Patent Publication Number: US-2020304380-A1

Title: System and Methods Utilizing Dataset Management User Interface

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application is a Continuation Application of U.S. application Ser. No. 15/728,521 filed on Oct. 10, 2017, which claims the benefit of UK Patent Application No. 1714421.3 filed on Sep. 7, 2017. All the above are hereby incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to a method of remotely controlling at least one device at a location, preferably but not necessarily exclusively to a method of controlling devices at a plurality of linked locations. A computer program product and database management system which can be used in connection with the method are also presented, as is a method of configuring a dataset management user interface based on a plurality of locations to be monitored. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     With the advent of greater and greater capability for accumulating data regarding a variety of different processes and/or objects, one of the most challenging aspects of dataset management is in the filtering and selection of important data from within a set, particularly in relation to the management of a plurality of different, physically separated locations. For example, for businesses which operate across a wide range of physically spaced apart locations, such as a national chain of shops, it can be extremely challenging to manage the data received from the variety of different stores in a meaningful way. 
     Furthermore, even where the data is available, there is often no internal normalisation of the data streams received from the different locations which must be monitored, and therefore it can be difficult to compare the data received which accounts for the regional variation. 
     This is particularly important in time-critical scenarios, such as where alarm events are being monitored and responses controlled from a central remote location across the entire range of locations. Each alarm system in each location may be configured in a different way, making assessment of whether an alarm triggered in one location is equivalent to a similar alarm in another location. 
     In addition to the above issues, it is challenging for a user in a central location to identify potential issues associated with the various locations in a proactive manner. 
     The present invention seeks to provide an improved means by which the monitorable devices can be controlled based on an associated dataset from a remote location, as well as a method of configuring the accompanying dataset management system for consistency over the entire set of locations. This arrangement serves to enhance the control of devices at a remote location. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of remotely controlling at least one device at a location, the method comprising the steps of: receiving a dataset from each of a plurality of different locations, each dataset comprising at least one data value of at least one monitorable device at the respective location; generating a user interface based on the dataset, the user interface comprising a primary interface element having a plurality of matrix positions mapped to a surface of a sphere, each of the plurality of matrix positions being associated with one of the plurality of different locations; displaying, in the user interface, an interactive object icon representative of a said monitorable device of each location positioned at the respective matrix position, wherein a scale of each interactive object icon is indicative of the data value of the said monitorable device; in response to receiving a user input at a said interactive object icon, causing a processor to retrieve and display the at least one data value of at least one monitorable device of the location associated with the interactive object icon; and controlling a said device at the location to perform a physical function at the location. 
     The provision of a method of providing interactive user icons within a spherical field allows for a user to control, visualise and/or manipulate large datasets without missing vital information. The modification of the interactive user icons based on input data provides a method of filtering out significant data values which need to be assessed by the user, which may be particularly important, for example, where the data being monitored is an alarm status for physical locations within a wider network of, for instance, shops or warehouses. The modification of the interactive user icons then permits the user direct and rapid access to the dataset associated with a relevant monitorable device from a remote and central location. 
     Preferably, the primary interface element may rotate in the user interface automatically to cyclically display all of the plurality of interactive object icons at the respective matrix positions. The rotation of the primary interface element may be halted upon user interaction therewith. 
     The shape and motion of the primary interface element is such that a large amount of data can be mapped in a user-friendly manner. Rotation of the sphere ensures a constant cycling of the visual field which allows the user to see interactive object icons which may be obscured in a stationary view, ensuring that critical information is not missed. 
     Preferably, the user interface may comprise at least one selection pane for selecting a monitorable device from a plurality of said monitorable devices, the interactive object icon being indicative of the selected monitorable device. 
     Since the matrix positions are mapped to locations, it can be advantageous to provide a means of selecting specific monitorable characteristics to affect the scale of the interactive object icons at any given time. This selection allows the user to rapidly confirm that all monitorable characteristics associated with a given location are acceptable or within predetermined limits, without needing to scour through lists of data. 
     In one preferred embodiment, the primary interface element may be a user-interactive object. 
