System and method for controlling a remote environmental control unit
US7436296B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 21, 2006 |
| Grant date | Oct 14, 2008 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 10, 2026 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L12/2818
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An administration tool program generates a user interface displaying selectable living environment devices, each corresponding to a type of living environment device that can be controlled by a user through a remotely located ECU (environmental control unit). The user interface displays a representation of a current configuration of the remotely located ECU, and enables the administrator user to move the selectable living environment device representations into the current configuration representation for the remotely located ECU, for example by dragging and dropping the living environment device representations using a mouse user interface device coupled to a computer system on which the administration tool is executing. The administration tool sends command messages over a computer network to the ECU that indicate that the ECU should perform at least one operation to allow a user to control a living environment device of the type corresponding to the living environment device representation moved into said representation of the current configuration of the ECU.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.