REMOTE CONTROL METHOD HAVING GUI FUNCTION, AND SYSTEM USING THE SAME

• US 20070174869A1
• Filed: 01/10/2007
• Published: 07/26/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kim, Jeong Hyun
• Application Number:
  US11/621,976
• Publication Number:
  US 20070174869A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/37
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• 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 21/42224 Touch pad or touch panel provided on the remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47217 for controlling playback functions for recorded or on-demand content, e.g. using progress bars, mode or play-point indicators or bookmarks specific graphical features in visual interfaces H04N21/4312
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4828 for searching program descriptors retrieval of video data G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/485 End-user interface for client configuration

Abstract

A remote control method and system embody a graphic user interface. The present invention includes a remote controller having a touch pad and a digital television having a GUI. That is, a viewer can select a menu displayed on the digital television by using the touch pad. It is thus possible to overcome control limitations of the remote controller, namely complexity of the rapidly-developed functions of the television. In addition, the viewer can watch menus displayed on the screen of the digital television, operate the touch pad and execute a wanted control operation. As a result, the viewer can easily conveniently control the digital television through simple operations of the remote controller.

Claims

1-14. -14. (canceled)

15. A method for remotely controlling a graphic user interface (GUI) on a display screen, the method comprising:

displaying a pointer on a display screen, in response to a user interacting with a remote control device wirelessly communicating with a GUI controller of the display screen; and

selecting an option from a GUI menu displayed on the display screen, in response to a user interacting with a pointing mechanism embedded in the remote control device,

wherein the user controls position of the pointer on the display screen by interacting with the pointing mechanism.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising performing an operation related to content displayed on the display screen, in response to the user selecting an option from the GUI menu.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the pointing mechanism is a touchpad.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the display device is a television set.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the GUI menu provides options for allowing a user to select a broadcast content to view.

20. The method claim 15, wherein the GUI menu provides options for allowing a user to interact with a DVR control menu comprising at least one of a play button, a stop button, a fast forward button and a fast rewind button.

21. A method for remotely communicating with a display screen, the method comprising:

displaying a pointer on a display screen, in response to a user interacting with a remote control device wirelessly communicating with a controller of the display screen; and

selecting an object displayed on the screen, in response to a user interacting with a pointing mechanism embedded in the remote control device,

wherein the user control position of the pointer on the display screen by interacting with the pointing mechanism.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the object is a feature of a graphic user interface (GUI) menu.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the object is associated with content displayed on the display screen.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the content is provided to the display screen, in response to a signal received from a video content provider.