Method and system for helping operate a media-playing set

• US 20070283389A1
• Filed: 06/01/2006
• Published: 12/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America Incorporated (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America Incorporated (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Hallberg, Bryan Severt
• Application Number:
  US11/444,639
• Publication Number:
  US 20070283389A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/37
• 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 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/472 End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content end-user interfaces for retrieving video data from a database G06F16/739; network services for supporting unicast streaming H04L65/612
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/485 End-user interface for client configuration

Abstract

A first exemplary method for helping a user operate a media-playing set using a control device, preferably a handheld remote, includes providing a remote support site from which at least one representative can remotely configure the set and, as the representative remotely makes different entries, highlighting the corresponding entry items on an image of the control device locally displayed on the set. A second exemplary method and system for helping operate such a set in which a readily expandible and updateable central database is provided at the remote support site for networked connection with the set and upon simple selection of a single help function included on the control device, an extensive and up-to-date explanation of how a selected control item of interest, such as an entry button or on-screen menu item, operates is retrieved from the database and promptly displayed by the set.

Claims

1. A method for helping a user operate a media-playing set using a control device comprising:

(a) providing a support site for supporting said user and other users, said support site being located remotely from and selectively connectible electronically to the respective set of each user and being staffed by at least one representative;

(b) as said representative is helping said user, displaying an on-screen image representing said control device on said set; and

(c) as said representative remotely makes different entries for configuring said set, highlighting the respective entry items on said image corresponding to said entries remotely made by said representative.

2. The method of claim 1 further including remotely displaying an on-screen replica of said control device designed for interactive operation by said representative such that as said representative remotely makes different entries on said replica, the corresponding entry items on said image are highlighted.

3. The method of claim 1 further including displaying said image superimposed over a content screen and updating both said image and said content screen as said representative remotely makes different entries.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said control device is a first control device and said image is a first on-screen image and further including simultaneously displaying a second on-screen image representing a second control device and highlighting entry items on both said first- and second-on-screen images as said representative makes different entries for configuring said set.

5. The method of claim 1 further including highlighting the respective entries on said image in a manner selected from the group consisting of coloring, outlining, enlarging, brightening, and blinking.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein said user may recall previous entry sequences made by said representative.

20. The method of claim 1 wherein said media-playing set and said support site are interconnected by a computer network.

21. The method of claim 1 wherein said media-playing set is a television.

25. The method of claim 21 wherein said control device is a handheld remote.

6. A system for helping a user operate a media-playing set using a control device comprising:

(a) a support site for supporting said user and other users, said support site being located remotely from and selectively connectible electronically to the respective set of each user and including a central database, and

(b) said control device including a help function configured so that, upon user selection of said help function, an explanation on how a selected entry item of interest operates is retrieved from said central database and is displayed by said set.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein said entry item of interest is selected by said user pressing an entry button of interest on said control device after selecting said help function.

8. The system of claim 6 wherein said control device is a handheld remote control.

9. The system of claim 6 wherein said control device is a personal computer.

10. The system of claim 6 wherein an instruction manual is available for said set containing a section explaining how each entry item operates and said explanation retrieved from said central database is substantially as comprehensive in detail as said section for the corresponding entry item.

22. The method of claim 6 wherein said media-playing set and said support site are interconnected by a computer network.

23. The method of claim 6 wherein said media-playing set is a television.

26. The method of claim 23 wherein said control device is a handheld remote.

11. A method for helping a user operate a media-playing set using a control device comprising:

(a) providing a support site for supporting said user and other users, said support site being located remotely from and selectively connectible electronically to the respective set of each user and including a central database; and

(b) providing a help function on said control device and, upon user selection of said help function, retrieving an explanation from said central database on how a selected entry item of interest operates and displaying said explanation on said set.

12. The method of claim 11 further including said user selecting said entry item of interest on said control device after selecting said help function.

13. The method of claim 12 further including selecting said entry item of interest using a handheld remote control.

14. The method of claim 12 further including selecting said entry item of interest using a mouse device of a personal computer.

15. The method of claim 11 further including displaying an image representing the control device on said set and highlighting said selected entry item of interest.

16. The method of claim 15 further including highlighting said entry item of interest in a manner selected from the group consisting of coloring, outlining, enlarging, brightening, and blinking.

17. The method of claim 11 further including enabling said user to resume normal functioning of said entry items by selecting said help function a second time.

18. The method of claim 11 further including revising said explanation by updating said central database.

24. The method of claim 11 wherein said media-playing set and said support site are interconnected by a computer network, said media-playing set is a television, and said capture device is a handheld remote control.