Program guide on a remote control

• US 20020184626A1
• Filed: 04/09/2002
• Published: 12/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Logitech Europe S A (Logitech International SA)
• Original Assignee: Logitech Europe S A (Logitech International SA)
• Inventors: Thompson, John R., OʼDonnell, Frank A., Darbee, Paul V., Thompson, Brandt J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,769,598 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/39
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/147 using display panels
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 27/00 Combined visual and audible advertising or displaying, e.g. for public address
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/0235 specially adapted for remote control, e.g. of audio or video apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/202 by remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42209 for displaying non-command information, e.g. electronic program guide [EPG], e-mail, messages or a second television channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44222 Analytics of user selections, e.g. selection of programs or purchase activity monitoring of user selections in data processing systems G06F11/34; arrangements for monitoring the user's behaviour or opinions in broadcast systems H04H60/33
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/44 Receiver circuitry for the reception of television signals according to analogue transmission standards H04N5/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/7755 the recorder being connected to, or coupled with, the antenna of the television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/104 Switchers or splitters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17309 Transmission or handling of upstream communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A remote control for operating a consumer electronic device. The remote control device may comprise a housing providing a mounting for a visual display and a keyboard including a plurality of keys; electrical circuitry in the housing including a microprocessor, at least one of an IR or RF receiver circuit coupled to the microprocessor, keyboard circuitry coupled between the microprocessor and the keyboard, a memory coupled to the microprocessor, and at least one of an IR or RF transmitter circuit coupled to the microprocessor. Program guide software is stored in the memory and executable by the microprocessor for causing to be displayed on the visual display, upon actuation of one or more of the keys, a program guide, advertising and/or other content contained in a data set received by the receiver.

Claims

1. A remote control device comprising:

a radio frequency receiver circuit for receiving signals comprising program guide and advertising data from a radio frequency source,

a display for depicting said program guide and advertising data,

a user input device,

a memory for storing said program guide and advertising data received by said radio frequency receiver circuit,

an infrared transmitter circuit for communicating control signals to a channel selection apparatus, and

a microprocessor coupled to said radio frequency receiver circuit, said infrared transmitter circuit, said display, said user input device and said memory.

13. The remote control device of claim 10, wherein said means for selecting comprises a real time clock, a user input device, a microprocessor and a program for enabling said microprocessor to select subsets of said advertising and program guide data to be depicted based upon signals received from said real time clock and signals received from said user input device.

26. The remote control of claim 1 including a real-time clock and wherein said memory means includes a buffer memory for storing information for later display under command from said real-time clock in said remote control.

48. The remote control of claim 1 including means for displaying information displayed on said visual display of said remote control in synchronization with information being displayed on a host device and/or other remote display(s).

2. A remote control device comprising:

an infrared transceiver circuit for receiving signals comprising program guide and advertising data from a source, and for communicating control signals to a channel selection apparatus,

a display for depicting images representative of said program guide and advertising data,

a user input device,

a memory for storing said program guide and advertising data received by said radio frequency receiver circuit, and

a microprocessor coupled to said infrared transceiver circuit, said display, said user input device and said memory.

3. A remote control device comprising:

a memory for storing an electronic programming guide, said electronic programming guide comprising a plurality of data fields for each of a plurality of program channels at each of a plurality of times,

a display for generating images representative of selected portions of said electronic programming guide,

a user input device for enabling input of channel selection and program guide navigation instructions into said remote control device,

an infrared transmitter circuit for transmitting channel selection control signals to a channel selecting apparatus, and

a microprocessor coupled to said memory, said display, said user input device and said infrared transmitter circuit,

said microprocessor being configured to cause delivery of channel selection signals to said infrared transmitter circuit and to select portions of said electronic programming guide to be displayed on said display in response to signals received from said user input device.

4. The remote control device of claim 3, wherein said channel selection signals comprise specific channel identification macros.

5. The remote control device of claim 3, wherein said microprocessor is configured to identify said selected portions of said electronic programming guide at least in part by searching for at least one code within a selected set of data fields of said electronic programming guide.

6. The remote control device of claim 4, wherein said microprocessor is configured to effect storage of channel selection history data within said memory at predetermined intervals.

7. A remote control device comprising:

a memory for storing data representative of an electronic programming is guide, said electronic programming guide comprising a plurality of data fields for each of a plurality of program channels at each of a plurality of times,

a display for depicting images representative of selected portions of said electronic program guide,

a user input device for enabling entry of channel selection and program guide navigation instructions into said remote control device,

a radio frequency receiver circuit for receiving signals comprising electronic programming guide data from a radio frequency source,

an infrared transmitter circuit for transmitting channel selection control signals to a channel selection apparatus, and

a microprocessor coupled to said memory, said display, said user input device, said radio frequency receiver circuit, and said infrared transmitter circuit,

said microprocessor being configured to select portions of said electronic programming guide for depiction on said display in response to program navigation guide signals received from said user input device, to deliver signals representing channel selection macros to said infrared transmitter circuit in response to channel selection signals received from said user input device, and to cause channel selection history data to be stored within said memory at predetermined intervals.

