Configurable computer system

• US 8,938,753 B2
• Filed: 10/22/2010
• Issued: 01/20/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LiTL LLC (TRI Ventures, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: LiTL LLC (TRI Ventures, Inc.)
• Inventors: Tang, Aaron, Havoc Pennington, Robert Sanford, Chuang, John, Bambacus, Chris, Eliason, Eben, Moody, Chris, Bilien, Johan
• Primary Examiner(s): Goodarzi, Nasser
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ocak, Adil
• Application Number:
  US12/910,333
• Publication Number:
  US 20110283314A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,551 Days
• Field of Search: 725/39, 725/53, 725/52, 725/85, 725/44, 725/110, 725/116, 348/734, 348/157, 348/E05, 348/96, 345/156, 200/4, 709/201, 710/16
• US Class Current: 725/37
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4143 embedded in a Personal Computer [PC]
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42214 using alphanumerical characters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42224 Touch pad or touch panel provided on the remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/478 Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application

Abstract

According to one aspect, embodiments of the invention provide a computer system comprising a base station having a communication interface adapted to communicate with an external network, an external display device configured to receive output display signals from the base station, a user interface displayed on the external display device and generated in response to the output display signals, wherein the user interface is selectively configurable in one of a plurality of modes of content, and a remote control configured to interact with the user interface displayed by the external display device, wherein the remote control is selectively operable in at least two configurations and wherein the selectively operable remote is configured to permit a user to select for display on the external display device one of the plurality of modes of content of the user interface based on the selected configuration of the remote control.

Claims

1. A computer system comprising:

a base station having a communication interface adapted to communicate with an external network;

an external display device coupled to the base station and configured to receive output display signals from the base station;

a user interface displayed on the external display device and generated in response to the output display signals, wherein the user interface is selectively configurable into at least one of a streamlined mode of content and a full mode of content; and

a remote control configured to communicate with the base station and to permit a user to interact with the user interface displayed by the external display device,

wherein the remote control is physically manipulable into at least two input mode configurations including a first physical configuration corresponding to the streamlined mode of content of the user interface and a second physical configuration corresponding to the full mode of content of the user interface,

wherein the remote control is further configured to transmit a signal to the base station, the signal indicating whether the remote control is in the first physical configuration or the second physical configuration, and

wherein the user interface is configured in one of the streamlined mode of content and the full mode of content responsive to the signal from the remote control indicating whether the remote control is in the first physical configuration or the second physical configuration.

2. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the remote control is configured to communicate wirelessly with the base station.

3. The computer system of claim 2, wherein the remote control includes a Radio Frequency (RF) transmitter configured to communicate with the base station.

4. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the remote control comprises:

a first portion; and

a second portion slideably coupled to the first portion,

wherein the first portion is configured to be manipulated into a first position, relative to the second portion, in the first input mode configuration of the remote control, and

wherein the first portion is configured to be manipulated into a second position, relative to the second portion, in the second input mode configuration of the remote control.

5. The computer system of claim 4, wherein the user interface is configured to display the streamlined mode of content in response to the first portion being manipulated into the first position, and wherein the user interface is configured to display the full mode of content in response to the first portion being manipulated into the second position.

6. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the external display device is a television.

7. The computer system of claim 6, wherein the base station is connected to the television via a High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) connection.

8. The computer system of claim 7, wherein the base station is configured to receive television identification information from the television via the HDMI connection.

9. The computer system of claim 7, wherein the base station is configured to receive display capability information from the television via the HDMI connection.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed on a processor, perform a method for controlling a computer system, the computer system comprising a base station coupled to an external network and an external display device coupled to the base station, the method comprising acts of:

communicating with the external network via the base station;

transmitting output display signals from the base station to the external display device in response to the act of communicating;

generating a user interface on the external display device in response to the output display signals, wherein the user interface is selectively configurable into at least one of a streamlined mode of content and a full mode of content;

interacting with the user interface through a remote control;

physically manipulating the remote control into one of at least two input mode configurations including a first physical configuration corresponding to the streamlined mode of content of the user interface and a second physical configuration corresponding to the full mode of content of the user interface;

configuring the user interface to display the streamlined mode of content in response to the act of manipulating the remote control into the first physical configuration; and

configuring the user interface to display the full mode of content in response to the act of manipulating the remote control into the second physical configuration.

11. A method of controlling a computer system, the computer system comprising a base station coupled to an external network and an external display device coupled to the base station, wherein the method comprises acts of:

communicating with the external network via the base station;

transmitting output display signals from the base station to the external display device in response to the act of communicating;

generating a user interface on the external display device in response to the output display signals, wherein the user interface is selectively configurable into at least one of a streamlined mode of content and a full mode of content;

interacting with the user interface through a remote control;

physically manipulating the remote control into one of at least two input mode configurations including a first physical configuration corresponding to the streamlined mode of content of the user interface and a second physical configuration corresponding to the full mode of content of the user interface; and

configuring the user interface to display the streamlined mode of content in response to the act of manipulating the remote control into the first physical configuration.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising an act of configuring the user interface to display the full mode of content in response to the act of manipulating the remote control into the second physical configuration.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the act of manipulating the remote control into the first physical configuration includes sliding a portion of the remote control into a first position and wherein the act of manipulating the remote control into the second physical configuration includes sliding the portion of the remote control into a second position.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

connecting the base station to the external display device;

receiving, from the external display device, display capability information; and

configuring the user interface in response to the act of receiving.

15. A computer system comprising:

a base station configured to be coupled to an external network and to send and receive signals from the external network;

an external display device coupled to the base station and configured to receive output display signals from the base station;

a user interface displayed on the external display device and generated in response to the output display signals, wherein the user interface is selectively configurable into at least one of a streamlined mode of content and a full mode of content; and

a means for remotely communicating with and controlling the base station, wherein the means permits a user to select for display on the external display device one of the streamlined mode of content and the full mode of content of the user interface.

16. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the means for remotely communicating with and controlling the base station includes a means for communicating wirelessly with the base station.

17. The computer system of claim 15, further comprising a means for receiving display capability information from the external display device.

18. A computer system comprising:

a base station having a first communication interface adapted to communicate with an external network and a second communication interface adapted to be coupled to an external display device, wherein the second communication interface is further adapted to transmit output display signals to the external display device, wherein the output display signals are configured to generate a user interface for display on the external display device, and wherein the user interface is selectively configurable into at least one of a streamlined mode of content and a full mode of content; and

a remote control configured to communicate with the base station and to permit a user to interact with the user interface displayed by the external display device, wherein the remote control is physically manipulable into at least two input mode configurations including a first physical configuration corresponding to the streamlined mode of content of the user interface and a second physical configuration corresponding to the full mode of content of the user interface, and wherein the remote control is further configured to transmit a signal to the base station, the signal indicating whether the remote control is in the first physical configuration or the second physical configuration, and wherein the user interface is configured in one of the streamlined mode of content and the full mode of content responsive to the signal from the remote control indicating whether the remote control is in the first physical configuration or the second physical configuration.