MULTI MEDIA CONTROLLER

• US 20100163383A1
• Filed: 05/29/2008
• Published: 07/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bang & Olufsen a/s
• Original Assignee: Bang & Olufsen a/s
• Inventors: Nielsen, Kaj
• Granted Patent: US 8,427,284 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 200/336
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0362 with detection of 1D translations or rotations of an operating part of the device, e.g. scroll wheels, sliders, knobs, rollers or belts
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• 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: 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 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859

Abstract

A multifunction unit for control of multimedia equipment; the unit might act as a stand-alone device or being integrated into the multimedia equipment. Different individual combinations of individual objects enable for different functional capabilities. The multifunction unit for control of multimedia equipment has access to external sources via standard network interfaces and protocols.

Claims

1. A multifunction unit for control of multimedia equipment, the unit comprising one or more of:

a first object comprising a part adapted to detect a rotational movement in a predetermined plane, the part being engageable by a user at an upper surface at least substantially in the plane or at a circumferential surface portion at least substantially in the plane,

a second object comprising a part adapted to detect a rotational movement along a circumferential surface portion at least substantially in the plane,

a third object having one, two or more user activatable elements positioned in or at an outer circumference at least substantially in the predetermined plane, and

an other object comprising one, two or more user activatable elements at or in a surface at least substantially along the predetermined plane.

3. A multifunction unit according to claim 1, where the first object is configured with means to detect rotations stimulated by user activations via the first object.

4. A multifunction unit according to claim 1, where the first or other object is configured with means to detect user given activations via the two or more buttons of the first object.

5. A multifunction unit according to claim 1, where the second object is configured with means to detect rotations stimulated by user activations of the perimeter of the second object.

6. A multifunction unit according to claim 1, where the third object is configured with means to detect user activations on the one or more buttons located on the perimeter of third object, the one or more buttons may be any of the type push- or pull button, lever arm, slider and/or rotational wheel.

7. A multifunction unit according to claim 1, where one of the buttons of the third object located on the perimeter of the third object being a rotational device configured to have the rotational axis parallel to the rotational axis of the first object.

8. A multifunction unit according to claim 1, where the fourth object being configured with means to mount a display screen on to the fourths object.

9. A multifunction unit according to claim 1, where a fifth object being configured with means to mount the third object to the fifth object.

10. A multifunction unit according to claim 8, where the fifth object being configured with means to attach the fifth object to a sixth object, which function is to act as a support device.

11. A multifunction unit according to claim 9, where the sixth object being configured with means to act as a wall hanger, a table stand a floor stand.

2. A multifunction unit for control of multimedia equipment, the unit characterized by:

a first object being a rotational device configured to have the rotational axis perpendicular to the horizontal surface plane of the multifunction unit,

two or more buttons disposed inside the perimeter of the rotational device where the two or more buttons are aligned along one or more of the radial lines having the centre point in the centre of the rotating device,

a second object being a rotational device configured to have the rotational axis parallel to the rotational axis of the first object,

a third object being a device configured to have one or more buttons on the surface of the perimeter of the third object, and

a fourth object being a device that constitutes the fixture for an assembly including the first object and the second object and the third object.

12. A multimedia device having integrated the multifunction unit according to claim 2, where the multimedia device comprising:

means to present information accessed from/to external sources and information related to processing of data and information on the unit itself, the information being any of type like text, graphics, audio, video, Tele and interactive media data, and

means to execute control commands and responses as given from the multifunction unit.

13. A multimedia device according to claim 12, where the multimedia device having the multifunction unit integrated fully or partly along one of the border lines of the unit.

14. A multimedia device according to claim 12, where the multimedia device having access to/from external data sources via a wireless standard interface and protocol.

15. A multimedia device according to claim 12, where the multimedia device having access to/from external data sources via a wired standard interface and protocol.

16. A multimedia device according to claim 12, where the multimedia device may include the multifunction objects in different configurations by combining two or more objects.

17. A multifunction unit according to claim 2, where the first object is configured with means to detect rotations stimulated by user activations via the first object.

18. A multifunction unit according to claim 2, where the first or other object is configured with means to detect user given activations via the two or more buttons of the first object.

19. A multifunction unit according to claim 2, where the second object is configured with means to detect rotations stimulated by user activations of the perimeter of the second object.

20. A multifunction unit according to claim 2, where the third object is configured with means to detect user activations on the one or more buttons located on the perimeter of third object, the one or more buttons may be any of the type push- or pull button, lever arm, slider and/or rotational wheel.

21. A multifunction unit according to claim 2, where one of the buttons of the third object located on the perimeter of the third object being a rotational device configured to have the rotational axis parallel to the rotational axis of the first object.