8. The remote control device of claim 7, wherein a unique identification bit sequence is stored within said memory, and wherein said microprocessor is configured to effect downloading of said unique identification bit sequence and said channel selection history data to a data storage device in a predetermined manner.

9. An electronically addressable remote control with graphic display comprising:

a real time clock for generating signals indicative of a current time,

a memory for storing data descriptive of an electronic programming guide, advertising data and serial number identification data, said electronic programming guide comprising a plurality of data fields for each of a plurality of program channels at each of a plurality of times,

a user input device for entering channel selection and program guide navigation instructions into said remote control,

a display for generating images in representative of selected sections of said electronic programming guide and selected advertisements defined by said advertising data,

a radio frequency receiver circuit for receiving signals comprising said electronic programming guide and advertising data and selectively enabling delivery of said electronic programming guide and advertising data to said memory,

an infrared transmitter circuit for transmitting channel selection signals to a channel selection apparatus, and

a microprocessor coupled to said real time clock, said memory, said user input device, said display, said radio frequency receiver circuit and said infrared transmitter circuit,

said microprocessor being configured to control said delivery of said electronic programming guide and advertising data from said radio frequency receiver circuit to said memory based upon a correlation between address data included within a received signal and said serial number identification data, and

said microprocessor being configured to select sections of said electronic programming guide for display in response to said signals generated by said real time clock and signals received from said user input device.

10. A remote control device with advertising and program guide display comprising:

a housing having mounted therein means for receiving signals including advertising and program guide data, means for storing said advertising and program guide data, means for depicting selected subsets of said advertising and program guide data, means for selecting said subsets of said advertising and program guide data to be depicted, and means for communicating channel selection signals to a channel selecting apparatus.

11. The remote control device of claim 10 wherein said means for receiving and means for storing together comprise one of either a radio frequency or infrared receiver circuit, a microprocessor, a memory and a program for enabling said microprocessor to effect storage within said memory of said advertising and program guide received by said receiver circuit.

12. The remote control device of claim 11 wherein said program enables said microprocessor to selectively store received advertising and program guide data based upon a correspondence between serial number identification data stored within said memory and address data included within said advertising and programming guide data.

14. The remote control device of claim 10 further comprising means for storing within said remote control and thereafter downloading to a remote storage device program selection history data.

15. The remote control device of claim 14, wherein said means for storing and downloading comprises a microprocessor, a user input device, a memory, a data link and a program for enabling said microprocessor to effect storage within said memory of channel selection macro and time data responsive to signals received from said user input device, and for enabling said microprocessor to effect downloading of said channel selection macro and time data to said remote storage device via said data link.

16. The remote control device of claim 15, wherein said data link comprises a modem, a RS-232 port, a RF data link or an infrared data link.

17. A system for providing a television viewer with advertising and program guide data without interrupting or interfering with television program content displayed on a television set, said system comprising:

tap means for demodulating advertising and program guide signals from a composite analog signal source and broadcasting said advertising and program guide signals within a local environment, and

a remote control device, said remote control device comprising means for receiving said advertising and program guide signals, means for converting said advertising and program guide signals to digital data including advertising and program guide content, means for storing said digital data, means for displaying subsets of said digital data, means for selecting said subsets of said digital data to be displayed, and means for delivering channel selection signals to a channel selection circuit associated with said television set.

18. A method for broadcasting program guide and advertising data within a local area, said method comprising the steps of:

combining a program guide and advertising data signal with television channel signals on a coaxial cable to form a composite signal in such a manner that said program guide and advertising data signal occupies a frequency band between a selected pair of frequency bands assigned to two of said television channel signals,

demodulating said composite signal to extract said program guide and advertising data signal,

delivering said program guide and advertising data signal to a radio frequency transmitter circuit, and

using said radio frequency transmitter circuit broadcasting said program guide and advertising data signal within a local area.

