U.S. patent application number 11/552924 was filed with the patent office on 2008-01-03 for programmable remote control and methods of using same.
This patent application is currently assigned to X10 Ltd.. Invention is credited to Leslie A. Leech, James R.W. Phillips, David J. Rye, George E. Stevenson.
Application Number | 20080001773 11/552924 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38667062 |
Filed Date | 2008-01-03 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080001773 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Rye; David J. ; et
al. |
January 3, 2008 |
PROGRAMMABLE REMOTE CONTROL AND METHODS OF USING SAME
Abstract
The present invention provides a remote control, a system for
programming the remote control, and methods of programming or using
the remote control. The remote control is configured to be
selectively set up or programmed using a display screen and
corresponding function buttons on the remote control. The set up
process allows a user to only set up the remote control features of
interest to for that particular user. In addition, the remote
control includes a module that may be accessed directly by the
remote control or via a computer where the module guides the user
through the set up process. Thus, the user does not need to set up
any feature of the remote control that is not applicable to that
user.
Inventors: |
Rye; David J.; (Kent,
WA) ; Leech; Leslie A.; (Kowloon, HK) ;
Phillips; James R.W.; (Bellevue, WA) ; Stevenson;
George E.; (Hunghom, HK) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BLACK LOWE & GRAHAM, PLLC
701 FIFTH AVENUE, SUITE 4800
SEATTLE
WA
98104
US
|
Assignee: |
X10 Ltd.
Hunghom
HK
|
Family ID: |
38667062 |
Appl. No.: |
11/552924 |
Filed: |
October 25, 2006 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60806254 |
Jun 29, 2006 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
340/4.31 ;
340/3.71; 341/175; 341/176; 345/169; 348/734; 455/41.2 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G08C 17/00 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
340/825.22 ;
340/825.72; 348/734; 455/41.2; 341/176; 341/175; 340/3.71;
345/169 |
International
Class: |
G05B 19/02 20060101
G05B019/02 |
Claims
1. A remote control comprising: a microprocessor; a memory
accessible by the microprocessor; a display screen configured to
display an icon, the icon corresponding to a channel of a media
device; a screen interface that allows a selection of the icon,
wherein the selection of the icon causes the microprocessor to
operate programming instructions stored in the memory; and a
transmitter controlled by the processor to transmit a wireless
signal from the remote control in response to the operation of the
stored programming instructions, the signal containing information
to change the channel of the media device to the channel
represented by the selected icon.
2. The remote control of claim 1, wherein the display screen is
sized to display a plurality of icons.
3. The remote control of claim 1 wherein the memory includes stored
information associating each of a plurality of icons with a
respective television channel.
4. The remote control of claim 1, further comprising a receiver
configured to receive a signal sent by a computer in response to a
signal from the security device, the signal sent by the computer
being used by stored instructions in the memory to cause the remote
control to display an indicator associated with a condition of the
security device.
5. The remote control of claim 1, further comprising a status bar
indicator located proximate the display screen, the indicator
configured to display a progression of data transmitted or received
by the remote control.
6. The remote control of claim 1, further comprising a restriction
module selectable via an interface of the remote control, the
restriction module programmable to limit a desired amount of
functionality of the remote control.
7. The remote control of claim 1, wherein the screen interface
comprises a touch screen.
8. The remote control of claim 1, further comprising a setup module
to receive input from at least one interface of the remote control,
the setup module digitally coupled with the display screen to
permit a user to directly program the remote control.
9. The remote control of claim 9 wherein the setup module is
manageable by the user to setup only desired remote control
features.
10. The remote control of claim 1, further comprising stored
programming instructions responsive to a user input and operable by
a user to change a configuration of the remote from a first
configuration associated with a first user to a second
configuration associated with a second user.
11. The remote control of claim 1, further comprising a removably
attachable faceplate.
12. A method of using a remote control having a memory, a display
screen, and a user interface, the method comprising: displaying a
plurality of icons on the display screen of the remote control, the
plurality of icons selected from a database of icons stored in the
memory; activating the user interface to select one of the icons;
communicating with a media device to change the media device from a
first state to a second state.
13. The method of claim 12, wherein displaying the plurality of
icons on the display screen includes displaying icons
representative of selected media device channels.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein displaying icons includes
displaying television channels.
15. The method of claim 12, further comprising storing information
in the memory associating the plurality of icons with a respective
plurality of channels.
16. The method of claim 15, wherein storing comprises downloading
over a network in response to entering a zip code.
17. The method of claim 15, wherein storing comprises downloading
over a cellular telephone.
18. The method of claim 12, wherein activating the user interface
includes depressing a button located on the remote control.
19. The method of claim 12, wherein communicating with the media
device to change the media device from the first state to the
second state includes changing a channel of the media device from a
first channel to a second channel.
20. A method of configuring a remote control having a memory, the
method comprising: storing in the memory a first database
corresponding to a first set of media device channels selected for
a first user, wherein the first set of media device channels are
displayable on a display screen of the remote control; storing in
the memory a second database corresponding to a second set of media
device channels selected for a second user, wherein the second set
of media device channels are displayable on the display screen; and
displaying on the display screen at least some information stored
in the memory associated with one of the first or second
databases.
21. The method of claim 20, further comprising switching the
information displayed on the display screen from information
associated with the first database to information associated with
the second database.