     Manipulation of the primary interface element allows the user greater control over the visualisation of the sphere, and may enable particular features of interest associated with specific locations to be readily identified. 
     Optionally, the plurality of matrix positions may be mapped to an outer surface of the primary interface element. Additionally, or alternatively, the plurality of matrix positions may be mapped to an inner surface of the primary interface element. Furthermore, the user interface may be selectably configurable to view the interactive object icons from either the outer surface or the inner surface of the primary interface element. 
     The positioning of the matrix points can be arranged in accordance with a user- or computer-preferred viewing angle, and this may advantageously be informed by the dataset or datasets to be represented. 
     The method may further comprise using secondary indicia associated with one or more of the interactive object icons which is activatable under predetermined conditions. The said predetermined condition may be based on one or more historical dataset from each of a plurality of different locations which is indicative of an anomalous real-time data value. 
     The provision of secondary indicia may advantageously allow for the representation of information which could not otherwise be indicated, for example, the exceeding of a user-defined threshold for any given monitorable characteristic. This may provide additional information regarding the location being monitored, in turn enabling more effective control of the monitorable devices at the location, either by the user or automatically. 
     Preferably, each dataset may be received and updated periodically from the plurality of different locations. 
     Periodic updates to the dataset may advantageously ensure that critical conditions can be monitored and resolved in a timely manner, without overloading the computational capacity of either a central server or a user device utilised as part of the method. 
     Preferably, an arrangement of the plurality of matrix positions may be correlated with a geographic position of the locations associated therewith. 
     Whilst the arrangement of the matrix of data for the primary interface element may be random or pseudo-random, the control of the respective monitorable devices may be improved by providing the user with a geographic correlation between the location and the positioning of a corresponding interactive object icon. 
     According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a computer program product comprising a plurality of computer executable instructions stored on a computer readable storage device, the instructions causing a computer to perform the method of the first aspect of the invention. 
     According to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a dataset management system comprising: at least one monitorable device positioned at each of a plurality of different locations; a server communicatively coupled with each monitorable device to receive a dataset from each monitorable device; a user device communicatively coupled with the server, the user device being adapted to display a user interface based on the dataset, the user interface comprising a primary interface element having a plurality of matrix positions mapped to a surface of a sphere, each of the plurality of matrix positions being associated with one of the plurality of different locations, the user interface having an interactive object icon representative of a said monitorable device of each location positioned at the respective matrix position, wherein a scale of each interactive object icon is indicative of the data value of the said monitorable device, and, in response to receiving a user input at a said interactive object icon, causing a processor to retrieve and display the at least one data value of at least one monitorable device of the location associated with the interactive object icon; the user device, via the user interface, allowing a user to control a said device at the location to perform a physical function at the location. 
     Preferably, the at least one monitorable device may be selected from: an alarm device; a temperature sensor; a light sensor; a pressure sensor; a motion sensor; and/or an electronic device having a monitorable activation status. 
     The dataset management system described allows the user to readily manipulate devices and/or associated datasets therefrom at a remote location quickly and effectively. This drastically improves the effectiveness of a manned monitoring service for any physically disparate network of locations, for example, a monitoring service across a set of retail locations, or a plurality of vehicles within a fleet of vehicles. 
     According to a fourth aspect of the invention, there is provided method implemented on a computer system, the method comprising the steps of: receiving a dataset from each of a plurality of different locations, each dataset comprising at least one data value of at least one monitorable characteristic of the respective location; generating a user interface based on the dataset, the user interface comprising a primary interface element having a plurality of matrix positions mapped to a surface of a sphere, each of the plurality of matrix positions being associated with one of the plurality of different locations; displaying, in the user interface, an interactive object icon representative of a selected said monitorable characteristic of each location positioned at the respective matrix position, wherein a scale of each interactive object icon is indicative of the data value of the selected said monitorable characteristic; and in response to receiving a user input at a said interactive object icon, causing a processor to retrieve and display the at least one data value of at least one monitorable characteristic of the location associated with the interactive object icon. 
