U.S. patent application number 09/814559 was filed with the patent office on 2001-08-30 for host device equipped with means for starting a process in response to detecting insertion of a storage media.
Invention is credited to Redford, Peter M., Stern, Donald S..
Application Number | 20010018737 09/814559 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 23027483 |
Filed Date | 2001-08-30 |
United States Patent
Application |
20010018737 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Redford, Peter M. ; et
al. |
August 30, 2001 |
Host device equipped with means for starting a process in response
to detecting insertion of a storage media
Abstract
In accordance with this invention, a remote control for an
interactive media can include a printed publication and/or a
storage media and/or a data button. One embodiment of a remote
control includes a printed publication (such as a book, magazine or
a catalog) and one or more buttons physically attached to the
printed publication to allow users to remotely control use of
associated electronic content by a host device. Another embodiment
of a remote control has a housing capable of removably holding a
storage media encoded with electronic content associated with a
button of the remote control. Yet another embodiment of a remote
control has at least one data button which permits the user to
select the data to be displayed by the host device. An autostart
driver in the host device detects insertion of a storage media into
a peripheral and automatically starts an application. The
application interprets button codes transmitted by the remote
control and displays the results or initiates other events. An
application development system allows an author to quickly create
interactive media applications.
Inventors: |
Redford, Peter M.; (Los
Gatos, CA) ; Stern, Donald S.; (San Jose,
CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
GLENN PATENT GROUP
3475 EDISON WAY
SUITE L
MENLO PARK
CA
94025
US
|
Family ID: |
23027483 |
Appl. No.: |
09/814559 |
Filed: |
March 22, 2001 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
09814559 |
Mar 22, 2001 |
|
|
|
09304623 |
May 3, 1999 |
|
|
|
09304623 |
May 3, 1999 |
|
|
|
08601936 |
Feb 15, 1996 |
|
|
|
5957695 |
|
|
|
|
08601936 |
Feb 15, 1996 |
|
|
|
08269492 |
Jul 1, 1994 |
|
|
|
5624265 |
|
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
713/2 ;
709/219 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G09B 5/065 20130101;
G06F 3/0605 20130101; G06Q 30/0242 20130101; G06F 3/0658 20130101;
G06F 9/44505 20130101; G06F 9/445 20130101; H04N 21/47 20130101;
G09B 5/062 20130101; G11B 27/34 20130101; H04N 7/17318 20130101;
G11B 27/002 20130101; H04N 1/00127 20130101; H04N 1/2166 20130101;
G06Q 30/0601 20130101; G11B 19/02 20130101; G11B 27/102 20130101;
G11B 27/105 20130101; G11B 2220/41 20130101; H04N 21/42204
20130101; G06F 3/0677 20130101; G11B 2220/213 20130101; G11B
2220/2545 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
713/2 ;
709/219 |
International
Class: |
G06F 009/445; G06F
009/24 |
Claims
1. A method for starting a process, comprising the steps of:
automatically loading an initialization file; detecting insertion
of a storage media into a peripheral, checking said storage media
for a file other than said initialization file, said file other
than said initialization file having a predetermined name that is
compatible with said initialization file, said file other than said
initialization file containing a sequence of instructions to be
executed to start up a process; and starting up said process.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein said sequence of instructions
comprises instructions for starting said process either from said
inserted storage media or from a remote server's storage media.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein said sequence of instructions
comprises instructions for accessing a specified location on said
inserted storage media.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein said sequence of instructions
comprises instructions for retrieving and displaying certain
selections contained at a location on said inserted storage
media.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein said sequence of instructions
comprises instructions for executing certain instructions located
in either of a host device memory or on said inserted storage
media.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein said initialization file starts
up or spawns a new process each time said checking step finds a
file having said predetermined name, which new process executes
instructions located on said inserted storage media.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein sequence of instructions
comprises instructions for executing an application for displaying
one or more selections encoded on said inserted storage media.
8. The method of claim 7, wherein said one or more selections
encoded on said inserted storage media comprise any of graphics
files, text files, sound files, and video files.
9. A method for starting a process comprising the steps of:
detecting insertion of a storage media into a peripheral; checking
for a file of a predetermined name, and starting up a process from
said file of said predetermined name, said step for starting up
containing a sequence of instructions to be executed to start up
said process.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein said sequence of instructions
comprises instructions for starting said process either from said
inserted storage media or from a remote server's storage media.
11. The method of claim 9, wherein said sequence of instructions
comprises instructions for accessing a specified location on said
inserted storage media.
12. The method of claim 9, wherein said sequence of instructions
comprises instructions for retrieving and displaying certain
selections contained at a location on said inserted storage
media.
13. The method of claim 9, wherein said sequence of instructions
comprises instructions for executing certain instructions located
in either of a host device memory or on said inserted storage
media.
14. The method of claim 9, wherein said initialization file starts
up or spawns a new process each time said means for checking finds
a file having said predetermined name, which new process executes
instructions located on said inserted storage media.
15. The method of claim 9, wherein sequence of instructions
comprises instructions for executing an application for displaying
one or more selections encoded on said inserted storage media.
16. The method of claim 15, wherein said one or more selections
encoded on said inserted storage media comprise any of graphics
files, text files, sound files, and video files.
17. A method for starting a process comprising the steps of:
automatically loading an initialization file; detecting insertion
of a storage media into said peripheral, checking for a file other
than said initialization file, said file other than said
initialization file having a predetermined name that is compatible
with said initialization file, said file other than said
initialization file containing a sequence of instructions to be
executed to start up a process, and starting up said process in a
host device, a new process being started up in response to each
time a file is found having said predetermined name.
18. The method of claim 17, wherein said sequence of instructions
comprises instructions for starting said process either from said
inserted storage media or from a remote server's storage media.
19. The method of claim 17, wherein said sequence of instructions
comprises instructions for accessing a specified location on said
inserted storage media.
20. The method of claim 17, wherein said sequence of instructions
comprises instructions for retrieving and displaying certain
selections contained at a location on said inserted storage
media.
21. The method of claim 17, wherein said sequence of instructions
comprises instructions for executing certain instructions located
in either of a host device memory or on said inserted storage
media.
22. The method of claim 17, wherein said initialization file starts
up or spawns a new process each time said means for checking finds
a file having said predetermined name, which new process executes
instructions located on said inserted storage media.
23. The method of claim 17, wherein sequence of instructions
comprises instructions for executing an application for displaying
one or more selections encoded on said inserted storage media.
24. The method of claim 23, wherein said one or more selections
encoded on said inserted storage media comprise any of graphics
files, text files, sound files, and video files.
Description
[0001] This application is a divisional of Ser. No. 08/601,936,
filed Feb. 15, 1996 which is a divisional of Ser. No. 08/269,492,
filed Jul. 1, 1994, which has issued as U.S. Pat. No.
5,624,265.
CROSS REFERENCE TO MICROFICHE APPENDIX
[0002] Appendix A, which is a part of the present disclosure, is a
microfiche appendix consisting of one sheet of microfiche having a
total of 29 frames. Microfiche Appendix A is a listing of computer
programs and related data for a remote control based on the 6805K1
microprocessor, which is described more completely below.
[0003] Appendix B, which is a part of the present disclosure, is a
microfiche appendix consisting of one sheet of microfiche having a
total of 21 frames. Microfiche Appendix B is a listing of computer
programs and related data for a touch panel remote control, which
is described more completely below.
[0004] A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains
material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright
owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of
the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the
U.S. Patent and Trademark Office patent files or records, but
otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0005] This invention relates to an apparatus and method for
wireless remote control and use of interactive media and in
particular to a remote control including a printed publication
and/or a storage media and/or a data button.
BACKGROUND
[0006] Today's multimedia devices have sophisticated digital sound
and full motion video capabilities which make such devices very
suitable for entertainment and educational applications in users'
homes. The contents of many printed books are now commercially
available as multimedia books and applications encoded in CD-ROMs.
Unfortunately, using a multimedia book or application on a host
device is not simple at all.
[0007] Most of today's multimedia books lack the feel of printed
books and cannot easily be categorized as books on a bookstore
shelf. Children, the main targets of multimedia books, usually
cannot use such books without adult help. Today's multimedia books
have the feel and ease of use of ordinary computer programs. A
significant level of computer knowledge is required to "read" a
multimedia book, typically by using input devices such as a mouse,
computer keyboard or game controller.
[0008] For example, to use a CD-ROM based multimedia book, the user
must do the following on an IBM PC host device:
[0009] 1. Wired embodiments;
[0010] 2. Double circle;
[0011] 3. Define removable storage media peripheral;
[0012] 1. Start the Windows operating environment;
[0013] 2. Insert the CD-ROM into the drive;
[0014] 3. Find the appropriate icon and double click on the icon,
or,
[0015] If the icon is not available, use the File Manager's menu to
select "File" and "Run" and then type the name of the executable
file such as "WP", followed by the Enter key.
[0016] The above procedure is not simple for anyone other than
experienced Windows users. A similar procedure must be followed for
a Macintosh host device.
[0017] Although in using a game platform such as 3DO platform or a
Sega platform it is considerably simpler to start an application,
the user is required to toggle the power switch after insertion of
a game cartridge, which can be a significant task for a two year
old child. A similar toggling of power switch is required for
boot-up diskettes for personal computers. Toggling of the power
switch forces a user to wait for the personal computer or game
platform to go through the boot-up sequence which can last for
typically 20 to 30 seconds. Moreover, the user must know that
merely inserting a CD-ROM into a peripheral is not enough and that
some button must be toggled Qr pressed. Also, the user must know
the specific button on the host device such as a power switch or
CTL-ALT-DEL for an IBM PC.
[0018] Although some host devices automatically check a disk drive
for a file of commands to be run, such checking is done only during
power up for booting the operating system. Once a host device has
been powered up and is running the operating system, the user must
manually start an application (for example by clicking the mouse on
an icon or by typing commands such as "MSINSTR"). After the
application has started, the user must know and remember the
commands necessary to perform various functions of retrieval and
display, the names of data accessible by the host device and must
make the associations between the commands, functions and data.
Another problem with today's multimedia books is that book authors
find it difficult to turn ideas for children's books into products
because of the inherent complexity of a multimedia book development
process.
[0019] Remote controls for television (TV) are well known in the
art. Conventional TV remote controls have a rectangular box shape
and have function buttons which can cause the TV to switch to a
desired channel. However, a user must find out the programs
available for viewing (for example by consulting a TV guide to find
a desired program), remember the associated channel number and then
switch to the desired channel by pressing the appropriate function
button on the remote control.
[0020] Children's sound books are well known in the art. Such
children's sound books have a button which when pressed plays a
sound locally from a speaker embedded in the sound book and
electrically connected to the button.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0021] In accordance with this invention, a remote control for
interactive media (henceforth "remote control"), includes remote
control circuitry and one or more feature(s) from: a printed
publication (such as a book, magazine or a catalog), a storage
media holder and a data button. A printed publication remote
control in accordance with this invention includes a printed
publication having printed content and one or more button(s)
connected to a remote control circuitry which allows users to
remotely control use of associated electronic content by a host
device.
[0022] In accordance with this invention, the remote control
circuitry is capable of transmitting a wireless signal to a host
device wherein an application running on the host device displays
the desired results. The button(s) of the remote control have a
visual association with text and/or graphic content on the remote
control. The text and/or graphic content and the associated
electronic content have a representative (descriptive and/or
derivative) association (such as the association between a title or
abstract and the electronic content associated with the title or
abstract). The associated electronic content and the button(s) have
a remote electronic association implemented through a wireless
signal encoded with a button code. There is a correspondence
between the representative association and the remote electronic
association such that the function and/or data indicated by the
text and/or graphic content visually associated with the pressed
button is used by a host device in displaying associated electronic
content. Such a unique combination of printed publication,
associated electronic content and one or more button(s) into a
single remote control allows the button(s) to be customized
depending on the content of the associated electronic content.
[0023] In one embodiment of this invention, the associated
electronic content is encoded in one or more remote storage media
and accessed through a remote server although the associated
electronic content is an integral part of the remote control. Such
a remote control allows a user to simply push a button on the
remote control to cause the host device to access electronic
content from a remote server.
[0024] In an alternative embodiment, the associated electronic
content is encoded in and accessed from a local storage media (such
as, for example, a compact disk (CD), a game cartridge, a floppy
disk and a memory card). Such a local storage media can be
removably mounted in a holder physically attached to the printed
publication in accordance with this invention. The storage media
can be inserted into a suitable peripheral of a host device (such
as a personal computer, a game machine or interactive television).
The additional cost of a storage media is comparable to the costs
associated with connect charges and the communication hardware and
software necessary for communications between the host device and a
remote server.
[0025] In one embodiment of this invention, one and only one button
is provided in the remote control. The remote control includes a
normal book's front cover, a normal book's back cover, both made of
cardboard and a single button bound into the back cover. In one
specific embodiment, a CD-ROM holder (with a CD-ROM) is physically
attached to or integrated into and forms the back cover of the
remote control.
[0026] In accordance with this invention, an application's use of
associated electronic content (of local or remote storage media) is
controlled by pressing a button on the remote control. In one
embodiment, pressing a button causes the host device to retrieve
the associated electronic content for the next page and display the
results of retrieval or appear to the user to "turn" the page (or
initiate other actions). A remote control having a single button
allows pre-school children to enjoy using associated electronic
content or a host device remotely from a distance without need for
parental assistance because of simplicity of use.
[0027] In one embodiment of this invention the button on the remote
control is a large button which encloses all the necessary remote
control circuitry in a self-contained unit. In another embodiment
of this invention, several buttons are mounted on a printed circuit
board (PCB) integrated into the housing.
[0028] Multiple button remote controls permit a wide variety and
range of interactivity with a host device. In one embodiment, a
remote control has four buttons each button being visually
associated with text and/or graphics which have a representative
descriptive and/or derivative association with the associated
electronic content of a next page, a previous page, beginning (for
example a front cover) and end (for example, a back cover). Such a
remote control is idiot proof and can be easily used by pre-school
children.
[0029] When a user pushes on the surface of a button on a remote
control in accordance with this invention, a microcontroller in the
remote control wakes up and sends a button code by pulsing an
infrared LED. The infrared pulse is received by an infrared
receiver connected to a host device microcomputer which interprets
the button code to perform the indicated function and/or retrieve
the indicated data and display the desired results. Single button
control of an application allows even pre-school children to use
selections of interactive media accessed via a remote server or
from local storage media (such as CD's included in some remote
control embodiments).
[0030] In one embodiment, the host device is configured with an
autostart driver which starts an application for interpreting
button codes from the remote control. The application can access
associated electronic content from a remote server or from a local
storage media on receipt of a button code from the remote control.
Hence, soon after a button on the remote control is pressed, the
title screen of the interactive media is displayed by the host
device.
[0031] An autostart driver in a host device equipped with
appropriate communications hardware and software can be triggered
on receipt of a button code to start communicating with a remote
server. In the embodiment of the remote control including a
removable storage media, the host device autostart driver, on
finding a storage media of a remote control in a local peripheral,
checks the inserted storage media for a file of a first
predetermined name. If the file of the first predetermined name
exists, the autostart driver automatically executes the file which
in turn starts the appropriate application. The application
automatically displays the title screen on the monitor of the host
device.
[0032] Therefore when the autostart driver is installed in a host
device, compatible applications start up automatically, as soon as
a storage media is inserted into the drive. Automatic start-up of
an application on insertion of a storage media allows even
pre-school children to use applications encoded on a storage media
without adult supervision. Therefore using an interactive media in
accordance with this invention is made as simple as playing a video
cassette recorder (VCR) tape, and even pre-school children can
"read" interactive media without adult supervision.
[0033] In one embodiment, the same button can indicate a first
function/data and alternatively indicate a second function/data at
different points during display of electronic contents of an
interactive media depending on the specific programming of the
application. In such an embodiment, each of such buttons is
visually associated with alternative text/graphic content having a
representative association with functions and/or data code
selections of the associated electronic content.
[0034] A storage media remote control in accordance with this
invention includes a housing having human understandable content
and a shape and size capable of removably holding a storage media.
A storage media is removably but securely held in the housing.
Encoded in the storage media is associated electronic content which
has a representative (descriptive and/or derivative) association
with the human understandable content of the housing.
[0035] One embodiment of a storage media remote control has the
form of a CD box with a number of buttons having a remote
electronic association with music video selections encoded in a CD
removably mounted in the CD box. Buttons on the housing have a
visual association with names of music video selections encoded in
the CD. Touching a button causes an application running in a host
device to retrieve the desired music video selection from the CD
and display the retrieved results. In an alternative embodiment,
instead of music video selections, music audio selections are
encoded in the CD.
[0036] Another embodiment of a storage media remote control has the
form of a conventional magazine (henceforth "periodical" remote
control). The periodical remote control has a normal magazine front
cover and a normal magazine back cover and embedded in the front
cover and back cover are several buttons which have a visual
association with the printed content of the front cover and back
cover. Furthermore, there is a remote electronic association
between the buttons in the housing and the associated electronic
content encoded in the CD-ROM. Touching a button causes a video
recording identified by the text and graphic content to be
displayed on a monitor of a host device. In one embodiment of a
periodical remote control, membrane buttons are used to identify
the desired associated electronic content. In another embodiment,
the front and back covers each form flexible touch panel surfaces
which permit the X and Y coordinates of the touched location to be
determined and thereby identify the desired associated electronic
content.
[0037] A data button remote control in accordance with this
invention includes a housing having data selecting text and/or
graphic content visually associated with a data button, wherein the
data button has a remote electronic association with data specific
associated electronic content accessible by a host device. The data
specific associated electronic content is electronic content which
includes data which has a data selecting descriptive and/or
derivative association with the data selecting text and/or graphic
content of the housing. Therefore a data button in accordance with
this invention allows a user to remotely select a desired selection
from one or more selections accessible by a host device.
[0038] One embodiment of a data selecting remote control is a
picture book remote control for children which has four buttons,
each button being associated with printed text/graphic content of
an object (such as, for example, a train) which has a video
recording selection accessible by the host device. Pressing a
button causes the application to display a video recording
selection of the desired object (such as a train button for a train
video).
[0039] The periodical remote control described above is another
embodiment of a data selecting remote control.
[0040] Yet another embodiment of a data selecting remote control
has a housing in the shape and size of a globe with membrane
buttons attached to the housing, one button on each continent and a
video recording selection accessible by the host device. Touching
any of the buttons causes a video recording selection on the
visually associated continent to be displayed on the host
device.
[0041] Yet another embodiment of a data selecting remote control
has a rectangular box housing with content representative of a
component of the solar system such as "Mars" and "Jupiter" visually
associated with corresponding buttons and solar system component
selections accessible by a host device. Pressing one of these
buttons causes the selected solar system component selection to be
used in a video game software.
[0042] An application development system in accordance with this
invention allows an author (such as a book writer or an artist) to
quickly create interactive applications for children. For example,
to create a picture book remote control, the author needs to (1)
draw pictures, scan them and store them (2) write captions and
store them (3) record sounds and store them and (4) run a compiler
engine to generate a run file. Such a simple application
development system allows even a person with rudimentary computer
knowledge to author applications for remote controls for multimedia
books, magazines or audio/video compact disks.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0043] FIG. 1A illustrates a printed publication remote control in
accordance with this invention.
[0044] FIGS. 1B and 1C are illustrations of one embodiment of a
printed publication remote control in shut and open positions
respectively.