22. The method of claim 21, wherein switching the remote control
includes pressing a button located proximate the display
screen.
23. A method of configuring a remote control for use with a media
device, the method comprising: entering information into the remote
control, the information including a geographic reference
designator; entering a number for a media device channel; and
automatically associating the number with an icon that represents a
media brand.
24. The method of claim 23, wherein entering information into the
remote control includes downloading the information into a memory
of the remote control from a personal computer.
25. The method of claim 23, wherein entering the geographic
designator includes entering a postal zip code.
26. The method of claim 23, wherein entering the geographic
designator includes entering at least a portion of a telephone
number.
27. A method of configuring a remote control for use with a media
device, the method comprising: specifying a region of geographic
use of the remote control; and associating a plurality of icons
with a plurality of media device channel numbers available within
the geographic region.
28. The method of claim 27, wherein associating includes
downloading information into a memory of the remote control from a
personal computer.
29. The method of claim 27, wherein specifying the region of
geographic use comprises entering a zip code into the remote
control.
30. The method of claim 27, wherein associating the plurality of
icons with the plurality of media device channel numbers includes
associating television network logos with the channel numbers and
storing in a memory of the remote control.
31. A method of determining a condition of a home security system
using a remote control for controlling a media device, the method
comprising: transmitting information from a home security device of
the home security system; receiving the information with the remote
control; and providing a notification at the remote control to
indicate a condition of the home security system.
32. The method of claim 31, wherein transmitting information from
the home security device includes sending a wireless signal from
the home security device.
33. The method of claim 31, wherein transmitting the information
from the home security device includes transmitting the information
to a personal computer.
34. The method of claim 33, wherein receiving the information with
the remote control includes receiving the information from a
personal computer.
35. The method of claim 31, wherein providing the notification
includes displaying an iconic message on a display screen of the
remote control.
36. The method of claim 31, wherein providing the notification
includes activating an audible signal from the remote control.
Description
PRIORITY CLAIM
[0001] The present application claims priority from U.S.
Provisional Application No. 60/806,254 filed Jun. 29, 2006 which is
hererein incorporated by reference in its entirety.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] This invention relates generally to a programmable remote
control and, specifically, to a programmable remote control with
selective setup features.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] One of the pervasive features of consumer audio and video
electronic components in recent years has been and continues to be
the handheld remote control. The handheld remote control sends
control signals to the controlled media device, generally using
either infrared or radio frequency signals. The remote control
signal may alter any of a variety of aspects of the electronic
device being controlled, such as its volume, channel, power, or
various performance settings such as color, contrast, tint, or
others.
[0004] Most conventional television remotes typically have a
plurality of buttons with preassigned functions. For example,
remotes commonly have a number pad with a button assigned to each
number 0 through 9. They also generally include buttons to increase
or decrease the current channel number, increase or decrease the
volume setting, and to invoke a menu-driven on-screen selection for
adjusting picture attributes such as color, contrast, or tint.
These standard remotes offer little functionality and require users
to independently memorize various settings and channels.
[0005] In some cases, remotes include keys that can be programmed.
One method for inputting, downloading, or otherwise programming the
desired functions of the remote control includes entering such
commands directly on the remote control as taught by U.S. Pat. No.
5,414,426. Most such remote controls can only store commands if
those commands are present in a code library contained within the
remote control.
[0006] Consequently, there is need for an improved programmable
remote control that provides better features than found in the
prior art remotes.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] The present invention is an improved remote control,
preferably including a remote control that can control a
television. Alternate examples of the invention include a system
for programming the remote control and various methods of
programming and using the remote control. In one example, the
remote control is configured to be selectively set up or
programmed, which allows a user to set up only the specific remote
control features of interest. The remote control may include a
module that may be accessed directly by the remote control or via a
computer to guide the user through the set up process. If this
feature is included and used by the user, it enables the user to
avoid setting up undesired features, thereby saving the user time
by not answering many questions and options that would otherwise be
necessary if a full set up were required.
[0008] In one example of the invention, a remote control includes a
memory, a microprocessor, and a display screen sized to display a
plurality of icons. Depending on the tailored implementation by the
user, one or more of the icons corresponds to a channel of a media
device such as a television. Buttons may be included to enable
selection of any of the plurality of icons when the remote control
is in a select-channel mode. In one example, the selection of the
at least one of the plurality of icons activates an assigned
function stored by the memory device in the remote control. The
remote further includes a transmitter arranged in the remote
control to transmit a wireless signal from the remote control
toward a media device. The remote may include an infrared
transmitter, a radio frequency transmitter, or both.
[0009] In another example of the invention, a system includes a
remote control having a display screen that is generally similar
(but not necessarily identical) to the exemplary remote discussed
above. In addition, a computer is programmed such that it is in
communication with the remote, either wired or wirelessly, as
desired. The communication link enables the personal computer to
send a variety of signals to the remote, for example including
updates for channel or other icons to be displayed on the screen or
for channel assignments correlating channel icons with particular
television channels.
