Control device with easy lock feature

• US 6,947,101 B2
• Filed: 08/03/2001
• Issued: 09/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Universal Electronics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Universal Electronics, Inc.
• Inventors: Arling, Paul D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Natnael, Paulos M.
• Application Number:
  US09/922,562
• Publication Number:
  US 20030025840A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,509 Days
• Field of Search: 348/734, 345/173, 345/172, 345/168, 345/169, 340/825.69, 340/825.72, 340/825
• US Class Current: 348/734
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/00 Arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless electrical link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/30 User interface
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/92 Universal remote control
• 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 21/42208 Display device provided on the remote control
• 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 21/42215 by measuring the time interval during which a key is pressed, e.g. for inputting sequences of digits when selecting a television channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42224 Touch pad or touch panel provided on the remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42227 the keys being reprogrammable, e.g. soft keys
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications

Abstract

Methods for identifying control keys with particular devices are disclosed along with methods of assigning control keys to particular devices. In particular, a remote control comprises a set of hard keys comprising channel group keys and volume group keys and a set of soft keys activated via a touch screen display. The display identifies the device the volume group keys are set to control and the device the channel group keys are set to control. Selecting the device currently controlled by the channel group keys by, for example, depressing the device indicator on the display screen, initiates a set up mode that displays numerous devices that may be controlled by the channel group keys. Selecting one of the numerous devices assigns the channel group keys to that device.

Claims

1. A controlling device comprising:

a plurality of keys comprising a first control group of keys and a second control group of keys;

a first device type indicator of a first plurality of device type indicators, wherein the first plurality of device type indicators correspond to devices the first control group of keys may be set to control and the first device type indicator is visually associated with the first control group of keys, whereby a user may readily discern which device the first control group of keys is set to control based on the first device type indicator visually associated with the first control group of keys;

a second device type indicator of a second plurality of device type indicators, wherein the second plurality of device type indicators correspond to devices the second control group of keys may be set to control and the second device type indicator is visually associated with the second control group of keys, and a user may readily discern which device the second control group of keys is set to control based on the second device type indicator visually associated with the first control group of keys;

a first plurality of device type keys corresponding to devices the first control group of keys may be set to control upon selection of one of the first plurality of device type keys;

a second plurality of device type keys corresponding to devices the second control group of keys may be set to control upon election of one of the second plurality of device type keys; and

wherein the first plurality and the second plurality of device type keys are soft keys and wherein the first device type indicator is different from the second device type indicator.

2. The controlling device as recited in claim 1, wherein the first plurality of device type keys is the same as the second plurality of device type keys.

3. The controlling device as recited in claim 1, comprising a touch screen, wherein the soft keys, the first device type indicator, and the second device type indicator are displayed on the touch screen.

4. The controlling device as recited in claim 3, wherein the first plurality of device type keys are displayed in response to a user selecting the first device type indicator.

5. A remote control comprising:

a first control group of keys set to control one of a plurality of devices;

means for indicating to a user which of the plurality of devices the first control group of keys is set to control;

a second control group of keys set to control one of a plurality of devices;

means for indicating to a user which of the plurality of devices the second control group of keys is set to control;

means for setting the first control group of keys to a different one of the plurality of devices;

means for indicating to a user a selection comprising the plurality of devices from which the user may select the different one device; and

means for indicating to a user in which master mode the remote control is set;

wherein the means for indicating which device is controlled by the first control group of keys, the means for indicating which device is controlled by the second control group of keys, and the means for indicating the master mode are adapted to operate simultaneously.

6. A controlling device, comprising:

a plurality of function keys including a first group of function keys actuatable to command volume functions of a plurality of different appliances and a second group of function keys actuatable to command tuning functions of a plurality of different appliances;

a plurality of device keys actuatable to select one of the plurality of different appliances as an appliance to be commanded upon actuation of the first group of function keys and actuatable to select one of the plurality of different appliances as an appliance to be commanded upon actuation of the second group of function keys;

a first device type indicator visually associated with the first group of function keys to indicate to a user to which one of the plurality of different appliances was selected to be commanded upon actuation of a function key selected from the first group of function keys;

a second device type indicator visually associated with the second group of function keys for indicating to a user which one of the plurality of different appliances was selected to be commanded upon actuation of a function key selected from the second group of function keys; and

a third device type indicator for indicating to a user which one of the plurality of different appliances will be commanded upon actuation of a function key other than a function key selected from the first group of functions keys and the second group of function keys.

7. The controlling device as recited in claim 6, wherein the function keys comprise hard keys.

8. The controlling device as recited in claim 7, wherein the plurality of device keys comprise soft keys displayed using a touch screen.

9. The controlling device as recited in claim 8, wherein the first device type indicator is displayed in the touch screen in a location visually linked to the first group of function keys and the second device type indicator is displayed in the touch screen in a location visually linked to the second group of function keys.

10. The controlling device as recited in claim 6, wherein each of the function keys includes indicia representative of one or more functions to be commanded upon actuation of the function key.

11. The controlling device as recited in claim 6, wherein the first device type indicator and the second device type indicator each comprises alphanumeric symbols.

12. The controlling device as recited in claim 6, wherein the plurality of device keys are made available for actuation upon a user placing the controlling device into a setup mode.

13. A controlling device, comprising:

a plurality of function keys including a first group of function keys actuatable to command volume functions of a plurality of different appliances and a second group of function keys actuatable to command tuning functions of a plurality of different appliances;

a plurality of device keys actuatable to select one of the plurality of different appliances as an appliance to be commanded upon actuation of the first group of function keys and actuatable to select one of the plurality of different appliances as an appliance to be commanded upon actuation of the second group of function keys;

a first device type indicator visually associated with the first group of function keys to indicate to a user to which one of the plurality of different appliances was selected to be commanded upon actuation of a function key selected from the first group of function keys; and

a second device type indicator visually associated with the second group of function keys for indicating to a user which one of the plurality of different appliances was selected to be commanded upon actuation of a function key selected from the second group of function keys;

wherein the first device type indicator is displayed in a touch screen in a location visually linked to the first group of function keys and the second device type indicator is displayed in the touch screen in a location visually linked to the second group of function keys and wherein the first group of function keys and the second group of function keys are contemporaneously available for actuation by a user and the first device type indicator and the second device type indicator are contemporaneously displayed.

14. The controlling device as recited in claim 13, wherein the function keys comprise hard keys.

15. The controlling device as recited in claim 13, wherein the first device type indicator and the second device type indicator each comprises alphanumeric symbols.