System and method for selecting an external user interface using spatial information

A method for selecting an external processor as a user interface to a machine comprising:

• accessing control grid position information for the machine, wherein the control grid position information provides a control grid of the machine comprising a subset of an effective positioning space covered by a positioning system;
• obtaining position information for the external processor using the positioning system;
• and
• using the control grid position information and the external processor position information to determine if the external processor is in the control grid of the machine, and
• only if the external processor is located in the control grid of the machine, providing user interface control of the machine to the external processor, wherein,
• the user interface control of the machine is provided to the external processor to the exclusion of the internal user interface of the machine;
• and
• obtaining position information for a second external processor;
• and
• obtaining hierarchal priority information for the external processor and the second external processor;
• and
• using the hierarchal priority information to determine whether to give priority of control to the external processor or the second external processor.

A method for selecting an external processor as a user interface to a machine comprising:

• accessing control position information for the machine, wherein the control position information provides a control space of the machine comprising a subset of an effective positioning space covered by a positioning system;
• obtaining position information for the external processor using the positioning system;
• and
• using the control position information and the external processor position information to determine if the external processor is in the control space of the machine, and
• only if the external processor is located in the control space of the machine, providing user interface control of the machine to the external processor, wherein,
• the machine is located in a space that includes a floor having a plurality of additional machines and the control space corresponds to a defined portion of the floor in proximity to the machine that does not overlap with space occupied by the plurality of additional machines.

A method for selecting an external processor as a user interface to a machine comprising:

• accessing control position information for the machine, wherein the control position information provides a control space of the machine comprising a subset of an effective positioning space covered by a positioning system;
• obtaining position information for the external processor using the positioning system;
• and
• using the control position information and the external processor position information to determine if the external processor is in the control space of the machine;
• and
• only if the external processor is located in the control space of the machine, providing user interface control of the machine to the external processor;
• obtaining position information for a second external processor;
• and
• determining whether to give priority of control to the external processor or the second external processor based upon the position of each of the external processor and the second external processor.