Remote controlled system with computer-based remote control facilitator

• US 7,050,867 B2
• Filed: 06/22/2004
• Issued: 05/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Maymudes, David M.
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, RAMESH B
• Application Number:
  US10/874,076
• Publication Number:
  US 20040236442A1
• Time in Patent Office: 700 Days
• Field of Search: 700/2, 700/5, 700/9, 700 17- 18, 700/19, 700/20, 700/83, 700/65, 700/66, 340/3.1, 340/3.71, 340/825.22, 340/825.79, 345/418, 345/419, 345/420, 345/650, 345/661, 345/676, 345/700, 709/217, 709/330, 455/3.03, 455/92, 455/352
• US Class Current: 700/65
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4097 characterised by using design data to control NC machines, e.g. CAD/CAM G05B19/4093 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31457 Factory remote control, monitoring through internet
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/40 Remote control systems using repeaters, converters, gateways

Abstract

A remote controlled system employs a computer-based remote control facilitator to facilitate remote control of a controlled device from a non-dedicated remote controller. The computer facilitator is coupled to the remote controller and controlled device via a wireless or wire-based network. The computer facilitator runs an application that corresponds to the controlled device. Neither the remote controller nor the controlled device need have any awareness of the other, or any knowledge as to how to communicate with one another. The computer tells the remote controller what options to present to a user and translates the selection entered by the user into a command that is sent to the controlled device.

Claims

1. A computer, comprising:

one or more processors;

computer-readable media including computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computer to;

send information to a first device to configure a display means in the first device to display information related to the control of a second device;

receive from the first device control data for controlling the second device;

convert the received control data into control commands for the second device; and

send the control commands to the second device.

2. A computer as defined in claim 1, wherein the first device and the second device are physically connected.

3. A computer as defined in claim 1, wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the computer to expose a set of universal plug and play (IPnP) application program interfaces (APIs) through which information may be communicated to the first device.

4. A computer as defined in claim 1, wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the computer to receive and store a schema of the first device.

5. A computer as defined in claim 1, wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the computer to receive and store a schema of the first device, the schema including a description of the first device.

6. A system comprising:

a remote controller having a user interface (UI); and

a general-purpose computer in communication with the remote controller; and

computer-readable media including computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the general-purpose computer, cause the general-purpose computer to;

receive from the remote controller information defining operational parameters of the UI;

send information to the remote controller to configure the UI to display information related to the control of a controlled device and to receive user input for the control of the controlled device;

receive from the remote controller data for controlling the controlled device; and

send control commands to the controlled device, the control commands being based on the received control data.

7. A system as defined in claim 6, wherein the controlled device comprises a wireless device.

8. A system as defined in claim 6, wherein the UI comprises a display screen.

9. A system as defined in claim 6, wherein the UI comprises a display screen and user input means.

10. A system as defined in claim 6, wherein the information defining operational parameters of the UI comprise a schema.

11. A system as defined in claim 6, wherein the operational parameters are received in response to detecting a presence of the remote controller.

12. A system comprising:

means for receiving from a first wireless device operation parameters of a user interface of the first wireless device;

means for sending information to configure the user interface (UI) in the first wireless device;

means for receiving from the first wireless device control data for controlling a second wireless device, the control data being based on user interaction with the UI of the first wireless device; and

means for sending control commands to the second wireless device, the control commands being based on the received control data.

13. A system as defined in claim 12, further comprising a means for detecting a presence of the first device.

14. A system as defined in claim 13, further comprising a means for detecting a presence of the second device.

15. A system as defined in claim 12, further comprising a means for converting the control data received in a format specific to the first wireless device into the control commands sent in a format specific to the second wireless device.

16. A computing device comprising:

a processor; and

a computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the computing device to;

receive from a remote control having a user interface (UI) a description of operational parameters of the UI;

send to the remote control UI configuration information, in accordance with the operation parameters of the UI, operable to configure the UI to receive user input for controlling a device;

receive from the remote control data associated with user input into the UI for controlling the device;

convert the received data into control commands for the device; and

send the control commands to the device.

17. A computing device as defined in claim 16, wherein the computer-readable medium further has computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the computing device to detect the remote control.

18. A computing device as defined in claim 16, wherein the computer-readable medium further has computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the computing device to receive information from the remote computer to configure the UI via a wireless link.

19. A computing device as defined in claim 16, further comprising a set of universal plug and play (IPnP) application program interfaces (APIs) through which information may be communicated to the remote control.

20. A computing device as defined in claim 16, wherein the computer-readable medium further has computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the computing device to receive the description of the UI using a simple Service Discovery Protocol.

21. A computing device as defined in claim 16, wherein the computer-readable medium further has computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the computing device to receive the description of the UI in the form of a schema.

22. A computing device as defined in claim 16, wherein the computer-readable medium further has stored thereon a schema describing the UI.

23. A computing device, comprising:

a processor; and

a computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the computing device to;

receive from a first device having a display means a description of the display means;

send information to the first device to configure the display means to display information related to the control of a second device;

receive from the first device data for controlling the second device;

converting the received data into control commands for the second device; and

sending the control commands to the second device.

24. A computing device as defined in claim 23, wherein the computer-readable medium further has computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the computing device to detect the first device using a Simple Service Discovery Protocol.

25. A computing device as defined in claim 23, wherein the computer-readable medium further has computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the computing device to send the information to the first device in accordance with a wireless communication protocol.

26. A computing device as defined in claim 23, wherein the computer-readable medium further has computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the computing device to send the information to the first device in accordance with BlueTooth wireless network protocol.

27. A computing device as defined in claim 23, wherein the computer-readable medium further has computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the computing device to expose a set of universal plug and play (IPnP) application program interfaces (APIs) through which information may be communicated between the computing device and the first device.

28. A computing device as defined in claim 23, wherein the computer-readable medium further has computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the computing device to receive the description of the display means in the form of a schema.

29. A computing device, comprising:

a processor; and

a computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the computing device to;

detect a first wireless device having a user interface (UI);

receive from the first wireless device information defining operational parameters of the UI;

send information to the first wireless device to configure the UI of the first device to display information related to the control of a second device and to receive user input for the control of the second device;

receive from the first device control data for controlling the second device; and

send control commands to the second device, the control commands being based on the received control data.

30. A computing device as defined in claim 29, wherein the UI comprises a display screen.

31. A computing device as defined in claim 29, wherein the UI comprises a display screen and user input means.

32. A computing device as defined in claim 29, wherein the information defining operational parameters of the UI comprises a schema.

34. A computing device as defined in claim 29, wherein the computer-readable medium further has computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the computing device to detect the presence of the first wireless device and the second wireless device.

35. A computing device as defined in claim 29, wherein the computer-readable medium further has computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the computing device to convert the control data, received in a format specific to the first wireless device, to the control commands, sent in a format specific to the second wireless device.

33. A computing device, comprising:

a processor; and

a computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the computing device to;

receive from a first wireless device information defining operational parameters of a user interface (UI) of the first wireless device;

send information to configure the user interface (UI);

receive from the first wireless device control data for controlling a second wireless device, the control data being based on user interaction with the UI; and

send control commands to the second wireless device, the control commands being based on the received control data.