Easy to use and intuitive user interface for a remote control

• US 8,742,905 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2007
• Issued: 06/03/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Logitech Europe S A (Logitech International SA)
• Original Assignee: Logitech Europe S A (Logitech International SA)
• Inventors: Sekhri, Boualem, Glover, Barbara, Zaliauskas, Alex, Bates, Mathew
• Primary Examiner(s): BROWN, VERNAL U
• Application Number:
  US11/864,242
• Publication Number:
  US 20080302582A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,440 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.22, 340/10.1, 340/12.5, 340/5.61, 340/4.3, 345/173, 345/168
• US Class Current: 340/12.5
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 19/28 using pulse code
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/21 Programming remote control devices via third means
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 23/04 using light waves, e.g. infrared

Abstract

A system and method for an easy to use and intuitive user interface on a remote control. In one embodiment, a touch sensitive area is extended beyond a screen. In one embodiment, soft buttons lie partially on the screen and partially off it (on the extended touch-sensitive area). This allows for an increased input area for the user, without the increase in cost associated with a larger screen. Moreover, this allows for a smooth, flat, and sleek upper surface of the remote control. In one embodiment, a remote control provides different user experiences based upon the context of use of the remote control. For instance, the color of the screen as well as the color of backlighting for certain buttons is dependent upon what mode the remote control is in.

Claims

1. A remote control having a housing with a bottom surface and a top surface, the remote control comprising:

a display device including a physical screen and configured to display a plurality of interface controls on the screen;

a transparent covering placed on top of the display device substantially level with the top surface; and

a touch-sensitive pad placed beneath the transparent covering, wherein the touch-sensitive pad is larger than the screen so that the touch-sensitive pad is responsive to touching directly on top of the screen as well as by touching areas of the top surface of the remote control beyond an outer perimeter of the screen.

2. The remote control of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of user input elements, wherein each of the plurality of user input elements is coupled to the touch-sensitive pad, and wherein a first part of each of the plurality of user input elements is on the screen, and a second part of each of the plurality of input elements is on a part of the touch-sensitive pad that is outside of the outer perimeter of the screen.

3. The remote control of claim 2, wherein the functionality of at least one of the plurality of user input elements changes based on a state of the remote.

4. The remote control of claim 2, further comprising:

a second plurality of user input elements, wherein each of the second plurality of user input elements operates a mechanical switch.

5. The remote control of claim 1, wherein the touch-sensitive pad uses capacitive technology.

6. A method for providing a user with an intuitive user interface for a remote control system, the remote control system including a remote control device having a display device comprising a physical screen and a touch-sensitive pad that extends beyond an outer perimeter of the screen, and a plurality of user-input elements, wherein a first user-input element is on a part of the touch-sensitive pad that is outside of the outer perimeter of the screen, the remote control device capable of being in one of a plurality of modes, the plurality of modes including an activity mode, the method comprising:

assessing a mode in which the remote control device is; and

when the assessment indicates that the remote control device is in the activity mode, modifying the appearance of an interface shown on the screen to enable user selection of an activity from a set of one or more activities corresponding to the activity mode,

wherein, modifying the appearance of the interface includes changing an indicator on the screen to reflect a command change associated with the first user-input element.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the mode is one of a group consisting of activity mode, device mode and options mode.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

based upon the assessment, modifying the appearance of the interface to change a command indicator associated with the first user-input element.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the one or more activities includes a watching television activity and wherein selection of the watching television activity enables use of the remote control to interact with the remote control device to control aspects of a manner in which television content is presented.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the one or more activities includes a plurality of activities.

11. The method of claim 6, further comprising detecting a user selected activity and modifying the interface according to the user selected activity to enable use of the remote control device to control one or more external devices that participate in the user selected activity.

12. The method of claim 6, further comprising receiving user input to the touch-sensitive pad specifying an external device to be controlled by the remote control device and putting the remote control device in a mode that enables the remote control device to control the external device.

13. The method of claim 6, wherein the plurality of user input elements include a user input element that, when selected by a user, causes the display to display the set of one or more activities.

14. The method of claim 6, wherein modifying the appearance of the interface includes causing the interface to include one or more icons, each of the one or more icons having a corresponding activity.

15. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

receiving selection of an activity from the set of one or more activities; and

modifying the interface such that the remote control device simultaneously includes at least one or more user input elements for controlling a first device and one or more user input elements for controlling a second device, the first device and second device being devices that participate in the selected activity.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein at least one of the one or more user input elements for controlling the first device or one or more user input elements for controlling the second device is selectable via the display device.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the mode is one of a group consisting of a plurality of modes in which the remote control device is capable of being and wherein, when the remote control is in at least one of the plurality of modes that is different from the activity mode, the remote control device does not include both the one or more user input elements for controlling a first device and one or more user input elements for controlling a second device simultaneously.

18. The method of claim 6, wherein the mode is in one of a group consisting of a plurality of modes in which the remote control device is capable of being and wherein the plurality of user-input elements change depending on the mode in which the remote control device is assessed to be.

19. A method of controlling a set of consumer electronic entertainment devices using a device usable as a remote control, the device having a display device configured to display a user interface, the display device including a physical screen, a touch-sensitive pad that extends beyond an outer perimeter of the screen, and a first user-input element that is at least partly on a part of the touch-sensitive pad that is outside of the outer perimeter of the screen, the method comprising:

causing the device to modify the interface shown on the screen to enable a user to select from a plurality of modes wherein;

the plurality of modes includes at least an activity mode;

the activity mode includes a plurality of activities that includes a watching television activity;

selection of the watching television activity enables use of the remote control to interact with the remote control device to control aspects of a manner in which television content is presented;

each activity involves the participation of a corresponding subset of the set of consumer electronic entertainment devices; and

at least one of the corresponding subsets includes a plurality of the consumer electronic entertainment devices;

upon user selection of the activity mode, causing modification of the interface to enable user selection of an activity from a set of one or more activities corresponding to the activity mode;

upon user selection of an activity, causing modification of the display to include a set of user interface elements that are selectable by the user for controlling the one or more consumer electronic entertainment devices in the subset corresponding to the selected activity; and

upon user selection of a user interface element from the included set of user interface elements, cause the device to transmit a signal such that, as a result of the signal being transmitted, at least one of the one or more consumer electronic entertainment devices in the subset corresponding to the selected activity modifies at least one aspect of participating in the selected activity,

wherein at least one of selection of an activity and selection of a user interface element changes a command associated with the first user-input element and a corresponding display element on the screen associated with the first user-input element.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the set of user interface elements simultaneously includes at least one or more user input elements for controlling a first device and one or more user input elements for controlling a second device, the first device and second device being devices that participate in the selected activity.

21. The remote control system of claim 19, further comprising:

causing the device to obtain information from a remote server that is accessible over the Internet; and

wherein modification of the interface depends at least in part on the obtained information.

22. The remote control system of claim 19, wherein modifying the interface to enable a user to select from the plurality of modes includes causing the interface to present a plurality of icons in a sequence, each of the plurality of icons being selectable for selection of a corresponding activity.

23. The remote control system of claim 19, wherein the first user-interface element comprises an area that is inside the outer perimeter of the screen and an area that is outside the outer perimeter of the screen.