Universal parallel television remote control

• US 20070124772A1
• Filed: 11/30/2005
• Published: 05/31/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Karaoguz, Jeyhan, Bennett, James
• Granted Patent: US 9,277,156 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/61
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 15/023 remotely controlled
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 19/027 Remotely controlled remote control systems in general G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 31/00 Arrangements for the associated working of recording or reproducing apparatus with related apparatus with cameras or projectors G03B31/00 ; recording/reproducing of music for electrophonic musical instruments G10H1/0033; automatic arrangements for answering calls or for recording messages for absent subscribers H04M1/64; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with dictation recording and playback systems H04M11/10; connection of TV recorder with other related apparatus, e.g. TV camera or receiver, in which the TV signal is significantly involved H04N, e.g. H04N23/00, H04N5/765; combination of radio or TV with other apparatus, e.g. with vehicles H05K11/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4108 characterised by an identification number or address, e.g. local network address protecting specific internal or external computer components using identification number G06F21/73; network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming H04L61/00
• 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 21/42209 for displaying non-command information, e.g. electronic program guide [EPG], e-mail, messages or a second television channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42224 Touch pad or touch panel provided on the remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42226 Reprogrammable remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42684 Client identification by a unique number or address, e.g. serial number, MAC address, socket ID network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming H04L61/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/485 End-user interface for client configuration

Abstract

A portable control unit that interacts with a variety of types of media equipment. The control unit searches for media equipment (including media players) located within an area and retrieves user interaction information corresponding to discovered media players. The control unit can be instructed to control any of the discovered media players. The control unit uses the retrieved user interaction information to adapt. The control unit may periodically, or when relocated, look for new media players in its neighborhood. The control unit interacts with multiple multimedia sources that supply video and/or audio to the media players. The control unit may have a screen on which it displays a video in addition to controlling selection and presentation of a video and/or an audio in any one of the discovered media players. The control unit maintains an updateable media guide that provides a list of multimedia elements available for viewing and/or listening.

Claims

1. A remote control network for use with a television comprising a first identifier and a first television screen that displays a first media, the remote control network comprising:

at least one storage device containing a plurality of configurations;

a remote control unit comprising a second television screen that displays a second media, and a user interface that accepts user input; and

a communication network communicatively coupling the remote control unit and the at least one storage device;

wherein the remote control unit;

configures itself based on a first configuration selected from the plurality of configurations using the first identifier; and

selects the first media to be displayed on the first television screen and selects the second media to be displayed on the second television screen.

2. The remote control network of claim 1, wherein the remote control unit receives the first identifier from the television.

3. The remote control network of claim 1, wherein the remote control unit receives the first identifier via the user interface.

4. The remote control network of claim 1 that supports a second piece of media equipment having a second identifier, wherein the remote control unit also configures itself based on a second configuration selected from the plurality of configurations using the second identifier.

5. The remote control network of claim 1, wherein the first configuration comprises a button layout image to be displayed on the second television screen.

6. A remote control network for use with a first piece of media equipment having a first identifier and a second piece of media equipment having a second identifier, the remote control network comprising:

at least one storage device containing a plurality of configurations;

a communication network communicatively coupled to the at least one storage device; and

a remote control unit, communicatively coupled to the communication network, that receives the first identifier and the second identifier;

wherein the remote control unit configures itself to control both the first piece of media equipment and the second piece of media equipment by using the first identifier and the second identifier to respectively access a first configuration and a second configuration of the plurality of configurations from the at least one storage device via the communication network.

7. The remote control network of claim 6, wherein the first piece of media equipment comprises a first screen, and the remote control unit comprises a second screen.

8. The remote control network of claim 7, wherein the first configuration comprises a button layout image to be displayed on the second screen.

9. The remote control network of claim 6, wherein the remote control unit receives the first identifier from the first piece of media equipment and the second identifier from the second piece of media equipment.

10. The remote control network of claim 6, wherein the remote control unit comprises a user interface, and the remote control unit receives the first identifier via the user interface.

11. A remote control network for use with a first piece of media equipment, the remote control network comprising:

a storage device containing a plurality of configurations;

a communication pathway communicatively coupled to the storage device; and

a remote control unit communicatively coupled to the communication pathway;

wherein the remote control unit configures itself to control the first piece of media equipment by accessing one of the plurality of configurations of the storage device via the communication pathway.

12. A control unit that is portable, the control unit comprising:

a user interface;

a communication interface that is communicatively coupled to at least one of a plurality of servers through the Internet; and

processing circuitry that retrieves a configuration corresponding to an identifier that identifies a media equipment from the at least one of the plurality of servers via the communication interface and configures the control unit using the configuration;

wherein the user interface of the configured control unit is used to control the media equipment.

13. The control unit of claim 12, wherein the communication interface receives the identifier from the media equipment.

14. The control unit of claim 12, wherein the user interface receives an input that comprises the identifier.

15. The control unit of claim 14, wherein the processing circuitry further presents a plurality of identifiers and the input received by the user interface is based on the plurality of identifiers.

16. A control unit that is portable and for use with a first media equipment having a first screen and a first identifier, the control unit comprising:

a housing;

a second screen disposed on the housing;

a user interface;

a communication interface; and

processing circuitry that;

receives the first identifier;

retrieves a first configuration corresponding to the first identifier; and

configures the control unit using the first configuration;

wherein the user interface of the configured control unit receives a selection of a first media to be displayed on the first screen and a second media to be displayed on the second screen.

17. The control unit of claim 16, wherein:

the processing circuitry receives a second identifier corresponding to a second media equipment having a third screen;

the processing circuitry retrieves a second configuration corresponding to the second identifier; and

the processing circuitry configures the control unit using the second configuration; and

the user interface of the configured control unit is used to select a third media to be displayed on the third screen and to select a fourth media to be displayed on the second screen.

18. The control unit of claim 16, wherein the communication interface is communicatively coupled to at least one of a plurality of servers through the Internet, and the processing circuitry retrieves the first configuration from the at least one of the plurality of servers via the communication interface.

19. The control unit of claim 16, wherein the processing circuitry retrieves the first configuration from the first media equipment.

20. A control unit comprising:

a user interface;

a communication interface; and

processing circuitry that;

retrieves a plurality of identifiers via the communication interface, the plurality of identifiers corresponding to a plurality of media equipments;

retrieves a plurality of configurations corresponding to the plurality of identifiers; and

stores the plurality of configurations in a memory, at least one of the plurality of configurations to be used to control corresponding media equipment from the plurality of media equipments.

21. The control unit of claim 20, wherein the processing circuitry retrieves the plurality of identifiers via the communication interface at regular intervals.

22. The control unit of claim 20, wherein the processing circuitry detects a change in location of the control unit, and consequently retrieves the plurality of identifiers via the communication interface.

23. The control unit of claim 20, wherein the user interface receives a media equipment discover request, and the media equipment discover request triggers the processing circuitry to retrieve the plurality of identifiers via the communication interface.

24. The control unit of claim 20, further comprising the memory.

25. The control unit of claim 20, further comprising a screen.