Koninklijke Philips Corporation N.V.

U.S. Philips Corporation

Handoko Kohar

Bartel Marinus Van De Sluis

Mark Henricus Verberkt

Johannes Antonius Jansen

Josephus Hubertus Eggen

Ronaldus Hermanus Theodorus Oosterholt

Erik J Van Dort

Sebastiaan A F A Van Den Heuvel

Huibert H Eggenhuisen

Leon Smit

Philippe Wegner

Michael Cornelis De Regt

A method and apparatus are described for controlling a highlighting of one of a plurality of operational objects on a display. A spatially continuous movement of a pointing position on the display, which is provided by a user by means of a user input interface is converted in the highlighting of one of the plurality of objects. If the pointing position coincides with one of the plurality of objects, this object is highlighted (). When the pointing position is on empty space between the objects, an appropriate one of the plurality of objects is highlighted (). The parameter used to determine the object to be highlighted is at least the distance from the pointing position to the objects.

Highlighting of objects on a display

The invention relates to a system for supporting a plurality of activities which includes a plurality of terminals for interacting with said activities. The system allows the user to relocate activities from one terminal to another. The relocation can be simplified by means of a physical token representing the activity to be relocated. Terminals are coupled to receptacles for receiving the physical tokens. If a token is removed from a receptacle, the activity is associated with the token. If the token is inserted into another receptacle, the activity is resumed at the terminal coupled to the other receptacle.

System and method for supporting ongoing activities and relocating the ongoing activities from one terminal to another terminal

A method and system for providing position information of at least first and second mobile terminals, which are part of a mobile network. The mobile network includes a position determining unit to determine the position information of the first mobile terminal, where the first and second mobile terminals are not necessarily communicating with each other. The position determining unit determines the position information of the first mobile terminal, and the mobile network transmits the position information to the second mobile terminal.

Method of providing position information of mobile terminals

The system comprises a plurality of objects such as lamps (11-15), venetian blinds (16, 17) and air-conditioning appliances (18) and a hand-held infrared remote control unit (40) for transmitting control signals. A separate receiver (21-28) is allocated to each one of the objects (11-18) and the transmitter of the remote control unit (40) transmits the control signals in a relatively narrow transmission beam (42). An object is selected by directing the portable transmitter (40) towards this object. Consequently, the user does not need to give a further indication of the object and the system can be operated in a simple manner. Less frequent communication with the system is possible via a separate interface unit (70). Specific objects can only be operated by certain users by transmitting an identification code along with the control signal. The identification code can also be used for the purpose of localization and for access control.

System for setting ambient parameters

A system for equipment control comprises a plurality of equipment units and actuator units. These units are linked by a common communication channel, for example a wired bus. Each of the units has a unique address and further associated with a programmable memory for storing therein an event table. The event table comprises event fields, and associated address fields and instruction fields. When the unit changes state--called an event--addresses of other units and corresponding instructions are retrieved from the event table and transmitted to said other units via the common communication channel. The transmitted instructions cause the corresponding other units to change state, for example to be switched on or off.

Growing community of inventors

Eindhoven, Netherlands

Handoko Kohar