Abstract: A mobile universal device operator (MUDO) operates at least one device and includes a seamless interaction manager and an appliance manager. The seamless interaction manager transmits a resource discovery requests to a gateway over a local network and to a cloud server over an external network. The gateway stores a local resource directory listing at least one resource of each device and the cloud server stores an associated cloud resource directory. The manager receives responses from the resource directories, selects a local command path or a cloud command path and associates the selected command path with each discovered resource. The appliance manager transfers instructions received from a user about a selected resource to the seamless interaction manager. The interaction manager translates the instructions into a unified command to the selected discovered resource via its associated command path.

Abstract: A system for controlling IoT devices in a premises includes at least one mobile universal remote controller (MURC) implemented on a mobile device to receive user instructions to at least one of the IoT devices, a gateway and an IoT device server. The gateway is implemented in a unit having a connection to a data network and having multiple communication units connected therein. The gateway has agents, one per type of communication protocol, to communicate with the IoT devices each according to its associated communication protocol. The IoT device server is connected to the data network and is in communication with the MURC and the gateway. The server passes commands related to the user instructions from the MURC to the gateway to the unit to communicate the commands to the at least one IoT device using associated communication protocols for the at least one IoT device.

Abstract: A mobile universal device operator (MUDO) operates at least one device and includes a seamless interaction manager and an appliance manager. The seamless interaction manager transmits a resource discovery requests to a gateway over a local network and to a cloud server over an external network. The gateway stores a local resource directory listing at least one resource of each device and the cloud server stores an associated cloud resource directory. The manager receives responses from the resource directories, selects a local command path or a cloud command path and associates the selected command path with each discovered resource. The appliance manager transfers instructions received from a user about a selected resource to the seamless interaction manager. The interaction manager translates the instructions into a unified command to the selected discovered resource via its associated command path.

Abstract: A method includes implementing a single GUI for all the appliances which includes a set of input panels, an appliance selector panel and an output panel, communicating with the appliances with a multiplicity of agents, each implementing one appliance protocol of communication and converting between an internal format and the appliance protocol of communication; controlling activity of the agents, receiving a user command to a selected appliance issued from one of the input panels and generating at least one associated internal command in response to the user commands, providing the at least one associated internal command to the controlling for instruction to one of the agents associated with the selected appliance, storing information about each appliance to be controlled by the remote controller, and receiving notifications from the agents about the state of at least one of the appliances and providing the notifications to be displayed on the GUI.

Abstract: A mobile device, which has internet connectivity and several input/output devices, includes a mobile universal remote controller (MURC) and an appliance lifecycle module. The MURC controls several appliances of different types from different vendors and the lifecycle module provides connectivity between a user of the mobile device and one of several appliance-lifecycle service providers through the input/output devices. An appliance lifecycle management server includes several appliance lifecycle databases, an access controller, and a plurality of flow handlers. The databases receive and store lifecycle information about appliances controlled by the MURCs. The access controller assigns roles and access permissions to the MURC and to server providers that access the server.

Abstract: A system for controlling IoT devices in a premises includes at least one mobile universal remote controller (MURC) implemented on a mobile device to receive user instructions to at least one of the IoT devices, a gateway and an IoT device server. The gateway is implemented in a unit having a connection to a data network and having multiple communication units connected therein. The gateway has agents, one per type of communication protocol, to communicate with the IoT devices each according to its associated communication protocol. The IoT device server is connected to the data network and is in communication with the MURC and the gateway. The server passes commands related to the user instructions from the MURC to the gateway to the unit to communicate the commands to the at least one IoT device using associated communication protocols for the at least one IoT device.

Abstract: Disclosed is a universal remote control device including a display to provide a graphical unit interface (GUI), a controller configured to process registration requests from state machines associated with remotely controllable appliances and to manage control data transfer to and from the state machines responsive to the registration requests, and a communication module to enable communications between the device and the state machines. Additionally disclosed is a graphics interface unit (GUI) implementable on a display of a computing device operable to remotely control a plurality of appliances. The GUI includes a screen area on the display to display output information, and a plurality of sections on the display to simultaneously display input selection functions associated with different levels of a hierarchical arrangement of control functions for the plurality of appliances.

Abstract: A method includes implementing a single GUI for all the appliances which includes a set of input panels, an appliance selector panel and an output panel, communicating with the appliances with a multiplicity of agents, each implementing one appliance protocol of communication and converting between an internal format and the appliance protocol of communication; controlling activity of the agents, receiving a user command to a selected appliance issued from one of the input panels and generating at least one associated internal command in response to the user commands, providing the at least one associated internal command to the controlling for instruction to one of the agents associated with the selected appliance, storing information about each appliance to be controlled by the remote controller, and receiving notifications from the agents about the state of at least one of the appliances and providing the notifications to be displayed on the GUI.

