Method and configuring a user interface for controlling a controlled device based upon a device class

• US 6,496,927 B1
• Filed: 06/09/1999
• Issued: 12/17/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Harman Professional, Inc. (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Amx Corporation (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Ward, Robert D., Lewno, Mark S., McGrane, William B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gaffin, Jeffrey
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mai, Rijue
• Application Number:
  US09/329,019
• Time in Patent Office: 1,287 Days
• Field of Search: 713/1, 713/100, 713/300, 713/323, 713/330, 713/340, 713/5, 340/825.22, 345/349, 709/221, 709/220, 710/8, 710/9, 710/11, 710/13, 710/14, 710/104
• US Class Current: 713/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/00 Input arrangements for transferring data to be processed into a form capable of being handled by the computer; Output arrangements for transferring data from processing unit to output unit, e.g. interface arrangements
• 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: H03J 1/0025 in a remote control unit remote control tuning in general H03J9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H03J 2200/23 Remote control device with display showing data to be transmitted to the controlled apparatus
• 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 1/205 with control bus for exchanging commands between units
• 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 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4122 additional display device, e.g. video projector digital output for controlling a plurality of local displays G06F3/1423
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4143 embedded in a Personal Computer [PC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42209 for displaying non-command information, e.g. electronic program guide [EPG], e-mail, messages or a second television channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42221 Transmission circuitry, e.g. infrared [IR] or radio frequency [RF]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42224 Touch pad or touch panel provided on the remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42226 Reprogrammable remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• 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 21/4363 Adapting the video stream to a specific local network, e.g. a Bluetooth® network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/485 End-user interface for client configuration

Abstract

Electronic devices (16, 17) can be controlled by a control unit (11), which in turn is responsive to infrared commands (33) received from a remote (12) utilized by an operator. The remote has a touch-panel display (49), on which images can be displayed. The images are part of a user interface created by a program (86) running in a personal computer (13). An operator enters into the computer an identification of the devices (16, 17) which are to be controlled, and the computer then takes predefined images and automatically customizes them for the these devices. Some of the images have a size which is less than the overall size of the display, so that when one of these images is displayed, a portion of at least one other image will also be visible. For a controlled device which does not recognize each of a discrete power on, discrete power off and power toggle command, the computer automatically effects configuration so as to provide all three functions using a subset of commands which the controlled device actually does recognize.

Claims

1. A method of configuring a user interface portion of a system which controls a controlled device, comprising the steps of:

maintaining a device database which contains respective device information for each of a plurality of different devices;

maintaining an initial interface definition for a device class which includes a plurality of the devices in the database the initial interface definition including an initial image capable of being displayed on a display;

permitting an operator to select a device in the device class to be the controlled device;

automatically preparing a modified interface definition by modifying the initial interface definition based on the device information in the device database which corresponds to the controlled device; and

controlling the user interface portion using an interface control definition which is a function of the modified interface definition the user interface portion including the display.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said initial image includes user selectable control elements, and wherein said step of automatically preparing a modified interface definition includes the step of deleting one of said control elements of said initial image.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein said step of maintaining a device database includes the step of maintaining in said device information for said controlled device a list of control codes which are accepted by said controlled device, and wherein said step of deleting a control element is carried out as a function of said list of control codes.

4. A method according to claim 2, including the step of eliminating indicia associated with said deleted control element.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein said step of automatically preparing a modified interface definition includes the step of setting a display attribute for said initial image as a function of said device information for said control device.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein said display attribute is a feedback attribute which determines display characteristic for a user selectable control element.

7. A method according to claim 1, including the step of:

maintaining a further interface definition which includes a further image having a region associated with a region identifier, said initial image of said initial interface definition including a definition of an external control element which includes a region identifier;

searching for a region having a region identifier corresponding to said region identifier of said control element; and

adding to the region with the corresponding region identifier a representation of the control element.

8. A method according to claim 7, including the step of adding to said region of said further image a capability for scrolling through a plurality of control elements added by said adding step.

9. A method of configuring a user interface portion of a system which controls a controlled device, the user interface portion including a display, comprising the steps of:

maintaining a device database which identifies a plurality of different devices;

maintaining an interface database which includes information defining a plurality of images each capable of being displayed on the display, each of the devices in the device database being associated with at least one of the images, and at least one of the images having a reduced size smaller than the size of the display;

permitting an operator to select as the controlled device a device in the device database that is associated with a first said image which has said reduced size;

preparing an interface control definition which includes at least two images, one of which is said first image, said interface control definition displaying said first image by overlaying the first image over at least a portion of a second image which is one of the images in the interface control definition other than the first image; and

controlling the user interface portion using said interface control definition.

10. A method according to claim 9, including after said overlaying step the step of removing said first image from the display so that said portion of said second image becomes visible.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein said removing step is automatically carried out following a predetermined time interval during which a user does not interact with said user interface.