Control Lockout for an Electronic Apparatus

• US 20130002408A1
• Filed: 09/13/2012
• Published: 01/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Automotive Systems Company of America (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Automotive Systems Company of America (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Combs, Robert E. Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 8,558,675 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/12.22
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• 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 21/42206 characterized by hardware details
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4221 Dedicated function buttons, e.g. for the control of an EPG, subtitles, aspect ratio, picture-in-picture or teletext
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4751 for defining user accounts, e.g. accounts for children

Abstract

An electronic system including a user interface for transmitting an operational parameter control signal in response to manual manipulation of the user interface. A processor is coupled to the user interface and adjusts an operational parameter of the electronic system in response to receiving the operational parameter control signal. An actuatable device is actuated by a user. In response to the user actuation, the actuatable device prevents the processor from adjusting the operational parameter of the electronic system.

Claims

1. An electronic system comprising:

a user interface configured to transmit an operational parameter control signal in response to manual manipulation of the user interface, the user interface including a plurality of pushbuttons, the user interface being configured;

to be disabled by depressing the pushbuttons in a first predetermined sequence; and

to be enabled, when in the disabled state, by depressing the pushbuttons in a second predetermined sequence, the second predetermined sequence being different than the first predetermined sequence;

a processor coupled to the user interface and configured to adjust an operational parameter of the electronic system in response to receiving the operational parameter control signal; and

an actuatable device configured to;

be actuated by a user; and

in response to the user actuation, prevent the processor from adjusting the operational parameter of the electronic system.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the manual manipulation of the user interface includes depressing one of the pushbuttons.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the actuatable device comprises a remote controller.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the remote controller includes a pushbutton, the remote controller being configured to, in response to the user actuation, transmit an air-borne signal to the processor to thereby prevent the processor from adjusting the operational parameter of the electronic system.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a body having a front surface and a back surface, the user interface being disposed on the front surface, the actuatable device being disposed on the back surface.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the user interface, when in the disabled state, is configured to be enabled by actuation of the actuatable device.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the user interface is configured to be:

disabled by depressing the pushbuttons in a first predetermined sequence within a first predetermined time period; and

enabled, when in the disabled state, by depressing the pushbuttons in a second predetermined sequence within a second predetermined time period, the user interface pushbuttons each being configured to perform a respective operational function other than enabling or disabling the user interface.

8. An electronic system comprising:

an electronic apparatus including;

a user interface configured to transmit an operational parameter control signal in response to manual manipulation of the user interface, the user interface including a plurality of pushbuttons, the user interface being configured to be;

disabled by depressing the pushbuttons of the user interface in a predetermined sequence; and

enabled, when in the disabled state, by depressing the pushbuttons in the predetermined sequence;

a processor coupled to the user interface and configured to adjust an operational parameter of the electronic apparatus in response to receiving the operational parameter control signal; and

a remote controller including a user-actuatable pushbutton, the remote controller being configured to;

in response to a first actuation of the pushbutton, transmit a first air-borne signal to the electronic apparatus to inhibit the processor from adjusting the operational parameter of the electronic apparatus; and

in response to a second actuation of the pushbutton after the first actuation, transmit a second air-borne signal to the electronic apparatus to enable the processor to adjust the operational parameter of the electronic apparatus in response to receiving the operational parameter control signal.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the manual manipulation of the user interface includes depressing one the pushbuttons of the user interface.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the electronic apparatus includes a body having a front surface and a back surface, the user interface being disposed on the front surface, a user-actuatable device being disposed on the back surface, the user-actuatable device being configured to:

be actuated by a user;

in response to a first user actuation, prevent the processor from adjusting the operational parameter of the electronic apparatus; and

in response to a second user action after the first actuation, allow the processor to adjust the operational parameter of the electronic apparatus.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the user interface, when in the disabled state, is configured to be enabled by actuation of the pushbutton of the remote controller.

12. An electronic system comprising:

a body;

a user interface disposed on the body, the user interface being configured to transmit a control signal in response to manual manipulation of the user interface;

a processor coupled to the user interface and configured to adjust an operational parameter of the electronic system in response to receiving the control signal;

a switch disposed on the body, the switch having a lock position and an unlock position; and

a remote controller including a user-actuatable pushbutton;

the electronic system being user-configurable to enable a user to switch between;

a first configuration in which when the switch is in the lock position, the user interface remains disabled regardless of the pushbutton of the remote controller being depressed, and when the switch is in the unlock position, the user interface toggles between enabled and disabled states in response to the pushbutton of the remote controller being depressed; and

a second configuration in which when the switch is in the unlock position, the user interface remains enabled regardless of the pushbutton of the remote controller being depressed, and when the switch is in the lock position, the user interface toggles between enabled and disabled states in response to the pushbutton of the remote controller being depressed.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the user interface includes a pushbutton, the manual manipulation of the user interface comprising depressing of the pushbutton.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein, when the processor is prevented from adjusting the operational parameter of the electronic system, actuation of the switch enables the processor to adjust the operational parameter of the electronic system.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein a front surface of the body includes a display screen.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the user interface includes a plurality of user interface pushbuttons, in the first configuration of the electronic system, the user interface being configured to be enabled, when in the disabled state and with the switch in the unlock position, by depressing the user interface pushbuttons in a predetermined sequence, the user interface pushbuttons each corresponding to a respective operational function other than enabling or disabling the user interface.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the user interface includes a plurality of pushbuttons, the electronic system being user-configurable to enable the user to switch between the first configuration and the second configuration by depressing the user interface pushbuttons in a predetermined sequence.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the electronic system is user-configurable to enable the user to switch between the first configuration and the second configuration by depressing the user interface pushbuttons in a predetermined sequence within a predetermined time period.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein the user interface includes a plurality of user interface pushbuttons, and the remote controller includes a plurality of remote controller pushbuttons, the electronic system being user-configurable to enable the user to switch between the first configuration and the second configuration by depressing the user interface pushbuttons and the remote controller pushbuttons in a predetermined sequence.

20. The system of claim 12, wherein the user interface includes a plurality of user interface pushbuttons, and the remote controller includes a plurality of remote controller pushbuttons, the electronic system being user-configurable to enable the user to switch between the first configuration and the second configuration by depressing the user interface pushbuttons and the remote controller pushbuttons in a predetermined sequence within a predetermined time period.