Graphical user interface for an appliance network

• US 7,260,608 B2
• Filed: 10/12/2004
• Issued: 08/21/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America Incorporated (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Kuki, Hikaru
• Primary Examiner(s): Chang; Jungwon
• Application Number:
  US10/963,840
• Publication Number:
  US 20050108286A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,043 Days
• Field of Search: 703/22, 340/999, 715/772, 715/763, 715/700, 345/156, 709/206
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34

Abstract

A graphical user interface is disclosed for use with an appliance network. To improve understanding of the network, the interface includes a metaphorical representation of a connected appliance that is animated to metaphorically simulate an activity related to the appliance.

Claims

1. A data processing network comprising:

(a) a first appliance including a display on said first appliance and a computer readable instruction describing a sequence of events for an animated metaphorical representation of said first appliance, said sequence of events together comprising simulating a journey of said animated metaphorical representation of said first appliance to a second animated metaphorical representation of a second appliance to determine the status of said second appliance; and

(b) a visual agent server in communication with said first appliance and controlling execution of said sequence of events in response to an input from a user of said first appliance.

2. The network of claim 1 wherein said visual agent sever comprises:

(a) an agent state database including a current status of said second metaphorical representation of said second appliance; and

(b) an agent state manager directing said first appliance to animate said first metaphorical representation in response to an input by a user of said first appliance, receiving a response from said first appliance, and updating a state of said second metaphorical representation in said agent state database.

3. The network of claim 2 wherein said visual agent server further comprises an agent applet database storing at least one computer readable instruction describing a behavior of an animated metaphorical representation of an appliance.

4. A data processing network comprising:

(a) a first appliance including a display on said first appliance and an input device;

(b) a computer readable instruction including a representation of said first appliance, said representation including an animated metaphorical simulation of an activity of said first appliance selectable by an input of a user of said first appliance, said activity comprising simulating a journey of said animated representation of said first appliance to a second animated metaphorical representation of a second appliance to determine the status of said second appliance; and

(c) a visual agent server in communication with said first appliance, said visual agent server receiving a user input from said input device, directing said first appliance to display said animated representation of said first appliance, receiving a response from said first appliance, and recording the status of said animated representation of said second appliance.

5. The network of claim 4 wherein said visual agent server further comprises an agent applet database including at least said computer readable instruction describing a behavior of said animated metaphorical representation of said first appliance.

6. The network of claim 4 wherein said computer readable instruction describing said behavior of said animated metaphorical representation of said appliance causes display of an animated simulation of a journey of said representation of said first appliance to a said second appliance.

7. The network of claim 4 wherein said computer readable instruction describing said behavior of said animated metaphorical representation of said first appliance causes display of an animated simulation of a journey of said representation of said first appliance to a web page.