Controller having reduced control key set and method for operating same in a learning, macro, or cloning mode

• US 20050269196A1
• Filed: 06/06/2005
• Published: 12/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: S P Controls Incorporated
• Original Assignee: S P Controls Incorporated
• Inventors: Thieme, Aaron Daniel, Brown, Paul Anson
• Granted Patent: US 7,515,062 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 200/502
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/70 having a plurality of operating members associated with different sets of contacts, e.g. keyboard mounting together a plurality of independent switches H02B
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2207/048 Inductive or infrared coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2217/026 Pencil operated
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/039 Selective or different modes of illumination
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2221/012 Joy stick type
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2221/018 Tumbler
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2223/034 Bezel
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2223/058 flush mounted
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2229/022 Modular assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2229/034 Positioning of layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2229/042 Snap coupling; Snap mounting
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2233/042 with limited freedom
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2239/048 comprising microphone or speaker
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2239/066 Duplication of control panel, e.g. duplication of some keys
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2300/04 Programmable interface between a set of switches and a set of functions, e.g. for reconfiguration of a control panel
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2300/042 Application rejection, i.e. preventing improper installation of parts

Abstract

In some embodiments, a wall-mountable, configurable controller having control keys (e.g., less than eight keys or another small number of keys), a subassembly including circuitry, and a control key insert removably mountable to the subassembly and including at least one of the control keys. The circuitry can include a limit switch that is biased in a default state but moveable into a learning state in response to user-exerted force. In some embodiments, the controller includes an IR emitter and an IR receiver and is operable to clone another device by sending configuring radiation from the emitter to the other device'"'"'s IR receiver. Preferably, the emitter and receiver are positioned so that a controller'"'"'s IR emitter aligns with the IR receiver of an identical controller when the controllers are positioned face to face. In some embodiments, the controller provides audible and visual feedback to users when operating in a learning mode.

Claims

1. A configurable controller system, including:

a wall-mountable subassembly having a surface, and including configurable circuitry including a first switch set in a first region of the surface, a second switch set in a second region of the surface distinct from the first region, and a third switch set in a third region of the surface distinct from each of the first region and the second region;

a first control key insert, including a first control key set and configured to be removably mounted to the subassembly with the first control key set positioned over a first switch subset of the first switch set;

a second control key insert, including a second control key set and configured to be removably mounted to the subassembly in place of the first control key insert with the second control key set positioned over a second switch subset of the first switch set;

a third control key insert, including a third control key set and configured to be removably mounted to the subassembly with the third control key set positioned over a first switch subset of the second switch set;

a fourth control key insert, including a fourth control key set and configured to be removably mounted to the subassembly in place of the third control key insert with the fourth control key set positioned over a second switch subset of the second switch set; and

a fifth control key insert, including a fifth control key set and configured to be removably mounted to the subassembly with the fifth control key set positioned over the third switch set,

wherein the circuitry is configurable to perform a first set of control operations of a first type in response to actuation of switches of the first switch subset of the first switch set, a second set of control operations of the first type in response to actuation of switches of the second switch subset of the first switch set, a first set of control operations of a second type in response to actuation of switches of the first switch subset of the second switch set, a second set of control operations of the second type in response to actuation of switches of the second switch subset of the second switch set, and at least one control operation of a third type in response to actuation of each switch of the third switch set, whereby the system can be configured to emulate any of a number of different controllers that perform at least one control operation of the first type, at least one control operation of the second type, and at least one control operation of the third type.

2. The controller system of claim 1, wherein the first control key set consists of N1 keys, the second control key set consists of N2 keys, the third control key set consists of N3 keys, the fourth control key set consists of N4 keys, and the fifth control key set consists of N5 keys, wherein N1, N2, N3, N4, and N5 are numbers that satisfy 2≦

(N1+N3+N5)≦

8, and 2≦

(N2+N4+N5)≦

8.