     The provision of such a user interface enables a remote user to readily monitor a plurality of different locations having similar or identical monitorable devices, which may have time-critical outputs requiring response or intervention of some form. The user interface allows for outliers, anomalous and/or critical data values to be identified, and a response prepared accordingly. 
     According to a fifth aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of configuring a dataset management user interface based on a plurality of locations to be monitored, the method comprising the steps of: receiving a dataset from each of the plurality of different locations, each dataset comprising at least one data value of at least one monitorable device at the respective location, wherein the datasets and/or monitorable devices are not normalised across the plurality of locations; generating a user interface based on the datasets, the user interface comprising a primary interface element having a plurality of matrix positions mapped to a surface of a sphere, each of the plurality of matrix positions being associated with one of the plurality of different locations; displaying, in the user interface, an interactive object icon representative of a said monitorable device of each location positioned at the respective matrix position, wherein a scale of each interactive object icon is indicative of the data value of the said monitorable device; in response to receiving a user input at a said interactive object icon, causing a processor to retrieve and display the at least one data value of at least one monitorable device of the location associated with the interactive object icon; determining, based on the interactive object icons, a configuration status of the at least one monitorable device; and configuring the user interface based on the determined configuration status. 
     One of the main problems of the management of a variety of sites across different locations is that the monitorable devices at each location may not be configured in ways which can be utilised for comparison very easily. The present arrangement advantageously provides a means of identifying anomalous outliers, or incorrect configurations of given monitorable devices with respect to other equivalent monitorable devices, which allows the user to, automatically or otherwise, configure the monitorable device and/or dataset associated therewith such that the user interface can correctly present the information from the dataset via the interactive object icons. 
     Preferably, the primary interface element may rotate in the user interface automatically to cyclically display all of the plurality of interactive object icons at the respective matrix positions. Said rotation of the primary interface element may be halted upon user interaction therewith. 
     Optionally, the user interface may comprise at least one selection pane for selecting a monitorable device from a plurality of said monitorable devices, the interactive object icon being indicative of the selected monitorable device. 
     In one embodiment, the primary interface element may be a user-interactive object. 
     Preferably, the plurality of matrix positions may be mapped to an outer surface of the primary interface element. Additionally, or alternatively, the plurality of matrix positions may be mapped to an inner surface of the primary interface element. Furthermore, the user interface may be selectably configurable to view the interactive object icons from either the outer surface or the inner surface of the primary interface element. 
     There may be provided secondary indicia associated with one or more of the interactive object icons which is activatable under predetermined conditions. Preferably, the said predetermined condition may be based on one or more historical dataset from each of a plurality of different locations which is indicative of an anomalous real-time data value. 
     Optionally, each dataset may be received and updated periodically from the plurality of different locations. 
     Preferably, an arrangement of the plurality of matrix positions may be correlated with a geographic position of the locations associated therewith. 
     According to a sixth aspect of the invention, there is provided a computer program product comprising a plurality of computer executable instructions stored on a computer readable storage device, the instructions causing a computer to perform the method of the fifth aspect of the invention. 
     The invention will now be more particularly described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  shows a diagrammatic representation of one embodiment of a dataset management system in accordance with the third aspect of the invention; 
         FIG. 2  shows one embodiment of a user interface of the dataset management system of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  shows the user interface of  FIG. 2 , inclusive of a selection pane; and 
         FIG. 4  shows a further user interface of the dataset management system of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , there is shown a dataset management system, indicated globally at  10 , and which is suitable for displaying and controlling datasets associated with monitorable devices  12  at a plurality of different locations  14 . 
     In one preferred embodiment of the invention, the plurality of different locations  14  may be stores or physical locations within a geographically-dispersed business, such as a supermarket or department store chain. However, it will be appreciated that the present dataset management system  10  could conceivably be provided for management of any geographically-dispersed set of monitorable devices. For example, the dataset management system  10  could be used to monitor data from a fleet of haulage trucks, vehicular fleet, plurality of discrete electronic devices across a wireless network, and so on. 
