System using mobile device for setting up and activating agent shortcut operations to control electronic device at remote locations

• US 7,978,215 B2
• Filed: 11/26/2003
• Issued: 07/12/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Systems International SARL (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kocho, Keith
• Primary Examiner(s): LUU, LE HIEN
• Application Number:
  US10/721,071
• Publication Number:
  US 20050114483A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,785 Days
• Field of Search: 700/65, 725/133, 725/42, 725/112, 715/733, 709/203, 709/208, 705/7, 348/14.05, 348/734, 340/825.72, 340/825.76, 455/3.03
• US Class Current: 348/14.05
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2814 Exchanging control software or macros for controlling appliance services in a home automation network arrangements for maintenance or administration involving configuration of the network and network elements H04L41/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2849 Audio/video appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/285 Generic home appliances, e.g. refrigerators
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provide for methods, devices and systems for setting up an agent shortcut operation to be activated at an electronic device in a network. The agent shortcut operation can be setup at an electronic device connected to a network by receiving a selection of an agent shortcut operation from a user on an agent setup device, and sending the selected agent shortcut operation through the network to the electronic device to be available for subsequent activation. The agent shortcut operation can be activated by sending an agent shortcut operation to the electronic device, receiving an activation signal from an agent activation device for the agent shortcut operation, and in response to the received activation signal, sending a signal to the electronic device to activate the agent shortcut operation.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving a selection of an agent shortcut operation from a user on an agent setup device, wherein the agent setup device is a mobile device coupled to a network and residing in a first location, and wherein the selection is received via a graphical user interface associated with a web page; and

sending the selected agent shortcut operation through the network to an agent activation device residing in a second location, wherein the agent shortcut operation is relayed back through the network and to an electronic device to be available for subsequent activation at a third location in which the electronic device resides.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the agent setup device is a different device than the electronic device.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a list of agent shortcut operations to the user on the agent setup device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving an indication from the user of an agent activation device that will activate the agent shortcut operation.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the agent shortcut operation may be remotely activated by the user on the agent activation device by e-mail, by phone, or by using another wireless, wireline, or network protocol.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving an indication of a code from the user that is used to activate the agent shortcut operation.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a selection of a plurality of agent shortcut operations from the user, and sending the agent shortcut operations to the electronic device to be available for subsequent activation.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic device comprises one of a computer, a set top box, a home alarm, a thermostat, an electronic device controller, a gaming console, a television, a digital video recorder, a phone, a lighting system, or another consumer electronics device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a selection of an agent shortcut operation from a user comprises receiving a pre-selected code from the user.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic device is a set top box of a cable television system.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the agent shortcut operation enables remote setting of electronic device preferences, such as a parental control level or default language.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the agent shortcut operation enables remote reminder setting or recording of a desired program.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the agent shortcut operation enables remote searching for program content.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the agent shortcut operation enables remote activation of electronic or electrical equipment connected to the set top box.

15. A method, comprising:

sending an agent shortcut operation to an electronic device, wherein the agent shortcut operation is selected via a graphical user interface associated with a web page;

receiving an activation signal from an agent activation device for the agent shortcut operation; and

in response to the received activation signal, sending a signal to the electronic device to activate the agent shortcut operation, wherein the agent activation device and the electronic device reside in different locations.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the electronic device is a different device than the agent activation device.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the agent setup device is one of a computer, a phone or a personal data assistant, or another consumer electronics device.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the activation signal is a pre-selected code.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the electronic device comprises one of a computer, a set top box, a home alarm, a thermostat, an electronic device controller, a gaming console, a television, a digital video recorder, a phone, a lighting system, or another consumer electronics device.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the electronic device is a set top box in a cable television system.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the agent shortcut operation enables remote setting of electronic device preferences, such as a parental control level or default language.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the agent shortcut operation enables remote reminder setting or recording of a desired program.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the agent shortcut operation enables remote searching for program content.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein the agent shortcut operation enables remote activation of electronic or electrical equipment connected to the set top box.

25. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

sending a plurality of agent shortcut operations to the electronic device, each of the agent shortcut operations having a corresponding activation code; and

sending a signal to activate one of the agent shortcut operations to the electronic device upon receipt of the corresponding activation code.

26. The method of claim 15, further comprising receiving a setup signal from an agent setup device, the setup signal designating what device may act as the agent activation device.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the setup signal indicates an activation code that upon entry in the agent activation device enables the agent shortcut operation.