[0045] FIG. 1D illustrates another embodiment of a printed
publication remote control including a removable storage media
containing associated electronic content in accordance with this
invention.
[0046] FIG. 1E illustrates the remote control of FIGS. 1B and 1C
being used with a host device in accordance with this
invention.
[0047] FIG. 1F illustrates another embodiment of a printed
publication remote control being used with a host device in the
form of a game machine.
[0048] FIG. 1G illustrates the display of electronic content on the
monitor of a host device controlled by the remote control
illustrated in FIGS. 1B and 1C.
[0049] FIGS. 2A and 2B are illustrations of one embodiment of a
multiple button printed publication remote control in the shut and
open positions respectively in accordance with this invention.
[0050] FIG. 3A is a perspective view of a button for a remote
control such as the remote control of FIG. 1B.
[0051] FIGS. 3B and 3C are the elevation and plan views of the
button shown in FIG. 3A.
[0052] FIG. 4A is an illustrative block diagram of a remote control
and a host device in accordance with this invention.
[0053] FIG. 4B is an illustrative diagram of the remote control
circuitry for connecting the switch, the microcontroller and the
signal transmitter of the remote control of FIG. 4A.
[0054] FIG. 4C is an illustrative flow chart for the software
running in the microcontroller of the remote control of FIG.
4A.
[0055] FIG. 4D is an illustrative diagram of the circuitry for
connecting the signal receiver, microcontroller and microcomputer
of FIG. 4A.
[0056] FIG. 4E is an illustrative flow chart for the software
running in the microcontroller of the host device of FIG. 4A.
[0057] FIG. 5A is a flow chart illustrating the installation of a
software driver in a host device.
[0058] FIGS. 5B and SC are flow charts of alternative embodiments
of a software driver running in the microcomputer of FIG. 4A.
[0059] FIG. 5D illustrates the commands for starting an application
in the DISGO.BAT file executed by the software driver of FIGS. 5A,
5B and 5C.
[0060] FIGS. 5E is an illustrative flow chart of an application
running in the microcomputer of FIG. 4A.
[0061] FIG. 5F, 5G and 5H illustrate electronic content for use
with the application of FIG. 5E.
[0062] FIG. 6A illustrates a storage media remote control in
accordance with this invention.
[0063] FIGS. 6B and 6C are illustrations of one embodiment of a
storage media remote control in the closed and open position
respectively.
[0064] FIGS. 6D and 6E are illustrations of alterative embodiments
of a storage media remote control.
[0065] FIGS. 6F, 6G and 6H illustrate an embodiment of a storage
media remote control in the form of a magazine.
[0066] FIG. 6I illustrates an embodiment of a storage media remote
control having multiple pages.
[0067] FIG. 6J illustrates an embodiment of a storage media remote
control in the form of a CD box.
[0068] FIG. 6K illustrates a data button remote control in
accordance with this invention.
[0069] FIG. 6L illustrates one embodiment of a data button remote
control in the form of a globe of planet earth.
[0070] FIG. 6M illustrates the associated electronic content for
the globe remote control of FIG. 6L.
[0071] FIGS. 6N and 6O illustrate two embodiments of a data button
remote control for an orbiter simulator with text content for
various environments such as Mars, Jupiter, Moon, Earth, Saturn and
Pluto.
[0072] FIG. 6P illustrates the associated electronic content for
the orbiter remote controls of FIGS. 6N and 6O.
[0073] FIG. 7A is a plan view of a printed circuit board for use
with a multiple button remote control, such as the remote control
of FIGS. 6B, 6D, 6E, 6J and 2A.
[0074] FIG. 7B is an illustrative circuit diagram of the remote
control circuitry connected to the switches of the buttons of a
multiple button remote control in one embodiment of this
invention.
[0075] FIG. 7C is an illustrative flow chart of software running in
the microcontroller of FIG. 7A.
[0076] FIG. 7D is a perspective view of a touch panel for a remote
control in accordance with this invention.
[0077] FIGS. 7E and 7F are plan views of the top and bottom sheets
respectively of the touch panel of FIG. 7D.
[0078] FIG. 7G is a composite plan view of the touch panel of FIG.
7D formed by overlaying the top sheet of FIG. 7E on the bottom
sheet of FIG. 7F.
[0079] FIG. 7H is an illustrative circuit diagram of the remote
control circuitry connected to a touch panel of a remote control in
accordance with this invention.
[0080] FIG. 8A is an illustrative flow chart of an application
running in a host device which is responsive to button codes
received from a remote control in accordance with this
invention.
[0081] FIG. 8B illustrates the electronic content of a storage
media for a periodical remote control in accordance with this
invention.
[0082] FIG. 8C illustrates a flow chart for an application for a
periodical remote control in accordance with this invention.
[0083] FIG. 9A is an illustrative data flow diagram for an
application development system.
[0084] FIG. 9B illustrates a method used to develop an application
for an interactive media using the development system of FIG.
9A.
[0085] FIGS. 9C, 9D and 9E illustrate screens of an author
interface used to develop an application for an interactive media
in accordance with this invention.
[0086] FIG. 9F is an illustrative flow chart for the application
creation engine shown in FIG. 9A.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0087] In accordance with this invention, a remote control for
interactive media includes one or more of the following feature(s):
a printed publication, a storage media holder and a data
button.
[0088] A printed publication remote control includes a printed
publication (such as a book, a periodical, a catalog, a brochure, a
postcard, a flyer, a calendar and a document) having human
understandable printed text and/or graphic content which is
visually associated with one or more buttons attached to the
printed publication such that the button(s) allow users to
automatically start-up and remotely control use of associated
electronic content by a host device.
[0089] A storage media remote control includes buttons physically
attached to a housing having a shape and size capable of removably
holding a storage media. A storage media removably but securely
held in the housing is encoded with associated electronic content
which have a descriptive and/or derivative association with the
text and/or graphic content of the housing and remote electronic
associations with the buttons of the storage media remote
control.
[0090] A data button remote control has a data button physically
attached to a housing having data selecting text and/or graphic
content visually associated with the data button. The data button
has a remote electronic association with data specific associated
electronic content.
[0091] As used herein, the term "host device" is intended to mean
any device which can display to the user associated electronic
content encoded in remote and/or local storage media. The host
device can be equipped with a peripheral suitable for retrieving
associated electronic content encoded in a local storage media.
Also, the host device can be equipped with communications hardware
and software suitable for retrieving associated electronic content
encoded in a remote storage media through a remote server. In
accordance with this invention, a host device can be any IBM
personal computer (or clone), Macintosh computer, 3DO platform,
Sega platform, and an interactive television set top.
[0092] As used herein, the term "storage media" is intended to mean
media for storing digital data and/or code such as optical disks
(for example compact disks (CDs)), flexible disks (for example 51/4
floppy disks), rigid disks (for example hard disks), tapes, game
cartridges, memory cards (for example PCMCIA card) or any other
media suitable for use in a host device. The term storage media
includes such structures and any other structure which performs the
function of information storage. In one embodiment the storage
media is removable from a host device although other storage media
(for example on a remote server) can also be used in accordance
with this invention.
[0093] Rather than buttons, alternatively any one of a number of
identifying mechanisms can be used (such as the well-known "koala
pad" structure or a touch panel) which allows the user to transmit
a signal to pull up associated electronic content. The enclosed
description is not intended to limit the types of identifying
mechanisms which can be used to pull up the desired contents on the
storage media but rather it could be illustrative of such
mechanisms. Rather than a touch sensitive device even a wand or a
pointer can be used in a remote control to identify the desired
electronic content to be displayed by a host device.
[0094] In accordance with this invention, associated electronic
content include selections which can contain information found in a
conventional printed publication such as book, magazine, catalog or
other printed document. As used herein, the term "selection" is
intended to mean data and/or code and includes a grouping or
combination of one or more files such as software, still graphics,
picture, text, audio recording, video recording or other data
related to one another, suitable for display by a host device. For
example, a selection can include the multimedia equivalent of a
magazine article or a television program or a digitized song or a
video game software program or a spread sheet for financial
information. While in one embodiment, data and/or code selections
are in multimedia form suitable for use in a multimedia host
device, a single media host device can also be used with suitable
selections in accordance with this invention.
[0095] As used herein, the term "interactive media" is intended to
mean any communication media with which a user can interact such as
a computer, an interactive television and a video game machine.
[0096] As used herein, the term "category" is intended to mean one
or more selections which have some common characteristic. Examples
of categories are "fish" and "birds". A fish category can contain
selections of audio and/or video recordings and text captions
relating to, for example, 200 different fish. Another example of a
category is a "rock and roll music" category encoded on audio CD,
the audio CD containing 20 selections of music, each music
selection being representative of rock and roll music.
[0097] As used herein, the term "application" is intended to mean
code and/or data which interprets button codes from a remote
control. Applications run on host devices. Applications can include
selections or alternatively selections and applications can be
distinct entities. In one embodiment of this invention applications
are distributed to users on storage media housed in a remote
control. In one specific embodiment of this invention, an
application and associated selections are all integrated into a
single executable (such as BUSWEEK.EXE described below). In an
alternative embodiment of this invention, applications for
retrieving and displaying selections are distributed to users
independent of the storage media containing the selections.
Applications and/or selections can be distributed to users and
accessed by a host device through various communication channels
such as phone lines, TV cable and/or satellite link.
[0098] An application in accordance with this invention, includes
code which interacts with the user regardless of whether the code
is created using a high level presentation development system or is
hard coded using a programming language such as C. Furthermore, an
application can include either a small run time engine or a larger
presentation development software for displaying multimedia
selections. In accordance with this invention, an application
and/or selection can reside on removable local storage media and/or
the host device's storage media and/or a remote server. In other
alternative embodiments, a part of the application is resident in
the host device, and another part is resident on a remote server's
storage media and/or a local storage media.
[0099] As used herein, the term "display" is intended to mean
presenting one or more selections by the host device in a form
suitable for use by a human on a display device such as a
monitor/screen, a speaker/headset or a printer. Display includes
running a software program, playing a sound recording (through a
speaker/headset), showing a video recording (on a monitor/screen)
and printing a graphics image (on a printer). As used herein, the
term "use" is intended to be more than mere display and includes
any use whatsoever in a host device.
[0100] As used herein, the term "function/data button" is intended
to mean a button having a remote electronic association which
causes a host device to perform a desired function and/or to
retrieve desired data and/or code and to display the results of
retrieval on the host device. Function/data button can refer to a
function button, a data button or a button having mixed function
and data attributes. A function button causes a host device to
perform a function. Some examples of a function button are a STOP
button, a PRINT button, a left arrow button, a BEGIN button and a
SELECT button. A data button in accordance with this invention is
visually associated with content on the remote control housing
wherein the content indicates to a user one or more categories
and/or selections containing specific data on a storage media
(local or remote). A data button indicates to a host device,
selections containing spcecific data to be retrieved from a local
or remote storage media and to be displayed to the user. Some
examples of a data button are a TRAIN button, a JUPITER button, an
AFRICA button, a BIRDS button, a I WANT TO HOLD YOUR HAND button
and a 100 TOP US COMPANIES IN 1993 button. A mixed function and
data button can indicate retrieval of data with one or more
functions to be performed before and/or after retrieval. Some
examples of mixed function and data button are a NEXT PAGE button,
an ORBIT button, a LAND button, a SKIP button, a REPEAT button, and
an INFO button. A mixed function and data button can also indicate
retrieval of code and execution of retrieved code.
[0101] FIG. 1A illustrates a printed publication remote control 10
for an interactive media in accordance with this invention. Such a
printed publication remote control 10 includes a printed
publication 11 which has printed content. Printed publication 11 is
shown highlighted (double circle) to indicate that the printed
publication is an essential feature included in remote control 10.
Printed content can be any content such as text and/or graphics
which is printed on a housing of printed publication 11.
[0102] Printed publication remote control 10 includes one or more
function/data button(s) 12, remote control circuitry (not shown in
FIG. 1A) and associated electronic content 13. Function/data
button(s) 12 have a physical attachment 14A to printed publication
11. Function/data button(s) 12 have a visual association with the
printed content of printed publication 11.
[0103] Physical attachment 14A and visual association 14B can be
implemented by gluing a button to a page adjacent to associated
printed text and/or graphic content. Printed text and/or graphic
content can also be placed directly on an associated button 12. In
another embodiment, text and/or graphic content are placed far off
from an associated button 12 and visual association 14B is formed
by one or more printed lines on the printed publication which
connect button 12 and the text and/or graphic content to be
associated with button 12. The printed text and/or graphic content
can indicate user directions (such as "Press the button"),
functions and selections (data/code) accessible by a button 12. A
user can review a printed publication by looking at the graphics
and/or reading the text (including reading braille by
touching).
[0104] Function/data button(s) 12 are connected to remote control
circuitry capable of causing a function/data button code to be
transmitted as a wireless signal from remote control 10 to a host
device (not shown in FIG. 1A). On receipt of the wireless signal,
the host device can access associated electronic content 13 to
display the desired results indicated by the text and/or graphic
content of printed publication 11. Therefore, there is a remote
electronic association 15 between function/data button(s) 12 and
associated electronic content 13. There is a representative
(descriptive and/or derivative) association 16 between the text
and/or graphic content of printed publication 11 and associated
electronic content 13.
[0105] Representative association 16 is implemented when a
publisher of a printed publication remote control 10 makes some
indication of associated electronic content 13 in the printed
publication 11, which allows a user to use a button 12 to enjoy
associated electronic content 13 accessible by a user's host
device. Representative association 16 can be descriptive and/or
derivative such as the association between a title, an abstract or
a graphic and the associated electronic content (for example an
icon of a paint brush associated with the software for painting or
an icon of a fire truck associated with a video recording of a fire
truck).
[0106] In one embodiment of this invention, a publisher publishes
the printed content of the printed publication as well as the
associated electronic content (remote or local) simultaneously as a
single interactive media publication. A printed publication remote
control sold to a user includes at least printed publication 11
with physically attached function/data button(s) 12 which have a
visual association 14B with the printed content of printed
publication 11.
[0107] An associated electronic content 13 which forms a part of
remote control 10 and which is accessible by a user's host device
and is encoded either in a removable storage media local to the
host device or in a remote storage media accessible through a
remote server. The removable storage media is physically included
and removably mounted inside a remote control in accordance with
this invention. The remote storage media is not physically included
in remote control 10.
[0108] One embodiment of a remote control for pre-school children
is a picture book remote control in which the associated electronic
content contains content similar or identical to that of standard
children's books such as "Cinderella" and "Pete the Police Car."
Such associated electronic content can include selections
containing drawings and/or photographs with text captions as in the
print version, and/or audio recordings, and/or video recordings for
multimedia host devices.
[0109] FIG. 1B illustrates one embodiment of a picture book remote
control 100 in accordance with this invention. Externally, picture
book remote control 100 looks and feels much like a printed
publication, such as a regular children's book. Picture book remote
control 100 includes a printed publication 101 which has a colorful
front cover 102. Front cover 102, a thick cardboard piece, is a
children's book front cover. Front cover 102 has an outer side 102A
which includes text printed content 103A, "FRED THE FIRE ENGINE An
Interactive Book." Printed content 103A is a descriptive title for
remote control 100.
[0110] Remote control 100 includes a button 104 accessible through
a hole 104H in front cover 102. Printed publication 101 includes,
in addition to front cover 102, a back cover 105 having an inner
side 105A. Inner side 105A has graphic printed content 103B, an
illustration of a fire truck, the fire truck being associated with
electronic content (not shown in FIG. 1C) in the form of a picture,
text, video recording and audio recording of a fire truck which is
displayed to a user by a host device when button 104 is
pressed.
[0111] Button 104 is physically attached by glue to the inner side
105A of back cover 105 (FIG. 1C). Hole 104H has a diameter
d.sub.H=1.5 inch to allow a button 104 of diameter d.sub.B=1.25
inch to be accessible when picture book remote control 100 is shut
by bringing together front cover 102 and back cover 105 (FIG. 1B).
Visual associations between button 104 and text content 103A and
also between button 104 and graphic content 103B and text content
102C are formed because of physically adjacent presence to each
other (without any other intervening button(s) and/or text/graphic
content).
[0112] Picture book remote control 100 includes remote control
circuitry (not shown in FIG. 1B) supported by printed publication
101 and connected to button 104. In one embodiment the remote
control circuitry is embedded in the spine of picture book remote
control 100. In another embodiment, the remote control circuitry is
encased inside button 104. The remote control circuitry is capable
of causing a function identifying button code to be transmitted by
remote control 100 and thus provides a remote electronic
association with electronic content 133A of FIG. 1E which is
accessible to a host device. Picture book remote control 100 has a
length L.sub.B=9.25 inches a height H.sub.P=6.2 inches and a
thickness T.sub.P=0.35 inches (FIG. 1B) Although in one embodiment
there are no pages between front cover 102 and back cover 105, in
alternative embodiments there are pages, such as, for example,
thick cardboard pages similar or identical to the pages in
conventional children's books, with or without additional
buttons.
[0113] In some embodiments, a printed publication remote control
includes a holder for removably holding storage media such as
CD-ROMs. FIG. 1D illustrates a picture book remote control 110
which includes a removable CD ROM storage media 119. Picture book
remote control 110 is similar to picture book remote control 100 in
most respects described above. Picture book remote control 110
includes a printed publication 112, with a front cover 111, and a
button 114 accessible though a hole 114H of front cover 111.
[0114] A storage media holder 118 is physically attached to inner
side 111B of front cover 111. Storage media holder 118 has a
circular inner periphery 118I with diameter d.sub.I=4.75 inch and
thickness t.sub.I=0.10 inch (not shown in FIG. 1D). Storage media
holder 118 is a square holder with a side having width W.sub.O=5.4
inch and a thickness t.sub.O=0.15 inch. Inner periphery 118I is
provided with several notches 118E, 118F, 118G and 118H to
facilitate easy removal of CD ROM 119 from storage media holder
118. Furthermore, storage media holder 118 has several ears 118A,
118B, 118C and 118D which hold CD-ROM 119 securely in place when CD
ROM 119 is removably mounted in storage media holder 118. CD ROM
119 includes the associated electronic content for picture book
remote control 110 (similar or identical to electronic content 133A
of FIG. 1E).
[0115] Printed publication 112 has a spine 114S of thickness
T.sub.S=0.35 inch which connects front cover 111 and back cover
113. When picture book remote control 110 is shut, compact disk 119
is held securely in the resulting enclosure between holder 118, and
back cover 113. Back cover 113 has, on its inner side 113A, text
printed content 113B_1, 113B_2, 113B_3, 113B_4, 113B_5 and 113B_6
which includes a summary description and copyright notice of
associated electronic content 133A encoded in CD ROM 119.
[0116] In an alternative embodiment of this invention, a CD ROM
holder in the form of a pouch having length l.sub.O=5.5 inch and
height a.sub.O=4.75 inch is mounted on back cover 113A. In other
alternative embodiments, the remote control has a storage media
holder of dimensions and structure suitable for removably holding
other types of storage media such as floppy disk (FIG. 6C) and game
cartridge (FIG. 6D).
[0117] Although in one embodiment, a button is physically attached
to the inner side of a back cover of a printed publication, a
button in accordance with this invention can be physically attached
anywhere on a printed publication including the outer side and
inner side of a front cover, a back cover and/or the spine.
