PATENT DOCUMENT

Publication Number: US-11722723-B2
Application Number: US-202217652678-A
Country: US
Kind Code: B2

Title: Systems and methods for saving and restoring scenes in a multimedia system

Abstract:
Recommending and activating scenes in a multimedia system are provided. The techniques of the present disclosure can allow the states of the components in the multimedia system to be captured in a scene. Once the scene has been saved, the scene can be activated at a later time. A controller device for recommending scenes by comparing the current state with states of components in saved scenes is also provided. The controller device can also determine if media is playing in a current scene, and activate a selected scene without playing the media content. Once the selected scene is activated, the media playing in the current scene can be switched, and the media playing in the selected scene can be played.

Claims:
What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for managing locations of components, the method comprising, at a computing device:
 identifying a location of the computing device; 
 receiving respective signals from a plurality of components that are within communicable range of the computing device; 
 determining respective signal strengths of the respective signals; 
 filtering the plurality of components based on the respective signal strengths to produce a filtered plurality of components; 
 associating the filtered plurality of components with the location; and 
 generating an internal map of a multi-room structure that includes at least the location and the filtered plurality of components. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the location is identified based on:
 (1) a received selection of the location, and/or 
 (2) a Global Positioning System (GPS) position of the computing device. 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of components is further filtered based on respective GPS positions reported by the plurality of components relative to the GPS position of the computing device. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, from each component of the plurality of components, a respective state of the component, and 
 storing the respective states of the components into a memory that is accessible to the computing device. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the filtered plurality of components excludes a component of the plurality of components having a weakest respective signal strength relative to the respective signal strengths of other components in the plurality of components. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving information about a new component; and 
 assigning the location of the computing device to the location of the new component. 
 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 storing the internal map into a memory that is accessible to the computing device. 
 
     
     
       8. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium configured to store instructions that, when executed by a processor included in a computing device, cause the computing device to manage locations of components, by carrying out steps that include:
 identifying a location of the computing device; 
 receiving respective signals from a plurality of components that are within communicable range of the computing device; 
 determining respective signal strengths of the respective signals; 
 filtering the plurality of components based on the respective signal strengths to produce a filtered plurality of components; 
 associating the filtered plurality of components with the location; and 
 generating an internal map of a multi-room structure that includes at least the location and the filtered plurality of components. 
 
     
     
       9. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 8 , wherein the location is identified based on:
 (1) a received selection of the location, and/or 
 (2) a Global Positioning System (GPS) position of the computing device. 
 
     
     
       10. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 9 , wherein the plurality of components is further filtered based on respective GPS positions reported by the plurality of components relative to the GPS position of the computing device. 
     
     
       11. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 8 , wherein the steps further include:
 receiving, from each component of the plurality of components, a respective state of the component, and 
 storing the respective states of the components into a memory that is accessible to the computing device. 
 
     
     
       12. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 8 , wherein the filtered plurality of components excludes a component of the plurality of components having a weakest respective signal strength relative to the respective signal strengths of other components in the plurality of components. 
     
     
       13. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 8 , wherein the steps further include:
 receiving information about a new component; and 
 assigning the location of the computing device to the location of the new component. 
 
     
     
       14. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 8 , wherein the steps further include:
 storing the internal map into a memory that is accessible to the computing device. 
 
     
     
       15. A computing device configured to manage locations of components, the computing device comprising a processor configured to cause the computing device to carry out steps that include:
 identifying a location of the computing device; 
 receiving respective signals from a plurality of components that are within communicable range of the computing device; 
 determining respective signal strengths of the respective signals; 
 filtering the plurality of components based on the respective signal strengths to produce a filtered plurality of components; 
 associating the filtered plurality of components with the location; and 
 generating an internal map of a multi-room structure that includes at least the location and the filtered plurality of components. 
 
     
     
       16. The computing device of  claim 15 , wherein the location is identified based on:
 (1) a received selection of the location, and/or 
 (2) a Global Positioning System (GPS) position of the computing device. 
 
     
     
       17. The computing device of  claim 16 , wherein the plurality of components is further filtered based on respective GPS positions reported by the plurality of components relative to the GPS position of the computing device. 
     
     
       18. The computing device of  claim 15 , wherein the steps further include:
 receiving, from each component of the plurality of components, a respective state of the component, and 
 storing the respective states of the components into a memory that is accessible to the computing device. 
 
     
     
       19. The computing device of  claim 15 , wherein the filtered plurality of components excludes a component of the plurality of components having a weakest respective signal strength relative to the respective signal strengths of other components in the plurality of components. 
     
