Apparatus and method to facilitate universal remote control
First Claim
1. A universal remote control, comprising:
- a display screen, a user input mechanism;
a processing unit configured to display information on the display screen and to accept selection data from the user input mechanism; and
a wireless communication mechanism configured to provide communications between the processing unit and an appliance;
wherein the processing unit is configured to receive a specification for a user interface from the appliance that is specific to the appliance to display on the display screen;
wherein the specification for the user interface is customized for a current state of the appliance;
wherein the processing unit is configured to use the specification to implement the user interface so that the universal remote control can operate with the appliance.
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Accused Products
Abstract
One embodiment of the present invention provides a universal remote control, which includes a display screen and a user input mechanism. The universal remote control also includes a processing unit that is configured to display information on the display screen and to accept selection data from the user input mechanism. The universal remote control additionally includes a wireless communication mechanism that is configured to provide communications between the processing unit and an appliance or computer program running on a computer system. The appliance provides information to be displayed on the display screen, and information entered through the user input mechanism is communicated to the appliance. Since the appliance provides the information to be displayed on the display screen and also interprets the entries on the input mechanism, the universal remote control needs no special knowledge about the appliance.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A universal remote control, comprising:
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a display screen, a user input mechanism;
a processing unit configured to display information on the display screen and to accept selection data from the user input mechanism; and
a wireless communication mechanism configured to provide communications between the processing unit and an appliance;
wherein the processing unit is configured to receive a specification for a user interface from the appliance that is specific to the appliance to display on the display screen;
wherein the specification for the user interface is customized for a current state of the appliance;
wherein the processing unit is configured to use the specification to implement the user interface so that the universal remote control can operate with the appliance. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for configuring a remote control to operate an appliance, comprising:
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sending a request for a specification of a user interface from the remote control to the appliance;
in response to the request, receiving the specification for the user interface from the appliance; and
configuring the remote control to implement the user interface to operate the appliance. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method for configuring a remote control to operate an appliance, the method comprising:
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sending a request for a specification of a user interface from the remote control to the appliance;
in response to the request, receiving the specification for the user interface from the appliance that is specific to the appliance;
wherein the specification provides a user-interface that is customized for a current state of the appliance; and
configuring the remote control to implement the user interface so that the universal remote control can operate with the appliance.
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23-29. -29. (canceled)
Specification