REMOTE CONTROL APPARATUS, METHOD AND USER INTERFACE SYSTEM

• US 20120140124A1
• Filed: 12/06/2010
• Published: 06/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: General Instrument Corporation (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Moroney, Paul, Altchek, Glenn D., Robbins, Clyde N., Srivastava, Apoorv
• Granted Patent: US 9,066,126 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/734
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4433 Implementing client middleware, e.g. Multimedia Home Platform [MHP]

Abstract

Apparatus forming part of a home entertainment system includes an electronic device having an input accepting a signal corresponding to an externally-generated first user interface, a control module for internally-generating a signal corresponding to a second user interface, and an output for transmitting a combination of the above referenced signals for display. The control module controls an arrangement of display of the first user interface and the second user interface. The apparatus also includes a remote controller for communicating via a two-way communication link with the control module of the electronic device concerning a selection of one of the first user interface and the second user interface. The remote controller having an emitter for emitting control code signals, and the operation of the emitter is controlled by communications received by the remote controller from the control module of the electronic device. A method is also provided.

Claims

1. Apparatus forming a part of a multimedia presentation system, comprising:

an electronic device having a first input for accepting a signal corresponding to an externally-generated first user interface, a control module for internally-generating a signal corresponding to a second user interface, and an output for transmitting a combination of said signals corresponding to said externally-generated first user interface and said internally-generated second user interface for display, said control module including a receiver and transmitter and controlling an arrangement of display of said first user interface and said second user interface; and

a remote controller having a receiver and transmitter for communicating via a two-way communication link with said receiver and transmitter of said control module of said electronic device concerning a selection of one of said first user interface and said second user interface and having an emitter for emitting control code signals from said remote controller, said signals emitted from said emitter being controlled by communications received by said remote controller from said control module of said electronic device via said two-way communication link.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control module interprets communications received from said remote controller as being with respect to one of said first user interface and said second user interface based on a determination of a display location selected by said remote controller.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, when a communication received by said control module from said remote controller via said two-way communication link is with respect to a display location of said first user interface, said transmitter of said control module transmits a return signal to said receiver of said remote controller via said two-way communication link to cause said emitter of said remote controller to emit an appropriate control code signal.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said two-way communication link is provided by short-range wireless communications, and wherein said emitter is an IR or RF emitter for emitting directional wireless signals.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said remote controller has control keys for selecting one of said first user interface and said second user interface on a display, and wherein said first user interface is a graphical user interface and said second user interface is a graphical user interface.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control module of said electronic device has stored therein information concerning make, model and control codes for other electronic devices of the multimedia presentation system.

7. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said electronic device has a second input for receiving high definition video and audio inputs from an external source.

8. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first input of said electronic device is connected to a source device which provides uncompressed high definition video and audio signal inputs to said electronic device.

9. Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said source device is a set-top box connected to said electronic device upstream from a monitor, said set-top-box provides television multimedia content for display on said monitor, said electronic device provides Internet multimedia content for display on said monitor, said first user interface corresponds to controlling operation of said set-top-box, said second user interface corresponds to controlling operation of said electronic device, and said control code signals emitted by said emitter of said remote controller control operation of said set-top-box.

10. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said remote controller is a mobile device selected from the group consisting of a portable electronic device not dedicated for sole use as a remote controller, a cellular phone, a smart-phone, a pad computer, a tablet computer, a lap top computer, a net book computer, and an electronic personal organizer.

11. Apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said emitter is mounted integrally within said mobile device.

12. Apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said emitter is an external accessory connected to said mobile device.

13. A method of remotely controlling electronic devices that form at least a part of a multimedia presentation system, comprising the steps of:

receiving a signal corresponding to an externally-generated first user interface via a first input on an electronic device;

internally-generating a signal within the electronic device corresponding to a second user interface;

transmitting a combination of the signals corresponding to the externally-generated first user interface and the internally-generated second user interface from the electronic device for display;

receiving a command signal from a remote controller with a control module of the electronic device, the command signal being a selection of one of the first user interface and the second user interface; and

when said command signal is a selection of the first user interface, sending a return communication signal from the electronic device to the remote controller to cause an emitter of the remote controller to emit a control code signal.

14. A method according to claim 13, further comprising the step of using the control module of the electronic device to control an arrangement of display of the first user interface and the second user interface.

15. A method according to claim 13, further comprising the step of interpreting a communication received from the remote controller as being with respect to one of said first user interface and said second user interface based on a determination of a display location selected by the remote controller and communicated to the control module.

16. A method according to claim 13, wherein said steps of receiving a command signal from the remote controller and sending a communication from the electronic device to the remote controller is via two-way short-range wireless communication link, and wherein the control code signal emitted from the remote controller is via an IR or RF emitter emitting a directional wireless signal.

17. A method according to claim 13, further comprising the step of obtaining and storing information concerning make, model and control codes for other electronic devices of the multimedia presentation system in the control module of the electronic device.

18. A method according to claim 13, wherein said step of receiving a signal corresponding to an externally-generated first user interface is from a connection to a source device, and wherein the control code signal caused to be emitted from the remote controller is a control code signal receivable by the source device for controlling operation of the source device.

19. A method according to claim 18, wherein said source device is a set-top box connected to said electronic device upstream from a connection to a monitor, and wherein the set-top-box provides television multimedia content for display on the monitor, the electronic device provides Internet multimedia content for display on the monitor, said first user interface corresponds to controlling operation of the set-top-box, and the second user interface corresponds to controlling operation of the electronic device.

20. A method according to claim 18, wherein said remote controller is a mobile device selected from the group consisting of a device not dedicated for sole use as a remote controller, a cellular phone, a smart-phone, a pad computer, a tablet computer, a laptop computer, a net book computer, and an electronic personal organizer.