3. The controller system of claim 2, wherein (N1+N3+N5)=5.

4. The controller system of claim 2, wherein (N2+N4+N5)=3.

5. The controller system of claim 2, wherein N1=N3=2, and N2=N4=1.

6. The controller system of claim 1, wherein the first control key set consists of N1 keys, the second control key set consists of N2 keys, the third control key set consists of N3 keys, the fourth-control key set consists of N4 keys, and the fifth control key set consists of N5 keys, wherein N3, N4, and N5 are numbers that satisfy 1≦

(N3+N5)≦

4, and 1≦

(N4+N5)≦

4.

7. The controller system of claim 1, wherein the first control key set consists of N1 keys, the second control key set consists of N2 keys, the third control key set consists of N3 keys, the fourth control key set consists of N4 keys, and the fifth control key set consists of N5 keys, wherein N1, N2, N3, and N4 are numbers that satisfy 2≦

(N1+N3)≦

4, and 2≦

(N2+N4)≦

4.

8. The controller system of claim 1, wherein each control operation of the first type is a power control operation, each control operation of the second type is a source selection operation, and each control operation of the third type is a volume control operation.

9. The controller system of claim 8, wherein the first control key set consists of a power on key and a power off key, the second control key set consists of a single power control key, the third control key set consists of two source selection keys, the fourth control key set consists of a single source selection key, and the fifth control key set consists of two volume control keys.

10. The controller system of claim 8, wherein the first control key insert is marked to indicate that said first key set is for performing power control operations, the second control key insert is marked to indicate that said second key set is for performing power control operations, the third control key insert is marked to indicate that said third key set is for performing source selection operations, and the fourth control key insert is marked to indicate that said fourth key set is for performing source selection operations.

11. The controller system of claim 9, wherein the first control key insert includes a window labeled to indicate that said first key set is for performing power control operations, and the third control key insert includes a second window labeled to indicate that said third key set is for performing source selection operations.

12. The controller system of claim 11, wherein the circuitry also includes illumination elements, a first one of the illumination elements is positioned to backlight the window, and a second one of the illumination elements is positioned to backlight the second window.

13. The controller system of claim 1, wherein the first control key insert is configured so as not to be mountable to the subassembly with the first control key set positioned over the second switch set and so as not to be mountable to the subassembly with the first control key set positioned over the third switch set, and the second control key insert is configured so as not to be removably mounted to the subassembly with the second control key set positioned over the second switch set and so as not to be removably mounted to the subassembly with the second control key set positioned over the third switch set.

14. The controller system of claim 1, wherein the wall-mountable subassembly defines alignment holes and the first control key insert includes:

an insert body, having at least two slots that extend therethrough, and including alignment posts configured to fit in a subset of the alignment holes when the first control key insert is mounted to the wall-mountable subassembly; and

a key element snap-fitted to the insert body, wherein the key element comprises flexible, translucent material having a translucent window portion and at least one translucent control key portion, the window portion protrudes into a first one of the slots, and each said control key portion protrudes through a different one of the slots and has a front surface and a back surface, said back surface having freedom to translate relative to the insert body in response to exertion of pushing force on the front surface.

15. The controller system of claim 1, wherein said controller is configured to control an audiovisual device.

16. The controller system of claim 1, wherein the second region is between the first region and the third region.

17. The controller-system of claim 1, wherein the circuitry includes a circuit board, the first region is a first area of the circuit board to which the first switch set is mounted, the second region is a second area of the circuit board to which the second switch set is mounted, the third region is a third area of the circuit board to which the third switch set is mounted, the second area is distinct from the first area, and the third area is distinct from each of the first area and the second area.

18. The controller system of claim 17, wherein the circuitry is operable in a learning mode, the circuitry includes illumination elements mounted to the circuit board in positions for backlighting the control keys, each illumination element of a first subset of the illumination elements is positioned under a control key of the first control key set, each illumination element of a second subset of the illumination elements is positioned under a control key of the second control key set, and the circuitry is configured to respond to actuation of an unconfigured one of the control keys during the learning mode by illuminating at least one of the illumination elements that underlies the unconfigured one of the control keys.