[0010] In another example of the invention, the remote is in
communication with a computer to receive signals not necessarily
related to the control of the television or other remotely
controlled device. For example, many security devices are
configured for communication with a home computer. In turn, the
home computer is programmed to send an appropriate signal to the
remote, causing the remote to display an applicable message or
iconic representation on the screen representative of a condition
in the security device.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] The sizes and relative positions of elements in the drawings
or images may not necessarily be to scale. For example, some
elements may be arbitrarily enlarged or otherwise modified to
improve clarity. Further, the illustrated shapes of the elements
may not convey their actual shapes, and have been solely selected
for ease of recognition. Various embodiments are briefly described
with reference to the following drawings:
[0012] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a system comprising a computer
in communication with a remote control according to one illustrated
embodiment;
[0013] FIG. 2 is a system diagram of the remote control of FIG.
1.
[0014] FIG. 3 is an isometric view of a remote control sending a
wireless signal to a media device according to one illustrated
embodiment;
[0015] FIG. 4A is a top plan view of a remote control having a
display screen showing a number of menu items according to one
illustrated embodiment;
[0016] FIG. 4B is an isometric view of a removable faceplate
attachable to the remote control of FIG. 4A.
[0017] FIG. 5A is a top plan view of a remote control showing an
operational association between a number of peripheral buttons and
a display screen according to one illustrated embodiment.
[0018] FIG. 5B is a top plan view of the display screen of the
remote control of FIG. 5A showing a number of generic shapes that
represent icons according to one illustrated embodiment.
[0019] FIG. 6A is top plan view of a remote control having various
menu items for setting up the remote control displayed on a display
screen.
[0020] FIG. 6B is the remote control of FIG. 6A showing a number of
users, user groups, or topical groups containing customized
icon/channel pairings.
[0021] FIG. 7A is a flowchart showing a method of setting up a
remote control, to include inputting geographic reference
information, according to one illustrated embodiment.
[0022] FIGS. 7B-7G show a top plan view of a display screen of a
remote control with menus for proceeding through the method
provided in FIG. 7A.
[0023] FIG. 8A is a flowchart showing a method of setting up a
media device to be controlled by a remote control according to one
illustrated embodiment.
[0024] FIGS. 8B-8I show a top plan view of a display screen of a
remote control with menus for proceeding through the method
provided in FIG. 8A.
[0025] FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing similar, but slightly
different methods for arranging channel number and icon pairings in
a remote control.
[0026] FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a method of setting up a
protection or restriction feature on a remote control.
[0027] FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing a method where a remote
control is communicates with a home security system.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0028] One preferred example of the invention takes the form of a
remote control having a display screen configured to display a
number of menu items. For example, the screen may be able to
display icons that represent particular channels of a media device,
such as the channels of a television as provided by a particular
cable television provider within a specific geographic region. The
display screen may be configured to present color versions of the
icons, where the icons are logos that identify a particular network
channel, such as a television (local or other), cable, satellite,
radio, or other media device channel. In this example, a user is
able to change the channel on the television by selecting an icon
that is visible or at least accessible on the display screen (i.e.,
scroll up, down, left, right on the screen to access additional
icons). The user may select the icon by touching it on the screen
or by pressing an associated button adjacent to the screen rather
than one of the conventional methods of selecting a channel which
may include selecting and then scrolling through a channel guide
displayed on the television screen or memorizing favorite channels
and entering numbers on a keypad to switch between or go to those
favorite channels. As many remote control users appreciate, if the
channel numbers are not entered quickly then the desired channel is
not selected.
[0029] In one embodiment of the invention, the remote control is
programmable by direct interaction, which is accomplished using the
display screen, using a keypad, using function keys or buttons, or
some combination of the above. In one example, the remote control
is preprogrammed with a collection of icons representative of
network channels. The icons may be associated with particular
television channels or, alternatively, may be unassigned. The icons
may be in various forms such as text, image, or a combination of
both. In addition, the icons may represent trademarked logos for
particular media distributors (e.g., ABC.RTM., CNN.RTM., HBO.RTM.,
ESPN.RTM., etc.). The following group of channel icons or logos,
which may be available in the United States, is shown for
illustrative purposes and is not meant to be an all-inclusive
listing:
[0030] The association of an icon with a particular television
channel number may depend on a specific geographical region where
the television is located, a particular service provider, or both.
A single channel, for example the American Broadcast Company,
ABC.RTM., may be associated with different channel numbers in
different regions of the United States because one provider on the
West Coast may assign channel "4" to ABC while a different provider
on the East Coast assigns channel "7" to ABC. Accordingly, the
remote control may be purchased with a pre-assigned, stored
icon/number database for a geographic region specified by a user
upon ordering the remote control or the remote control may be
programmed by the user after purchase. In one embodiment, the
association of the icons with the channels numbers in accordance
with a particular geographic region includes entering a postal zip
code into the remote control.
[0031] In addition to assigning all or any subset of the available
icons to particular media device channels, the remote control may
be configured to operate a variety of media devices. Various
methods of configuring the remote control for desired media devices
and favorite media device channels are discussed in greater detail
below. In addition, any of the keys or icons may be programmed to
carry out a variety of commands. One example of storing and
executing macro commands via a remote control is described in U.S.
Pat. No. 6,998,997, which is incorporated by reference. In one
example of the present invention, the remote control includes the
ability to store and execute macro commands as described in the
'997 patent, with one or more macro commands being triggered by
touching an icon displayed on the display screen or pressing an
option button located adjacent to the screen.
[0032] In one embodiment, the remote control is programmable using
a wired or wireless data communications link between the remote
control and a computer. The computer includes software that permits
the user to customize features of the remote control and then
download or transmit those features to the remote control. The
remote control is selectively programmable, which means the user
can choose to program or set up certain aspects of the remote
control while skipping over other setup menus or leaving certain
aspects of the remote control in a default or in a non-programmed
configuration.
