the one or more of the plurality of ancillary components, and c) provide, via a second display of the external computing device, a portion of a second number of functional commands to the user for regulating operation of the plurality of ancillary components, wherein certain commands of the second number of functional commands are unavailable in the first number of functional commands, and wherein the processor displays a portion of information at the first display of the controller that is displayed at the second display of the external computing device responsive to certain other commands included in both the first number of functional commands and the second number of functional commands. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method comprising:
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communicating, by processing circuitry of a controller, with each of a plurality of ancillary components communicatively coupled to the controller, wherein communicating with each of the plurality of ancillary components includes sending information to and receiving information from the respective ancillary component, and wherein the plurality of ancillary components includes two or more of a location positioning component, a sound and/or image component, a climate control component, an alert component, one or more sensors, or one or more transducers; controlling, by the processing circuitry, the plurality of ancillary components in a first mode of control, wherein controlling the plurality of ancillary components in the first mode includes providing, at a first display of the controller, a portion of a first number of functional commands for controlling the plurality of ancillary components, and regulating operation of the plurality of ancillary components based on first user inputs associated with at least one of the first number of functional commands at the first display; and controlling, by the processing circuitry based on receiving a signal from a wirelessly connected external computing device, the plurality of ancillary components in a second mode of control, wherein controlling the plurality of ancillary components in the second mode includes causing display, at a second display of the external computing device, of a portion of a second number of functional commands for controlling the plurality of ancillary components, wherein the second display is a control interface for one or more of the ancillary components, and wherein certain commands of the second number of functional commands are unavailable in the first number of functional commands, regulating operation of the plurality of ancillary components based on second user inputs associated with at least one of the second number of functional commands at the second display, wherein regulating operation of the plurality of ancillary components includes sending and receiving information between each of a portion of components of the plurality of ancillary components, and displaying a portion of information at the first display of the controller that is displayed at the second display of the external computing device responsive to certain other commands included in both the first number of functional commands and the second number of functional commands. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification