Remote control for navigating through content in an organized and categorized fashion

• US 7,500,202 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2002
• Issued: 03/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Contemporary Display LLC (IPValuation Partners, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Corporate Media Partners
• Inventors: Lambert, Robert, Nichols, Michael, Gerba, George
• Primary Examiner(s): SAX, STEVEN PAUL
• Application Number:
  US10/260,210
• Publication Number:
  US 20030083533A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,346 Days
• Field of Search: 715/781, 715719-726, 715853-855, 715/767, 715856-857, 455/151.2, 348/14.05, 463/37, 345157-167
• US Class Current: 715/856
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04815 Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional, e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object
• 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 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4314 for fitting data in a restricted space on the screen, e.g. EPG data in a rectangular grid
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4725 using interactive regions of the image, e.g. hot spots details of information retrieval from the Internet by using URLs G06F16/955; processing chained hypermedia data for information retrieval G06F16/94
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/478 Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72

Abstract

Presented is a remote control for interacting with a navigation system that allows content presented on a display device to be navigated in an organized and categorized fashion. The remote control comprises operational controls grouped by navigational function located on at least three sides of the remote control for selecting content. An infrared transmitter is provided for transmitting instructions coded as infrared signals. A programmable controller is operative to receive an indication that a control was selected and instruct the transmitter to transmit an infrared signal corresponding to the control selected.

Claims

1. A remote control for interacting with a navigation system that allows content presented on a display device to be navigated in an organized and categorized fashion, the remote control comprising:

operational controls located on at least three sides of the remote control for selecting content, the controls grouped by navigational function with a first group placed on a first side of the remote control, a second group placed on a second side of the remote control and a third group placed on a third side of the remote control, wherein one or more controls from a given group of the first group, second group or third group is operable to be used in conjunction with one or more controls not included within the given group;

an infrared transmitter for transmitting instructions coded as infrared signals; and

a programmable controller, the controller operative to receive an indication that a control was selected and instruct the infrared transmitter to transmit an infrared signal corresponding to the control selected,

wherein the remote control is configured to be grasped by one hand of a user with a thumb of the user in contact with the first side of the remote control and one or more fingers of the user in contact with the second and third sides of the remote control.

2. The remote of claim 1 comprising controls directed to a first group of functions on a first side of the remote and controls directed to a second set of functions on a second side of the remote.

3. The remote of claim 2 comprising controls of one shape on the first side of the remote and controls of a second shape on the second side of the remote control.

4. The remote of claim 2 comprising controls to navigate content in an organized and categorized fashion on the first side of the remote control.

5. The remote of claim 4, wherein the remote control comprises special action to facilitate use of a navigational system.

6. The remote control of claim 5, wherein the special action controls comprise an enter or “

gimme”

control to execute requests or selections presented on the display device.

7. The remote control of claim 5, wherein the special action controls comprise a tag control to allow content to be selected for playback at a later time.

8. The remote control of claim 1 comprising conventional television controls on the second side of the remote.

9. The remote control of claim 8, wherein the second side of the remote comprises:

a number keypad for direct tuning of content; and

volume up/volume down controls for modify the volume of selected content.

10. The remote control of claim 8 comprising controls for activating and controlling a VCR.

11. The remote control of claim 1 comprising controls directed to a third group of functions on a third side of the remote control.

12. The remote control of claim 11, wherein the third group of functions is used in conjunction with controls on either side of the remote control or the second side of the remote control.

13. The remote control of claim 12, the remote control comprising:

controls for sequentially traversing the content;

volume up/volume down controls for modify the volume of selected content;

controls for muting the volume of selected content; and

controls for powering the display device presenting the selected content on or off.