     The monitorable devices  12  may be any sort of data input or stream which enables data to be accumulated regarding a monitorable characteristic. An exemplary but non-exhaustive list of monitorable devices  12  may include: an alarm device; a temperature sensor; a light sensor; a pressure sensor; a motion sensor; and/or an electronic device having a monitorable activation status. 
     For at least one, and preferably all of the monitorable devices  12  at each location  14 , a dataset can be collected which is indicative of the relevant monitorable characteristic in a quantitative and/or binary and measurable form. For example, a temperature reading could be recorded in the dataset, or an activation or trip status of an alarm device could be recorded. The complete dataset therefore builds a complete picture of the status of the location  14  according to monitorable characteristics of interest to the user. It will be noted that the dataset need not, but could include, all monitorable data which is available from all monitorable devices  12  within each location  14 . 
     There is also provided a central server  16  which is communicatively coupled with each monitorable device  12  so as to receive the dataset from each location  14 . This could involve each monitorable device  12  being directly communicable with the central server  16 , for example, via wireless connection to each individual monitorable device  12 , or each location  14  could include a dedicated local server which collates the dataset for each location  14  and which is separately communicable with the central server  16 . 
     Preferably, the central server  16  is a cloud-based networking server, which negates the need for the user to host a separate server of their own. However, the central server  16  could just as readily be a traditional local server. 
     Data transmission between the monitorable devices  12  and the central server  16  may be periodic, for example occurring every five to thirty minutes, or alternatively could be updatable in real-time, via constant communications between the monitorable devices  12  and the central server  16 . In a preferred embodiment, the dataset may be updated periodically, and sent from the monitorable devices  12  to the central server periodically, and, in the event that a critical event is detected, such as an alarm trigger, the update of the dataset and subsequent transmission to the central server  16  may be automatically prioritised. Alternatively, certain events, such as alarm triggers, could be given prioritised and therefore real-time updates, whilst other, less critical monitorable characteristics, such as ambient temperature, could then be updated only periodically. 
     The central server  16  is communicatively coupled, either via a wired or wireless communication means, with a user device  18  from which a user utilising the dataset management system  10  can control the dataset management system  10 . The interaction between the user and the dataset management system  10  is provided by a user interface  20  which can be displayed on the user device  18 . The user device  18  is preferably a personal computer, such as a desktop, laptop or tablet device, but could just as easily be a smartphone or similar mobile computing device, for example. 
     A primary interface element  22  of the user interface  20  is a sphere comprising a plurality of matrix positions mapped on its surface, which could be either an outer or an inner surface of the sphere, depending on a display angle of the primary interface element  22 . Each of the matrix positions are provided with an associated to one of the locations  14 , and therefore the total number of matrix positions on the primary interface element  22  should therefore equal a total number of locations  14 . It will be appreciated, however, that there could be some filtering of locations  14  with which the user would like to interact, and therefore the total number of matrix positions could be adaptive and/or less than the total number of locations  14 . The dataset in use will inform the population of the matrix positions, adjusting the scale and/or spacing of the surface of the sphere of the primary interface element  22 . 
     Preferably, the primary interface element  22  rotates in the user interface  20 , optionally about a polar axis thereof, automatically to cyclically display all of the plurality of interactive object icons  24  at the respective matrix positions, thereby allowing the user to identify and access the interactive object icons  24  in a smaller space than would be achievable with a standard database. User interaction with the primary interface element  22 , preferably at a position which is not within a certain and predetermined distance from a matrix position, may beneficially allow the user to halt this automatic rotation. 
     In a preferred embodiment, the matrix positions may be equally spaced about the surface of the primary interface element  22 , which provides a visually-appealing spherical user interface  20 . However, it will be appreciated that the matrix positions could be co-ordinated with further data associated with specific locations  14 . For instance, the arrangement of the matrix positions could be correlated with, for example, a geographic location of the locations  14 . 
