Method, system, and computer program product for managing controlled residential or non-residential environments
First Claim
1. A method for providing follow-me control of devices or applications in a controlled environment having one or more regions, comprising:
- accessing a locator code corresponding to a location of a portable device within the controlled environment;
obtaining a user identity code corresponding to a user of the portable device;
matching the locator code to a first region of the controlled environment, wherein the first region includes one or more devices or applications, wherein said devices or applications are controlled via customizable settings;
using the user identity code to access a profile associated with said user, wherein the profile includes one or more default settings for said one or more devices or applications in the first region;
automatically applying said default settings to said customizable settings corresponding to said first region and said profile to provide customized control of said one or more devices or applications;
allowing the user to alter at least one of the customizable settings for said one or more devices or applications in the first region; and
automatically applying said customizable settings to one or more of the devices or applications within a second region as said portable device is moved from the first region to the second region within said controlled environment,wherein said allowing step comprises presenting media corresponding to a request comprising presenting media from a home security system comprising at least one of a camera and a microphone.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A control server, or similar central processor, manages the distribution of data (including audio and video), voice, and control signals among a plurality of devices connected via a wired and/or wireless communications network. The devices include audio/visual devices (such as, televisions, monitors, PDAs, notepads, notebooks, MP3, portable stereo, etc.) as well as household appliances (such as, lighting, ovens, alarm clocks, etc.). The control server supports video/audio serving, telephony, messaging, file sharing, internetworking, and security. A portable controller allows a user to access and control the network devices from any location within a controlled residential and/or non-residential environment, including its surrounding areas. The controllers are enhanced to support location-awareness and user-awareness functionality.
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Citations
6 Claims
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1. A method for providing follow-me control of devices or applications in a controlled environment having one or more regions, comprising:
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accessing a locator code corresponding to a location of a portable device within the controlled environment; obtaining a user identity code corresponding to a user of the portable device; matching the locator code to a first region of the controlled environment, wherein the first region includes one or more devices or applications, wherein said devices or applications are controlled via customizable settings; using the user identity code to access a profile associated with said user, wherein the profile includes one or more default settings for said one or more devices or applications in the first region; automatically applying said default settings to said customizable settings corresponding to said first region and said profile to provide customized control of said one or more devices or applications; allowing the user to alter at least one of the customizable settings for said one or more devices or applications in the first region; and automatically applying said customizable settings to one or more of the devices or applications within a second region as said portable device is moved from the first region to the second region within said controlled environment, wherein said allowing step comprises presenting media corresponding to a request comprising presenting media from a home security system comprising at least one of a camera and a microphone. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A network controller, comprising:
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interfacing means for communicating with a control center and responsive to exchanging data and/or control signals with said control center, wherein said data and/or said control signals allow control of one or more network components positioned in a spatial location of the network controller, wherein said one or more network components are controlled via customizable settings; positioning means for determining the spatial location of the network controller; identification means for determining user awareness; profiling means for accessing a user-specific profile of default settings for said one or more network components; control means for automatically applying said default settings to said customizable settings based on said spatial location and said profile to provide customized control of said one or more network components and allowing a user to alter at least one customizable setting for said one or more network components; means for automatically applying said customizable settings to the one or more network components as the network controller is moved from one location to another location within a controlled environment; display means for presenting media corresponding to exchanges with said control center; and authentication means for determining said user awareness.
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5. A system for managing a plurality of network components within a controlled environment, wherein the plurality of network components are controlled via customizable settings, comprising:
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a network control center configured to control the operations and/or functions of the plurality of network components; positioning means for tracking and/or monitoring a location or movement of at least one of the plurality of network components; profiling means for accessing a user-specific profile of default settings for said one or more network components, wherein said default settings are automatically applied to the customizable settings based on the location of said one or more network components; and altering means for allowing a user to alter at least one of the customizable settings for the plurality of network components, wherein the customizable settings are applied as the network control center is moved from one location to another location within said controlled environment; wherein the plurality of network components includes a controller means for interacting with said network control center and said positioning means, wherein said controller means sends a control request to one or more of the plurality of network components located within a vicinity of said controller means, and wherein said network control center comprises security means for interacting with a security system.
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6. A tangible computer program readable medium having instructions stored thereon for causing a computer to manage a plurality of network components within a controlled environment, the instructions comprising:
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instructions for receiving or determining a location of a portable controller within the controlled environment, wherein said portable controller is one of the plurality of network components, wherein said plurality of network components are controlled via customizable settings; instructions for specifying one or more of the plurality of network components located within a vicinity of said portable controller; instructions for accessing a user-specific profile of default settings for said one or more network components; instructions for applying said default settings to said customizable settings based on said location and said profile to provide customized control of said one or more of the plurality of network components and to allow a user to alter one customizable setting for said one or more of the plurality of network components, wherein said fourth computer readable program code means accesses a user-specific profile of customizable settings for said one or more network components is accessed; instructions for applying said customizable settings as said portable controller is moved from one location to another location within said controlled environment; and instructions for allowing the execution of the user-specific profile to block access to at least one of a telephone number, a web site, a television channel, an audio recording, a video recording, and a secured area.
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Specification