[0118] Electronic content 133A encoded in CD-ROM 119 includes
selections having a representative (descriptive/derivative)
association with the text and/or graphic printed content of printed
publication 112. In one embodiment, compact disk 119 is a CD-ROM
manufactured by Sony Corp.
[0119] FIG. 1E illustrates use of picture book remote control 100
with a host device 120 in accordance with this invention. Host
device 120 is an IBM compatible personal computer (PC) equipped
with a monitor 122, a speaker 124A, a CD drive 124B, a keyboard
124C, a mouse 124D, a printer 124E and, a cable/wire 124F connected
to a jack 124G. Host device 120 includes a signal receiver 125
connected via a cable 126 to the microprocessor in host device 120.
In one specific embodiment of this invention, jack 124G is
connected to the Internet computer communication network. In other
embodiments jack 124G is connected to other computer communication
networks (such as Information Super Highway, Prodigy and
CompuServe). In alternative embodiments, jack 124G is connected to
a telephone network, a cable TV network or a satellite network.
[0120] A user such as a child can "read" an interactive media on a
host device 120 by pressing button 104 in remote control 100.
Pressing remote control button 104 causes a "turn to next page"
function identifying button code to be encoded in a wireless signal
and transmitted via a wireless signal link 104S to signal receiver
125. Signal receiver 125 transmits the received button code to a
microprocessor in host device 120 via cable 126. Host device 120
interprets the received button code as command to an application
running in its microprocessor.
[0121] In one embodiment, on receipt of the button code, the
application computes the next page address from the current page
address, retrieves from associated electronic content 133C, the
electronic content for the next page and displays the retrieved
electronic content on host device 120. Such a display causes the
image of a title screen on monitor 122 to be replaced by the image
of the first page of the interactive media, or causes a first page
image to be replaced by a second page image and so on, depending on
the image being displayed when the button code was received.
[0122] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1E the associated electronic
content 133C for picture book remote control 100 is encoded in
remote storage media 132C connected to a remote server 131.
Associated electronic content 133C includes a category of
selections for "FRED THE FIRE ENGINE" which is used with remote
control 100 having the text printed content 103A "FRED THE FIRE
ENGINE."
[0123] In one embodiment of this invention, a portion of the remote
control button code determines the associated electronic content
referenced by the button of a remote control. For example, in one
embodiment, in a remote control button code 0027, the number 27
uniquely identifies the associated electronic content 133C
containing the story of "FRED THE FIRE ENGINE" while the number 00
indicates the title screen.
[0124] A host device 120 can log into remote server 131 and use
remote control button code 0027 to retrieve associated electronic
content 133C, (which has a representative association with text
printed content 103A) and display the title screen. In one
embodiment of this invention each successful retrieval of
associated electronic content by a user's host device causes the
remote server to bill the user for the costs associated with use of
the associated electronic content.
[0125] Also shown in FIG. 1E are electronic contents 133A, 133B and
133D encoded on storage media 132A, 132B and 132D which are
associated with other picture book remote controls. Each such
picture book remote control can have a button capable of
transmitting a button code which distinctly identifies one of the
electronic contents 133A, 133B and 133D and the function/data being
referenced. In an alternative embodiment, a single remote control
includes multiple buttons, with each button distinctly identifying
a different one of electronic contents 133A, 133B, 133C and 133D
(as in FIG. 6B).
[0126] In the embodiment of FIG. 1E, remote server 131 is
accessible to host device 120 via the TV cable system 130 connected
to cable jack 124G. Although in the embodiment of FIG. 1E,
electronic contents 133A, 133B, 133C and 133D are resident on
distinctly separate storage media and accessed through a single
server, such electronic contents can all be resident on a single
storage media or each can be accessible through different servers
in accordance with this invention.
[0127] In one specific embodiment of this invention, host device
120 is an IBM compatible personal computer from Astrix Computer
Corporation, 1546 Centre Pointe Drive, Milpitas, Calif. 95035. Host
device 120 includes multimedia hardware such as a full motion video
card, "Real Magic" available from Sigma Designs, Inc., 47900
Bayside Parkway, Fremont, Calif. 94538. The Real Magic card
implements an audio/video compression algorithm compatible with
MPEG/1 specification available from the Motion Pictures Expert
Group. Host device 120 also includes a commercially available CD
drive, NEC CDR/84 available from NEC Corporation. In an alternative
embodiment of this invention, host device 120 includes the full
motion video card "ProAudio Spectrum 16" available from Media
Vision Inc., 47300 Bayside Parkway, Fremont, Calif. 94538.
[0128] In one embodiment of this invention host device 120 is a
Macintosh personal computer (PC) equipped with a monitor, a floppy
drive, a speaker, a headset, a signal receiver, a CD drive and a
keyboard.
[0129] In one embodiment of this invention, remote control 100
includes a signal transmitter (as described below) for transmission
of a button code from button 104 as a wireless signal, which can be
received by signal receiver 125. In one embodiment, cable 126 is an
RS 232 serial cable. In the embodiment described above, each time
button 104 is pressed, a function identifying button code is
transmitted by remote control 100 and an application running in
host device 120 retrieves the electronic content for the next page
until reaching the back cover after which, on the next retrieval
and display the host device goes back to the beginning and displays
the title screen.
[0130] FIG. 1F shows a picture book remote control 115 being used
with a host device in the form of a game machine platform 150. Text
content 116F and graphic content 116G are visually associated with
button 116C on front cover 116. A game cartridge is removably
mounted inside a holder in interactive book remote control 115 (as
shown in FIG. 6D).
[0131] Game machine platform 150 includes a television 141, which
has a screen (also called a "monitor"). Game machine platform 150
also includes a game machine 142 connected to television 141 by a
cable 145C. Game machine 142 includes a built-in receiver 143, a
modem 144A, a fax card 144B, a battery protected memory card 144C
and game cartridge receiver 149. Game cartridge receiver 149 is
suitable for retrieving the electronic contents encoded in a game
cartridge. Game machine 142 is connected via a cable 145A to a
telephone jack 146. Game machine 142 is also connected to a
satellite antennae 148 by a cable wire 145D.
[0132] Although a game machine 142 is being described and shown in
FIG. 1F, other host devices such as an interactive television set
top can be used instead of game machine 142 in accordance with this
invention.
[0133] Modem 144A of game machine 142 permits a game machine
platform 150 to communicate with devices connected via a modem to
the telephone network (not shown). Game machine platform 150
supports applications involving multiple users participating in a
single video game application. Alternatively applications which
permit a user to purchase various products by merely pressing a
button in a remote control (as described below) can be used in game
machine platform 150.
[0134] A telephone 147 is connected by phone cable 145B to phone
jack 146 and permits a user to have a voice link with another user.
Alternatively telephone 147 can be used by a user to communicate
with a publisher of interactive media or an advertiser of products
in a periodical remote control (as described below). In one
embodiment of this invention, a user's credit card number and
password are saved in battery protected memory card 144C for use by
an application to order an advertised product when a user issues a
buy command using a remote control (as described below in reference
to application 860).
[0135] One advantage of combining a button and a printed
publication into a single remote control as described above is that
a button of the remote control can be uniquely customized depending
on the specific text and/or graphic content of the printed
publication and depending on the associated electronic content.
[0136] Another advantage of a printed publication remote control is
that such a remote control can be sold through the existing normal
printed publication channels such as a book store, a magazine stand
and direct mail order.
[0137] A picture book remote control with one and only one button
which causes page turning and caption reading on a host device
allows even preschool children to enjoy interactive multimedia
CD-ROM books on a host device without need for parental
assistance.
[0138] In accordance with this invention, a user, such as a two
year old child, can remove storage media 119 (FIG. 1D) from housing
118 of a remote control 110 and insert storage media 119 into a
host device's peripheral 124B (FIG. 1E). As soon as storage media
119 is inserted, an application automatically starts and the
interactive media's title screen is retrieved from storage media
119 and displayed on monitor 122 of host device 120.
[0139] Alternatively, in a remote control associated with
electronic content encoded on a remote storage media, as soon as a
button (such as button 104 of remote control 100) is touched by a
user, an application automatically starts on host device 120 and
communicates with a remote server to access the remote storage
media. Either some portion or all of an associated electronic
content 133C is retrieved by the application and the title screen
is displayed on monitor 122 of host device 120. Also, in some
embodiments audio is displayed through speaker 124A. The display of
audio depends on content of the selection available to the
application running in host device 120.
[0140] Next, if button 104 on remote control 100 is pressed, a book
"opens" on monitor 122 (irrespective of whether local or remote
storage media is being used). After the title screen, a first page
160 is displayed on monitor 122 (FIG. 1G). First page 160 includes
graphic content 164 illustrating the fire truck and text content
162 which reads "Fred is sleeping at the fire station."
[0141] When button 104 is pressed again, a sound recording of text
content 162 is displayed through speaker 124, while graphic content
164 and text content 162 continue to be displayed on monitor 122.
Next time button 104 is pressed, the text and graphic content for
page 2 are displayed (not shown). In this manner, preschool
children can now enjoy interactive media using just one simple
button on the remote control.
[0142] In an alternative embodiment, pressing a button of a remote
control a second time turns the page on monitor 122 instead of the
text content being read to the user. In other alternative
embodiments, other multimedia events such as full motion video,
sound effects and multiple choice questions are presented to a user
depending on when a button of a remote control is pressed and the
programming of the selection and application.
[0143] In one embodiment of this invention, a picture book remote
control can be created from off-the-shelf children's sound books
such as "Fred the Fire Engine", "Cinderella" and "Pete the Police
Car", commonly available in bookstores such as Barnes & Noble
Bookstore, 3600 Stevens Creek Boulevard, San Jose, Calif.
95117.
[0144] Children's sound books contain one or more sound buttons
which, when pressed, play sound (for example, the sound of a fire
engine) through a speaker inside the sound book. Such a children's
book is modified to create a picture book remote control by
removing all pages between the front and back covers, modifying the
sound buttons and optionally gluing a CD holder on the inside back
cover of the sound book. The sound buttons are modified by removing
the existing sound electronics and substituting the remote control
circuitry as described below. The CD holder can be any commercially
available CD holder such as DIGIPAK available from AGI Inc. 153 2nd
Street, Los Altos, Calif. 94022 (415) 949-5870.
[0145] Although one embodiment of a picture book remote control is
created by modifying a children's sound book, in another embodiment
of this invention, a picture book remote control is mass produced
from various new materials. Although in one embodiment, a storage
media holder is physically attached to a printed publication, in
another embodiment, the holder is formed integral with the printed
publication and the button is physically attached to the holder
(FIG. 6H). In an alternative embodiment, the buttons are formed
integral with the housing of a remote control (FIG. 7D).
[0146] An interactive media remote control with multiple buttons
permits a wide variety and range of interactivity between a user
and a host device. The multiple buttons are mounted on a flexible
printed circuit board which is bound into the housing of the
printed publication to form a remote control for an interactive
media. The number of buttons included in a remote control depends
on the associated electronic content. Simple multiple button remote
controls (for example for two year olds) can have two, three or
four buttons. More advanced remote controls can have an entire
computer keyboard.
[0147] FIGS. 2A and 2B are illustrations of one embodiment of a
multiple button remote control 200 in the closed and opened
positions respectively. Remote control 200 includes a printed
publication 210 which has a front cover 221 and a back cover 222
joined by a spine 223. Outerside 221A of front cover 221 has text
printed content 224 " THE THREE LITTLE PIGGIES". Remote control 200
has a number of buttons: NEXT button 225A, PREVIOUS button 225B,
BEGIN button 225C and END button 225D, all of which are mounted on
back cover 222 of printed publication 210.
[0148] Remote control 200 also includes remote control circuitry
226 and transmitter 226A such that when any of buttons 225A, 225B,
225C and 225D is pressed, a corresponding function identifying
button code is transmitted via transmitter 226A. Remote control 200
has a height H.sub.P=7.85 inch (FIG. 2A) with front cover 221
having a length L.sub.F=6.6 inch, back cover 223 having a length
L.sub.B=8.5 inch and spine 223 having a width T.sub.S=0.35 inch
(FIG. 2B)
[0149] Mounted on inner side 221B of front cover 221 is a CD ROM
holder 228 in which is removably mounted CD ROM 229. On inner side
222A of back cover 222 is text and/or graphic printed content 227
which is part of printed publication 210. Encoded in CD ROM 229 is
associated electronic content having a representative association
with text and/or graphic printed content 227 and text printed
content 224 of printed publication 210.
[0150] Physically attached to a surface of each of buttons 225A,
225B, 225C and 225D is a corresponding text content 230A ("NEXT"),
230B ("PREVIOUS"), 230C ("BEGIN") and 230D ("END"). For instance,
when NEXT button 225A is pressed, remote control circuitry 226
causes a remote control button code indicating the next page to be
transmitted by transmitter 226A to a host device 120 (FIG. 1E). The
remote control button code is interpreted by host device 120 which
computes the next page from the page currently being displayed and
then retrieves the corresponding electronic content from CD ROM
229.
[0151] A similar previous page function is implemented on pressing
PREVIOUS button 225B. When BEGIN button 225C is pressed, host
device 120 looks up the starting address for the selection, "THREE
LITTLE PIGGY'S" and retrieves the electronic content for the title
screen from CD ROM 229. Similarly, host device 120 retrieves the
electronic content for the back cover when button 225D is pressed.
The results of retrieval are then displayed to the user by host
device 120. Therefore buttons 225A and 225B allow a user to
sequentially access the pages of selection "THE THREE LITTLE
PIGGY'S" whereas buttons 225C and 225D allow the user to directly
access the beginning or the end of the selection.
[0152] Although picture book remote controls 100, 115 and 200 have
been described above as printed publication remote controls, they
can also be described as storage media remote controls (described
below).
[0153] FIG. 3A is an illustrative perspective view of a button 301
for a single button remote control (such as button 104 shown in
FIGS. 1B and 1C). In the embodiment of FIG. 3A, button 301 is a
large plastic button that contains all remote control circuitry
enclosed in a self-contained unit. However, remote control
circuitry can also be provided outside a button (FIGS. 2B and
7A).
[0154] Button 301 has an enclosure wall 308 (made of red plastic
transparent to infrared light in one embodiment of this invention).
Button 301 has a button surface 302 which is spring mounted and
surrounded by enclosure wall 308. A graphic content 302A of a fire
truck is physically attached to button surface 302.
[0155] FIGS. 3B and 3C are the elevation and plan views of button
301 of FIG. 3A. As shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, surrounded by
enclosure wall 308 is remote control circuitry including a round
printed circuit board (PCB) 303 with electronic components, such as
an infrared light emitting device (LED) 304 and a microcontroller
305. Infrared LED 304 is mounted at a location that ensures proper
transmission of infrared signals through button 301. Button 301
also includes a switch activating protrusion 306 attached to PCB
303. Although in FIG. 3B protrusion 306 is attached to PCB 303, in
another embodiment of this invention, protrusion 306 is attached to
button surface 302.
[0156] Enclosure wall 308 acts as a guide for button surface 302 to
permit reciprocating motion of protrusion 306 with respect to PCB
303. In the embodiment of FIG. 3C microcontroller 305 is mounted in
die form on PCB 303 to save space and ensure compact nature of
button 301. Also, button 301 is powered by two button cells 307A
and 307B (FIG. 3C).
[0157] In one embodiment, infrared LED 304 is mounted facing a
transparent surface such as enclosure wall 308 (FIG. 3B) (or
opposite a transparent button surface in an alternative
embodiment). Button 301 can be formed from a sound button of an
existing children's book by drilling a hole in button surface 302
of button 301 to accommodate infrared LED 304. Alternatively,
infrared LED 304 can be mounted facing a hole in an enclosure wall
308, if necessary.
[0158] In accordance with this invention, instead of
microcontroller 305, other logic circuits can be used such as an
ASIC, a PLD or a FPGA (appropriately programmed). A microprocessor
can also be used if desired for this function, although the cost
will be higher than the cost of a microcontroller.
[0159] Furthermore, instead of infrared LED 304, other types of
wireless signal transmitters such as a radio frequency transmitter
or an ultrasonic transmitter can also be used in accordance with
this invention.
[0160] Any sized button can be used in accordance with this
invention. In one specific embodiment, remote control button 301 is
one inch in diameter. In another embodiment the whole surface of a
front cover of a remote control is a button (FIG. 7D).
[0161] Microcontroller 305 is normally in SLEEP mode. If a user
pushes on button surface 302 of button 301 by a distance sufficient
for protrusion 306 to contact button surface 302, microcontroller
305 wakes up and sends a single button code by pulsing infrared LED
304. Microcontroller 305 then immediately returns to SLEEP mode
even before button 301 is released by the user.
[0162] In one embodiment of this invention, the button code sent by
microcontroller 305 corresponds to the pressing of a mouse button
on a mouse connected to a host device. In one specific embodiment
of a picture book remote control, the button code sent by the
remote control corresponds to the button code generated by pressing
a left mouse button in a mouse of an IBM personal computer (PC).
However, in alternative embodiments, the button's switch (formed by
protrusion 306 and PCB 303) is connected to other pins on
microcontroller 305 so that a different button code is
generated.
[0163] In accordance with this invention, any number can be used as
a button code as long as the corresponding application can
recognize the received number and perform the desired function
(such as "STOP"). Although in one embodiment of this invention, the
button code generated by each button is unique, in other
embodiments, the same button code can be generated by more than one
button to indicate the same desired function and/or data.
[0164] One advantage of enclosing remote control circuitry inside
button 301 is that the switch and circuitry are combined into a
single unit resulting in simplicity of design and cost savings.
Also, a large sized button allows even pre-school children to
easily use a remote control for an interactive media.
[0165] FIG. 4A is an illustrative block diagram of one embodiment
of a remote control 400 for an interactive media being used with a
host device 420. Remote control 400 includes a button 401 which
includes a switch 402, and remote control circuitry 410 connected
to each other by switch output line 403. Remote control circuitry
410 includes a microcontroller 404 and a signal transmitter 406.
Switch 402 is connected by switch output line 403 to an input pin
404I of microcontroller 404. An output pin 404O of microcontroller
404 is connected by transmitter input line 405 to signal
transmitter 406.
[0166] When button 401 is pressed by a user, microcontroller 404
detects the closure of switch 402 via switch output line 403.
Microcontroller 404 then sends a signal to signal transmitter 406
via transmitter input line 405. In one particular embodiment,
signal transmitter 406 is an infrared transmitter such as an
infrared LED 304 (above).
[0167] Signal transmitter 406 transmits a wireless signal 407 to a
host device 420 (such as host device 120 of FIG. 1E. Host device
420 senses wireless signal 407 in a signal receiver 422. Signal
receiver 422 is connected by receiver output line 423 to
microcontroller 424. On receipt of a signal from remote control
400, signal receiver 422 sends a signal on receiver output line 423
to microcontroller 424. Microcontroller 424 is connected to a
microcomputer 426 by microcomputer input line 425.
[0168] Microcomputer 426 includes several components such as a
central processing unit 427A (for example, Intel microprocessor
80486), a read only memory (ROM) 427B in which is stored a basic
input output system (BIOS), a display device 433 and main memory
435. Main memory 435 contains an autostart driver 436, and an
application 437. Microcomputer 426 also has removable storage media
peripherals 428 and 432 containing storage media 428M and 432M
respectively. Storage media 428M is a local storage media which was
removed by a user from a remote control and inserted into removable
storage media peripheral 428, storage media 428M includes three
files: DISGOKEY.EXE 429, DISGO.BAT 430, and BUSWEEK.EXE 431
(described below). Storage media 432M is a boot disk containing an
operating system such as Microsoft.TM. DOS. All the components of
microcomputer 426 are operatively coupled to central processing
unit 427A through a bus, such as the well known ISA bus (not
shown).