28. A system, comprising:

means for receiving a selection of an agent shortcut operation from a user on an agent setup device, wherein the agent setup device is a mobile device coupled to a network and residing in a first location, and wherein the selection is received via a graphical user interface associated with a web page; and

means for sending the selected agent shortcut operation through the network to an agent activation device residing in a second location, wherein the agent shortcut operation is relayed back through the network and to an electronic device to be available for subsequent activation at a third location in which the electronic device resides.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the agent setup device is a different device than the electronic device.

30. The system of claim 29, further comprising means for providing a list of agent shortcut operations to the user on the agent setup device.

31. The system of claim 28, further comprising means for receiving an indication of a code from the user that is used to activate the agent shortcut operation.

32. The system of claim 28, further comprising means for receiving a selection of a plurality of agent shortcut operations from the user, and sending the agent shortcut operations to the electronic device to be available for subsequent activation.

33. The system of claim 28, wherein the electronic device comprises one of a computer, a set top box, a home alarm, a thermostat, an electronic device controller, a gaming console, a television, a digital video recorder, a phone, a lighting system, or another consumer electronics device.

34. The system of claim 28, wherein the means for receiving the designation from the user of at least electronic device comprises means for receiving a designation from the user of a plurality of electronic devices, further comprising sending the selected agent shortcut to the designated plurality of electronic devices.

35. The system of claim 28, wherein the electronic device is a set top box of a cable television system.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein the agent shortcut operation enables remote setting of electronic device preferences, such as parental control level or default language.

37. The system of claim 35, wherein the agent shortcut operation enables remote reminder setting or recording of a desired program.

38. The system of claim 35, wherein the agent shortcut operation enables remote searching for program content.

39. The system of claim 35, wherein the agent shortcut operation enables remote activation of electronic or electrical equipment connected to the set top box.

40. A system, comprising:

means for sending an agent shortcut operation to an electronic device, wherein the agent shortcut operation is selected via a graphical user interface associated with a web page;

means for receiving an activation signal from an agent activation device for the agent shortcut operation; and

means for sending a signal to the electronic device to activate the agent shortcut operation, in response to the received activation signal, wherein the agent activation device and the electronic device reside in different locations.

41. The system of claim 40, wherein the agent activation device is a different device than the electronic device.

42. The system of claim 41, wherein the agent activation device is one of a computer, a phone or a personal data assistant or another electronics device.

43. The system of claim 40, wherein the activation signal is a pre-selected code.

44. The system of claim 40, wherein the electronic device comprises one of a computer, a set top box, a home alarm, a thermostat, an electronic device controller, a gaming console, a television, a digital video recorder, a phone, a lighting system, or another consumer electronic device.

45. The system of claim 40, wherein the electronic device is a set top box in a cable television system.

46. The system of claim 45, wherein the agent shortcut operation enables remote setting of electronic device preferences, such as parental control level or default language.

47. The system of claim 45, wherein the agent shortcut operation enables remote reminder setting or recording of a desired program.

48. The system of claim 45, wherein the agent shortcut operation enables remote searching for program content.

49. The system of claim 45, wherein the agent shortcut operation enables remote activation of electronic or electrical equipment connected to the set top box.

50. The system of claim 40, further comprising:

means for sending a plurality of agent shortcut operations to the electronic device, each of the agent shortcut operations having a corresponding activation code; and

means for sending a signal to activate one of the agent shortcut operations upon receipt of the corresponding activation code.

51. The system of claim 40, further comprising means for receiving a setup signal from an agent setup device, the setup signal designating what device may act as the agent activation device.

52. The system of claim 51, wherein the setup signal indicates an activation code that upon entry in the agent activation device enables the agent shortcut operation.

53. A non-transitory medium having stored thereon a plurality of executable instructions configured for:

receiving a selection of an agent shortcut operation from a user on an agent setup device, wherein the agent setup device is a mobile device coupled to a network and residing in a first location, and wherein the selection is received via a graphical user interface associated with a web page; and

sending the selected agent shortcut operation through the network to an agent activation device residing in a second location, wherein the agent shortcut operation is relayed back through the network and to an electronic device to be available for subsequent activation at a third location in which the electronic device resides.

54. A non-transitory medium having stored thereon a plurality of executable instructions configured for:

sending an agent shortcut operation to an electronic device, wherein the agent shortcut operation is selected via a graphical user interface associated with a web page;

receiving an activation signal from an agent activation device for the agent shortcut operation; and

in response to the received activation signal, sending a signal to the electronic device to activate the agent shortcut operation, wherein the agent activation device and the electronic device reside in different locations.