     
       20. The computing device of  claim 15 , wherein the steps further include:
 receiving information about a new component; and 
 assigning the location of the computing device to the location of the new component.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/349,849, entitled “SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR SAVING AND RESTORING SCENES IN A MULTIMEDIA SYSTEM,” filed Jun. 16, 2021, set to issue Mar. 15, 2022 as U.S. Pat. No. 11,277,654, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/890,967, entitled “SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR SAVING AND RESTORING SCENES IN A MULTIMEDIA SYSTEM,” filed Jun. 2, 2020, now U.S. Pat. No. 11,044,511, issued Jun. 22, 2021, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/028,315, entitled “SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR SAVING AND RESTORING SCENES IN A MULTIMEDIA SYSTEM,” filed Jul. 5, 2018, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,681,298 issued Jun. 9, 2020, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/705,065, entitled “SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR SAVING AND RESTORING SCENES IN A MULTIMEDIA SYSTEM,” filed Sep. 14, 2017, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,021,337 issued Jul. 10, 2018, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/970,292, entitled “SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR SAVING AND RESTORING SCENES IN A MULTIMEDIA SYSTEM,” filed Dec. 15, 2015, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,794,505, issued Oct. 17, 2017, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/954,787, entitled “SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR SAVING AND RESTORING SCENES IN A MULTIMEDIA SYSTEM,” filed Jul. 30, 2013, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,288,422, issued Mar. 15, 2016, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/202,796, entitled “SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR SAVING AND RESTORING SCENES IN A MULTIMEDIA SYSTEM,” filed Sep. 2, 2008, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,519,820, issued Aug. 27, 2013. The disclosures of these applications are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety. 
     This disclosure is also related to U.S. application Ser. No. 15/275,342, filed Sep. 24, 2016, published as US2018/0091381A1 on Mar. 29, 2018, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     This relates to portable electronic devices and more particularly to systems and methods for saving and restoring scenes in a multimedia system. As used herein, a scene includes the states of one or more components in the multimedia system. States of components that can be captured in a scene can include, for example, the states of lights (e.g., whether they are turned on or off and their brightness levels), the states of speakers (e.g., volume level and balance), media that is playing on a media playback application, metadata associated with the media that is playing, or any other suitable states. 
     Remote controls, such as dedicated remote controls for controlling devices in a multimedia system, are known. Devices in the multimedia system can include consumer electronic devices, such as televisions, set-top boxes, stereo receivers, and computers, and appliances, such as lights, window shades, and fireplaces. In addition, universal remote controls have been designed to interact with a wide variety of devices, so that a single universal remote control can be used to control more than one device. For example, a universal remote control can control both a television and set-top box. Most of these remote controls communicate with the devices using infrared (IR) signals. 
     However, in order to configure a conventional remote control to work with multiple devices, a user must first specify the devices that are in the user&#39;s multimedia system. For example, the user may specify a TV, a stereo receiver, and a DVD player. Furthermore, although conventional remote controls can save and restore different pre-defined scenes (e.g., “watch TV,” “watch DVD,” and “play game”), a user has to spend time manually defining the scene (e.g., by specifying which device inputs to use, etc.). 
     Furthermore, in most conventional remote controls, a user must use a computer to define a scene. In some cases, however, a user may want to be able to define a scene without being restricted to using a computer. For example, the user may be watching a horror movie and may adjust the lighting and sound of the scene accordingly. The user may want to save the states of the devices so that the scene can be restored when, for example, the user watches another horror movie a few days later. The user may want to do this save instantaneously without having to use a computer. 
     In addition, these conventional remote controls may wait for a user to activate a certain scene instead of recommending scenes based on past activities of the user or external parameters (e.g., genre of media that is playing, time of the day, and special occasions). For example, a conventional remote control may not be able to detect that a user is viewing a horror movie, and, as a result, suggest a saved scene that has been configured for horror movies. 
     In view of the foregoing, it would be desirable to provide systems and methods that allow a user to save and restore scenes in a multimedia system with minimal configuration. It would also be desirable to provide suggestions of suitable recommended scenes based on states of devices in the scenes and usage patterns. 
     SUMMARY 
     In accordance with the disclosure, a portable electronic device and method of operation are provided in which the device can save and restore scenes in a multimedia system with minimal configuration. The portable electronic device can additionally provide suggestions of suitable recommended scenes to the user. 
     In some embodiments, the portable electronic device can discover one or more components in a multimedia system that are ready to be controlled. For example, servers on each component can broadcast one or more identifiers to the portable electronic device. In response to receiving the identifiers, the portable electronic device can establish a communications link with the components. 
     In some embodiments, after establishing communications with the components, the portable electronic device can receive states from the components. States can include software and/or hardware settings of the components, such as, for example, the current volume setting, the current playback speed of a media item, or the current media that is playing. In response to receiving the states, the portable electronic device can provide controls to a user. In response to the user controlling the state of a component using the controls, the portable electronic device can transmit the remote control commands to the component. 
     In some embodiments, the portable electronic device (e.g., a controller device) can manage a plurality of saved scenes, where the plurality of saved scenes include metadata that identifies respective usage patterns of the plurality of saved scenes. Additionally, the controller device can identify a current state and/or identify one or more recommended scenes from the plurality of saved scenes based at least in part on comparing the current state with the respective usage patterns. In some cases, the controller device can present the one or more recommended scenes in a user interface of the controller device. The controller device can also receive a selection to activate a selected scene of the one or more recommended scenes. In some examples, the controller device can also activate the selected scene in accordance with a determination that media content is playing in a current scene. Further, in some cases, the controller device can transmit instructions for switching from playing the media content of the current scene to playing other media content of the selected scene. 
     In some embodiments, the current state comprises a current time of day, and the respective usage patterns identify respective times of day during which the plurality of saved scenes where activated. Additionally, the current time of day comprises a window of time during the day. The controller device can also determine that the additional media content of the selected scene is being played in the selected scene when the selection to activate the selected scene is received. In some instances, activating the selected scene comprises not playing the other media content of the selected scene. The controller device may also present, in the user interface of the controller device, an option for switching from playing the media content of the current scene to playing other media content of the selected scene. In some cases, the instructions for switching from playing the media content of the current scene to playing other media content of the selected scene are transmitted based at least in part on receiving, in the user interface of the controller device, a selection for switching. 
     Therefore, in accordance with the present disclosure, there are provided systems, methods, and computer-readable medium for allowing a user to save and restore scenes in a multimedia system. These systems, methods, and computer-readable medium can include a portable electronic device (e.g., a controller device) that can automatically capture states of components in the multimedia system. 
     There is also provided a controller device for providing a user with recommended scenes based on states of components and usage patterns. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The above and other features of the present disclosure, its nature and various advantages will be more apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which: 
         FIG.  1    shows a simplified diagram of a portable electronic system which may be operated in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG.  2    shows a simplified diagram of another portable electronic system which may be used in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG.  3    shows a simplified block diagram of a portable electronic device constructed and used in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG.  4    shows a simplified block diagram of a device in a multimedia system that can be controlled by a portable electronic device in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG.  5    shows a simplified block diagram of an illustrative multimedia system based on components that can be controlled by a portable electronic device in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG.  6    shows a schematic view of a communications system which can be operated in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG.  7    shows a schematic view of an illustrative display screen of a home screen in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG.  8    shows a schematic view of an illustrative display screen for identifying devices that can be controlled in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG.  9    shows a schematic view of an illustrative display screen for controlling a device in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG.  10    shows a schematic view of an illustrative display screen for accessing applications hosted on a device in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG.  11    shows a schematic view of an illustrative display screen for saving a scene in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG.  12    shows a schematic view of another illustrative display screen for saving a scene in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG.  13    shows a schematic view of yet another illustrative display screen for saving a scene in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG.  14    shows a schematic view of an illustrative display screen for adding devices to a scene in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG.  15    shows a schematic view of an illustrative display screen for providing a summary of a saved scene in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG.  16    shows illustrative XML code that can be used to save a scene in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG.  17    shows a schematic view of an illustrative display screen for providing saved scenes in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG.  18    shows a schematic view of an illustrative display screen for providing a summary of a restored scene in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG.  19    shows a schematic view of an illustrative display screen for editing a restored scene in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG.  20    shows a schematic view of an illustrative display screen for providing recommended scenes in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG.  21    shows a schematic view of an illustrative display screen for providing favorite scenes in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG.  22    shows a flowchart of an illustrative process for providing a user with the capability to save and restore scenes in a multimedia system in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG.  23    shows a flowchart of an illustrative process for providing the controls of a component to a user in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG.  24    shows a flowchart of an illustrative process for saving a scene in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIGS.  25 A- 25 B  show flowcharts of an illustrative process for restoring a scene in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure; and 
         FIG.  26    shows a flowchart of an illustrative process for providing recommended scenes in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG.  1    shows a simplified diagram of a portable electronic system which may be operated in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that one or more elements of the described embodiments can be interchanged and/or combined in the present disclosure. Portable electronic system  100  may include portable electronic device  102 . Portable electronic device  102  is shown as including display component  104  and user input component  106 . However, other displays and user input components can also be utilized without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure. 
     Display component  104  is illustrated in  FIG.  1    as a display screen that may be integrated into portable electronic device  102 . Display component  104  does not have to be integrated into portable electronic device  102  and may also be external to portable electronic device  102 . For example, display component  104  may be a computer monitor, television screen, any other graphical user interface, textual user interface, or combination thereof. Display component  104  may enable portable electronic device  102  to play back the video portion of video content, serve as part of the user interface, display command menus, or serve any other suitable display functions. 
     User input component  106  is illustrated in  FIG.  1    as a click wheel. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that user input component  106  may also be any other type of user input component or device, such as, for example, a mouse, keyboard, trackball, slider bar, one or more buttons, portable electronic device pad, dial, or any combination thereof. User input component  106  may also include a multi-touch screen such as that described in Westerman et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,323,846, issued Nov. 27, 2001, entitled “Method and Apparatus for Integrating Manual Input,” which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. User input component  106  may emulate a rotary phone or a multi-button portable electronic device pad, which may be implemented on a touch screen or the combination of a click wheel or other user input device and a screen. A more detailed discussion of such a rotary phone interface may be found, for example, in McKillop et al., U.S. Published patent application No. 2007/0152983, published Jul. 5, 2007, entitled “Touch Pad with Symbols based on Mode,” which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
       FIG.  2    shows a simplified diagram of another portable electronic system which may be used in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure. Portable electronic system  200  may include portable electronic device  202 , which may be, for example, a portable media player, cellular telephone (such as Apple&#39;s iPhone), personal organizer or any other portable electronic device. Portable electronic device  202  can include user interface component  204 . User interface component  204 , as shown in  FIG.  2   , is a multi-touch screen that may function as both an integrated display screen and as a user input device. Portable electronic device  202  may also include button  206 , which may be used in conjunction with user interface component  204 . Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that additional buttons or other user interface devices may be used without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure. 
       FIG.  3    shows a simplified block diagram of a portable electronic device constructed and used in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure. Portable electronic device  300  can be implemented in or as any type of portable electronic device or devices, such as, for example, portable electronic devices  102  and  202  discussed above. 