19. A configurable, wall-mountable controller having a surface and control keys, said controller including:

a first subassembly including configurable circuitry;

a control key insert including a first key set, wherein the control key insert is removably mounted to the first subassembly so as to position the first key set in a first region of the surface;

a second control key insert including a second key set, wherein the second control key insert is removably mounted to the first subassembly so as to position the second key set in a second region of the surface,

wherein the second region is distinct from the first region, each of the first key set and the second key set includes at least one of the control keys, the circuitry includes switches including at least one switch that is responsive to actuation of at least one key of the first key set and at least one other switch that is responsive to actuation of at least one key of the second key set, the circuitry is configured and configured to perform at least one control operation of a first type in response to actuation of each key of the first key set and to perform at least one control operation of a second type in response to actuation of each key of the second key set, the circuitry is not configured to perform a control operation of the second type in response to actuation of any key of the first key set, and the circuitry is not configured to perform a control operation of the first type in response to actuation of any key of the second key set.

20. The controller of claim 19, wherein the first subassembly defines a first set of alignment holes and a second set of alignment holes, the control key insert has alignment posts configured to fit in the first set of alignment holes when the control key insert is mounted to the first subassembly, the second control key insert has additional alignment posts configured to fit in the second set of alignment holes when the second control key insert is mounted to the first subassembly, and the alignment posts are configured so as not to fit in the second set of alignment holes.

21. The controller of claim 19, wherein the control key insert is marked to indicate that the first key set is for performing control operations of the first type, and the second control key insert is marked to indicate that said second key set is for performing control operations of the second type.

22. The controller of claim 21, wherein the control key insert includes a window labeled to indicate that said first key set is for performing control operations of the first type, and the second control key insert includes a second window labeled to indicate that said second key set is for performing control operations of the second type.

23. The controller of claim 22, wherein the circuitry also includes illumination elements, the switches and the illumination elements are mounted under the control keys, each key of the first key set is labeled to indicate that said each key is dedicated to performing at least one control operation of the first type, a first one of the illumination elements is positioned to backlight the window, a second one of the illumination elements is positioned to backlight the second window, and at least one other illumination element is positioned to backlight each key of the first key set.

24. The controller of claim 23, wherein the circuitry is configured to cause the illumination elements to backlight each key of the first key set that overlies at least one configured one of the switches but not to backlight any other key of the first key set.

25. The controller of claim 19, wherein the controller has N control keys, where 2≦

N≦

8.

26. The controller of claim 25, wherein N=6.

27. The controller of claim 25, wherein N=5.

28. The controller of claim 19, wherein each control operation of the first type is a power control operation, each control operation of the second type is a source selection operation, and the controller also includes:

a third control key insert including a third key set, wherein the third control key insert is removably mounted to the first subassembly so as to position the third key set in a third region of the surface,

wherein the third region is distinct from each of the first region and the second region, the third key set includes at least one of the control keys, the circuitry includes at least one switch that is responsive to actuation of at least one key of the third key set, the circuitry is configured to perform at least one volume control operation in response to actuation of each key of the third key set, the circuitry is not configured to perform any volume control operation in response to actuation of any key of the first key set, and the circuitry is not configured to perform any volume control operation in response to actuation of any key of the second key set.

29. The controller of claim 28, wherein the first control key set consists of a power on key and a power off key, and the second control key set consists of two source selection keys.

30. The controller of claim 28, wherein the first control key set consists of a single power control key, and the second control key set consists of a single source selection key.

31. A configurable, wall-mountable controller, including:

a wall-mountable subassembly including circuitry operable in a learning mode and a control mode; and

control keys coupled to the subassembly,

wherein the circuitry in the learning mode is configurable to perform control operations in response to actuations of the control keys in the control mode, the circuitry includes a limit switch that is biased in a default state but configured to be pushed from the default state into a learning state, and the circuitry is configured to operate in the learning mode when the limit switch is in the learning state.

32. The controller of claim 31, wherein the circuitry is configured to enter the control mode in response to movement of the limit switch from the learning state to the default state.

