公开(公告)号：US06567032B1

公开(公告)日：2003-05-20

申请号：US09343441

申请日：1999-06-30

Applicant: John Martin Mullaly ,  Winslow Scott Burleson ,  Richard A. Henkler

Inventor： John Martin Mullaly ,  Winslow Scott Burleson ,  Richard A. Henkler

IPC: G08C1912

CPC classification number: G08C23/04 ,  G08C17/02 ,  G08C2201/50 ,  G08C2201/71 ,  G08C2201/92

Abstract: A method of directing communication between addressable, electronically-controllable appliances using a generalized pointing device is provided. The pointing device can communicate with dissimilar types of target appliance, and each appliance is associated with an appliance interface that makes the target appliance compatible with the pointing device. Use of the method to direct communication between appliances is believed to allow the convenience associated with the use of a computer's graphical user interface (GUI) to be realized in communication with physical objects, i.e., the target appliances. In particular, the “drag-and-drop” method of using a GUI may be analogous to the pointer-mediated interaction between appliances provided herein. An embodiment of the method includes using the pointing device for: transmitting a selection signal to the first appliance, transmitting a command instructing the first appliance to transmit data, transmitting a selection signal to a second appliance, and transmitting a command instructing the second appliance to receive the transmitted data. The data transmitted between appliances may be sent along a pointer-independent transmission path between the appliances, such as over a network. Additionally or alternatively, data may be transmitted from one appliance to the pointer, and then from the pointer to the other appliance.

Abstract translation: 提供了使用广义指示设备来引导可寻址的，电子可控的设备之间的通信的方法。 指点设备可以与不同类型的目标设备通信，并且每个设备与设备接口相关联，该设备接口使目标设备与指示设备兼容。 认为使用该方法来指导设备之间的通信被认为允许与使用计算机的图形用户界面（GUI）相关联的方便地与物理对象即目标设备通信。 特别地，使用GUI的“拖放”方法可以类似于本文提供的设备之间的指针介导的交互。 该方法的一个实施例包括使用指示设备：向第一设备发送选择信号，发送指示第一设备发送数据的命令，向第二设备发送选择信号，以及发送指示第二设备的命令 接收传输的数据。 在设备之间传输的数据可以沿着设备之间的指针无关传输路径发送，例如通过网络发送。 另外或替代地，数据可以从一个设备发送到指针，然后从指针发送到另一个设备。