     In some embodiments, portable electronic device  300  can be a portable computing device with remote control capabilities. For example, device  300  can be a media player with wireless communications capabilities (e.g., MP3 player), such as an iPod available from Apple Inc., of Cupertino, Calif., a cellular telephone, a personal e-mail or messaging device (e.g., a Blackberry® or a Sidekick®), a game player, a portable communication device, pocket-sized personal computers such as an iPAQ Pocket PC available by Hewlett Packard Inc., of Palo Alto, Calif., personal digital assistants (PDAs), a laptop computer, a remote ordering interface, dedicated remote control devices, global positioning system (GPS) devices, or any other suitable personal device capable of communicating wirelessly (with or without the aid of a wireless enabling accessory system). In some embodiments, portable electronic device  300  can be a portable device that combines multi-media processing and telephone functionality in single integrated unit, such as an iPhone available from Apple Inc. A more detailed discussion of a portable electronic device with remote control capabilities may be found, for example, in Cannistraro et al., U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/955,385, filed Dec. 12, 2007, entitled “Handheld Electronic Devices with Bimodal Remote Control Functionality,” which is incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     Portable electronic device  300  can be battery-operated and highly portable so as to allow a user to listen to music, play games or videos, record video or take pictures, place and take telephone calls, communicate with other people or devices, control other devices, and any combination thereof. In addition, portable electronic device  300  can be sized such that it fits relatively easily into a pocket or hand of the user. By being handheld, portable electronic device  300  is relatively small and easily handled and utilized by its user and thus may be taken practically anywhere the user travels. 
     Portable electronic devices can include processor  302 , memory  304 , user interface  306 , display  308 , input/output circuitry  310 , communications circuitry  312 , and bus  314 . In some embodiments, portable electronic device  300  can include more than one of each component or circuitry, but for the sake of illustration, only one of each is shown in  FIG.  3   . In addition, persons skilled in the art will appreciate that the functionality of certain components and circuitry can be combined or omitted and that additional components and circuitry, which are not shown in  FIG.  3   , can be included in portable electronic device  300 . Persons skilled in the art will also appreciate that all of the components can be integrated into portable electronic device  300 , or one or more of the components can be provided externally or remotely. 
     Processor  302  can include, for example, circuitry that can be configured to perform any function. Processor  302  can be used to run operating system applications, media playback applications, media editing applications, any other applications, or any combination thereof. Processor  302  can drive display  308  and can receive user inputs from user interface  306 . 
     Memory  304  can include one or more different types of memory or storage mediums which can be used for performing device functions. For example, memory  304  can include cache, Flash, one or more different types of memory used for temporarily storing data, a hard-drive, tape drive, optical drive, permanent memory such as ROM (read-only memory), semi-permanent memory such as RAM (random access memory), any other suitable type of memory component, or any combination thereof. Memory  304  can be specifically dedicated to storing firmware. For example, memory  304  can be provided for storing firmware for device applications (e.g., operating system, user interface functions, and processor functions). Memory  304  can be used to store any suitable user-specific or global information that can be used by portable electronic device  300 . Memory  304  can store, for example, media data (e.g., music and video files), application data (e.g., for implementing functions on device  300 ), preference information data (e.g., media playback preferences), lifestyle information data (e.g., food preferences), exercise information data (e.g., information obtained by exercise monitoring equipment), transaction information data (e.g., information such as credit card information), wireless connection information data (e.g., information that may enable device  300  to establish a wireless connection), subscription information data (e.g., information that keeps track of podcasts or television shows or other media a user subscribes to), contact information data (e.g., telephone numbers and e-mail addresses), calendar information data, any other suitable data, or any combination thereof. Memory  304  can store programs or applications that can be run on processor  302 , can maintain files formatted to be read and edited by one or more of the applications, and can store any additional files that may aid the operation of one or more applications (e.g., files with metadata). 
     User interface  306  can allow a user to interact with portable electronic device  300 . For example, the device for user interface  306  may take a variety of forms, such as at least one a button, keyboard/keypad, dial, a click wheel/scrollwheel, a touch screen or any combination thereof. User interface  306  can also include an audio input device (e.g., a microphone) or a video input device (e.g., a camera or a web cam) for recording. A more detailed discussion of user interaction with a portable electronic device may be found, for example, in Cannistraro et al., U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/955,382, filed Dec. 12, 2007, entitled “Handheld Electronic Devices with Remote Control Functionality and Gesture Recognition,” which is incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     Display  308  can accept and/or generate signals for presenting media information (textual and/or graphic) on a display screen, such as those discussed above. For example, display  308  may include a coder/decoder (CODEC) to convert digital media data into analog signals. Display  308  also can include display driver circuitry and/or circuitry for driving display drivers. The display signals can be generated by processor  302  or display  308 . The display signals can provide media information related to media data received from communications circuitry  312 , any other component of portable electronic device  300 , or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, display  308 , like any other component discussed herein, may be integrated with and/or externally coupled to portable electronic device  300 . 
     Input/output circuitry  310  can convert (and encode/decode, if necessary) data, analog signals and other signals (e.g., physical contact inputs, physical movements, analog audio signals, etc.) into digital data, and vice-versa. The digital data can be provided to and received from processor  302 , memory  304 , or any other component of portable electronic device  300 . Although input/output circuitry  310  is illustrated in  FIG.  3    as a single component of portable electronic device  300 , a plurality of input/output circuitry may be included in portable electronic device  300 . Input/output circuitry  310  can be used to interface with any input or output component, such as those discussed in connection with  FIGS.  1  and  2   . For example, portable electronic device  300  can include specialized input circuitry associated with input devices such as, for example, proximity sensors, accelerometers, or ambient light detectors. Portable electronic device  300  can also include specialized output circuitry associated with output devices such as, for example, one or more speakers. 
     Communications circuitry  312  can permit portable electronic device  300  to communicate with one or more servers, components, or other devices using any suitable communications protocol. For example, communications circuitry  312  can support Wi-Fi (e.g., a 802.11 protocol), Ethernet, protocols for other short-range wireless communications links such as Bluetooth™ (which is a trademark owned by Bluetooth Sig, Inc.), high frequency systems (e.g., 900 MHz, 2.4 GHz, and 5.6 GHz communications systems), TCP/IP (e.g., any of the protocols used in each of the TCP/IP layers), HTTP, BitTorrent, FTP, RTP, RTSP, SSH, cellular telephone communications protocols, infrared, any other communications protocol, or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, communications circuitry  312  may include a wired or wireless network interface card (“NIC”) configured to connect to the Internet or any other public or private network. Communications circuitry  312  can be used to initiate and conduct communications with other devices or media players or systems within a communications network. Communications networks will be discussed in more detail in connection with  FIG.  6   . 
     Bus  314  can provide a data transfer path for transferring data to, from, or between processor  302 , memory  304 , user interface  306 , display  308 , input/output circuitry  310 , and communications circuitry  312 . Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that components do not have to be directly connected to each other via bus  314 . 
       FIG.  4    shows a simplified block diagram of a device in a multimedia system that can be controlled by a portable electronic device in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure. Device  400  can be any suitable media device such as, for example, televisions, cable boxes (e.g., a cable receiver), handheld electronic devices with wireless communications capabilities, media players with wireless communications capabilities, satellite receivers, set-top boxes, personal computers, personal video recorders, video cassette recorders, digital video disc (DVD) players and recorders, and any other suitable media devices. In some embodiments, device  400  can be any suitable device that can be remotely controlled such as, for example, home automation controls, remote controlled light fixtures, door openers, gate openers, car alarms, automatic window shades, and fireplaces. In some embodiments, device  400  can be controlled by conventional remote controls (e.g., dedicated infrared remote controls) and a portable electronic device (e.g., portable electronic device  300  of  FIG.  3   ). 
     In some embodiments, device  400  can host media and computing applications. For example, device  400  can host e-mail applications, media applications (e.g., applications that supply video, music, slideshows, and photos), media recording software, web browsers, media sharing applications, programming guide applications, software update applications, game networks, or any other suitable type of applications. 
     Device  400  can include processor  402 , memory  404 , communications circuitry  406 , and bus  408 . In some embodiments, device  400  can include more than one of each component or circuitry, but for the sake of illustration, only one of each is shown in  FIG.  4   . Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that the functionality of certain components and circuitry can be combined or omitted and that additional components and circuitry, which are not shown in  FIG.  4   , can be included in device  400 . For example, device  400  can include a display (e.g., computer monitors, televisions, projectors), audio output devices (e.g., audio amplifiers, speakers, and headphones), user interface (e.g., keyboards, mice, touch screens, trackballs), and/or input/output circuitry. 
     In some embodiments, device  400  can include processor  402 , which can include circuitry used to control the operation of device  400 . For example, processor  402  can be implemented using microprocessors, microcontrollers, digital signal processors, application specific integrated circuits, and any other suitable integrated circuits. 
     Memory  404  can include one or more different types of storage. For example, memory  404  can include hard disk drive storage, nonvolatile memory (e.g., flash memory or any other electrically-programmable ROM), volatile memory (e.g., battery-based static or dynamic RAM), or any other suitable type of memory. In some embodiments, processor  402  and memory  404  can be used to run software on device  400 . For example, suitable software can include remote control applications, media playback applications, operating system functions, and presentation programs. 
     Communications circuitry  406  can allow device  400  to communicate with one or more external devices (e.g., portable electronic device  300  of  FIG.  3   ) using any suitable communications protocol. For example, user input and data can be transferred between portable electronic device  300  and device  400 . Communications circuitry  406  can support Wi-Fi (e.g., a 802.11 protocol), Ethernet, protocols for other short-range wireless communications links such as Bluetooth™ (which is a trademark owned by Bluetooth Sig, Inc.), high frequency systems (e.g., 900 MHz, 2.4 GHz, and 5.6 GHz communications systems), TCP/IP (e.g., any of the protocols used in each of the TCP/IP layers), HTTP, BitTorrent, FTP, RTP, RTSP, SSH, cellular telephone communications protocols, infrared, any other communications protocol, or any combination thereof. 
     Bus  408  can provide a data transfer path for transferring data to, from, or between processor  402 , memory  404 , and communications circuitry  406 . Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that components do not have to be directly connected to each other via bus  408 . 
       FIG.  5    shows a simplified block diagram of an illustrative multimedia system based on components that can be controlled by a portable electronic device in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure. As used in the following discussion, the term component will be understood to include devices (e.g., device  400  of  FIG.  4   ) in the multimedia system and applications (e.g., e-mail applications, media applications, media recording software, web browsers, media sharing applications, programming guide applications, software update applications, or game networks) running on or accessible from these devices. 
     In some embodiments, users may interact with a variety of different media types using the components in the multimedia system. For example, multimedia system  500  can be used by a user to view media. Multimedia system  500  can be used to play compact disks, video disks, tapes, and hard-drive-based or flash-disk-based media files. The songs, videos, and other content maybe presented to the user using speakers and display screens. As another example, visual content such as a television program that is received from a cable provider can be displayed on a television. As yet another example, audio content such as a song can be streamed from an on-line source or can be played back from a local hard-drive. 
     Multimedia system  500  can include one or more components such as component  502 , component  504 , and component  506 . Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that the components provided are merely illustrative and that any suitable components capable of communicating with the portable electronic device, which are not shown in  FIG.  5   , can be included in multimedia system  500 . 
     Component  502  can include any suitable type of media display device, such as, for example, a cathode-ray tube (CRT) television, a high-definition television, plasma screen, liquid crystal display (LCD), organic light emitting diode (OLED) display, or any other suitable display device. In some embodiments, component  502  can include a television tuner. In some embodiments, a user can control the state of component  502  using a remote control. For example, the user may use a remote control to change the current television channel on the television tuner or adjust the volume produced by speakers in component  502 . In some embodiments, component  502  can send audio and video signals to component  506  while simultaneously sending audio to component  504  for playback over speakers  508 . 
     Component  504  can include any suitable type of audio-video receiving device. In some embodiments, component  504  can be an audio-video receiver that can switch among various video and audio inputs. Component  504  can be used to amplify audio signals for playback over speakers  508 . In some embodiments, audio (e.g., digital or analog audio) from component  502  and component  506  can be transmitted to component  504  for amplification. 
     Component  506  can include a set-top box. For example, component  506  can be a cable receiver, computer-based set-top box, network-connected media playback equipment, personal video recorder, digital video recorder, digital video disc (DVD) players, or any other suitable set-top box. In some embodiments, component  506  can receive television signals from a television provider on a television signal input line. In some embodiments, a tuner in component  506  can be used to tune to a desired television channel. A video and audio signal corresponding to this channel can be provided to components  502  and  504 . In some embodiments, component  506  can provide recorded content (e.g., content that has been recorded on a hard-drive) and downloaded content (e.g., video and audio files that have been downloaded from the Internet) to components  502  and  504 . 
     In some embodiments, components  502 ,  504 , and  506  can be connected via links  510 . Links  510  can provide communication for multimedia system  500  using any suitable type of wired or wireless communication technology. For example, component  504  can receive audio signals from component  502  and component  506  via links  510 . In some embodiments, links  510  can allow components in multimedia system  500  to connect to a portable electronic device (e.g., portable electronic device  300  of  FIG.  3   ) even if those components do not have direct access to the portable electronic device. For example, components in multimedia system  500  with direct access can use links  510  to form a bridge between the portable electronic device and the components without direct access. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that the links between the components shown in  FIG.  5    are merely illustrative and that the components can be connected in any suitable manner. 
     Components  502 ,  504 , and  506  can include communications circuitry  512 . Communications circuitry  512  can be used to implement one or more communication protocols and can be the same as or similar to communications circuitry  406  of  FIG.  4   . In some embodiments, communications circuitry  512  can be used to exchange data between components in multimedia system  500  and the portable electronic device. A more detailed discussion of remote control communications protocol in a multimedia system may be found, for example, in Cannistraro et al., U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/955,383, filed Dec. 12, 2007, entitled “Remote Control Protocol for Media Systems Controlled by Portable Devices,” which is incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
