Programmable multimedia controller with flexible user access and shared device configurations

• US 8,719,581 B2
• Filed: 09/21/2011
• Issued: 05/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Savant Systems, LLC
• Original Assignee: Savant Systems, LLC
• Inventors: Madonna, Robert P., McKinley, David, Silva, Michael C., Locascio, Timothy R
• Primary Examiner(s): Zand, Kambiz
• Assistant Examiner(s): Getachew, Abiy
• Application Number:
  US13/238,141
• Publication Number:
  US 20120084472A1
• Time in Patent Office: 958 Days
• Field of Search: 370/352, 713/183
• US Class Current: 713/183
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2829 involving user profiles according to which the execution of a home appliance functionality is automatically triggered
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4131 home appliance, e.g. lighting, air conditioning system, metering devices home automation data switching networks exchanging configuration information on appliance services H04L12/2807
• 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 21/4325 by playing back content from the storage medium reproduction of recorded television signals H04N5/76; reproduction of recorded television signals H04N9/79
• 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 21/4751 for defining user accounts, e.g. accounts for children
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4753 for user identification, e.g. by entering a PIN or password cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4858 for modifying screen layout parameters, e.g. fonts, size of the windows

Abstract

A system which includes a programmable multimedia controller is provided in which flexible user access is provided through a combination of user profiles and usernames/pas swords. A configuration for a given device which may form part of the system or may interoperate with the system may be shared by multiple similar devices. A sharable device configuration is stored by a master device and can be shared by other devices of the same type as the master device.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a programmable multimedia controller, which is capable of interfacing with and controlling audio, video, telecommunications or data communications devices;

a master user profile, stored in the programmable multimedia controller, which identifies a user interface for a master user that has unrestricted access to and control over the programmable multimedia controller, the master user profile including;

a master username,

a master password, and

a device name identifying a device of the master user that the identified user interface for the master user is presented upon,

wherein the user interface for the master user, when presented, permits unrestricted access to and control over the programmable multimedia controller in accordance with said master user profile;

at least one non-master user profile, stored in the programmable multimedia controller, which identifies a user interface for one or more non-master users that have restricted access to and control over the programmable multimedia controller, the non-master user profile including;

at least one non-master username,

at least one non-master password,

a device name identifying a device of the one or more non-master users that the identified user interface for the one or more non-master users is presented upon,

wherein the user interface for the one or more non-master users, when presented, permits restricted access to and control over the programmable multimedia controller in accordance with the non-master user profile.

2. The system as defined in claim 1 wherein the programmable multimedia controller includes a general purpose computer.

3. The system as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

a device control interface to communicate with lighting, home automation, and motor and/or relay operated devices.

4. The system as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

an expansion port for linking several programmable multimedia controllers together to form an expanded system.

5. A method comprising:

configuring a user'"'"'s device with a device configuration;

determining a user interface for interacting with a programmable multimedia controller should be rendered on the user'"'"'s device by validating a username and password against a profile, the profile being either a master user profile that indicates the user interface should provide unrestricted access to and control over the programmable multimedia controller and includes a stored username of a master user, a stored password of the master user, and a stored device name identifying the user'"'"'s device may be used to present the user interface to the master user, or a non-master user profile that indicates the user interface should provide restricted access to and control over the programmable multimedia controller and includes a stored username of a non-master user, a stored password of the non-master user, and a stored device name identifying the user'"'"'s device may be used to present the user interface to the non-master user; and

rendering the user interface for interacting with the programmable multimedia controller.

6. The method as defined in claim 5, further comprising:

discovering the programmable multimedia controller by the user'"'"'s device.

7. The method as defined in claim 5, further comprising:

presenting on the user'"'"'s device, a list of possible user interfaces that the user'"'"'s device supports.

8. The method as defined in claim 7, further comprising:

receiving a user'"'"'s selection of the user interface from the list.

9. The method as defined in claim 5, further comprising:

performing the validating of the username and password against the profile at the programmable multimedia controller.

10. The method as defined in claim 5, further comprising:

providing, by the programmable multimedia controller, a unique identifier for the user'"'"'s device.

11. The method as defined in claim 5, wherein the rendered user interface is based on a selection made by the user and device configuration information previously stored in the user'"'"'s device.

12. The method as defined in claim 5, further comprising issuing commands by the user'"'"'s device to access and control the programmable multimedia controller based on access rights specified in the profile.

13. A method comprising:

configuring a programmable multimedia controller with one or more sharable device configurations, the programmable multimedia controller capable of interfacing with and controlling audio, video, telecommunications or data communications devices, the one or more sharable device configurations to include information for rendering user interfaces for interaction with the programmable multimedia controller;

storing the sharable device configurations in a processing subsystem within the programmable multimedia controller;

transferring a copy of a sharable device configuration from the programmable multimedia controller to be stored at a first device used by a user to interact with the programmable multimedia controller, the first device of a type of devices, the first device to become a master device with respect to other devices of the same type; and

obtaining, by one or more second devices of the type, when the one or more second devices are added to the system, a copy of the sharable device configuration from the master device, instead of from the programmable multimedia controller.

14. The method as defined in claim 13, further comprising:

obtaining, by the one or more second devices of the type, the copy of the sharable device configuration using WiFi.

15. The method as defined in claim 13, wherein the master device is a mobile device.

22. The method as defined in claim 13, further comprising:

considering the first device to become the master device with respect to the other devices of the same type when the sharable device configuration is stored at the first device.

16. A system comprising:

a programmable multimedia controller that is capable of interfacing with and controlling audio, video, telecommunications or data communications devices;

a sharable device configuration stored on the programmable multimedia controller that includes a data structure that includes;

i. graphics data and images that appear in a user interface for interaction with a programmable multimedia controller;

ii. graphics layout information specifying spatial relationships to be applied to the graphics data to render the user interface;

iii. system commands that are valid with a particular combination of graphics data and graphics layout information; and

iv. system state information for a device used to communicate with a run-time system on the programmable multimedia controller;

a first device of a type of devices used by a user to interact with the programmable multimedia controller, the first device configured to obtain a copy of the sharable device configuration from the programmable multimedia controller, the first device to become a master device with respect to other devices of the same type; and

one or more other devices of the same type configured to obtain a copy of the sharable device configuration from the master device, instead of from the programmable multimedia controller.

17. The system as defined in claim 16, wherein the sharable device configuration is stored in a processing subsystem within the programmable multimedia controller.

18. The system as defined in claim 16, wherein, when the sharable device configuration is stored at the first device, the first device is considered a master device with respect to the other devices of the same type.

19. The system as defined in claim 16 wherein the other devices of the same type as the master device are configured to obtain the copy of the sharable device configuration from the master device, when they are added to the system.

20. The system as defined in claim 19, wherein the master device is configured to distribute the shareable device configuration using WiFi.

21. The system as defined in claim 16, wherein the master device is a mobile device.