1. A networked device comprising:
means for controlling a state of the networked device;
means for connecting to a network;
means for allowing a user to select a color from a plurality of colors, the plurality of colors having at least one locking color and one or more non-locking colors; and
means for generating a selected color code corresponding to the color selected by the user, each color of the plurality of colors having a corresponding color code; wherein
the means for connecting to the network sends the selected color code over the network; and
the means for controlling the state of the networked device changes the state of the networked device in response to a message from the network only if the color selected by the user is one of the one or more non-locking colors.
2. The networked device of claim 1 in which the means for controlling the state of the networked device controls an OnOff state of the networked device.
3. The networked device of claim 1 in which the networked device responds to a request for status information from the network independent of the color selected by the user.
4. The networked device of claim 1 further comprising:
means for allowing the user enter a local control command; wherein
the means for controlling the state of the networked device changes the state of the networked device in response to the local control command only if the color selected by the user is one of the one or more non-locking colors.
5. The networked device of claim 4 in which the means for controlling the state of the networked device controls an OnOff state of the networked device.
6. A networked device comprising:
a controller;
a network adapter communicatively coupled to the controller; and
a color selection mechanism communicatively coupled to the controller, the color selection mechanism allowing a user to select a color from a plurality of colors, the plurality of colors having at least one locking color and one or more non-locking colors; wherein
the color selection mechanism communicates information corresponding to the color selected by the user to the controller;
the controller converts the information communicated by the color selection mechanism to a color code corresponding to the color selected by the user,
the controller communicates the color code to the network adapter,
the network adapter sends the color code out over a network,
the network adapter receives a message from the network to change a state of the networked device and communicates it to the controller, and
the controller changes the state of the networked device in response to the message to change the state of the networked device communicated by the network adapter only if the color selected by the user is one of the one or more non-locking colors.
7. The networked device of claim 6 in which the network utilizes communication over an AC power line.
8. The networked device of claim 6 in which the network utilizes radio frequency communication.
9. The networked device of claim 6 in which the controller and the network adapter are integrated on a single integrated circuit.
10. The networked device of claim 6 in which the state of the networked device being controlled is an OnOff state of the networked device.
11. The networked device of claim 6 in which
the network adapter receives a status request message over the network and communicates it to the controller; and
the controller responds to the status request message by communicating a response message to the network adapter to send out over the network, the controller responding independent of the color selected by the user.
12. The networked device of claim 6 further comprising:
a local control interface communicatively coupled to the controller, the local control interface allowing the user to enter a local control command to request a change to the state of the networked device; wherein
the controller changes the state of the networked device in response to the local control command only if the color selected by the user is one of the one or more non-locking colors.
13. The networked device of claim 12 in which the state of the networked device to which the local control command requests a change is an OnOff state of the networked device.
14. The networked device of claim 6 in which the color selection mechanism is a graphical user interface.
15. The networked device of claim 6, the color selection mechanism comprising:
an electrical component with a rotatable shaft and an output communicatively coupled to the controller; and
a color wheel having a center, an edge and a colored area, the center of the color wheel coupled to the rotatable shaft of the electrical component and the colored area divided into sections, each section imprinted with a section color selected from the plurality of colors; such that
as the color wheel is rotated by user manipulation of the edge, the colored area of the color wheel and the rotatable shaft of the electrical component also rotate; and
the output of the electrical component with a rotatable shaft communicates current rotational position information corresponding to the color selected by the user to the controller.
16. The networked device of claim 15 wherein the electrical component with a rotatable shaft is a rotary switch.
17. The networked device of claim 15 wherein the electrical component with a rotatable shaft is a potentiometer and the controller further comprising an analog to digital converter, the input of the analog to digital converter electrically connected to a voltage divider circuit that changes as the shaft of the potentiometer rotates.
18. The networked device of claim 15, the color selection mechanism further comprising:
a selection mark in close physical proximity to the section of the colored area of the color wheel imprinted with the section color corresponding to the color selected by the user at the current rotational position.
19. The networked device of claim 15 further comprising an outer housing with an aperture; wherein
the color wheel is mounted in the networked device so that,
a portion of the edge of the color wheel protrudes from the outer housing of the networked device, whereby the user is able to manipulate the edge to rotate the color wheel about its center;
a portion of the colored area is visible through the aperture in the outer housing of the networked device; and
a majority of the portion of the colored area visible through the aperture in the outer housing of the networked device is the section of the colored area imprinted with the section color corresponding to the color code selected by the user at the current rotational position.
20. The networked device of claim 15 in which at least one section of the colored area is also imprinted with a visible symbol.
