System and Methods Utilizing Dataset Management User Interface

Abstract

A method of remotely controlling a device at a location is provided. A dataset is received from each of a plurality of different locations, comprising at least one data value of at least one monitorable device at the respective location. Based on the dataset, a user interface can be generated, comprising a primary interface element having plurality of matrix positions mapped to a surface of a sphere. In the user interface, an interactive object icon is displayed which is representative of a monitorable device positioned at the respective matrix position. A scale of each interactive object icon is indicative of the data value of the said monitorable device. After receiving a user input at an interactive object icon, a processor retrieves and displays the data value of a monitorable device associated with the interactive object icon, and a device is controlled at the location to perform a physical function.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of enhancing the control of at least one device at a location, the method comprising the steps of:
 receiving, at a server, a dataset from each of a plurality of different locations which are remote to the server, each dataset comprising at least one data value of at least one monitorable device at the respective location;   generating a user interface based on the dataset on a user device which is remote to the plurality of different locations, the user interface comprising a primary interface element having a plurality of matrix positions mapped to a surface of a sphere, each of the plurality of matrix positions being associated with one of the plurality of different locations;   displaying, in the user interface, an interactive object icon representative of a said monitorable device of each location positioned at the respective matrix position, wherein a scale of each interactive object icon is indicative of the data value of the said monitorable device;   in response to receiving a user input at a said interactive object icon, causing a processor to retrieve and display the at least one data value of at least one said monitorable device of the location associated with the interactive object icon.   
     
     
         2 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the primary interface element rotates in the user interface automatically to cyclically display all of the plurality of interactive object icons at the respective matrix positions. 
     
     
         3 . The method as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the rotation of the primary interface element is halted upon user interaction therewith. 
     
     
         4 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the user interface comprises at least one selection pane for selecting a monitorable device from a plurality of said monitorable devices, the interactive object icon being indicative of the selected monitorable device depending on the selection of monitorable device in the selection pane. 
     
     
         5 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the primary interface element is a user-interactive object. 
     
     
         6 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of matrix positions is mapped to an outer surface of the primary interface element. 
     
     
         7 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of matrix positions is mapped to an inner surface of the primary interface element. 
     
     
         8 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of matrix positions is mapped to either an outer surface or an inner surface of the primary interface element, and wherein the user interface is selectably configurable to view the interactive object icons from either the outer surface or the inner surface of the primary interface element. 
     
     
         9 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising secondary indicia associated with one or more of the interactive object icons which is activatable under predetermined conditions. 
     
     
         10 . The method as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the said predetermined condition is based on one or more historical dataset from each of a plurality of different locations which is indicative of an anomalous real-time data value. 
     
     
         11 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein each dataset is received and updated periodically from the plurality of different locations. 
     
     
         12 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein an arrangement of the plurality of matrix positions is correlated with a geographic position of the locations associated therewith. 
     
     
         13 . A dataset management system comprising:
 at least one monitorable device positioned at each of a plurality of different locations;   a server communicatively coupled with each monitorable device to receive a dataset from each monitorable device;   a user device communicatively coupled with the server, the user device being adapted to display a user interface based on the dataset, the user interface comprising a primary interface element having a plurality of matrix positions mapped to a surface of a sphere, each of the plurality of matrix positions being associated with one of the plurality of different locations, the user interface having an interactive object icon representative of a said monitorable device of each location positioned at the respective matrix position, wherein a scale of each interactive object icon is indicative of the data value of the said monitorable device, and, in response to receiving a user input at a said interactive object icon, causing a processor to retrieve and display the at least one data value of at least one monitorable device of the location associated with the interactive object icon;   the user device, via the user interface, allowing a user to control a said device at the location to perform a physical function at the location.   
     
     
         14 . The dataset management system as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the at least one monitorable device is selected from: an alarm device; a temperature sensor; a light sensor; a pressure sensor; a motion sensor; and/or an electronic device having a monitorable activation status. 
     
     
         15 . A method of configuring a dataset management user interface based on a plurality of locations to be monitored, the method comprising the steps of:
 receiving a dataset from each of the plurality of different locations, each dataset comprising at least one data value of at least one monitorable device at the respective location, wherein the datasets and/or monitorable devices are not normalised across the plurality of locations;   generating a user interface based on the datasets, the user interface comprising a primary interface element having a plurality of matrix positions mapped to a surface of a sphere, each of the plurality of matrix positions being associated with one of the plurality of different locations;   displaying, in the user interface, an interactive object icon representative of a said monitorable device of each location positioned at the respective matrix position, wherein a scale of each interactive object icon is indicative of the data value of the said monitorable device;   in response to receiving a user input at a said interactive object icon, causing a processor to retrieve and display the at least one data value of at least one monitorable device of the location associated with the interactive object icon;   determining, based on the interactive object icons, a configuration status of the at least one monitorable device, wherein the configuration status is a status of the at least one monitorable device stored in local memory of the at least one monitorable device;   configuring the user interface based on the determined configuration status;   comparing the configuration statuses of the at least one monitorable device at each of the plurality of different locations via reference to at least one exemplary configuration status of the at least one monitorable device; and   identifying conflicting configuration statuses across the plurality of different locations.   
     
     
         16 . The method as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein the configuration status is an alarm or trigger status. 
     
     
         17 . The method as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein configuration status is a binary status. 
     
     
         18 . The method as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein the primary interface element is a user-interactive object. 
     
     
         19 . The method as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of matrix positions is mapped to an outer surface or an inner surface of the primary interface element, and wherein the user interface is selectably configurable to view the interactive object icons from either the outer surface or the inner surface of the primary interface element. 
     
     
         20 . The method as claimed in  claim 15  further comprising secondary indicia associated with one or more of the interactive object icons which is activatable under predetermined conditions, wherein the said predetermined condition is based on one or more historical dataset from each of a plurality of different locations which is indicative of an anomalous real-time data value.