Remote control with local, screen-guided setup

• US 7,013,434 B2
• Filed: 04/09/2003
• Issued: 03/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Universal Electronics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Universal Electronics, Inc.
• Inventors: Gates, Stephen Brian, Louie, Alex, Masters, Michael D., Knowles, Lily Tsong-Chou
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Cao (Kevin)
• Application Number:
  US10/410,103
• Publication Number:
  US 20050216843A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,070 Days
• Field of Search: 715/728, 715/737, 715/716, 715/718, 715/763, 715/765, 715/740, 715/744, 715/764, 715/840, 715/773, 715/846, 386/4, 386/46, 386/125
• US Class Current: 715/840
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/00 Arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless electrical link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/50 Receiving or transmitting feedback, e.g. replies, status updates, acknowledgements, from the controlled devices
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/92 Universal remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/202 by remote control

Abstract

A system and method for setting up a user interface of a remote control. The remote control displays a logical group of function keys the activation of which will cause the remote control to transmit a command to a target device and a plurality of indicators representative of devices. A user input functions to select one of the plurality of indicators and the device represented by the selected indicator is assigned as the target device for the logical group of function keys.

Claims

1. A method for setting up a user interface of a remote control comprised of a plurality of function keys, comprising:

causing at least one function key from the plurality of function keys to be presented such that a first logical group of functions keys that includes the at least one function key is emphasized relative to the remaining plurality of function keys wherein function keys within the first logical group of function keys are activatable to cause the remote control to transmit a command to a target device; and

accepting in the remote control user input that functions to assign a device as the target device for the first logical group of function keys.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, comprising causing at least one function key from the plurality of functions keys to be presented such that a second logical group of function keys that includes the at least one function key is emphasized relative to the remaining plurality of function keys wherein function keys within the second logical group of function keys are activatable to cause the remote control to transmit a command to a target device and accepting in the remote control user input that functions to assign a device as the target device for the second logical group of function keys.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the first and second logical group of function keys are each selected from a group consisting of channel function keys, volume function keys, and transport function keys.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first logical group of function keys is emphasized by selectively illuminating portions of the remote control that are associated with the at least one functions key that is included within the first logical group of function keys.

5. The method as recited in claim 4, comprising blinking the selectively illuminated portions of the remote control.

6. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein the selectively illuminated portions of the remote control comprise segments of an electroluminescent display.

13. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first logical group of function keys is emphasized by selectively displaying an image of the at least one functions key that is included within the first logical group of function keys.

14. The method as recited in claim 13, comprising accepting user input for indicating an area on a display of the remote control in which the at least one function key within the first logical group of function keys is to be displayed.

7. The method as recited in 1, wherein the remote control comprises a plurality of indicators representative of a device and wherein a selection of one of the plurality of indicators functions to assign the device as the target device for the first logical group of function keys.

8. The method as recited in claim 7, comprising displaying the plurality of indicators representative of a device within a menu.

9. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein the plurality of indicators representative of a device is limited to devices for which the remote control has been setup to control.

10. The method as recited in claim 7, comprising selectively illuminating portions of the remote control associated with the plurality of indicators representative of a device.

11. The method as recited in claim 10, comprising blinking the selectively illuminated portions of the remote control.

12. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein the selectively illuminated portions of the remote control comprise segments of an electroluminescent display.

15. A readable medium having instructions for setting up a user interface of the remote control comprised of a plurality of function keys, the instructions performing steps comprising:

causing at least one function key from the plurality of function keys to be presented such that a first logical group of functions keys that includes the at least one function key is emphasized relative to the remaining plurality of function keys wherein function keys within the first logical group of function keys the activation of which will are activatable to cause the remote control to transmit a command to a target device; and

accepting in the remote control user input that functions to assign a device as the target device for the first logical group of function keys.

16. The readable medium as recited in claim 15, wherein the instructions provide for causing at least one function key from the plurality of function keys to be presented such that a second logical group of function keys that includes the at least one function key is emphasized relative to the remaining plurality of function keys wherein function keys within the second logical group of function keys are activatable to cause the remote control to transmit a command to a target device and accepting in the remote control user input that functions to assign a device as the target device for the second logical group of function keys.

17. The readable medium as recited in claim 16, wherein the first and second logical group of function keys are each selected from a group consisting of channel function keys, volume function keys, and transport function keys.

18. The readable medium as recited in claim 15, wherein the first logical group of function keys is emphasized by selectively illuminating portions of the remote control that are associated with the at least one functions key within the first logical group of function keys.

19. The readable medium as recited in claim 18, wherein the instructions provide for blinking the selectively illuminated portions of the remote control.

20. The readable medium as recited in claim 18, wherein the selectively illuminated portions of the remote control comprise segments of an electroluminescent display.

27. The readable media as recited in claim 15, wherein the first logical group of function keys is emphasized by selectively displaying an image of the at least one functions key that is included within the first logical group of function keys.

28. The readable media as recited in claim 27, wherein the instructions provide for accepting user input for indicating an area on a display of the remote control in which the at least one function key within the first logical group of function keys is to be displayed.

21. The readable medium as recited in 15, wherein the remote control comprises a plurality of indicators representative of a device and selection of one of the plurality of indicators functions to assign the device as the target device for the first logical group of function keys.

22. The readable media as recited in claim 21, comprising selectively illuminating portions of the remote control associated with the plurality of indicators representative of a device.

23. The readable medium as recited in claim 22, wherein the instructions provide for blinking the selectively illuminated portions of the remote control.

24. The readable medium as recited in claim 22, wherein the selectively illuminated portions of the remote control comprise segments of an electroluminescent display.

25. The readable media as recited in claim 21, wherein the instructions provide for displaying the plurality of indicators representative of a device within a menu.

26. The readable media as recited in claim 21, wherein the plurality of indicators representative of a device is limited to devices for which the remote control has been setup to control.