Control system and user interface for network of input devices

• US 20020171763A1
• Filed: 05/02/2002
• Published: 11/21/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric US Incorporated (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Digital Electronics America Incorporated (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Houda, Pavel, Palmer, George E., Stecyk, Polly, Pu, Shenta T., Perry, Robert A., Zanfino, Martin, Peterson, Brian, Maxson, Brian D.
• Granted Patent: US 7,797,718 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/552
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2805 Home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/282 based on user interaction within the home receiver circuitry for displaying additional information being controlled by a remote control apparatus H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2849 Audio/video appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/285 Generic home appliances, e.g. refrigerators

Abstract

Apparatus, methods, and systems for centrally and uniformly controlling the operation of a variety of devices, such as communication, consumer electronic, audio-video, analog, digital,1394, and the like, over a variety of protocols within a network system and, more particularly, a control system and uniform user interface for centrally controlling these devices in a manner that appears seamless and transparent to the user. In a preferred embodiment, a command center or hub of a network system includes a context and connection permutation sensitive control system that enables centralized and seamless integrated control of all types of input devices. The control system preferably includes a versatile icon based graphical user interface that provides a uniform, on-screen centralized control system for the network system. The user interface, which includes a visual recognition system, enables the user to transparently control multiple input devices over a variety of protocols while operating on a single control layer of an input command device. In an alternative embodiment, the control system also enables gated signal pass-through control while avoiding signal jamming.

Claims

1. A television comprising

a display screen,

a circuit coupled to the screen,

an input coupled to the circuit and adapted to receive user input commands,

outputs coupled to the circuit, and

a control system operating on the circuit and translating user input commands to device appropriate messages to drive 1394 and IR controlled peripheral devices.

2. The television of claim 1 wherein the television is a digital television.

3. The television of claim 1 further comprising a down converter adapted to convert digital source signals to analog signals.

4. The television of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of internal audio/video (AV) devices coupled to the control system.

5. The television of claim 4 wherein the plurality of internal AV devices includes a signal source tuner.

6. The television of claim 1 wherein the control system comprises a user interface (UI) module translating user input commands.

7. The television of claim 6 wherein the control system further comprises IR and 1394 control modules coupled to the UI module, the IR and 1394 control modules converting translated user input commands into device appropriate output messages to drive the 1394 and IR controlled devices.

8. The television of claim 7 wherein the control system further comprises IR, 1394 and television control modules coupled to the UI module converting translated user input commands into device appropriate messages to drive IR controlled, 1394 , internal television AV devices.

9. The television of claim 7 further comprising a 1394 driver module coupled to the 1394 control module, the 1394 driver module adapted to communicate device appropriate output messages to external 1394 devices through the television outputs.

10. The television of claim 9 further comprising

an IR emitter controller coupled to the IR control module, and

an IR emitter coupled to the emitter controller.

11. The television of claim 6 wherein the control system comprises a graphical user interface (GUI) displayable on the screen and coupled to the UI module.

12. The television of claim 11 wherein the GUI includes a device selection menu comprising a plurality of icons corresponding to the plurality of internal AV devices and external 1394 and IR controlled devices when such devices are coupled to the television output.

13. The television of claim 12 wherein the device selection menu comprises a device selection window, a video sink window, and an audio sink window.

14. The television of claim 13 wherein the device selection menu further comprises a connection sink window.

15. The television of claim 12 wherein the GUI further comprises a visual recognition system.

16. The television of claim 15 wherein the visual recognition system comprises three states of visual recognition.

17. The television of claim 16 wherein the three states of visual recognition comprise a disabled state, a current device state, and a selected icon state.

18. The television of claim 15 wherein the visual recognition system comprises five states of visual recognition.

19. The television of claim 18 wherein the five states of visual recognition system comprise a disable state, a selected icon/current device state, a selected icon/not current device state, a not selected icon/not current device state, and a not selected icon/current device state.

20. The television of claim 6 wherein the UI module comprises a first module determining a current system state and whether an input command comprises a menu related action or a direct device action, a second module coupled to the first module, the second module determining whether a menu related action is a menu display action, a menu navigate action or a menu device action, and a third module coupled to the first and second modules, the third module determining what device connections to make and instructing the IR and 1394 control modules as to what device actions to take.

21. The television of claim 1 further comprising a user command input device operably coupled to the input.

22. The television of claim 21 wherein the input device is a remote control.

23. The television of claim 22 wherein the remote control emits IR signals.

24. The television of claim 23 further comprising an IR signal detector coupled to the circuit board.

25. The television of claim 24 further comprising a television control circuit board coupled to the IR signal detector and the circuit board.

