Method and system for distributing art

• US 20040100481A1
• Filed: 10/22/2003
• Published: 05/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: William H. Gates
• Original Assignee: William H. Gates
• Inventors: Cook, James, Hasha, Richard, Muoio, David J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,196,678 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/716
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/38 for implementing user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/449 Object-oriented method invocation or resolution
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/465 Distributed object oriented systems remote method invocation [RMI] G06F9/548
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 90/00 Systems or methods specially adapted for administrative, commercial, financial, managerial or supervisory purposes, not involving significant data processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/00 General purpose image data processing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2834 Switching of information between an external network and a home network access arrangements H04L12/2856
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2849 Audio/video appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26258 for generating a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlist, or scheduling item distribution according to such list retrieval of multimedia data based on playlists G06F16/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/10 Controlling the light source
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/155 Coordinated control of two or more light sources
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/18 via data-bus transmission

Abstract

An art distribution system for distributing art to multiple display devices within an environment. The art distribution system provides a technique for specifying images to be displayed in an environment. The art distribution system provides a hierarchical representation of spaces within the environment. Each space may be further subdivided into subspaces. The art distribution system allows a user to select a space within the hierarchy and then to select an image that is to be displayed at the display devices within the selected space. The art distribution system then displays the selected image within the space including within all subspaces of the selected space. The art distribution system may allow a subsequent assignment of the image to a subspace to override within that subspace the previous selection of an image for the space.

Claims

1. A method in a computer system for applying an effect to a physical environment, the environment having a plurality of spaces, comprising:

grouping the plurality of spaces into a plurality of groups;

determining a group of spaces from the plurality of groups;

determining an effect to be applied to the determined group; and

causing the determined effect to be applied to the spaces of the determined group such that the effect is applied to each space belonging to the group.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the effect is the controlling of environmental conditions, such that causing the effect to be applied to the spaces of the determined group controls the environmental conditions of all of the spaces belonging to the determined group.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the effect is displaying an image on a display device.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the acts of determining an effect is capable of being performed from at least one of the plurality of spaces.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein the image is an electronic art image.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein the image is one of a plurality of images that are displayed in sequence at periodic intervals.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the spaces are rooms in building.

8. The method of claim 1 comprising determining a second group of spaces from the plurality of groups and determining a second effect to be applied to the second group of spaces.

9. A data signal transmitted over a computer-readable data transmission medium containing instructions for controlling a computer system to apply effects to a physical environment, the environment having a plurality of spaces, by:

grouping the plurality of spaces into a plurality of groups;

determining a group of spaces from the plurality of groups;

determining an effect to be applied to the determined group; and

causing the determined effect to be applied to the spaces of the determined group such that the effect is applied to each space belonging to the group.

10. The data signal of claim 9 wherein the effect is the controlling of environmental conditions, such that causing the effect to be applied to the spaces of the determined group controls the environmental conditions of all of the spaces belonging to the determined group.

11. The data signal of claim 9 wherein the effect is displaying an image.

12. The data signal of claim 9 wherein the computer-readable data transmission medium is a network.

13. The data signal of claim 12 wherein the computer-readable data transmission medium is the internet.

14. A system for applying effects to a physical environment having a plurality of physical spaces, comprising:

a computer having a plurality of computer-readable instructions for providing a plurality of logical groups where each logical group corresponds to a plurality of the physical spaces of computer readable instructions capable of executing on the computer for selecting one of the logical groups;

a plurality of computer readable instructions capable of executing on the computer for selecting an effect to be applied to the selected logical group;

an interface capable of transmitting a signal indicative of the physical effect to computing devices associated with each physical space in the logical group so that the computing device may cause the effect to be applied to the physical space.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the effect is the controlling of environmental conditions, such that causing the effect to be applied to the spaces of the determined group controls the environmental conditions of all of the spaces belonging to the determined group.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the effect is displaying an image on a display device associate with each computing device.

17. The system of claim 15 wherein the an effect is capable of being selected by a transmission from at least one of the computing devices.

18. The system of claim 16 wherein the image is an electronic art image.

19. The system of claim 16 wherein the image is one of a plurality of images that are capable of being displayed in sequence at periodic intervals.

20. The system of claim 14 wherein the spaces are rooms in building.

21. The system of claim 14 comprising a plurality of computer readable instruction capable of executing on the computer for selecting a second one of the logical groups from the plurality of logical groups;

and

a plurality of computer readable instruction capable of executing on the computer for selecting a second effect to be applied to the second group of spaces.