Universal remote control with display and printer

• US 20020190956A1
• Filed: 10/09/2001
• Published: 12/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nisel Investments LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Universal Electronics, Inc.
• Inventors: Yuh, Han-Sheng, Dresti, Mauro, Klein, Sandro D., Campbell, Robert A.
• Granted Patent: US 6,859,197 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/169
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1698 the I/O peripheral being a sending/receiving arrangement to establish a cordless communication link, e.g. radio or infrared link, integrated cellular phone details of antennas disposed inside a computer H01Q1/2266
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1632 Pen holder integrated in the computer
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/92 Universal remote control
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 23/04 using light waves, e.g. infrared

Abstract

Portable device to interface with a printer and with a computing device. The portable device may interface with a local printer through a base mated with the portable device or with a remote printer through a wireless communication link. The portable device preferably has standard remote control capability and web browsing capability.

Claims

1. A communication system, comprising:

a hand-held wireless controller having a display, the hand-held wireless controller operable to transmit command codes to control the operation of a first consumer electronic device and to receive data to be printed from a second consumer electronic device and to display a representation of the data to be printed in the display;

a base station adapted to receive communications from the wireless controller including the data to be printed; and

a printer coupled to the base station for use in creating a print output based on the data to be printed.

2. The communication system as recited in claim 1, wherein the first consumer electronic device and the second consumer electronic device are the same consumer electronic device.

3. The communication system as recited in claim 1, wherein the first consumer electronic device comprises a television and the second consumer electronic device comprises a set-top box.

4. The communication system as recited in claim 1, wherein the first consumer electronic device comprises a television and the second consumer electronic device comprises a personal computer.

5. The communication system as recited in claim 1, wherein the hand-held wireless controller and the base station have cooperating contacts for removably coupling the wireless controller to the base station.

6. The communication system as recited in claim 1, wherein the hand-held wireless controller comprises a power source and wherein the base station is adapted to recharge the power source when the hand-held wireless controller is coupled to the base station.

7. The communication system as recited in claim 1, wherein the hand-held wireless controller and the base station communicate using RF transmissions.

8. The communication system as recited in claim 7, further comprising a personal computer which provides server functionality coupled to the base station for receiving from the base station data transmitted from the wireless controller and wherein the base station comprises a controller for directing data to the printer or to the personal computer.

9. The communication system as recited in claim 7, further comprising a set-top box which provides server functionality coupled to the base station for receiving from the base station data transmitted from the wireless controller and wherein the base station comprises a controller for directing data to the printer or to the set-top box.

10. The communication system as recited in claim 7, further comprising a Web-enabled game console which provides server functionality coupled to the base station for receiving from the base station data transmitted from the wireless controller and wherein the base station comprises a controller for directing data to the printer or to the Web-enabled game console.

11. The communication system as recited in claim 7, further comprising a home gateway box which provides server functionality coupled to the base station for receiving from the base station data transmitted from the wireless controller and wherein the base station comprises a controller for directing data to the printer or to the home gateway.

12. The communication system as recited in claim 8, wherein the personal computer and the base station are adapted to communicate using serial transmissions.

13. The communication system as recited in claim 1, wherein the printer is integral with the base station.

14. The communication system as recited in claim 1, wherein the data to be printed comprises data representative of a bar code.

15. The communication system as recited in claim 14, wherein the printer comprises programming for printing industry standard formatted bar codes.

17. The base station as recited in claim 16, wherein the coupling means comprises a RF adapter for receiving RF signals including the data from the hand-held wireless controller.

18. The base station as recited in claim 16, wherein the coupling means comprises a contact adapted to mate with a cooperating contact on the hand-held wireless controller.

19. The base station as recited in claim 16, comprising a cradle adapted to removably receive the hand-held wireless controller.

20. The base station as recited in claim 19, wherein the base station is adapted to recharge a power supply within the hand-held wireless controller while the hand-held wireless controller is received in the cradle.

21. The base station as recited in claim 19, wherein the printer is integral with the cradle.

22. The base station as recited in claim 19, wherein the cradle has a side and the printer comprises a paper discharge parallel with the side.

24. The hand-held wireless controller as recited in claim 23, wherein the second transmitter comprises an electrical contact for mating with a cooperating contact in the base station.