19. A remote centric home entertainment system comprising:

a primary display,

a computing system coupled to said primary display and including a modem for establishing and maintaining communications with a source of internet content and for enabling selective depiction of said internet content on said primary display,

a tuner coupled to said primary display for demodulating signals broadcast from a source of television channel content and enabling selective depiction of said television channel content on said primary display, and

a remote control unit for delivering content selection control signals to said computing system and said tuner to control a selection of content depicted on said primary display,

said remote control unit comprising

a real time clock for generating signals indicative of a current time,

a memory for storing data representative of an electronic content selection guide, said electronic content selection guide comprising a plurality of data fields for each of a plurality of television program channels at each of a plurality of times and a plurality of data fields for a plurality of internet address sites,

a radio frequency receiver circuit for receiving signals comprising at least a portion of said electronic content selection guide from a radio frequency source,

a user input device for enabling input of content selection and program guide navigation instructions into said remote control unit,

an infrared transmitter circuit for transmitting said content selection control signals to said tuner and said computer system,

a display for depicting selected sections of said electronic content selection guide, and

a microprocessor coupled to said real time clock, said memory, said radio frequency receiver circuit, said user input device, said infrared transmitter circuit and said display, said microprocessor being configured to select portions of said electronic content guide for depiction on said display in response to signals received from said real time clock and a first set of signals received from said user input device, and said microprocessor being configured to selectively enable transmission of said content selection control signals from said infrared transmitter circuit in response to a second set of signals received from said user input device.

20. A remote control for operating a consumer electronic device, said remote control comprising:

a housing mounting a visual display;

a keyboard including a plurality of keys;

electrical circuitry in said housing including a microprocessor, at least one of an IR or RF receiver coupled to said microprocessor for receiving program data, keyboard circuitry coupled between said microprocessor and said keyboard, memory means coupled to said microprocessor, and IR transmitting means coupled to said microprocessor; and

program guide software stored in said memory means for displaying on said visual display, upon actuation of one or more of said keys, a one day program guide contained in the program data received by said receiver.

21. The remote control of claim 20 wherein said program guide software maintains a display or screen of information on said visual display.

22. The remote control of claim 20 combined with radio transmission means selected from one of a paging network, FM/SCA, cellular phone, PCS, or other RF transmitter for receiving program guide information via radio frequency signals which are sent from a long range.

23. The remote control of claim 20 combined with one of a Cable Decoder Box, a Satellite Decoder Box, a telephone company Decoder Box, a television set, a computer, a wireless modem or a local transmitter which provides data signals having program guide software transmitted from a short range to said remote control.

24. The remote control of claim 23 wherein said remote control is combined with a modem and intelligence for the modem resides in said remote control and not in said modem.

25. The remote control of claim 24 wherein said intelligence includes cordless telephone technology.

27. The remote control of claim 20 wherein said program guide software includes means for querying a host device for date/time information.

28. The remote control of claim 20 wherein said visual display is bistable, thereby requiring no refresh buffer and requiring no power to maintain an image.

29. The remote control of claim 20 wherein the program guide information data received is in a compressed format and said program guide software includes instructions for decompressing said program guide information data and displaying it.

30. The remote control of claim 20 including means for detecting a low-battery condition.

31. The remote control of claim 29 including means for displaying on the visual display an advertisement to replace the batteries with a specific brand of battery.

32. The remote control of claim 20 including means for backlighting at least one of said visual display or said keyboard.

33. The remote control of claim 20 including means for producing sound.

34. The remote control of claim 20 including means for reading one of a magnetic stripe on a credit card or a Smart Card.

35. The remote control of claim 20 including motion detection means for placing the remote device in a given state when it is picked up by a user.

36. The remote control of claim 20 including pointing control means for moving a cursor on a host device display.

37. The remote control of claim 20 including pointing control means for moving a cursor on said remote control visual display.

38. The remote control of claim 20 wherein said visual display includes a touch-sensitive display screen.

39. The remote control of claim 20 including a touch-sensitive pad beneath said visual display on a back side of said housing.

40. The remote control of claim 20 wherein said data received by said remote control includes an advertising offer to be displayed on said visual display.

41. The remote control of claim 40 including means for responding to the advertising offer using the remote device.

42. The remote control of claim 20 wherein some of the information data received by said remote comprises executable code to be run on said remote control.

43. The remote control of claim 20 wherein some of the information data received by said remote control comprises a “

trailer”

from an advertisement appearing on a host device, thus giving the user more time to respond to an offer in the advertisement.

44. The remote control of claim 20 wherein some of the information data received by said remote control comprises games that can be played on said remote control.

45. The remote control of claim 20 wherein some of the information data received by said remote control comprises codes for upgrading the remote control.

46. The remote control of claim 20 including an interactive application program, which is, capable of running on said remote control for setting up said remote control.

47. The remote control of claim 20 including means for displaying on said visual display a user guide and/or context-sensitive help for said remote control.

49. The remote control of claim 48 wherein synchronization is achieved by an annunciator sending cursor position data to a host device.

50. The remote control of claim 20 wherein some of said information data received by said remote control comprises a subset of an electronic program guide to be displayed on said remote control visual display.

