Self identifying remote control device having a television receiver for use in a computer

• US 5,900,867 A
• Filed: 07/17/1995
• Issued: 05/04/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gateway Incorporated (Acer, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Gateway 2000, Inc. (Acer, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bennett, Brian A., Autry, Sidney D., Moore, Robert, Chan, Rix S., Schindler, Jeffrey
• Primary Examiner(s): Flynn, Nathan
• Application Number:
  US08/503,368
• Time in Patent Office: 1,387 Days
• Field of Search: 348/6.7, 348/10, 348/12, 348/13, 348/15, 348/553, 348/563, 348/564, 348/565, 348/569, 348/734, 455/4.1, 455/4.2, 455/5.1, 455/6.1, 455/6.3, 455/151.1, 455/352, 455/151.2, 455/186.2, 455/151.4, 345/156, 345/157, 345/158, 345/160, 345/161, 345/168, 345/169, 345/170, 345/172, 345/173, 345/327, 341/173, 341/176, 341/22, 341/23, 359/142, 359/143, 359/144, 359/145, 359/146, 359/147, 359/148, 340/407.1, 340/407.2, 364/188, 364/189, 364/234, 364/234.1, 364/234.2, 364/234.3, 364/234.4, 364/928, 364/928.1, 364/928.2, 364/928.3, 364/928.4, 446/143
• US Class Current: 715/719
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0213 Arrangements providing an integrated pointing device in a keyboard, e.g. trackball, mini-joystick for pointing devices integrated in a laptop computer G06F1/169; joysticks G05G9/047; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0219 Special purpose keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/033 Pointing devices displaced or positioned by the user , e.g. mice, trackballs, pens or joysticks; Accessories therefor digitisers characterised by the transducing means G06F3/041
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03549 Trackballs G06F3/03541 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 19/28 using pulse code
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/202 by remote control
• 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 21/4143 embedded in a Personal Computer [PC]
• 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 21/4221 Dedicated function buttons, e.g. for the control of an EPG, subtitles, aspect ratio, picture-in-picture or teletext
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42212 Specific keyboard arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42221 Transmission circuitry, e.g. infrared [IR] or radio frequency [RF]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42222 Additional components integrated in the remote control device, e.g. timer, speaker, sensors for detecting position, direction or movement of the remote control, microphone or battery charging device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42224 Touch pad or touch panel provided on the remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/432 Content retrieval operation from a local storage medium, e.g. hard-disk details of retrieval of video data and associated meta data in video databases G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4332 by placing content in organized collections, e.g. local EPG data repository interfaces, Database management systems or updating for information retrieval G06F16/23; details of retrieval of video data and associated meta data in video database G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4335 Housekeeping operations, e.g. prioritizing content for deletion because of storage space restrictions storage management, e.g. defragmentation G06F3/0604; unloading stored programs G06F9/445; storage management in file systems G06F16/10; buffering arrangements in a network node or in an end terminal in packet networks H04L49/90
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4348 Demultiplexing of additional data and video streams
• 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 21/4438 : Window management, e.g. event handling following interaction with the user interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 : End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4753 : for user identification, e.g. by entering a PIN or password cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/478 : Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 : Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/641 : Multi-purpose receivers, e.g. for auxiliary information H04N9/642 takes precedence

Abstract

An entertainment system has a personal computer as the heart of the system with a large screen VGA quality monitor as the display of choice. The system has digital satellite broadcast reception, decompression and display capability with multiple radio frequency remote control devices which transmit self identifying signals and have power adjustment capabilities. These capabilities are used to provide context sensitive groups of keys which may be defined to affect only selected applications running in a windowing environment. In addition, the remote control devices combine television and VCR controls with standard personal computer keyboard controls. A keyboard remote also integrates a touchpad which is food contamination resistant and may also be used for user verification. Included in the system is the ability to recognize verbal communications in video signals and maintain a database of such text which is searchable to help identify desired programming in real time.