Abstract: A mobile device, which has internet connectivity and several input/output devices, includes a mobile universal remote controller (MURC) and an appliance lifecycle module. The MURC controls several appliances of different types from different vendors and the lifecycle module provides connectivity between a user of the mobile device and one of several appliance-lifecycle service providers through the input/output devices. An appliance lifecycle management server includes several appliance lifecycle databases, an access controller, and a plurality of flow handlers. The databases receive and store lifecycle information about appliances controlled by the MURCs. The access controller assigns roles and access permissions to the MURC and to server providers that access the server.

Abstract: Disclosed is a universal remote controller for streaming multimedia content and gaming content to a multimedia device. The remote controller includes a display, a browser module to select the content or identification data associated with the content, a streaming module to arrange and stream the content, and a control module to control the streaming of the content and to control the multimedia device during the streaming. Also disclosed is a universal remote controller including a display area on the remote controller, an advertisement controller in communication with an advertisement platform to receive advertisements and to display them on the display area, and an event analyzer to analyze usage data of the universal remote controller and to provide events performed by a user of the remote controller to the advertisement controller. The advertisement controller defines requests to the advertisement platform as a function of the events.

Abstract: Disclosed is a universal remote control device including a display to provide a graphical unit interface (GUI), a controller configured to process registration requests from state machines associated with remotely controllable appliances and to manage control data transfer to and from the state machines responsive to the registration requests, and a communication module to enable communications between the device and the state machines. Additionally disclosed is a graphics interface unit (GUI) implementable on a display of a computing device operable to remotely control a plurality of appliances. The GUI includes a screen area on the display to display output information, and a plurality of sections on the display to simultaneously display input selection functions associated with different levels of a hierarchical arrangement of control functions for the plurality of appliances.

Abstract: Imaging systems and methods for processing images. Various of the imaging systems include a motion detection and/or estimation engine. Information from such a motion engine can be used by one or more of a scene definition engine, a blur reduction engine, an anti-shake engine, and a video compression engine. Various of the methods include processes for accepting motion information from a motion detection and/or estimation engine and performing one or more of the following functions: anti-shake, blur reduction, scene definition, video compression, and power management. In some cases, the various systems and methods can be implemented on a single chip.

Abstract: Imaging systems and methods for processing images. Various of the imaging systems include a motion detection and/or estimation engine. Information from such a motion engine can be used by one or more of a scene definition engine, a blur reduction engine, an anti-shake engine, and a video compression engine. Various of the methods include processes for accepting motion information from a motion detection and/or estimation engine and performing one or more of the following functions: anti-shake, blur reduction, scene definition, video compression, and power management. In some cases, the various systems and methods can be implemented on a single chip.

Abstract: An imaging system (27) includes an optical path directing light to a CMOS imaging array (28), the output of which passes to an analog-to-digital converter (29). The array (27) and converter (28) perform their tasks under the control of readout control (32). The ADC (27) output is optionally passed through an image/color processing circuit (46), and thence to a memory (31). A motion estimator (33) reads data from the memory (31) and yields motion vectors communicated externally. Importantly, the motion estimator (33), the memory (31), the ADC (27), the readout control (32), and the imaging array (28) are all formed on a single integrated circuit chip. The memory (31) may also communicate image data externally. The system offer low power, a small parts count and a reduction in system volume compared to other systems.

Abstract: An analog-to-digital converter (ADC), including a plurality of first-level folded-differential-logic-encoders (FDLEs), coupled to receive an analog input signal and respective reference voltages and to provide respective outputs responsive to comparing a magnitude of the input signal to the respective reference voltages. The ADC has a second-level resultant FDLE, which is coupled to receive and combine the outputs of the first-level FDLEs to provide a digital value indicative of the magnitude of the input signal.

Abstract: A variable output voltage swing differential driver including an open-loop current control unit operative to produce a control current, and a voltage output unit receiving the control current and operative to produce a voltage output having a variable output swing.

Abstract: A bias circuit for a flash A/D converter having a first bus line and a second bus line includes a voltage reference operatively coupled to an operational amplifier circuit. The bias circuit further includes a first transistor, a second transistor, a first load resistor and a second load resistor. The collectors of the first transistor and second transistor are coupled to a supply voltage source through the first load resistor and second load resistor, respectively. The emitters of the first and second transistors are coupled to the first and second bus lines respectively. One of the first and second bus lines is coupled to the operational amplifier, providing a signal for negative feedback. A first current bypass circuit is coupled from the supply voltage source to the first bus line and provides a first current which is substantially equal to the quiescent current of the first bus line.