Controlling device with dual-mode, touch-sensitive display

• US 20060125800A1
• Filed: 11/30/2005
• Published: 06/15/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Universal Electronics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Universal Electronics, Inc.
• Inventors: Janik, Craig M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,432,916 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/92 Universal remote control
• 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 21/42208 Display device provided on the remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42221 Transmission circuitry, e.g. infrared [IR] or radio frequency [RF]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42224 Touch pad or touch panel provided on the remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42225 characterized by types of remote control, e.g. universal remote control

Abstract

A universal controlling device having a touch-sensitive display which is switchable between two operational modes. In one operational mode, the display provides one or more graphical user interfaces comprised of graphical user interface icons that are selectable to command operational functions of one or more appliances. In a second operational mode, the display provides pointer control where motions made by a stylus or finger in contact with the touch-sensitive display result in corresponding motions of a pointer on a display located remotely from the universal controlling device.

Claims

1. A controlling device, comprising:

a display having a touch-sensitive surface usable in at least a first operational mode and a second operational mode, wherein the first operational mode causes one or more graphical user interfaces comprised of graphical user interface icons to be displayed in the display whereby selection of a displayed graphical user interface icon through interaction with the touch-sensitive surface causes one or more commands to be transmitted to one or more appliances to command operational functions of the one or more appliances and the second operational mode causes a transmission of data reflective of motions made upon the touch-sensitive surface to an appliance having a graphical user interface component to command the appliance to move a graphical user interface element of the graphical user interface component in a display located remotely from the controlling device in a manner that corresponds to the motions made upon the touch-sensitive surface; and

a software application for causing the controlling device to automatically toggle between the first operational mode and a second operational mode as a function of a state of the appliance having the graphical user interface component.

2. The controlling device as recited in claim 1, wherein the software application tracks the state of the appliance having the graphical user interface component.

3. The controlling device as recited in claim 1, comprising a receiver by which data representative of the state of the appliance having the graphical user interface component is received by the controlling device for use in the software application.

4. The controlling device as recited in claim 1, wherein commands transmitted to the one or more appliances to command operational functions of the one or more appliances are transmitted using an IR protocol.

5. The controlling device as recited in claim 1, wherein data transmitted to move the graphical user interface element of the graphical user interface component in the display are transmitted using a RF protocol.

6. An entertainment system comprising:

a plurality of appliances including at least one appliance having a graphical user interface component with a moveable graphical user interface element; and

a controlling device including a display with a touch-sensitive surface usable in at least a first operational mode and a second operational mode, wherein the first operational mode causes one or more graphical user interfaces comprised of graphical user interface icons to be displayed in the display whereby selection of a displayed graphical user interface icon through interaction with the touch-sensitive surface causes one or more commands to be transmitted to one or more of the plurality of appliances to command operational functions of the one or more appliances and the second operational mode causes a transmission of data reflective of motions made upon the touch-sensitive surface to the appliance having the graphical user interface component to command the appliance to move the graphical user interface element of the graphical user interface component in a display located remotely from the controlling device in a manner that corresponds to the motions made upon the touch-sensitive surface, and a software application for causing the controlling device to automatically toggle between the first operational mode and a second operational mode as a function of a state of the appliance having the graphical user interface component.

7. The system as recited in claim 6, wherein the software application tracks the state of the appliance having the graphical user interface component.

8. The system as recited in claim 6, wherein the controlling device comprises a receiver by which data representative of the state of the appliance having the graphical user interface component is received by the controlling device for use in the software application.

9. The system as recited in claim 6, wherein commands transmitted to the one or more appliances to command operational functions of the one or more appliances are transmitted using an IR protocol.

10. The system as recited in claim 6, wherein data transmitted to move the graphical user interface element of the graphical user interface component in the display are transmitted using a RF protocol.

11. The system as recited in claim 6, wherein the appliance having the graphical user interface component comprises a personal computer.

12. The system as recited in claim 11, wherein the display comprises a television in communication with the personal computer.

13. The system as recited in claim 12, wherein the appliance having the graphical user interface component has a first state in which the moveable graphical user interface element of the graphical user interface component is controllable and displayed on the television and a second state in which the moveable graphical user interface element of the graphical user interface component is not controllable and not displayed on the television.