SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR FLEXIBLE CONFIGURATION OF A CONTROLLING DEVICE

• US 20100138764A1
• Filed: 12/02/2009
• Published: 06/03/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Universal Electronics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Universal Electronics, Inc.
• Inventors: Chambers, Christopher A., Clegg, Steven, Hatambeiki, Arsham, Yuh, Han-Sheng
• Granted Patent: US 9,632,665 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/765
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/16 Constructional details or arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/01 Input arrangements or combined input and output arrangements for interaction between user and computer G06F3/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/10 Requirements analysis; Specification techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/06 using stored programs, i.e. using an internal store of processing equipment to receive or retain programs
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/20 Binding and programming of remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/21 Programming remote control devices via third means
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/30 User interface
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/92 Universal remote control
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 23/04 using light waves, e.g. infrared
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/34 Indicating arrangements indicating means incorporated in magazine or cassette G11B23/046 and G11B23/0875; indicating measured values in general G01D
• 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 21/42208 Display device provided on the remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42224 Touch pad or touch panel provided on the remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42228 the reprogrammable keys being displayed on a display screen in order to reduce the number of keys on the remote control device itself
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8186 specially adapted to be executed by a peripheral of the client device, e.g. by a reprogrammable remote control

Abstract

A system and method whereby an user interface editing device is used to create a user interface for a controlling device, the created user interface including user interface elements that are associated with functional operations of a virtual equivalent of an appliance. After the created user interface is transferred to the controlling device, the virtual equivalent of an appliance is caused to be linked to an intended target appliance whereupon activation of those user interface elements of the graphical user interface that were associated with functional operations of the virtual equivalent of an appliance will cause the controlling device to transmit commands to control corresponding functional operations of the intended target appliance.

Claims

1. A method for configuring a controlling device to command functional operations of an intended target appliance, comprising:

creating on an user interface editing device a user interface for the controlling device whereupon the created user interface is comprised of user interface elements that are associated with functional operations of a virtual equivalent of an appliance;

transferring the created user interface to the controlling device from the user interface editing device; and

at the controlling device causing the virtual equivalent of an appliance to be linked to the intended target appliance whereupon activation of those user interface elements of the graphical user interface that were associated with functional operations of the virtual equivalent of an appliance will cause the controlling device to transmit commands to control corresponding functional operations of the intended target appliance.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the created user interface is transferred to the controlling device via a physical connection between the controlling device and the user interface editing device.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the created user interface is transferred to the controlling device via a wireless connection between the controlling device and the user interface editing device.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, comprising receiving into the controlling device data that functions to identify the intended target appliance and using at the controlling device the data that functions to identify the intended target appliance to create the link between the virtual equivalent of an appliance and the intended target appliance.

5. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein the data that functions to identify the intended target appliance is received directly from the intended target appliance.

6. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein the data that functions to identify the intended target appliance is received from a device on a network that includes the intended target appliance.

7. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein the data that functions to identify the intended target appliance is received from another controlling device that is configured to control functional operations of the intended target appliance.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, comprising causing the virtual equivalent of an appliance to be linked to a physical node of a network that is associated with the intended target appliance.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, comprising providing within the graphical user interface one or more elements by which the link in the controlling device between the virtual equivalent of an appliance and the intended target appliance may be broken.

10. The method as recited in claim 1, comprising providing within the graphical user interface one or more elements by which the link between the virtual equivalent of an appliance and the intended target appliance may be tested via use of the controlling device before the link between the virtual equivalent of an appliance and the intended target appliance is finalized for use within an operational configuration of the controlling device.

11. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the user interface editing device comprises a personal computer.

12. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the user interface elements comprise at least one n-state widget.

13. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein the n-state widget comprises a widget input that is associated with a status of the intended target appliance.

14. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein the created user interface comprises data for causing the controlling device to issue polling requests to thereby retrieve status of the intended target appliance for use by the widget input of the n-state widget.

15. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein status of the intended target appliance received in response to a polling request is cached within the controlling device to thereby allow status of the intended target appliance to be used as needed by plural n-state widgets.

16. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein the n-state widget comprises a definition of multiple areas of a touch-screen display of the controlling device, one or more images to be displayed within the one or more of the multiple areas of the touch-screen display of the controlling device, and one or more actions to be taken by the controlling device in response to user interaction with the one or more of the multiple areas of the touch-screen display of the controlling device.

17. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein the n-state widget comprises a definition of one or more reactions to be taken by the controlling device in response to a status of the intended target appliance.

18. A method for configuring a controlling device to command functional operations of an intended target appliance, comprising:

providing to the controlling device a user interface comprised of user interface elements that are associated with functional operations of the intended target appliance wherein the user interface elements comprise at least one n-state widget and the n-state widget comprises a definition of multiple areas of a touch-screen display of the controlling device, one or more images to be displayed within the one or more of the multiple areas of the touch-screen display of the controlling device, one or more actions to be taken by the controlling device in response to user interaction with the one or more of the multiple areas of the touch-screen display of the controlling device, and one or more reactions to be taken by the controlling device in response to a status of the intended target appliance and wherein the one or more actions to be taken by the controlling device in response to user interaction with the one or more of the multiple areas of the touch-screen display of the controlling device comprises the controlling device being caused to transmit commands to control one or more functional operations of the intended target appliance.

19. The method as recited in claim 18, wherein the user interface comprises data for causing the controlling device to issue polling requests to thereby retrieve status of the intended target appliance for use by the n-state widget.

20. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein status of the intended target appliance received in response to a polling request is cached within the controlling device to thereby allow status of the intended target appliance to be used as needed by plural n-state widgets.

21. The method as recited in claim 18, comprising using an user interface editing device to create the user interface and transferring the created user interface to the controlling device from the user interface editing device.

22. The method as recited in claim 18, wherein the definition of the n-state widget includes a single image being displayed in manner that coincides with plural ones of the multiple areas of the touch-display screen of the controlling device each of which will cause the controlling device to take an action when interacted with by a user.

23. The method as recited in claim 18, wherein the definition of the n-state widget includes plural images being displayed in a manner that coincides with a single one of the multiple areas of the touch-display screen of the controlling device which will cause the controlling device to take an action when interacted with by a user.

24. The method as recited in claim 18, wherein the definition of the n-state widget 10 includes at least one image being displayed within one or more of the multiple areas of the touch-screen, display of the controlling device which will not cause the controlling device to take an action when interacted with by a user.

25. A method for configuring a first controlling device to command functional operations of an intended target appliance, comprising:

receiving at the first controlling device from a second controlling device data indicative of a linkage between a virtual equivalent of an appliance and an intended target appliance used in an operational configuration of the second controlling device; and

causing the first controlling device to use the received data to automatically configure itself whereupon activation of user interface elements of a graphical user interface of the first controlling device that were associated with functional operations of a virtual equivalent of an appliance will cause the first controlling device to transmit commands to control corresponding functional operations of an intended target appliance corresponding to the intended target appliance in the operational configuration of the second controlling device.

26. The method as recited in claim 25, wherein the data is wirelessly transmitted from the second controlling device to the first controlling device.

27. The method as recited in claim 25, wherein the data is transferred from the second controlling device to the first controlling device in response to first and second controlling devices being placed into a synchronization mode.

28. The method as recited in claim 25, comprising displaying a status message at the first controlling device during a transfer of the data.