Graphical user interface with method and apparatus for interfacing to remote devices

• US 6,020,881 A
• Filed: 02/18/1997
• Issued: 02/01/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sun Microsystems (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sun Microsystems (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Clayton, Charles H. III, Frank, Edward H., Warth, Chris, Palrang, Joseph M., Naughton, Patrick J., Gosling, James A., Sheridan, R. Michael, LaValle, David A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Matthew M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): dela Torre, Crescelle N.
• Application Number:
  US08/801,170
• Time in Patent Office: 1,078 Days
• Field of Search: 345/326, 345/327, 345/335, 345/339, 345/346, 345/348, 345/349, 345/357, 345/173, 364/188
• US Class Current: 715/740
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0384 Wireless input, i.e. hardware and software details of wireless interface arrangements for pointing devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/033 Pointing devices displaced or positioned by the user , e.g. mice, trackballs, pens or joysticks; Accessories therefor digitisers characterised by the transducing means G06F3/041
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/465 Distributed object oriented systems remote method invocation [RMI] G06F9/548
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/14 with provision for individual teacher-student communication
• CPC Class Codes: H03J 1/0025 in a remote control unit remote control tuning in general H03J9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H03J 2200/25 Remote control device with display
• CPC Class Codes: H03J 2200/26 Remote control device with touch screen display
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/202 by remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2809 indicating that an appliance service is present in a home automation network monitoring functionality H04L43/0817; discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services, H04L67/51
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2818 from a device located outside both the home and the home network access arrangements H04L12/2856; for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025; arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless eletrical link G08C17/00; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with remote control systems H04M11/007
• 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 2012/2841 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/75 Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 : in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 : Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72415 : for remote control of appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4113 : PC
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 : having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• 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 21/42204 : User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 : Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4312 : involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4314 : for fitting data in a restricted space on the screen, e.g. EPG data in a rectangular grid
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 : for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• 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: H04N 21/43622 : Interfacing an external recording device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 : End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47214 : for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4722 : for requesting additional data associated with the content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/478 : Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 : End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4821 : using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/485 : End-user interface for client configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 : involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8586 : by using a URL processing chained hypermedia data for information retrieval G06F16/94; information retrieval from the Internet by using URLs G06F16/955; URL in broadcast information H04H20/93; Web-based protocols H04L67/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 : Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 : Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/977 : Dynamic icon, e.g. animated or live action

Abstract

An intuitive graphical user interface is based upon a geographic map structure, and includes a system for controlling remote external electronic devices. In the defined graphical user interface, each Space of the geographic map structure is rendered on a touch screen display as a graphic image of a geographic space. Within each Space are colored cartoon-like icons called "objects" which can be Selected and manipulated by the user. Certain objects, referred to as portals, transport the user from one Space to another Space when Selected. Other objects, referred to as buttons, perform associated actions or functions when Selected. The graphical user interface is displayed on a hand-held display device used to control remote devices. Each remote electronic device transmits a user interface program object that defines a graphical user interface to the display device. The hand-held display devices displays the graphical user interface associated with the remote device when a user selects an icon associated with the remote device on the display device'"'"'s touch screen display.

Claims

1. An apparatus for controlling at least one remote device, said apparatus comprising:

a central processing unit (CPU);

a memory coupled to said central processing unit;

a display screen, said display screen coupled to said CPU, said display screen displaying graphic images;

a communications device configured to receive and transmit messages across a communications network, said communications device coupled to said central processing unit;

a device configured to receive via said communications device a user interface program object defining a graphical user interface for a remote device, wherein each remote device broadcasts a corresponding user interface program object; and

a device configured to invoke a user interface method in said user interface program object, said user interface method displaying a graphical user interface associated with said remote device on said display screen.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising:

a device configured to accept input from a user, said input guided by said graphical user interface associated with said remote device on said display screen; and

a device configured to invoke a device driver method executed by said remote device in response to said input from said user, said device driver method controlling said remote device.

3. The apparatus for controlling at least one remote device as claimed in claim 2, said apparatus further comprising

a device configured to receive a device driver program object associated with said remote device over said communications means, said device driver program object including a device driver method for controlling said remote device.