Claims

1. A remote control device for a computer system based entertainment system comprising:

a plurality of keys for selecting symbols and functions representative of computer system commands and television control commands; and

electromagnetic frequency generating circuitry coupled to the plurality of keys for transmitting signals representative of the selected keys and identifying the device that transmitted the signals each time one of the plurality of keys is selected.

2. The remote control device of claim 1, wherein the device comprises a keyboard for a personal computer.

3. The remote control device of claim 2 wherein the plurality of keys comprise alphanumeric symbols and cursor control functions associated with the input of text and control of personal computer applications, and further comprise additional dedicated keys for selecting television control functions which are transmitted to the entertainment system.

4. The remote control device of claim 3, wherein the additional dedicated keys for selecting television control functions comprise channel up and channel down keys.

5. The remote control device of claim 3 wherein the additional dedicated keys for selecting television control functions comprise volume up and volume down keys.

6. The remote control device of claim 3 wherein the additional dedicated keys for selecting television control functions comprise a mute button.

7. The remote control device of claim 3 wherein the additional dedicated keys for selecting television control functions comprise a TV key for cycling the entertainment system through multiple video display states.

8. The remote control device of claim 7, wherein the display states comprise:

a full screen display state;

a window screen display state; and

a hidden display state.

9. The remote control device of claim 3 wherein the additional dedicated keys for selecting television control functions comprise an on/off key for controlling the entertainment system'"'"'s use of power.

10. The remote control device of claim 1 wherein the signal transmitted in response to a key being pressed is representative of an eight bit remote id, a multi-bit representation of the key being pressed, error detection and correction bits, and at least one parity bit to ensure accurate reception by the entertainment system.

11. The remote control device of claim 1, wherein the remote control device is a hand held remote control and the plurality of keys comprise a numeric keypad, and additional dedicated keys for selecting television control functions which are transmitted to the entertainment system.

12. The remote control device of claim 11 wherein the additional dedicated keys for selecting television control functions comprise volume up and volume down keys.

13. The remote control device of claim 11 wherein the additional dedicated keys for selecting television control functions comprise a mute button.

14. The remote control device of claim 11 wherein the additional dedicated keys for selecting television control functions comprise a TV key for cycling the entertainment system through multiple video display states.

15. The remote control device of claim 14, wherein the display states comprise:

a full screen display state;

a window screen display state; and

a hidden display state.

16. The remote control device of claim 11 wherein the additional dedicated keys for selecting television control functions comprise an on/off key for controlling the entertainment system'"'"'s use of power.

17. The remote control device of claim 1 wherein the electromagnetic frequency generating circuitry generates signals to be transmitted in the radio frequency range so that the receiver does not need to be located in direct line of sight with the transmitter.

18. The remote control device of claim 1 wherein the electromagnetic frequency generating circuitry generates signals to be transmitted in the infrared range.

20. The remote control device of claim 11 wherein the additional dedicated keys for selecting television control functions comprise channel up and channel down keys.

19. A remote control device for an entertainment system comprising:

a plurality of keys for selecting alphanumeric symbols and cursor control functions;

a touchpad integrated into a keyboard; and

electromagnetic frequency generating circuitry coupled to the plurality of keys and the touchpad for transmitting signals representative of the selected keys and touchpad each time one of the plurality of keys is selected and the touchpad is utilized.

21. A remote control device for a computer system based entertainment system having a plurality of applications simultaneously displayed on a display, the remote control device comprising:

a plurality of keys for selecting symbols and functions representative of computer system commands and television control commands; and

electromagnetic frequency generating circuitry coupled to the plurality of keys for transmitting signals representative of the selected keys and identifying the remote control device that transmitted the signals each time one of the plurality of keys is selected, such that the computer based entertainment system supports independent control of the plurality of applications by routing received signals identifying the remote control device to one of the plurality of applications and routes received signals identifying another remote control device to another one of the plurality of applications.