33. The controller of claim 31, wherein the circuitry is also operable in a cloning mode, and the circuitry is configured to enter the cloning mode in response to movement of the limit switch from the learning state to the default state while at least one of the control keys is being actuated.

34. The controller of claim 31, wherein the limit switch includes an actuator that is spring-biased in a default position, and wherein the actuator is configured to be pushed into a learning position when the subassembly is installed to place the limit switch in its learning state.

35. The controller of claim 31, wherein the circuitry includes a circuit board, the limit switch is mounted on the circuit board, and the subassembly includes a plate that partially covers the circuit board without preventing the limit switch from being accessed when the controller is installed.

36. The controller of claim 35, wherein the plate defines a switch access hole, the limit switch includes an actuator that is spring-biased in a default position, the actuator is positioned and configured to be pushed from the default position into a learning position by insertion of a pin through the switch access hole into engagement with said actuator to place the limit switch in the learning state.

37. The controller of claim 31, wherein the circuitry is configurable in the learning mode to perform at least one power control operation and at least one source selection operation.

38. The controller of claim 31, also including an infrared emitter output coupled to the circuitry, and wherein the circuitry in the learning mode is configurable to cause the controller to assert control bits to the infrared emitter output in response to actuation of each of the control keys in the control mode.

39. A configurable, wall-mountable controller, including:

a wall-mountable subassembly including circuitry operable in a learning mode, a cloning mode, and a control mode;

an infrared receiver coupled to the circuitry;

an infrared emitter coupled to the circuitry; and

control keys coupled to the subassembly,

wherein the circuitry in the learning mode is configurable to perform control operations in response to actuations of the control keys in the control mode, when performing said control operations the circuitry generates emulated versions of signals received at the infrared receiver during the learning mode, and the circuitry is operable in the cloning mode to learn the configuration of a second device including by receiving at the infrared receiver modulated infrared signals that have been transmitted to said infrared receiver from the second device.

40. The controller of claim 39, wherein the circuitry includes a circuit board, the infrared receiver is mounted to the circuit board in a first position, the infrared emitter is mounted to the circuit board in a second position,

wherein the first position is located relative to the second position such that when the device is a second controller identical to said controller, the second controller is alignable face-to-face with the controller with the second controller'"'"'s infrared receiver aligned with the controller'"'"'s infrared emitter to receive the modulated infrared signals from the controller'"'"'s infrared emitter.

41. The controller of claim 39, wherein the circuitry is configurable in the learning mode to perform at least one power control operation and at least one source selection operation.

42. The controller of claim 39, also including an infrared emitter output coupled to the circuitry, and wherein the circuitry in the learning mode is configurable to cause the controller to assert control bits to the infrared emitter output in response to actuation of each of the control keys in the control mode.

43. The controller of claim 39,

wherein the first subassembly is a wall-mountable subassembly, the configurable circuitry is operable in a learning mode and a control mode and includes a circuit board and a speaker mounted to the circuit board, the circuitry includes illumination elements mounted to the circuit board, the illumination elements include key illumination elements mounted in positions for backlighting the control keys, the circuitry is configured to assert audible feedback and visual feedback while being configured in the learning mode to perform control operations in response to actuations of the control keys in the control mode.

44. The controller of claim 43, wherein the circuitry is configured to respond to actuation of any unconfigured one of the control keys during the learning mode by illuminating at least one of the key illumination elements that underlies the unconfigured one of the control keys, and by causing the speaker to emit at least one sound.

45. The controller of claim 43, wherein the illumination elements include a status indicator, and the circuitry is configured to cause the status indicator to assert visual feedback during the learning mode to indicate when ambient radiation is excessive.

46. The controller of claim 45, wherein the circuitry is configured to cause the status indicator to emit light continuously to indicate excessive ambient radiation during the learning mode, and to cause the status indicator otherwise to emit a sequence of light pulses during the learning mode.

