Method and apparatus for device control

• US 6,502,000 B1
• Filed: 08/20/1999
• Issued: 12/31/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Innovative Building Management Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Williams, Peter Michael, Macer, Peter James, Arnold, Patrick Simon
• Primary Examiner(s): Von Buhr, Maria N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Garland, Steven R.
• Application Number:
  US09/367,923
• Time in Patent Office: 1,229 Days
• Field of Search: 700/52, 700/17, 700/83, 700/2, 700/9, 700/84, 700/85, 345/718, 345/746, 345/762, 345/740, 345/771, 345/773, 710/10, 710/11, 710/16, 710/19, 710/62, 710/63, 710/72, 710/8, 710/14, 713/1, 713/100, 712/1, 709/230
• US Class Current: 700/83
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/24 Negotiation of communication capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/28 Timers or timing mechanisms used in protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

A method and apparatus are provided by which one device (12) can be used to control another device (11) without any requirement that the controlling device (12) has any knowledge of the nature or functionality of the controlled device (11). The controlled device (11) transmits to the controlling device (12) a set of possible parameter choices, together with information identifying the possible parameter choices. The controlling device (12) then displays (or otherwise provides to the user) both the set of parameter choices and the information so that a user (13) is able to select a set of actual parameter choices through the user interface of the controlling device (12). The set of actual parameter choices is then transmitted back to the controlled device (11), whose operational parameters are then modified in accordance with the set of actual parameter choices. The controlling device (12) thus needs no knowledge of the nature of the controlled device (11), as it only has to present the information and choices provided by the controlled device itself to the user (13). The nature of this presentation can be determined by the display and user interface capabilities of the controlling device.

Claims

1. A method for the control of a controlled device by means of a controlling device, comprising:

establishment of a signal transmission system between the controlling device and the controlled device;

provision by the controlled device of a set of possible parameter choices and information identifying said possible parameter choices and transmission thereof to the controlling device;

display at the controlling device of the set of possible parameter choices and of information identifying possible parameter choices to enable user selection of a set of actual parameter choices with a user selection apparatus;

transmission of the set of actual parameter choices to the controlled device; and

modification of operational parameters of the controlled device in accordance with the set of actual parameter choices;

wherein the set of possible parameter choices and set of actual parameter choices are provided in a form independent of the user selection apparatus.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the steps of user selection of a set of actual parameter choices, of transmission of the set of actual parameter choices, and of modification of the operational parameters of the controlled device in accordance with the set of actual parameter choices are repeated as a sequence whenever the user wishes to modify his selection of actual parameter choices.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the set of possible parameter choices is arranged as a hierarchy, wherein user selection of a given parameter choice may require user selection of another parameter choice not required if the given parameter choice had not been selected.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein between establishment of a signal transmission system between the controlling device and the controlled device and transmission by the controlled device of a set of possible parameter choices and information identifying said possible parameter choices to the controlling device, there is provided the step of the controlling device requesting a set of possible parameter choices and information identifying said possible parameter choices from the controlled device.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the set of possible parameter choices and information relating to the possible parameter choices is provided in the form of a control script indicating for each parameter the possible parameter choices, a type for that parameter, and user interpretable parameter information.

6. A method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the controlling device is adapted to display each type of parameter according to a predetermined display rule.

7. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the set of possible parameter choices and information relating to the possible parameter choices is provided in a markup language.

8. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the display at the controlling device of the set of possible parameter choices and of information identifying possible parameter choices comprises rendering of a control panel for display to a user wherein the user can interact with the control panel to provide a set of actual parameter choices.

9. A method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the representation of a given parameter choice in the control panel is independent of a function of the parameter but dependent on the type of choices available for that parameter.

10. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the display at the controlling device of the set of possible parameter choices and of information identifying possible parameter choices comprises making the set of possible parameter choices and the information available to a means capable of interpreting the information and returning a selection of actual parameter choices from the set of possible parameter choices.

11. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein each passage of information between the controlling device and the controlled device consists of one or more interactions from an interaction set, none of the interactions of the interaction set being dependent on the function to be carried out on the information by either of the devices.