[0033] FIG. 1 shows a system 100 comprising a computer 102, a
remote control 104, and a docking station 106, according to one
illustrated embodiment of the present invention. The computer 102
includes a central processing unit (CPU) 108 with a memory, a
monitor 110, and may include a number of user interface devices
(not shown) such as keyboard, mouse, joystick or other devices to
provide for local user interaction with the computer 102. Local
user interaction may include, but is not limited to, configuring
the system, loading and monitoring media content, downloading data
to the computer 102 or to the remote control 104, adjusting
operational parameters, and performing other functions.
[0034] In one embodiment of the invention, the computer 102 is
employed to set up or program the remote control 104. For example,
icons corresponding to channels potentially available on a user's
television are downloaded onto the computer 102 over a network,
such as the Internet. These downloaded icons are then transferred
to the remote control 104 via the connection between the computer
102 and the docking station 106. The network connection with the
computer 102 allows for further updating information stored in the
remote control 104, which may include, but is not limited to,
downloading new icons, revising existing, stored icons,
reconfiguring the remote control 104 for use in a different
geographic region, adding to or revising a database of media device
codes stored in the remote control, etc.
[0035] While these actions may be performed using the computer 102,
the invention also provides that these actions can be accomplished
without the computer 102. As will be described in greater detail
below, the process of setting up or programming the remote control
104 may be done directly through various input/output (I/O)
interfaces arranged on the remote control 104 and which may also
include selecting menu items visually displayed on the remote
control 104. In one embodiment, the process of setting up or
programming the remote control 104 is accomplished with a cellular
telephone (not shown) in a manner that is similar to downloading a
ringtone or a digital photo.
[0036] The docking station 106 is preferably coupled to the
computer by a wired connection 112a. Additionally or alternatively,
the communication between the computer 102 and remote 104 may be a
wireless connection 112b, and may not require the docking station
106. By way of example, a wireless connection 112b can be via
BLUETOOTH.RTM., radio frequency (RF), infrared (IR), or other
means. The wired connection 112a may be via a serial, USB,
FIREWIRE.RTM., or other cable received in appropriate ports (not
shown) of the computer 102 and the docking station 106. The docking
station 106 preferably includes a power connection to the remote
104 so that rechargeable batteries in the remote control 104 may be
recharged when the remote 102 is electrically coupled with the
docking station 106. Optionally, the remote 104 may connect
directly to the computer 102 via the wired connection 112a or the
wireless connection 112b to modify remote settings.
[0037] FIG. 2 shows the remote control 104 having a microprocessor
116 coupled to receive input from an I/O interface 118, which may
be a keyboard, a touch screen, or some other mechanism for
triggering action by the microprocessor 116. In one embodiment, a
combined processor and memory 114 further includes a first memory
120, which is a nonvolatile memory that preferably stores operating
system instructions for the microprocessor 116, and may take the
form of memory devices such as read-only memory (ROM), programmable
read-only memory (PROM), electrically programmable read-only memory
(EPROM), or electrically erasable programmable read-only memory
(EEPROM). In another embodiment, a second memory 122 is provided,
which may be a volatile memory such as random access memory (RAM),
for temporarily storing signals that form program or macro routines
until those routines are saved in the nonvolatile memory 120.
However, the program or macro routines can be permanently saved in
the second memory 122.
[0038] In one embodiment, the remote control 104 includes batteries
that provide electrical power to the remote control 104 further
provide power to the first memory 120 or the second memory 122. A
capacitor (not shown) provides backup power to the memories 120,
122 while the batteries are being changed or charged. In an
alternative embodiment, an EEPROM is used in lieu of the
capacitor.
[0039] The remote control 104 further includes a display device 124
and a transmitter 126. The display device 124 receives input
signals under control of the microprocessor 116 and displays
information to the user. The transmitter 126 receives electronic
signals from the microprocessor 116. In one embodiment, the
transmitter 126 is an optical transmitter that cooperates with the
microprocessor 116 to perform an electro-optical conversion of the
electronic signals to optical signals for transmission to a media
device 128 (FIG. 3).
[0040] FIG. 3 shows the remote control 104 in communication with
the media device 128 such as a television via a wireless signal 130
according to one illustrated embodiment of the invention. The media
device 128 may take the form of any of a variety of devices, such
as a television (TV), a cable box, a video cassette recorder (VCR),
a digital video disk (DVD) player, an audio amplifier, a radio
receiver or tuner, a compact disk (CD) player or recorder, a
digital video recorder (DVR), or other media devices. Hereinafter
and throughout this description, the media device 128 will
generally be referred to as the TV for brevity and clarity. Thus, a
command to change the channel of the media device 128 using an icon
displayed on the display screen of the remote control 104 comprises
sending the command from the remote control the TV either directly
or through another device such as a television tuner on a VCR, a
cable box, a satellite box, or a set-top box.
[0041] The commands issued by the remote may be a simple
instruction such as the command to change a channel. Alternatively
one command may issue multiple instructions such that the remote
control 104 operates to turn on the cable box, turn on the
television, select a particular channel, and set the volume to a
desired level. In accordance with a preferred implementation of the
invention, the remote control 104 includes programming instructions
stored in at least the first memory 120 and executable by the
microprocessor 116 to assign a sequence of command instructions,
referred to as a macro, to a button or icon for controlling the
remotely controlled media device 128. The components of a remote
104 capable of carrying out such macros are described in the
aforementioned '997 patent.
