SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ACCESSING A USER INTERFACE VIA A SECONDARY DEVICE

• US 20150019783A1
• Filed: 05/21/2014
• Published: 01/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Universal Electronics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Universal Electronics, Inc.
• Inventors: Kalayjian, Nicholas, Isbister, David, Hirsch, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 9,558,141 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/300
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/36 for access to common bus or bus system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4068 Electrical coupling
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0227 Cooperation and interconnection of the input arrangement with other functional units of a computer G06F3/023 - G06F3/037 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4122 additional display device, e.g. video projector digital output for controlling a plurality of local displays G06F3/1423
• 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 21/414 Specialised client platforms, e.g. receiver in car or embedded in a mobile appliance
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4184 providing storage capabilities, e.g. memory stick
• 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 21/42221 Transmission circuitry, e.g. infrared [IR] or radio frequency [RF]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42226 Reprogrammable remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43632 involving a wired protocol, e.g. IEEE 1394 high-speed IEEE 1394 serial bus H04L12/40052
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/602 for digital sound signals

Abstract

An adapter provides a link between a digital media player having a memory on which is stored digital media files, a display device, and a remote control. The adapter receives from the digital media player data which is used to generate a representation of a user interface which is provided to the display device for display. The adapter also receives from the remote control data for use in generating commands for controlling operations of the digital media player whereby a change in state of the digital media player resulting from a performance of an operation caused by the remote control will be reflected in the user interface on the display device.

Claims

1. A method for providing a link between a digital media player, a display device, and a remote control, the method comprising:

receiving from the digital media player via a first interface of an adapter first data which, when received by the display device, will cause the display device to display a representation of a first user interface associated with a first operating state of the digital media player;

providing via the second interface of the adapter to the display device the first data received from the digital media player via the first interface;

receiving from the remote control via a third interface of the adapter a command transmission;

using by the adapter the command transmission received from the remote control via the third interface of the adapter to transmit to the digital media player via the first interface of the adapter a command having data which, when received by the digital media player, will cause the digital media player to a transition from the first operating state of the digital media player to a second operating state of the digital media player;

receiving from the digital media player via a first interface of the adapter second data which, when received by the display device, will cause the display device to display a representation of a second user interface associated with the second operating state of the digital media player; and

providing via the second interface of the adapter to the display device the second data received from the digital media player via the first interface;

2. The method as recited in claim 1, comprising releasably coupling the first interface of the adapter to the digital media player and releasably coupling the second interface of the adapter to the display device.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the command has data which, when received by the digital media player, causes the digital media player to access a digital media file stored in a memory of the digital media player.

4. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein the adapter comprises a memory having stored therein a plurality of digital images and the method comprises using by the adapter device the first data and/or the second data received from the digital media player via the first interface to select a one of the plurality of digital images and providing the selected one of the digital image to the display device via the second interface for display by the display device together with a respective one of the representation of the first user interface associated with the first operating state of the digital media player and/or the representation of the second user interface associated with the second operating state of the digital media player.

5. The method as recited in claim 4, comprising downloading the plurality of digital images to the adapter from the digital media player via the first interface of the adapter.

6. The method as recited in claim 4, comprising downloading the plurality of digital images to the adapter from a computer via a fourth interface of the adapter.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the display device comprises a television.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the digital media player comprises an iPod®

.

9. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein the first data and the second data received via the first interface comprises text serial interface data.

10. The method as recited in claim 1, comprising receiving from the digital media player via the first interface of the adapter an audio representation of a digital media file being played on the digital media player in one or both of the first operating state and the second operating state of the digital media player and causing the adapter to route the audio representation to an audio playback device via a fourth interface of the adapter.

11. The method as recited in claim 1, comprising receiving from the remote control via the third interface of the adapter a further command transmission and using by the adapter the further command transmission received from the remote control via the third interface of the adapter to transmit to the display device via a fourth interface of the adapter a command having data which, when received by the display device, will cause the display device to a transition from a first operating state of the display device to a second operating state of the display device.

12. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein the fourth interface comprises an IR blaster.

13. The method as recited in claim 1, comprising causing the adapter to issue to the remote control a communication for configuring the remote control to communicate with the adapter via the third interface of the adapter.

14. The method as recited in claim 1, comprising providing a recharging current to the digital media player via the first interface of the adapter when the digital media player is in coupled to the first interface of the adapter.

15. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the command has data for causing the digital media player to navigation to a preset song that is pre-programmed into the adapter.

16. The method as recited in claim 15, comprising activating a button on the adapter to pre-program the preset song into the adapter.