Patent ID: 7440817

Claim:
A method for programming and controlling scheduled events for at least one object, comprising the steps of (a) providing a programming-information carrier encoded with predetermined programming information concerning said object, (b) providing a programming-information reader that is capable of reading said programming information from said programming-information carrier and converting it into appropriate programming-information signals, (c) providing a predetermined user-request protocol that includes a plurality of predetermined user requests, where presenting said programming-information carrier to said programming-information reader in a predetermined manner indicates a specific user request, (d) providing a processing unit that couples to said programming-information reader, said processing unit comprising a processor, a clock and a memory unit, and being programmed to (1) decode said programming information from said programming-information signals, (2) determine said user requests according to said user-request protocol, (3) selectively use said programming information to take predetermined control actions in response to said user requests, said control actions including programming said scheduled events and generating control signals accordingly, whereby a user can express different requests dynamically using said programming-information carrier, said scheduled events are programmed and controlled automatically without user manual input.