Method and system for controlling an electronic utility device using an electronic reading device

• US 6,832,116 B1
• Filed: 10/31/2000
• Issued: 12/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Olsson, Patrik, Tillgren, Magnus, Hollström, Magnus
• Primary Examiner(s): VOELTZ, EMANUEL T
• Application Number:
  US09/703,321
• Time in Patent Office: 1,505 Days
• Field of Search: 700/1, 700/17, 700/83, 345/175, 345/178, 345/179, 345/180, 178/18.01, 178/19.01, 178/19.05, 455/556.1, 455/556.2, 455/557, 235/462.11, 235/462.13, 235/462.46, 235/487, 235/494, 235/495, 709/206, 709/217, 709/219
• US Class Current: 700/1
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/315 characterised by selective application of heat to a heat sensitive printing or impression-transfer material B41J2/385, B41J2/435 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 29/393 Devices for controlling or analysing the entire machine ; Controlling or analysing mechanical parameters involving printing of test patterns
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/36 for portability , i.e. hand-held printers or laptop printers B41J3/4075 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/955 using information identifiers, e.g. uniform resource locators [URL]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/002 Specific input/output arrangements not covered by G06F3/01 - G06F3/16 other optical apparatus G02B27/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0321 by optically sensing the absolute position with respect to a regularly patterned surface forming a passive digitiser, e.g. pen optically detecting position indicative tags printed on a paper sheet constructional details of pen-shaped pointing devices G06F3/03545, G06F3/03542, G06F3/037
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/465 Distributed object oriented systems remote method invocation [RMI] G06F9/548
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/028 by thermal printers
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2215/0005 Accepting output data; Preparing data for the controlling system
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10 by electromagnetic radiation, e.g. optical sensing; by corpuscular radiation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00307 with a mobile telephone apparatus constructional features of portable telephone sets H04M1/0202; mobile radio systems H04W84/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/047 Detection, control or error compensation of scanning velocity or position H04N1/0402 and H04N1/17 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/107 with manual scanning
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/04712 using unbroken arrays of detectors, i.e. detectors mounted on the same substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/04717 on the scanned sheet, e.g. a reference sheet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/04734 : Detecting at frequent intervals, e.g. once per line for sub-scan control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/04737 : by detecting the scanned medium directly, e.g. a leading edge

Abstract

A method and system for controlling an electronic utility device is implemented using an electronic reading device. A sensor in the electronic reading device detects portions of an address pattern on a surface that is formatted for use in controlling the electronic utility device. Based on the detected portions, a processor and/or wireless application protocol (WAP) browser, located in the electronic reading device or in a separate electronic device, can identify a position or positions of the electronic reading device relative to the address pattern and translate the identified position(s) into a control message. The control message is transmitted to a WAP server module associated with the electronic utility device, and the WAP server module accesses, controls, or operates the electronic utility device in accordance with the control message.

Claims

1. An electronic reading device, comprising:

a sensor for detecting a portion of an address pattern on a formatted surface, wherein a position of the electronic reading device relative to the address pattern can be determined from the detected portion;

a processor for translating the detected portion of the address pattern into an identified position and for generating a wireless application protocol (WAP) message based, at least in part, on the identified position; and

a transmitter for transmitting the WAP message to a WAP server.

2. The electronic reading device of claim 1, wherein the sensor detects a plurality of successive portions of the address pattern and the processor translates the plurality of successive portions into a plurality of successive identified positions, the WAP message based on the plurality of successive identified positions.

3. The electronic reading device of claim 1, wherein the processor comprises a WAP browser.

4. The electronic reading device of claim 1, wherein the WAP message comprises a command for controlling an electronic utility device.

5. The electronic reading device of claim 4, wherein the WAP server is associated with the electronic utility device.

6. The electronic reading device of claim 1, wherein the transmitter transmits the WAP message via a local wireless link.

7. The electronic reading device of claim 1, wherein the transmitter sends the WAP message using one of an infrared signal, inductive coupling, and a Bluetooth radio interface.

8. The electronic reading device of claim 1, wherein the transmitter sends the WAP message using a cable.

9. The electronic reading device of claim 1, wherein the WAP message comprises a uniform resource locator (URL) and at least one common gateway interface (CGI) call.

10. A system for controlling electronic utility devices, comprising:

a formatted surface having an address pattern such that a position relative to the address pattern can be determined prom a portion of the address pattern;

an electronic reading device having a sensor for detecting positions of the electronic reading device relative to the address pattern;

a client processor for generating a wireless application protocol (WAP) message based on at least one detected position;

an electronic utility device; and

a WAP server associated with the electronic utility device for receiving the WAP message and for controlling the electronic utility device in accordance with the received WAP message.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the electronic reading device includes the client processor.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the electronic reading device further includes a radio transceiver for transmitting the WAP message to the WAP server and for receiving data relating to the address pattern from a separate electronic device.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the electronic reading device transmits the WAP message to the WAP server using one of an infrared signal, inductive coupling, and a cable connection.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the client processor is located in a separate electronic device.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the separate electronic device comprises a mobile station.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the separate electronic device includes a display for displaying information relating to the WAP message.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the WAP message comprises a common gateway interface (CGI) call.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the client processor further identifies a uniform resource locator (URL) associated with the at least one detected position.

19. The system of claim 10, wherein the electronic utility device is selected from the group consisting of an appliance, an electronic audio device, and an electronic video device.

20. A method for controlling an electronic utility device, comprising the steps of:

detecting a portion of an address pattern with an electronic reading device;

identifying at least one position of the electronic reading device relative to the address pattern using the detected portion of the address pattern;

translating the at least one position into a control message for a particular electronic utility device; and

controlling the particular electronic utility device in accordance with the control message.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the step of identifying at least one position comprises identifying handwritten information.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the control message comprises a wireless application protocol (WAP) message.

23. The method of claim 20, further comprising the steps of:

identifying a uniform resource locator (URL) associated with the detected portion of the address pattern; and

sending the control message to the identified URL.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the identified URL is associated with the electronic utility device.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the control message is sent via a cable connection.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein the control message is sent via one of an infrared interface, an inductive coupling, and a Bluetooth radio interface.

27. The method of claim 20, further comprising the step of sending the control message to a server associated with the particular electronic utility device, wherein the server performs the step of controlling.

28. The method of claim 20, wherein the control message includes a common gateway interface (CGI) call.

29. The method of claim 20, further comprising the step of retrieving data relating to the detected portion of the address pattern, said data for use in the step of translating.