[0169] Also shown in FIG. 4A is a communication line 438 connecting
host device 420 to a remote server 439. Remote server 439 allows
host device 420 to access remote storage media 439M which can be
encoded with associated electronic content for remote control
400.
[0170] Microcomputer 426 passes to application 437 any button codes
received from microcontroller 424. Application 437 interprets the
received button code as a user command such as a command to turn
pages in the currently displayed selection. Application 437 is a
memory resident version of the executable application encoded in
storage media 428M (such as BUSWEEK.EXE 431 described below).
[0171] FIG. 4B is an illustrative circuit diagram of remote control
circuitry 410 for one embodiment of a button 401 described above.
Remote control circuitry 410 is formed on a PCB 303 supported on a
housing of one embodiment of a remote control, as described above.
Microcontroller 404 of remote control circuitry 410 has various
pins including VB2 power pin 404A, VB1 power pin 404B and FB3 reset
pin 404C which are tied to the positive terminal of power supply
307 (formed by batteries 307A and 307B connected in series).
Microcontroller 404 is also connected through a X1 pin 404J and X2
pin 404H to a resonator crystal 445 which causes an oscillator in
microcontroller 404 to oscillate (in one embodiment at 3.58
MHz).
[0172] Signal transmitter 406 (dotted line) includes an npn
transistor 442, an LED 443 and a resistor 444. Transmitter input
line 405 connects the base of transistor 442 to SOUT/CD/FB2/C4 pin
404O of microcontroller 404. The collector of transistor 442 is
connected to the cathode of LED 443. The anode of LED 443 is
connected to one end of resistor 444. The other end of resistor 444
is connected to the positive terminal of power supply 307. The
emitter of transistor 442 is connected to the negative terminal of
power supply 307. The VSS pin 404G of microcontroller 404 is also
connected to the negative terminal of power supply 307.
[0173] Initially, the CR/RB/C2 input pin 404I of microcontroller
404 is internally pulled down to ground by an internal resistor
while the enable EB pin 404E of the microcontroller is forced high.
Therefore microcontroller 404 is triggered when switch 402 is
depressed sufficiently to short CR/RB/C2 pin 404O to EB pin 404E
and force pin 404I high. Such a closure of switch 402 causes a
button interrupt to awaken software running in microcontroller 404.
The software rapidly pulses transistor 442 via SOUT/CD/FB2/C4 pin
404O. Transistor 442 in turn causes infrared LED 443 to transmit a
modulated infrared signal 407.
[0174] In one embodiment, infrared signal 407 has the form of an
infrared RS232C serial link at 1200 baud modulated with a 40 KHz
carrier with 1's represented by 40 KHz square wave (25 pulses to
600 sec interval) and 0's by zero volts. Approximately 800 m Amp of
current flow through LED 443, limited only by resistor 444. The
current through LED 443 is limited by resistor 444 to approximately
400 m Amp. In another embodiment two transistors are used to
increase current through LED 443 as described in copending U.S.
patent application 08/076,032 filed Jun. 15, 1993 incorporated
herein in its entirety.
[0175] In the embodiment of FIG. 4B, microcontroller 404 is a
Motorola Microcontroller, M68HC05K0 available from Motorola Inc.,
Semiconductor Products Sector 2100 E. Elliot Road, Tempe, Ariz.
85284. In FIG. 4B transistor 442 is MMBT4401 also available from
Motorola, Inc. Infrared LED 443 is NEC-SE1003C available from NEC
Electronics, Inc., 475 Ellis Street, Mountain View, Calif. 94043,
resistor 444 is a 1 ohm resistor, resonator 445 is a 3.58 MHz
resonator Part # KBR 3.58MKS available from Kyocera America, 8611
Balboa Avenue, San Diego, Calif. 92123. Power supply 307 is two 1.5
volt watch batteries connected in series, Part # GR927 available
from Panasonic Industrial Co., 1600 McCandless Drive, Milpitas,
Calif. 95035 (408) 946-7481. Switch 402 is Part # JPM 1110
available from SMK Electronics Corp., 4633 Old Ironsides Drive,
Suite 403, Santa Clara, Calif. 95054.
[0176] One advantage of the circuit of FIG. 4B is its extremely low
power consumption which allows the use of watch batteries 307A and
307B and results in a compact size. Also, use of microcontroller
404 with software which emulates the Microsoft mouse (FIG. 4C and
Appendix A), eliminates the need for a special driver to generate
button codes for transmission to a host device.
[0177] FIG. 4C is an illustrative flow chart of the software
running in microcontroller 404 of FIG. 4A. As shown in FIG. 4C,
microcontroller 404 initializes variables in step 451 and then goes
to step 453 via branch 452. Microcontroller 404 then executes steps
453 and 456 in an infinite loop as shown by branches 452, 455 and
457. In step 453, microcontroller 404 waits for a button interrupt
in a SLEEP mode. Microcontroller 404 stays in step 453 as shown by
branch 454, until a button interrupt is received.
[0178] As noted above, a button interrupt is generated when switch
402 is closed by a user pressing on a button surface of button 401
(FIG. 4A). Once a button interrupt is received, microcontroller 404
goes via branch 455 to step 456. In step 456, microcontroller 404
sends a button code by rapidly pulsing infrared LED 443. In one
specific embodiment, a button code includes a button press code and
a button released code. The button released code is sent
immediately following the sending of the button pressed code. After
sending infrared signal 407 (FIG. 4A), microcontroller 404 goes
back via branches 457 and 452 to step 453 where microcontroller 404
continues in the SLEEP mode.
[0179] In an alternative embodiment of this invention, instead of
microcontroller 404 transmitting a button released code immediately
after a button pressed code, microcontroller 404 first transmits
the button pressed code and when the button is released, a button
released code is transmitted, as shown by the software listed in
Appendix A. The Appendix A software can be compiled and linked by
Motorola M68HC705KICS In-Circuit Simulator available from Motorola,
Inc. (at above address).
[0180] FIG. 4D is an illustrative circuit diagram for one
embodiment of a signal receiver 422 in accordance with this
invention. Signal receiver 422 is described in detail in the
co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/076,032 and filing
date Jun. 15, 1993, referenced above, with 5.1K ohm resistor 463A
added to pull TXD to -5V when transistor 470 is off. Pin 3 on
connector 469 is RXD.
[0181] Signal receiver 422 includes an infrared photodiode 461, a
microcontroller 424, a resonator 473, FETs 404 and 470, diodes 465
and 466, LED 472, capacitor 468, resistors 463, 463A and 471 and a
voltage regulator 467. Signal receiver 422 derives VCC power from
the serial port of a microcomputer 426 (FIG. 4A). In one
embodiment, microcontroller 424 is the Motorola Microcontroller
M68HC05K0 (above address).
[0182] Resonator 473 is a 3.58 MHz resonator Part # KBR 3.58 MKS
from Kyocera America (above address). Infrared photodiode 461 is
the module GPIU52Y available from Sharp Microelectronics, 5700 NW
Pacific Rim Boulevard, Camas, Wash. 98607. Transistors 464 and 470
are MOS FET, 2N7002 available from Motorola, Inc. (above
address).
[0183] FIG. 4E is an illustrative flow chart 480 for the software
running in the microcontroller 424 of FIG. 4D. The software for
FIG. 4E is listed in Appendix A and described in detail in the
copending application referenced above. The software can be
compiled and linked by the Motorola M68HC70SKICS (above
address).
[0184] As seen from FIG. 4E, USOUT output of microcontroller 424
follows and inverts SIN input except when RTS goes low in which
case an identifying ASCII byte "M" is output on USOUT.
[0185] In accordance with this invention, a user can place a
storage media (such as CD-ROM 110) into a compatible peripheral of
a powered up and booted host device (such as host device 120)
running an operating system and automatically retrieve selections
encoded in the storage media using a remote control without
touching any keys or switches of the host device. To facilitate
automatic detection of insertion of a storage media, a host device
is installed during booting with an autostart driver which
periodically polls one or more peripherals of the host device. In
an alternative embodiment, the autostart driver is invoked by an
interrupt from a removable storage media peripheral caused by
insertion of a storage media into the peripheral.
[0186] In one embodiment of this invention, all host devices are
configured with an autostart driver (described below). The
autostart driver is installed during the start up of a host device
such as host device 120 by inserting an instruction to install the
autostart driver in "CONFIG.SYS" in a boot disk of host device 120.
For example, the instruction "DEVICE EQUALS
C:.backslash.V6.000.backslash.AUTOSTRT.SYS" can be inserted in
CONFIG.SYS for an IBM PC host device.
[0187] In one embodiment of this invention, a host device 120
executes step by step each instruction illustrated by the flow
chart 500 of FIG. 5A. When a user turns on the power to host device
120, host device 120 powers up and performs self test in step 501.
Then host device 120 goes via branch 502 to step 503 where host
device 120 executes firmware encoded in a ROM on the mother board
of host device 120. Then host device 120 goes via branch 504 to
step 505 where host device 120 boots the operating system from a
storage media, wherein the storage media containing the operating
system can be either a removable storage media (such as a floppy
disk) or a permanent storage media which is an integral part of
host device 120 (such as a hard drive). During booting, host device
120 checks for initialization files such as startup files and
configuration files. on finding a valid initialization file, host
device 120 uses the initialization file during booting. Then host
device 120 goes via branch 506 to step 507 where host device 120
installs an autostart driver (such as driver 436) in main memory
(such as memory 435). Then host device 120 goes via branch 508 to
step 509 where host device 120 executes the instructions coded in
the installed autostart driver.
[0188] Although not shown in FIG. 5A, host device 120 can execute
several instructions unrelated to installing an autostart driver at
various points not shown in flow chart 500 (such as within branch
506 to install other drivers and within branch 508 to execute other
drivers).
[0189] In one embodiment of this invention, an autostart driver in
a host device 120 detects insertion of a storage media and upon
detection of a storage media such as CD-ROM 119 in a peripheral,
seeks a file having a first predetermined name such as, the unique
symbol DISGO.TM.. A predetermined name is any name which is
determined ahead of time and which is consistently used in the
autostart driver and also in compatible storage media. In one
embodiment of this invention, files with first and second
predetermined names (such as DISGOKEY.EXE and DISGO.BAT) are
present in a set of storage medias released by licensees of the
owner of this patent. At the very least, a file with second
predetermined name (such as DISGO.BAT) must be present on a storage
media to be compatible with an autostart driver which seeks a file
of the second predetermined name DISGO.BAT in accordance with this
invention.
[0190] Every file having the second predetermined name (such as
DISGO.BAT 430 of FIG. 4A) contains a sequence of application
start-up instructions to be executed to start an application for
using selections encoded in the inserted storage media. In one
embodiment of this invention, the file with second predetermined
name is executed by a user manually. In another embodiment of this
invention, the file with second predetermined name is executed by
an autostart driver of a host device.
[0191] Application start-up instructions include for example the
instruction to (1) start application either from the inserted
storage media or alternatively from a remote server's storage
media, (2) access a specified location on the inserted storage
media, (3) retrieve and display certain selections contained at a
location on the storage media, and/or (4) execute certain
application instructions located in memory of the host device or in
the storage media.
[0192] Prior to starting an application, the autostart driver can
seek to identify a security key to ensure the authenticity of the
storage media and then execute the sequence of application start-up
instructions once the security key has been correctly identified.
For example, the key could be a uniquely identifiable encoding in
the inserted storage media of a copyright notice in file of a first
predetermined name (driver 436) such as, DISGOKEY.EXE.
[0193] FIG. 5B is a flow chart of an autostart driver 510 running
on microcomputer 426 of a host device 420 in accordance with this
invention. Autostart driver 510 at first initializes variables in
step 511 and goes via branch 512 to step 513. In step 513,
autostart driver 510 enables interrupt from removable storage media
peripherals. A removable storage media peripheral is any peripheral
of a host device into which a storage media can be removably and
repeatedly inserted and with drawn, for example drive A, drive B
and a CD drive of an IBM PC host device 120.
[0194] Then autostart driver 510 goes via branch 514 to step 515.
In step 515, autostart driver 510 waits for an interrupt from a
removable storage media peripheral. Then on receipt of an
interrupt, autostart driver 510 goes via branch 516 to decision box
517. In decision box 517 autostart driver 510 checks to see if a
file of a first predetermined name DISGOKEY.EXE is accessible from
the removable storage media peripheral which caused the interrupt.
If DISGOKEY.EXE is not accessible, autostart driver 510 goes via
branches 531 and 532 back to step 515 (described above).
[0195] If DISGOKEY.EXE is accessible in the removable storage media
peripheral which caused the interrupt, autostart driver 510 goes
via branch 518 to step 519. In step 519, autostart driver 510
checks to see if a security key is present in a file of a first
predetermined name on the storage media. For example, autostart
driver 510 opens the file of first predetermined name, DISGOKEY.EXE
and compares the bitmap in DISGOKEY.EXE with a bitmap locally hard
coded in autostart driver 510. Then autostart driver 510 goes via
branch 520 to decision box 521.
[0196] In decision box 521 autostart driver 510 checks if the
bitmap in DISGOKEY.EXE was valid. If the bitmap in DISGOKEY.EXE was
invalid, autostart driver 510 goes via branches 522 and 552 back to
step 515 (described above). Alternatively if DISGOKEY.EXE bitmap is
valid, autostart driver 510 goes via branch 523 to decision box
524.
[0197] In decision box 524, autostart driver 510 checks to see if a
file of a second predetermined name DISGO.BAT is accessible from
the removable storage media peripheral which caused the interrupt.
If DISGO.BAT is not accessible, autostart driver 510 goes via
branches 525 and 532 back to step 515 (described above). If
DISGO.BAT is accessible in the removable storage media peripheral
which caused the interrupt, autostart driver 510 goes via branch
526 to step 527.
[0198] In step 527 autostart driver 510 stores the peripheral name
in which DISGO.BAT was found and in which DISGOKEY.EXE was found
valid into a variable X. For example, autostart driver 510 can
store the drive letter A in variable X if a removable storage media
containing DISGO.BAT and a valid DISGOKEY.EXE was inserted in drive
A of IBM PC host device 120.
[0199] Then autostart driver 510 disables the interrupt that were
enabled in step 513. The disabling of interrupts allows autostart
driver 510 to execute an application without being interrupted by
user insertion of a removable storage media. Then autostart driver
510 goes via branch 528 to step 529. In step 529 autostart driver
510 executes the command X:DISGO.BAT which executes instructions in
DISGO.BAT of the removable storage media inserted by a user into
the peripheral of host device 120. DISGO.BAT in turn loads into
main memory at least a portion of the software of the application
encoded on the inserted storage media and then passes control to
the application. The application interprets the button codes of the
wireless signal transmitted by a user pressing an associated button
of a remote control (as described below) in accordance with this
invention.
[0200] Once the application has terminated, control returns from
the application to step 529 of autostart driver 510. Autostart
driver 510 goes via branch 530 back to step 513 (described above)
which allows autostart driver 510 to continue to be responsive to
the insertion of a'storage media into a peripheral of host device
120.
[0201] In another embodiment of this invention, in step 529,
instead of the autostart driver executing the instructions in
DISGO.BAT as shown in FIG. 5B, the autostart driver starts up or
spawns a new process which executes the instructions in
DISGO.BAT.
[0202] When autostart driver 510 fails to find a DISGO.BAT or fails
to find a DISGOKEY.EXE or if DISGOKEY.EXE bitmap is invalid,
autostart driver 510 returns to step 515 (as noted above) so that a
user can invoke other applications encoded on a removable storage
media in the conventional manner, thus bypassing the automatic
startup feature provided by autostart driver 510.
[0203] In an alternate embodiment of this invention, an autostart
driver 510 skips steps 517, 519 and 521 in which a security key is
checked. In such an embodiment, autostart driver 510 goes from step
515 via branch 533 (shown dotted) to step 523.
[0204] FIG. 5C shows an alternative embodiment of an autostart
driver 540 in accordance with this invention. Autostart driver 540
is similar to autostart driver 510 except that instead of setting
up and waiting on interrupts from removable storage media
peripherals, autostart driver 540 sets up a timer interrupt and
waits on the timer interrupt, thereby periodically checking the
peripherals of a host device such as host device 120.
[0205] Autostart driver 540 initializes variables in step 541 and
goes via branch 542 to step 543. In step 543, autostart driver 540
sets a timer period to one second. Then autostart driver 540 goes
via branch 544 to step 545. In step 545 autostart driver 540
enables the timer interrupt.
[0206] Then autostart driver 540 goes via branch 546 to step 547.
In step 547 autostart driver 540 waits for a timer interrupt. Then
autostart driver 540 on receiving an interrupt from the timer
(which occurs after one second, the timer period set in step 543)
autostart driver 540 goes via branch 548 to step 549. In step 549,
autostart driver 540 sets the current peripheral variable to the
name of the first removable storage media peripheral in host device
120. Then autostart driver 540 goes via branch 550 to decision box
551. In decision box 551 autostart driver 540 checks to see if the
file DISGOKEY.EXE is present in the peripheral having the name in
the current peripheral variable. If autostart driver 540 is
unsuccessful (either because a storage media is not present in the
current peripheral or the file DISGOKEY.EXE is not present in the
storage media) then autostart driver 540 goes via branch 552 to
decision box 553.
[0207] In decision box 553 autostart driver 540 decides whether all
removable storage media peripherals of host device 120 have been
checked during the current timer interrupt. If autostart driver 540
finds that not all the removable storage media peripherals have
been checked, autostart driver 540 goes via branch 554 to step 555.
In step 555 autostart driver 540 increments the current peripheral
variable by setting the peripheral name of the next removable
storage media peripheral to the current peripheral variable. Then
autostart driver 540 goes via branch 556 and 550 back to decision
box 551 (described above). If all of the removable storage media
peripherals have been checked in decision box 553, then autostart
driver 540 goes via branch 571 to step 547.
[0208] If DISGOKEY.EXE was found by autostart driver 540 in
decision box 551, autostart driver 540 goes via branch 557 to step
558. Step 558, branch 559 and decision box 560 are similar to step
519, branch 520 and decision box 521 (described above in reference
to FIG. 5B). If autostart driver 540 is unsuccessful in decision
box 560, autostart driver 540 goes via branch 561 to decision box
553 (described above). If autostart driver 540 is successful in
decision box 560, autostart driver 540 goes via branch 562 to
decision box 563. In decision box 563, autostart driver 540 checks
if DISGO.BAT is present in the current peripheral. If
autostart-driver is unsuccessful in decision box 563, autostart
driver 540 goes via branch 564 to decision box 553 else autostart
driver 540 goes to step 566 via branch 565.
[0209] In step 566 autostart driver 540 stores the name of the
peripheral in which DISGO.BAT was found in variable X and disables
the timer interrupt enabled in step 535. Then autostart driver 540
goes via branch 567 to step 568 which is similar to step 529 (FIG.
5B). Once the application has completed, and control has returned
to autostart driver 540, autostart driver 540 goes via branch 569
to step 545 described above.
[0210] In an alternative embodiment of autostart driver 540,
decision box 551, step 558 and decision box 560 are skipped by
using branch 570 (shown dotted) to go from step 549 to step
563.
[0211] Although in FIGS. 5A, 5B and 5C, the host device is shown
being configured with an autostart driver which is a separate
executable image, the instructions to a host device shown in FIG.
5A, 5B and 5C can be issued in other forms suitable for the host
device (such as commands to the operating system).
[0212] Although in one embodiment of this invention, the autostart
driver includes instructions executed by a central processing unit,
in an alternative embodiment, the host device includes a first
hardwired logic which detects insertion of a storage media into a
peripheral. A second hardwired logic checks the inserted storage
media for a file of a first predetermined name and compares a
bitmap in the file with a bitmap stored in a read only memory. In
another embodiment, there is a third hardwired logic which checks
for a file of a second predetermined name. In one specific
embodiment of this invention, the first, second and third hardwired
logics are all included in the peripheral's hardware and generate
an autostart interrupt to the central processing unit on a
successful result. On receipt of the autostart interrupt, the
central processing unit executes the file of the second
predetermined name from the peripheral which generated the
autostart interrupt.
[0213] FIG. 5D shows the contents of the file with second
predetermined name DISGO.BAT 430 which is invoked in step 524 by
autostart driver 510 and in step 563 by autostart driver 540.
DISGO.BAT 430 contains the operating system command 574 which reads
"X:". Operating system command 574 changes the current default
drive to the drive in which a storage media has been inserted. The
next command in DISGO.BAT 430 is operating system command 575 which
reads ".backslash.busweek". Operating system command 575 initiates
the running of an application encoded as BUSWEEK.EXE 431 (FIG.
4A).
[0214] While in one specific embodiment of this invention, the
application is encoded as BUSWEEK.EXE 431, other file names (such
as FIREBOOK.EXE) can be used for an application so long as the same
name is consistently used in operating system command 563 in file
with second predetermined name DISGO.BAT 430 (which contains the
application startup instructions which start the application for
using selections on the inserted storage media).
[0215] Therefore when an autostart driver is installed in a host
device, this invention allows applications encoded in compatible
storage media (as described above) to start up automatically
without any additional user input, soon after a storage media is
inserted into a peripheral of the host device. Therefore once a
host device is powered up, booted and installed with an autostart
driver, a user need not touch any keys or switches of a host
device, and can merely insert a storage media to start an
application in accordance with this invention.
[0216] FIG. 5D also illustrates a copyright notice 564 which is
used as a security key bitmap and which is compared with an
identical copyright notice bitmap locally hard coded in autostart
drivers 510 and 530.
[0217] One advantage of the autostart driver of this invention is
that the user need not have any computer knowledge to start an
application. Pre-school children can now enjoy interactive media
without even toggling a power switch (for example, merely inserting
a storage media into a host device). Although an autostart driver
is used to start an application for a remote control in one
embodiment of this invention, an autostart driver can also
automatically start other applications such as LOTUS 1-2-3.TM. and
Word Perfect.TM. if so programmed.
[0218] An application for displaying selections encoded on a
storage media is a simple software program which stores and
manipulates many types of data including: graphics files for the
pictures, text files for the captions, sound files for captions
(for a picture interactive book) and video recording files.
[0219] One embodiment of a remote control intended for educative
interactive media includes associated electronic content of
drawings and voice recordings of words, numbers and/or facts. The
selections of words, numbers and/or facts, drawings and voice
recordings are organized by category (such as a category of "FISH"
selections and another category of and "BIRDS" selections) and each
category is accessed by a different button.
[0220] FIG. 5E illustrates a flow chart for one embodiment of an
application 570 for use with a remote control entitled "Teach Your
Baby to Read" which has associated electronic content containing
twenty categories, each category containing 200 selections, each
selection containing a picture, text, video recording and voice
recording. When a storage media containing the associated
electronic content is inserted, application 576 initializes in step
577 and displays the title screen of the interactive media in step
578. Application 576 then waits for a button code from the remote
control in step 579. On receiving an appropriate button code, in
step 580 application 576 randomly picks one of the 20 categories as
the current category. Next in step 581, the application randomly
picks one of 200 selections of words from the current category.
[0221] Next in step 582, application 526 displays the associated
video recording from the current selection. Next in step 583,
application 576 display the picture from the current selection and
waits for one second. In step 584 application 576 displays the
associated text from the current selection. Then in step 585,
application 576 displays the associated voice recording from the
current selection. In step 586, application 576 increases the
selection count and compares the selection count with 10 to see if
ten selections have been displayed. If ten selections have not been
displayed, application 576 takes branch 587 and returns to step
581. If the word count indicates that ten selections have been
displayed, application 576 goes from step 586 via branch 588 to
step 578.
[0222] In an alternative embodiment the application is driven by an
interrupt caused by receipt of a button code instead of a wait for
one second (in step 583) prior to displaying the voice
recording.
[0223] An application similar to application 576 is used with a
picture book remote control. Instead of randomly selecting and
displaying a word, the picture book application sequentially
displays the cover page, then the first selection and then the
second selection and so on, until all selections are displayed and
then the back cover is displayed, after which the front cover is
again displayed. Such an application implements the functions
indicated by the buttons on the remote control, such as "NEXT",
"PREVIOUS", "BEGIN" and "END" (shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B on a
different remote control).
[0224] FIGS. 5F, 5G and 5H illustrate the electronic content which
can be used with an application 576 shown in FIG. 5E. As shown in
FIG. 5F, electronic content 590 includes fish category 591, birds
category 592 and flowers category 593. As shown in FIG. 5G, birds
category 592 includes a parrot selection 595, pigeon selection 596
and blue jay selection 597. As shown in FIG. 5H, a blue jay
selection 597 includes a picture file 597A, text file 597B, video
recording file 597C and voice recording file 597D.
[0225] Application 576 can be used with electronic content 590
wherein birds category 592 is randomly selected from the various
categories in step 580. Then in step 581, a blue jay selection 597
is randomly selected from category 592. Then in step 582 video
recording 597C is retrieved from a storage media containing
electronic content 590 and displayed to the user on a display
device (suitable for displaying a video recording). Then in step
583 application 576 displays picture 597A from selection 597 on the
display device. Then in step 584 application 576 displays text 597B
from selection 597 on the display device. Next in step 585
application 576 displays a voice recording 597D from selection
597.
[0226] FIG. 6A illustrates a storage media remote control 600 in
accordance with this invention. Such a storage media remote control
600 includes a local storage media 603 and a storage media housing
601. In FIG. 6A, local storage media 603 is shown highlighted
(double circle) to indicate that the storage media is an essential
feature included in remote control 600. A storage media remote
control 600 is similar to printed publication remote control 10
(above) except that storage media housing 601 can be in any
arbitrary shape and size including a holder designed to hold a
storage media. Storage media housing 601 is inclusive of but is not
limited to a printed publication. Human understandable content of
housing 601 can be in any form such as text and/or graphics which
are engraved, laminated and/or printed on housing 601.
[0227] Storage media housing 601 can be any housing that can
removably hold a storage media such as a printed publication with a
CD-ROM holder, an audio/video CD box and the jacket of a floppy
disk. Storage media housing 601 has human understandable content
such as text and/or graphic content.
[0228] Storage media remote control 600 also includes one or more
button(s) 602 and associated electronic content encoded on a local
storage media 603. Button(s) 602 have a physical attachment 604A to
storage media housing 601. Also, button(s) 602 have a visual
association 604B to the human understandable content of storage
media housing 601.
[0229] Each of buttons 602 can include a switch connected to remote
control circuitry supported by housing 601. The remote control
circuitry is capable of transmitting a wireless signal with an
encoded button code from remote control 600 to a host device (not
shown in FIG. 6A) having a suitable peripheral to retrieve
selections from local storage media 603. Therefore there is a
remote electronic association 605 between button(s) 602 and
associated electronic content encoded on local storage media 603.
There is a representative (descriptive/derivative) association 606
between the human understandable content of housing 601 and
associated electronic content encoded on local storage media
603.
[0230] FIGS. 6B and 6C are illustrations of one embodiment of a
storage media remote control 610 in the closed and open position
respectively. Storage media remote control 610 is intended for
pre-school children and is called "TRAINS, PLANES and AUTOMOBILES".
Storage media remote control 610 has four buttons 612A, 612B, 612C
and 612D visually associated with text content "TRAIN", "FIRE
TRUCK", "HELICOPTER" and "AIRPLANE" respectively located adjacent
to the respective buttons. Buttons 612A, 612B, 612C and 612D of
storage media remote control 610 are mounted on back cover 613A and
are accessible through holes 612AH, 612BH, 612CH, and 612DH in
front cover 611B when storage media remote control 610 is shut. As
front cover 611B and back cover 613A form a printed publication,
storage media remote control 610 can also be described as a printed
publication remote control (described above).
[0231] A storage media in the form of a floppy disk 614 includes a
magnetic disk 614M (dotted line) enclosed in a floppy disk housing
614H. Floppy disk 614 is removably mounted in a floppy disk cavity
formed by inner periphery 614I of back cover 613A. Floppy disk 614
can be inserted into a floppy drive of a host device to make the
associated electronic content encoded in floppy disk 614 accessible
to the host device.
[0232] The associated electronic content in floppy disk 614
includes four selections namely, a train selection, a fire truck
selection, a helicopter selection and an airplane selection. There
is a remote electronic association between each of four buttons
612A, 612B, 612C and 612D and a corresponding one of the four
selections encoded in floppy disk 614. As buttons 612A, 612B, 612C
and 612D are data buttons, storage media remote control 610 can
also be described as a data button remote control (described
below).
[0233] Pressing TRAIN button 612A causes an associated button code
to be transmitted by storage media remote control 610. An
application on a host device responds by displaying a train
selection from floppy disk 614. A train selection can include a
drawing, a caption word and/or sentence, an audio recording, and/or
a video recording of a train. In one specific embodiment, on
receiving the button code of train button 612A, the application
displays a thirty second full motion video recording of a train
accompanied by high-quality sound.
[0234] FIGS. 6D and 6E are illustrations of two embodiments of
storage media remote controls 615 and 617 which hold a storage
media in accordance with this invention. Storage media remote
controls 615 and 616 include printed publications with integral
storage media holders built into the printed publications.
Therefore storage media remote controls 615 and 617 can also be
described as printed publication remote controls (described
above).
[0235] Storage media 615 has a holder with an inner periphery 616I
which forms a cavity for holding a game cartridge storage media
616. Storage media 617 has an inner periphery 618I which forms a
cavity for holding a CD-ROM storage media 618.
[0236] FIGS. 6F, 6G and 6H illustrate an alternative embodiment of
a storage media remote control 640 (henceforth "periodical remote
control"). Periodical remote control 640 can contain electronic
content similar to the articles in a conventional magazine.
Periodical remote control 640 has a front cover 641 (FIG. 6F) and a
back cover 642 physically attached to each other. In one
embodiment, front cover 641 and back cover 642 are the front and
back covers of a conventional magazine (such as NEWSWEEK, TV GUIDE
and READER'S DIGEST).
[0237] In another embodiment, an outer side 641A of front cover 641
has a look and feel similar or identical to the outer side of the
front cover of a conventional magazine, and outer side 642A of back
cover 642 similar to the outer side of a conventional magazine's
back cover (an advertisement). In one embodiment, there are no
pages inside periodical remote control 640.
[0238] On inner side 641B of front cover 641 (FIG. 6H) is mounted a
storage media 649 in the form of a CD ROM. The rest of the inner
side 641B of front cover 641 looks similar to the table of contents
of a conventional magazine. Inner side 641B of front cover 641 has
a text content 647A which reads "CONTENTS" and a graphic content
647B which is a photograph. Front cover inner side 641B and back
cover inner side 642B identify a number of electronic content
selections encoded in storage media 649.
[0239] In the specific embodiment of periodical remote control 640
shown in FIG. 6H, each selection is identified by text and graphic
content in the form of a title, a summary and a photograph. For
example, a first selection is identified by title 646A1, summary
646A2, and photograph 646A3. A second article selection is
identified by title 646B1, summary 646B2 and photograph 646B3.
[0240] The inner side 642B of back cover 642 also identifies
additional selections such as a third article selection with title
646C1, summary 646C2 and photograph 646C3. Three other selections
with titles 646D1, 646E1 and 646F1, with summaries 646D2, 646E2 and
646F2, and photographs 646D3, 646E3, and 646F3 are also identified
on back cover 642.
[0241] In another embodiment, periodical remote control 640 is a
catalog of products with each selection including a video recording
of the product, the title (such as title 646C1) being the product's
name, the summary (such as summary 646C2) being a product
description and the photograph (such as photograph 646C3) being a
photograph of the product.
[0242] In accordance with this invention, physical attachments 14A,
604A and 674A can be implemented by the adhesion of printed ink to
the surface of a button and visual associations 14B, 604B and 674B
implemented by the location of the printed content directly on the
button surface.
[0243] In one embodiment of this invention, each of the text and/or
graphic content is printed on the surface of a button capable of
causing a wireless signal to be transmitted by remote control 640.
For example, title 646A1, summary 646A2 and photograph 646A3 are
each printed on a button surface different from each other. In one
embodiment, each of the buttons identifying a given selection cause
the same button code to be transmitted. In another embodiment, each
of the buttons identifying a given selection are all printed on a
single button surface.
[0244] In one specific embodiment of this invention, the buttons of
a periodical remote control are membrane buttons available from
EECO Membrane Switch Operations, 2949 N. 31st Ave., Phoenix, Ariz.
85017. Front cover 641 and back cover 642 include a heat stabilized
polyester membrane on which text and photographs are screen
printed, an upper circuit of heat stabilized polyester on which
conductive inks are screen printed, a spacer die cut layer of
dielectric, a lower circuit layer of heat stabilized polyester on
which conductive inks are screen printed, an adhesive layer and a
bottom mounting layer. Such a periodical remote control can be made
using membrane switches as described in "Designer's Specification
Guide" available from EECO Membrane Switch Operations, 2949 North
31st Avenue, Phoenix, Ariz. 85017, which is incorporated herein in
its entirety.
[0245] In an alternative embodiment, front cover inner side 641B
and back cover inner side 642B are touch panels which when touched
cause a wireless signal to be transmitted (as described below in
reference to FIGS. 7D, 7E, 7F, 7G and 7H).
[0246] Back cover inner side 642B has an array of buttons 643,
which can be alphanumeric buttons arranged in a manner similar to
conventional PC keyboards or a conventional telephone keypad. Back
cover inner side 642B also has other buttons such as arrows 644A,
644B, 644C and 644D which permit a user to remotely move a cursor
on monitor 122 (FIG. 1E). Also provided on back cover innerside
642B are special function buttons: SELECT button 645A, SKIP button
645B, REPEAT button 645C and INFO button 645D.
[0247] Back cover innerside 642B supports a remote control
circuitry 648 which includes infrared LED 648A (covered by a
surface transparent to infrared light), a microcontroller 648B and
batteries 648C and 648D, all connected in the manner described
below (in reference to FIG. 7A). In one embodiment of this
invention, the periodical remote control is paper thin and is
flexible (using a flexboard instead of a printed circuit
board).
[0248] Therefore, the buttons for a periodical remote control are
simply regions on the Table of Contents printed on the front and
back covers of a remote control. To use periodical remote control
640, the user removes storage media 649 from a holder built into
front cover 640 and inserts storage media 649 into a host device
such as host device 120 (FIG. 1E). In another embodiment of a
periodical remote control, there is no storage media and holder,
and the host device access associated electronic content from a
remote server (FIG. 1E).
[0249] In one specific embodiment, a Business Week remote control
has a CD storage media. The host is a 3DO game platform with a
video CD player available from Panasonic Company of America, 6550
Katella Ave., Cypress, Calif. 90630. To use the Business Week
remote control, the user inserts the CD into the video CD player of
the 3DO game platform (which has been booted and installed with an
autostart driver).
[0250] As soon as a storage media of a periodical remote control is
inserted into a peripheral of a host device 150 (FIG. 1F), monitor
141 displays a 30 second preview of major selections available in
the inserted storage media. Thereafter, the application in host
device 150 displays a continuous commercial break which involves
randomly selecting and displaying forever, one of 40 commercials
encoded in the inserted storage media. Each commercial has a format
identical to a television commercial.
[0251] The continuous commercial break continues until the user
selects an article by pressing one of the article selecting buttons
in the Table of Contents of the periodical remote control. For
example, to display a selection described in title 646A1, summary
646A2 and photograph 646A3, a user merely touches any one of touch
sensitive regions 646A1, 646A2 or 646A3.
[0252] When any one of the touch sensitive regions is touched,
periodical remote control 640 sends a wireless signal to host
device 120. An application in host device 120 retrieves from
storage media 649 an article preview selection which is a 30-second
preview of the article indicated by the touched region and displays
the retrieved results. Double touching of a touch sensitive region
retrieves the article selection rather than the article preview
selection. An article selection can include an hour long real TV
program which is displayed on monitor 122. During display of an
article selection in one embodiment, a commercial selection is
randomly retrieved and displayed every few minutes, interrupting
the display of the article selection.
[0253] While a selection is being displayed, touching a SKIP button
645B causes periodical remote control 640 to send a wireless signal
which causes the host device application to skip the selection
currently being displayed and jump to a continuous commercial break
(where random commercials are automatically played until another
article selection is indicated by the user). If SKIP button 645B is
pressed during a commercial interruption of an article selection
display, the interrupted article selection display is resumed.
[0254] If SKIP button 645B is pressed during a continuous
commercial break, the currently playing commercial is interrupted
(skipped) and another randomly selected commercial is started
immediately.
[0255] If REPEAT button 645C is pressed during a continuous
commercial break, the commercial selection currently being
displayed is interrupted and the commercial displayed immediately
previous to the current commercial is displayed.
[0256] Pressing INFO button 645D starts a DETAIL mode program that
opens up a dialog box (not shown) on monitor 141 which allows the
user to interactively access more detailed information about the
product being advertised. For example, in one embodiment the user
is presented with a form to be filled out to create a purchase
order of the product being advertised. Once the user fills out the
form, host device 120 automatically communicates with the
advertiser via modem 144A and phone line 145A. In another
embodiment of this invention, the DETAIL mode dialog box permits
access to a complete index of advertisers from which the user can
interactively choose a desired commercial selection to be
displayed.
[0257] Pressing INFO button 645D during display of an article
selection opens a DETAIL mode dialog box which provides detailed
information about the article selection being currently
displayed.
[0258] Pressing REPEAT button 645C during display of a commercial
selection results in the commercial selection previously displayed
to be re-displayed immediately. REPEAT button 645C can be pressed
multiple times to sequentially go backwards to any commercial
selection previously displayed (up to 255 commercials with
wrap-around).
[0259] A special preview selection provides a preview of all the
article selections encoded in storage media 648. The preview
selection has a normal television commercial selection format
(similar to a 30 second synopsis of the television show "60
minutes").
[0260] In one embodiment of this invention, a periodical remote
control includes a front cover, a back cover and printed pages
between the front cover and back cover. The printed pages are
identical to the pages between the covers of the conventional
printed version of a magazine. Some of the printed pages are normal
printed pages while other printed pages are touch sensitive pages.
The printed pages containing the Table of Contents are touch
sensitive (as described above).
[0261] Although periodical remote control 640 has been described
above as having a removable storage media 648 another periodical
remote control in accordance with this invention has all of the
features of periodical remote control 640 except for storage media
649 and the corresponding holder.