[0042] FIG. 4A shows an exemplary remote control 200 having a
display screen 202, first peripheral keys or buttons 204 that
correspond to menu items 206, second buttons 208, a numeric keypad
210, and other input interfaces 212 according to the illustrated
embodiment. The overall layout of the remote 200 may be arranged in
any number of ways, for example the display screen 202 may be
placed in the middle of the remote or the numeric keypad 210 may be
located directly below the second buttons 208. The other input
interfaces 212 may correspond to depressible buttons, such as play,
stop, fast forward, rewind, mute, channel+, channel-, volume+, and
volume-. In one embodiment, an exterior surface 214 is made from a
chemically etched metallic alloy permitting each button or key to
be subtly illuminated. In addition, the display screen 202 may be
active or lit most of the time, which may require low levels of
power to be drawn from rechargeable batteries (not shown) in the
remote control 200. During various operations of the remote
control, a status bar 207 indicates the progress of the operation,
for example receiving or transmitting data.
[0043] FIG. 4B shows a removable faceplate 216 with openings 218
corresponding to the buttons on the remote control 200. The
removable faceplate 216 may be sized to fit over a portion of the
remote control 200 or over the entire front, exterior surface 214
of the remote control 200. In a preferred implementation, a pip or
pin (not shown) extending from the faceplate 216 is received by a
small, corresponding opening hole on the remote control 200 when
the faceplate 216 is placed on the remote control 200. The pip or
pin makes contact with a printed circuit board (PCB) in the remote
control 200 to activate the "His" or "Hers" mode, for example. By
using the pip or pin, the faceplate converts the remote to one
tailored to a particular individual. Alternative methods for
enabling the faceplate to tailor the device are also possible.
[0044] The display screen 202 may take various forms such as a
liquid crystal display (LCD), a light emitting diode (LED) display,
a thin film transistor (TFT) display, or a touch screen. In one
embodiment, the display screen 202 includes a status bar indicator
(not shown) to indicate downloading, uploading, or data
transferring progress while the remote control 200 is being
directly programmed or is in communication with the computer 102.
During initial setup of the remote control 200, the display screen
202 may optionally display the icon of a vendor, such as a cable
company or the store where the remote control 200 was purchased
(e.g., Wal-Mart, K-Mart, Target, etc.). In addition, such a vendor
icon may be displayed during initial power up after the batteries
are inserted into the remote control 200.
[0045] FIG. 5A shows the peripheral buttons 204 positioned on a
left/right perimeter region 220 adjacent to the display screen 202.
Each button 204 corresponds to a menu item or icon 206 represented
on the screen 202. The peripheral buttons 204 are used to select
the associated menu item 206; various aspects, features, and
functionality of the peripheral buttons 204 will be apparent in the
description provided below. In the example of the invention
incorporating a touch screen, the peripheral buttons 204 may
optionally be omitted because the menu items 206 may be selected by
touching them directly on the screen 202 rather than by pressing
one of the peripheral buttons 204.
[0046] In the illustrated embodiment, the peripheral buttons 204
comprise ten user-defined buttons associated with the menu items
206. In the event the remote control 200 contains more menu items
206 than buttons 204, the remote control 200 may have a scroll
mechanism, such as the up/down buttons 222a, 222b shown in the
illustrated embodiment. Alternatively, the scroll mechanism may
comprise a scroll wheel or other similar mechanism. The scroll
mechanism 222 permits the user to scroll among menu items 206 that
are not presently visible on the display screen 202. In such a
case, scrolling down would cause menu items 206 to successively
move up the screen 202 such that the menu items at the top of the
screen would drop off and move out of view while new menu items
appear at the bottom of the screen and continue to move upward as
long as the scrolling instruction is maintained. Scrolling up
causes the opposite movement of the menu items 206.
[0047] As best seen in FIG. 5B, exemplary icons 223 are illustrated
as generic shapes on the display screen 202. The generic shapes 223
represent actual logos and brands, which may be in various forms
such as text, image, or a combination of both. By way of example,
the actual logos may be trademarks of a particular media
distributor (e.g., ABC.RTM., CNN.RTM., HBO.RTM., FOX.RTM., etc.).
Thus, once the remote has been programmed to associate an icon with
a channel, depressing the peripheral button 204 adjacent the icon
will cause the channel to change to the channel associated with the
icon. Programming instructions stored in the remote control's
memory are associated with each icon. For icons indicative of a
television channel, the memory stores data sufficient to cause the
remote control to send a signal to the television to change to the
channel represented by the icon. Other icons may represent aspects
other than channels, and instructions stored in the memory reflect
the function desired to be carried by the icons. For example,
depressing the button adjacent to a first icon 223a will change the
television channel to whatever channel is assigned to the first
icon 223a. The same result will occur in a touch screen version by
touching the icon itself. Likewise, if the remote has further macro
programming assigned to the icon, touching the icon or the adjacent
button causes the remote to carry out the macro instructions
assigned to the icon.
[0048] In some examples of the invention, the remote control 200 is
capable of downloading additional icons 223 via the computer 102.
