Savant Systems, Inc.

David McKinley

Robert P Madonna

Michael C Silva

Arthur A Jacobson

Nicholas J Cipollo

David W Tatzel

Duarte M Avelar

Timothy Ray Locascio

Kevin C Kicklighter

Gerald W Shields

Chris Perry

In one embodiment, a configuration application executing on a tablet computer or smartphone presents a configuration user interface on a touch screen for configuring a home automation system of a structure. A plurality of components of the home automation system that have wireless capabilities are detected. The configuration application receives an indication of a zone of the structure within which each component is located, the indication provided by the user dragging a representation of each component to a location provided in the configuration user interface. Based on the indication of the zone of the structure in which each component is located and the type of each component, automatically generate one or more user interface screens for accessing and controlling the components in each zone, where the automatically generated user interface screens are displayable during use of the home automation system.

Configuration user interface for a home automation system

In one embodiment, a configuration application executing on a tablet computer or smartphone presents a configuration user interface on a touch screen for configuring a home automation system of a structure. A plurality of components of the home automation system that have wireless capabilities are detected. Component profile information for the detected components is obtained. The configuration application prompts a user of the tablet computer or smartphone to indicate a zone of the structure within which each component is located. Based on the component profile information and the indications of the zone of the structure in which each component is located, one or more services available in each zone are determined and one or more user interface screens are automatically generated for accessing and controlling the services, wherein the automatically generated user interface screens are displayable on the tablet computer or smartphone or another tablet computer or smartphone.

Configuration interface for a programmable multimedia controller

In one embodiment, a programmable multimedia controller that is capable of interfacing with and controlling audio, video, telephony or heating ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) devices. A first mobile device and a second mobile device of a same type are configured to communicate with the programmable multimedia controller. The first mobile device obtains a first copy of a sharable device configuration including data for rendering a user interface usable to control the programmable multimedia controller. It stores the first copy of the sharable device configuration and thereby is considered a master device with respect to other devices of the same type. The second mobile device obtains a second copy of the sharable device configuration for use on the second mobile device from the master device.

Programmable multimedia controller with flexible user access and shared device configurations

A touch-sensitive wireless device, such as a wireless telephone or wireless multimedia player, in conjunction with an interactive on screen display, effectively remotely controls a programmable multimedia controller or other system. User gestures, button presses or other touches to or movements of the touch-sensitive wireless device are effectively converted to information that is wirelessly transmitted to the programmable multimedia controller. Once received by the programmable multimedia controller, such information is processed and effectively translated so as to control the operation of the controller.

Touch-sensitive wireless device and on screen display for remotely controlling a system

In one embodiment, a user selects a primary component of a multimedia system to be configured in a configuration user interface of a mobile device. The configuration user interface of the mobile device displays a photo-realistic depiction of a back panel of the primary component. The photo-realistic depiction of a back panel includes photo-realistic depictions of connection ports located thereon. The user selects another component to be connected to the primary component. One or more classes of potential connections are determined between the another component and the primary component, and for each class of potential connection, the configuration user interface on the mobile device graphically guides the user to select a particular connection port on the photo-realistic depiction of the back panel of the primary component for the class of potential connection. Based on selections of particular connection ports from the user, a set of configuration data is generated.

A system which includes a programmable multimedia controller is provided in which flexible user access is provided through a combination of user profiles and usernames/pas swords. A configuration for a given device which may form part of the system or may interoperate with the system may be shared by multiple similar devices. A sharable device configuration is stored by a master device and can be shared by other devices of the same type as the master device.

A web browser-equipped device, such as a personal digital assistant, tablet, notebook or other computer, wireless telephone handset or other device, to function as a remote control unit for a programmable multimedia controller. Web pages served by the multimedia controller to the web browser-equipped device present a user interface which may include programmable background motifs, colors and indicators. The user interface also typically includes one or more user-operable buttons whose functionalities are programmable. A method is provided for automatically converting a user interface device configuration for the multimedia controller into web pages suitable for a browser-equipped device.

Growing community of inventors

Dartmouth, MA, United States of America

David McKinley