51. The remote control of claim 50 wherein said subset is for a limited selection of channels.

52. The remote control of claim 50 wherein said subset is for a limited span of time.

53. The remote control of claim 50 wherein said subset is for a specific area of interest.

54. The remote control of claim 50 wherein said subset is for a specific genre of programming.

55. The remote control of claim 20 having a unique electronic address.

56. The remote control of claim 20 including means for identifying which user is using said remote control.

57. The remote control of claim 20 wherein said remote control memory means has a unique address and/or serial-number in memory.

58. The remote control of claim 20 including an interactive application program, which is, capable of running on said remote control for setting up said remote control using names of manufacturers instead of model numbers or arbitrary code numbers.

59. The remote control of claim 20 including an interactive application program which is capable of running on said remote control for setting up said remote control with the ability to display key labels indicating which function said remote control is controlling when the user presses a key.

60. The remote control of claim 20 wherein said keyboard includes a select (SEL) key which is operable in four directions, up, down, left or right.

61. The remote control of claim 60 wherein said select key operates in conjunction with said program guide software and received program guide information data so that select up goes to a lower number channel guide display, select down goes to a higher number channel guide display, select left goes to an earlier half-hour time slot for that channel or channels display and select right goes to a later half-hour time slot for that channel or channels display.

62. The remote control of claim 20 wherein said keyboard includes an EZ Guide key for starting the one day program guide upon depressing the key.

63. The remote control of claim 20 wherein said keyboard includes an EZ Menu key for displaying a menu of guide categories upon depressing the key.

64. The remote control of claim 63 wherein said menu includes proprietary display channels.

65. The remote control of claim 64 wherein said proprietary display channels include displays selected from a group of news, weather, sports, financial information, traffic information, local movie schedules and local information sources.

66. The remote control of claim 20 wherein said keyboard includes an information (Info) key for displaying more information about a highlighted program.

67. The remote control of claim 20 wherein said keyboard includes a CH (channel) UP or DOWN key which is used to cycle up or down when in an EZ guide mode, in an information mode, a proprietary channel mode or in an EZ Browse mode.

68. The remote control of claim 20 wherein said program data is transmitted independent of a television signal and is asynchronously received by said receiver and stored in said memory for display on said visual display or for subsequent updating.

70. The method of claim 69, wherein said program selection history data comprises a date stamp, a time stamp and a program channel selection stamp.

71. The method of claim 69, wherein said remote control units are capable of bi-directional communication with a host system, said host system maintains said program history database, and said remote control units download said program selection history data to said program history database automatically at said predetermined intervals.

72. The method of claim 71, wherein said predetermined intervals comprise daily or weekly intervals.

73. The method of claim 69, wherein said step of enabling said remote control units to download said program selection history data to a program history database includes the steps of establishing a communication link between said remote control devices and respective personal computer units, delivering said program selection history data from said remote control units to said personal computing units, and causing said personal computing units to download said program selection history data to a host system that maintains said program history database.

69. A method for gathering data indicative of one or more television viewing habits of a plurality of television viewers, said method comprising the steps of:

providing one or more viewers with remote control units capable of operating channel selection devices of the viewers,

configuring said remote control units to force tune said channel selection devices as said one or more viewers use said remote control devices to select channels for viewing,

enabling said remote control units to store in memory program selection history data for a predetermined period of time, and

enabling said remote control units to download said program selection history data to a program history database at predetermined intervals.

74. A method for gathering data indicative of one or more content selection preferences of a plurality of content recipients, said method comprising the steps of:

providing said content recipients with remote control units capable of interacting with and controlling a plurality of television channel selection devices and internet content selection devices of said content recipients,

configuring said remote control units to force tune said channel selection devices and said internet content selection devices as said content recipients use said remote control devices to select content for viewing,

enabling said remote control units to store in memory content selection history data for a predetermined period of time, and

enabling said remote control units to download said content selection history data to a content selection history database at predetermined intervals.

75. The method of claim 74, wherein said remote control units are capable of bi-directional communication with a host system, said host system maintains said content selection history database, and said remote control units download said content selection history data to said content selection history database automatically at said predetermined intervals.

76. The method of claim 75, wherein said predetermined intervals comprise daily or weekly intervals.

77. A method of transporting internet address data to a remote control device, said method comprising the steps of:

broadcasting content list data comprising one or more internet site addresses over a broadcast network,

recovering a signal including said content list data from said broadcast network,

transmitting said content list data to a remote control device, and

storing said content list data within memory of said remote control device such that said remote control device may be used to deliver control signals to a computer and cause said computer to access said internet site addresses.

78. The method of claim 77, wherein said broadcast network comprises a cable based television network or a satellite based television network.

79. The method of claim 77, wherein said broadcast network comprises a telecommunications network.