Method and apparatus for creating and modifying graphical schedules
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A 1 method comprising:
- providing a graphical user interface operable tocreate or modify two or more presets, each preset representing a user selected environmental state for a predetermined physical space, said environmental state caused by a plurality of different types of devices taking actions defined by the preset, said plurality of different types of devices including two of more of audio/video (A/V) devices, lighting devices, heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) devices, closed circuit television (CCTV) devices or motor-operated devices,create a graphical schedule, said graphical schedule reflecting a relationship between time and said two or more presets, wherein said graphical schedule includes a first axis that indicates time and a second axis that indicates said two or more presets, andin response to graphical manipulations by a user in said graphical user,modify said graphical schedule to change when at least one of said two or more presets is scheduled to execute;
providing said graphical schedule and presets to a programmable multimedia controller which includes a general purpose computer and an interface for said plurality of different types of devices; and
using said programmable multimedia controller to control said plurality of different types of devices in accordance with said graphical schedule.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A graphical user interface enables a user to create and modify graphical schedules for a wide variety of devices that may be controlled by a programmable multimedia controller. A graphical schedule graphically depicts a relationship between time and at least one user-selected condition to be satisfied or at least one user-selected action to be taken. The user may create or modify graphical schedules using familiar techniques such as taps and swipes, drag and drop and the like.
-
Citations
21 Claims
-
1. A 1 method comprising:
-
providing a graphical user interface operable to create or modify two or more presets, each preset representing a user selected environmental state for a predetermined physical space, said environmental state caused by a plurality of different types of devices taking actions defined by the preset, said plurality of different types of devices including two of more of audio/video (A/V) devices, lighting devices, heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) devices, closed circuit television (CCTV) devices or motor-operated devices, create a graphical schedule, said graphical schedule reflecting a relationship between time and said two or more presets, wherein said graphical schedule includes a first axis that indicates time and a second axis that indicates said two or more presets, and in response to graphical manipulations by a user in said graphical user, modify said graphical schedule to change when at least one of said two or more presets is scheduled to execute; providing said graphical schedule and presets to a programmable multimedia controller which includes a general purpose computer and an interface for said plurality of different types of devices; and using said programmable multimedia controller to control said plurality of different types of devices in accordance with said graphical schedule. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
-
-
10. An apparatus comprising
a scheduler process configured to issue commands to devices in accordance with two or more presets and a graphical schedule, each preset representing a user selected environmental state for a predetermined physical space caused by a plurality of different type of devices taking actions defined by said preset, said plurality of different types of devices including two of more of audio/video (A/V) devices, lighting devices, heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) devices, closed circuit television (CCTV) devices or motor-operated devices; - and
a user interface device that includes a display device configured to show a graphical user interface, said graphical user interface operable to receive user input to create or modify said two or more presets, display said graphical schedule to a user, the displayed graphical schedule to include a first axis that indicates time and a second axis that indicates said two or more presets, and receive graphical manipulations from the user that indicate modifications to said graphical schedule. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
- and
-
17. An apparatus comprising:
-
a general purpose computer configured to execute software processes; means for causing a plurality of devices of different types to operate in accordance with two or more presets and a graphical schedule, each preset representing a user-selected environmental state for a predetermined physical space caused by devices taking actions defined by the preset, said devices including two of more of audio/video (A/V) devices, lighting devices, heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) devices, closed circuit television (CCTV) devices or motor operated devices, said graphical schedule indicating a relationship 9 between time displayed on a first axis and said two or more presets displayed on a second axis; and means for receiving user input to create or modify the two or more presets, displaying the graphical schedule to the user, and receiving graphical manipulations from the user that indicate modifications to said graphical schedule.
-
-
18. A method comprising:
-
displaying a graphical user interface on a user interface device; in response to user input from a user in the graphical user interface, create two or more presets, each preset representing a user-selected environmental state for a predetermined physical space within a structure caused by a plurality of different types of devices within the structure taking actions defined by the preset, the plurality of different types of devices including two of more of audio/video (A/V) devices, lighting devices, heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) devices, closed circuit television (CCTV) devices or motor-operated devices; showing a graphical schedule in said graphical user interface, said graphical schedule including a first axis that indicates time to which said two or more presets are mapped, and a second axis that represents said two or more presets, to graphically convey when each of said two or more presets is scheduled to execute; in response to graphical manipulations in said graphical user interface by the user, modifying said graphical schedule to change when at least one of said two or more presets is scheduled to execute; providing said modified graphical schedule to a programmable multimedia controller which controls said plurality of different types of devices; and using said programmable multimedia controller to control said plurality of different types of devices in accordance with said modified graphical schedule. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
-
-
21. An apparatus comprising
a database configured to store schedule points; -
a scheduler process configured to recognize schedule points stored in said database and issue commands in response to a current time matching a stored schedule point; a service controller configured to receive said commands from the scheduler process and to issue commands to devices within a structure to change environmental state within the structure; and a user interface device that includes a display device and is configured to; display a graphical user interface on the display device, in response to user input in said graphical user interface, create two or more presets, each preset representing two or more devices of different types taking actions defined by the preset to change environmental state in a predetermined physical space within the structure, the different types including two of more of audio/video (A/V) devices, lighting devices, heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) devices, closed circuit television (CCTV) devices or motor-operated devices, show a graphical schedule including a first axis that indicates time to which said two or more presets are mapped, and a second axis that represents said two or more presets, to graphically convey schedule points for each of the two or more presets, and in response to graphical manipulations received in the graphical user interface from a user, modify said graphical schedule to change said schedule points of said two or more presets.
-
Specification