Controlling device using cues to convey information

• US 7,460,050 B2
• Filed: 06/16/2004
• Issued: 12/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Universal Electronics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Universal Electronics, Inc.
• Inventors: Hayes, Patrick H., Conway, James N. Jr., Alvarado, Cesar, Louie, Alex
• Primary Examiner(s): WONG, ALBERT KANG
• Application Number:
  US10/869,581
• Publication Number:
  US 20050066370A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,630 Days
• Field of Search: 341/20, 341/22, 341/23, 341/173, 341/176, 345/170, 400/477, 400/472, 200/5.A, 200/314
• US Class Current: 341/176
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/00 Arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless electrical link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/33 Remote control using macros, scripts
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/61 Password, biometric
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/91 Remote control based on location and proximity
• 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 21/4221 Dedicated function buttons, e.g. for the control of an EPG, subtitles, aspect ratio, picture-in-picture or teletext

Abstract

A controlling device, such as a universal remote control, that uses visual, audio, and/or tactile cues, such as sounds, color, patterns, shapes, vibrations, etc., to indicate relationships. Relationships may be between a function key and an intended target appliance for a command transmitted in response to activation of the function key, a user and the controlling device, or a room and the controlling device.

Claims

1. A controlling device having a plurality of different operating modes for commanding operating functions of a plurality of different appliances, comprising:

a plurality of function keys wherein each of the plurality of function keys is used to control at least one operating function associated with at least one of the plurality of different appliances in each of the plurality of different operational modes wherein each of the plurality of function keys has a fixed first indicia indicating a controllable operating function associated with the function key and a variable second indicia indicating at least one of the plurality of different appliances associated with the function key; and

a controller for controlling the second indicia wherein the second indicia is based upon a one of the plurality of different operating modes selected and wherein the controller initiates a control signal transmission for at least one of the plurality of different appliances based upon the one of the plurality of different operating modes selected and the controllable operating function associated with a one of the plurality of function keys activated.

2. The controlling device as recited in claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of different operating modes is associated with one of a plurality of users each being uniquely identifiable to the controlling device by means of input provided to the controlling device.

3. The controlling device as recited in claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of different operating modes is associated with one of a plurality of rooms each being uniquely identifiable to the controlling device by means of input provided to the controlling device.

4. The controlling device as recited in claim 1, wherein the plurality of function keys comprises hard keys.

5. The controlling device as recited in claim 3, comprising an LED associated with each of the plurality of function keys, the LED being illuminable to provide the second indicia.

6. The controlling device as recited in claim 5, wherein the LED is a multicolor LED.

7. The controlling device as recited in claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of function keys overlays a transparent, light conducting material and the light conducting material has an associated LED for illuminating the light conducting material to provide the second indicia.

8. The controlling device as recited in claim 7, wherein the LED is a multi-color LED.

9. The controlling device as recited in claim 1, wherein the second indicia comprises a sound tag.

10. The controlling device as recited in claim 1, wherein the second indicia comprises a tactile tag.

11. The controlling device as recited in claim 1, wherein the second indicia comprises a visual indicia.

12. The controlling device as recited in claim 11, wherein the second indicia is at least one selected from the group consisting of color, tint, contrast, pattern, shape and brightness.

13. The controlling device as recited in claim 11, wherein the plurality of function keys comprises displayed soft keys.

14. The controlling device as recited in claim 13, wherein each of the plurality of function keys is displayed using the second indicia.

15. The controlling device as recited in claim 13, wherein an area in the vicinity of each of plurality the function keys is provided the second indicia.

16. The controlling device as recited in claim 11, comprising an EL display having the plurality of function keys which is illuminable to provide the second indicia.

17. The controlling device as recited in claim 11, wherein the second indicia for each of the plurality of different operating modes is user-selectable.

18. The controlling device as recited in claim 11, wherein the second indicia for each of the plurality of different operating modes is predefined.

19. In a controlling device having a plurality of different operating modes for command operating functions of a plurality of different appliances and a plurality of function keys wherein each function key is used to control at least one operating function associated with at least one of the plurality of different appliances in each of the plurality of different operational modes and wherein each of the plurality of function keys has a fixed first indicia indicating a controllable operating function associated with the function key and a variable second indicia indicating at least one of the plurality of different appliances associated with the function key, a method for using the second indicia to indicate a configuration of the controlling device, comprising:

accepting input to create the plurality of different operational modes such that activation of function keys within the plurality of function keys will cause commands associated with a currently active one of the plurality of different operational modes to be transmitted to an intended one or more of the plurality of different appliances that were associated with the currently active one of the plurality of different operational modes and each of the plurality of function keys by means of the input;

associating one of a plurality of second indicia with each of the plurality of different operational modes whereby each of the plurality of different operational modes is discemable by a user; and

presenting to the user the plurality of function keys with a one of the plurality of second indicia wherein the one of the second indicia presented is based on the currently active one of the plurality of different operational modes to thereby provide to the user an indication of the at least one of the plurality of different appliances to be currently controlled via the plurality of function keys in the currently active one of the plurality of different operational modes.

20. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein the second indicia is at least one selected from the group consisting of color, tint, contrast, pattern, shape and brightness.

21. The method as recited in claim 19, comprising illuminating at least one LED to present the second indicia.

22. The method as recited in claim 21, wherein the at least one LED is a multicolor LED.

23. The method as recited in claim 22, comprising using the LED to illuminate a display face of the controlling device.

24. The method as recited in claim 23, wherein the display face comprises a translucent material.

25. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein the plurality of different operational modes are associated with a corresponding one of a plurality of users each uniquely identifiable to the controlling device by means of further input provided to the controlling device.

26. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein the plurality of different operational modes are associated with a corresponding one of a plurality of rooms each uniquely identifiable to the controlling device by means of farther input provided to the controlling device.

27. The method as recited in claim 19, comprising illuminating an EL display segment to present the second indicia.

28. The method as recited in claim 19, comprising accepting user input to associated one of the plurality of second indicia with each of the plurality of different operational modes.

29. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein the second indicia for each of the plurality of different operational modes is predefined at the time of association.

30. The method as recited in claim 19, comprising accepting user input that functions to cause the second indicia to be presented.