System and method for informing user how to use universal remote control

• US 7,952,467 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2006
• Issued: 05/31/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Dawson, Thomas Patrick, Hardacker, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu; Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mahase; Pameshanand
• Application Number:
  US11/541,272
• Publication Number:
  US 20080088474A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,705 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825, 340/825.69, 340/572.1
• US Class Current: 340/12.22
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/92 Universal remote control
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 23/04 using light waves, e.g. infrared

Abstract

Control information is exchanged between a component and a remote control device using RFID and then transmitted to a TV using RFID so that the TV can display components to be controlled and/or remote control device buttons and/or functions of remote control device buttons for particular components to be controlled, to train the user.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

at least one TV having an associated TV RFID tag device;

at least one remote control device having an associated remote RFID reader/writer device; and

wherein the remote RFID reader/writer device is positionable to receive information from a component RFID tag device pertaining to functions of buttons on the remote control device for controlling a component associated with the component RFID tag device, and

wherein the remote RFID reader/writer device is positionable to send the information to the TV RFID tag device, the TV using the information to present at least one display representing components to be controlled and/or remote control device buttons and/or functions of remote control device buttons, wherein the remote control device has only pointing and clicking capability and no keypad that makes a selection from the presented at least one display to control the component.

2. The system of claim 1, comprising plural components with respective RFID devices.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the component is selected from the group consisting of PVRs, DVDs, STBs.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the remote control device communicates commands to the TV via IR.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein a user is being able to select a button displayed on the TV by means of the remote control device to thereby cause execution in the TV and/or component of a function represented by the button.

6. A method comprising:

reading control information from a component having a component RFID tag device using a remote control device having an RFID reader/writer device;

transmitting the information to a TV having a TV RFID tag device from the remote control device using the remote control RFID reader/writer device; and

presenting at least one user interface on the TV at least partially based on the information received at the TV RFID tag device, the user interface including textual information describing a function of at least one control key associated with controlling the component; and

wherein the at least one user interface includes at least one display representing components to be controlled and/or remote control device buttons and/or functions of remote control device buttons;

wherein the remote control device makes a selection from the at least one display to control the component.

7. The method of claim 6, comprising sending, via RFID, control information from plural components with respective RFID devices to the remote control device.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the component is selected from the group consisting of PVRs, DVDs, STBs.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the remote control device communicates commands to the TV via IR.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the remote control device has only pointing and clicking ability, a user being able to select a button displayed on the TV by means of the remote control device to thereby cause execution in the TV and/or component of a function represented by the button.

11. A remote control device, comprising:

a portable housing;

at least one command transmitter on the housing and configured to send commands to a TV having a TV RFID tag device; and

at least one RFID reader/writer device on the housing and configured to transfer information using RFID,

wherein images of control keys of a component to be controlled being displayed on the TV and being selectable by manipulating the remote control device to execute respective functions associated with the images of the control keys to control the component being controlled;

wherein the RFID reader/writer device on the housing receives control information from a component RFID tag device of a component; and

transmits the control information to the TV RFID tag device, the display being presented on the TV at least partially based on the control information received at the TV RFID tag device.

12. The remote control device of claim 11, wherein the display includes at least one display representing components to be controlled and/or remote control device buttons and/or functions of remote control device buttons.

13. The remote control device of claim 11, wherein the RFID device on the housing receives, via RFID, control information from plural components.

14. The remote control device of claim 11, wherein the component is selected from the group consisting of PVRs, DVDs, STBs.

15. The remote control device of claim 11 wherein, the remote control device has only pointing and clicking capability, a user being able to select a button displayed on the TV by means of the remote control device to thereby cause execution in the TV and/or component of a function represented by the button.