[0262] FIG. 6I illustrates an alternative embodiment of a storage
media remote control 636 in the form of a multi-page book having a
front cover 637, a page 638 and a back cover 639. On front cover
637 are mounted a CD ROM 637A and buttons 637B, 637C and 637D. Page
638 has buttons 638A, 638B, 638C and 638D. On back cover 639 are
mounted buttons 639A and 639B and remote control circuitry 639C
(which includes components such as, a microcontroller and an
infrared LED). Although only one page 638 is shown in FIG. 6J,
multi-page remote control 636 can have any number of pages in
accordance with this invention.
[0263] FIG. 6J shows one embodiment of a storage media remote
control 660 in accordance with this invention. Storage media remote
control 660 is in the form of a CD box with a front cover 661, a
spine 662 and a back cover 663. Mounted on spine 662 is an LED
662A, a microcontroller 662B and a battery 662C. Mounted on the
inside of front cover 661 are membrane buttons 664A, 664B, 664C,
and 664D corresponding to "I WANT TO HOLD YOUR HAND" song name
665A, "HARD DAYS NIGHT" song name 665B, "REVOLUTION" song name 665C
and "WHEN I AM SIXTY-FOUR" song name 665D of music video selections
encoded in CD 663A. CD 663A is removably mounted on the inside of
back cover 663.
[0264] To enjoy to a music video selection encoded in CD 663A, a
user removes CD 663A from remote control 660 and inserts CD 663A in
a suitable peripheral of a host device, such as CD drive 121 of
host device 120. On touching one of membrane buttons 664A, 664B,
664C, and 664D a microcontroller 632B sends a selection identifying
button code via LED 632A to an application running in host device
120 to identify the desired selection. The application on host
device 120 retrieves the desired music video selection and displays
the results through speaker 124 and/or monitor 122. A similar
format can be used for an audio only CD in accordance with this
invention. One advantage of a storage media remote control is that
the normal channels of sales, such as a CD music store a book store
and a newspaper stand can be used to sell such storage media remote
controls.
[0265] In alternative embodiments of this invention a remote
control can include a CD containing a catalog, a dictionary or an
encyclopedia. An application which displays specific information
sought by the user when the user presses one or more buttons on the
remote control can be distributed on the storage media of the
remote control in addition to article selections. Once such an
application is running on the host device, touching a button on the
remote control causes the desired selection encoded in the CD to be
retrieved and displayed on a monitor of the host device.
[0266] FIG. 6K illustrates a data button remote control 670 in
accordance with this invention. Data button remote control 670
includes a housing 671 having data selecting content
(text/graphic), one or more data button(s) 672 and data specific
associated electronic content 673. Housing 671 can be a housing of
any arbitrary shape or size and includes but is not limited to
storage media housings and printed publications. In FIG. 6K, data
button(s) 672 are shown highlighted (double circle) to indicate the
data button feature included in remote control 670.
[0267] Data button(s) 672 have a physical attachment 674A to
housing 671. Also, data button(s) 672 have a visual association
674B with the data selecting content of housing 671. Data button(s)
672 have remote electronic association 675 with associated
electronic content 673.
[0268] Data specific associated electronic content 673 has data
selecting (descriptive/derivative) association 676 with housing
671. Data specific associated electronic content 673 can be encoded
in a local storage media or a remote storage media accessible via a
remote server.
[0269] Any data button remote control 670 in accordance with this
invention is not limited to having only data buttons and can also
include other features such as function selecting text/graphic
content and corresponding function buttons.
[0270] One advantage of a data button remote control is that the
user need not read instructions in a manual. Also the user need not
remember the syntax and semantics of commands to be typed to
retrieve a desired selection. Moreover the user need not remember
the names of the selections. By simply touching a button visually
associated with a data selecting content, the user can get
instantaneous access to the desired selection. Therefore a data
button remote control is simple and utilizes the user's intuition
rather than knowledge of commands and file names of selections
usually given in an instruction manual. A data button remote
control also makes interactive media easier to create, market and
use (as discussed below).
[0271] The above described storage media remote control 660 is an
embodiment of a data button remote control because buttons 664A,
664B, 664C and 664D are data buttons each of which has a remote
electronic association with a music video recording selection
encoded on CD 663A.
[0272] Periodical remote control 640 is also a data button remote
control because buttons such as 646A1, 646A2, 646A3, 646B1, 646B2,
646B3, 646C1, 646C2 and 646C3 are data buttons, each of which has a
remote electronic association with an article selection (data)
encoded on CD-ROM 648.
[0273] FIG. 6L illustrates a globe remote control 680 which is
another embodiment of a data button remote control 670. Globe
remote control 680 includes a housing 681 which has imprinted on it
data selecting graphic content 682A, 682B, 682C and 682D. Housing
681 is a spherical globe showing the various continents of the
planet earth. Data selecting graphic content 682A is illustrative
of the South American continent. Data selecting graphic content
682B is illustrative of the North American continent. Data
selecting graphic content 682C is illustrative of the African
continent. Data selecting graphic content 682D is illustrative of
the Atlantic Ocean.
[0274] Globe remote control 680 also includes data buttons 683A,
683B, 683C and 683D which are membrane buttons connected to remote
control circuitry (not shown in FIG. 6L). Each of data buttons
683A, 683B, 683C and 683D is physically attached to one of data
selecting graphic contents 682A, 682B, 682C and 682D of housing
681. Each of data selecting graphic contents 682A, 682B, 682C, and
682D has a visual association with data buttons 683A, 683B, 683C,
and 683D respectively because each data button is located on the
graphic content associated with the data button.
[0275] Pressing one of data button 683A, 683B, 683C, and 683D
results in remote control 680 transmitting an associated button
code to a host device such as host device 120. An application in
host device 120 retrieves associated electronic content which is
representative of the graphic content associated with the pressed
button. For example, if a button 683B is pressed, a selection (such
as a video recording) of the North American continent is retrieved
by host device 120 from a local or remote storage media and the
results are displayed on a monitor. In one specific embodiment of
this invention, remote control 680 includes a storage media holder
684 encased within spherical housing 681 for holding a local
storage media.
[0276] FIG. 6M illustrates electronic content 685 associated with
globe remote control 680. Associated electronic content 685 can be
encoded in a local or remote storage media accessible to a host
device. Associated electronic content 685 includes South America
category 686A, North America category 686B, Africa category 686C
and Atlantic Ocean category 686D and application 687.
[0277] In one embodiment, a user can decide a category and touch a
data button which has an association with the category. Each of
categories 686A, 686B, 686C and 686D contains a button code 686A_1,
686B_1, 686C_1 and 686D_1 respectively which when equal to a button
code received from a globe remote control 680 causes application
687 to randomly select and display a selection from the category
identified by the received button code.
[0278] FIGS. 6N and 6O illustrate orbiter remote controls 690 and
696 which are two embodiments of a data button remote control 670
in accordance with this invention. Orbiter remote control 690 (FIG.
6N) includes a housing 691 having data selecting text content 692A
(which reads "MARS"), 692B (which reads "JUPITER"), 692C (which
reads "MOON"), 692D (which reads "EARTH"), 692E (which reads
"SATURN") and 692F (which reads "PLUTO").
[0279] Data selecting text content 692A of orbiter remote control
housing 691, has a data selecting descriptive/derivative
association with selection 699A in associated electronic content
699 (although for remote control 690, associated electronic content
699 is stored on a remote storage media). Similarly data selecting
text content 692B, 692C, 692D, 692E and 692F each has a data
selecting descriptive/derivative association with respective
selections 699B, 699C, 699D, 699E and 699F of (FIG. 6P).
[0280] Orbiter remote control 690 also includes buttons 693A, 693B,
693C, 693D, 693E and 693F each of which is a data button physically
attached to housing 691. Furthermore, each of data buttons 693A,
693B, 693C, 693D, 693E and 693F has a visual association with data
selecting text content 692A, 692B, 692C, 692D, 692E and 692F of
housing 691.
[0281] Remote control 690 includes function selecting text/graphic
content such as arrows 694A, 694B, 694C, and 694D "START" text
694E, "ORBIT" text 694F and "LAND" text 694G which are visually
associated with function buttons 695A, 695B, 695C, 695D, 695E, 695F
and 695G respectively. In addition housing 691 has "STOP" text 694H
which is also associated with function button 695E, so that
function button 695E acts as a toggle between STOP and START
functions.
[0282] Orbiter remote control 696 shown in FIG. 60 is similar to
Orbiter remote control 690 of FIG. 6N. Orbiter remote control 696
has data buttons 697A, 697B, 697C, 697D, 697E and 697F visually
associated with "MARS" text content 696A, "JUPITER" text content
696B, "MOON" text content 696C, "EARTH" text content 696D, "SATURN"
text content 696E and "PLUTO" text content 696F respectively.
Orbiter remote control 696 also has function buttons 697G, 697H,
697I, 697J, 697K, 697L and 697M. Orbiter remote control 696 also
includes a storage media holder 698 in the form of a PCMCIA card
holder in which is slideably mounted PCMCIA card 698M. Encoded on
PCMCIA card 688M is the associated electronic content 699 (FIG.
6P).
[0283] As shown in FIG. 6P, associated electronic content 699
contains selections 699A, 699B, 699C, 699D, 699E and 699F. These
selections 699A, 699B, 699C, 699D, 699E and 699F are for orbiter
remote controls 690 and 696 and include video recordings and
environmental parameters for the solar system components: Mars,
Jupiter, Moon, Earth, Saturn and Pluto respectively. Each of
selections 699A, 699B, 699C, 699D, 699E, and 699F have a data
selecting descriptive/derivative association with the corresponding
data selecting text content of the orbiter remote controls 690 and
696. Each of selections 699A, 699B, 699C, 699D, 699E and 699F have
remote electronic associations with the corresponding data buttons
of the orbiter remote controls 690 and 696.
[0284] In one specific embodiment of this invention, each of
selections 699A, 699B, 699C, 699D, 699E and 699F includes a button
code 699A_1, 699B_1, 699C_1, 699D_1, 699E_1 and 699F_1 which is
compared to a button code received from a remote control in order
to determine the specific environmental parameters and video
recordings to be used by orbiter software 699K. Orbiter software
699K is a video game software selection which displays a video game
of an Orbiter flight simulator in the environment of a solar system
component.
[0285] Software for navigation function selection 699J, START
function selection 699I, ORBIT function selection 699H and LAND
function selection 699G has a remote electronic association with
function buttons 697G, 697H, 697J, 697I, 697K, 697L and 697M.
[0286] A block diagram of the components of multi-button remote
control in accordance with this invention is similar to the block
diagram shown in FIG. 4A and which has been described above.
[0287] FIG. 7A is a plan view of a four button printed circuit
board (PCB) 700 for use in a four button remote control such as
remote controls 200, 610, 615, 617 and 636 described above. PCB 700
is similar to PCB 303 shown in FIG. 3C. except that instead of
being enclosed inside a button, PCB 700 has a rubber key pad 701
with buttons 701A, 701B, 701C, and 701D. Also provided on PCB 700
are an infrared LED 703, a microcontroller 705 and watch batteries
702A and 702B connected to buttons 701A, 701B, 701C and 701D.
[0288] FIG. 7B is an illustrative circuit diagram for one
embodiment of a multi button remote control. The circuit diagram in
FIG. 7B is similar to the circuit diagram in FIG. 4B described
above. Instead of a single button 402 of FIG. 4B, 24 buttons can be
connected by the circuit of FIG. 7B. A matrix of buttons 711 as
well as buttons 712A, 712B, 712C, 712D, 713A, 713B, 713C, and 713D
are each connected to two pins of microcontroller 404. For example,
button 712A is connected to pins 404E_1 and 404I_1 and button 712B
is connected to pins 404E_2 and 404I_2. Microcontroller 404 pulses
transistor 442 with a specific button code signal when a button
(such as button 712C) is depressed to short two pins (such as pins
404E_1 and 404I_3). Transistor 442 in turn causes infrared LED 443
to transmit an encoded infrared signal 407.
[0289] FIG. 7C is an illustrative flow chart of the software
running in microcontroller 404 of FIG. 7B. Software for
implementing the flow chart of FIG. 7B is listed in Appendix A. The
software can be compiled and linked by Motorola M68HC705KICS.
Microcontroller 404 starts at step 721 and goes via branch 722 to
step 723. In step 723 microcontroller 404 initializes variables.
Then microcontroller 404 goes via branch 724 to step 725. In step
725 microcontroller 404 goes to SLEEP mode and wakes up when it
receives an interrupt when a button is pressed.
[0290] On waking from SLEEP mode, microcontroller 404 goes via
branch 729 to step 730. In step 730 microcontroller 404 determines
the identity of the pressed button by checking every combination of
two pins to find the pins that are shorted to each other (Appendix
A).
[0291] For example, microcontroller 404 determines that button 712D
is depressed applying a high signal (logic 1) to EB pin 404E_1 and
checking whether SOUT/CD/FB2/C4 pin 404O is high (logic 1).
Microcontroller 404 is triggered from a sleep state by setting pins
404E_1, 404E_2, 404E_4, 404E_5, 404E_6 and 404I_7 to high and by
tying pins 404I_1, 404I_2, 404I_3 and 404O to a button interrupt.
Then microcontroller 404 goes from step 730 via branch 731 to step
732. In step 732 microcontroller 404 sends a button code via
infrared LED 443 only once and then goes via branch 733 and branch
724 back to step 725.
[0292] A multi-button remote control (such as remote control 640)
can be used with a host device having a receiver (illustrated in
FIG. 4D) and which uses the software illustrated in FIG. 4E in a
microcontroller. Furthermore, an autostart driver (such as
autostart driver 500A described above) can be used to automatically
start the application for using a multi-button remote control.
[0293] FIG. 7D illustrates a touch panel 740 which can form buttons
on front cover innerside 641B and back cover innerside 642B of the
remote control 640 of FIGS. 6E, 6F and 6G. Touch panel 740 is
similar to conventional computer touch screens and includes two
sheets 741 and 742 attached to each other. In one embodiment of a
remote control including touch panel 740, the buttons and housing
have a physical attachment (such as physical attachments 14A, 604A
and 674A of FIGS. 1A, 6A and 6K respectively) formed by printing,
engraving, or otherwise attaching the housing content directly to
sheet 741 and/or sheet 742.
[0294] Sheet 741 includes a clear mylar sheet 741A with a
conductive coating of indium tin oxide 741B. Similarly sheet 742
includes a clear mylar sheet 742A with a conductive coating of
indium tin oxide 742B. Sheets 741 and 742 are separated and
electrically insulated from each other by small nipples such as
nipples 743A, 743B, 743 C, 743D, and 743E which are molded in sheet
742.
[0295] Sheet 741 has a-first terminal 741C and a second terminal
741D at two opposite edges (FIG. 7E). A resistance 741R is formed
by the indium tin oxide between the first terminal 741C and the
second terminal 741D of sheet 741. Similarly sheet 742 has a first
terminal 742C and a second terminal 742D (FIG. 7F) formed at the
edges of sheet 742 such that a resistance 742R is formed between
terminals 742C and 742D. When sheets 741 and 742 are assembled
together to form touch panel 740, any object such as a human
fingertip touching touch panel 740 results in sheet 741 making
contact with sheet 742 at the point of the touch, such as point 744
in FIG. 7G.
[0296] The coordinates of point 744 in the coordinate system 745
are determined by the following method: connect terminal 742C to
VCC (or logic 1) and terminal 742D to ground and measure the
voltage on terminal 741D to determine the X coordinate. Next
connect terminals 741 and 741D to VCC and ground respectively and
measure the voltage on terminal 742C (or 742D) to determine the Y
coordinate. The measured voltage provides the location of the X
coordinate or the Y coordinate because the measured voltage varies
depending on the location of the point of touch. A contact between
sheet 741 and 742 effectively results in a voltage divider as shown
in FIG. 7G for the X axis.
[0297] The number of buttons formed from touch panel 740 are
limited only by the resolution of the voltmeter used-to measure the
voltage. In one embodiment of this invention as described below in
reference to FIG. 7H, up to 255 positions can be determined
individually in each of X and Y directions resulting in a total of
65,536 possible buttons. Furthermore, in accordance with this
invention, an arbitrarily shaped button can be formed by
associating the points which fall within the button's shape with
the same button code of the button.
[0298] FIG. 7H illustrates one embodiment of a remote control
circuit 750 for a remote control using the touch panel of FIGS.
7D-7G. Remote control circuit 750 includes touch panel 740 with
terminals 741C and 742C connected via resistors 751B and 751A to EY
input pin 753B and EX input pin 753A respectively of
microcontroller 753. Terminals 741D and 742D are connected to X
input pin 753D and Y/WAKE pin 753C of microcontroller 753.
Terminals 741D and 742D are also connected via capacitors 751D and
751C to the negative terminal of battery 758. Remote control
circuit 750 also has a resonator 752 connected between X1 input pin
753E and X2 input 753F.
[0299] Microcontroller 753 has a VSS pin 753G connected to the
negative terminal of battery 758. Microcontroller 753 has a RES pin
753J and a VB pin 753I connected to the positive terminal of
battery 758.
[0300] Microcontroller 753 has an SOUT pin 753H connected to the
base of transistor 756. The collector of transistor 756 is
connected to the cathode of diode 755. The anode of diode 755 is
connected via a resistor 754 to the positive terminal of battery
758. The emitter of transistor 756 is connected to the negative
terminal of battery 758. Battery 758 has a capacitor 757 connected
across its positive and negative terminals.
[0301] The component ratings for the various components shown in
FIG. 7H are listed in TABLE 1:
1 TABLE 1 COMPONENT RATING Capacitors 751C, 751D 1 .mu.F Capacitor
757 22 .mu.F Resistor 751A 1.5 K.OMEGA. Resistor 751B 680 .OMEGA.
Resistor 754 0.8 .OMEGA. Transistor 756 MMBT4401 Battery 758 3V
Resonator 752 KBR3.58 MKS Microprocessor 753 XC68 HC 705K0 Photo
Diode 755 NEC-SE 1003 Touch Panel 740 GM Name Plate Zinc Oxide
[0302] In one embodiment of this invention, remote control circuit
750 includes a touch panel available from GM Name Plate, 2095
O'toole Avenue, San Jose, Calif. 95131, (408) 435-1666.
[0303] During operation, remote control circuit 750 is normally in
a low power SLEEP mode with EX input pin 753A and Y/WAKE pin 753C
pull down enabled and positive edge trigger interrupt enabled. EY
pin 753B and X pin 753D are set to output high (logic 1).
[0304] When panel 740 is touched, an electrical connection is made
between terminals 741C and 741D on top sheet 741 and terminal 742D
on bottom sheet 742. Therefore touching causes terminal 742D to be
pulled up which generates a wake up interrupt to microcontroller
753.
[0305] When microcontroller 753 wakes up, the X and Y coordinates
of the point being touched are determined as follows. The Y axis
coordinate of the touched point is determined in two steps. First
the Y axis capacitor 751C is charged to a voltage V.sub.Y set by a
voltage divider formed by connecting terminals 741C and 741D to
power and ground respectively. Resistor 751B limits the voltage
V.sub.Y to VCC/3.