       FIG.  6    shows a schematic view of a communications system which can be operated in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure. Communications system  600  can include portable electronic device  602 , component  604 , and component  606 . Portable electronic device  602  can be the same as or similar to portable electronic device  300  ( FIG.  3   ). Components  604  and  606  can be components within a multimedia system. Communications network  610  can be used by portable electronic device  602  to perform wireless communications with other components within communications network  610  (e.g., component  604 ). Although communications system  600  can include several of portable electronic devices  602 , components  604 , and components  606 , only one of each is shown in  FIG.  6    to avoid overcomplicating the drawing. 
     Any suitable circuitry, device, system or combination of these (e.g., a wireless communications infrastructure including communications towers and telecommunications servers) operative to create a communications network can be used to create communications network  610 . Communications network  610  can be capable of providing wireless communications using any suitable short-range or long-range communications protocol. Communications network  610  can support, for example, satellite technology, television broadcast technology, wireless universal serial bus technology, Internet, Ethernet, Wi-Fi (e.g., an 802.11 protocol), Bluetooth (registered trademark), high frequency systems (e.g., 900 MHz, 2.4 GHz, and 5.6 GHz communication systems), light-based wireless systems, sound-based wireless systems, other relatively localized wireless communication protocol, or any combination thereof. 
     In some embodiments, communications network  610  can support protocols used by wireless and cellular phones and personal email devices (e.g., a Blackberry®). Such protocols can include, for example, G8M, G8M plus EDGE, CDMA, quadband, and other cellular protocols. As another example, long range communications protocols can be used, such as Wi-Fi and protocols for placing or receiving calls using VOIP or LAN. Portable electronic device  602  and component  604 , when located within communications network  610 , can wirelessly communicate over a local wireless communication link such as link  640 . 
     Portable electronic device  602  can be coupled with component  606  over link  642 . Link  642  can be a wired link that is coupled to both portable electronic device  602  and component  606 . 
     The communications sent and received between portable electronic device  602  and components  604  and  606  can include any suitable type of one-way or two-way communications. In some embodiments, to control the operation of components  604  and  606 , portable electronic device  602  can transmit remote control signals to components  604  and  606 . In addition, components  604  and  606  can broadcast data signals that can correspond to the states of the components to portable electronic device  602 . Suitable states can include software and/or hardware settings that can be controlled by portable electronic device  602 , such as, for example, the current volume setting and/or the current playback speed of a media item. 
     In some embodiments, states of components can include the locations of the components. For example, lights and TV located in the living room can broadcast to portable electronic device  602  that they are located in the living room. In some embodiments, the components can determine their locations based on GPS signals. In response to receiving the location of each component, portable electronic device  602  can build an internal map of the components and store the internal map in memory (e.g., memory  304  of  FIG.  3   ). 
     In some embodiments, one or more servers on components  604  and  606  can broadcast the components&#39; identifiers and states to portable electronic device  602 . For example, components  604  and  606  can use servers  612  and  614  to broadcast media content to portable electronic device  602  (e.g., as downloaded files or streaming media). Servers  612  and  614  can use any suitable wired or wireless communications link, such as links  640  and  642 , to communicate with portable electronic device  602 . 
     The states of components  604  and  606  can be broadcast at specified times. For example, the states of components  604  and  606  can be broadcast whenever the states change. As another example, the states of the components can be broadcast at preset time intervals. 
     In some embodiments, portable electronic device  602  can include remote client  616 , which can provide a communications interface between portable electronic device  602  and components in the multimedia system (e.g., components  604  and  606 ). For example, remote client  616  can transmit remote control commands to the components. As another example, remote client  616  can allow servers  612  and  614  to communicate with a remote control application on portable electronic device  602 . The remote control application can be implemented using software stored in memory (e.g., memory  304  of  FIG.  3   ) and can be executed by the processor (e.g., processor  302  of  FIG.  3   ). 
     As discussed previously, some components in the multimedia system (e.g., devices) can host one or more applications. For example, component  604  can include application  618  and plug-in  620 . 
     In some embodiments, plug-in  620  can provide application  618  with remote control functionality. For example, plug-in  620  can extract the state of application  618  and can provide the state to server  612 . The state of application  618  can include both passive elements and active elements. Passive elements can include, for example, images (e.g., album covers), videos, title names, artist names, album names, or any other suitable passive elements. Active elements can include functions of an application that can be remotely controlled. For example, active elements can include a volume setting, a highlight region in a list of media items (e.g., a list of media items that a media player application can access), playback controls (e.g., play, pause, rewind, fast-forward), contrast settings, equalizer settings, and any other suitable active elements. 
     In some embodiments, plug-in  620  can receive a remote control command from server  612  and can perform the desired action for application  618 . For example, when a remote control command from portable electronic device  602  indicates that the volume of a media playback operation in application  618  should be raised, plug-in  620  can adjust the volume accordingly. As another example, when a remote control command indicates that a user has selected a media item for playback, plug-in  620  can direct application  618  to initiate media playback of the media item. 
     In some embodiments, if a device hosts one or more applications that are operative to be controlled, one or more servers (e.g., server  612 ) on the device can broadcast the availability of the applications to portable electronic device  602 . For example, server  612  can broadcast that component  604  hosts application  618 , which has plug-in  620  providing remote control functionality. In some embodiments, remote client  616  can respond to the broadcast information. For example, remote client  616  can request to activate the remote control functionality. As a result, server  612  can receive remote control commands from remote client  616  and can forward the remote control commands to plug-in  620 . In addition, the state of application  618  can be broadcast to remote client  616  at specified times (e.g., when the state changes or at preset time intervals). 
       FIG.  7    shows a schematic view of an illustrative display screen of a home screen in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure. Display screen  700  (e.g., a springboard) can include options  702  representing applications that the user may access. The applications can include text, calendar, photos, camera, phone, mail, or any other suitable application that a portable electronic device, such as portable electronic device  300  ( FIG.  3   ), can execute. Display screen  700  can be displayed on the portable electronic device when the portable electronic device is first turned on or when the portable electronic device has exited out of an application that was running. Display screen  700  can also be displayed when a user presses button  704  while the portable electronic device is still running an application. 
     The portable electronic device can launch a remote control application in one or more ways. For example, the portable electronic device can display an option for the remote control application (in fact, highlight region  706  in  FIG.  7    is shown to be highlighting a remote control application). In response to receiving a user instruction to launch the remote control application (e.g., in response to receiving a selection of the remote control application in options  702 ), the portable electronic device can launch the remote control application. As another example, the remote control application can be launched automatically when a user brings the portable electronic device into the proximity of a multimedia system. 
       FIG.  8    shows a schematic view of an illustrative display screen for identifying devices that can be controlled in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure. Display screen  800  can include listings  802 , which can identify all the devices that the portable electronic device was able to discover. For example, the portable electronic device can receive information that has been broadcast by devices in the multimedia system. 
     In some embodiments, servers on each device (e.g., servers  612  and  614  of  FIG.  6   ) can broadcast one or more identifiers that are based on the internet protocol (IP) address of the device. In response to receiving the identifiers, the portable electronic device can establish a communications link with the device. The portable electronic device can establish a communications link by, for example, opening a network socket based on a protocol such as transmission control protocol (TCP), user datagram protocol (UPD), or internet protocol (IP). 
     Once the portable electronic device discovers the devices, the portable electronic device can receive the states of the software and hardware running on the devices. As a result, the states are “device pushed” to the portable electronic device. Indicators  804  can specify the activity level of a device. For example, a media device can be considered active if it is currently performing a media playback operation. As another example, an appliance (e.g., fireplace or lamp) can be considered active if it is turned on. A user can select a listing  802  by placing highlight region  806  over the listing. In some embodiments, in response to receiving a user selection of a listing, the portable electronic device can display a graphic image based, at least in part, on the controls of a device. 
       FIG.  9    shows a schematic view of an illustrative display screen for controlling a device in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure. Display screen  900  can include control options  902 , which can allow the user to control the state of the device. Control options  902  can include one or more movable portions that can be displaced by the user. For example, the user may use power control  904  to select to turn on or off the device. As another example, the user may use volume slider  906  to adjust the volume. As yet another example, the user may use channel control  908  to adjust the channel up or down. In addition, the user may use text box  910  to enter a channel directly. For example, in response to the user selecting text box  910 , the portable electronic device can display a numeric keypad, which the user may use to enter a new channel. 
     As still yet another example, display screen  900  can include selectable arrows  912 , which can allow the user to navigate menu items on the device. Display screen  900  can also include options  914 , which can provide the user with access to more detailed controls for the device (e.g., a media guide, menu, and recorded programs). 
     Referring back to  FIG.  8   , display screen  800  can include options  808 , which can allow the user to access applications that are hosted on a particular device. In some embodiments, the applications can be displayed in listings  802  under the device that is hosting the applications and above the following device. In some embodiments, the applications can be displayed on a different display screen. In response to the user selecting an option in options  808 , the portable electronic device can display the applications. 
       FIG.  10    shows a schematic view of an illustrative display screen for accessing applications hosted on a device in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure. Display screen  1000  can include listings  1002  for each of the applications on a device. The user may access an application by selecting a listing (e.g., placing highlight region  1004  over a listing). For example, the user may access a “PHOTO” application and use the portable electronic device to browse or edit photos. As another example, the user may access a “SLIDESHOW” application and use the portable electronic device to advance the slides in a presentation. As yet another example, the user may access a “SOFTWARE FOR LIGHTS” application and use the portable electronic device to control the lights. 
     In some embodiments, display screen  1000  can include indicators  1006 , which can specify the activity level of an application. For example, the “MUSIC” application can be considered active if it is playing a song. As another example, the “SOFTWARE FOR LIGHTS” application can be considered active if it is currently controlling the lights in a room. 
     Referring back to  FIG.  8   , display screen  800  can include “SAVE” option  810 , which can provide the user with an indication that the states of components in the multimedia system can be saved. In some embodiments, the user may select to save the states of components by pressing a button (e.g., button  704  of  FIG.  7   ) on the portable electronic device or selecting “SAVE” option  810 . 
     In some embodiments, in response to the user selecting to save the state, the portable electronic device can automatically save the states of any suitable component in the scene. For example, the portable electronic device can save the states of all components in the scene. As another example, the portable electronic device can save the states of components in a particular location. 
     The portable electronic device can determine the locations of components in one or more ways. For example, the portable electronic device can determine the locations based on the states broadcast from the components. As another example, the portable electronic device can determine the locations based on the internal map of the components that is stored in memory (e.g., memory  304  of  FIG.  3   ). As yet another example, the portable electronic device can detect the strength of the signals broadcast from the components. The portable electronic device can then determine which components have the strongest signal strength and are therefore in the same location as the portable electronic device. After determining the components that are in a particular location, the portable electronic device can automatically save the states of those components. 
     In some embodiments, in response to the user selecting “SAVE” option  810  or pressing a button, the portable electronic device can provide the user with an option to save the states of a subset of the components (e.g., devices and applications) in the multimedia system. 
       FIG.  11    shows a schematic view of an illustrative display screen for saving a scene in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure. Display screen  1100  can include listings  1102  of all of the devices in the multimedia system that can be saved in a scene. In some embodiments, the user may select to view applications on a device that can be saved in a scene. For example, in response to the user selecting option  1104  for a “COMPUTER”, the portable electronic device can display applications that are hosted on the “COMPUTER”. 
     The devices in listings  1102  can be organized and displayed based on one or more criteria obtained from any suitable source. For example, the criteria can be obtained from information broadcast by servers on the devices (e.g., while discovering the devices or from the states of the devices). As another example, the criteria can be obtained from information that has been specified by the user. The user may, for example, specify that a particular device is located in the living room. 
     Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that any suitable criteria can be used to organize the devices. For example, as shown in listings  1102 , the devices are organized based on the category of each device. Suitable categories can include televisions, sound devices, computers, electronics accessories, gaming systems, appliances, miscellaneous devices, or any other suitable categories. As another example, the devices can be organized based on the devices&#39; names (e.g., the devices can be displayed alphabetically). As yet another example, the devices can be organized based on their locations. 
     In some embodiments, the user may select to view devices organized based a different criteria. For example, in response to the user selecting “VIEW” option  1106 , the portable electronic device can display the devices based on their locations. 
       FIG.  12    shows a schematic view of another illustrative display screen for saving a scene in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure. Display screen  1200  can include listings  1202 , which can organize the devices based on their locations. Suitable locations can include, for example, living room, bedroom, study, office, and any other suitable locations of the multimedia system. In some embodiments, if the portable electronic device has or is connected to a large display, the devices can be represented graphically based on their locations. This organization allows the user to easily see the locations of each device. As a result, the user may save a scene that is localized to a particular room. 
