Method and apparatus for bidirectional control connecting hardware device action with url-based web navigation

Abstract

Systems, methods, and apparatuses for associating digital media with physical device. A method for controlling a hardware state input based on uniform resource locator (URL) data can include identifying URL data associated with a web browser, comparing the identified URL data to stored URL data, identifying stored hardware device data based on the comparison, generating a control signal based on the determined hardware device data, and/or transmitting the control signal to a microcontroller communicatively coupled to a hardware device. The microcontroller can adjust a hardware state of the hardware device based on the received control signal. A method for navigating to a URL location based on hardware device data can include receiving hardware device data from a microcontroller communicatively coupled to a hardware device, comparing the received hardware device data with stored hardware device data, identifying URL data based on the comparison, and causing a browser to navigate to a URL location based on the URL data.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for controlling a hardware state input based at least in part on uniform resource locator (URL) data, the method comprising:
 identifying URL data associated with a web browser;   comparing the identified URL data to stored URL data;   identifying stored hardware device data based at least in part on the comparison;   generating a control signal based at least in part on the determined hardware device data; and   transmitting the control signal to a microcontroller communicatively coupled to a hardware device, wherein the microcontroller adjusts a hardware state of the hardware device based at least in part on the received control signal.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , where the URL data comprises a combination of one or more of a URL location, a URL identifier, or a range of URLs. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , where the hardware device data comprises a combination of one or more of an indication of a digital or analog value associated with one or more input or outputs of the microcontroller. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , where the hardware device data comprises a combination of one or more of voltage data, current data, resistance data, conductance data, temperature data, humidity data, sound data, pH data, magnetism data, or speed or acceleration data. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the URL data corresponds to a web-based video, the method further comprising:
 requesting video timing information from a server, wherein the video timing information comprising a combination of one or more of a playback status, a start status, an end status, a pause status, a buffer status, or a queue status.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the stored URL data and stored hardware device data are located a lookup table that correlates the stored hardware device data and the stored URL data. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the hardware device comprises one or more of an LED, a motor, a thermistor, a thermometer, a camera, a servomechanism, a solenoid, a button, a buzzer, an audio device, or a microphone. 
     
     
         8 . A method for navigating to a URL location based on hardware device data, the method comprising:
 receiving hardware device data from a microcontroller communicatively coupled to a hardware device, wherein the hardware device data corresponds to at least one of a hardware state of the hardware device or a measurement taken by the hardware device;   comparing the received hardware device data with stored hardware device data;   identifying URL data based at least in part on the comparison; and   causing a browser to navigate to a URL location based at least in part on the URL data.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 causing a video associated with the URL location to play from a particular time stamp of the video, where the particular time stamp of the video is based at least in part on the URL data.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , where the URL data comprises a combination of one or more of a URL location, a URL identifier, or a range of URLs. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , where the hardware device data comprises a combination of one or more of an indication of a digital or analog value associated with one or more input or outputs of the microcontroller. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , where the hardware device data comprises a combination of one or more of voltage data, current data, resistance data, conductance data, temperature data, humidity data, sound data, pH data, magnetism data, or speed or acceleration data. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the stored URL data and stored hardware device data are located a lookup table that correlates the stored hardware device data and the stored URL data. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the hardware device comprises one or more of an LED, a motor, a thermistor, a thermometer, a camera, a servomechanism, a solenoid, a button, a buzzer, an audio device, or a microphone. 
     
     
         15 . A system for controlling a hardware state of a hardware device based on Uniform Resource Locator (URL) data, the system comprising:
 a microcontroller in communication with at least one hardware device; and   one or more processors in communication with the microcontroller, and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing computer-executable instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to:
 identify URL data associated with a web browser; 
 compare the identified URL data to stored URL data; 
 identify stored hardware device data based at least in part on the comparison; 
 generate a control signal based at least in part on the determined hardware device data; and 
 transmit the control signal to a microcontroller communicatively coupled to a hardware device, wherein the microcontroller adjusts a hardware state of the hardware device based at least in part on the received control signal. 
   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the URL data comprises a combination of one or more of a URL location, a URL identifier, or a range of URLs. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 15 , where the hardware device data comprises a combination of one or more of an indication of a digital or analog value associated with one or more input or outputs of the microcontroller. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the URL data corresponds to a web-based video, the one or more processors are further configured to:
 request video timing information from a server, wherein the video timing information comprises a combination of one or more of a playback status, a start status, an end status, a pause status, a buffer status, or a queue status.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the stored URL data and stored hardware device data are located a lookup table that correlates the stored hardware device data and the stored URL data. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the hardware device comprises one or more of an LED, a motor, a thermistor, a thermometer, a camera, a servomechanism, a solenoid, a button, a buzzer, an audio device, or a microphone.