초록 ▼

Electronic devices (16, 17) can be controlled by a control unit (11), which in turn is responsive to infrared commands (33) received from a remote (12) utilized by an operator. The remote has a touch-panel display (49), on which images can be displayed. The images are part of a user interface create

Electronic devices (16, 17) can be controlled by a control unit (11), which in turn is responsive to infrared commands (33) received from a remote (12) utilized by an operator. The remote has a touch-panel display (49), on which images can be displayed. The images are part of a user interface created by a program (86) running in a personal computer (13). An operator enters into the computer an identification of the devices (16, 17) which are to be controlled, and the computer then takes predefined images and automatically customizes them for the these devices. Some of the images have a size which is less than the overall size of the display, so that when one of these images is displayed, a portion of at least one other image will also be visible. For a controlled device which does not recognize each of a discrete power on, discrete power off and power toggle command, the computer automatically effects configuration so as to provide all three functions using a subset of commands which the controlled device actually does recognize.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A method of configuring a user interface portion of a system which controls a controlled device, comprising the steps of:maintaining a device database which contains respective device information for each of a plurality of different devices; maintaining an initial interface definition for a devic

1. A method of configuring a user interface portion of a system which controls a controlled device, comprising the steps of:maintaining a device database which contains respective device information for each of a plurality of different devices; maintaining an initial interface definition for a device class which includes a plurality of the devices in the database the initial interface definition including an initial image capable of being displayed on a display; permitting an operator to select a device in the device class to be the controlled device; automatically preparing a modified interface definition by modifying the initial interface definition based on the device information in the device database which corresponds to the controlled device; and controlling the user interface portion using an interface control definition which is a function of the modified interface definition the user interface portion including the display.