Automation Control of Electronic Devices

• US 9,152,139 B2
• Filed: 06/16/2009
• Issued: 10/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Snap One LLC (Resideo Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Control4 Corporation (Resideo Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Smith, W. Eric, Gist, James R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fennema, Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): STEVENS, THOMAS H
• Application Number:
  US12/485,849
• Publication Number:
  US 20100318198A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,303 Days
• Field of Search: 700/17, 345/169, 340/815.6, 725 40- 43, 725 72- 85
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0428 Safety, monitoring G05B19/0423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23051 Remote control, enter program remote, detachable programmer
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/24097 Camera monitors controlled machine

Abstract

A system is provided for remote control of electronic devices. An automation controller can be used to control electronic devices via a network. A communication port for the automation controller is used to provide control signals for at least one electronic device via the network. An analog receiver module receives analog video signals from analog sources. A digital display module can receive a digital control interface from the automation controller. The digital control interface can include automation graphical interface controls. A display module, coupled to the automation controller, is used to composite the digital control interface received from the digital display module into a composite image with analog video signals.

Claims

1. An automation control system for control of electronic devices, comprising:

an automation controller comprising a communications port configured to provide control signals to control electronic devices via a network, wherein the electronic devices comprise lights and a video device, wherein the automation controller is a separate device than the lights and the video device;

an analog receiver module configured to receive analog video signals from analog sources;

a digital display module configured to receive a digital control interface from the automation controller, wherein the digital control interface includes automation graphical interface controls; and

a display module coupled to the automation controller, the display module being configured to generate a composite image in a frame buffer by blending the digital control interface and the analog video signals together, the composite image comprising the digital control interface received from the digital display module and the analog video signals received from the analog receiver module, wherein the display module comprises an alpha blending module that adjusts transparency, wherein the digital control interface is provided to a digital frame buffer and the analog video signals are provided to an analog frame buffer that is a separate buffer from the digital frame buffer, wherein the digital frame buffer and the analog frame buffer are coupled to the alpha blending module wherein the transparency of at least one of a digital frame and an analog frame is adjusted, and wherein the digital control interface comprises control options for the lights including control options for dimming and turning on the lights.

2. A system as in claim 1, wherein the display module is configured to composite a digital signal into the composite image.

3. A system as in claim 1, further comprising a motion sensitive pointer configured to control a movement of a control icon for the digital control interface on a display.

4. A system as in claim 3, wherein the motion sensitive pointer includes a single user interface actuator that is a select button.

5. A system as in claim 3, wherein the motion sensitive pointer is configured to control the movement of a control icon on a display in a vertical and horizontal direction.

6. A system as in claim 3, wherein the motion sensitive pointer uses accelerometers to sense motion.

7. A system as in claim 3, wherein the motion sensitive pointer communicates with the automation controller wirelessly.

8. A system as in claim 1, wherein device automation controls, home entertainment controls, and analog video input controls are jointly controlled using graphical user interface (GUI) controls provided on a display.

9. A system as in claim 1, wherein the display module is a display screen viewable by a user.

10. A system as in claim 1, wherein the analog receiver module receives multiple analog inputs among which a user may select a desired analog input.

11. A system as in claim 10, wherein the multiple analog inputs can be selected from the group consisting of an analog optical disk input, an analog video tape input, an analog satellite television input, an analog cable television input, an analog television input from air transmission.

12. A system as in claim 1, further comprising a display configured to display the composite image to a user.

13. An automation control system for control of electronic devices, comprising:

an automation controller configured to control automation devices via a network, wherein the automation devices comprise lights and a video device, wherein the automation controller is a separate device than the lights and the video device;

a communication port for the automation controller, the communication port being configured to provide control signals for at least one automation device via the network;

an analog receiver module configured to receive analog video signals from external analog sources;

a digital display module configured to receive a digital control interface from the automation controller, wherein the digital control interface includes automation graphical interface controls;

a display module coupled to the automation controller, the display module being configured to generate a composite image in a frame buffer by blending the digital control interface and the analog video signals together, the composite image comprising the digital control interface received from the digital display module and the analog video signals received from the analog receiver module, wherein the display module comprises an alpha blending module that adjusts transparency, wherein the digital control interface is provided to a digital frame buffer and the analog video signals are provided to an analog frame buffer that is a separate buffer from the digital frame buffer, wherein the digital frame buffer and the analog frame buffer are coupled to the alpha blending module wherein the transparency of at least one of a digital frame and an analog frame is adjusted, and wherein the digital control interface comprises control options for the lights including control options for dimming and turning on the lights;

a display configured to display the composite image; and

an accelerometer-based motion sensitive pointer device interfaced with the automation controller and configured to control movement of a control icon for the digital control interface on the display.

14. An automation control method for control of electronic devices, comprising:

receiving an analog video signal from an analog source at an analog receiver module in communication with an automation controller comprising a communications port configured to provide control signals to control electronic devices via a network, wherein the electronic devices comprise lights and a video device, wherein the automation controller is a separate device than the lights and the video device;

receiving a digital control interface including automation graphical interface controls from the automation controller on a digital display module;

generating, by a display module, a composite image in a frame buffer by blending the digital control interface and the analog video signals together, wherein the composite image includes the digital control interface received from the digital display module and the analog video signal received from the analog receiver module, wherein the display module comprises an alpha blending module that adjusts transparency, wherein the digital control interface is provided to a digital frame buffer and the analog video signals are provided to an analog frame buffer that is a separate buffer from the digital frame buffer, wherein the digital frame buffer and the analog frame buffer are coupled to the alpha blending module wherein the transparency of at least one of a digital frame and an analog frame is adjusted, and wherein the digital control interface comprises control options for lights including control options for dimming and turning on the lights; and

displaying the composite image on a display.

15. A method as in claim 14, further comprising compositing a digital video signal into the composite image.

16. A method as in claim 14, further comprising sending control signals via a motion sensitive input device to the communication port for the automation controller to control at least one automation device connected to the network.

17. A method as in claim 16, further comprising controlling multiple electronic devices connected to the network through an automation graphical interface controls using a motion sensitive input device.