Claims
- 1. A method for implementing command and control for home devices via a home network, the method comprising the steps of:
connecting a first home device to the home network, wherein the first home device is capable of displaying user interface data; connecting a second home device to the home network, the second home device storing user interface data in a selected format that defines a user interface for commanding and controlling of the second home device; receiving the user interface data at the first home device via the home network from the second home device; displaying the user interface defined by the user interface data on the first home device; accepting user input from a user in response to the user interacting with the user interface displayed on the first home device; and controlling the second home device by sending control and command information from the first home device to the second home device based on the user input.
- 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of the second home device storing user interface data includes the step of storing the user interface data as a selected interface data.
- 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of connecting the first home device to the home network includes the step of signaling a configuration manager that the first home device is connected to the home network, wherein the configuration manager maintains a list of home devices that are currently connected to the home network.
- 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of signaling the configuration manager that the first home device is connected to the home network includes the step of signaling a dynamic host configuration protocol server that the first home device is connected to the home network.
- 5. The method of claim 3, wherein the first home device performs the further step of accessing the list of home devices maintained by the configuration manager.
- 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of the second home device storing user interface data includes the step of storing the user interface data as HTML data.
- 7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of connecting the first home device to the home network includes the step of connecting the first home device to a 1394 serial bus.
- 8. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of connecting the second home device to the home network includes the step of connecting the second home device to a 1394 serial bus.
- 9. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of connecting the first home device to the home network includes the step of connecting the first home device to an Ethernet bus.
- 10. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of connecting the second home device to the home network includes the step of connecting the second home device to an Ethernet bus.
- 11. The method of claim 1, wherein:
the step of connecting a first home device to the home network includes the step of connecting the first home device to a first bus; and the step of connecting a second home device to the home network includes the step of connecting the second home device to a second bus; wherein the first bus is connected to the second bus using a bridge proxy, wherein the bridge proxy provides a communication interface between the first bus and the second bus.
- 12. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of connecting the home network to the Internet.
- 13. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of displaying the user interface includes the step of displaying an HTML page associated with the second home device, wherein the HTML page is stored on the second home device.
- 14. The method of claim 3, further comprising the step of displaying a device link page that contains a button identifying a manufacturer of the second home device, wherein the button is a hyperlink that provides a link to a home page associated with the manufacturer.
- 15. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of displaying the device link page comprises the step of accessing and displaying the list of home devices maintained by the configuration manager.
- 16. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of connecting the second home device to the home network includes the step of signaling a configuration manager that the second home device is connected to the home network, wherein the configuration manager maintains a list of home devices that are currently connected to the home network.
- 17. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of signaling the configuration manager that the second home device is connected to the home network includes the step of signaling a dynamic host configuration protocol server that the second home device is connected to the home network.
- 18. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of the second home device storing user interface data includes the step of storing the user interface data as one or more formats selected from the group consisting of: HTML, XML, JAVA, JAVASCRIPT, GIF, and JPEG.
- 19. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of connecting the first home device to the home network comprises the step of using an Internet Protocol (IP) and the step of connecting the second home device to the home network comprises the step of using an IP.
- 20. The method of claim 1, wherein the home network uses a layer other than an IP network layer as a communication layer therefor.
- 21. The method of claim 1, wherein the home network uses a Function Control Protocol (FCP) for communication.
- 22. The method of claim 1, wherein
the step of receiving user interface data at the first home device over said home network, includes the step of receiving user interface data at the first home device over the Internet; and the step of controlling the second home device by sending control and command information includes the step of controlling the second home device by sending control and command information over the Internet.
- 23. A home network system for commanding and controlling home devices, the home network comprising:
a configuration manager; a first home device containing user interface data that defines a user interface for commanding and controlling the first home device; a second home device having a viewable display unit, wherein the viewable display unit displays the user interface for commanding and controlling the first home device; and a physical layer, wherein the physical layer provides a communication medium that can be used by the configuration manager, the first home device and the second home device to communicate with each other.
- 24. Control system for controlling a plurality of devices comprising:
remote control for controlling said plural devices; a client device including display means for displaying a device selection page to a user on said display means, said device selection page including respective display sections corresponding to each of said plural devices; and said remote control including communicating means for communicating either with said client device and for providing a control command thereto; wherein said client device controls at least one of said plural devices in response to said control command from said remote control to cause said at least one of said plural devices to perform a predetermined function corresponding to said control command from said remote control.
- 25. Control system in accordance with claim 24, said remote control further comprising selecting means for selecting one of said plural devices displayed in said device selection page and providing a selection command to said client device.
- 26. Control system for controlling a plurality of devices comprising:
remote control for controlling said plural devices; a client device including display means for displaying a device selection page to a user on said display means, said device selection page including respective display sections corresponding to each of said plural devices; and said remote control including communicating means for communicating (alternate) with any one of said plural devices via said client device and for controlling said one of said plural devices to perform a predetermined function by providing a control command corresponding thereto to said client device; wherein said client device receives said control command from said remote control and in response thereto provides a corresponding command to said one of said plural devices to cause said one of said plural devices to perform said predetermined function.
- 27. Control system in accordance with claim 26, wherein said client device selects one of said plural devices in response to said selection command from said remote control and displays a GUI for said selected one of said plural devices.
- 28. Control system for controlling a plurality of devices comprising:
remote control for controlling said plural devices; a client device including display means for displaying a device selection page to a user on said display means, said device selection page including respective display sections corresponding to each of said plural devices; and said remote control including communicating means for communicating with any one of said plural devices via said client device and for controlling said one of said plural devices by providing a control command for controlling said client device; wherein said client device controls said one of said plural devices in response to said control command from said remote control to cause said at least one of said plural devices to perform a predetermined function corresponding to said control command from said remote control.
- 29. Control system in accordance with claim 28, wherein said client device responds to said control command by controlling said selected one of said plural devices.
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This patent application claims priority from provisional patent application Serial No. 601050,762, filed on Jun. 25, 1997, entitled Home Network, Browser Based, Command and Control and provisional patent application Serial No. 60/059,499, filed on Sep. 22, 1997, entitled Improved Home Network, Browser Based, Command and Control, which are incorporated herein by reference.
Provisional Applications (2)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60050762 |
Jun 1997 |
US |
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60059499 |
Sep 1997 |
US |
Divisions (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09104299 |
Jun 1998 |
US |
Child |
09892334 |
Jun 2001 |
US |