Wireless remote controller having navigation function and method of providing navigation function to the same

• US 7,154,408 B2
• Filed: 01/26/2004
• Issued: 12/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Ku, Tae-hyun, Ha, Hoe-seong, Sun, Ji-hyun
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, PHUNG
• Application Number:
  US10/763,316
• Publication Number:
  US 20040207765A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,065 Days
• Field of Search: 340/815.6, 340/825.72, 340/539.1, 340/815.4, 345/158, 348/134, 348/734
• US Class Current: 340/815.6
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/202 by remote control

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a wireless remote controller having a navigation function and method of providing the navigation function to the same. The remote controller of the present invention includes a wireless transmission/reception unit, a display unit, a storage unit, at least tow function keys, a mode switching element, a device information selecting key, and a control unit. The function keys selectively operate in a first mode in which remote control key code information is transmitted through the wireless transmission/reception unit to devices and a second mode in which the device information is navigated. The device information selecting key selects information of one or more devices. The control unit controls the remote control key code information to be transmitted through the wireless transmission/reception unit in the first mode, and in the second mode controls the information of the device to be provided to the display.

Claims

1. A wireless remote controller having a navigation function, said wireless remote controller comprising:

a wireless transmission/reception unit by which in a first mode, remote control key code information is transmitted to controlled devices; and

a display unit by which in a second mode, device information for the controlled devices based on control information input in the first mode is displayed, the display unit allowing navigation of the device information.

3. The remote controller as set forth in claim 1 or 2, wherein the remote control key code information corresponding to the input of the user is not transmitted through the wireless transmission/reception unit in the second mode.

4. The remote controller as set forth in claim 1 or 2, wherein the display unit provides the device information stored in the storage unit in the form of icons.

8. The remote controller as set forth in claim 1 or 2, wherein the device information includes device identification information.

9. The remote controller as set forth in claim 1 or 2, wherein the device information includes device function information.

10. The remote controller as set forth in claim 1 or 2, wherein a display of the device information includes device deleting information for deleting the device identification information.

11. The remote controller as set forth in claim 1 or 2, wherein a display of the device information includes function deleting information for deleting the device function information.

12. The remote controller as set forth in claim 1 or 2, further comprising an interface unit configured to receive the device information from an outside system.

2. A wireless remote controller having a navigation function, said wireless remote controller comprising:

a wireless transmission/reception unit configured to wirelessly communicate with a plurality of controlled devices;

a display unit configured to display device information of the plurality of controlled devices;

a storage unit configured to store the device information and remote control key code information of the plurality of controlled devices;

function keys configured to selectively operate in a first mode in which the remote control key code information corresponding to a user input is transmitted by said wireless transmission/reception unit, and in a second mode in which the device information of currently displayed devices of the plurality of controlled devices displayed on said display unit is navigated to select device information of at least one desired device of the currently displayed devices;

a mode switching element configured to select one of the first mode and the second mode;

a device information selecting key configured to select device information of the desired device in the second mode; and

a control unit configured to control the remote control key code information corresponding to the user input to be transmitted by the wireless transmission/reception unit in the first mode, and to control the device information corresponding to the user input to be provided to said display unit in the second mode.

5. The remote controller as set forth in claim 2, wherein the function keys include a channel selecting key.

6. The remote controller as set forth in claim 2, wherein the function keys include a sound selecting key.

7. The remote controller as set forth in claim 2, wherein the function keys include a channel selecting key and a sound selecting key.

13. A method of providing a navigation function to a wireless remote controller, the method comprising:

switching a first mode in which remote control key code information of a device of a plurality of controlled devices is wirelessly transmitted to the device to a second mode in which device information of the plurality of controlled devices is provided to a user;

displaying in a second mode, device information for the controlled devices based on the device of a plurality of devices of controlled devices for which control information is wirelessly transmitted in the first mode;

navigating the device information in the second mode; and

selecting information about at least one desired device of the plurality of controlled devices from the device information.

14. The method as set forth in claim 13, wherein the device information includes device identification information.

15. The method as set forth in claim 13, wherein the device information includes device function information.

16. The method as set forth in claim 13, wherein a display of the device information includes device deleting information for deleting the identification information of devices.

17. The method as set forth in claim 13, wherein a display of the device information includes device function deleting information for deleting the device function information.

18. The method as set forth in claim 13, wherein in the second mode, device information is provided in the form of icons.

19. A method of providing a navigation function to a wireless remote controller, the method comprising:

switching a first mode in which remote control key code information of a device of a plurality of controlled devices is wirelessly transmitted to the device to a second mode in which device information of the plurality of controlled devices is provided to a user;

navigating the device information in the second mode; and

selecting information about at least one desired device of the plurality of controlled devices from the device information,

wherein in the second mode, the navigating further comprises navigating the device information without wireless transmission of the remote control key code information corresponding to user input.