21. The networked device of claim 15 in which at least one section of the colored area has a tactilely recognizable symbol.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method for controlling a portable media device using an accessory, the method comprising, by the accessory:
providing configuration information to a portable media device;
receiving from the portable media device a first image signal that specifies a first graphical user interface image;
displaying the first graphical user interface image on a display device of the accessory;
detecting user operation of an input control of the accessory;
sending to the portable media device an input signal indicating that the input control was operated;
receiving from the portable media device a second image signal that specifies a second graphical user interface image to be displayed, the second graphical user interface image reflecting the operation of the input control; and
displaying the second graphical user interface image on the display device of the accessory.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the configuration information includes a parameter indicating a characteristic of the display device of the accessory, the characteristic including one or more of a display size characteristic, a color depth characteristic, a refresh rate characteristic, or a display input format characteristic.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the configuration information includes a parameter indicating a characteristic of the input control of the accessory, the characteristic including a type of the input control.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the configuration information includes a parameter indicating a number of input controls present on the accessory.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the configuration information includes an accessory identifier, the accessory identifier being usable by the portable media device to determine one or more characteristics of the display device of the accessory.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein the configuration information includes an accessory identifier, the accessory identifier being usable by the portable media device to determine one or more characteristics of the user input control of the accessory.
7. The method of claim 1 further comprising, by the accessory:
providing environment information to the portable media device, the environment information indicating an operating environment of the accessory.
8. The method of claim 1 further comprising, by the accessory:
providing status information to the portable media device, the status information indicating an operational status of a system in which the accessory is installed.
9. The method of claim 8 wherein the system is an automobile and the status information indicates whether the automobile is in a parked state.
10. The method of claim 8 wherein the system is an automobile and the status information includes information about a current speed of the automobile.
11. The method of claim 8 wherein the system is an automobile and the status information indicates whether the automobile is in a daytime or nighttime driving mode.
12. The method of claim 8 wherein the system is an exercise machine and the status information indicates whether a workout is presently in progress.
13. The method of claim 12 further comprising, by the accessory:
in the event that a workout is in progress, providing to the portable media device further status information including data about the workout.
14. The method of claim 1 further comprising, by the accessory:
providing to the portable media device an image element,
wherein the image element is included by the portable media device in the first graphical user interface image.
15. An accessory for providing an interface to a portable media device, the accessory comprising:
a display configured to display an image in response to a video signal received from the portable media device;
a user-operable input control configured to generate an input signal in response to user operation of the control;
an interface configured to communicate with a portable media device; and
a controller coupled to the display, the user operable input control, and the interface,
the controller being configured to receive an image signal defining a first graphical user interface image from the portable media device via the interface; to display the first graphical user interface image on the display, to receive a control signal from the user operable input control indicating a user operation, and to communicate the control signal to the portable media device via the interface.
16. The accessory of claim 15 wherein the user operable input control includes a touch screen overlay on the display.
17. The accessory of claim 15 wherein the user operable input control includes at least one button.
18. The accessory of claim 15 wherein the user operable input control includes at least one knob.
19. The accessory of claim 15 wherein the image signal comprises an analog video signal.
20. The accessory of claim 15 wherein the image signal comprises a digital video signal.
21. The accessory of claim 15 wherein the controller is further configured to send a user interface parameter to the portable media device and wherein the user interface image is based at least in part on the user interface parameter.
22. The accessory of claim 21 wherein the user interface parameter defines a characteristic of the display, the characteristic being one of a group of characteristics consisting of a display size, a color depth, a refresh rate, and a display input format.
23. The accessory of claim 21 wherein the user interface parameter defines a characteristic of the input control, the characteristic being one of a group of characteristics consisting of a number of input controls and a type of the input control.
24. The accessory of claim 15 wherein the controller is further configured to send accessory identification information to the portable media device and wherein the user interface image is based at least in part on the accessory identification information.
25. The accessory of claim 15 wherein the controller is further configured to send environment information to the portable media device.
26. The accessory of claim 15 wherein the interface is further configured to receive media content from the portable media device.
27. The accessory of claim 26 wherein the controller is further configured to deliver a video portion of the received media content to the display.
28. The accessory of claim 26 wherein the controller is further configured to deliver an audio portion of the received media content to a speaker system.
29. The accessory of claim 15 wherein the controller is further configured to deliver to the portable media device an image element to be incorporated into the user interface image.
30. The accessory of claim 15 wherein the controller is further configured to display the first graphical image in a first portion of the display and to display a different image in a second portion of the display device.
31. A media system comprising:
an audio device configured to produce sound;
a display configured to display images;
a user-operable input control configured to generate an input signal in response to user operation of the control;
an interface configured to communicate with a portable media device; and
a controller coupled to the audio device, the display, the user operable input control, and the interface,
the controller being configured to operate the audio device and the display to play media content delivered from the portable media device via the interface,
the controller being further configured to receive an image signal defining a first graphical user interface image from the portable media device via the interface; to display the first graphical user interface image on the display, to receive a control signal from the user operable input control indicating a user operation, and to communicate the control signal to the portable media device via the interface.
