Real-world representation system and language

• US 20020169817A1
• Filed: 05/10/2002
• Published: 11/14/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: amBX UK Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Cole, Richard S., Eves, David A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,176,115 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/201
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/28 responding to control signals received from the game device for affecting ambient conditions, e.g. for vibrating players' seats, activating scent dispensers or affecting temperature or light controlling the output signals based on the game progress A63F13/50
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/302 specially adapted for receiving control signals not targeted to a display device or game input means, e.g. vibrating driver's seat, scent dispenser
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4131 home appliance, e.g. lighting, air conditioning system, metering devices home automation data switching networks exchanging configuration information on appliance services H04L12/2807
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8543 using a description language, e.g. Multimedia and Hypermedia information coding Expert Group [MHEG], eXtensible Markup Language [XML] information retrieval of semistructured data, the underlying structure being taken into account, e.g. mark-up language structure data G06F16/80

Abstract

A real-world representation system comprises a set of devices, each device being arranged to provide one or more real-world parameters, for example audio and visual characteristics. At least one of the devices is arranged to receive a real-world description in the form of an instruction set of a markup language and the devices are operated according to the description. General terms expressed in the language are interpreted by either a local server or a distributed browser to operate the devices to render the real-world experience to the user.

Claims

1. A method of operating a set of devices comprising receiving a real-world description in the form of an instruction set of a markup language and operating said devices according to said description.

2. A method according to claim 1, and further comprising distributing said description amongst said devices.

3. A method according to claim 1, and further comprising reading said description at a local server.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein said description forms part of a broadcast signal.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein said description relates to an activity that a user is undertaking.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein said description is triggered from a user interface.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein said interface is a book.

8. A method according to claim 6, wherein said triggering is carried out via a wireless connection.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein said description is triggered from a physical carrier.

10. A real-world representation system comprising a set of devices, each device arranged to provide one or more real-world parameters, at least one of said devices arranged to receive a real-world description in the form of an instruction set of a markup language, and said devices being operated according to said description.

11. A system according to claim 10, wherein said devices are interconnected by a wireless network.

12. A system according to claim 10, wherein said devices are interconnected by a powerline carrier network.

13. A system according to claim 10, wherein a device of said set is a local server.

14. A system according to claim 10, wherein said description is distributed amongst said devices.

15. A system according to claim 10, wherein a device of said set comprises a user interface.

17. A device according to claim 16, wherein said device is an electronic device.

18. A device according to claim 16, wherein said device is a fabric device.

19. A device according to claim 16, wherein said device is a display device.

20. A device according to claim 16, wherein said device has audio capabilities.

21. A device according to claim 16, wherein said device is a lighting device.

22. A device according to claim 16, wherein said device is a heating device.

23. A device according to claim 16, wherein said receiving means includes part of a distributed browser stored on a record carrier, said part interpreting said instruction set and communicating with said adjusting means.

24. A device according to claim 23, wherein said part of said browser is arranged to interpret instructions of a general type to generate specific parameter adjustments for communicating to said adjusting means.

26. A physical carrier having embedded therein executable instructions, said instructions forming part of the markup language of claim 25.

27. A computer-readable medium having executable instructions thereon, said instructions forming part of the markup language of claim 25.

28. A computer-readable medium according to claim 27, wherein said medium is of a recordable format.

29. An instruction set comprising an executable subset of the markup language of claim 25.

30. A computer program for authoring an instruction set of the markup language of claim 25.

31. A computer program for interpreting an instruction set of the markup language of claim 25 into a set of device operations.

32. A language according to claim 25, wherein said real-world experiences include visual, audio, olfactory and tactile sensations.

33. A language according to claim 25, wherein said language is XML compliant.

16. A markup language enabled device comprising receiving means for receiving a real-world description in the form of an instruction set of a markup language and adjusting means for adjusting one or more parameters of the device according to said description.

25. A markup language for describing real-world experiences comprising an instruction set including instructions interpretable by a markup enabled device to operate said device.