     As discussed previously, locations can be obtained from any suitable source. For example, locations can be broadcast from the components (e.g. locations can be included in the states of the components). As another example, the user may specify the location of a component. As yet another example, the portable electronic device can determine the locations based the strength of the signals broadcast from the components. 
     In some embodiments, in response to the user selecting “VIEW” option  1204 , the portable electronic device can return to displaying the devices based on their categories (e.g.,  FIG.  11   ). In some embodiments, if the user continuously selects one or more “VIEW” options (e.g., “VIEW” options  1106  and  1204 ), the portable electronic device can alternate between displaying display screens  1100  and  1200 . 
     Referring back to  FIG.  11   , display screen  1100  can include options  1108  associated with the devices in listings  1102 . In some embodiments, the user may select a subset of the devices in listings  1102  to include in a particular scene. For example, when a user selects an option in options  1108 , the portable electronic device can animate the option to change its appearance (e.g., a horizontal bar can be changed to a vertical bar). In some embodiments, in response to the user selecting option  1108 , “DELETE” option  1110  can be displayed. “DELETE” option  1110  can include, for example, text, a graphic image, or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, in response to the user selecting option  1104 , the portable electronic device can provide delete options for applications that are hosted on a device. The user may then select one or more applications to delete from the scene. 
     In some embodiments, in response to the user selecting “DELETE” option  1110  for a device (e.g., “TV 1 ”), the portable electronic device can remove the device from the scene and display the devices that are still included in the scene. 
       FIG.  13    shows a schematic view of yet another illustrative display screen for saving a scene in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure. Display screen  1300  can include listings  1302  of devices that the user has selected to include in the scene. For example, “TV 1 ” has been deleted from the scene and does not appear in listings  1302 . 
     In some embodiments, display screen  1300  can include “ADD DEVICE” option  1304 , which can provide the user with components that have not been included in the scene but can be controlled by the portable electronic device. For example, the components may have previously been deleted from the scene, or the components may have recently been added to the multimedia system. In response to the user selecting “ADD DEVICE” option  1304 , the portable electronic device can display those components that have not been included in the scene. 
       FIG.  14    shows a schematic view of an illustrative display screen for adding devices to a scene in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure. Display screen  1400  can include listings  1402  of devices in the multimedia system that are not included in the scene. In some embodiments, the user may add devices to the scene by selecting option  1404 . In some embodiments, once the user selects to add a device, the portable electronic device can remove the device from listings  1402  and add the device to the scene. Once the user has finished adding devices to the scene, the user may select “BACK” option  1406  to return to display screen  1300  ( FIG.  13   ). 
     Referring back to  FIG.  13   , display screen  1300  can include text box  1306 , which can allow the user to assign a label to the scene. In some embodiments, the user may use the label to identify the scene. For example, when the user selects text box  1306 , the portable electronic device can display an alphanumeric keypad for the user to enter a label for the scene. The user may use the alphanumeric keypad to label the scene as “STUDY MODE.” The user may select to save the scene on the portable electronic device by selecting “SAVE” option  1308  or by pressing a button (e.g., button  704  of  FIG.  7   ). In some embodiments, “SAVE” option  1308  can be un-selectable (e.g., grayed out or invisible) until the user enters a label for the scene. In response to the user selecting “SAVE” option  1308 , the portable electronic device can save the components (e.g., devices and applications) and their current states in memory (e.g., memory  304  of  FIG.  3   ). The portable electronic device can then provide a summary of the saved scene to the user. 
       FIG.  15    shows a schematic view of an illustrative display screen for providing a summary of a saved scene in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure. Display screen  1500  can include listings  1502 , which can provide the user with devices that can be controlled in the saved scene. Label  1504  can identify the saved scene. In some embodiments, indicators  1506  can specify the activity level of each device. In addition, the user may select option  1508  to control the applications that are hosted on a device. 
     In some embodiments, display screen  1500  can include “ALL DEVICES” option  1510 , which can allow the user to view all the devices in the multimedia system that can be controlled. In some embodiments, in response to the user selecting “ALL DEVICES” option  1510 , display screen  800  ( FIG.  8   ) can be displayed. 
     In some embodiments, the user may save updates to the scene by selecting “SAVE” option  1512 . In response to the user selecting “SAVE” option  1512 , the portable electronic device can save any changes to the states of the components since the scene was last saved. For example, the user may have changed the volume setting on the speakers or the application that is running on the computer. 
     In some embodiments, the user may change the components that are included in the scene by selecting “EDIT” option  1514 . In response to the user selecting “EDIT” option  1514 , the portable electronic device can provide a display screen similar to display screen  1900  ( FIG.  19   ). The user may then select to delete components from the scene, add other available components to the scene, or any combination thereof. 
     In some embodiments, the portable electronic device can allow the user to set up a scene in which the states of components change with time. For example, for a “DINNER” scene, the user may specify that the music gets softer as it gets later in the evening. As another example, for a “BABYSITTING” scene, the user may specify that the volume on the television decreases as it gets later in the evening. At a given time in the night, the television can turn off. 
     In some embodiments, the user may set up the scene so that the scene is automatically restored at a certain time of the day. A scene can be linked to an alarm on the portable electronic device or on any suitable component in the multimedia system. For example, a “WAKE-UP” scene can be set up to turn on the lights, the media player, and the coffee pot at 8 am. 
       FIG.  16    shows illustrative XML code that can be used to save a scene in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure. A scene can be saved as a preference file on the portable electronic device. In some embodiments, the preference file can be in a markup language format. Suitable markup languages can include hypertext markup language (HTML), extensible markup language (XML), or any other variation of markup languages. The use of markup language can allow the preference file to be handled by a wide variety of components. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that XML file  1600  is merely illustrative and that a scene can be saved in any suitable format. 
     XML file  1600  can include scene tag  1602  and corresponding close scene tag  1604 , which can define the beginning and end of a scene. Label tag  1606  can define a label for the scene. For example, label tag  1606  can be used by the portable electronic device to display onscreen text that identifies a scene as “ROMANCE MOVIE NIGHT.” 
     Component tags  1608  and  1610  can be used to define the beginning and end of the saved state of component  1612  (“COMPONENT 1 ”). Identifier tags  1614  and  1616  and ID  1618  can be used by the portable electronic device to associate other information (e.g., information stored in memory  304  of  FIG.  3   ) with the component. For example, the portable electronic device can use ID  1618  to find one or more criteria for organizing components in a listing (e.g., listings  1102  of  FIG.  11   ). The portable electronic device can, for example, discover that “COMPONENT 1 ” is a television and is located in the living room. As another example, the portable electronic device can use ID  1618  to find an interface template for displaying the controls of the component. The portable electronic device can, for example, use ID  1618  to determine if the controls can be displayed in a customized configuration or a generic configuration. 
     Screen elements tag  1620  and corresponding close screen elements tag  1622  can define the beginning and end of a screen elements section for component  1612 . A screen element can be passive (e.g., an element that can provide information about the current state of the component) or active (e.g., an element that can display information and/or can be controlled based on user input). Label tag  1624  can define a label for the component. For example, the portable electronic device can use label tag  1624  to display on-screen text that identifies a component as “TVI.” 
     Slider tags  1626  and  1628  can define the beginning and end of slider element  1630 . Slider element  1630  can be a passive or active screen element and can represent a volume slider such as, for example, volume slider  906  of  FIG.  9   . Label tag  1632  can specify a label for slider element  1630 . For example, the portable electronic device can use label tag  1632  to display on-screen text that identifies slider element  1630  as a “volume” control. 
     Min tag  1634  can define the lowest value for slider element  1630 . Similarly, max tag  1636  can define the highest value for slider element  1630 . Current value tag  1638  can define the current value of slider element  1630 . In addition, slider element  1630  can be displayed in various ways depending on the display capabilities of the portable electronic device. 
     Component tags  1640  and  1642  can be used to define the beginning and end of the saved state of component  1644  (“COMPONENT 2 ”). Component  1644  can be another component (e.g., A/V receiver) that is included in the scene. 
       FIG.  17    shows a schematic view of an illustrative display screen for providing saved scenes in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure. Display screen  1700  can be displayed using any suitable approach, including, for example, in response to the user selecting a “VIEW SAVED” option (e. g., “VIEW SAVED” option  812  of  FIG.  8    or “VIEW SAVED” option  1516  of  FIG.  15   ). Display screen  1700  can include listings  1702  of scenes that have been previously saved by the user (e.g., identified from the preference files saved on the portable electronic device). In some embodiments, listings  1702  can be arranged alphabetically. 
     In some embodiments, the portable electronic device can keep track of usage patterns of the saved scenes (e.g., the times and frequencies that the saved scenes are accessed by the user). This information can be stored in memory (e.g., memory  304  of  FIG.  3   ). In some embodiments, listings  1702  can be arranged based on the frequency of access (e.g., the most frequently accessed scene appears first in listings  1702 ). In some embodiments, listings  1702  can be arranged based on when a scene was last accessed (e.g., the last accessed scene appears first in listings  1702 ). 
     Display screen  1700  can include “EDIT” option  1704 , which can allow the user to edit listings  1702 . In some embodiments, in response to the user selecting “EDIT” option  1704 , the portable electronic device can allow the user to delete one or more saved scenes. 
     In some embodiments, the portable electronic device can provide an option to the user to restore a saved scene. For example, the user may select to restore a saved scene by placing highlight region  1706  over a listing in listings  1702 . In response to the user selecting to restore a scene, the portable electronic device can inspect the preference file of the scene, and can find the components that are listed in the preference file. The portable electronic device can then attempt to contact these components and verify whether the components are currently available. For example, the portable electronic device can verify if the servers on the components are broadcasting identifiers. 
     If the portable electronic device discovers that a component is available, the portable electronic device can obtain the saved state of the component from the preference file, and transmit the saved state to the component (e.g., via remote client  616  of  FIG.  6   ). In some embodiments, a server on a device (e.g., server  612  or server  614  of  FIG.  6   ) can receive the saved state and restore the state of the device. In some embodiments, a plug-in on the device (e.g., plug-in  620  of  FIG.  6   ) can obtain the saved state from the server and restore the state of an application. If the portable electronic device discovers that a component is not available (e.g., the component may have been removed from the multimedia system), the portable electronic device can skip the component in the transmissions, suggest alternatives to the user (e.g., using an alternative set of speakers or lights), or perform any other suitable operation. 
     If the portable electronic device determines that a component&#39;s current state is the same as the saved state, the portable electronic device may not transmit the saved state to the component. As a result, the restoring process can be faster and more efficient. After restoring the scene, the portable electronic device can provide a summary of the restored scene. 
       FIG.  18    shows a schematic view of an illustrative display screen for providing a summary of a restored scene in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure. Display screen  1800  can include listings  1802 , which can provide the user with devices that can be controlled in the restored scene. For example, TV, sound, media, and miscellaneous devices are included in the “ROMANCE MOVIE NIGHT” scene. In some embodiments, the user may select option  1804  to control the applications that are hosted on a device. 
     If a particular component of the restored scene is not available, the portable electronic device can display message alert  1806  that indicates that the component can not be contacted. For example, if the portable electronic device is unable to establish communications with the fireplace, a “cannot be contacted” message can be displayed. The user may close message alert  1806  by selecting “OK” option  1808 . 
     In some embodiments, the portable electronic device can recommend alternative components to substitute for the component that is no longer available. For example, the portable electronic device can recommend another state for an existing component in the scene. As another example, the portable electronic device can recommend a new component that is not included in the scene. In addition, the portable electronic device can recommend a state for the new component that closely matches the component that is no longer available. 
     In some embodiments, display screen  1800  can include “EDIT” option  1810 , which can allow the user to edit the restored scene. For example, in response to the user selecting “EDIT” option  1810 , the portable electronic device can allow the user to add other available components to the scene, delete components from the scene, or any combination thereof. 
       FIG.  19    shows a schematic view of an illustrative display screen for editing a restored scene in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure. Display screen  1900  can include listings  1902  of a listing of devices that are included in the scene. In some embodiments, the user may select to delete a device by selecting option  1904 . Similar to option  1108 , option  1904  can be animated in response to user selection. In some embodiments, in response to the user selecting option  1904 , “DELETE” option  1906  can be displayed. “DELETE” option  1906  can include text, a graphic image, or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, in response to the user selecting “DELETE” option  1906  for a device, the portable electronic device can delete the device from the scene. For example, the user may delete “FIREPLACE” from listings  1902 . 
     In some embodiments, the user may add other available devices to listings  1902  by selecting “ADD DEVICE” option  1908 . In response to the user selecting “ADD DEVICE” option  1908 , the portable electronic device can search for other devices that can be controlled but are not included in listings  1902 . The portable electronic device can present a display screen similar to display screen  1400  of  FIG.  14   . Using the options (e.g., option  1404 ) of  FIG.  14   , described above, the user may add one or more devices to listings  1902 . The user may then select “SAVE” option  1910  to save the edited scene. 
     In some embodiments, the portable electronic device can provide an option for the user to create a new scene from the restored scene. For example, the user may assign a new label to the restored scene by entering a new label in text box  1912 . In response to the user selecting to create a new scene (e.g., by selecting “CREATE NEW SCENE” option  1914 ), the portable electronic device can create a copy of the restored scene, and associate the copied scene with the new label. 
     Referring back to  FIG.  17   , display screen  1700  can include options  1708  for changing the saved scenes that are displayed. For example, the portable electronic device can shade “ALL” option  1710  to indicate that all saved scenes are currently displayed in listings  1702 . In some embodiments, in response to the user selecting “RECOMMENDED” option  1712 , the portable electronic device can provide recommended scenes that are determined to be suitable based on one or more parameters. 