[0306] During this first Y axis step, pins 753A, 753B, 753C and
753D have the following values: X pin 753D is at logic 1, EY pin
753B is at logic 0, Y/WAKE pin 753C is an input and EX pin 753A is
an input. The values for each of the steps are listed in TABLE 2 (I
denotes high impedance input):
2 TABLE 2 COMMENT GET X GET Y SLEEP CHARGE Y = 1 X = 1 X = 1 EY = I
EX = I Y = 0 EX = 0 EY = 0 EY = 1 X = I Y = I EX = I DISCHARGE Y =
I X = I X = 1 EX = I EY = I Y = I (PD) X = I Y = I EY = 1 EY = 0 EX
= 0 EX = I
[0307] During the second Y axis step, capacitor 751C discharges
through the resistor formed by touch panel 740 between terminals
742D and 742C. During the discharge of capacitor 751C,
microprocessor 753 measures the duration of time (for example 500
microseconds) for capacitor 751C to go from voltage V.sub.Y (for
example 2.5 volts) to the logic threshold voltage of Y/WAKE pin
753C (logic 1, for example 1.5 volts).
[0308] The X coordinate is also measured in two steps in a similar
manner. Capacitor 751D is used to measure the X axis coordinate and
resistor 751A limits the minimum voltage V.sub.X to VCC/3. The
charge and discharge logic levels for the X coordinate are also
shown in TABLE 2.
[0309] FIG. 8A is an illustrative flow chart for the high level
control logic of an application 830 running in a host device 120
for using a remote control in accordance with this invention.
Application 830 can be used as an application for a four button
remote control, such as remote controls 610, 615, 617, 660 and 680
described above.
[0310] Application 830 can be started up by a user or automatically
either immediately following a boot up sequence or by an autostart
driver on detection of an inserted storage media. Application 830
initializes variables in step 831 and goes via branch 832 to step
833. In step 833 application 830 displays the front cover and goes
via branch 834 to step 835. In step 835 application 830 waits until
a button code is received from a remote control.
[0311] If a button code is received, application 830 goes via
branch 836 to step 837. In step 837 application 830 checks the
received button code to see if a first button (such as button 664A
of FIG. 6J) was pressed. If the first button was pressed,
application 830 goes via branch 838 to step 839. In step 839
application 830 retrieves the selection associated with the first
button (such as a "SONG A" selection if button 664A was pressed)
from local (or remote storage media) and displays the retrieved
selection. In one embodiment the application displays the audio
recording for "Song A" through speaker 124 and optionally displays
an associated video recording (if present on CD 663A) through
monitor 122. Then application 830 goes via branches 840 and 841
back to step 833.
[0312] If in step 837 the first button was not pressed, application
830 goes via branch 842 to step 843. In step 843 application 830
checks to see if a second button (such as button 664B of FIG. 6J)
was pressed. If the second button was pressed, application 830
retrieves and displays the associated selection (such as a "SONG B"
selection). Then application 830 goes via branches 846 and 841 back
to step 833.
[0313] Steps 843, 848 and 853 are similar to step 837 and steps
845, 850 and 855 are similar to step 839. Therefore application 830
takes the appropriate actions if the second, third or fourth
buttons are pressed in a manner similar to that described above for
the first button.
[0314] In one specific embodiment of an application for picture
book remote control 610, each time train button 612A is pressed,
the application retrieves and displays a different video selection
of a train which is selected at random from a category of
selections of train video recordings. Such an application allows
children to watch selections from the categories of fire engines,
trains, airplanes and helicopters by just pressing one of the four
buttons 612A, 612B, 612C and 612D of remote control 610. One
advantage of such a multiple button remote control 610 is that
children have a choice and can watch a scene (such as a scene of a
train) as long as they want or watch a different video recording of
a train by repeatedly pressing the same train button 612A.
[0315] An application similar to application 830 can also be used
with other types of remote controls such as remote control 636,
680, 690, and 696. For example, an application for remote control
636 (FIG. 6I), would merely have several additional steps
corresponding to each of buttons 637B, 637C, 637D, 638A, 638B,
638C, 638D, 639A and 639B.
[0316] Furthermore, an application can make function calls to
implement various functions rather than displaying selections
retrieved from a storage media. For instance, instead of displaying
a first selection in step 839 of application 830, another
application could make a function call which performs a first
function indicated by a first button. Therefore an application for
remote control 200 would have a call to a next page address
calculating function for is implementing the "NEXT" function/data
attributes of the first button 225.
[0317] FIG. 8B illustrates the electronic content encoded on a
storage media 649 of a periodical remote control 640 of FIGS. 6H,
6F and 6G. Storage media 649 is identical to storage media 428M
(FIG. 4A). As described above, when storage media 649 is inserted
into CD drive 122 of host device 120, a security key stored in
DISGOKEY.EXE 429 is first confirmed and then, DISGO.BAT 430 is
executed. DISGO.BAT 430 starts up an application 860, included in
BUSWEEK.EXE 431. BUSWEEK.EXE 431 also includes the selections of
associated electronic content for remote control 640.
[0318] The selections of the associated electronic content in
BUSWEEK.EXE are organized in several categories: commercial
category 857, article preview category 858 and article category
859. Each of commercial selections 857B, 857C and 857D is a 30
second full motion video recording from an advertiser (of a product
or service). A preview commercial selection 857A is a video
recording from the publisher of the periodical remote control and
contains highlights of all the article selections encoded in
storage media 648 (FIG. 6G). Each article preview selection 858A,
858B, and 858C is a 30 second full motion video recording which
summarizes the contents of the corresponding article selection.
Article selections 859A and 859B include full length (for example,
20 minute) TV program type video recordings. A commercial selection
and/or an article selection can include a DETAIL mode video
recording and/or a DETAIL mode form and/or a DETAIL mode software
(as described below).
[0319] A DETAIL mode is a display mode which is more interactive or
which provides more information than a normal mode of display. In a
DETAIL mode software for a commercial selection, the user can be
presented with a window through which the user can navigate to look
up various products, prices, phone numbers and names from an
electronic catalog. A DETAIL mode form provides more detailed
information about the article or commercial selection. A DETAIL
mode form can include an interactive form filling program which
allows a user to order the article or service being advertised in a
commercial selection. Alternatively, a DETAIL mode form can contain
text corresponding to a video article identical to the text in the
print version of the magazine. Such text can be displayed on
monitor 122 or printed on printer 124E (FIG. 1E). A DETAIL mode
video recording includes long infomercials. For example, a DETAIL
mode video recording can include a one hour long infomercial for
Nike' shoes which contains an interview with a gold medal winner
from the last olympics and an interview with a doctor. For example
FIG. 8B illustrates an article selection 859A including a full
motion video recording 859A_1 on energy conservation and a DETAIL
mode software 859A_2 for computing the savings in electricity bills
for each user depending on the user's geographic location.
Similarly article selection 859B includes a full motion video
recording 859B_1 and text content 859B_2 which is the full text of
the print version of the article.
[0320] FIG. 8C is an illustrative flow chart for the high level
control logic of an application 860 running in a host device 120 in
accordance with this invention.
[0321] When started, application 860 initializes variables in step
861 and goes via branch 862 to step 863. In step 863, application
860 chooses the preview commercial selection 857A as the current
selection. Then application 860 goes via step 864 to step 865. In
step 865, application 860 displays the chosen selection.
[0322] In one embodiment of this invention, a randomly selected
commercial is displayed during an article selection display at
preselected points in the article. An article selection can contain
function calls to a function for displaying commercial selections
at the preselected points in the article display. The call to a
commercial displaying function is inserted at appropriate points in
an article selection by an author of the article selection (as
described below). In another embodiment of this invention, instead
of a call to commercial displaying function, a tag of a unique
sequence of digits is inserted.
[0323] Application 860, in step 865 (FIG. 8C) continuously compares
the data being displayed with the unique sequence of digits which
denotes a function call (or a tag). Once application 860 finds the
function call (or tag), the article display is interrupted and a
randomly selected commercial recording from the commercial category
857 is displayed. After displaying the commercial selection,
application 860 resumes display of the interrupted article
selection.
[0324] Then application 860 goes to step 866 to check if the
display of the current selection is finished. While selection is
displaying via 865, application 860 loops continuously, checking
for a tag/done signal from B comparison step 865. If commercial tag
is detected, application 860 goes via 868B and 870 to 871. Else, if
the current selection display is done, application 860 goes via
steps 867 and 878 to step 868. In step 868, application 860 checks
to see if the current selection is an article selection by checking
an IN_ARTICLE flag. If an article selection is being currently
displayed, application 860 goes via branch 869 back to step 865.
Application 860 clears the IN_ARTICLE flag when the display of an
article is completed.
[0325] If an article selection is not being displayed, then
application 860 goes from step 868, via branch 870 to step 871
where a commercial selection is randomly chosen, and then retrieved
and displayed in step 865. The steps 871, 865, 866, 868A and 868
implement a continuous commercial break which displays one
commercial selection after another until a button code is received.
The continuous commercial break feature is very advantageous for
advertisers because of continuous display of commercials during
user inaction.
[0326] If application 860 has not finished display of the currently
chosen selection, application 860 goes from step 866 via branch 873
to step 874. In step 874 application 860 checks to see if a button
code was received from remote control 640. If a button code was not
received, application 860 goes from step 874 via branch 875 and
branch 897 back to step 865. If a valid button code was received,
application 860 goes from step 874 via branch 876 to step 877.
[0327] In step 877, application 860 checks to see if the button
code received from remote control 640 indicates that SKIP function
button 645B was pressed. If SKIP function button 645B was pressed,
application 860 immediately terminates the selection being
currently displayed and goes from step 877 via branch 878 to step
868 (described above). Therefore a user can press SKIP function
button 645B to skip a commercial that has rudely interrupted an
article being displayed to the user. Pressing skip while in an
article terminates the article and application 860 goes directly to
a continuous commercial break. If the received button code does not
correspond to the SKIP function button 645B, application 860 goes
from step 877 via branch 879 to step 880.
[0328] In step 880, application 860 checks to see if the received
button code corresponds to the INFO function button 645D. If the
button codes match in step 880, application 860 goes via branch 881
to step 882. In step 882, application 860 increments the DETAIL
mode level which indicates the level at which an article or a
commercial is being displayed.
[0329] After incrementing the DETAIL mode level in step 882,
application 860 goes via branch 883 and branch 897 back to step
865. Although the application is back in the same selection as
before, the DETAIL mode is now higher than when application 860 was
last in step 865.
[0330] In one specific embodiment of this invention, DETAIL mode
level 0 for commercial selections indicates a 30 second commercial,
while DETAIL mode level 1 indicates an infomercial and a DETAIL
mode level 2 indicates an interactive form to be filled by a user
(for example to order the product being advertised in a
commercial).
[0331] In an alternative embodiment, an application is programmed
to perform additional functions in the increased DETAIL mode level.
For example, in DETAIL mode 1, the application continues displaying
the currently chosen selection and also displays in a window an
order form or an 800 telephone number if a commercial selection was
being displayed.
[0332] Alternatively, an application can execute a software
selection which sends a fax through phone line 145A (FIG. 1G) to
order the product currently being advertised. In another
embodiment, an application shows a menu that allows a user to input
information about attributes of the advertised product (such as
shoe size) to be ordered for the user.
[0333] In one specific embodiment of this invention, an application
sends an order for a product via facsimile using fax card 144B and
phone line 145A (FIG. 1F). A user's credit card number is
automatically filled in by the application, if a user so desires
(after asking for a password in some embodiments).
[0334] In an increased DETAIL mode level, application 860 can
display a form which provides additional information about the
advertised product, such as the price and shops in the local
neighborhood where the product is available.
[0335] The DETAIL mode is decremented when the current selection
completes. The DETAIL mode is also decremented when a commercial is
terminated due to user input, for example if SKIP function button
645B is pressed by the user. Once the DETAIL mode has been
decremented, the next selection is displayed in the normal mode
unless INFO function button 645D is pressed by the user during
display of the current selection.
[0336] In one specific embodiment of this invention, when an
inventor presses INFO function button 645D, during a NIKE
infomercial, an interactive window with a form for ordering shoes
is presented. In this manner, an ambitious advertiser can have
several levels of DETAIL mode selections stacked one after another
which are accessed by using INFO function button 645D in each
level. Less ambitious advertisers can choose not to implement INFO
function button 645D so that pressing INFO function button 645D
causes nothing to change and the 30 second commercial runs to its
conclusion with a little window in a corner displaying the text
content "no detail available".
[0337] The DETAIL mode can be implemented for an article selection,
wherein the normal level of the DETAIL mode (e.g. level 1) is
associated with a video, and the next higher level of the DETAIL
mode is associated with the full text of the article in the print
version of the magazine. Pressing INFO function button 645D
multiple times eventually rotates back to level 0. In one
embodiment of this invention, a user can search for keywords in
article selections using keypad 643 to enter the keyword to be
searched (FIG. 6G). In one embodiment for articles, a DETAIL mode
of 0 indicates an article preview selection, a DETAIL mode of
indicates article selections 1 and a DETAIL mode greater than 1
indicates more information than normal. An article preview
selection is displayed when a user single clicks on an article in a
periodical the remote control (as discussed below).
[0338] Referring back to FIG. 8C, if the button codes do not match
in step 880, application 860 goes via branch 884 to step 885. In
step 885, application 860 checks to see if the received button code
indicates that REPEAT function button 645C was pressed. If the
button codes match in step 885, application 860 goes via branch 886
to step 887. In step 887, application 860 selects the most recently
displayed commercial selection. Then application 860 goes from step
887 via branches 888 and 897 back to step 865. Therefore in step
865, the previous commercial will be displayed. In one embodiment
of this invention, application 860 keeps track of 255 most recently
displayed commercials (in reverse chronological order).
[0339] If the button codes do not match in step 885, application
860 goes via branch 889 to step 890. In step 890, application 860
checks to see if an article button was double clicked. If there was
a double click in step 890, application 860 goes via branch 894 to
step 895. In step 895, application 860 selects the article
indicated by the button code received from remote control 640 and
sets the IN_ARTICLE flag. Then application 860 goes via branches
896 and 897 back to step 865.
[0340] If, however, there was no double click in step 890,
application 860 goes via branch 891 to step 892. In step 892,
application 860 selects the article preview commercial indicated by
the button code received from remote control 640. Then application
860 goes via branch 893 and 897 back to step 865.
[0341] Application 860 makes it easy to convert existing magazines
and TV programs to interactive media format, for remote controls
which are easy to market and easy to use (as discussed below).
[0342] To author an application for a picture book remote control
one simply has to do the following:
[0343] 1. Create the pictures, scan them into a computer and store
them in separate files;
[0344] 2. Write the captions for each page and store each in a
separate file;
[0345] 3. Record the voice for each caption (using a PC sound card)
and store in separate disk files;
[0346] 4. Run a Compiler Engine to generate an application.
[0347] FIG. 9A is an illustrative data flow diagram for an
interactive media application development system 900. Application
development system 900 is used in accordance with a method 910
illustrated in FIG. 9B. Application development system 900 includes
a data input system 901 and an application authoring system 906.
Data input system 901 includes a scanner 902, a camera and full
motion video card 903, a microphone and sound card 904 and a word
processor 905. In one specific embodiment of this invention,
application development system 900 includes an IBM PC.
[0348] In one specific embodiment of this invention an application
909 created by application creation engine 908 includes high level
control logic 909A, and selections 909B, 909C, 909D, 909E, 909F and
909G all combined into a single executable image.
[0349] To create an application 909 an author can use a scanner 902
and/or camera and full motion video card 903 and/or microphone and
sound card and/or 904 and/or word processor 905 depending on the
application to be is created. In step 911 of method 910, the author
uses a scanner 902. (FIG. 9A) to produce picture files such as
picture files 902A, 902B and 902C in step 911 (FIG. 9B). Scanner
902 can be any commercially available scanner such as, HP ScanJet
IIcx scanner available from Hewlett Packard Company, 16399 W.
Bernardo Drive, San Diego, Calif. 92127. Scanner 902 converts color
pages into digitized data for the picture files.
[0350] Next in step 912, (FIG. 9B) an author uses camera and full
motion video card 903 to create video files 903A, 903B and 903C
which have full motion imagery. Camera and full motion video card
903 is any commercially available video card such as, Real Magic
MPEG full-motion video card available from Future Tel. Corp., (402)
522-1400, 1092 E. Arques Avenue, Sunnyvale, Calif. 94086.
[0351] Next, in step 913, an author uses microphone and sound card
904 to create sound files 904A, 904B and 904C. Microphone and sound
card 904 can be any commercially available audio card such as,
ProAudio Spectrum 16 audio card available from Media Vision, Inc.,
47300 Bayside Parkway, Fremont, Calif. 94538. Sound card 904
digitizes and plays back sounds and voices input by an author.
[0352] Next, in step 914, the author uses a word processor 905 to
create text files 905A, 905B and 905C. Word processor 905 can be
any commercially available word processor such as, WordPerfect
available from WordPerfect Corporation, 155 N. Technology Way,
Orem, Utah 84057. Word processor 905 is used to type text
content.
[0353] Files 902A, 9023, 902C, 903A, 903B, 903C, 904A, 904B, 904C,
905A, 9051, and 905C all contain digitized data which are input to
application authoring system 906. Application authoring system 906
includes an author interface 907 and an application creation engine
908. Application creation engine 908 receives commands from an
author via author interface 907 and uses data files 902A, 902B,
902C, 903A, 903B, 903C, 904A, 904B, 904C, 905A, 905B, and 905C from
data input system 901 to create an application 909. Application 909
contains the associated electronic contents for the remote control
being created.
[0354] In step 915, an author starts application authoring system
906. Then in step 916, an author selects the type of remote control
to be created from a menu (not shown) which lists a single button
remote control and a multiple button remote control as two
choices.
[0355] Next, in step 917, an author associates the buttons on a
remote control such as remote control 100 with the data files from
the data input system 901 to create an application such as
application 909. Step 917 is illustrated in detail for two
different applications: flow chart 917A illustrates the steps to
create an application for a single button remote control while flow
chart 917B illustrates the steps to create an application for a
multiple button remote control. Flow charts 917A and 917B are
discussed in detail below.
[0356] Next in step 918 the author selects a create command from a
menu (not shown) of application authoring system 906 to generate a
master disk or tape which includes application 909. Then in step
919 an author delivers the master disk or tape to a service bureau
for duplication. The duplicated disks or tapes containing
application 909 can be encased in a holder of a remote control or
alternatively, transferred to storage media connected to remote
servers which permit access by users' host devices.
[0357] FIG. 9C illustrates a screen 907A of author interface 907
for creating an application for a single button remote control.
Initially an author selects from menu bar 924, format menu 924B. On
selecting format menu 924B, a drop down list box (not shown)
appears which allows an author to select one of several
predetermined layouts of the function/data buttons for single or
multiple button remote control. Each of these layouts can be
illustrated in screen 931A when an author scrolls through the
various choices. For example, the drop down list box for format
menu 924B can include choices of "single button picture book remote
control", "periodical remote control" and "multiple button remote
control". In step 916 (FIG. 9B) the author selects the type of
remote control from format menu 924B.
[0358] After selecting the layout of the function/data buttons for
a remote control, an author must indicate whether to start a new
remote control or to work on an existing remote control from drop
down list box 933 for file menu 924A. Once a choice has been
indicated in drop down list box 933, the current file directory is
selected and dialog box 925 is presented to the author.
[0359] Dialog box 925 includes screen 931A, authoring boxes 938A
and authoring buttons 939A. Dialog box 925 follows the well known
design conventions for Microsoft Windows and for the Apple
MacIntosh. In the top left corner, dialog box 925 has a system bar
921 which allows an author to exit author interface 907 by double
clicking. Furthermore, dialog box 925 has adjacent to system bar
921, a title bar 922A which shows the name of the application being
created. Just below title bar 922A in menu bar 924 is presented
current book format 923A "Single Button Picture Book" (as soon as
the author makes a selection in format menu 924B).
