Smart-remote protocol
First Claim
1. A method of controlling devices with different user interface control protocols, comprising:
- broadcasting a probe command from a first device;
receiving a service identifier (ID) from a second device in response to the probe command;
obtaining, using the service ID at a first device from a second device, a remote menu control function mapping set comprising user interface control commands that control operation of the second device formatted as an extensible markup language (XML) formatted menu structure and comprising metadata identifying at least one menu style attribute used by the second device during menu display, where the user interface control commands are encoded via a shared cross-communication library that defines a user interface sharing protocol;
determining a menu tree structure for menu and control functions of each encoded user interface control command, where each control function comprises a control function identifier (ID) and a range of selectable values;
determining at least one menu shortcut that is not provided by the encoded user interface control commands;
determining whether to use the at least one menu style attribute to generate a menu;
generating the menu that maps the encoded user interface control commands to menu items using the shared cross-communication library based upon the determined menu tree structure, the determined at least one menu shortcut that is not provided by the encoded user interface control commands, and using the at least one menu style attribute in response to determining to use the at least one menu style attribute to generate the menu, where each node of the menu tree structure is mapped to one of the control functions using the control function ID;
encoding the range of selectable values for each node into the menu tree structure;
displaying the generated menu via a display of the first device;
detecting a selection of a menu item from the displayed menu comprising a selection of a value from the range of selectable values; and
sending an encoded user interface control command that is mapped to the selected menu item comprising the control function ID and the selected value to the second device.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A remote menu control function mapping set including user interface control commands that control operation of a second device is obtained at a first device from the second device. The user interface control commands are encoded using a shared cross-communication library that defines a user interface sharing protocol. A menu that maps the encoded user interface control commands to menu items using the shared cross-communication library is generated. The generated menu is displayed on a display of the first device. A selection of a menu item from the displayed menu is detected. An encoded user interface control command that is mapped to the selected menu item is sent to the second device. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method of controlling devices with different user interface control protocols, comprising:
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broadcasting a probe command from a first device; receiving a service identifier (ID) from a second device in response to the probe command; obtaining, using the service ID at a first device from a second device, a remote menu control function mapping set comprising user interface control commands that control operation of the second device formatted as an extensible markup language (XML) formatted menu structure and comprising metadata identifying at least one menu style attribute used by the second device during menu display, where the user interface control commands are encoded via a shared cross-communication library that defines a user interface sharing protocol; determining a menu tree structure for menu and control functions of each encoded user interface control command, where each control function comprises a control function identifier (ID) and a range of selectable values; determining at least one menu shortcut that is not provided by the encoded user interface control commands; determining whether to use the at least one menu style attribute to generate a menu; generating the menu that maps the encoded user interface control commands to menu items using the shared cross-communication library based upon the determined menu tree structure, the determined at least one menu shortcut that is not provided by the encoded user interface control commands, and using the at least one menu style attribute in response to determining to use the at least one menu style attribute to generate the menu, where each node of the menu tree structure is mapped to one of the control functions using the control function ID; encoding the range of selectable values for each node into the menu tree structure; displaying the generated menu via a display of the first device; detecting a selection of a menu item from the displayed menu comprising a selection of a value from the range of selectable values; and sending an encoded user interface control command that is mapped to the selected menu item comprising the control function ID and the selected value to the second device.
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2. A method of controlling devices with different user interface control protocols, comprising:
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obtaining at a first device from a second device a remote menu control function mapping set comprising user interface control commands that control operation of the second device, where the user interface control commands are encoded via a shared cross-communication library that defines a user interface sharing protocol; generating a menu that maps the encoded user interface control commands to menu items using the shared cross-communication library; displaying the generated menu via a display of the first device; detecting a selection of a menu item from the displayed menu; sending an encoded user interface control command that is mapped to the selected menu item to the second device; determining resource requirements to support the remote menu control function mapping set of the second device; comparing the resource requirements with resource availability of the first device to support the remote menu control function mapping set of the second device; determining that at least one resource constraint exists that limits use of all features of the remote menu control function mapping set; obtaining one of a virtual remote control interface that maps to a remote control device associated with the second device to menu commands and an extended remote control interface comprising at least one shortcut menu option; and where generating the menu that maps the encoded user interface control commands to the menu items using the shared cross-communication library comprises generating the menu comprising the one of the virtual remote control interface and the extended remote control interface. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions which, when executed on one or more programmed processors, carry out a method of controlling devices with different user interface control protocols, comprising:
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obtaining at a first device from a second device a remote menu control function mapping set comprising user interface control commands that control operation of the second device, where the user interface control commands are encoded via a shared cross-communication library that defines a user interface sharing protocol; generating a menu that maps the encoded user interface control commands to menu items using the shared cross-communication library; displaying the generated menu via a display of the first device; detecting a selection of a menu item from the displayed menu; sending an encoded user interface control command that is mapped to the selected menu item to the second device.; determining resource requirements to support the remote menu control function mapping set of the second device; comparing the resource requirements with resource availability of the first device to support the remote menu control function mapping set of the second device; determining that at least one resource constraint exists that limits use of all features of the remote menu control function mapping set; obtaining one of a virtual remote control interface that maps to a remote control device associated with the second device to menu commands and an extended remote control interface comprising at least one shortcut menu option; and where generating the menu that maps the encoded user interface control commands to the menu items using the shared cross-communication library comprises generating the menu comprising the one of the virtual remote control interface and the extended remote control interface.
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11. An apparatus for controlling devices with different user interface control protocols, comprising:
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a display; and a processor programmed to; obtain from a second device a remote menu control function mapping set comprising user interface control commands that control operation of the second device, where the user interface control commands are encoded via a shared cross-communication library that defines a user interface sharing protocol; generate a menu that maps the encoded user interface control commands to menu items using the shared cross-communication library; display the generated menu via the display; detect a selection of a menu item from the displayed menu; send an encoded user interface control command that is mapped to the selected menu item to the second device determine resource requirements to support the remote menu control function mapping set of the second device; compare the resource requirements with resource availability to support the remote menu control function mapping set of the second device; determine that at least one resource constraint exists that limits use of all features of the remote menu control function mapping set; obtain one of a virtual remote control interface that maps to a remote control device associated with the second device to menu commands and an extended remote control interface comprising at least one shortcut menu option; and where, in being programmed to generate the menu that maps the encoded user interface control commands to the menu items using the shared cross-communication library, the processor is programmed to generate the menu comprising the one of the virtual remote control interface and the extended remote control interface. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification