Method and apparatus for creating and modifying graphical schedules

• US 8,914,724 B2
• Filed: 04/06/2011
• Issued: 12/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Savant Systems, LLC
• Original Assignee: Savant Systems, LLC
• Inventors: Cipollo, Nicholas J., Silva, Michael C., Locascio, Timothy R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bashore, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): NABI, REZA U
• Application Number:
  US13/081,183
• Publication Number:
  US 20120260166A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,350 Days
• Field of Search: 715/716
• US Class Current: 715/716
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

A graphical user interface enables a user to create and modify graphical schedules for a wide variety of devices that may be controlled by a programmable multimedia controller. A graphical schedule graphically depicts a relationship between time and at least one user-selected condition to be satisfied or at least one user-selected action to be taken. The user may create or modify graphical schedules using familiar techniques such as taps and swipes, drag and drop and the like.

Claims

1. A 1 method comprising:

providing a graphical user interface operable to

create or modify two or more presets, each preset representing a user selected environmental state for a predetermined physical space, said environmental state caused by a plurality of different types of devices taking actions defined by the preset, said plurality of different types of devices including two of more of audio/video (A/V) devices, lighting devices, heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) devices, closed circuit television (CCTV) devices or motor-operated devices,

create a graphical schedule, said graphical schedule reflecting a relationship between time and said two or more presets, wherein said graphical schedule includes a first axis that indicates time and a second axis that indicates said two or more presets, and

in response to graphical manipulations by a user in said graphical user,

modify said graphical schedule to change when at least one of said two or more presets is scheduled to execute;

providing said graphical schedule and presets to a programmable multimedia controller which includes a general purpose computer and an interface for said plurality of different types of devices; and

using said programmable multimedia controller to control said plurality of different types of devices in accordance with said graphical schedule.

2. The method as in claim 1 wherein said graphical user interface is provided in connection with a touch-sensitive display.

3. The method as in claim 1 wherein said graphical 1 user interface is provided in connection with an on-screen display.

4. The method as in claim 1 wherein at least one of said presets defines a predetermined operational state that at least one device will enter in response to a command from said programmable multimedia controller.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

changing a selected time at which at least one of said two or more presets is scheduled to run based on graphical manipulations from the user.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said plurality of different types of devices include one or more electronic lighting controllers and said actions include turning on certain lights.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said plurality of different types of devices include one or more motor operated device controllers and said actions include setting a position of certain shades.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein said plurality of different types of devices include a television and said actions include setting said television to a particular channel.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein said predetermined physical space is a room within a structure.

10. An apparatus comprising

a scheduler process configured to issue commands to devices in accordance with two or more presets and a graphical schedule, each preset representing a user selected environmental state for a predetermined physical space caused by a plurality of different type of devices taking actions defined by said preset, said plurality of different types of devices including two of more of audio/video (A/V) devices, lighting devices, heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) devices, closed circuit television (CCTV) devices or motor-operated devices;

and

a user interface device that includes a display device configured to show a graphical user interface, said graphical user interface operable to receive user input to create or modify said two or more presets,

display said graphical schedule to a user, the displayed graphical schedule to include a first axis that indicates time and a second axis that indicates said two or more presets, and

receive graphical manipulations from the user that indicate modifications to said graphical schedule.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 further comprising:

a general purpose computer configured to execute software processes,

wherein said software processes include said scheduler process.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said plurality of different types of devices include one or more electronic lighting controllers and said actions include turning on certain lights.

13. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said plurality of different types of devices include one or more motor operated device controllers and said actions include setting a position of certain shades.

14. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said plurality of different types of devices include a television and said actions include setting the television to a particular channel.

15. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said predetermined physical space is a room within a structure.

16. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said display device is a touch-sensitive display and said graphical manipulations from the user include swipes or gestures on the touch-sensitive display.

17. An apparatus comprising:

a general purpose computer configured to execute software processes;

means for causing a plurality of devices of different types to operate in accordance with two or more presets and a graphical schedule, each preset representing a user-selected environmental state for a predetermined physical space caused by devices taking actions defined by the preset, said devices including two of more of audio/video (A/V) devices, lighting devices, heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) devices, closed circuit television (CCTV) devices or motor operated devices, said graphical schedule indicating a relationship 9 between time displayed on a first axis and said two or more presets displayed on a second axis; and

means for receiving user input to create or modify the two or more presets,

displaying the graphical schedule to the user, and receiving graphical manipulations from the user that indicate modifications to said graphical schedule.

18. A method comprising:

displaying a graphical user interface on a user interface device;

in response to user input from a user in the graphical user interface, create two or more presets, each preset representing a user-selected environmental state for a predetermined physical space within a structure caused by a plurality of different types of devices within the structure taking actions defined by the preset, the plurality of different types of devices including two of more of audio/video (A/V) devices, lighting devices, heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) devices, closed circuit television (CCTV) devices or motor-operated devices;

showing a graphical schedule in said graphical user interface, said graphical schedule including a first axis that indicates time to which said two or more presets are mapped, and a second axis that represents said two or more presets, to graphically convey when each of said two or more presets is scheduled to execute;

in response to graphical manipulations in said graphical user interface by the user, modifying said graphical schedule to change when at least one of said two or more presets is scheduled to execute;

providing said modified graphical schedule to a programmable multimedia controller which controls said plurality of different types of devices; and

using said programmable multimedia controller to control said plurality of different types of devices in accordance with said modified graphical schedule.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein said user interface device is a mobile device having a touch sensitive display and said graphical manipulations include swipes or gestures on said touch-sensitive display.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein said predetermined physical space is a room within said structure.

21. An apparatus comprising

a database configured to store schedule points;

a scheduler process configured to recognize schedule points stored in said database and issue commands in response to a current time matching a stored schedule point;

a service controller configured to receive said commands from the scheduler process and to issue commands to devices within a structure to change environmental state within the structure; and

a user interface device that includes a display device and is configured to;

display a graphical user interface on the display device,

in response to user input in said graphical user interface, create two or more presets, each preset representing two or more devices of different types taking actions defined by the preset to change environmental state in a predetermined physical space within the structure, the different types including two of more of audio/video (A/V) devices, lighting devices, heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) devices, closed circuit television (CCTV) devices or motor-operated devices,

show a graphical schedule including a first axis that indicates time to which said two or more presets are mapped, and a second axis that represents said two or more presets, to graphically convey schedule points for each of the two or more presets, and

in response to graphical manipulations received in the graphical user interface from a user, modify said graphical schedule to change said schedule points of said two or more presets.