     Associated with and positioned at each matrix position is an interactive object icon  24  which is representative of a monitorable device  12  associated with the respective location  14 . In the present embodiment, each interactive object icon  24  is presented as a scalable icon on the surface of the primary interface element  22 , an aspect of which is indicative of the value of the monitorable characteristic received by the monitorable device  12 . Here, this is represented as a height of the interactive object icon  24  relative to the surface of the primary interface element  22 . 
     Secondary indicia may also be provided which are activatable under the triggering of one or more predetermined criteria associated with the monitorable characteristic. In the present example, where a value of the monitorable characteristic has passed a predetermined threshold, a colour of the interactive object icon  24  could be adjusted. 
     The interactive object icon  24  is user-interactable via the user device  18 , for example, via selection of the interactive object icon  24  via a cursor selection in the user interface  20 . Selection of the interactive object icon  24  causes a processor, which may be the processor of the user device  18  or the central server  16 , to retrieve and display at least one data value associated with the monitorable device  12  associated with the interactive object icon  24  via a display to the user. 
     The interaction of the user with the interactive object icon  24  permits the user access to control functionality of the dataset management system  10 . Preferably, the dataset management system  10  is configured such that a user can interact with the interactive object icon  24  for a given monitorable device  12  at a location  14  and in turn access and control the monitorable device  12 , thereby performing a physical function at the location  14 . For example, where the monitorable characteristic is an alarm trigger status, the user may be able to select the relevant interactive object icon  24 , which has been scaled in accordance with a quantifiable characteristic of the alarm, such as number of registered trigger events, and then subsequently interact with the monitorable device  12 . This could therefore provide a mechanism for remote override of the alarm functionality. 
     An indicative first screen of the user interface  20  is illustrated in  FIG. 2 . The primary interface element  22  is positioned centrally, and the user is readily able to interact with the interactive object icons  24  thereof. 
     The user interface  20  preferably further includes a selection pane  26  with which the user can interact, and activation of the selection pane  26  can be seen in  FIG. 3 . The selection pane  26  may be configured to allow the user to select a specific type of monitorable device  12 , such as an alarm system, from which data values are utilised in the generation of the primary interface element  22 , and further allows the user to switch between different types of monitorable device  12  to be retrieved and displayed across the entire range of locations  14 . 
     The user interface  20  may also be provided having an indicator pane  28  which is indicative of selected matrix positions and/or or locations  14 . This may, for example, be a listing of the most significant values returned from the monitorable devices  12  at the relevant locations  14 . The indicator pane  28  may provide the user with a quick means of accessing said critical matrix positions for subsequent interaction therewith. 
       FIG. 4  shows a possible user interface  20  screen which may be displayed following user interaction with an interactive object icon  24  of the primary interface element  22 . There may be a display of relevant information associated with the respective monitorable device  12  and/or location  14  associated with the interactive object icon  24 , and historical data associated with the or each monitorable device  12  at the location  14  could be indicated. In the depicted user interface  20 , a plurality of data values associated with alarm triggers is shown, and the number of triggers above a certain threshold limit can also be flagged. 
     The user interface  20  may therefore include a control functionality panel  30 , via which the user may access control functionality associated with monitorable devices  12 , and may also include an event indicator panel  32 , which may log and display relevant events associated with the monitorable device and/or devices  12 . 
     If historical data associated with the or each monitorable device  12  at the location  14  is provided, then this information could be utilised to automatically detect and alert the user to real-time anomalous occurrences. For instance, it may be expected that an alarm event is triggered in a shop, accidentally or otherwise, at opening or closing times. The historical data may therefore be able to determine and categorise a severity of an alarm event based on historical data, allowing the user to more readily identify events which are anomalous and therefore potentially more problematic. The interactive object icon  24  could therefore be modified based on the result of categorisation of any given event, based on the historical data. For example, the scale of the interactive object icon  24  could be altered based on a further modifier which is calculated based on the historical data. 
