Programmable multimedia controller with flexible user access and shared device configurations

• US 9,250,932 B2
• Filed: 04/07/2014
• Issued: 02/02/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Savant Systems, LLC
• Original Assignee: Savant Systems, LLC
• Inventors: Locascio, Timothy R., Madonna, Robert P., McKinley, David, Silva, Michael C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shaifer Harriman, Dant
• Assistant Examiner(s): Getachew, Abiy
• Application Number:
  US14/246,691
• Publication Number:
  US 20140223167A1
• Time in Patent Office: 666 Days
• Field of Search: 713/183
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2829 involving user profiles according to which the execution of a home appliance functionality is automatically triggered
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4131 home appliance, e.g. lighting, air conditioning system, metering devices home automation data switching networks exchanging configuration information on appliance services H04L12/2807
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4325 by playing back content from the storage medium reproduction of recorded television signals H04N5/76; reproduction of recorded television signals H04N9/79
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4751 for defining user accounts, e.g. accounts for children
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4753 for user identification, e.g. by entering a PIN or password cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4858 for modifying screen layout parameters, e.g. fonts, size of the windows

Abstract

In one embodiment, a programmable multimedia controller that is capable of interfacing with and controlling audio, video, telephony or heating ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) devices. A first mobile device and a second mobile device of a same type are configured to communicate with the programmable multimedia controller. The first mobile device obtains a first copy of a sharable device configuration including data for rendering a user interface usable to control the programmable multimedia controller. It stores the first copy of the sharable device configuration and thereby is considered a master device with respect to other devices of the same type. The second mobile device obtains a second copy of the sharable device configuration for use on the second mobile device from the master device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

configuring a programmable multimedia controller to interface with and control one or more audio, video, telephony or heating ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) devices;

obtaining, by a first mobile device in communication with the programmable multimedia controller, a first copy of a sharable device configuration, the sharable device configuration including data for rendering a user interface usable to control the programmable multimedia controller, the first mobile device being of a type of devices;

storing the first copy of the sharable device configuration on the first mobile device, storage on the first mobile device to cause the first mobile device to be considered a master device with respect to other devices of a same type; and

obtaining, by a second mobile device of the same type, a second copy of the sharable device configuration for use on the second mobile device from the master device such that copies of the sharable device configuration are shared among mobile devices of the same type.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the obtaining by the first mobile device obtains the first copy of the sharable device configuration for use on the first mobile device from the programmable multimedia controller.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the obtaining by the second mobile device is in response to addition of the second mobile device to a system within a structure that includes the programmable multimedia controller, the one or more audio, video, telephony or HVAC devices, and the first mobile device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the obtaining by the first mobile device and the obtaining by the second mobile device are via WiFi.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the sharable device configuration includes graphics data for graphics that appears in the user interface usable to control the programmable multimedia controller.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the sharable device configuration includes graphics layout information specifying spatial relationships to be applied to the graphics data to render the user interface usable to control the programmable multimedia controller.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the sharable device configuration includes an indication of system commands that are valid with a particular combination of graphics data and graphics layout information.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the sharable device configuration includes system state information used in communication with the programmable multimedia controller.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the sharable device configuration includes data for rendering multiple different user interfaces, the rendered user interface being based on a selection made by a user.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the sharable device configuration includes data for rendering multiple different user interfaces, the rendered user interface determined based on validating a username and password against a profile of a user.

11. A system comprising:

a programmable multimedia controller that is capable of interfacing with and controlling audio, video, telephony or heating ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) devices;

a first mobile device configured to communicate with the programmable multimedia controller, the first mobile device being of a type of devices;

a second mobile device configured to communicate with the programmable multimedia controller, the second mobile device being of a same type of devices as the first mobile device;

a first copy of a sharable device configuration including data for rendering a user interface usable to control the programmable multimedia controller, the first copy of the sharable device configuration stored on the first mobile device, storage on the first mobile device to cause the first mobile device to be considered a master device with respect to other devices of the type; and

a second copy of the sharable device configuration used on the second mobile device, the second copy of the sharable device configuration obtained from the master device.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the sharable device configuration includes graphics data for graphics that appears in the user interface usable to control the programmable multimedia controller.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the sharable device configuration includes graphics layout information specifying spatial relationships to be applied to the graphics data to render the user interface usable to control the programmable multimedia controller.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the sharable device configuration includes an indication of system commands that are valid with a particular combination of graphics data and graphics layout information.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the sharable device configuration includes system state information used in communication with the programmable multimedia controller.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the second mobile device is configured to obtain the copy of the sharable device configuration obtained from the master device when the second mobile device is added to the system.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the master device is configured to distribute the shareable device configuration to the second mobile device using WiFi.

18. A programmable multimedia controller, comprising:

one or more interfaces configured to communicate with audio, video, telephony or heating ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) devices, and to issue control commands thereto; and

a processing subsystem configured to store a sharable device configuration that includes data for rendering a user interface usable to control the programmable multimedia controller, and executable program instructions that when executed are operable to;

transfer a first copy of the sharable device configuration from the programmable multimedia controller to a first device, the first device being of a type of devices, the first device to be considered a master device with respect to other devices of a same type,

receive user input from a user interface rendered on the first device using the first copy of the sharable device configuration, and

receive user input from a user interface rendered on a second device of the same type that was rendered using a second copy the sharable device configuration obtained from the master device.

19. The programmable multimedia controller of claim 18, wherein the first device and the second device are mobile devices.

20. The programmable multimedia controller of claim 18, wherein the sharable device configuration includes graphics data, graphics layout information specifying spatial relationships to be applied to the graphics data, system commands that are valid with a particular combination of graphics data and graphics layout information, and state information.