Method and system for tracking software components

• US 7,010,749 B2
• Filed: 09/13/2002
• Issued: 03/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: William H. Gates
• Original Assignee: William H. Gates
• Inventors: Pyle, Harry S., Hasha, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Cao (Kevin)
• Application Number:
  US10/243,169
• Publication Number:
  US 20030020742A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,271 Days
• Field of Search: 715/762, 715/700, 715/734, 715/740, 715/764, 715/771, 715/851, 715/765, 715/763
• US Class Current: 715/762
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/38 for implementing user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/449 Object-oriented method invocation or resolution
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation 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: H05B 47/155 Coordinated control of two or more light sources
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/18 via data-bus transmission

Abstract

A method and system for generating a user interface for controlling software components through a user control point device. The user interface system provides multiple software components that each can provide a user interface component. Each user interface component provides a user interface for the corresponding software component. A user control point component requests each software component to provide its user interface component. The user control point component then displays an indication of each software component. In response to the selection of a software component, the user control point component requests the user interface component for that software component to display its user interface through the control point device. When a user interacts with that user interface, the user interface component notifies the corresponding software component of the interaction.

Claims

1. A method in a computer system for generating a user interface for controlling software components through a user control point device, each software component being identified within a space, the method comprising:

identifying a space whose software components are to be controlled by the user control point device;

identifying a user interface component for each software component within the identified space;

outputting through the user control point device an indication of each software component within the identified space; and

in response to selection of a software component, passing control to the identified user interface component for that software component.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the identifying of the user interface component for a software component is based on a type of user control point device.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein software components may contain subcomponent, and including identifying a user interface component for each subcomponent of a software component.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the identifying of the user interface component for a subcomponent is based on the software component of the subcomponent.

5. The method of claim 1 including:

identifying a user interface component for the identified space wherein the user interface component for the identified space controls the identifying of the user interface component for each software component of the identified space and wherein the user interface component controls the outputting through the user control point device an indication of each software component of the identified space.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the identifying of a user interface component for the software component includes requesting the software component to indicate a user interface component and receiving an indication of the user interface component from the software component.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the identifying of a user interface component for the software component includes receiving an indication of the user interface component from the software component.

8. A computer readable medium comprising computer executable instructions for performing the method of claim 1.

9. A computing device comprising means for performing the method of claim 1.