       FIG.  20    shows a schematic view of an illustrative display screen for providing recommended scenes in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure. Display screen  2000  can include listings  2002  of recommended scenes determined to be suitable based on one or more parameters. In some embodiments, “RECOMMENDED” option  2004  can be shaded to indicate that listings  2002  include recommended scenes. In some embodiments, the portable electronic device can suggest the recommended scenes by comparing the states of components in the current scene with states of components in the saved scenes. Suitable states can include attributes of the media that is playing on a component, states of lights, states of miscellaneous components (e.g., fireplace), and any other suitable states. 
     In some embodiments, the portable electronic device can search for metadata associated with the media that is playing on a component in the current scene. For example, the user may currently be watching a movie on “TV 1 .” The portable electronic device can determine the genre of the movie (e.g., horror movie) and can search for one or more saved scenes in which “TV 1 ” is playing another movie from the same genre. As another example, the portable electronic device can determine the artist of a song that is playing on a “MUSIC” application, and can search for one or more saved scenes in which the “MUSIC” application is playing another song by the same artist. As yet another example, the portable electronic device can determine that the user is watching an episode from a television show on ITV 2 ” and can search for a saved scene in which “TV 2 ” is playing another episode from the same television show. 
     In some embodiments, the portable electronic device can determine that the user is watching an episode from a television show on “TV 1 ” and can search for a saved scene in which “TV 2 ” is playing an episode from the same television show. In response to finding a saved scene in which “TV 2 ” is playing the same television show, the portable electronic device can identify the locations of “TV 1 ” and “TV 2 ” (e.g., by using an internal map). For example, the portable electronic device may find that “TV 1 ” is located in the bedroom and “TV 2 ” is located in the living room. When the user selects to restore the scene, the portable electronic device can attempt to apply the states of devices in the scene to similar devices around “TV 1 ”. For example, the television volume and lights in the bedroom can be adjusted to a similar state to the television volume and lights in the living room. 
     In some embodiments, the user may select to restore a recommended scene in listings  2002  by placing highlight region  2006  over a listing. In response to the user selecting to restore a recommended scene, the portable electronic device can restore the states of components from the recommended scene. 
     In some embodiments, the portable electronic device can provide one or more options that allow the user to select to continue playing the current media or switch to playing media from the recommended scene. For example, the portable electronic device can display “YES” option  2010  and “NO” option  2012 . In response to the user selecting “YES” option  2010 , the portable electronic device can begin to play media from the recommended scene. In response to the user selecting “NO” option  2012 , the portable electronic device can continue to play the current media so that the user&#39;s viewing experience is not disrupted. 
     Since the user may not want to be bothered while watching media, the portable electronic device can display “YES” option  2010  and “NO” option  2012  at any suitable time. For example, if the user is watching a television program, the portable electronic device can wait for a commercial break before displaying the options (e.g., the commercial break can be identified using media cues). As another example, if the user is listening to music, the portable electronic device can wait until there is a break in the music (e.g., the time between songs) before displaying the options. As yet another example, the portable electronic device can immediately display the options after the user selects to restore a recommended scene. After displaying the options, the portable electronic device can wait for a user selection. The user may not enter a selection if he prefers to continue watching the current media. Therefore, if no user selection is received after a period of time, the portable electronic device can remove the options from display screen  2000  and continue to play the current media. As still yet another example, the user may set up the portable electronic device so that a recommended scene is automatically restored when the user selects the recommended scene. During setup, the user may also specify whether to switch the current media to the media in the recommended scene. 
     As discussed previously, the portable electronic device can keep track of usage patterns of the saved scenes. In some embodiments, the portable electronic device can recommend scenes based on the usage patterns. For example, the portable electronic device can determine that the current date is February 14th. Based on this information, the portable electronic device can search for a saved scene that was saved and/or restored on the same day for the past several years. As another example, the portable electronic device can determine that the current day of the week is Saturday, and can search for a saved scene that is accessed the most on Saturdays. As yet another example, the portable electronic device can use day parting to recommend a saved scene. Any suitable way of diving the day can be used such as, for example, dividing the day into 8 am-10 am, 10 am-4 pm, 5 pm-6 pm, and 6 pm-10 pm time slots. As a result, if the portable electronic device determines that the current time is 9 am, the portable electronic device can search for a saved scene that is accessed the most between 8 am and 10 am. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that any suitable criteria and/or combinations of criteria can be used to determine recommended scenes. 
     In some embodiments, the user may access a listing of favorite scenes.  FIG.  21    shows a schematic view of an illustrative display screen for providing favorite scenes in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure. The user may access display screen  2100  using any suitable approach, including, for example, selecting a “FAVORITES” option (e. g., “FAVORITES” option  1714  of  FIG.  17    or “FAVORITES” option  2014  of  FIG.  20   ). 
     Display screen  2100  can include listings  2102  of saved scenes that have been designated as favorite scenes. In some embodiments, “FAVORITES” option  2104  can be shaded to indicate that listings  2102  include favorite scenes. In some embodiments, the user may designate one or more saved scenes as favorite scenes. The user may, for example, select “ADD” option  2106  to add scenes to listings  2102 . In response to receiving a selection of “ADD” option  2106 , the portable electronic device can display saved scenes that are not currently designated as favorite scenes. The user may select one or more of these saved scenes to add to listings  2102 . In some embodiments, the user may select “EDIT” option  2108  to delete one or more scenes from listings  2102 . In some embodiments, the portable electronic device can automatically add the most frequently restored scenes to listings  2102 . 
     In some embodiments, the user may select a scene in listings  2102  by placing highlight region  2110  over a listing. In response to the user selecting a scene, the portable electronic device can restore the scene. 
       FIG.  22    shows a flowchart of an illustrative process for providing a user with the capability to save and restore scenes in a multimedia system in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure. Process  2200  starts at step  2202 . At step  2204 , a portable electronic device (e.g., portable electronic device  300  of  FIG.  3   ) can display components in the multimedia system. In some embodiments, the portable electronic device can display all components that are available in the multimedia system. For example, the portable electronic device can provide display screen  800  ( FIG.  8   ) to a user. In some embodiments, the portable electronic device can display components selected for a scene. For example, the portable electronic device can provide display screen  1500  ( FIG.  15   ) to a user. 
     At step  2206 , the portable electronic device can receive user instructions. At step  2208 , the portable electronic device can determine whether an instruction to access a component in the multimedia system has been received. For example, the portable electronic device can determine whether the user has selected a component in listings  802  ( FIG.  8   ) or listings  1502  ( FIG.  15   ). As another example, the portable electronic device can determine whether the user has selected an application in listings  802  (e.g., using option  808 ) or listings  1502  (e.g., using option  1508 ). If, at step  2208 , the portable electronic device determines that an instruction to access a component has not been received, process  2200  moves to step  2210 . If, at step  2208 , the portable electronic device instead determines that an instruction to access a component has been received, process  2200  moves to step  2212 . 
     At step  2212 , the portable electronic device can provide the selected component. For example, the portable electronic device can provide display screen  900  ( FIG.  9   ), which can allow the user to adjust the state of a device. As another example, the portable electronic device can provide display screen  1000  ( FIG.  10   ) which can allow the user to access one or more applications running on a device. The user may access a particular application by placing highlight region  1004  over a listing in listings  1002 . After the user has finished adjusting the state of the component, the user may select “BACK” option  916  or “BACK” option  1008  to return to display screen  800  ( FIG.  8   ). Process  2200  then moves to step  2210 . 
     At step  2210 , the portable electronic device can determine whether an instruction to save the scene has been received. For example, the portable electronic device can determine whether the user has selected “SAVE” option  810  ( FIG.  8   ). If, at step  2210 , the portable electronic device determines that an instruction to save the scene has not been received, process  2200  moves to step  2214 . 
     If, at step  2210 , the portable electronic device instead determines that an instruction to save the scene has been received, process  2200  moves to step  2216 . At step  2216 , the portable electronic device can save the scene. For example, the portable electronic device can store the states of the components included in the scene in memory (e.g., memory  304  of  FIG.  3   ). After saving the scene, process  2200  moves to step  2214 . 
     At step  2214 , the portable electronic device can determine whether an instruction to restore a scene has been received. For example, the portable electronic device can determine whether the user has selected “VIEW SAVED” option  812  ( FIG.  8   ). The user may then be taken to a display screen such as display screen  1700  ( FIG.  17   ). The user may then select to restore a scene by placing highlight region  1706  over a listing in listings  1702 . If, at step  2214 , the portable electronic device determines that an instruction to restore a scene has not been received, process  2200  moves to step  2218 . 
     If, at step  2214 , the portable electronic device instead determines that an instruction to restore a scene has been received, process  2200  moves to step  2220 . At step  2220 , the portable electronic device can restore the scene. After restoring the scene, process  2200  moves to step  2218 . 
     At step  2218 , the portable electronic device can determine whether an instruction to exit has been received. For example, the user may select to exit process  2200  by selecting button  704  ( FIG.  7   ). If, at step  2218 , the portable electronic device determines that an instruction to exit has not been received, process  2200  moves back to step  2206 , discussed previously. If, at step  2218 , the portable electronic device instead determines that an instruction to exit has been received, process  2200  ends at step  2222 . 
       FIG.  23    shows a flowchart of an illustrative process for providing the controls of a component to a user in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, process  2300  can be implemented in step  2212  of process  2200  ( FIG.  22   ). 
     Process  2300  starts at step  2302 . At step  2304 , the portable electronic device can receive remote control commands for a component. For example, remote control commands can be associated control options  902  or options  914  of  FIG.  9   . After the portable electronic device finishes receiving remote control commands, process  2300  moves to step  2306 . 
     At step  2306 , the portable electronic device can transmit the remote control commands to the component. For example, a remote client (e.g., remote client  616  of  FIG.  6   ) on the portable electronic device can transmit the remote control commands to a server (e.g., server  612  or server  614  of  FIG.  6   ) on the component. After the remote control commands are transmitted, process  2300  moves to step  2308 . 
     At step  2308 , the portable electronic device can receive new state from the component. For example, a server (e.g., server  612  or server  614 ) on a component can broadcast the new state to the portable electronic device. After receiving the new state, process  2300  moves to step  2310 . 
     At step  2310 , the portable electronic device can verify if the new state has been correctly adjusted based on the remote control commands. If, at step  2310 , the portable electronic device determines that the new state has not been correctly adjusted, process  2300  moves back to step  2306 . At step  2306 , the portable electronic device can re-transmit the remote control commands to the component. 
     If, at step  2310 , the portable electronic device instead determines that the new state has been correctly adjusted, process  2300  ends at step  2312 . Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that process  2300  can be repeated for all components in a scene. 
       FIG.  24    shows a flowchart of an illustrative process for saving a scene in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, process  2400  can be implemented in step  2216  of process  2200  ( FIG.  22   ). 
     Process  2400  starts at step  2402 . At step  2404 , the portable electronic device can receive user instructions. At step  2406 , the portable electronic device can determine whether an instruction to view components in an alternative organization has been received. For example, portable electronic device can provide display screen  1100  ( FIG.  11   ) to the user. Display screen  1100  can include listings  1102  and “VIEW” option  1106 . In some embodiments, listings  1102  can include components that are organized based on their categories. In some embodiments, in response to the user selecting “VIEW” option  1106 , the portable electronic device can organize the components based on a different criteria. If, at step  2406 , the portable electronic device determines that an instruction to view the components in an alternative organization has not been received, process  2400  moves to step  2408 . If, at step  2406 , the portable electronic device instead determines that an instruction to view the components in an alternative organization has been received, process  2400  moves to step  2410 . 
     At step  2410 , the portable electronic device can display the components in an alternative organization. For example, the portable electronic device can provide display screen  1200  ( FIG.  12   ) for components that are organized based on their locations. Process  2400  then moves to step  2408 . 
     At step  2408 , the portable electronic device can determine whether an instruction to delete one or more components from the scene has been received. For example, the portable electronic device can determine whether the user has selected to delete a component (e.g., the user has selected option  1108  and “DELETE” option  1110  of  FIG.  11   ). If, at step  2408 , the portable electronic device determines that an instruction to delete one or more components has not been received, process  2400  moves to step  2412 . If, at step  2408 , the portable electronic device instead determines that an instruction to delete one or more components has been received, process  2400  moves to step  2414 . 
     At step  2414 , the portable electronic device can delete the one or more components selected by the user. For example, in response to receiving an instruction to delete “TV 1 ”, the portable electronic device can delete “TV 1 ” from listings  1102  ( FIG.  11   ). The portable electronic device can then provide display screen  1300  ( FIG.  13   ). Process  2400  then moves to step  2412 . 
     At step  2412 , the portable electronic device can determine whether an instruction to add one or more components to the scene has been received. For example, the portable electronic device can determine whether the user has selected to add a component (e.g., the user has selected “ADD DEVICE” option  1304  of  FIG.  13   ). If, at step  2412 , the portable electronic device determines that an instruction to add one or more components has not been received, process  2400  moves to step  2416 . If, at step  2412 , the portable electronic device instead determines that an instruction to add one or more components has been received, process  2400  moves to step  2418 . 
     At step  2418 , the portable electronic device can add the components that were selected by the user. For example, in response to the user selecting “ADD DEVICE” option  1304 , the portable electronic device can provide display screen  1400  ( FIG.  14   ) to the user. Display screen  1400  can include components in the multimedia system that can be controlled but are not included in the scene (e.g., components that may have been previously deleted by the user or components that may have recently been added to the multimedia system). The user may select to add one or more components (e.g., by selecting option  1404 ), and the portable electronic device can add the selected components to listings  1302  ( FIG.  13   ). After the user has finished adding components to the scene, the user may select “BACK” option  1406  to return to display screen  1300 . Process  2400  then moves step  2416 . 
