Remote control with selective key illumination

• US 20040268391A1
• Filed: 06/25/2003
• Published: 12/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Universal Electronics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Universal Electronics, Inc.
• Inventors: Clercq, Stephan de, Hayes, Patrick H.
• Granted Patent: US 7,154,428 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/37
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/50 Receiving or transmitting feedback, e.g. replies, status updates, acknowledgements, from the controlled devices
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 23/04 using light waves, e.g. infrared
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2217/032 Feedback about selected symbol, e.g. display
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2221/068 having a not operable condition
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/0235 specially adapted for remote control, e.g. of audio or video apparatus
• 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 21/42221 Transmission circuitry, e.g. infrared [IR] or radio frequency [RF]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42228 the reprogrammable keys being displayed on a display screen in order to reduce the number of keys on the remote control device itself
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/478 Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application

Abstract

A system and method for facilitation and encouragement of user interaction and functionality with a multimedia program via an entertainment system and remote control device. The entertainment system and remote control device are in two-way communication to accomplish the various interactivity functions and features of the invention. The remote control includes one or more selectively illuminated buttons under the control of the entertainment system, such that when the entertainment system displays a prompt to the user requiring a response, the entertainment system may send a signal to the remote control selectively illuminating the button(s) to indicate to the user that the button(s) may be operated to make a response to the prompt.

Claims

1. A remote control, comprising:

a button having an associated means for indicating that the button may be operated to interact with interactive program content;

a receiving circuit for accepting a transmission to activate the means for indicating; and

a transmission circuit for transmitting a signal in response to activation of the button when the means for indicating is activated.

2. The remote control as in claim 1, wherein the button is a hard button.

3. The remote control as in claim 1, wherein the button is a soft button.

4. The remote control as in claim 1, wherein the means for indicating comprises a visual means.

5. The remote control as in claim 4, wherein the visual means comprises a means for selectively modifying the appearance of the button.

6. The remote control as in claim 5, wherein selectively modifying the appearance of the button comprises animating the button, illuminating the button, or changing the color of the button.

7. The remote control as in claim 6, wherein selectively modifying the appearance of the button is performed intermittently.

8. The remote control as in claim 1, further comprising a label associated with the button indicating the nature of the functionality provided by the button.

9. The remote control as in claim 8, wherein the label resides on the button.

10. The remote control as in claim 8, wherein the label resides adjacent the button.

11. The remote control as in claim 8, wherein the label comprises alphanumeric characters.

12. The remote control as in claim 8, wherein the label comprises a graphical symbol.

13. The remote control as in claim 1, wherein the receiving circuit comprises an IR receiver.

14. The remote control as in claim 1, wherein the receiving circuit comprises an RF receiver.

15. The remote control as in claim 1, wherein the transmitting circuit comprises an IR transmitter.

16. The remote control as in claim 1, wherein the transmitting circuit comprises an RF transmitter.

17. The remote control as in claim 1, wherein the signal comprises data for use in making a purchase, answering a questions, or initiating a multimedia program.

18. A method for controlling operation of a remote control having a button and an associated means for indicating that the button may be operated to interact with interactive program content, comprising:

activating the means for indicating in response to a transmission received by the remote control; and

allowing the remote control to transmit a signal in response to activation of the button when the means for indicating is activated.

19. The method as in claim 18, wherein the button is a hard button.

20. The method as in claim 18, wherein the button is a soft button.

21. The method as in claim 18, wherein the means for indicating comprises a visual means.

22. The method as in claim 21, further comprising selectively activating the visual means to modifying the appearance of the button.

23. The method as in claim 22, wherein selectively activating the visual means to modifying the appearance of the button comprises animating the button, illuminating the button, or changing the color of the button.

24. The method as in claim 22, wherein selectively activating the visual means is performed intermittently.

25. A method for signaling a user to provide a response to a prompt via a remote control, the method comprising the steps of:

displaying the prompt to the user via an entertainment system;

controlling the appearance of at least one of a plurality of buttons on a remote control used with the entertainment system to indicate to the user that a response may be made to the prompt through operation of the button.

26. The method as in claim 25, further comprising receiving at the remote control a transmission from the entertainment center used to control the appearance of the at least one of a plurality of buttons.

27. The method as in claim 25, wherein controlling the appearance of the button comprises animating the button, illuminating the button, or changing the color of the button.

28. The method as in claim 25, wherein controlling the appearance of the button is performed intermittently.

29. A system for facilitating and encouraging user interaction with program content, the system comprising;

an entertainment system for providing and displaying the program content, including a prompt which requests a response from the user, and for transmitting at least one instruction to the remote control; and

a remote control having at least one button, the remote control being responsive to the instruction for modifying the appearance of the at least one button to indicate to the user that a response may be made to the prompt via operation of the button.

30. The system as in claim 29, wherein the button includes a means for selectively modifying the appearance of the button to indicate to the user that a response may be made via operation of the button.

31. The system as in claim 30, wherein the means for selectively modifying the appearance of the button comprises animating the button, illuminating the button, or changing the color of the button.

32. The system as in claim 30, wherein selectively modifying the appearance of the button is performed intermittently.

33. The system as in claim 29, wherein the instruction comprises a data signal including at least a control command identifier for indicating that the instruction is a button based command.

34. The system as in claim 33, wherein the button based command comprises data indicative of a button mode, button color, and button on time.

35. The system as in claim 33, wherein the control command identifier further includes a command for restricting operation of the remote control such that only the button indicated by the instruction may be operated.

36. The system as in claim 35, wherein the command for restricting operation is activated for a preset time period.

37. The system as in claim 29, wherein a first button and a second button are included on the remote control and the instruction includes a first button based command for controlling the appearance of the first button and a second button based command for controlling the appearance of the second button.

38. The system as in claim 37, wherein the first button based command functions to modify the appearance of the first button to indicate to the user that a first response to the prompt may be made via operation of the first button, and the second button based command functions to modify the appearance of the second button to indicate to the used that a second, alternate response to the prompt may be made via operation of the second button.

39. The system as in claim 38, wherein the first response is an affirmative response, and the second response is a negative response.

40. A method for notifying a user of an event via a remote control, the method comprising the steps of:

sending at least one instruction from an entertainment system to the remote control;

controlling the appearance of at least one of a plurality of buttons on a remote control via the instruction to notify the user of an event.