47. The controller of claim 45, also including an infrared receiver coupled to the circuitry, and wherein the circuitry is configured to cause the status indicator to emit a light signal during at least one phase of the learning mode, said light signal being indicative of strength of a configuring signal received at the infrared receiver.

48. The controller of claim 43, wherein the circuitry is configured to cause the speaker to emit a first sound during the learning mode upon successful learning of a control operation, and to cause the speaker to a different sound during the learning mode upon an unsuccessful attempt to learn a control operation.

49. The controller of claim 43, wherein the circuitry is configurable in the learning mode to perform at least one power control operation and at least one source selection operation.

50. The controller of claim 43, wherein the circuitry is set up to be configured in a round robin procedure of the learning mode to perform a sequence of different control operations in response to a sequence of actuations of one of the control keys in the control mode.

51. The controller of claim 43, wherein the circuitry is set up to be configured in a round robin phase of the learning mode to perform a sequence of N different control operations in response to N sequential actuations of one of the control keys in the control mode, and the circuitry is configured to cause the speaker to emit a distinctive sound cue during the round robin phase upon successful configuration of the circuitry to perform a last one of the N different control operations.

52. The controller of claim 43, wherein the circuitry is operable in the learning mode to illuminate at least one of the key illumination elements that underlies one of the control keys, thereby prompting a user to enter a test phase of the learning mode, after configuring the circuitry to perform at least one control operation in response to actuation of said one of the control keys, and wherein the circuitry is operable in the test phase of the learning mode to perform said at least one control operation in response to actuation of said one of the control keys.

53. The controller of claim 39, wherein the first subassembly is a wall-mountable subassembly, the configurable circuitry is operable in any of a learning mode, a macro mode, and a control mode, said circuitry in the learning mode is configurable to perform control operations in response to actuations of the control keys in the control mode, and the circuitry is configurable in the macro mode to perform a sequence of the control operations in response to a single actuation of one of the control keys in the control mode.

54. The controller of claim 53, wherein the circuitry is also operable in a round robin phase of the learning mode in which it can be configured to perform the sequence of different control operations in response to a sequence of actuations of said one of the control keys in the control mode, and the circuitry is configured to enter the macro mode in response to actuation of said one of the control keys, for more than a predetermined minimum time, during operation in the learning mode after the circuitry has been configured to perform the sequence of different control operations in response to said sequence of actuations of said one of the control keys.

55. The controller of claim 54, wherein the circuitry is configurable in the learning mode to perform at least one power control operation and at least one source selection operation.

56. A programmable, wall-mountable controller, including:

a wall-mountable subassembly, including circuitry operable in any of a learning mode, a macro mode, and a control mode; and

control keys coupled to the subassembly, wherein the circuitry in the learning mode is configurable to perform control operations in response to actuations of the control keys in the control mode, the circuitry in the macro mode is configurable to perform a sequence of the control operations in response to a single actuation of one of the control keys in the control mode, the circuitry in the round robin mode is configurable to perform the sequence of different control operations in response to a sequence of actuations of said one of the control keys in the control mode, and the circuitry is configured to enter the macro mode in response to actuation of said one of the control keys, for more than a predetermined minimum time, during operation in the round robin mode after the circuitry has been configured to perform the sequence of different control operations in response to said sequence of actuations of said one of the control keys.

57. A control key insert removably mountable to a wall-mountable subassembly of a configurable controller for use as an element of the controller, said wall-mountable subassembly defining alignment holes, and said control key insert including:

a body defining alignment posts configured to fit in a subset of the alignment holes when the control key insert is mounted to the wall-mountable subassembly, wherein the body also defines at least two slots that extend through said body; and

a key element snap-fitted to the body, wherein the key element comprises flexible, translucent material having a translucent window portion and at least one translucent control key portion, the window portion protrudes into a first one of the slots, and each said control key portion protrudes through a different one of the slots and has a front surface and a back surface, said back surface having freedom to translate relative to the body in response to exertion of pushing force on the front surface.

