Simplified Control System for Electronic Media

• US 20080238708A1
• Filed: 02/01/2005
• Published: 10/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Scope Seven, Inc. (ZOO Digital Group Plc)
• Original Assignee: Scope Seven, Inc. (ZOO Digital Group Plc)
• Inventors: Pittard, William B., Wain, Duncan, Cernetic, Scott
• Granted Patent: US 7,705,746 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/825.22
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 23/04 using light waves, e.g. infrared
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 19/027 Remotely controlled remote control systems in general G08C
• 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 21/42226 Reprogrammable remote control devices

Abstract

A control system with a simplified control device (10) for direct selection of electronic media operations, and for programmed navigation through the content without using dedicated navigation functions of a media player. The simplified control device (10) includes a limited number of keys, comprising direct-select keys (20-26) and navigation keys (30-36), which transmit programmable number key signals rather than dedicated key signals. Direct-select keys (20-26) are visually associated with icons displayed by the medial player by shape, color, and/or the like. The icons are dynamically associated with portions of content and/or software instructions stored on a medium, such as a DVD. Activating a direct-select key (20-26) cause the media player to access the associated content and/or instructions. The simplified remote control device (10) also includes navigation keys (30-36) associated with software instructions stored on the DVD, so that navigation operations are consistent for any media player that reads from the DVD. Dedicated keys can also be included.

Claims

1. A control system comprising:

a transmitter for transmitting command signals to a media control system that executes machine instructions associated with media content, wherein the machine instructions can be selectively associated with the command signals;

a direct-select key in communication with the transmitter and having a property that is replicated in an icon on a display of the media control system, wherein the property associates the direct-select key with the icon on the display such that activation of the direct-select key causes the transmitter to transmit a first command signal to instruct the media control system to initiate an operation that is selectively associated with the icon; and

a navigation key in communication with the transmitter, activation of the navigation key causing the transmitter to transmit a second command signal to instruct the media control system to perform a navigation operation that is defined by the machine instructions such that the navigation operation will be the same for any of a plurality of media control systems which access the machine instructions.

2. The control system of claim 1, wherein the transmitter comprises one of an infrared transmitter and a radio frequency transmitter.

3. The control system of claim 1, wherein the property is at least one of a shape and a color.

4. The control system of claim 1, wherein activation of the direct-select key causes the transmitter to transmit the first command signal to instruct the media control system to initiate one of a menu, a media asset, a change in a setting, and a navigation operation.

5. The control system of claim 1, wherein the navigation operation comprises one of a back operation to a prior section of content, a repeat operation to a beginning of a current section of content, a forward operation to a next section of content, and a home operation to activate a prior level menu.

6. The control system of claim 1, wherein an additional command signal can be selected to be transmitted with each of the first command signal and the second command signal for those media control systems that require the additional command signal.

7. The control system of claim 1, further comprising a memory storing a plurality of selectable sets of command signals that correspond to a plurality of media control systems, wherein the control system can be set to use one of the plurality of selectable sets for transmitting the first and second command signals.

8. The control system of claim 1, wherein the machine instructions conform to a digital versatile disc (DVD) specification.

9. The control system of claim 1, wherein the control system replaces a native remote control device that was designed specifically for use with the media control system and which includes predefined keys, which when activated, causes predefined command signals to be transmitted to the media control system to perform predefined operations.

10. The control system of claim 1, further comprising a housing that is sized and shaped to be held with one of one and two hands and wherein the transmitter, the direct-select key, and the navigation key are exposed through orifices in the housing.

11. The control system of claim 1, further comprising at least one of:

additional direct-select keys and additional navigation keys such that a total number of keys is within a number permitted by a DVD video specification for programmable number keys; and

a dedicated key that activates a predefined operation of the media control system.

12. A method for controlling operations associated with electronic media content, comprising:

providing a control device that communicates with a media content access device, wherein the control device includes;

a direct-select key associated with a first command signal that can be communicated from the control device to the media content access device upon activation of the direct-select key and wherein the first command signal corresponds to a non-reserved first programmable command signal recognized by the media content access device; and

a navigation key associated with a second command signal that can be communicated from the control device to the media content access device upon activation of the navigation key and wherein the second command signal corresponds to a non-reserved second programmable command signal recognized by the media content access device;

displaying an icon that shares a property of the direct-select key and that is dynamically associated with an operation of the media content access device;

performing a direct-selection operation with the media content access device if the first command signal is detected by the media content access device as a result of activation of the direct-select key on the remote control device; and

performing a navigation operation with the media content access device to navigate to a desired portion of the electronic media content if the second command signal is detected by the media content access device as a result of activation of the navigation key on the remote control device.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the direct-select operation comprises one of accessing a menu, accessing a media asset, changing a setting, and navigating to a portion of the electronic media content.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the navigation operation comprises one of a back operation to a prior section of content, a repeat operation to a beginning of a current section of content, a forward operation to a next section of content, and a home operation to activate a prior level menu.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the property is at least one of a shape and a color.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the direct-select operation and the navigation operation are implemented with machine instructions that conform to a digital versatile disc (DVD) specification.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising dynamically associating the icon with a different operation of the media content access device after the direct-select operation is performed.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising detecting an additional command signal before performing one of the direct-select operation and the navigation operation.

19. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

displaying instructions to a user to enter a code value with the remote control device to set the remote control device to transmit the first command signal and the second command signal in conformance with the media content access device;

detecting a test command signal from the remote control device within a predefined period; and

providing a success message to the user if the test command signal is detected within the predefined period.

20. A machine readable medium storing data and instructions that cause a media content access device to perform the operations of:

displaying an icon that shares a property of a direct-select key of a control device;

dynamically associating the icon with a direct-select operation associated with electronic media content stored on the machine readable medium;

performing the direct-select operation with the media content access device if a first command signal is detected by the media content access device as a result of activation of the direct-select key on the control device; and

performing a navigation operation with the media content access device to navigate to a desired portion of the electronic media content if a second command signal is detected by the media content access device as a result of activation of a navigation key on the control device.