[0360] Dialog box 925 also includes a set of authoring boxes 938A
(at the right side of FIG. 9C). Authoring box set 938A includes
prompt legends 926, 927, 928, 929 and 930 and corresponding input
boxes 926A, 927A, 928A, 929A and 930A. Box 927A is a drop down list
box which lists all of the valid page numbers available for the
current book. Furthermore, boxes 928A, 929A and 930A are drop down
list boxes which contain the lists of graphics files, sound files
and text files respectively.
[0361] In one specific embodiment of this invention, picture files
902A, 902B, and 902C are named with the extension .TIF, sound files
904A, 904B and 904C have the extension .WAV and text files 905A,
905B and 905C have the extension .TXT. Once a valid set of data
files are displayed in a drop down list box, an author can select a
particular entry in the box by double clicking on the entry. For
example, in drop down list box 930A, to select text file
"page5.txt" the author double clicks on entry 930A1 as shown in
FIG. 9C.
[0362] In step 917A1 (FIG. 9B) an author specifies the number of
pages for a picture book remote control application in input box
926A. In step 917A2, an author chooses the current page to be
worked on in box 927A. Box 927A displays all of the valid pages
which can be programmed for the picture book remote control such
as, a front cover, page 1, page 2, page 3, and back cover. In one
embodiment of this invention, when an author selects the current
page of the application to be worked on, that page is automatically
associated with the single button of the remote control.
[0363] In step 917A3, an author associates the single button of the
remote control and associated current page to a graphic file
containing the image to be displayed in the current page by double
clicking on the graphics file in box 928A. Then in step 917A4, an
author associates the single button and the current page to a sound
file containing an audio recording to be displayed in the current
page by double-clicking on the sound file in 929A. Finally, in step
917A5, an author associates the single button and the current page
to a text file by double-clicking on the text file in box 930A.
[0364] For example, if a ten page picture book remote control
application is to be created, an author types the number 10 in box
926A, and to work on page 5 the author double clicks on the number
5 in box 927A.
[0365] Once a data file has been associated with the current page
the data file can be accessed through screen 931A (FIG. 9C). For
example, as soon as a graphics file is selected in window 928A, the
graphics data are displayed on edit screen 931. As another example,
when a text file is selected in window 930A, the text file is
displayed (overlapping the graphics in the same screen 931A). In
one specific embodiment of this invention, the text 932 from text
file 930A1 can be moved or the size changed using "handles" 932A,
932B, 932C and 932D in the conventional manner established for
Microsoft Windows and for Apple MacIntosh. For example, to move
text 932, the cursor is positioned on text 932 and the left mouse
button is held down while a mouse (such as mouse 129) is moved.
[0366] Also included in dialog box 925 are preview buttons 939A,
which include Play button 935, Next button 936 and Previous button
937. Play button 935 displays the sound file associated with the
current page. In the example of FIG. 9B, selecting Play button 935
causes the sound file "pages.wav" to be displayed through the
speaker/headphone (not shown). Next button 936 and previous button
937 permit an author to move to another page such as the next page
or the previous page of the current application.
[0367] The application for a single button picture book remote
control created by method 910 (FIG. 9B) results in an interactive
media in which the pages are arranged in a specific sequential
order. The pages are retrieved and displayed sequentially on the
receipt of a wireless signal from the button on the remote control.
Therefore, although a single button is linked to all pages, an
application retrieves and displays only the next page in sequential
order after the current page when a button code is received.
[0368] In one embodiment of this invention, an application 549 for
picture book remote control 100 can be authored as follows. The
cover and inside pages of an existing children's book can be
scanned and each page graphic saved in a separate file having the
extension "TIF", such as, for example "COVER.TIF", "PAGE1.TIF",
"PAGE2.TIF", and "PAGE10.TIF". Next the text on each of the pages
of the children's book can be read by the author and recorded with
each voice recording being stored in a separate file, having the
extension "WAV" such as, for example "COVER.WAV", "PAGE1.WAV",
PAGE2.WAV" and "PAGE10.WAV".
[0369] Files COVER.TIF, COVER.WAV, PAGE 1.TIF, PAGE 2.WAV, PAGE
10.TIF and PAGE 10.WAV from the above steps can be used to create
the application by using Compel, a commercial business presentation
software published by Asymetrix Corporation of 110-110th Avenue, NE
Suite 700, Bellevue, Wash. 98004.
[0370] Compel has a menu driven interface. To create an application
549, a blank slide is first created using various Compel menus and
dialog boxes. For example, Compel dialog box "Effects" is used to
choose "Slide Media Links" which is a pull down menu in Compel.
Then "Trigger Event" is chosen which is a pull down scroll box and
in menu Trigger Event, the action "Leave Slide" is chosen. When an
action is chosen, a pull down scroll box is displayed containing
all the data files. One of these files called "Page 2.WAV" can be
then selected. Then the Import Graphic Command is used to select
"Page 2.TIF" to insert a graphic image on the blank slide. For a
cover, Compel "import" and "graphic" menu boxes are used to place a
"COVER.TIF" graphic on top of the very first blank slide.
[0371] Compel automatically advances to the next slide after a
trigger event "leave slide" which causes an associated sound
recording to be displayed. To display the same graphics after
displaying a sound recording, the first slide is duplicated as a
second slide. The action "do nothing" is specified for all trigger
events for the (duplicated) second slide.
[0372] Therefore every page of an interactive media displayed to
the user requires two slides. So a third slide can be then opened
and the next page's graphic "PAGE1.TIF" placed on the third slide.
Then the sound file "PAGE1.WAV" can be associated to the third
slide. In this manner all of the graphics files and all of the
sound files can be linked to corresponding pairs of slides in the
desired sequential order, the first slide of each pair being
associated with a sound file and the second slide of each pair
having the same graphic as the first slide of the pair.
[0373] When application 549 is completed, the application can be
saved in a file called "FIREBOOK.CPL". The "FIREBOOK.CPL" and a
run-time version of the Compel program (henceforth "compel
application") can be transferred to a storage media such as CD-ROM
compatible write once optical disk. The transfer can be done by a
Sony CD Recording Unit CDW-900E available from Sony Electronics,
Inc., 3300 Zanker Road, San Jose, Calif. 95134.
[0374] A compel application, when started up and prompted with
"FIREBOOK" responds to a button code from the remote control. In
particular, the compel application causes advancing of each slide
on receipt of a left mouse button code from a remote control.
Therefore if a left mouse button code is received by compel
application during display of the first slide, compel application
exits the first slide and while exiting displays the sound file
associated with the first slide. Then compel application displays
the second slide (which has a graphic identical to the graphic of
the first slide). If a left mouse button is received during display
of the second slide, compel application exits the second slide and
immediately displays the third slide.
[0375] After displaying the last slide of a selection, compel
application re-displays the first slide on receipt of a left mouse
button code. Although the left mouse button code is used in one
embodiment of an application for a picture book remote control,
other applications can use other button codes such as scan codes
for FP key or enter key in accordance with this invention. The file
name of an application such as FIREBOOK.EXE can be included in a
file such as DISGO.BAT 430 (FIG. 5E).
[0376] In an alternative embodiment of this invention, a storage
media can be used with a host device not configured with the
autostart driver by the user manually issuing the command COMPEL
X:FIREBOOK wherein X denotes the peripheral containing the inserted
storage media.
[0377] While in one embodiment of this invention, the Compel
application was used, a programmer skilled in the art can create
such an application or other compatible applications using a
programming language (such as C) and associated development systems
for an IBM compatible PC or an Apple Macintosh. A programmer can
also create similar applications by using software development
systems available from video game machine manufacturers such as
Sega, Nintendo and 3DO.
[0378] An application which maps every page to the same button and
which allows sequential access of the pages is well suited for a
children's picture book remote control such as picture book remote
control 100.
[0379] An application for random access of articles for a multiple
button remote control can be created by associating buttons to
different articles. One such application for a periodical remote
control is illustrated in FIG. 8C.
[0380] To create an application for a periodical remote control, an
author selects "periodical remote control" from format menu 924B.
Then an author either starts a new periodical remote control
application or opens an existing periodical remote control
application from file menu 924A.
[0381] FIG. 9D illustrates a screen 907B of author interface 907
for creating an application for a periodical remote control.
Authoring buttons 938B for a periodical remote control include
#Buttons legend 942. Current button legend 943, Information file
legend 944, Commercial file legend 945, Article file legend 946 and
corresponding input boxes 942A, 943A, 944A, 945A and 946A. An
author specifies the number of article selections in input box
942A, in step 917B1 (FIG. 9B).
[0382] Using the number of article selections, an author can choose
one layout from several preprogrammed layouts for the buttons of a
periodical remote control. For example, to create a six-selection
remote control, an author types in the number "6" in the input box
942A.
[0383] Next in step 917B2 the author chooses a button to be worked
on from drop down list box 943A. Each button number uniquely
identifies the location of a button on a layout for a remote
control which is displayed to the author on screen 931 (not shown).
For example, to work on article 3, an author double clicks on the
number "3" in the box 943A.
[0384] Next in step 917B3 the author associates the video recording
article file that will be displayed with the corresponding button
on the remote control by double clicking on the desired article
file such as "article3.AVI" 946A1 in box 946A. A video recording
article preview file is associated with a corresponding button on
the remote control by single clicking on the desired article
preview file such as "contents.avi."
[0385] In one embodiment of this invention, a DETAIL mode file can
be associated with an article selection or a commercial selection.
The DETAIL mode file is displayed when a user touches button INFO
645D during the display of a commercial selection or an article
selection.
[0386] Information box 944A lists choices of DETAIL mode files
which can be associated with article and/or commercial selections.
For example, file "quote27.exe" can be associated with an article
selection by clicking on a desired article selection such as
"article3.avi" and then double clicking on file "quote27.exe".
Alternatively, DETAIL mode file "quote27.exe" can be associated
with a commercial selection such as "spot27.adv" by first clicking
on the commercial selection in box 945A and then double clicking on
the DETAIL mode file.
[0387] Multiple levels of DETAIL can be setup by associating a
DETAIL mode file to a lower level DETAIL mode file until the lowest
level DETAIL mode file is reached and the lowest level DETAIL mode
file is associated with the article selection or the commercial
selection from which the DETAIL mode was originally entered. For
example, an author clicks on "quote 27.EXE" in 944A and then while
holding down the CTRL key, double clicks on "ORDER27.EXE" in 944A.
In accordance with this invention, DETAIL mode files can be full
motion video, and/or text and/or graphics and/or computer
programs.
[0388] In FIG. 9D, screen 931B, an edit screen, shows the first
frame of the current video article "article3.AVI". Dialog box 925B
includes authoring buttons 939B which include PREVIEW button 951,
Play button 952, Stop button 953, Backward button 954, Forward
button 955 and Insert Commercial button 956.
[0389] When Play button 952 is clicked by an author, the current
article, commercial or DETAIL mode file is displayed on screen
931B. When Stop button 953 is clicked, the display of current video
and/or and audio recording selection is frozen. When Backward
button 954 or the Forward button 955 are clicked, the video and/or
audio recording is rewound or advanced respectively. The rate of
video advance and rewind starts and runs very slowly. The rate of
video advance accelerates when the mouse button is held down for an
extended period of time.
[0390] When Insert Commercial button 956 is clicked during display
of an article selection, a function call (or a tag) for an
automatic commercial call is inserted at the current position in
the article selection "article3.AVI."
[0391] In an alternative embodiment of this invention, an author
can insert selected commercials into an article selection (rather
than calls to display a random commercial). The available
commercials are listed in Commercial file box 945A and selected by
double-clicking a commercial selection in box 945A immediately
after inserting a function call (or a tag).
[0392] When the Preview button 951 is clicked, author interface 907
switches from editing mode to a preview mode which allows an author
to "test drive" the current periodical remote control. Authoring
buttons 939B are replaced with preview buttons 939C which include
Author button 951A, SKIP button 951B, REPEAT button 951C and INFO
button 951D. When Author button 951A is clicked, screen 931 returns
to the editing mode.
[0393] To preview the periodical remote control after entering the
preview mode an author double clicks on a file name 946A1 in
Article File box 946A. Article selection "article 3.avi" 946A1 will
play in screen 931 with automatic commercials being called when
appropriate, as if a user had touched button 3. INFO button 951D,
SKIP button 951B and REPEAT button 951C function in the manner
specified above in reference to periodical remote control 640.
[0394] FIG. 9E illustrates a screen 907C of author interface 907
for creating an application for use with a touch panel remote
control. Format menu 924B includes choices (Pub. Type, Button Type,
Draw Button, Draw Page, Button #, Attributes, and Rulers) in a drop
down list box 966. An author can specify arbitrary shaped buttons
on a touch panel remote control by selecting "Draw Button" in drop
down list box 966 for the format menu 924B.
[0395] Then screen 931C displays two pages 960A and 960B. The
author then chooses Draw Page from drop down list box 966 of format
menu 924B to define the size and shape of the magazine page as well
as the buttons. The author then selects one of tools 964A, 964B,
964C, 964D, 964E, 964F and 964G from the button drawing tool list
964. For instance, an author selects the box tool 964D to draw
button 961A on screen 960A and button 961C on 960B. On drawing the
periphery of a button the author interface 907C prompts the author
to specify a button number in input box 965 before proceeding to
draw the periphery of another button. Button 961B is drawn with a
circular drawing tool 964E while the button 961D is drawn with a
free form drawing tool 964F. Selection tool 964A can be used to
reposition a button while rotation tool 964G can be used to rotate
the button.
[0396] When an author has completed drawing of all of the buttons
on a touch panel, the author then clicks the OK button 962 to save
the current configuration of buttons on a touch panel.
Alternatively, clicking on CANCEL button 963 aborts any changes
made during the current drawing session.
[0397] FIG. 9F is an illustrative flow chart for application
creation engine 908 of FIG. 9A. Application creation engine 908
initializes variables in step 971 and goes to step 972 where it
gets the remote control type from the author (in format menu 924B).
Then application creation engine 908 goes to step 973 where it gets
the total number of selections in the remote control application
being created (in input box 942A of FIG. 9D). Next in step 974,
application creation engine 908 gets the button code of the
function/data button which is to be associated with current
selection being programmed (in input box 943A).
[0398] In one embodiment of this invention, an author needs to
merely enter the total number of selections and the number of
selections automatically indicates the preselected layout. In such
an embodiment, selecting a button number in input box 943A
indicates the location of the button and also a unique button code
to be encoded in a wireless signal identifying the selected
button.
[0399] In step 975, application creation engine 908 gets a graphics
file name and associates the graphics file with the current
selection. In step 976, application creation engine 908 gets the
video file name and associates the video file with the current
selection. In step 977, application creation engine 908 gets the
text file name and associates the text file with the current
selection. Steps 975, 976 and 977 are optional steps which can be
executed in any order by an author. However, at least one of steps
975, 976, and 977 must be executed before proceeding to next step
978.
[0400] In step 978, application creation engine 908 associates the
button code of the currently selected button with the memory
address of the selection formed by the preceding steps 975 and/or
976 and/or 977. In one embodiment, application creation engine 908
stores the button code in the selection data storage location which
is offset from the selection's beginning memory address by a
predetermined amount of offset. As noted above, such storage allows
the selection associated with a button code to be identified by an
application.
[0401] Finally in step 979, application creation engine 908 checks
to see if all of the selections for the current interactive media
have been associated with the respective button codes. If all of
the selections have been associated, the current application is
finished and application creation engine 908 goes from step 979 via
branch 980 back to step 972 to get the next remote control type. If
not all of the selections for the current remote control have been
programmed, application creation engine 908 goes from step 979 via
branch 981 to step 974 where it gets the button code of the next
button.
[0402] One advantage of the remote control application authoring
system and method described above is simplicity, which allows
anyone to author an application for an interactive media with
minimal training. The above procedure is also less labor intensive
with the resultant cost savings and allows rapid prototyping with
short time to market.
[0403] A remote control in accordance with this invention improves
a user's interaction with interactive media for a number of
reasons. One is interactive media is easier to produce because this
invention makes it easy to repurpose existing non-interactive media
into interactive media. For example, a normal children's printed
book, such as a picture book, can be made interactive by simply
scanning pages of the book and then recording and saving the pages
into graphic files and then recording text audio for the text on
each page into voice recording files. Such a remote control allows
the child to simply push a button to read the book on a television,
a page at a time. For example, a thousand Disney titles can be
taken and repurposed virtually overnight into interactive media.
Interactive media is also made easier to sell or market because the
remote control looks like non-interactive media in the store so a
publisher can sell the remote in normal conventional bookstores or
for example in the case of a disk video CD or audio CD in normal
record stores in normal record stores like Blockbuster video.
Interactive media is also easier to use with the remote control
because the interactive media still feels like normal TV or normal
book or normal magazine rather than like computer software. Normal
computer software is difficult because software requires the use of
a mouse and double clicking and icons and typing commands and some
minimal computer skills which can be roadblocks to people who never
used computers. In the case of a printed publication remote
control, a user does exactly what the user does with a normal book.
The user opens a book and the user looks at the table of contents
and the user says to himself or herself touching the picture, "This
is what I want to watch." The TV program that the user just
selected is then shown on the TV or the CD audio selection that the
user wants to listen to is played as soon as the user touches the
title. The user never needs to think about what to do. In all
cases, the remote allows the user immediate access to interactive
media without having to read the manual.
[0404] A data button remote control looks like a normal remote
control but has different buttons for example MARS, EARTH and
PLUTO. Where as conventional computer game remote controls require
that the user first read the manual, with a remote control in
accordance with this invention it is not necessary to read the
manual to understand what the controls do, what the remote control
does. The user doesn't have to remember the instructions. A remote
control in accordance with this invention relates in an intuitive
way to the user, because the buttons on the remote control can be
optimized for each game (rather than be universal) and different
for each game (rather than requiring the user to remember that a
button C for example causes one thing for one game and the same
button C causes the game to quit for another game).
[0405] It is to be understood that the above description is
intended to be illustrative and not restrictive. Many variations of
the invention will become apparent to those of skill in the art
upon review of this disclosure. For example, a video cassette
recorder (VCR) tape can be used as the storage media and data
buttons can be supported on the VCR tape housing for remotely
selecting movies encoded in the VCR tape. One embodiment of a
printed publication remote control can be similar to a restaurant
menu for purchasing various dishes. Another embodiment of a printed
publication remote control can be an information brochure such as a
product brochure and a company brochure. Yet another embodiment of
a printed publication remote control can have the appearance of a
picture post card. A remote control in accordance with this
invention can have the appearance of a conventional TV program
guide, or a conventional newspaper and need not contain a storage
media (i.e. in the form of a printed publication remote
control).
[0406] Although the remote control embodiments have been shown with
a number of data buttons for accessing certain selections and/or a
number of function buttons for implementing functions, any types of
buttons having any attributes of data and/or function can be built
into a remote control in accordance with this invention.
[0407] Moreover, associations between button codes and selections
can be implemented as a table of pointers, with the button code as
the index into the table and the pointers being addresses of the
selections on the storage media. Alternatively, the associations
can be implemented using other data structures such as linked lists
which are well known to a person of skill in the art.
[0408] The scope of this invention is limited only by the appended
claims.
* * * * *