     At step  2416 , the portable electronic device can determine whether an instruction to save a scene has been received. For example, the portable electronic device can determine whether the user has selected to save a scene by selecting a “SAVE” option (e.g., “SAVE” options  1112 ,  1206 , and  1308  in  FIGS.  11 - 13   ). 
     If, at step  2416 , the portable electronic device determines that an instruction to save a scene has been received, process  2400  moves to step  2420 . For example, in response to the user selecting a “SAVE” option, the portable electronic device can save the scene in a preference file that can be stored in memory (e.g., memory  304  of  FIG.  3   ). In some embodiments, the portable electronic device can assign a label to the scene. For example, the user may enter a label in a text box (e.g., text boxes  1114 ,  1208 , and  1306  in  FIGS.  11 - 13   ). After saving the scene, process  2400  ends at step  2422 . 
     If, at step  2416 , the portable electronic device instead determines that an instruction to save the scene has not been received, process  2400  ends at step  2422 . For example, the user may have selected a “BACK” option (e.g., “BACK” options  1116 ,  1210 , and  1310  in  FIGS.  11 - 13   ). 
       FIGS.  25 A- 25 B  show flowcharts of an illustrative process for restoring a scene in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, process  2500  can be implemented in step  2220  of process  2200  ( FIG.  22   ). 
     Process  2500  starts at step  2502 . At step  2504 , the portable electronic device can receive user instructions. At step  2506 , the portable electronic device can determine whether an instruction to display all saved scenes has been received. For example, the portable electronic device can determine whether the user has selected an “ALL” option (e.g., “ALL” options  1710 ,  2008 , and  2112  in  FIGS.  17 ,  20 , and  21   , respectively). If, at step  2506 , the portable electronic device determines that an instruction to display all saved scenes has not been received, process  2500  moves to step  2508 . If, at step  2506 , the portable electronic device instead determines that an instruction to display all saved scenes has been received, process  2500  moves to step  2510 . 
     At step  2510 , the portable electronic device can display all saved scenes to the user. For example, the portable electronic device can provide the user with display screen  1700  ( FIG.  17   ). Process  2500  then moves to step  2508 . 
     At step  2508 , the portable electronic device can determine whether an instruction to display recommended scenes has been received. For example, the portable electronic device can determine whether the user has selected a “RECOMMENDED” option (e.g., “RECOMMENDED” options  1712 ,  2004 , and  2114  in  FIGS.  17 ,  20 , and  21   , respectively). If, at step  2508 , the portable electronic device determines that an instruction to display recommended scenes has not been received, process  2500  moves to step  2512 . If, at step  2508 , the portable electronic device instead determines that an instruction to display recommended scenes has been received, process  2500  moves to step  2514 . 
     At step  2514 , the portable electronic device can display recommended scenes to the user. In some embodiments, the portable electronic device can determine recommended scenes based on one or more parameters (e.g., states of components and/or usage patterns). In some embodiments, the portable electronic device can provide the user with display screen  2000  ( FIG.  20   ). Process  2500  then moves to step  2512 . 
     At step  2512 , the portable electronic device can determine whether an instruction to display favorite scenes has been received. For example, the portable electronic device can determine whether the user has selected a “FAVORITES” option (e.g., “FAVORITES” options  1714 ,  2014 , and  2104  in  FIGS.  17 ,  20 , and  21   , respectively). If, at step  2512 , the portable electronic device determines that an instruction to display favorite scenes has not been received, process  2500  moves to step  2516 . If, at step  2512 , the portable electronic device instead determines that an instruction to display favorite scenes has been received, process  2500  moves to step  2518 . 
     At step  2518 , the portable electronic device can display favorite scenes to the user. In some embodiments, the user may designate one or more saved scenes as favorite scenes. In some embodiments, the portable electronic device can provide the user with display screen  2100  ( FIG.  21   ). Process  2500  then moves to step  2516 . 
     At step  2516 , the portable electronic device can determine whether an instruction to edit saved scenes has been received. For example, the portable electronic device can determine whether the user has selected “EDIT” option  1704 . If, at step  2516 , the portable electronic device determines that an instruction to edit saved scenes has not been received, process  2500  moves to step  2520 . If, at step  2516 , the portable electronic device instead determines that an instruction to edit saved scenes has been received, process  2500  moves to step  2522 . 
     At step  2522 , the portable electronic device can allow the user to edit the saved scenes. For example, the portable electronic device can allow the user to delete one or more saved scenes. Process  2500  then moves to step  2520 . 
     At step  2520 , the portable electronic device can determine whether an instruction to restore a scene has been received. For example, the portable electronic device can determine whether the user has selected a scene by placing highlight region  1706  over a listing in listings  1702  ( FIG.  17   ). If, at step  2520 , the portable electronic device determines that an instruction to restore a scene has not been received, process  2500  ends at step  2524 . For example, the user may have selected a “BACK” option (e.g., “BACK” options  1716 ,  2016 , and  2116  in  FIGS.  17 ,  20 , and  21   ). 
     If, at step  2520 , the portable electronic device instead determines that an instruction to restore a scene has been received, process  2500  moves to step  2526 . 
     At step  2526 , the portable electronic device can locate components in the scene. For example, the portable electronic device can inspect the preference file of the scene, and find the components that are listed in the preference file. After locating the components, process  2500  moves to step  2528 . 
     At step  2528 , the portable electronic device can attempt to contact each of the components in the scene. For example, the portable electronic device can verify if the servers on the components are broadcasting identifiers. After attempting to contact each of the components, process  2500  moves to step  2530 . 
     At step  2530 , the portable electronic device can transmit the states to the components. For example, if a component is available, the portable electronic device can obtain the saved state of the component from the preference file, and transmit the saved state to the component (e.g., via remote client  616  of  FIG.  6   ). After transmitting the states, process  2500  moves to step  2532 . 
     At step  2532 , the portable electronic device can provide a summary of the scene that has been restored. For example, the portable electronic device can provide the user with display screen  1800  ( FIG.  18   ). In some embodiments, the portable electronic device can display message alerts (e.g., message alert  1806 ) for components that can not be contacted. Process  2500  ends at step  2524 . 
       FIG.  26    shows a flowchart of an illustrative process for providing recommended scenes in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, process  2600  can be implemented in step  2514  of process  2500  ( FIG.  25   ). 
     Process  2600  starts at step  2602 . At step  2604 , the portable electronic device can identify recommended scenes. In some embodiments, the portable electronic device can search for recommended scenes based on states of components in the current scene. For example, the portable electronic device can determine metadata (e.g., genre) associated with the media that is currently playing. The portable electronic device can then search for components in the saved scenes that are also playing media similar to the media that is currently playing (e.g., same genre or episodes of the same television show). In some embodiments, the portable electronic device can search for recommended scenes based on usage patterns. For example, the portable electronic device can determine the current date and time (e.g., day parting). Based on this information, the portable electronic device can search for saved scenes that were accessed the most for that particular date or time (or period of time). After the portable electronic devices has finished searching for recommended scenes, process  2600  moves to step  2606 . 
     At step  2606 , the portable electronic device can provide the recommended scenes to the user. For example, the portable electronic device can provide the user with display screen  2000  ( FIG.  20   ). After providing the recommended scenes, process  2600  moves to step  2608 . 
     At step  2608 , the portable electronic device can determine whether an instruction to restore a recommended scene has been received. For example, the user may select a recommended scene by placing highlight region  2006  over a listing in listings  2002 . If, at step  2608 , the portable electronic device determines that an instruction to restore a recommended scene has not been received, process  2600  ends at step  2610 . 
     If, at step  2608 , the portable electronic device instead determines that an instruction to restore a recommended scene has been received, process  2600  moves to step  2612 . 
     At step  2612 , the portable electronic device can determine if media is playing in the current scene and in the recommended scene. If, at step  2612 , the portable electronic device determines that media is not playing in both scenes, process  2600  moves to step  2614 . 
     At step  2614 , the portable electronic device can restore the recommended scene. After restoring the recommended scene, process  2600  ends at step  2610 . 
     If, at step  2612 , the portable electronic device instead determines that media is playing in both scenes, process  2600  moves to step  2616 . At step  2616 , the portable electronic device can restore most of the components&#39; states in the recommended scene except for the media. 
     At step  2618 , the portable electronic device can provide options for switching the current media to media in the recommended scene. For example, the portable electronic device can display “YES” option  2010  and “NO” option  2012  ( FIG.  20   ). In some embodiments, the portable electronic device can wait for a break in the media (e.g., commercial break or break between songs) before providing the options. After providing the options, process  2600  moves to step  2620 . 
     At step  2620 , the portable electronic device can determine whether an instruction to switch the media has been received. For example, the user may select “YES” option  2010  to switch to the media in the recommended scene, and “NO” option  2012  to continue playing the current media. If, at step  2620 , the portable electronic device determines that an instruction to switch the media has not been received, process  2600  ends at step  2610 . 
     If, at step  2620 , the portable electronic device instead determines that an instruction to switch the media has been received, process  2600  moves to step  2622 . At step  2622 , the portable electronic device can switch to the media in the recommended scene. After switching the media, process  2600  ends at step  2610 . 
     Thus it is seen that systems and methods are provided for saving and restoring scenes in a multimedia system with minimal configuration. It is also seen that systems and methods are provided for providing suggestions of suitable recommended scenes based on states of components and usage patterns. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that the disclosure can be practiced by other than the described embodiments, which are presented for purposes of illustration and not of limitation, and the present disclosure is limited only by the claims which follow. 
     As described above, one aspect of the present technology is the gathering and use of data available from various sources to improve the ability of network-connected devices to communicate with one another and/or with users of the devices. The present disclosure contemplates that in some instances, this gathered data may include personal information data that uniquely identifies or can be used to contact or locate a specific person. Such personal information data can include demographic data, location-based data, telephone numbers, email addresses, twitter ID&#39;s, home addresses, data or records relating to a user&#39;s health or level of fitness (e.g., vital signs measurements, medication information, exercise information), date of birth, or any other identifying or personal information. 
     The present disclosure recognizes that the use of such personal information data, in the present technology, can be used to the benefit of users. For example, the personal information data can be used to communicate relevant information between devices for security (e.g., for authentication and/or authorization purposes). Accordingly, use of such personal information data enables users to appropriately register and/or control of the devices. Further, other uses for personal information data that benefit the user are also contemplated by the present disclosure. For instance, health and fitness data may be used to provide insights into a user&#39;s general wellness, or may be used as positive feedback to individuals using technology to pursue wellness goals. 
     The present disclosure contemplates that the entities responsible for the collection, analysis, disclosure, transfer, storage, or other use of such personal information data will comply with well-established privacy policies and/or privacy practices. In particular, such entities should implement and consistently use privacy policies and practices that are generally recognized as meeting or exceeding industry or governmental requirements for maintaining personal information data private and secure. Such policies should be easily accessible by users, and should be updated as the collection and/or use of data changes. Personal information from users should be collected for legitimate and reasonable uses of the entity and not shared or sold outside of those legitimate uses. Further, such collection/sharing should occur after receiving the informed consent of the users. Additionally, such entities should consider taking any needed steps for safeguarding and securing access to such personal information data and ensuring that others with access to the personal information data adhere to their privacy policies and procedures. Further, such entities can subject themselves to evaluation by third parties to certify their adherence to widely accepted privacy policies and practices. In addition, policies and practices should be adapted for the particular types of personal information data being collected and/or accessed and adapted to applicable laws and standards, including jurisdiction-specific considerations. For instance, in the US, collection of or access to certain health data may be governed by federal and/or state laws, such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA); whereas health data in other countries may be subject to other regulations and policies and should be handled accordingly. Hence different privacy practices should be maintained for different personal data types in each country. 
     Despite the foregoing, the present disclosure also contemplates embodiments in which users selectively block the use of, or access to, personal information data. That is, the present disclosure contemplates that hardware and/or software elements can be provided to prevent or block access to such personal information data. For example, the present technology can be configured to allow users to select to “opt in” or “opt out” of participation in the collection of personal information data during registration for services or anytime thereafter. In addition to providing “opt in” and “opt out” options, the present disclosure contemplates providing notifications relating to the access or use of personal information. For instance, a user may be notified upon downloading an app that their personal information data will be accessed and then reminded again just before personal information data is accessed by the app. 
     Moreover, it is the intent of the present disclosure that personal information data should be managed and handled in a way to minimize risks of unintentional or unauthorized access or use. Risk can be minimized by limiting the collection of data and deleting data once it is no longer needed. In addition, and when applicable, including in certain health related applications, data de-identification can be used to protect a user&#39;s privacy. De-identification may be facilitated, when appropriate, by removing specific identifiers (e.g., date of birth, etc.), controlling the amount or specificity of data stored (e.g., collecting location data a city level rather than at an address level), controlling how data is stored (e.g., aggregating data across users), and/or other methods. 
     Therefore, although the present disclosure broadly covers use of personal information data to implement one or more various disclosed embodiments, the present disclosure also contemplates that the various embodiments can also be implemented without the need for accessing such personal information data. That is, the various embodiments of the present technology are not rendered inoperable due to the lack of all or a portion of such personal information data. For example, content can be selected and delivered to users by inferring preferences based on non-personal information data or a bare minimum amount of personal information, such as the content being requested by the device associated with a user, other non-personal information available to device connection services, or publicly available information.