32. The media system of claim 31 wherein the media system is installed in an automobile.
33. The media system of claim 31 wherein the media system is installed in an exercise machine.
34. The media system of claim 31 wherein the media system is a home entertainment system.
35. The media system of claim 31 wherein the media system is an in-flight entertainment system for an airplane.
36. A method for controlling a portable media device using an accessory, the method comprising, by the portable media device:
receiving configuration information from the accessory;
based in part on the configuration information, generating a first graphical user interface image;
sending to the accessory a first image signal that specifies the first graphical user interface image, wherein the accessory displays the first graphical user interface image on a display device of the accessory in response to the first image signal;
receiving from the accessory an input signal indicating that a user input control of the accessory was operated;
based in part on the input signal, generating a second graphical user interface image; and
sending to the accessory a second image signal that specifies the second graphical user interface image, wherein the accessory displays the second graphical user interface image on a display device of the accessory in response to the second image signal.
37. The method of claim 36 further comprising, by the portable media device:
interpreting the input signal to determine a corresponding media device operation to be performed; and
performing the media device operation.
38. The method of claim 36 wherein the configuration information includes a parameter indicating a characteristic of the display device of the accessory, the characteristic including one or more of a display size characteristic, a color depth characteristic, a refresh rate characteristic, or a display input format characteristic.
39. The method of claim 36 wherein the configuration information includes a parameter indicating a characteristic of the input control of the accessory, the characteristic including a type of the input control.
40. The method of claim 36 wherein the configuration information includes a parameter indicating a number of input controls present on the accessory.
41. The method of claim 36 wherein the configuration information includes an accessory identifier, the accessory identifier being usable by the portable media device to determine one or more characteristics of the display device of the accessory.
42. The method of claim 36 wherein the configuration information includes an accessory identifier, the accessory identifier being usable by the portable media device to determine one or more characteristics of the user input control of the accessory.
43. The method of claim 36 further comprising:
receiving environment information from the accessory, the environment information indicating an operating environment of the accessory; and
determining at least one property of the first graphical user interface image based on the environment information.
44. The method of claim 36 further comprising:
receiving status information from the accessory, the environment information indicating an operational status of a system in which the accessory is installed; and
determining at least one property of the first graphical user interface image based on the status information.
45. The method of claim 36 further comprising, by the portable media device:
receiving from the accessory an image element; and
including the image element in the first graphical user interface image.
46. A portable media device for use with an accessory, the portable media device comprising:
a native user interface including a display and a user input control device;
an accessory interface configured to communicate with an accessory; and
a processor coupled to the native user interface and the accessory interface,
the processor being configured to provide a graphical user interface image to the accessory via the accessory interface; to receive a control signal from the accessory via the accessory interface, the control signal indicating operation of an input control of the accessory in response to the graphical user interface image; and to perform a media device operation in response to the control signal.
47. The portable media device of claim 46 wherein the graphical user interface image replicates at least a portion of the native user interface.
48. The portable media device of claim 46 wherein the accessory interface includes an analog video path configured to deliver analog video signals and wherein the processor is further configured to provide the graphical user interface image as an analog video signal.
49. The portable media device of claim 46 wherein the control signal identifies one of a plurality of input controls of the accessory as having been operated by a user.
50. The portable media device of claim 46 wherein the control signal identifies a portion of a touchscreen input control of the accessory as having been touched by a user.
51. The portable media device of claim 46 wherein the processor is further configured to receive from the accessory, via the accessory interface, accessory configuration information and to generate the graphical user interface image based at least in part on the accessory configuration information.
52. The portable media device of claim 51 wherein the accessory configuration information includes a parameter indicating a characteristic of the display device of the accessory, the characteristic including one or more of a display size characteristic, a color depth characteristic, a refresh rate characteristic, or a display input format characteristic.
53. The portable media device of claim 51 wherein the accessory configuration information includes a parameter indicating a characteristic of the input control of the accessory, the characteristic including a type of the input control.
54. The portable media device of claim 51 wherein the accessory configuration information includes a parameter indicating a number of input controls present on the accessory.
55. The portable media device of claim 51 wherein the accessory configuration information includes an accessory identifier and wherein the processor is further configured to determine one or more characteristics of the display device of the accessory based on the accessory identifier.
56. The portable media device of claim 51 wherein the configuration information includes an accessory identifier and wherein the processor is further configured to determine one or more characteristics of the user input control of the accessory base don the accessory identifier.
57. The portable media device of claim 46 wherein the processor is further configured to receive environment information from the accessory via the accessory interface, the environment information indicating an operating environment of the accessory, and to determine at least one property of the graphical user interface image based on the environment information.
58. The portable media device of claim 46 wherein the processor is further configured to receive status information from the accessory via the accessory interface, the environment information indicating an operational status of a system in which the accessory is installed, and to determine at least one property of the graphical user interface image based on the status information.
59. The portable media device of claim 46 wherein the processor is further configured to receive an image element from the accessory via the accessory interface and to include the image element in the graphical user interface image.