System and methods for interacting with a control environment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11422683-B2
Application number	US-202016934640-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 21, 2020
Priority date	Jan 6, 2004
Publication date	Aug 23, 2022
Grant date	Aug 23, 2022

Abstract

A system and methods for facilitation of user interactions with an electronic device. A number of user interface methods are described and may be used alone or in combination with one another to present an enhanced interface to a user. A method of providing user interaction using a compact status indicator is described. A method for providing a virtual scroll wheel to a user for interaction with content sets is described. A method for allowing a user to dynamically modify a scalable user interface is described. A method for providing gesture based input to a user via a virtual gesture pad is described. A method of providing an interactive graphic search query interface is to described. A method for indicating and selecting available content type is described.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer-readable media embodied in a non-transient, physical memory device having stored thereon computer-executable instructions, the instructions, when executed by a controlling device in communication with a switch device, cause the controlling device to perform steps comprising:
causing a user interface to be displayed in a touch screen display associated with the controlling device, the user interface comprising a first plurality of icons each corresponding to a one of a plurality of media streaming sources that are coupled to the switch device and a second plurality of icons each corresponding to a one of a plurality of media rendering devices that are coupled to the switch device;
receiving from the touch screen display a data indicative of a user input wherein the user input comprises a moving touch across a surface of the touch screen display that functions to link a one of the first plurality of icons with a one of the second plurality of icons; and
in response to the controlling device receiving the data, causing the controlling device to issue one or more commands to the switch device, the one or more commands selected to cause the switch device to route a media stream from the one of the plurality of media streaming sources that corresponds to the one of the plurality of first plurality of icons to the one of the plurality media rendering devices that corresponds to the one of the second plurality of icons.

2. The computer-readable media as recited in claim 1 , wherein the controlling device is caused to transmit the one or more commands to the switch device via an infrared communications channel.

3. The computer-readable media as recited in claim 1 , wherein the controlling device is caused to transmit the one or more commands to the switch device via a radio-frequency communications channel.

4. The computer-readable media as recited in claim 1 , wherein the media steam comprises an audio/visual media stream.

5. The computer-readable media as recited in claim 1 , wherein the media stream comprises an audio media stream.

6. The computer-readable media as recited in claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of media streaming sources comprises a networked content server device.

7. The computer-readable media as recited in claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of media rendering devices comprises a television.

8. The computer-readable media as recited in claim 1 , wherein the instructions cause the touch screen display to display in association with one or more of the second plurality of icons an indication of one or more media rendering capabilities of the corresponding one of the plurality of media rendering devices.

9. The computer-readable media as recited in claim 1 , wherein the instructions cause the touch screen display to display in associated with one or more of the first plurality of icons an indication of one or more media content accessible via the corresponding one of the plurality of media rendering devices.

10. The computer-readable media as recited in claim 9 , wherein one or more user selectable, sub-icons are used to present the indication of the one or more media content accessible via the corresponding one of the plurality of media rendering devices.

11. A method for controlling a switch device via use of a controlling device, comprising:
causing a user interface to be displayed in a touch screen display associated with the controlling device, the user interface comprising a first plurality of icons each corresponding to a one of a plurality of media streaming sources that are coupled to the switch device and a second plurality of icons each corresponding to a one of a plurality of media rendering devices that are coupled to the switch device;
receiving by the controlling device from the touch screen display a data indicative of a user input wherein the user input comprises a moving touch across a surface of the touch screen display that functions to link a one of the first plurality of icons with a one of the second plurality of icons; and
in response to the controlling device receiving the data, causing the controlling device to issue one or more commands to the switch device, the one or more commands selected to cause the switch device to route a media stream from the one of the plurality of media streaming sources that corresponds to the one of the plurality of first plurality of icons to the one of the plurality media rendering devices that corresponds to the one of the second plurality of icons.

12. The method as recited in claim 11 , wherein the touch screen display is integral with the controlling device.

13. The method as recited in claim 11 , wherein the controlling device is caused to transmit the one or more commands to the switch device via an infrared communications channel.

14. The method as recited in claim 11 , wherein the controlling device is caused to transmit the one or more commands to the switch device via a radio-frequency communications channel.

15. The method as recited in claim 11 , wherein at least one of the plurality of media streaming sources comprises a networked content server device.

16. The method as recited in claim 11 , wherein at least one of the plurality of media rendering devices comprises a television.

17. The method as recited in claim 11 , further comprising causing the touch screen display device to display in association with one or more of the second plurality of icons an indication of one or more media rendering capabilities of the corresponding one of the plurality of media rendering devices.

18. The method as recited in claim 11 , further comprising causing the touch screen display to display in associated with one or more of the first plurality of icons an indication of one or more media content accessible via the corresponding one of the plurality of media rendering devices.

19. The method as recited in claim 18 , wherein one or more user selectable, sub-icons are used to present the indication of the one or more media content accessible via the corresponding one of the plurality of media rendering devices.

Assignees

• Universal Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Chambers Christopher
• Scott Wayne
• Scott Cheryl
• Yuh Allen
• Arling Paul D

Classifications

• G06F3/0485 Primary

  Scrolling or panning · CPC title

• G06F3/04883

  for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text · CPC title

• G06F2203/04807

  Pen manipulated menu · CPC title

• G06F3/0484 Primary

  for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range · CPC title

• G06F3/0486

  Drag-and-drop · CPC title