System, method and apparatus for a media computing device remote control

• US 20050068307A1
• Filed: 06/30/2004
• Published: 03/31/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Mayes, Mark S., Fong, Jeffrey Cheng-Yao, Weinberg, Mark J., Niethammer, Michelle, Flora, William T.
• Application Number:
  US10/880,704
• Publication Number:
  US 20050068307A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/169
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/00 Arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless electrical link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/33 Remote control using macros, scripts
• 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 21/42206 characterized by hardware details
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4221 Dedicated function buttons, e.g. for the control of an EPG, subtitles, aspect ratio, picture-in-picture or teletext
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42226 Reprogrammable remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; 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 21/4888 for displaying teletext characters

Abstract

According to an aspect of the present invention, a remote control device for interfacing with a Media Computing Device is provided. Included on the remote control are a plurality of audio/video buttons, numeric keypad buttons, transport buttons, and navigation buttons. In particular, one of the buttons, which is part of the navigation buttons is a START button.

Claims

1. A remote control device, comprising:

a plurality of audio/video buttons disposed on the remote control device;

a plurality of numeric keypad buttons disposed on the remote control device;

a plurality of transport buttons disposed on the remote control device; and

a plurality of navigation buttons disposed on the remote control device, wherein a START button is included in the plurality of navigation buttons.

2. The remote control device of claim 1, further comprising a shortcut button disposed on the remote control device.

3. The remote control device of claim 2, wherein the shortcut button is a My TV button.

4. The remote control device of claim 2, wherein the shortcut button is a My Music button.

5. The remote control device of claim 2, wherein the shortcut button is a My Videos button.

6. The remote control device of claim 2, wherein the shortcut button is a My Pictures button.

7. The remote control device of claim 2, wherein the shortcut button is a Recorded TV button.

8. The remote control device of claim 2, wherein the shortcut button is a Radio button.

9. The remote control device of claim 1, further having disposed on the remote control device a grouping of My TV, My Music, My Pictures, and My Videos buttons.

10. The remote control device of claim 1, further comprising:

a standby button disposed on the remote control.

11. The remote control device of claim 1, further comprising:

a print button disposed on the remote control device.

12. The remote control device of claim 1, further comprising:

an aspect button disposed on the remote control device.

13. The remote control device of claim 1, further comprising:

an eject button disposed on the remote control device.

14. The remote control device of claim 1, further comprising:

a teletext button disposed on the remote control device, wherein the teletext control enables the numeric keypad for teletext input.

15. The remote control device of claim 1, wherein the START button has a width of approximately 12 millimeters and a height of approximately 9 millimeters.

16. The remote control device of claim 1, wherein the START button is a shape of a rounded rectangle.

17. The remote control device of claim 1, wherein the START button is green.

18. The remote control device of claim 1, wherein the START button includes a Windows flag logo displayed on the START button.

19. The remote control device of claim 1, wherein the remote control device is an ergonomically shaped remote control device.

20. The remote control device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of navigation buttons provide a user with an ability to interact with a Media Computing Device.

21. The remote control device of claim 1, wherein actuation of at least one of the navigation buttons generates a signal from the remote control device to instruct a Media Computing Device to alter a focal point displayed on an interface display.

22. The remote control device of claim 21, wherein the interface display is a tab-based interface display.

23. The remote control device of claim 21, wherein the interface display allows a user to interact with the Media Computing Device from a remote distance.

24. The remote control device of claim 1, wherein actuation of the START button generates a signal from the remote control device to instruct a Media Computing Device to display a Media Computing Device home page.

25. The remote control device of claim 24, wherein the Media Computing Device home page is presented on an interface display.

26. A remote control device for interacting and interfacing with a Media Computing Device, comprising:

a plurality of navigation buttons disposed on the remote control device, wherein the plurality of navigation buttons include a START button;

a plurality of transport buttons disposed on the remote control device;

a plurality of audio/video buttons disposed on the remote control device; and

a plurality of numeric keypad buttons disposed on the remote control device.

27. The remote control device of claim 26, wherein the plurality of navigation buttons are configured to initiate a transmission of signals from the remote control device to control navigation within a Media Computing Device interface.

28. The remote control device of claim 27, wherein the Media Computing Device interface is a tab interface.

29. The remote control device of claim 26, wherein the plurality of transport buttons are configured to initiate a transmission of signals from the remote control device to manage playback of media stored on the Media Computing Device.

30. The remote control device of claim 26, wherein the plurality audio/video buttons includes a standby button configured to initiate a transmission of a signal to place the Media Computing Device in a standby mode.

31. A remote control device, comprising:

a START button disposed on the remote control device; and

a plurality of shortcut buttons disposed on the remote control device.

32. The remote control device of claim 31, wherein the START button is configured to initiate a transmission of a signal from the remote control device to activate a Media Computing Device.

33. The remote control device of claim 31, wherein the START button is configured to initiate a transmission of a signal from the remote control device to generate a display of a Media Computing Device Home page.

34. The remote control device of claim 31, wherein the shortcut button is a My TV button, and wherein the My TV button is configured to initiate a transmission of a signal from the remote control device to generate a display of a TV Home page.

35. The remote control device of claim 31, wherein the shortcut button is a My Music button, and wherein the My Music button is configured to initiate a transmission of a signal from the remote control device to generate a display of a Music page.

36. The remote control device of claim 31, wherein the shortcut button is a Recorded TV button, and wherein the Recorded TV button is configured to initiate a transmission of a signal from the remote control device to generate a display of a Recorded TV page.

37. The remote control device of claim 31, wherein the shortcut button is a My Pictures button, and wherein the My Pictures button is configured to initiate a transmission of a signal from the remote control device to generate a display of a My Pictures page.

38. The remote control device of claim 31, wherein the shortcut button is a My Videos button, and wherein the My Videos button is configured to initiate a transmission of a signal from the remote control device to generate a display of a My Videos page.

39. The remote control device of claim 31, wherein the shortcut button is a Radio button, and wherein the radio button is configured to initiate a transmission of a signal from the remote control device to generate a display of a Radio page.

40. The remote control device of claim 31, further comprising:

at least one programmable button.

41. The remote control device of claim 31, further comprising:

a print button, wherein the print button is configured to initiate a transmission of a signal from the remote control device to print an item.

42. The remote control device of claim 31, further comprising:

an aspect button, wherein the aspect button is configured to initiate a transmission of a signal from the remote control device to change an aspect of an image.

43. The remote control device of claim 31, further comprising:

an eject button, wherein the eject button is configured to initiate a transmission of a signal from the remote control device to eject a media drive.

44. The remote control device of claim 31, further comprising:

a teletext button, wherein the teletext button is configured to allow teletext input via a numeric keypad.

45. The remote control device of claim 31, further comprising:

a display button, wherein the display button is configured to initiate a transmission of a signal from the remote control device to turn on or off a display.