The icons 223 are then transferable to the remote control 200 and
can be added as channel favorites. When personalized with the
user's favorite channels (e.g., his, hers, or kids), the icons 223
will be displayed in the screen 202 next to the buttons 204.
Pressing an associated button 204 will send a sequence of commands
to change to that channel of the media device, for example pressing
the button 204 next to an ABC.RTM. icon (not shown) changes the
television channel from the present channel to ABC.RTM.. In one
embodiment, the computer 102 includes a configuration utility that
allows multiple users to be assigned to the remote control 200
where each user will have the ability to assign up to ten favorite
buttons 204 (or more depending on memory limitations). In an
alternative embodiment, a single user may assign any number of
favorite channels and scroll through these favorites on the display
screen 202. These features and other aspects of the remote control
200 are described in additional detail below.
[0049] The assignment of icons (or buttons) to particular channels
can be made directly on the remote by following menu-driven setup
instructions presented on the screen. Alternatively, as discussed
above, the remote setup including channel assignments can be
performed on a home computer and then transferred to the remote. If
the computer 102 includes an Internet connection, software
accompanying the remote and operable by the computer may access a
remote server containing a database of icons and channel
associations. By accessing the remote server, a user can download
the channel associations for the user's area (or that have been
assigned by the user's television service provider). In one
example, the software operating on the computer requests user
information such as the user's zip code or phone number, then
accesses the remote server to determine the appropriate channels
associated with the desired icons for the entered zip code or phone
number. The channel associations are then downloaded to the
personal computer and transferred to the remote. In a similar
fashion, the remote server may store sets of macro commands that
can be downloaded and transferred to the remote control.
[0050] FIG. 6A shows one exemplary embodiment of the display screen
202 of the remote control 200 having a number of menu items 206
that may be used to program or operate the remote control 200. In
one embodiment, these menu items 206 are presented on the display
screen 202 when the "START" button 224 is depressed. Generally, the
menu items 206 permit different features or aspects of the remote
control 200 to be accessed. By way of example, the remote control
200 is programmable or operable to control selected devices,
provide quick access to a group of favorite media device channels,
and limit or restrict use of the remote control 200 when the remote
control 200 is being used by a particular user, such as a child. In
addition, the remote control 200 may communicate and operate with a
home security system, with a computer, or another remote control,
which may include the remote control 200 transferring data to/from
the other remote control.
[0051] FIG. 6B shows one example of the remote control 200
personalized for multiple users (e.g., his, hers, child,
babysitter, etc.) or customized for a particular category of
channels (e.g., news, sports, movies, music, etc.). In this
example, various users, user groups, or category or topical groups
226 may each be assigned a number of favorite channels. Setting up
the remote control 200 to have desired, favorite channels is
described in greater detail below.
[0052] Any number of users may share a common remote control in
this fashion, using a scrolling function to scroll the listed users
or user groups 226 up and down as necessary until a desired user or
group is found. By pressing the button (or touching the screen)
associated with a user or group 226, programming within the remote
control causes the favorite channels (i.e., icons, logos, or
alphanumeric characters) associated with that user or group 226 to
be displayed on the display screen 202. Likewise, the memory stores
data files associated with each user group or category, defining
the stored icons and channels or actions desired to be contained in
that group. For example, one user may favor all sports channels and
tailors the remote control to place those icons prominently at the
top of the display. Another user may prefer movie channels and may
tailor the remote to place those channel icons at the top of the
display. By selecting the appropriate group 226, the display is
quickly tailored to the preferences of the user.
[0053] In the illustrated embodiment, the remote control 200
includes buttons 228, identified as a "His" and a "Hers" buttons
for example, that allows the remote control 200 to be quickly
reconfigured for either him or her. This "his and her" example is
an alternate form of the personalization described above and is
ideally suited, for example, for use by a couple. In this form,
pressing the "Her" button 228 on the remote control will set the
remote control to display her favorite channels on the display
screen 202.
[0054] The programming and setting up of the remote control 200 may
be accomplished directly or via a computer. In one embodiment,
directly programming the remote control 200 includes the user
physically interacting with the remote control 200, whereas
indirectly programming the remote control 200 includes the user
employing a keyboard, mouse, or some other I/O device to operate
the computer, which in turn transfers data to the remote control
200. The setup or configuration software is preferably in the form
of a program that guides the user through setup options, enabling
the user to selectively indicate the portions of the setup that are
desired. As noted, one setup option preferably includes the ability
to assign channels to icons, or vice-versa. The modified remote
data is transferable to the remote control 200 via the docking
station 106 (FIG. 1). Once transferred to the remote, the data is
stored in at least one of the memories 120, 122 (FIG. 2).
[0055] Referring back to FIG. 6A, one embodiment of the invention
provides that the "Wizard" and "Setup" menu items 206 are used, for
example, to setup or program the remote control 200 to control
desired media devices, setup an association between icons and media
device channel numbers, and identify selected media device
providers (e.g., TV, cable, satellite, etc.). The "Wizard" and
"Setup" menu items 206 are similar, yet different in that the
"Wizard" menu item 206 provides successive screens which lead the
user through an initial setup process, whereas the "Setup" menu
item 206 provides similar setup screens, but allows the user more
leeway to selectively setup the remote control 200.
[0056] FIG. 7A shows a method 300 for setting up a remote control.
