Program guide on a remote control

• US 8,769,598 B2
• Filed: 04/09/2002
• Issued: 07/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Logitech Europe S A (Logitech International SA)
• Original Assignee: Logitech Europe S A (Logitech International SA)
• Inventors: Darbee, Paul V., Thompson, John R., Thompson, Brandt J., O'Donnell, Frank A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Goodarzi, Nasser
• Assistant Examiner(s): Peng, Fred
• Application Number:
  US10/119,264
• Publication Number:
  US 20020184626A1
• Time in Patent Office: 4,466 Days
• Field of Search: 725/131, 725/133, 725/141, 725/153, 348/734
• US Class Current: 725/133
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/147 using display panels
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 27/00 Combined visual and audible advertising or displaying, e.g. for public address
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/0235 specially adapted for remote control, e.g. of audio or video apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/202 by remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• 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 21/42209 for displaying non-command information, e.g. electronic program guide [EPG], e-mail, messages or a second television channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44222 Analytics of user selections, e.g. selection of programs or purchase activity monitoring of user selections in data processing systems G06F11/34; arrangements for monitoring the user's behaviour or opinions in broadcast systems H04H60/33
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/44 Receiver circuitry for the reception of television signals according to analogue transmission standards H04N5/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/7755 the recorder being connected to, or coupled with, the antenna of the television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/104 Switchers or splitters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17309 Transmission or handling of upstream communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A remote control for operating a consumer electronic device. The remote control device may comprise a housing providing a mounting for a visual display and a keyboard including a plurality of keys; electrical circuitry in the housing including a microprocessor, at least one of an IR or RF receiver circuit coupled to the microprocessor, keyboard circuitry coupled between the microprocessor and the keyboard, a memory coupled to the microprocessor, and at least one of an IR or RF transmitter circuit coupled to the microprocessor. Program guide software is stored in the memory and executable by the microprocessor for causing to be displayed on the visual display, upon actuation of one or more of the keys, a program guide, advertising and/or other content contained in a data set received by the receiver.

Claims

1. A remote control apparatus for controlling a broadcast program receiver, comprising:

a portable device including (i) a receiver for receipt of wireless incoming data transmissions from a host device via a communications network, the host device being located remotely from the portable device and the broadcast program receiver and the data transmission between the portable device and the host device via the communications network being independent from the transmission of the broadcast program, (ii) at least one processor configured to record program data corresponding to a broadcast program accessed at the broadcast program receiver, (iii) a transmitter for sending wireless outgoing data transmissions to the host device via the communications network, said outgoing data transmissions including said program data and (iv) a display for visual presentation of at least a portion of the incoming data received by the portable device from the host device via the communications network, said portion of incoming data being determined and transmitted by the host device in response to the program data received from the portable device, such that the visual presentation on the display of the portable device has content related to the content of the broadcast program accessed at the broadcast program receiver.

2. The remote control apparatus of claim 1 wherein the program data corresponds to a broadcast program currently accessed at the broadcast program receiver and the visual presentation on the display of the hand held device has content related to the content of the currently accessed broadcast program.

3. The remote control apparatus of claim 1 wherein the outgoing program data transmission from the portable device to the host device includes a date stamp, time stamp and/or channel identification data.

4. The remote control apparatus of claim 1 wherein the visual presentation on the display of the portable device is provided without at any time interfering with the program accessed at the broadcast program receiver.

5. The remote control apparatus of claim 1 wherein the portable device also includes a real time clock and the visual presentation on the display of the portable device occurs in response to signals generated by the real time clock.

6. The remote control apparatus of claim 1 wherein the portable device includes indicia of identification, said portable device being operable to control the broadcast program receiver without regard to said indicia but the visual presentation on the display of the portable device is made in dependence upon recognition of said indicia.

7. The remote control apparatus of claim 1 wherein the visual presentation on the display of the portable device is made in dependence upon an identification of a user of the portable device.