4. The apparatus for controlling at least one remote device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said device driver method is broadcast by said remote device across said communications network and copied into said apparatus.

5. The apparatus for controlling at least one remote device as claimed in claim 4 wherein said device driver method translates said input from said user into a plurality of control codes.

6. The apparatus for controlling at least one remote device as claimed in claim 5 wherein said apparatus transmits said plurality of control codes to said remote device.

7. The apparatus for controlling at least one remote device as claimed in claim 2 wherein said device driver method is located within said remote device.

8. The apparatus for controlling at least one remote device as claimed in claim 7 wherein said device driver method is invoked remotely across said communications network by said apparatus.

9. The apparatus for controlling at least one remote device as claimed in claim 8 wherein said device driver method is remotely invoked using a robust remote procedure call manager.

10. The apparatus for controlling at least one remote device claimed in claim 9, where

said robust remote procedure call manager comprises two pieces, a local piece located in said apparatus and a remote piece located in said remote device, and

said remote piece comprises a device configured to send a message to said local piece requesting more time to complete a method invocation.

11. The apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said device driver method is invoked by transmitting to said remote device a pointer to a device driver object within said remote device.

12. The apparatus according to claim 2 further comprising:

a device configured to display a data object, said data object including information; and

a device configured to program said remote device according to said information within said data object.

13. The apparatus according to claim 2 further comprising a device configured to accept said user interface program object when said remote device is activated.

14. The apparatus according to claim 2 further comprising an element for receiving feedback data from said remote device regarding the invocation of said device driver method.

15. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said device configured to invoke a user interface method further comprises a device configured to display a portal object associated with said remote device.

16. A method of obtaining a graphical user interface from a remote device and controlling said remote device with a local display device, said local display device coupled to a communication network, said method comprising:

providing an element for performing the step of connecting said remote device to said communication network;

providing an element for performing the step of signaling from said remote device that said remote device has a graphical user interface to export upon being connected to said communication network;

providing an element for performing the step of requesting said graphical user interface by said local display device;

providing an element for performing the step of transmitting a corresponding graphical user interface program object comprising a user-interface method for displaying said graphical user interface on said local display device from said remote device to said local display device; and

providing an element for performing the step of invoking said user-interface method in said user interface program object such that said graphical user interface is displayed on said local display device.

17. The method of obtaining a remote device'"'"'s user interface from said remote device and controlling said remote device with a local display device as claimed in claim 16, wherein said method further comprises the steps of:

providing an element for performing the step of interacting with said remote device'"'"'s user interface displayed on said local display device; and

providing an element for performing the step of invoking a control method in a device driver program object to handle said interactions with said remote device'"'"'s user interface.

18. The method of obtaining a remote device'"'"'s user interface from said remote device and controlling said remote device with a local display device as claimed in claim 17, wherein said device driver program object is located within said remote device.

19. The method of obtaining a remote device'"'"'s user interface from said remote device and controlling said remote device with a local display device as claimed in claim 18, wherein said control method in said device driver program object is invoked remotely across said communications network.

20. The method according to claim 19 wherein said device driver method is invoked by transmitting to said remote device a pointer to a device driver object within said remote device.

21. The method of obtaining a remote device'"'"'s user interface from said remote device and controlling said remote device with a local display device as claimed in claim 17, said method further comprising the step of transmitting said device driver program object across said communications network to said local display device.

22. The method of obtaining a remote device'"'"'s user interface from said remote device and controlling said remote device with a local display device as claimed in claim 21, wherein said device driver method within said device driver program object is invoked within said local display device.

23. The method of obtaining a remote device'"'"'s user interface from said remote device and controlling said remote device with a local display device as claimed in claim 22, wherein said device driver method translates said user input into command codes.

24. The method of obtaining a remote device'"'"'s user interface from said remote device and controlling said remote device with a local display device as claimed in claim 23, wherein said local display device transmits said commands codes to said remote device.

25. The method according to claim 16 wherein said step of invoking a user interface method further comprises the step of displaying a portal object associated with said remote device.

26. The method according to claim 16 further comprising the steps of:

providing an element for performing the step of displaying a data object, said data object including information; and

providing an element for performing the step of programming said remote device according to said information within said data object.