Re: Gates Patents Flipping a Light Switch

[Wally]

"theodp" <theodp@aol.com> wrote in message
e7946e7b.0405122203.1df00f5d@posting.google.com">news:e7946e7b.0405122203.1df00f5d@posting.google.com...
| Bill Gates is the assignee of a patent issued Tuesday for a 'Method
| and system for generating a user interface for distributed devices'
| [1], which can be used to control lighting systems, heating systems,
| elevators, and various electronic systems (e.g., monitors, cameras,
| and CD players) in a large environment, such as a large building, a
| factory, or a large house.
|
| [1] http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?patentnumber=6,734,879


The 1st claim says


1. A user interface system, comprising:

at least one space object including a list of spatial services corresponding
to the space represented by the at least one space object;

at least one spatial service object representing at least one behavior
associated with the space represented by the at least one space object; and

a user control point (UCP) object including a space resource user control
(RUC) object for the space having at least one spatial service resource user
control (RUC) object, wherein the UCP object refers to a space object of
said at least one space object and instantiates a spatial service RUC object
for each of said at least one spatial service object, and wherein each
spatial service RUC object refers to a corresponding at least one spatial
service object, and wherein at least said space object or one of the spatial
service objects receives an indication of the type of the UCP device.


So its nothing as simple as flipping a light switch