Method and system for interpreting device control commands

• US 7,209,980 B2
• Filed: 03/19/2003
• Issued: 04/24/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gateway Incorporated (Acer, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Gateway Incorporated (Acer, Inc.)
• Inventors: Crawford, Chris, Wugofski, Theodore David, Sullivan, Gary
• Primary Examiner(s): Huynh; Kim
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chen; Alan S.
• Application Number:
  US10/393,456
• Publication Number:
  US 20030182474A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,497 Days
• Field of Search: 710/1, 710/5, 710/8, 710/65, 710/4, 710/33, 710/36, 710/62, 710/72, 707/1
• US Class Current: 710/5
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/33 Remote control using macros, scripts
• 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: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing

Abstract

A multimedia system includes an information handling system, and a plurality of multimedia devices operatively and electrically connected to a computer of the system. Software modules residing in computer memory interpret control commands. This includes receiving a high level device control command, generating a generic device control script based on a device interconnect model and the high level device control command, interpreting the generic device control script, and transmitting specific device control commands to a device through a device interface.

Claims

1. A method of interpreting device control commands, comprising:

receiving a high level device control command;

generating a generic device control script based on a device interconnect model and the high level device control command;

interpreting the generic device control script;

transmitting specific device control commands to a device through a device interface;

providing at least one vendor-specific command database;

wherein the generic device control script is partially interpreted by selecting at least one vendor specific command from the database; and

transmitting specific vendor specific commands.

2. The method of claim 1, and further comprising:

providing at least one 1394 command database;

wherein the generic device control script is partially interpreted by selecting at least one 1394 command from the database; and

transmitting specific 1394 commands.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the high level device control command is received from a user.

4. The method of claim 1, and further comprising:

providing at least one interface command database;

selecting at least one interface command based on the properties of the device to be controlled; and

executing the interface commands.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the specific device control commands are transmitted on an infrared transmitter.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the specific device control commands are transmitted on a 1394 driver.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the specific device control commands are transmitted on one or more of an infrared transmitter, a 1394 driver, and other drivers and interfaces.

8. A method of interpreting device control commands, comprising:

receiving a high level device control command;

generating a generic device control script based on a device interconnect model and the high level device control command;

interpreting the generic device control script; and

transmitting specific device control commands to a device through a device interface;

providing a plurality of databases including an infrared command database, a 1394 command database, a vendor-specific command database, a device, manufacturer model, and interface database, and other command data; and

wherein the generic device control script is interpreted by accessing at least one of the plurality of databases and creating specific device control commands.

9. A method of interpreting device control commands, comprising:

receiving a high level device control command;

generating a generic device control script based on a device interconnect model and the high level device control command;

interpreting the generic device control script; and

transmitting specific device control commands to a device through a device interface;

providing at least one infrared command database;

wherein the generic device control script is partially interpreted by selecting at least one infrared command from the database; and

transmitting specific infrared commands.

10. A method of interpreting device control commands, comprising;

receiving a high level device control command;

generating a generic device control script based on a device interconnect model and the high level device control command;

interpreting the generic device control script; and

transmitting specific device control commands to a device through a device interface;

providing at least one device, manufacturer, model, and interface database;

wherein the generic device control script is partially interpreted by selecting at least one command database based on the properties of the device; and

transmitting specific commands.

11. A method of processing device control commands in a system of multimedia devices, comprising:

receiving a high level device control command comprising one of a user request and a system generated command for controlling a multimedia device of the system;

generating a generic device control script comprising a plurality of control commands not tailored for a specific multimedia device of the system based on a comparison of (i) a device interconnect model of the multimedia devices of the system and system connections between the multimedia devices and (ii) the high level device control command;

interpreting the generic device control script so as to tailor the script for a specific multimedia device; and

transmitting specific device control commands to the specific multimedia device through a device interface.

12. A multimedia system comprising:

an information handling system comprising a memory device;

a plurality of multimedia devices in communication with said information handling system;

at least one first software module residing in said memory device, the first software module comprising a plurality of databases including an infrared command database, a 1394 command database, a vendor specific command database, a device, manufacturer, model, and interface database and other command data; and

at least one second software module residing in said memory device, the second software module comprising a set of machine-readable instructions performing a method of interpreting device control commands, comprising;

receiving a high level device control command;

generating a generic device control script based on a device interconnect model and the high level device control command;

interpreting the generic device control script; and

transmitting specific device control commands to a device through a device interface.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the method further comprises the high level device control command being generated by the multimedia system.

14. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions when executed, causes a computer to perform a method of interpreting device control commands, the method comprising:

receiving a high level device control command;

generating a generic device control script based on a device interconnect model and the high level device control command;

interpreting the generic device control script;

transmitting specific device control commands to a device through a device interface;

providing at least one vendor-specific command database;

wherein the generic device control script is partially interpreted by selecting at least one vendor specific command from the database; and

transmitting specific vendor specific commands.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the method further comprises:

providing at least one 1394 command database;

wherein the generic device control script is partially interpreted by selecting at least one 1394 command from the database; and

transmitting specific 1394 commands.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the method further comprises:

providing at least one interface command database;

selecting at least one interface command based on the properties of the device to be controlled; and

executing the interface commands.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 14 wherein the specific device control commands are transmitted on an infrared transmitter.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 14 wherein the specific device control commands are transmitted on a 1394 driver.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 14 wherein the specific device control commands are transmitted on one or more of:

an infrared transmitter, a 1394 driver, and other drivers and interfaces.

20. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions when executed, causes a computer to perform a method of interpreting device control commands, the method comprising:

receiving a high level device control command;

generating a generic device control script based on a device interconnect model and the high level device control command;

interpreting the generic device control script;

transmitting specific device control commands to a device through a device interface;

providing a plurality of databases including an infrared command database, a 1394 command database, a vendor-specific command database, a device, manufacturer, model, and interface database, and other command data; and

wherein the generic device control script is interpreted by accessing at least one of the plurality of databases and creating specific device control commands.

21. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions when executed, causes a computer to perform a method of interpreting device control commands, the method comprising:

receiving a high level device control command;

generating a generic device control script based on a device interconnect model and the high level device control command;

interpreting the generic device control script;

transmitting specific device control commands to a device through a device interface;

providing at least one infrared command database;

wherein the generic device control script is partially interpreted by selecting at least one infrared command from the database; and

transmitting specific infrared commands.

22. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions when executed, causes a computer to perform a method of interpreting device control commands, the method comprising:

receiving a high level device control command;

generating a generic device control script based on a device interconnect model and the high level device control command;

interpreting the generic device control script;

transmitting specific device control commands to a device through a device interface;

providing at least one device, manufacturer, model, and interface database;

wherein the generic device control script is partially interpreted by selecting at least one command database based on the properties of the device; and

transmitting specific commands.

23. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions when executed, causes a computer to perform a method of interpreting device control commands, the method comprising;

receiving a high level device control command;

generating a generic device control script based on a device interconnect model and the high level device control command;

interpreting the generic device control script;

transmitting specific device control commands to a device through a device interface;

providing a plurality of databases including an infrared command database, a 1394 command database, a vendor specific command database, a device, manufacturer, model, and interface database and other command data; and

wherein the generic device control script is interpreted for a device that is not an exact match in at least one of the plurality of databases by creating specific device control commands for a similar device.

24. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions when executed, causes a computer to perform a method of interpreting device control commands, the method comprising:

receiving a high level device control command;

generating a generic device control script based on a device interconnect model and the high level device control command;

interpreting the generic device control script;

transmitting specific device control commands to a device through a device interface;

providing a plurality of databases including an infrared command database, a 1394 command database, a vendor specific command database, a device, manufacturer, model, and interface database and other command data; and

wherein the generic device control script is interpreted for a device that is not in at least one of the plurality of databases by creating specific device control commands for a generic device.

25. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer executable instructions for performing a method of interpreting device control commands, the method comprising:

providing at least one device interconnect model;

providing a plurality of databases including an infrared command database, a 1394 command database, a vendor specific command database, a device, manufacturer, model, and interface database and other command data;

receiving a high level device control command;

generating a generic device control script based on one or more device interconnect models and the high level device control command;

accessing one or more of the plurality of databases to interpret the generic device control script;

interpreting the generic device control script to create specific device control commands;

creating specific device control commands for the device when the device is in at least one of the plurality of databases, for a similar device when the device is not in at least one of the plurality of databases, or for a generic device when no similar device is in at least one of the plurality of databases; and

transmitting specific device control commands on an infrared transmitter, a 1394 driver or other driven and interfaces.