26. The television of claim 24 further comprising an amplifier coupled to the IR signal detector.

27. The television of claim 22 wherein the remote control emits RF signals.

28. The television of claim 1 wherein the input is a USB port.

29. The television of claim 1 wherein the input comprises a voice recognition system.

30. The television of claim 1 wherein the input comprises an Internet connection.

78. The AV system of claim 1 further comprising a user command input device operably coupled to the input.

31. A controller for a network system comprising a mix of 1394 and IR

controlled devices, comprising

an input command receiver,

a plurality of outputs, and

a control module coupled to the input command receiver and the plurality of outputs and adapted to translate user input commands to device appropriate output messages to drive 1394 and IR controlled devices and transmit the output messages to 1394 and IR controlled devices when coupled to the plurality of outputs.

32. The controller of claim 31 further comprising a primary display unit coupled to the control module.

33. The controller of claim 32 wherein the primary display unit comprises a television.

34. The controller of claim 31 further comprising a down converter adapted to convert digital source signals to analog signals.

35. The controller of claim 33 wherein the television is a digital television.

36. The controller of claim 32 wherein the primary display unit comprises a slave monitor.

37. The controller of claim 31 wherein the control module comprises a user interface (UI) module translating user input commands.

38. The controller of claim 37 wherein the control module further comprises a plurality of input device controllers coupled to the UI module and adapted to convert translated user input commands into device appropriate output messages to drive the 1394 and IR controlled devices and transmit the output messages to 1394 and IR controlled devices.

39. The controller of claim 38 wherein the plurality of input device controllers include a television controller coupled to the UI module and adapted to convert translated user input commands into device appropriate messages to drive internal audio/video (AV) television devices.

40. The controller of claim 38 further comprising a 1394 driver module coupled to one of the plurality of input device controllers and adapted to communicate device appropriate output messages to external 1394 devices.

41. The controller of claim 40 further comprising

an IR emitter controller coupled to one of the plurality of input device controllers, and

an IR emitter coupled to the IR emitter controller.

42. The controller of claim 31 wherein the controller comprises a graphical user interface (GUI) coupled to the control module and displayable on a screen coupled to the controller.

43. The controller of claim 42 wherein the GUI includes a device selection menu comprising a plurality of icons corresponding to 1394 and IR devices when coupled to the controller.

44. The controller of claim 43 wherein the device selection menu comprises a device selection window, a video sink window, and an audio sink window.

45. The controller of claim 44 wherein the device selection menu further comprises a connection sink window.

46. The controller of claim 42 wherein the GUI further comprises a visual recognition system.

47. The controller of claim 45 wherein the visual recognition system comprises a plurality of visual recognition states.

48. The controller of claim 46 wherein the plurality of visual recognition states comprise a disabled state, a current device state, and a selected icon state.

49. The controller of claim 47 wherein the plurality of visual recognition states comprise a disable state, a selected icon/current device state, a selected icon/not current device state, a not selected icon/not current device state, and a not selected icon/current device state.

50. The controller of claim 37 wherein the UI module comprises

a first module determining a current system state and whether an input command comprises a menu related action or a direct device action,

a second module coupled to the first module, the second module determining whether a menu related action is a menu display action, a menu navigate action or a menu device action, and

a third module coupled to the first and second modules, the third module determining what device connections to make and instructing the IR and 1394 control modules as to what device actions to take.

51. The controller of claim 31 further comprising a user command input device operably coupled to the input receiver.

52. The controller of claim 51 wherein the input device is a remote control.

53. The controller of claim 52 wherein the remote control emits IR signals.

54. The controller of claim 53 wherein the input receiver comprises an IR signal detector coupled to the control module.

55. The controller of claim 54 further comprising a decoder coupled to the IR signal detector and the control module.

56. The controller of claim 54 further comprising an amplifier coupled to the IR signal detector.

57. The controller of claim 52 wherein the remote control emits RF signals.

58. The controller of claim 31 wherein the input receiver includes a USB port.

59. The controller of claim 31 wherein the input receiver includes a voice recognition system.

60. The controller of claim 31 wherein the input receiver includes an Internet connection.

61. An audio-video (AV) system comprising

a display screen,

a circuit coupled to the screen,

an input coupled to the circuit and adapted to receive user input commands,

outputs coupled to the circuit, and

a context sensitive control system operating on the circuit, the control system having a uniform user interface and translating user input commands to device appropriate messages to drive peripheral devices.

62. The AV system of claim 61 wherein the television is a digital television.

63. The AV system of claim 61 further comprising a down converter adapted to convert digital source signals to analog signals.

64. The AV system of claim 61 further comprising a plurality of internal audio/video (AV) devices coupled to the control system.

65. The AV system of claim 64 wherein the plurality of internal AV devices comprises a signal source tuner.

66. The AV system of claim 61 wherein the control system comprises a user interface (UI) module translating user input commands.

67. The AV system of claim 66 wherein the control system further comprises first and second peripheral device control modules coupled to the UI module, the first and second control modules converting translated user input commands into device appropriate output messages to drive the peripheral devices.

68. The AV system of claim 67 wherein the control system further comprises an internal device control module converting translated user input commands into device appropriate messages to drive internal AV devices.