The method 300 may be accomplished through direct or indirect
(i.e., via a computer) interaction with the remote control. For
purposes of the present description, the method 300 is accomplished
through direct interaction with the remote control after the remote
control has been initially purchased or is to be used by a new
user. Optionally and initially, to help orient the user with the
remote control, block 302 provides that the remote control displays
instructions for using particular keys or buttons.
[0057] At block 304, the remote control provides a display
requesting that certain geographic reference information, such as a
postal zip code, area code, or some other geographic designator, be
input into the remote control. One purpose for requesting this
geographic reference information is to allow the remote control to
automatically identify and associate channel icons with channel
numbers or to automatically provide at least one media provider
within the user's geographic region. At block 306, the geographic
reference information is received by the remote control. At block
308, the memory of the remote control is scanned or searched to
determine if matching geographic reference information is stored in
the remote control. One purpose for block 308 is to make sure that
the geographic reference information was entered properly, which
means that inputting a four number zip code instead of five numbers
would prompt a message to re-enter the geographic reference
information as provided in block 310 and sequentially illustrated
in FIGS. 7B-7E.
[0058] At block 312, the remote control uses the geographic
reference information to generate a menu or list of service
providers, which are then displayed on the display screen of the
remote control. One example of this process is shown in FIGS. 7F
and 7G where the remote control prompts the user to select a
television service provider that broadcasts in the geographic
region that corresponds to the entered zip code. At block 314, the
remote control utilizes the geographic reference information to
generate a database in which media device channel numbers are
paired or associated with channel icons. By way of example, the
remote control constructs a database associating channel icons with
local media device channel numbers (e.g., Channel 4--ABC.RTM.;
Channel 5--NBC.RTM.; Channel 30--FOX.RTM., etc.).
[0059] This form of building an icon association database is based
on a memory within the remote control that contains databases for a
plurality of geographic regions, including the region associated
with the entered zip code. If the memory size is sufficient, this
form may be preferred. Alternatively, the channel and icon database
is retrieved remotely. The remote retrieval option may be
preferable because it requires less memory capacity in the remote
control and can allow the system to be easily updated for new
channels and changed channel numbers. In this form, the remote
control preferably obtains the channel and icon database from a
remote server that is accessed via the computer in communication
with the remote control.
[0060] FIG. 8A shows a method 400 of setting up the remote control
to control a desired media device. At block 402, a display screen
of the remote control permits a user to choose a type of media
device to be setup for control by the remote control. At block 404,
a list of brand names for the type of media device is presented for
the user to select one of the brand names, if known. In other
instances, additional information may be needed to identify the
media device such as a model number, serial number, etc. If the
brand name is not known, the user may optionally select a "try all"
function on the remote control, which allows the remote control to
cycle through a number of available device or setup codes in an
attempt to find the code that matches the chosen type of media
device. If the brand is known, the user selects that brand by
pressing a corresponding peripheral button 204 according to one
embodiment. FIGS. 8B and 8C provide exemplary illustrations of the
display screens of the remote control in accordance with the
processes described in blocks 402 and 404, respectively.
[0061] At block 406, the remote control is placed in wireless
communication with the media device that is to be controlled. At
block 408, the "Power" button on the remote control is pressed and
released in an attempt to associate a setup or device code of the
media device with the remote control, or vice-versa. At block 410,
the user determines whether pressing the "Power" button turned the
media device either ON or OFF, depending on its initial state. If
pressing the "Power" button had no effect on the media device, then
at block 412 the user continues to press the "Power" button, which
results in the remote control testing other device codes that may
be stored in a device code library in the remote control. If
pressing the "Power" button does change the state of the media
device, then at block 414 the user has the option of setting up
other functions such as the "Channel+/-" function, which permits
the remote control to successively step up or down through the
channels of the media device. At any time during the setup method
400, the user may save settings or end the setup process as shown
at block 416. Saving the setup configuration of the remote control
allows the remote control to be subsequently used to control the
setup features of the media device without going through additional
or similar setup steps. After a first media device has been setup
to be controlled by the remote control, the method 400 may be
repeated for other media devices such as a cable box, DVR, DVD, CD,
etc. FIGS. 8D through 81 provide exemplary illustrations of the
display screen of the remote control for at least some of the
above-described processes for method 400.
[0062] FIG. 9 shows a method 500 of associating channel numbers
with icons in the remote control, or vice-versa. In one example of
the invention, the remote is initially programmed with icons stored
in a memory, but without channel assignments or other macro
routines associated with those icons. A disk or other memory device
accompanying the remote includes software operable by a
microprocessor in order to tailor the remote in a manner desired by
a particular user, for example by assigning channels to the icons.
Thus, icons and channel assignment data may be preprogrammed into
the remote, stored on a memory device such as a disk accompanying
the remote, or accessed over a network.
[0063] For brevity, the processes of associating a channel number
with an icon or associating an icon with a channel number are
described alternatively and in parallel. At block 502a, a channel
number of a media device is input into the remote control. In one
embodiment, the channel number is input into the remote control
using the numeric keypad 210 (FIG. 4A). At block 504a, an icon is
displayed in response to the input channel number. As previously
described, the icon may be automatically selected from a database
of icons in accordance with the geographic reference information
that was input into the remote control during method 300 above. For
example, the remote control is capable of automatically associating
channel "4" in a certain geographic region with the ABC.RTM.
icon.