Metadata:
Filing Date: 20220225
Publication Date: 20230808
Grant Date: 20230808
Priority Date: 20080902
Inventors: CANNISTRARO, ALAN
Assignee: APPLE INC
CPC Classifications: [{"code": "H04N21/42204", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G08C17/00", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04N5/60", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04N7/035", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04N7/08", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04N21/25808", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04N21/4131", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04N21/4222", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04N21/42209", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04N21/43615", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04N21/485", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04N21/6543", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04N21/6547", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04N21/6582", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04N21/84", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G08C2201/30", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G08C2201/33", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04N21/42206", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04N21/42224", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04N21/42226", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04N21/4532", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04N21/482", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G08C17/00", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04N21/42204", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G08C2201/30", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G08C2201/33", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04N21/25808", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04N21/4131", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04N21/42209", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04N21/4222", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04N21/42224", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04N21/43615", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04N21/482", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04N21/485", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04N21/6543", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04N21/6547", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04N21/6582", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04N21/84", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G08C17/00", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G08C2201/30", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G08C2201/33", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04N21/25808", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04N21/4131", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04N21/42209", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04N21/4222", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04N21/42224", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04N21/43615", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04N21/482", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04N21/485", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04N21/6543", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04N21/6547", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04N21/6582", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04N21/84", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04N21/4532", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04N21/42206", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04N21/42226", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04N7/035", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04N5/60", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04N7/08", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}]
Family ID: 41724474