Method, system, and computer program product for managing controlled residential or non-residential environments

• US 8,196,064 B2
• Filed: 07/12/2007
• Issued: 06/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: ID8 Group R2 Studios Incorporated (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Krzyzanowski, Paul, Lin, Wayzen, Pitts, Michael, Flores, Justin
• Primary Examiner(s): Kumar, Pankaj
• Assistant Examiner(s): NEWLIN, TIMOTHY R
• Application Number:
  US11/826,126
• Publication Number:
  US 20100031295A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,790 Days
• Field of Search: 725 38- 43
• US Class Current: 715/844
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2816 Controlling appliance services of a home automation network by calling their functionalities arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station; in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom H04Q9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0213 Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44227 Monitoring of local network, e.g. connection or bandwidth variations; Detecting new devices in the local network configuring of peripheral devices in general G06F9/4411; monitoring connectivity in data switched networks H04L43/0811
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications

Abstract

A control server, or similar central processor, manages the distribution of data (including audio and video), voice, and control signals among a plurality of devices connected via a wired and/or wireless communications network. The devices include audio/visual devices (such as, televisions, monitors, PDAs, notepads, notebooks, MP3, portable stereo, etc.) as well as household appliances (such as, lighting, ovens, alarm clocks, etc.). The control server supports video/audio serving, telephony, messaging, file sharing, internetworking, and security. A portable controller allows a user to access and control the network devices from any location within a controlled residential and/or non-residential environment, including its surrounding areas. The controllers are enhanced to support location-awareness and user-awareness functionality.

Claims

1. A method of presenting programming information on a display coupled to a processing device, comprising:

accessing user input to activate a channel object depicted on the display and associated with a programming channel;

producing on the display a quick-view object that presents programming information for a program listed for transmission on the programming channel associated with the channel object when the channel object is activated for a first time period;

producing on the display a jump-to-guide object that presents an electronic program guide listing programming information for a plurality of programming channels when the channel object is activated for a second time period that exceeds the first time period; and

producing on the display first and second timer graphics corresponding to the first and second time periods, wherein the first and second timer graphics are responsive to first and second signals indicating the activation of the quick-view object and the jump-to-guide object.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

activating a timer associated with the channel object.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the first and second timer graphics comprise two concentric circles having an inner circle corresponding to one of the first and second timer graphics and an outer circle corresponding to another one of the first and second timer graphics.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

filling the inner circle in a radial direction over a period of time equivalent to the first time period.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

filling the outer circle in a radial direction over a period of time equivalent to the second time period.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

canceling the display of the first timer graphic when the channel object is deactivated prior to the expiration of the first time period.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

canceling the display of the second timer graphic and the quick-view object if the channel object is deactivated prior to the expiration of the second time period.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

highlighting the programming channel associated with the channel object in the electronic program guide.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

deactivating the channel object prior to the expiration of the first time period.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

sending a control message that, when executed, controls an operation and/or a function of a remote device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein execution of the control message comprises:

converting the control message into executable instructions to switch the remote device to the programming channel associated with the channel object.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

deactivating the channel object prior to the expiration of the second time period.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

canceling the display of the quick-view object if the channel object is deactivated prior to the expiration of the second time period.

14. A method of presenting programming information on a display coupled to a processing device, comprising:

accessing user input to activate a channel object depicted on the display and associated with a programming channel;

transmitting instructions to switch a device to the programming channel associated with the channel object if the channel object is activated for a time period that does not exceed a specified value;

transmitting instructions to display a quick-view object that presents programming information for a program listed for transmission on the programming channel associated with the channel object if the channel object is activated for a quick-view time period equivalent to the specified value;

transmitting a command to display a jump-to-guide object that presents an electronic program guide listing programming information for a plurality of programming channels if the channel object is activated for a jump-to-guide time period exceeding the specified value; and

transmitting instructions to display first and second timer graphics corresponding to the quick-view time period and the jump-to-guide time period, wherein the first and second timer graphics are responsive to first and second signals indicating the activation of the quick-view object and the jump-to-guide object.

15. A method of displaying programming information, comprising:

displaying a plurality of channel objects depicted on the user interface, wherein each channel object is associated with a programming channel;

displaying a quick-view object that presents programming information for a program listed for transmission on the programming channel associated with an activated channel object, wherein the quick-view object is composited on an image that includes the activated channel object;

displaying a jump-to-guide object that presents an electronic program guide listing programming information for the programming channels associated with the plurality of channel objects, wherein the jump-to-guide object is composited on an image that includes the activated channel object; and

displaying a quick-view timer and a jump-to-guide timer, wherein the quick-view timer and the jump-to-guide timer are responsive to signals indicating the activation of respective ones of the quick-view object and the jump-to-guide object.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

displaying the quick-view timer as one of an inner circle and an outer circle; and

displaying the jump-to-guide timer as another one of the inner circle and the outer circle,

wherein the timers are composited on images that include respective ones of the activated quick-view object and the activated jump-to guide object.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

modifying a visual characteristic of the inner circle over a time period that expires after a first time value.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

modifying a visual characteristic of the outer circle over a time period that expires after a second time value, wherein the second time value exceeds the first time value.