Remote control help feature

• US 6,795,011 B1
• Filed: 10/31/2000
• Issued: 09/21/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Agere Systems Incorporated (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Jampanaboyana, Lakshmi Narayana, Berthoud, Charles William, Hobbi, Mohd Majed
• Primary Examiner(s): WONG, ALBERT KANG
• Application Number:
  US09/699,633
• Time in Patent Office: 1,421 Days
• Field of Search: 341/173, 341/176, 341/21, 341/23, 340/825.19, 709/145, 434/112, 434/116, 345/705, 709/271
• US Class Current: 341/173
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/92 Universal remote control
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 23/04 using light waves, e.g. infrared

Abstract

In accordance with the principles of the present invention, a remote control device includes a HELP feature which is driven by the activation of the button in question itself. In particular, if a multiple-use button is pressed quickly (i.e., for less than a given duration), or in another embodiment if held for a long time (i.e., for more than another given duration), then the HELP mode is triggered for that key. The help may be spoken and/or displayed from either the remote control device itself, or from the controlled device.

Claims

1. A wireless remote control device, comprising:

a plurality of multi-use buttons, said plurality of multi-use buttons having a single closure position;

remote control functional circuitry adapted to provide wireless communication to a controlled device relating to an activated one of said plurality of multi-use buttons; and

a help mode activator module adapted to assist a user in using at least one of said plurality of multi-use buttons and prevent operation of a function associated with said wireless remote control device otherwise designated by activation of said activated one of said plurality of buttons if said activation is one of a flash and an extended activation.

2. The wireless remote control device according to claim 1, wherein:

said plurality of multi-use buttons each correspond to a plurality of respective functions.

3. The wireless remote control device according to claim 1, wherein:

said help mode activator module is further adapted to allow operation of said function otherwise designated by activation of said activated one of said plurality of multi-use buttons if said activation is neither said flash nor said extended activation.

4. The wireless remote control device according to claim 1, wherein:

said remote control device is an infrared wireless device.

5. The wireless remote control device according to claim 1, wherein:

said remote control device is an RF wireless device.

6. The wireless remote control device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a help speech module; and

a speaker.

7. The wireless remote control device according to claim 6, wherein said help speech module comprises:

a digitized help phrases database; and

a codec.

8. The wireless remote control device according to claim 1, wherein:

said flash is an activation of less than 50 ms.

9. The wireless remote control device according to claim 1, wherein:

said extended activation is an activation in excess of 1 second.

10. A method of providing help information to a user of a remote control device based solely on activation of a relevant multi-use button, comprising:

flash activating a multi-use button of said remote control device said multi-use button having a single closure position; and

presenting help information relating to said multi-use button of said remote control device to said user based on said flash activation of said multi-use button to assist said user in using said multi-use button.

11. The method of providing help information to a user of a remote control device based solely on activation of a relevant button according to claim 10, wherein:

said multi-use button corresponds to any one of a plurality of commands at any particular time.

12. The method of providing help information to a user of a remote control device based solely on activation of a relevant button according to claim 10, further comprising:

selecting one of a plurality of help phrases for said multi-use button based on a current mode of said remote control device.

13. The method of providing help information to a user of a remote control device based solely on activation of a relevant button according to claim 10, wherein:

said help information is a spoken phrase.

14. The method of providing help information to a user of a remote control device based solely on activation of a relevant button according to claim 10, wherein:

said help information is displayed at a device controlled by said remote control device.

15. Apparatus for providing help information to a user of a remote control device based solely on activation of a relevant button, comprising:

means to allow flashing of a multi-use button of said remote control device, said multi-use button having a single closure position; and

means for presenting help information relating to said multi-use button of said remote control device to said user based on a flash activation of said multi-use button to assist said user in using said multi-use button.

16. The apparatus for providing help information to a user of a remote control device based solely on activation of a relevant button according to claim 15, wherein:

said multi-use button corresponds to any one of a plurality of commands at any particular time.

17. The apparatus for providing help information to a user of a remote control device based solely on activation of a relevant button according to claim 16, further comprising:

means for selecting one of a plurality of help phrases for said multi-use button based on a current mode of said remote control device.

18. The apparatus for providing help information to a user of a remote control device based solely on activation of a relevant button according to claim 15, wherein:

said means for presenting help information outputs a spoken phrase selected from a database of possible phrases for each multi-use button.

19. The apparatus for providing help information to a user of a remote control device based solely on activation of a relevant button according to claim 15, wherein:

said means for presenting help information includes a display.