Portable internet-enabled controller and information browser for consumer devices

• US 6,104,334 A
• Filed: 12/31/1997
• Issued: 08/15/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Research Investment Network Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Eremote, Inc.
• Inventors: Allport, David E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Horabik, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): Edwards, Jr., Timothy
• Application Number:
  US09/001,873
• Time in Patent Office: 958 Days
• Field of Search: 341/173, 341/176, 341/175, 345/169, 340/825.69, 340/825.72, 340/825.24, 340/825.25, 340/825.31, 340/825.34, 348/734
• US Class Current: 341/175
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/403 Connection between platform and handheld device
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/407 Data transfer via internet
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1671 Special purpose buttons or auxiliary keyboards, e.g. retractable mini keypads, keypads or buttons that remain accessible at closed laptop G06F1/1666 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/169 the I/O peripheral being an integrated pointing device, e.g. trackball in the palm rest area, mini-joystick integrated between keyboard keys, touch pads or touch stripes G06F1/1643 takes precedence; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0489 using dedicated keyboard keys or combinations thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/21 Programming remote control devices via third means
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/33 Remote control using macros, scripts
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/92 Universal remote control
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 23/04 using light waves, e.g. infrared
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2545 CDs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/41 Flat as opposed to hierarchical combination, e.g. library of tapes or discs, CD changer, or groups of record carriers that together store one title
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/65 wherein solid state memory is used for storing indexing information or metadata
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/90 Tape-like record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/002 Programmed access in sequence to a plurality of record carriers or indexed parts, e.g. tracks, thereof, e.g. for editing; transfer of record carriers from magazine G11B15/68, G11B17/10; G11B17/22
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/107 of operating tapes
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/11 by using information not detectable on the record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/34 Indicating arrangements indicating means incorporated in magazine or cassette G11B23/046 and G11B23/0875; indicating measured values in general G01D
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/202 : by remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4117 : for generating hard copies of the content, e.g. printer, electronic paper interfaces to printers G06F3/12; printing data G06K15/02
• 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 21/42209 : for displaying non-command information, e.g. electronic program guide [EPG], e-mail, messages or a second television channel
• 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 21/42221 : 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 21/42226 : Reprogrammable remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 : Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• 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 21/47214 : for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47217 : for controlling playback functions for recorded or on-demand content, e.g. using progress bars, mode or play-point indicators or bookmarks specific graphical features in visual interfaces H04N21/4312
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4755 : for defining user preferences, e.g. favourite actors or genre retrieval personalisation and generation of user profiles for the retrieval of video data G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 : End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/485 : End-user interface for client configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8186 : specially adapted to be executed by a peripheral of the client device, e.g. by a reprogrammable remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/088 : the inserted signal being digital
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/14 : Systems for two-way working H04N7/12, H04N7/173 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/147 : Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals selecting H04Q
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 : by receiver means only

Abstract

A remote control uses IR (infrared) commands to control various consumer appliances made by various manufactures. The remote control is low-cost, consumer-friendly, programmable, has its own graphical display so it does not interfere with a TV or other viewing screen, and is capable of interacting with the internet or other data source to provide a rich set of functionality.

Claims

1. A method of limiting a user'"'"'s access to programs that are played by a device that responds to infrared (IR) commands comprising the steps of:

providing a programmable remote control capable of sending IR commands that control the device, the remote control having a memory, a graphical display, and integrated software that is programmed to present to the user on the graphical display information that activates the remote control for use by the user;

loading title-based descriptions into the memory of the remote control;

programming the remote control to determine the identity of the user based upon predetermined information entered into the memory of the remote control to gain access to the information that activates the remote control for use by the user; and

programming the remote control to present to the user on the graphical display a predetermined subset of the title-based descriptions, said subset being determined based upon the identity of the user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the identity of the user is displayed on the graphical display.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the identity of the user is displayed in the form of a scanned image.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the title-based descriptions are loaded into the memory of the remote control from the internet.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the device is a TV and the title-based descriptions comprise broadcast TV program names and corresponding broadcast times of programs associated with the program names.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein the device is a satellite receiver and the title-based descriptions comprise satellite TV program names and corresponding satellite transmission times of programs associated with the program names.

7. The method of claim 4 wherein the device is a cable TV box and the title-based descriptions comprise cable TV program names and corresponding cable transmission times of programs associated with the program names.

8. The method of claim 4 wherein the device is a CD player and the title-based descriptions comprise the title of a music CD album, the title of each song on the CD album, and the corresponding duration of each song title.

9. The method of claim 4 further comprising the step of programming the remote control to allow a second user to determine the programs played in response to IR commands sent by the remote control while the remote control was activated for use by the first user.

10. A programmable remote control for controlling a plurality of consumer devices that respond to infrared (IR) commands, the remote control comprising:

hardware capable of sending IR commands;

an integrated graphical display;

integrated software programmed to present a set of screens on the graphical display for navigating through available options;

at least one port for communicating with an outside data source;

a memory; and

at least two physical buttons;

wherein the integrated software is further programmed to present a graphical representation of a proprietary remote controller used to control at least one of the plurality of consumer devices, said representation being responsive to commands as if the commands were entered on the proprietary remote controller, causing the remote control to send the same IR command sequence to the at least one of the plurality of devices as if the analogous commands were entered directly on the proprietary remote controller.

11. A method of cycling through a series of IR (infrared) command libraries to determine if any library in the series contains commands to operate a device, comprising the steps of:

loading the series of libraries into the memory of a remote control;

actuating a button on the remote control to cause the cycling to begin, wherein the cycling comprises selecting a library from the series of libraries, sending an IR command associated with the selected library from the remote control to the device, and determining if the device responded to the IR command associated with the selected library.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of actuating a button on the remote control to cause the cycling to end.

13. The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of ending the cycling based on a communication from the device to the remote control indicating that the IR command sent was recognized by the device.

14. A programmable remote control for controlling a plurality of consumer devices that respond to infrared (IR) commands, the remote control comprising:

hardware capable of sending IR commands;

an integrated graphical display;

integrated software programmed to present a set of screens on the graphical display for navigating through available options;

at least one port for communicating with an outside data source;

a memory; and

at least two physical buttons;

wherein the integrated software is further programmed to identify a particular user of the remote control by displaying on the graphical display an icon or image associated with the particular user.