Remote controlled system with computer-based remote control facilitator

• US 7,010,365 B2
• Filed: 07/28/2003
• Issued: 03/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Maymudes, David M.
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, RAMESH B
• Application Number:
  US10/629,179
• Publication Number:
  US 20040019395A1
• Time in Patent Office: 953 Days
• Field of Search: 700/65, 700/66, 700/17, 700/83, 700/2, 700/5, 455/231, 455/410, 455/420, 455/418, 455/41.1, 455/92, 340/10.5, 340/825.72, 340/825.69, 341/17.6, 710/11, 386/46
• US Class Current: 700/65
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4097 characterised by using design data to control NC machines, e.g. CAD/CAM G05B19/4093 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31457 Factory remote control, monitoring through internet
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/40 Remote control systems using repeaters, converters, gateways

Abstract

A remote controlled system employs a computer-based remote control facilitator to facilitate remote control of a controlled device from a non-dedicated remote controller. The computer facilitator is coupled to the remote controller and controlled device via a wireless or wire-based network. The computer facilitator runs an application that corresponds to the controlled device. Neither the remote controller nor the controlled device need have any awareness of the other, or any knowledge as to how to communicate with one another. The computer tells the remote controller what options to present to a user and translates the selection entered by the user into a command that is sent to the controlled device.

Claims

1. A remote controlled system comprising:

a remote controller; and

a general-purpose computer coupled to communicate with the remote controller and a controlled device to send user interface information in a remote control specific format to the remote controller, receive control data in a remote controller specific format from the remote controller in response to the user interface information and an input from a user, convert the received control data into control commands in a controlled device specific format, and send the control commands to the controlled device.

2. A remote controlled system of claim 1, wherein the remote controller has a display and one or more input mechanisms that enable user input.

3. A remote controlled system of claim 1, wherein the remote controller is embodied as a cellular phone.

4. A remote controlled system of claim 1, wherein the controlled device is embodied as a home device selected from a group of home devices comprising a television, a stereo, a radio, a VCR, a set top box, lighting controller, and alarm controller.

5. A remote controlled system of claim 1, wherein the general-purpose a computer is embodied as a desktop computer.

6. A remote controlled system of claim 1, wherein the general-purpose computer runs an open platform operating system.

7. A remote controlled system of claim 1, wherein the general-purpose computer is configured to expose a universal plug and play (UPnP) application program interface (API) through which the remote controller and the controlled device may make calls to the general-purpose computer.

8. A remote controlled system of claim 1, wherein the general-purpose computer is configured to communicate with the remote controller and the controlled device using a wireless communication protocol.

9. A remote controlled system of claim 1, further comprising multiple remote controllers and multiple controlled devices, wherein the general-purpose computer is coupled to communicate with the multiple remote controllers and the multiple controlled devices to facilitate remote control of any one of the controlled devices by any one of the remote controllers.

10. A remote controlled system comprising:

a first controlled device having a user interface (UI)

a second controlled device; and

a facilitator communicatively coupled to the first controlled device and the second controlled device to facilitate remote control of the second device by the first device, wherein the facilitator provides UI information that is used by the first controlled device to provide a user interface for entering control data for controlling the second controlled device to perform an action, receives the control data in a first controlled device a specific format, and translates the control data received from the first controlled device into control commands in a second controlled device specific format that are sent to the second controlled device to effectuate the action intended by the user.

11. A remote controlled system of claim 10, wherein the facilitator comprises a general-purpose computer.

12. A remote controlled system of claim 10, wherein the facilitator comprises a general-purpose computer that runs an open platform operating system.

13. A remote controlled system of claim 10, wherein the facilitator is configured to expose a universal plug and play (UPnP) application program interface (API) through which the first controlled device and second controlled device may make calls to the facilitator.

14. A remote controlled system of claim 10, wherein the facilitator is configured to communicate with the first controlled device and the second controlled device using a wireless communication protocol.

15. A remote controlled system of claim 10, wherein the UI of the first controlled device comprises one or more input components to permit user entry of the control data, the UT information being associated with the input components so that selection of a particular input component by the user results in generation of particular control data.

16. A remote controlled system of claim 10, wherein the UI of the first device includes a display and the UT information includes text strings for display on the UI display.

17. A remote controlled system comprising:

a plurality of devices; and

a general-purpose computer, coupled to communicate with the plurality of devices, to generate and send user interface information adapted to a configuration and makeup of a first device and is used for controlling a second device, to receive an event from the first device in response to the user interface information, and to translate the event into a command adapted to effectuate an action by the second device.

18. A remote controlled system of claim 17, wherein:

a first set of the user interface information is adapted to control the plurality of devices; and

a second set of user interface information is specific to controlling the second device.

19. A remote controlled system of claim 17, wherein:

the user interface information is sent in a communication scheme specific to the first device;

the event is received in the communication scheme specific to the first device; and

the event is translated into a command in a communication scheme specific to the second device.