26. The base station as recited in claim 25, wherein the printer is integral with the cradle.

28. The base station as recited in claim 27, wherein the controller routes data to the printer or the personal computer based upon header information contained in the received data.

30. The method as recited in claim 29, wherein the data representative of the image in the display comprises data representative of a bar code.

31. The method as recited in claim 29, further comprising the steps of monitoring use of the consumer appliance and transmitting from the consumer appliance to the hand-held wireless controller the data to be printed as a function of the monitored use of the consumer appliance.

32. The method as recited in claim 31, wherein the data to be printed is targeted advertising.

33. The method as recited in claim 31, wherein the data to be printed is an order confirmation.

35. The method as recited in claim 34, further comprising the step of storing the data to be printed locally in the hand-held wireless controller device until such time as communication with the base station is enabled.

36. The method as recited in claim 35, further comprising the step of enabling printing when the hand-held wireless controller is docked into a cradle provided as part of the base station.

37. The method as recited in claim 35, wherein the step of communicating further comprising the step of establishing an RF communication link between the hand-held wireless controller and the base station.

38. The method as recited in claim 34, wherein the data comprises a coupon.

39. The method as recited in claim 34, wherein the data comprises a ticket to an event.

40. The method as recited in claim 34, wherein the data comprises a targeted advertisement.

41. The method as recited in claim 34, wherein the data comprises information regarding a product offering.

42. The method as recited in claim 34, wherein the data to be printed comprises confirmation of an order or purchase transaction.

43. The method as recited in claim 34, wherein the data to be printed comprises driving directions.

44. The communication system as recited in claim 1, wherein the hand-held wireless controller has a browser application for displaying a mark-up language page within the display wherein the mark-up language page includes the data to be printed.

16. A base station for use in a communication system comprising a hand-held wireless controller adapted to interface with a consumer electronic device, the base station comprising:

coupling means for coupling the hand-held wireless controller to the base station to receive data from the hand-held wireless controller; and

a printer to print output based on the data.

23. A hand-held wireless controller adapted to control a consumer electronic device and communicate with a base station, the hand-held wireless controller comprising:

a memory storing a plurality of command codes for use in commanding the operation of the consumer electronic device;

a first transmitter for transmitting signals representative of command codes to the consumer electronic device;

a receiver for receiving data to be printed;

a display module comprising a touch panel through which a user may select at least one of the plurality of command codes to transmit to the consumer appliance via the first transmitter and for displaying an image representative of the data to be printed; and

a second transmitter for transmitting a signal indicative of the data to be printed to the base station.

25. A base station for use in a communication system comprising a hand-held wireless controller adapted to interface with a consumer electronic device, the base station comprising:

a cradle to receive the hand-held wireless controller having contacts through which data is routed between the wireless controller and the base station;

a printer connected to the cradle to print output based on the data received from the hand-held wireless controller; and

a print controller connected to the printer and the contacts for controlling the printing of the data.

27. A base station for use in a communication system comprising a wireless controller adapted to interface with a consumer electronic device, the base comprising:

an RF adapter for receiving data from the wireless controller;

a printer adapted to print output based on the data received from the wireless controller;

a personal computer which provides server functionality for receiving data received from the wireless controller; and

a controller linked to the RF adapter for routing the data to the printer or the personal computer.

29. A method for handling data in a system having a hand-held wireless controller having a display in communication with a consumer appliance and a base station having an associated printer, the method comprising:

displaying within the display of the hand-held wireless controller an image representative of data to be printed which is received from the consumer appliance;

accepting at the hand-held wireless controller a request to print the data as represented in the display;

transmitting a request from the hand-held wireless controller to the base station to determine if the printer is available for printing the representation of the image in the display and, if the printer is available, transmitting from the hand-held wireless controller to the base station a signal representative of the data for use by the printer to create a hard-copy representation of the data.

34. A method of delivering printable information, comprising:

transmitting candidate data for printing to a hand-held wireless controller adapted to transmit control signals to a consumer electronic device;

displaying on the hand-held wireless controller an image representative of the candidate data to be printed; and

in response to a request to print the printable information, communicating the data to be printed from the hand-held wireless controller to a base station adapted to interface to a printer.