69. The AV system of claim 66 wherein the user interface comprises a graphical user interface (GUI) displayable on the screen and coupled to the UI module.

70. The AV system of claim 69 wherein the GUI includes a device selection menu comprising a plurality of icons corresponding to the plurality of internal peripheral devices to be controlled.

71. The AV system of claim 70 wherein the device selection menu comprises a device selection window, a video sink window, and an audio sink window.

72. The AV system of claim 71 wherein the device selection menu further comprises a connection sink window.

73. The AV system of claim 70 wherein the GUI further comprises a visual reognition system.

74. The AV system of claim 73 wherein the visual recognition system comprises a plurality of visual recognition states.

75. The AV system of claim 74 wherein the plurality of visual recognition states comprise a disabled state, a current device state, and a selected icon state.

76. The AV system of claim 74 wherein the plurality of visual recognition states comprise a disable state, a selected icon/current device state, a selected icon/not current device state, a not selected icon/not current device state, and a not selected icon/current device state.

77. The AV system of claim 67 wherein the UI module comprises a first module determining a current system state and whether an input command comprises a menu related action or a direct device action, a second module coupled to the first module, the second module determining whether a menu related action is a menu display action, a menu navigate action or a menu device action, and a third module coupled to the first and second modules, the third module determining what device connections to make and instructing the first and second peripheral device control modules as to what device actions to take.

79. The AV system of claim 78 wherein the input device is a remote control.

80. The AV system of claim 79 wherein the remote control emits IR signals.

81. The AV system of claim 80 further comprising an IR signal detector coupled to the circuit board.

82. The AV system of claim 81 further comprising a decoder coupled to the IR signal detector and the circuit board.

83. The AV system of claim 79 wherein the remote control emits RF signals.

84. The AV system of claim 61 wherein the input is a USB port.

85. The AV system of claim 61 wherein the input comprises a voice recognition system.

86. The AV system of claim 61 wherein the input comprises an Internet connection.

87. A controller for a network of devices communicating with the controller over a variety of protocols, comprising

an input command receiver,

a plurality of outputs, and

a control module coupled to the input command receiver and plurality of outputs, the control module including a context sensitive control system and uniform user interface to control network devices, the control module translating user input commands to device appropriate output messages to drive the network devices.

88. The controller of claim 87 further comprising a primary display unit coupled to the control module.

89. The controller of claim 88 wherein the primary display unit comprises a television.

90. The controller of claim 87 further comprising a down converter adapted to convert digital source signals to analog signals.

91. The controller of claim 89 wherein the television is a digital television.

92. The controller of claim 88 wherein the primary display unit comprises a slave monitor.

93. The controller of claim 87 wherein the control module comprises a user interface (UI) module translating user input commands.

94. The controller of claim 93 wherein the control module further comprises a plurality of network device controllers coupled to the UI module and adapted to convert translated user input commands into device appropriate output messages to drive the network devices.

95. The controller of claim 87 wherein the controller comprises a graphical user interface (GUI) coupled to the control module and displayable on a screen coupled to the controller.

96. The controller of claim 95 wherein the GUI includes a device selection menu comprising a plurality of icons corresponding to devices to be controlled.

97. The controller of claim 96 wherein the device selection menu comprises a device selection window, a video sink window, and an audio sink window.

98. The controller of claim 97 wherein the device selection menu further comprises a connection sink window.

99. The controller of claim 95 wherein the GUI further comprises a visual recognition system.

100. The controller of claim 99 wherein the visual recognition system comprises a plurality of visual recognition states.

101. The controller of claim 100 wherein the plurality of visual recognition states comprise a disabled state, a current device state, and a selected icon state.

102. The controller of claim 100 wherein the plurality of visual recognition states comprise a disable state, a selected icon/current device state, a selected icon/not current device state, a not selected icon/not current device state, and a not selected icon/current device state.

103. The controller of claim 94 wherein the UI module comprises

a first module determining a current system state and whether an input command comprises a menu related action or a direct device action,

a second module coupled to the first module, the second module determining whether a menu related action is a menu display action, a menu navigate action or a menu device action, and

a third module coupled to the first and second modules, the third module determining what device connections to make and instructing network device controllers as to what device actions to take.

104. The controller of claim 87 further comprising a user command input device operably coupled to the input receiver.

105. The controller of claim 104 wherein the input device is a remote control.

106. The controller of claim 105 wherein the remote control emits IR signals.

107. The controller of claim 106 wherein the input receiver comprises an IR signal detector coupled to the control module.

108. The controller of claim 107 further comprising a decoder coupled to the IR signal detector and the control module.

109. The controller of claim 108 further comprising an amplifier coupled to the IR signal detector.

110. The controller of claim 105 wherein the remote control emits RF signals.

111. The controller of claim 87 wherein the input receiver includes a USB port.

112. The controller of claim 87 wherein the input receiver includes a voice recognition system.

113. The controller of claim 87 wherein the input receiver includes an Internet connection.