     The dataset management system  10  allows the user to interact with and preferably control the monitorable devices  12  at the various locations  14 . This can provide the user with a method of remotely controlling at least one device  12  at a respective location  14 , which comprises the steps of receiving a dataset from each of the plurality of different locations  14 , with each dataset comprising at least one data value of at least one monitorable device  12  at the respective location  14 . The user interface  20  is then generated based on the dataset, with the user interface  20  comprising the primary interface element  22  having the plurality of matrix positions mapped to a surface of a sphere, each of the plurality of matrix positions being associated with one of the plurality of different locations  14 . 
     In the user interface  20 , an interactive object icon  24  is displayed which is representative of a said monitorable device  12  of each location  14  positioned at the respective matrix position, and the scale of each interactive object icon  24  is indicative of the data value of the said monitorable device  12 . In response to receiving a user input at a said interactive object icon  24 , a processor, preferably of either the user device  18  or central server  16  retrieves and displays the at least one data value of at least one monitorable device  12  of the location  14  associated with the interactive object icon  24 . This permits control of a said device  12  at the location  14  to perform a physical function at the location  14 . 
     One problem accompanying this technique, however, is that the monitorable devices  12  across the network are not necessarily configured in corresponding fashions, despite being used for corresponding purposes at each location  14 . However, the dataset management system  10  allows for the monitorable devices  12  and/or their associated datasets to be normalised for modification of the respective interactive object icons  24 . 
     This can be achieved by configuring the user interface  20  based on the plurality of locations  14  to be monitored. A dataset is received from each of the plurality of different locations  14 , each dataset comprising at least one data value of at least one monitorable device  12  at the respective location  14 , wherein the datasets and/or monitorable devices  12  are not normalised across the plurality of locations  14 . 
     As normal, the user interface  20  can be generated based on the datasets, the user interface comprising the primary interface element  22  having a plurality of matrix positions mapped to a surface of a sphere, each of the plurality of matrix positions being associated with one of the plurality of different locations  14 . The interactive object icons  24  for each monitorable device  12  is then displayed having been scaled in accordance with the data values in the datasets. 
     Subsequently, in response to receiving a user input at a said interactive object icon  24 , a processor retrieves and displays the at least one data value of the monitorable device  12  of the location  14  associated with the interactive object icon  24 , and, based on the interactive object icons  24 , a configuration status can be determined for the at least one monitorable device  12 . The user interface  20  can then be configured based on the determined configuration status. 
     This configuration status may be most apparent for binary statuses, such as an activation or trigger status of an alarm system. For example, some alarm systems may record a triggered status as a ‘0’ in its local memory, whereas others might record this as ‘1’. From a remote location, it is difficult to determine which configuration status is in effect at any given time. The user interface  20  of the present dataset management system  10  provides a mechanism by which conflicting configuration statuses across a network can be identified, and then in turn remotely configured, either by a user, or automatically. Automatic modification of the configuration statuses could be achieved with reference to historical data or trends from a given location  14 , which may be indicative of an exemplary status of the monitorable device  12 . 
     It may also be feasible that one or more further monitorable device  12  at each location  14  is could be used to reference a monitorable device  12  so as to improve identification of a configuration status of the monitorable device  12 . The further monitorable devices  12  could conceivably be video or image capture devices positioned at the location  14  which can feed back live or periodic footage of the monitorable device  12  to be configured to the remote user. 
     It is therefore possible to provide a dataset management system which is capable of permitting a user who is remote to a plurality of different locations having monitorable devices to either control or configure the monitorable devices and/or datasets associated therewith. This is achieved via a user interface which improves the visualisation and interaction with the data values associated with the monitorable characteristics of the monitorable devices via interactive object icons. This is achieved in a spherical viewing environment, enabling ready user interaction capability. 
     The words ‘comprises/comprising’ and the words ‘having/including’ when used herein with reference to the present invention are used to specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, components or groups thereof. 
     It is appreciated that certain features of the invention, which are, for clarity, described in the context of separate embodiments, may also be provided in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features of the invention which are, for brevity, described in the context of a single embodiment, may also be provided separately or in any suitable sub-combination. 
     The embodiments described above are provided by way of examples only, and various other modifications will be apparent to persons skilled in the field without departing from the scope of the invention as defined herein.