SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE

• US 20090284472A1
• Filed: 07/31/2008
• Published: 11/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Omega3 Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Omega3 Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Mehta, Mira A., Mehta, Nihal J.
• Application Number:
  US12/183,218
• Publication Number:
  US 20090284472A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/169
• 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 21/42208 Display device provided on the remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42212 Specific keyboard arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42214 using alphanumerical characters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV

Abstract

According to one embodiment of the present invention, a method is disclosed for controlling an electronic device via a remote control device that is configured to receive alphanumeric text input, and to transmit a signal to the electronic device to switch the electronic device to a channel corresponding to the alphanumeric text input.

Claims

1. A method for controlling an electronic device comprising:

configuring a remote control device to store data correlating channel names to channel numbers for at least one media provider;

configuring the remote control device to receive alphanumeric text input from a user;

configuring the remote control device to correlate the alphanumeric text input to a channel number using the data; and

configuring the remote control device to transmit a signal to the electronic device to switch the electronic device to the channel number in connection with receiving the alphanumeric text input.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising configuring the remote control device to present the alphanumeric text input on a display.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

configuring the remote control device to generate a dynamic list of channels matching the alphanumeric text input;

configuring the remote control device to present the dynamic list of channels on a display; and

configuring the remote control device to transmit a signal to the electronic device to switch the electronic device to a selected channel in response to receiving a selection command of the selected channel from the list of channels.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising configuring the remote control device to dynamically correct user entry errors.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising configuring the remote control device to associate a particular channel to a user-specified name.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising configuring the remote control device to receive the data from a network.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising configuring the remote control device to store usage data associated with selected channels.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising configuring the remote control device to transmit usage data to a network.

9. The method of claim 1, configuring the remote control device to store data correlating channel names to channel numbers for a plurality of media providers.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising configuring the remote control device to operate a particular electronic device using configuration data received over a network.

11. A remote control device comprising:

memory storing data correlating channel names to channel numbers;

a microcontroller for correlating alphanumeric text input to a channel number using the stored data; and

a transmitter for transmitting a signal to the electronic device to switch an electronic device to the channel number in connection with receiving the alphanumeric text input from a user.

12. The remote control device of claim 11, further comprising a display for displaying the alphanumeric text input.

13. The remote control device of claim 11, further comprising a network device for communicating over a network.

14. The remote control device of claim 11, further comprising a communication port for coupling the remote control device to a computing device.

15. An apparatus comprising:

a data bus system;

memory coupled to the data bus system, wherein the memory includes computer usable program code;

a processing unit coupled to the data bus system, wherein the processing unit executes the computer usable program code to produce data that correlates channel names to channel numbers for a specified media provider; and

a network communication device coupled to the data bus for transmitting the data.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the processing unit further executes the computer usable program code to produce configuration data to enable operation of a specified device and wherein the network communication device transmits the configuration data.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the processing unit further executes the computer usable program code to group together a plurality of selected channels.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the processing unit further executes the computer usable program code to analyze usage data associated with a remote control device.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the processing unit further executes the computer usable program code to associate a channel with a user specified name.

20. A method for controlling an electronic device comprising:

configuring a remote control device to store a list of favorite channels; and

configuring the remote control device to transmit a signal to the electronic device to switch the electronic device to a selected channel of the list of favorite channels.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the list of favorite channels is received over a network.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the list of favorite channels is personalized by a user at an internet website.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the list of favorite channels is personalized using the remote control device.

24. The method of claim 20, further comprising configuring the remote control device to store a plurality of lists of favorite channels.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising associating a personalized name with each list of favorite channels.

26. The method of claim 24, further comprising configuring the remote control device to switch between the plurality of lists of favorite channels.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising configuring the remote control device to display the personalized name associated with each list of favorite channels.