58. The control key insert of claim 57, also including a layer of occludant material on a surface of the body.

59. A method for operating a wall-mountable controller having a wall-mountable subassembly including circuitry and an infrared emitter coupled to the circuitry, and control keys coupled to the subassembly, said method including the steps of:

(a) configuring the circuitry to perform control operations in response to actuations of the control keys; and

(b) after step (a), asserting modulated infrared signals from the infrared emitter to a second device having a second set of keys, to configure the second device to perform said control operations in response to actuations of the second set of keys.

60. The method of claim 59, wherein step (a) includes the step of configuring the circuitry to perform at least one power control operation and at least one source selection operation.

61. A method for operating a wall-mountable controller having a wall-mountable subassembly including circuitry, an infrared emitter coupled to the circuitry, an infrared receiver coupled to the circuitry, and control keys coupled to the subassembly, said method including the steps of:

(a) transmitting infrared radiation from the infrared emitter; and

(b) upon receiving answering infrared radiation from a donor in response to the infrared radiation transmitted during step (a), executing a cloning operation in which said controller becomes configured in a manner that emulates the donor in response to modulated infrared radiation received at the infrared receiver from said donor.

62. The method of claim 61, wherein the circuitry includes a limit switch biased in a default state but displaceable from the default state into a learning state, and also including the step of:

(c) before step (a), actuating at least one of the control keys while allowing the limit switch to relax from the learning state into the default state to cause the circuitry to enter a cloning mode, and wherein steps (a) and (b) are performed while the circuitry operates in the cloning mode.

63. A method for configuring a wall-mountable controller having a wall-mountable subassembly including circuitry and control keys coupled to the subassembly, wherein the circuitry includes key illumination elements in positions for backlighting the control keys, said method including the steps of:

(a) configuring the circuitry to perform control operations in response to actuations of the control keys; and

(b) while performing step (a), operating the circuitry to assert audible feedback and visual feedback to a user.

64. The method of claim 63, wherein step (a) includes the step of configuring the circuitry to perform at least one power control operation and at least one source selection operation.

65. The method of claim 63, wherein the circuitry also includes a speaker, and step (a) includes the step of responding to actuation of any unconfigured one of the control keys by:

illuminating at least one of the key illumination elements that underlies the unconfigured one of the control keys; and

emitting at least one sound from the speaker.

66. The method of claim 63, wherein the circuitry also includes a status indicator and step (a) includes the step of causing the status indicator to assert visual feedback to indicate an excess of ambient radiation.

67. The method of claim 66, wherein step (a) includes the step of causing the status indicator to emit light continuously to indicate excessive ambient radiation, and causing the status indicator otherwise to emit a sequence of light pulses.

68. The method of claim 66, wherein the circuitry includes an infrared receiver, and step (a) includes the step of causing the status indicator to emit a light signal indicative of strength of a configuring signal received at the infrared receiver.

69. The method of claim 63, wherein the circuitry also includes a speaker, and step (a) includes the steps of:

causing the speaker to emit a first sound upon successful learning of a control operation; and

causing the speaker to a different sound upon an unsuccessful attempt to learn a control operation.

70. The method of claim 63, wherein step (a) includes the step of:

(c) configuring the circuitry to perform a sequence of different control operations in response to a sequence of actuations of one of the control keys.

71. The method of claim 70, wherein step (a) also includes the step of:

(d) after step (c), configuring the circuitry to perform the sequence of different control operations in response to a single actuation of said one of the control keys, by actuating said one of the control keys for more than a predetermined minimum time.

72. The method of claim 64, wherein the circuitry also includes a speaker, and step (a) includes the steps of:

configuring the circuitry to perform a sequence of N different control operations in response to N sequential actuations of one of the control keys; and

causing the speaker to emit a distinctive sequence of sounds upon successful configuration of the circuitry to perform a last one of the N different control operations.

73. The method of claim 64, wherein step (a) includes the step of:

after configuring the circuitry to perform at least one control operation in response to actuation of one of the control keys, illuminating at least one of the key illumination elements that underlies said one of the control keys to prompt the user to test said configuration of said one of the control keys.