Apparatus and method to facilitate universal remote control
First Claim
1. A universal remote control, comprising:
- a display screen,a user input mechanisma processing unit configured to display information on the display screen and to accept selection data from the user input mechanism; and
a wireless communication mechanism configured to provide communications between the processing unit and an appliance;
wherein the processing unit is configured to accept display information from the appliance for display on the display screen;
wherein the processing unit is further configured to accept information entered through the user input mechanism for communication to the appliance;
wherein the wireless communication mechanism is configured to periodically broadcast a discovery command; and
wherein if an appliance is in range, the appliance responds to the discovery command to facilitate communication of the display information from the appliance to the universal remote control;
wherein a set of standard graphical representations of appliance-control mechanisms is stored in the appliance and can be sent over a wireless communications link to the universal remote control for display to the user.
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Accused Products
Abstract
One embodiment of the present invention provides a universal remote control, which includes a display screen and a user input mechanism. The universal remote control also includes a processing unit that is configured to display information on the display screen and to accept selection data from the user input mechanism. The universal remote control additionally includes a wireless communication mechanism that is configured to provide communications between the processing unit and an appliance or computer program running on a computer system. The appliance provides information to be displayed on the display screen, and information entered through the user input mechanism is communicated to the appliance. Since the appliance provides the information to be displayed on the display screen and also interprets the entries on the input mechanism, the universal remote control needs no special knowledge about the appliance.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A universal remote control, comprising:
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a display screen, a user input mechanism a processing unit configured to display information on the display screen and to accept selection data from the user input mechanism; and a wireless communication mechanism configured to provide communications between the processing unit and an appliance; wherein the processing unit is configured to accept display information from the appliance for display on the display screen; wherein the processing unit is further configured to accept information entered through the user input mechanism for communication to the appliance; wherein the wireless communication mechanism is configured to periodically broadcast a discovery command; and wherein if an appliance is in range, the appliance responds to the discovery command to facilitate communication of the display information from the appliance to the universal remote control; wherein a set of standard graphical representations of appliance-control mechanisms is stored in the appliance and can be sent over a wireless communications link to the universal remote control for display to the user. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for configuring a remote control to operate an appliance, comprising:
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broadcasting a discovery command; if an appliance is in range, receiving a response to the discovery command from the appliance; wherein the response facilitates receiving the specification for the user interface from the appliance; and configuring the remote control to implement the user interface to operate the appliance; wherein a set of standard graphical representations of appliance-control mechanisms is stored in the appliance and can be sent over a wireless communications link to the universal remote control for display to the user. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method for configuring a remote control to operate an appliance, the method comprising:
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broadcasting a discovery command; if an appliance is in range, receiving a response to the discovery command from the appliance; wherein the response facilitates receiving the specification for the user interface from the appliance; and configuring the remote control to implement the user interface to operate the appliance; wherein a set of standard graphical representations of appliance-control mechanisms is stored in the appliance and can be sent over a wireless communications link to the universal remote control for display to the user.
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Specification