Systems and methods for saving and restoring scenes in a multimedia system

• US 9,794,505 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2015
• Issued: 10/17/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Cannistraro, Alan
• Primary Examiner(s): Nwugo, Ojiako
• Application Number:
  US14/970,292
• Publication Number:
  US 20160173806A1
• Time in Patent Office: 672 Days
• Field of Search: 348460, 340 1222, 340 1223, 340 1224, 340 1228, 340 1229, 340 132, 340 1321
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/00 Arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless electrical link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/30 User interface
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/33 Remote control using macros, scripts
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25808 Management of client data terminal profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/303
• 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 21/42206 characterized by hardware details
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42209 for displaying non-command information, e.g. electronic program guide [EPG], e-mail, messages or a second television channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4222 Remote control device emulator integrated into a non-television apparatus, e.g. a PDA, media center or smart toy remote control device for a television receiver integrated into a mobile phone H04M1/72415
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42224 Touch pad or touch panel provided on the remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42226 Reprogrammable remote control devices
• 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 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/485 End-user interface for client configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6543 for forcing some client operations, e.g. recording remote booting in general G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6547 comprising parameters, e.g. for client setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6582 Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/60 for the sound signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/035 : Circuits for the digital non-picture data signal, e.g. for slicing of the data signal, for regeneration of the data-clock signal, for error detection or correction of the data signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/08 : Systems for the simultaneous or sequential transmission of more than one television signal, e.g. additional information signals, the signals occupying wholly or partially the same frequency band , e.g. by time division H04N7/007 takes precedence

Abstract

Systems and methods for saving and restoring scenes in a multimedia system with minimal configuration are provided. The techniques of the present invention can allow the states of the components in the multimedia system to be captured in a scene. Once the scene has been saved, the scene can be restored at a later time. A remote control system for recommending scenes by comparing states of components in the current scene with states of components in saved scenes is also provided. The remote control system can also recommend scenes based on usage patterns. Moreover, the remote control system can allow users to designate one or more saved scenes as favorite scenes.

Claims

1. A method implemented in one or more electronic devices, the method comprising:

receiving current state information from each of a plurality of components controllable by the one or more electronic devices;

receiving a user input to save a scene;

determining a location for each of the plurality of components;

automatically identifying, based at least in part on the determined locations, a subset of the plurality of components to be included in the scene; and

saving the current state information received from each component in the subset of components as the scene.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the location for each of the plurality of components is based on one or more of:

an internal map stored in the one or more electronic devices;

location information received by the one or more electronic devices from at least one of the plurality of components;

or

strength of signals received by the one or more electronic devices from at least one of the plurality of components.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the subset of components includes at least two of:

a television;

a speaker;

a light fixture;

a media device;

a window shade;

or

a fireplace.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the current state information includes one or more of:

an on/off state of one or more of the plurality of components;

metadata associated with media content that is playing on one or more of the plurality of components;

or

a volume setting for one or more of the plurality of components.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising, subsequently to saving the scene:

receiving a user input to restore the scene; and

in response to the user input to restore the scene, restoring the scene, wherein restoring the scene includes sending a control command to at least one of the components to change a current state of the component to correspond to the saved state information associated with the scene.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein restoring the scene further includes:

detecting that a first component for which saved state information is associated with the scene is not available; and

providing a recommendation to the user for one or more alternative components to substitute for the first component.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising, subsequently to saving the scene:

determining a usage pattern associated with the saved scene; and

recommending to the user that the saved scene be restored based on the usage pattern.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the usage pattern is based at least in part on a frequency of restoring the saved scene as a function of one or more of a particular time of day, a particular day of week, or a particular day of year.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

receiving a user input indicating that the recommended saved scene should be restored; and

restoring the recommended saved scene in response to the user input, wherein restoring the recommended saved scene includes sending a control command to at least one of the components to change a current state of the component to correspond to the saved state information associated with the recommended saved scene.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising, subsequently to saving the scene:

determining a current state of at least some of the plurality of components;

comparing the current state to the saved state information associated with the saved scene;

determining, based on a result of the comparing, whether to recommend the saved scene to a user; and

in response to determining to recommend the saved scene to the user, presenting a user interface that includes an option to restore the recommended saved scene.

11. A system comprising:

a user interface;

communications circuitry;

at least one memory device; and

at least one processor coupled to the user interface, the communications circuitry, and the at least one memory device, the at least one processor being configured to;

receive, using the communications circuitry, current state information from each of a plurality of controllable components;

receive, using the user interface, a user input to save a scene;

determine a location for each of the plurality of components;

automatically identify, based at least in part on the determined locations, a subset of the plurality of components to be included in the scene; and

save, to the at least one memory device, the current state information received from each component in the subset of components as the scene.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the at least one processor is further configured to determine the location for each of the plurality of components based on one or more of:

an internal map stored in the at least one memory device;

location information received by the system from at least one of the plurality of components;

or

strength of signals received by the system from at least one of the plurality of components.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

receive, subsequently to saving the scene, an instruction to restore the scene; and

restore the scene in response to the instruction, wherein restoring the scene includes sending a control command to at least one of the components to change a current state of the component to correspond to the saved state information associated with the scene.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the at least one processor is further configured such that restoring the scene includes:

detecting that a first component for which saved state information is associated with the scene is not available; and

providing a recommendation to the user for one or more alternative components to substitute for the first component.

15. The system of claim 11 wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

determine, subsequently to saving the scene, a usage pattern associated with the saved scene; and

recommend that the saved scene be restored based on the usage pattern.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the usage pattern is based at least in part on a frequency of restoring the saved scene as a function of one or more of a particular time of day, a particular day of week, or a particular day of year.