Device control via digitally stored program content

• US 20020035404A1
• Filed: 06/11/2001
• Published: 03/21/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DIRECTV, LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Seah, Ernest, Yap, Adrian, Ficco, Michael, Karthikeyan, Rajeshwari
• Granted Patent: US 6,868,292 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/65
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/282 based on user interaction within the home receiver circuitry for displaying additional information being controlled by a remote control apparatus H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]

Abstract

A method and system of controlling devices with digitally stored content. Devices such as home electronic appliances, lighting systems, heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment, home security systems and home entertainment systems are controlled from a single, centralized device. A set top box (STB) stores scripts that include program content for controlling the operation of a plurality of these devices from the STB. A user of the STB selects the desired scripts, and the STB accesses the selected scripts from storage based on a triggering mechanism such as time, content, event, etc. The STB selectively controls operation of certain devices designated in the script. The method provides ease of control over multiple and diverse devices, applications and media within a user'"'"'s own home environment, with more functionality and flexibility than currently available.

Claims

1. A method of controlling devices via digitally stored program content, comprising

storing a script in a mass storage device of a set top box, STB, wherein said script includes program content for controlling a plurality of devices from the STB;

accessing the stored script based on a triggering mechanism that initiates the script; and

running said script to selectively control operation of said devices as designated by said script.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said devices include any of home electronic appliances, lighting systems, heating, ventilating and air conditioning equipment, home security systems, home entertainment systems, and designated websites and associated internet media.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending a command from an interface selected from one of a remote control device, input device from a PC, or execution keys and buttons provided on the STB, to display a menu on a display that is operatively connected to the STB, wherein a user selects a desired script from the mass storage device.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said user creates a customized script from program content routines stored in the mass storage device, or creates a customized script by accessing an online subscriber service to select desired program content routines to be contained within the downloaded script.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said steps of storing, accessing and running are controlled by a host processor within the STB.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said host processor communicates with devices designated in the script by sending commands over existing electrical wiring to modules that are plugged into said designated devices.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein said host processor communicates with devices designated in the script by sending commands via an infrared transmitter, which are received by infrared receivers operatively connected to said designated devices.

8. The method of claim 5,

wherein said STB and said plurality of devices are arranged as a network,

wherein the host processor includes a command and control interface and each device has a control application associated with it that is invoked via the host processor, and

wherein said host processor communicates with devices designated in the script by invoking a control application for each of said designated devices.

9. The method of claim 5,

wherein said STB and said plurality of devices are arranged as a wireless network with the STB having a transmitter and each of the devices being provided with a wireless receiver,

wherein the STB and plurality of devices are configured to include a wireless spread-spectrum link, and

wherein said STB communicates with devices designated in the script by sending commands between transmitter and receiver over said wireless spread-spectrum link for each of said designated devices.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the wireless network is a home local area network (LAN) that is configured to communicate with a network service provider in order to input preferences for, select and download offered scripts or program content routines to the mass storage device.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the mass storage device is a hard disk drive that stores a database of pre-programmed scripts, and is adapted to store individual, selectable program content routines for creating a customized script.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the STB downloads a selected script into the mass storage device from a subscriber online service, based on selections made by a user.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said script is run from a remote source.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said source is selected from any of a PC, laptop and hand-held computer.

15. The method of claim 4, wherein said script is selected and downloaded to the STB from a satellite system, or selected and downloaded as a pay-per-script event from a cable or satellite TV provider.

17. The STB of claim 16, wherein said devices include any of home electronic appliances, lighting systems, heating, ventilating and air conditioning equipment, home security systems, home entertainment systems and designated websites and associate internet media.

18. The STB of claim 16,

wherein a user sends a command to the STB from an interface selected from one of a remote control device, input device from a PC, or execution keys and buttons provided on the STB, to display a menu on a display that is operatively connected to the STB, and

wherein the user selects a desired script from the mass storage device.

19. The STB of claim 18, wherein said user creates a customized script from program content routines stored in the mass storage device, or creates a customized script by accessing said subscriber service online to select desired program content routines to be contained within the downloaded script.

20. The STB of claim 16, wherein said host processor communicates with devices designated in the script by sending commands over existing electrical wiring to modules that are plugged into said designated devices.

21. The STB of claim 16, wherein said host processor communicates with devices designated in the script by sending commands via an infrared transmitter, which are received by infrared receivers operatively connected to said designated devices.

22. The STB of claim 16,

wherein said STB and said plurality of devices are arranged as a network,

wherein the host processor includes command and control application circuitry and each device has a control application associated with it that is invoked via the host processor, and

wherein said host processor communicates with devices designated in the script by invoking a control application for each of said designated devices.

23. The STB of claim 16,

wherein said STB and said plurality of devices are arranged as a wireless network with the STB having a transmitter and each of the devices being provided with a wireless receiver to receive a wireless spread-spectrum link, and

wherein said STB communicates with devices designated in the script by sending commands between transmitter and receiver over said wireless spread-spectrum link for each of said designated devices.

24. The STB of claim 23, wherein the wireless network is a home local area network (LAN) that is configured to communicate with a network service provider in order to input preferences for, select and download offered scripts or program content routines to the mass storage device.

25. The STB of claim 16, wherein the mass storage device is a hard disk drive that stores a database of pre-programmed scripts, and is adapted to store individual, selectable program content routines for creating a customized script.

26. The STB of claim 16, wherein a selected script is downloaded into the mass storage device from a subscriber online service.

27. The STB of claim 16, wherein said triggering mechanism is selected from one of a time trigger, content trigger, programming trigger and event trigger.

28. The STB of claim 16, wherein said script is run from a remote source.

29. The STB of claim 28, wherein said source is selected from any of a PC, laptop and hand-held computer.

30. The STB of claim 19, wherein said script is selected and downloaded to the STB from a satellite system, or selected and downloaded as a pay-per-script event from a cable or satellite TV provider.

16. A set top box (STB) for controlling devices via digitally stored program content, comprising

a mass storage device for storing a plurality of selectable scripts, wherein each of said scripts include program content for controlling a plurality of devices from the STB;

and

a host processor for accessing the stored script based on recognition of a triggering mechanism that initiates the script, wherein said host processor runs said script to selectively control operation of said devices designated in said script.

31. A computer program product comprising a computer-readable medium having computer program logic stored thereon for enabling a processor in a system to control devices with content that is digitally stored in the system, said computer program logic causing the processor to:

store a script in a mass storage device of the system, wherein said script includes program content for controlling a plurality of devices from the system;

access the stored script based on a triggering mechanism that initiates the script; and

run said script to selectively control operation of said devices as designated by said script.