[0064] As an alternative to the above-described process, the icon
may be selected first and then automatically paired with a channel
number. Hence, at block 502b, the icon is selected from a list of
icons presented on the display screen of the remote control--where
the selection is done via one of the peripheral buttons 204. At
block 504b, the channel number that is to be paired with the icon
is displayed on the display screen. Again, the pairing of the
channel number with the icon may depend on the geographic reference
information (e.g., zip code) previously received by the remote
control.
[0065] At block 506, the remote control provides an option for the
user to revise or edit the channel number/icon pairing, if so
desired. Thus, the user retains the option of associating or
customizing the pairing, for example the user can assign a
different icon with the channel number "4." In one embodiment, the
icons are custom-made icons that are not similar to the "official"
or trademarked channel brand icons, some of which were illustrated
above. Revising or editing the pairing may include assigning a
different channel number to a particular icon or vice-versa. At
block 508, the pairing is saved or otherwise stored in the remote
control. At block 510, the remote control prompts the user to
create additional pairings or end this setup feature.
[0066] FIG. 10 shows a method 600 of setting up a protection or
restriction feature, such as the "KidSafe" menu item 206 referred
to in FIG. 6A according to one embodiment. At block 602, a menu
item that indicates the restriction feature, menu, or module is
displayed on and then selected from the display screen of the
remote control using the peripheral buttons or an equivalent means.
At block 604, the user enters a security code, password, or some
other machine-readable data to trigger the remote control to move
into a restrictive mode. The restrictive feature, when activated
using the code or password, may limit or restrict certain features
of the remote control such as restricting access to certain media
channels, limiting how much the volume may be increased, etc. In
one embodiment, the code or password is entered into the remote
control using the numeric keypad 210 (FIG. 4A). At block 606,
restricting access to certain media channels includes identifying a
number of media channel numbers/icon pairings and selecting a
number of desired pairings that will be accessible by the remote
control when in the restrictive mode. At block 608, the desired
pairings are matched or associated with a particular user, user
group, or topical group as previously discussed above and shown in
FIG. 6A. For example, the restrictive mode may be activated to
limit usage by one or more children in a household when the parents
are not present to supervise the children's choice of television
shows. Thus by selecting the user group "Kids" shown as one of the
menu items in FIG. 6B, submenus may be displayed providing the name
of each child in the household--hence the remote control may be
customized based on the age or gender of each child. In addition to
the aforementioned aspects, each user may have their own code or
password that when entered into the remote control causes the
remote control to assume that user's customized setup and prevent
others from modifying the setup. In such an embodiment, one user
may have an administrator or owner password that may be used to
override all other configurations or setup aspects of the remote
control. At block 610, the user may optionally setup the remote
control to be restricted or limited with regard to other features,
for example the maximum volume may be limited when a particular
user is using the remote control.
[0067] In another embodiment of the invention, the remote control
200 may be setup to have a universal ON/OFF feature, such as the
"QuickPower" menu item referred to in FIG. 6A according to one
embodiment. In one aspect, the universal power feature operates to
simultaneously turn on/off multiple media devices (e.g., TV, VCR,
cable, etc.)--at least those media devices that have been setup to
be controlled by the remote control 200. The devices that have not
been setup to be controlled by the remote control 200 may be
displayed in an under-intensified, light gray, or other similar
type of font on the display screen 202.
[0068] In yet another embodiment of the invention, FIG. 11 shows an
exemplary method 700 where the remote control 200 is capable of
communicating with a home security system. The home security system
is configured to be controlled by the remote just like other
devices (e.g., TV, VCR, etc.). The remote sends commands such as
Arm, Disarm, etc. for the home security system instead of sending
commands like On, Off, Channel Up, Volume down for a TV, or Play,
Stop, Record for a VCR or DVD.
[0069] The remote control 200 includes a transceiver (e.g., 310
MHz, 433 MHz) to send or receive signals from various devices of
the home security system directly or via the computer 102. At block
702, a home security device of the home security system transmits a
signal in response to a condition of the home security system. The
signal is received by either the remote control directly as shown
in block 704 or by a computer as shown in block 706. If the latter,
then block 708 indicates that the computer transmit an associated
signal to the remote control. In one example of the invention, the
computer 102 receives modulated radio frequency (RF) signals from a
sensor of the home security system, such as an optical
sensor--specifically a wireless motion sensor coupled to a door or
window. In another example, the computer 102 receives
electromagnetic modulated signals from a smoke alarm system of the
home security system. This format may be preferable because a home
personal computer may already be set up to control and monitor
signals from a variety of home security devices.
[0070] After the remote control 200 receives the signal either
directly from the home security device or from the personal
computer, at block 710 the remote control displays a message or a
security status indicator on the display screen 202, which may
indicate a condition of the home security system (e.g., that a
particular window or door is open). The status indicator may be in
the form of a textual message, an iconic representation, or a
combination of both. Optionally at block 712, the remote control
200 may be programmed to activate an audible alarm or other sound
to indicate that one of the home security sensors has detected some
sort of activity or condition that may have immediate security or
safety implications.
[0071] Many other changes can be made in light of the above
detailed description. In general, in the following claims, the
terms used should not be construed to limit the invention to the
specific embodiments disclosed in the specification and the claims,
but should be construed to include all types of remote controls,
computers, and data communication means that operate in accordance
with the claims. Accordingly, the invention is not limited by the
disclosure, but instead its scope is to be determined entirely by
the following claims.
* * * * *