System and method for universal control of devices
First Claim
1. An apparatus capable of controlling multiple electronic devices comprising:
- a local display device comprising a simulation viewer operative to remotely simulate a selected electronic device based on a simulation configuration file, the local display device operative to enable control of at least one function of the selected electronic device remotely.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus that gives a human user universal control of electronic devices. The apparatus includes a local display device having a simulation viewer program for simulating controls of the electronic device on a display, where the simulation is generated based on a simulation configuration file associated with each electronic device. The local display device loads the simulation configuration file of a selected electronic device communicating on a communications network and simulates the controls of the electronic device associated with the loaded simulation configuration. The communications network is preferably a wireless network using a Bluetooth communications protocol. When a user selects an identifier on the local display device designating a particular electronic device, the simulation viewer program requests and receives from the electronic device, the simulation configuration file that allows the simulation viewer program to simulation the appearance and functions of the electronic device on the local display device.
137 Citations
34 Claims
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1. An apparatus capable of controlling multiple electronic devices comprising:
a local display device comprising a simulation viewer operative to remotely simulate a selected electronic device based on a simulation configuration file, the local display device operative to enable control of at least one function of the selected electronic device remotely. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 34)
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11. A universal control system comprising:
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at least one electronic device over which a user desires to exert control, the at least one electronic device including a simulation configuration file; and
a local display device configured to remotely control the at least one electronic device over a communications network, the local display device comprising a simulation viewer operative to simulate at least one control of the at least one electronic device on the local display device based on the simulation configuration file. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, 19, 20, 33)
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16. A method of controlling electronic devices over a communications network with a local display device, the method comprising:
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selecting, via the local display device, an electronic device to be controlled;
transferring a simulation configuration file from the selected electronic device to the local display device, via the communications network;
simulating at least one control of the selected electronic device on the local display device based on the transferred simulation configuration file; and
controlling the selected electronic device with the simulated at least one control on the local display device.
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21. An apparatus for remotely controlling at least one electronic device comprising:
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a central processing unit (CPU);
a memory coupled to the CPU;
a simulation viewer program stored in the memory;
a display device coupled to the CPU and operative to display a control simulation of the at least one electronic device generated by the simulation viewer program;
an input device coupled to the CPU for allowing a user to interface with the displayed control simulation; and
a communications device coupled to the CPU and configured to receive and transmit information between the at least one electronic device over a communications network. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A simulation configuration file for enabling universal control of electronic devices via simulation, the simulation configuration file comprising:
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a description of displayable graphical entities of a specific electronic device;
a description of sound definitions for the specific electronic device;
a list of active regions and corresponding coordinates for the displayable graphical entities; and
a definition of logic control for the specific electronic device. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32)
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Specification