Abstract:
A power strip adapted to support power status reporting as well as the issuing of commands to control functional operations of the appliances. The power strip may receive a command from a remote control (for example transmitted via radio frequency or wired connection) and, in turn, issue a corresponding command (for example transmitted via infrared) to one or more appliances to cause the one or more appliances to perform a functional operation.
Abstract:
A method of enabling the programming of universal remote control system for controlling a CE device of a combination type providing a combination of functionalities equivalent to that provided by a combination of devices with respective basic features, the CE device including an interface for receiving remote control signals to access the combination of functionalities, wherein the combination of functionalities determines possible operational states of the CE device, includes providing input data for a configuration process for generating program code enabling the remote control system to provide remote control signals controlling transitions between the possible states. The input data is assembled by a data processing system in accordance with information defining the combination of devices with basic features received through an interface to the data processing system.
Abstract:
A method of obtaining control information for programming a universal remote control system (1;9,21) to control at least one CE device (13,17-19,22) provided with a connection (10,17,23) to a network (6) for communication in accordance with a network protocol, includes obtaining a description of a CE device to be controlled via the CE device's connection to the network by executing the network protocol, and retrieving a set of control information appropriate to the CE device to be controlled. The set of control information is retrieved by searching a database providing access to a plurality of sets of control information using information derived from the obtained description as a search key.
Abstract:
An arrangement and method for equipment remote control according to a predetermined user profile. Controllable equipment is provided with a first wireless communication device and a user identity badge is provided with a second wireless communication device for communication, when in-range, with said first wireless communication device. A mobile communication terminal in communication with an Internet Protocol (IP) network, and provided with a third wireless communication device. User and equipment identities are communicated to a user profile server connected to said IP network, and a user profile is returned to the equipment which is configured accordingly.
Abstract:
A remote control having an improved user interface. A remote control for navigating a menu system provided on a digital video disc (DVD) is disclosed. The remote control comprises memory for storing a sequence of navigation keystrokes and programming for subsequently executing the sequence, whereby material on the DVD is navigated. Remote controls having a display screen are also used to enhance the user interface. More general systems and methods related to consumer electronics are also disclosed.
Abstract:
The invention provides for a user control interface that is location dependent within the home environment. Context control parameters are associated with location, and the user control interface is customized to the context within which the device is being operated. The control interface includes the presentation of context sensitive information and the communication of corresponding context sensitive user commands via the interface. The location determination is effected using any number of commonly available techniques, such as direct entry, infrared sensors and active badges for relative positioning, as well as the conventional absolute positioning devices such as LORAN and GPS. In a preferred embodiment, the device communicates with a remote information source that provides the context sensitive control information. The remote information source may be a home network server, an Internet server, a public service network, or other communication network.
Abstract:
A method and system for commanding and controlling diverse home devices connected to a home network is provided. According to the method, sequences of commands which are used to control a home device are stored as a macro to control the home device. A sequence of commands, used to control a plurality of home devices in tandem, is stored as a macro. The invention provides the user a capability of operating a single button to implement a sequence of control commands from within an HTML page contained on the respective home devices being controlled.
Abstract:
A system and method is disclosed for using two or more cooperating but physically independent displays for enhanced viewing of data streams, where the viewing on one display does not interfere with the viewing on the other displays. The type of data streams may be complex streams such as multiple television broadcast signals or other video signals, Internet data, or other local data such as information related to the state of a consumer's home appliances. The signals may be data embedded in the vertical blanking interval (VBI) for analog signals, or in dedicated slots in a digital signal according to protocols such as MPEG. The system includes a hand-held and portable remote control (10) with a motion picture display and hardware or software enabling interaction between a primary display (80) and the hand-held display (10). The hardware may include an integrated TV tuner or a physically separate base station (75) having a TV tuner, in which case the base station (75) and the remote control (10) would communicate via radio frequencies (110 and 115).
Abstract:
A method and system for commanding and controlling diverse home devices. A first home device capable of displaying user interface data is connected to a home network. A second home device stores user interface data that defines a user interface for commanding and controlling the second home device, also connected to the homenetwork. The first device receives the user interface data from the second device over the network. The first device then displays the user interface as defined by the data. The user interacts with the user interface displayed on the first device by a control device. User input is accepted from the user responsive to the interaction. Control and command information is sent from the first home device to the second home device in order to control the second device according to the user input. Since the user interface can be displayed from any device, a single control device may control a plurality of different devices without requiring any change in the mode of operation of the control device.