DYNAMIC INTERFACE FOR REMOTE CONTROL OF A HOME AUTOMATION NETWORK

• US 20080313566A1
• Filed: 06/13/2008
• Published: 12/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Snap One LLC (Resideo Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Control4 Corporation (Resideo Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Doubek, Joe, Barnum, Wally
• Granted Patent: US 10,877,623 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/825
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/20 Binding and programming of remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/30 User interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/281 indicating a format for calling an appliance service function in a home automation network for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2816 Controlling appliance services of a home automation network by calling their functionalities arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station; in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom H04Q9/00

Abstract

A home automation network system having an automation controller and a remote control is described. The automation controller can dynamically download extracts from a menu database to the remote control as a user navigates through the menus. Downloading can be based on remote control configuration parameters communicated to the automation controller. Menus can be selected based on display limitations and input control types available on the remote control.

Claims

1. A method of operating a remote control having a display in a home automation network having an automation controller, comprising the steps of:

communicating remote control configuration parameters from the remote control to the automation controller; and

dynamically receiving database extracts from the automation controller at the remote control in response to menu navigation by the user, the database extracts defining displayable user interface elements consistent with the remote control configuration parameters.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

displaying a selection-type displayable user interface element on the remote control display when an input control is activated which has been function mapped to a menu navigation function; and

displaying a control-type displayable user interface element on the remote control display when an input control is activated which has been function mapped to a menu selection function.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the selection-type displayable menu item comprises text strings.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the control-type displayable menu item comprises a control type chosen from the group consisting of a touch slider, a touch switch, a push button, a slider, a toggle switch, a rotary knob.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of dynamically receiving database extracts comprises fetching a displayable menu item for immediate display.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of dynamically receiving database extracts comprises fetching a displayable menu item for storage.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of dynamically receiving database extracts comprises fetching a control type for immediate display.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the remote control configuration parameters comprise a display width limit.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the remote control configuration parameters comprise a display height limit.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the remote control configuration parameters comprise a memory size limit.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the remote control configuration parameters comprise a list of available controls.

12. A method of control in a home automation network having an automation controller and a remote control having a limited capacity memory and a limited capacity display, the method comprising the steps of:

communicating remote control capacity parameters from the remote control to the automation controller;

downloading menu items from the automation controller to the remote control, a number of menu items and a length of each menu item selected by the automation controller based on the remote control capacity parameters; and

displaying at least one of the menu items on the a display on the remote control;

changing the menu item displayed in response to user navigation commands; and

downloading additional menu items in response to user navigation commands.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of downloading additional menu items comprises:

obtaining a next menu item not currently displayed on the remote control; and

storing the next menu item in the limited capacity memory.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of storing the next menu item comprises overwriting a menu item currently stored in the limited capacity memory.

15. A home automation network comprising:

an automation controller coupled to a plurality of home automation network components for controlling the plurality of home automation network components;

a menu database accessible to the automation controller, the menu database defining user-navigable control menus to allow user control of the home automation network components; and

a remote control in communication with the automation controller, the remote control being arranged to dynamically download limited portions of the menu database from the automation controller in response to a user navigating through the menu database using the remote control.

16. The home automation network of claim 15, wherein the limited portions of the database are based on remote control capacity limitations communicated from the remote control to the controller.

17. The home automation network of claim 15, wherein the remote control further comprises:

a display for displaying a selection from the menu database; and

a user-input control for accepting user input.

18. The home automation network of claim 17, wherein a touch screen provides the display and user-input control.

19. The home automation network of claim 15, wherein

the automation controller further comprises a wireless transceiver;

and

the remote control further comprises a wireless transceiver, the wireless transceivers in communication with each other to form a wireless network.

20. The home automation network of claim 15, wherein the menu database comprises a plurality of text strings.

21. The home automation network of claim 15, wherein the menu database comprises a plurality of control type identifiers.

22. The home automation network of claim 15, further comprising the plurality of home automation network components.

23. An automation controller for a home automation network for use with a remote control, the automation controller comprising:

a database storage having plural navigable menu items stored therein;

means for extracting menu items from the database in response to requests from the remote control, the number of menu items and length of menu items based on remote control capacity limits; and

means for communicating extracted menu items to the remote control.

24. A remote control for a home automation network for use with an automation controller having control of the home automation network, the remote control comprising:

a display for displaying menu items to a user;

a means for communicating capacity limits to the automation controller; and

a means for dynamically downloading a limited number of menu items of a limited length from the automation controller as a user navigates through the menu items.