Graphical user interface for an appliance network

• US 20030076341A1
• Filed: 04/04/2002
• Published: 04/24/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Kuki, Hikaru
• Granted Patent: US 7,260,604 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/700
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34

Abstract

A graphical user interface is disclosed for use with an appliance network. To improve understanding of the network, the interface includes a metaphorical representation of a connected appliance that is animated to metaphorically simulate an activity related to the appliance.

Claims

1. A user interface for a data processing network including an appliance, said interface comprising a metaphorical representation of said appliance.

2. The user interface of claim 1 wherein said metaphorical representation includes an animated representation of an operating state of said appliance.

3. The user interface of claim 1 wherein said metaphorical representation includes an animated representation of an interaction of said appliance and a second appliance.

4. The user interface of claim 3 wherein said animated representation of said interaction of said appliance and said second appliance comprises an animated simulation of a journey of said metaphorical representation of said appliance to said second appliance.

5. The user interface of claim 1 wherein said metaphorical representation includes an animated simulation of a journey of said metaphorical representation of said appliance to a web site.

6. A user interface for a data processing network comprising an appliance, said interface comprising:

(a) a metaphorical representation of said appliance; and

(b) at least one sequence of events selectable by a user of said network to animate said metaphorical representation in a metaphorical simulation of an activity related to said appliance.

7. The user interface of claim 6 wherein said at least one sequence of events selectable by said user comprises a communication between said appliance and a second appliance.

8. The user interface of claim 7 wherein selection of said sequence of events comprising said communication between said appliance and said second appliance animates said metaphorical representation of said appliance to simulate a journey to said second appliance.

9. The user interface of claim 8 wherein said selection of said sequence of events comprising said communication between said appliance and said second appliance animates a metaphorical representation of said second appliance to simulate a journey to said appliance.

10. The user interface of claim 6 wherein said at least one sequence of events selectable by said user comprises a communication between said appliance and a web page.

11. The user interface of claim 10 wherein said selection of said sequence of events comprising said communication between said appliance and said web page animates said metaphorical representation of said appliance to simulate a journey to said web page.

12. The user interface of claim 11 further comprising an animation of a return from said web page by said metaphorical representation of said appliance following a metaphorical representation of an interaction between said appliance and said web page.

13. A data processing network comprising:

(a) an appliance including a display and a computer readable instruction describing a sequence of events for an animated metaphorical representation of said appliance; and

(b) a visual agent server in communication with said appliance and controlling execution of said sequence of events in response to an input from a user of said appliance.

14. The network of claim 13 wherein said visual agent sever comprises:

(a) an agent state database including a current status of said metaphorical representation of said appliance; and

(b) an agent state manager directing said appliance to animate said metaphorical representation in response to an input by a user of said appliance, receiving a response from said appliance, and updating a state of said metaphorical representation in said agent state database.

15. The network of claim 14 wherein said visual agent server further comprises an agent applet database storing at least one computer readable instruction describing a behavior of an animated metaphorical representation of an appliance.

16. A data processing network comprising:

(a) an appliance including a display and an input device;

(b) a computer readable instruction including a representation of said appliance, said representation including an animated metaphorical simulation of an activity of said appliance selectable by an input of a user of said appliance; and

(c) a visual agent server in communication with said appliance, said visual agent server receiving a user input from said input device, directing said appliance to display said animated representation of said appliance, receiving a response from said appliance, and recording a state of said animated representation of said appliance.

17. The network of claim 16 wherein said visual agent server further comprises an agent applet database including at least said computer readable instruction describing a behavior of said animated metaphorical representation of said appliance.

18. The network of claim 16 wherein said computer readable instruction describing said behavior of said animated metaphorical representation of said appliance causes display of an animated simulation of a journey of said representation of said appliance to a second appliance.

19. The network of claim 16 wherein said computer readable instruction describing said behavior of said animated metaphorical representation of said appliance causes display of an animated simulation of a journey of said representation of said appliance to a web page.