EP0535749A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Local communication bus system and apparatuses for use in such a system
Assignee: D2B Systems Co Ltd
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Filing: 1992-09-30
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2012-09-30
Abstract
Abstract A number of domestic audio/video apparatuses (10,12,14) are interconnected by a Domestic Digital Bus (16) for the exchange of control information. A User I/O subdevice (41) in one apparatus is addressable by a control subdevice (22) of another apparatus to allow the display of menu items defined by the control subdevice (see Figure 2). The User I/O subdevice returns user control signals by reference to the defined menu items. The right of menu control can be transferred via the User I/O subdevice to and from other control subdevices (20 etc.) to allow integration of the menu control functions of the different apparatuses.
Inventors
- 👤 Harm Jan Welmer
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 13:08
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F13/00; H; H04; H04N; H04N7/00; H04N7/10; H04N7/106; H02; H02J; H02J13/00; H02J13/13; H02J13/1321; H02J13/1323; H04B; H04B1/00; H04B1/06; H04B1/16; H04B1/20; H04B1/205; H04L; H04L12/00; H04L12/28; H04L12/40; H04N5/00; H04N5/76; H04N5/765; Y; Y02; Y02B; Y02B90/00; Y02B90/20; Y04; Y04S; Y04S40/00; Y04S40/12
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
320 words
A local communication system comprising first and second apparatuses connected for the exchange of messages to a serial data channel, the system including control means within the first apparatus and user interface means within the second apparatus, said control means including: means (a) for initiating a user dialogue session with the second apparatus; means (b) for during said user dialogue session sending to the second apparatus at least one user information item for presentation to a user of the system; means (c) for during said user dialogue session receiving from the second apparatus information which conveys user control signals by reference to said user information item(s); and means (d) for controlling at least part of the system in accordance with user's wishes inferred from the said information, said user interface means including: means (e) for during said user dialogue session receiving from the first apparatus user information time and presenting them to the user; means (f) for during the user dialogue session receiving a control signal from the user; means (g) for identifying an association between the user control signal and one of said user information items; and means (h) for sending to the first apparatus information which conveys the received user control signals by reference to the associated user information item, wherein the system further includes a third apparatus including further control means, said further control means including means corresponding at least to means (b), (c) and (d) above, wherein the control means within the first apparatus further includes means (j) for during the user dialogue session initiating a transfer of control of said session to the third apparatus, and wherein said further control means within the third apparatus further includes means (k) for receiving transferred control of the user dialogue session, such that the means corresponding to means (b), (c) and (d) will continue the transferred session without active participation by the control means within the first apparatus.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
320 words
A local communication system comprising first and second apparatuses connected for the exchange of messages to a serial data channel, the system including control means within the first apparatus and user interface means within the second apparatus, said control means including: means (a) for initiating a user dialogue session with the second apparatus; means (b) for during said user dialogue session sending to the second apparatus at least one user information item for presentation to a user of the system; means (c) for during said user dialogue session receiving from the second apparatus information which conveys user control signals by reference to said user information item(s); and means (d) for controlling at least part of the system in accordance with user's wishes inferred from the said information, said user interface means including: means (e) for during said user dialogue session receiving from the first apparatus user information time and presenting them to the user; means (f) for during the user dialogue session receiving a control signal from the user; means (g) for identifying an association between the user control signal and one of said user information items; and means (h) for sending to the first apparatus information which conveys the received user control signals by reference to the associated user information item, wherein the system further includes a third apparatus including further control means, said further control means including means corresponding at least to means (b), (c) and (d) above, wherein the control means within the first apparatus further includes means (j) for during the user dialogue session initiating a transfer of control of said session to the third apparatus, and wherein said further control means within the third apparatus further includes means (k) for receiving transferred control of the user dialogue session, such that the means corresponding to means (b), (c) and (d) will continue the transferred session without active participation by the control means within the first apparatus.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
47 words
A system as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the user information items include items in a menu for control of the first apparatus, and wherein the means (g) includes means for identifying an association between a user control signal and a specific one of said menu items.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
55 words
A system as claimed in Claim 1 or wherein the means (a) of the first apparatus includes means for storing data identifying the second apparatus for the duration of the user dialogue session and wherein the second apparatus includes means for storing data identifying the apparatus with which it currently has a user dialogue session.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
28 words
A system as claimed in Claim 3 wherein the second apparatus acts as intermediary between the first and third apparatuses in the transfer of the user dialogue session.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
39 words
A system as claimed in Claim 3 or4 wherein the means (k) of the third apparatus includes means for storing data identifying the first and second apparatuses during the continuation of the user dialogue session by the third apparatus.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
45 words
A system as claimed in Claim 3, 4 or 5 yet further including a fourth apparatus wherein the control means of the third apparatus further includes means corresponding to means (j) for initiating a further transfer of the user dialogue session to the fourth apparatus.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
34 words
A system as claimed in Claim 3, 4, or wherein the control means of the third apparatus further includes means (m) for initiating the return of the user dialogue session to the first apparatus.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
47 words
A system as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the or each control means and the user interface means are individually addressable via the serial data channel as a control subdevice and user interface subdevice respectively, the stored data identifying each such means comprising its subdevice address.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
36 words
An apparatus comprising a control means and an interface to a serial data channel, the apparatus having the technical features of the first apparatus of a system as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 8.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
38 words
An apparatus comprising a control means and an interface to a serial data channel, the apparatus having the technical features of the first and third apparatuses of a system as claimed in any of Claims 3 to 7.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
39 words
An apparatus comprising user output means, user interface means and an interface to a serial data channel, the apparatus having the technical features of the second apparatus of a system as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 8.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
32 words
An apparatus as claimed in Claim 11 further comprising control means, the apparatus further having the technical features of the first and, as the case may be, third apparatus of the system.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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