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein each passage of information relates to sharing of a surface between the devices, wherein the surface is a representation of the internal state of the controlled device.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein each surface comprises data and a set of formats in which the data can be provided by the controlled device.

14. A method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the interaction set comprises an interaction for the sharing of a surface in one surface with one or more devices not having that surface.

15. A method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the interaction set comprises interactions relating to transfer of content between a surface in a first device and the corresponding surface in one or more second devices.

16. A method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the interaction set comprises interactions relating to deletion or modification of surfaces in one or more second devices corresponding to a surface in a first device.

17. A method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the surface comprises a class indicating the function of the surface.

18. A method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the interaction set comprises a request for a surface by a second device from a first device.

19. A method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the interaction set comprises a request for a description of a surface by a second device from a first device, wherein the description of a surface comprises a hierarchy of choices for provision of data associated with that surface.

20. A method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the interaction set comprises a request for provision of data associated with the surface.

21. A method as claimed in claim 20, wherein the interaction set comprises a response to a request for provision of data associated with the surface.

22. A method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the interaction set comprises a message requesting a change to a surface.

23. A method as claimed in claim 22, wherein the message for requesting a change to a surface is also usable to effect or deny a change to a surface.

24. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein for information passed between the controlling device and the controlled device, the information transmitted comprises a data format hierarchy, wherein a device intended to receive transmitted data evaluates the data format hierarchy and determines the format in which the data is then received thereby.

25. A method as claimed in claim 24, wherein the receiving device determines the format in which the data is then received by a response to the transmitting device comprising a path through the data format hierarchy.

26. A method as claimed in claim 24, wherein all data formats comprise one or more of a plurality of data format types, and wherein for each data format type, there exists a data format receivable by any device supporting that data format type.

27. A method as claimed in claim 24, wherein a data format hierarchy comprises a hierarchical structure, a set of keywords relating to properties of the information transmitted and values associated with each of the keywords.

28. A method as claimed in claim 27, wherein each data format hierarchy comprises a single encoding, wherein each encoding represents a different basic form in which information can be presented.

29. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the controlling device and controlled device are information handling devices.

30. A method as claimed in claim 29, wherein the controlling device and the controlled device are connected through an information transmission network.

31. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the user selection apparatus comprises a graphical user interface.

32. An information handling device adapted for the function of a controlling device in a method for the control of a controlled device by means of a controlling device, the method comprising establishment of a signal transmission system between the controlling device and the controlled device, provision by the controlled device of a set of possible parameter choices and information identifying said possible parameter choices and transmission thereof to the controlling device, display at the controlling device of the set of possible parameter choices and of information identifying possible parameter choices to enable user selection of a set of actual parameter choices with a user selection apparatus, transmission of the set of actual parameter choices to the controlled device, and modification of operational parameters of the controlled device in accordance with the set of actual parameter choices, wherein the set of possible parameter choices and set of actual parameter choices are provided in a form independent of the user selection apparatus;

the information handling device comprising;

means for communication of information with a controlled device;

user interface means for displaying information to a user and for returning values derived from a user input; and

means for presenting the set of possible parameter choices and associated information received from the controlled device through the user interface means, and for returning the set of actual parameter choices from the user interface means to the controlled device.

33. An information handling device adapted for the function of a controlled device in a method for the control of a controlled device by means of a controlling device, the method comprising establishment of a signal transmission system between the controlling device and the controlled device, provision by the controlled device of a set of possible parameter choices and information identifying said possible parameter choices and transmission thereof to the controlling device, display at the controlling device of the set of possible parameter choices and of information identifying possible parameter choices to enable user selection of a set of actual parameter choices with a user selection apparatus, transmission of the set of actual parameter choices to the controlled device, and modification of operational parameters of the controlled device in accordance with the set of actual parameter choices, wherein the set of possible parameter choices and set of actual parameter choices are provided in a form independent of the user selection apparatus;

the information handling device comprising;

means for communication with a controlling device; and

means for providing the set of possible parameter choices and associated information to a controlling device, and for modification of the operational parameters of the device in accordance with the set of actual parameter choices.