8. The remote control apparatus of claim 1 wherein the visual presentation on the display of the portable device is made in dependence upon the history of programming accessed at the broadcast program receiver.

9. The remote control apparatus of claim 1 wherein the broadcast program receiver is a set top box/TV and the portable device is a set top box/TV remote control.

10. The remote control apparatus of claim 1 wherein the portable device further includes a real time clock and the visual presentation is depicted on the display of the portable device in response to a signal generated by the real time clock.

11. A portable remote control device for controlling a broadcast program receiver, comprising:

(a) a receiver for receipt of wireless transmissions of incoming data from a host device via a communications network, the transmissions of incoming data to the portable device from the host device via the communications network being independent from the transmission of broadcast programs;

(b) a display for visual presentation of images generated from the incoming data, said visual presentation of images (i) having content related to the content of the broadcast programs, (ii) being timed in relation to the time of the broadcast programs, and (iii) being implemented by a procedure without at any time interfering with the presentation of the broadcast programs on the appliance;

(c) a transmitter for sending wireless outgoing data transmissions to the host device via the communications network;

(d) a plurality of tactilely operated controls to permit the device to interact with the broadcast program receiver appliance and the communications network; and

(e) at least one processor configured to obtain and record program data corresponding to a broadcast program accessed at the broadcast program receiver,

wherein, the portable remote control device is configured to transmit the program data to the host device.

12. The remote control device of claim 11 further comprising a real time clock and the visual presentation is depicted on the display of the remote control device in response to a signal generated by a real time clock.

13. A portable remote control device for a broadcast program receiver, comprising:

(a) a receiver for receipt of wireless transmissions of incoming data from a host device via a communications network, the transmissions of incoming data to the portable device from the host device via the communications network being independent from the transmission of broadcast programs;

(b) a real time clock for generating signals indicative of current time;

(c) a display for visual presentation of images generated from the incoming data, said visual presentation of images (i) having content based on the content of the broadcast programs and (ii) being depicted in response to the real time clock signals;

(d) a transmitter for sending wireless outgoing data transmissions to the host device via the communications network;

(e) a plurality of tactilely operated controls to permit the device to interact with the broadcast program receiver appliance and the communications network; and

(f) a memory,

wherein, the data transmissions to the host device include program data read from the memory, the program data corresponding to a broadcast program accessed at the broadcast program receiver appliance.

14. A remote control system for controlling a broadcast program receiver, comprising:

a portable device having a first transmitter for transmitting control signals to the broadcast program receiver;

a host device capable of communication with the portable device but not with the broadcast program receiver;

a communications network for the transmission of data between the portable device and the host device, said communications network data transmissions being independent from the transmission of broadcast programs;

the portable device also having (i) a receiver for receipt of wireless incoming data transmissions from the host device via the communications network, (ii) at least one processor configured to record program data corresponding to a broadcast program accessed at the broadcast program receiver, (iii) a second transmitter for sending wireless outgoing data transmissions to the host device via the communications network, said outgoing data transmissions including said program data, and (iv) a display for visual presentation of at least a portion of the incoming data received by the portable device from the host device via the communications network; and

the host device transmitting said portion of incoming data to the portable device in response to the program data received from the portable device, such that the visual presentation on the display of the portable device has content related to the content of the broadcast program accessed at the broadcast program receiver.

15. A method for displaying content on a portable remote device used to control a broadcast program receiver, comprising:

transmitting control signals from the remote control device to the broadcast program receiver to access a broadcast program;

recording in the remote control device program data corresponding to a broadcast program accessed at the broadcast program receiver;

transmitting a wireless outgoing signal including said program data from the remote device to a host device via a communications network receiving a wireless incoming signal including content data at the remote device;

displaying the content data on the remote device;

the transmission of incoming and outgoing signals over said communications network being independent from the transmission of the broadcast program; and

said content data being determined at and transmitted from the host device in response to previously received program data from the remote device so that the content of the display on the remote device relates to the content of the broadcast program accessed at the broadcast program receiver.