Remote control system for connected devices

• US 9,239,837 B2
• Filed: 10/28/2011
• Issued: 01/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Logitech Europe S A (Logitech International SA)
• Original Assignee: Logitech Europe S A (Logitech International SA)
• Inventors: Chardon, Jean-Michel, Connolly, Mark, Heintz, Steven, Crowe, Ian, Arora, Ashish, Lazzaro, Adrien
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehmood, Jennifer
• Assistant Examiner(s): MORTELL, JOHN F
• Application Number:
  US13/284,668
• Publication Number:
  US 20120274863A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,544 Days
• Field of Search: 340/12.26
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/40 of multimedia data, e.g. slideshows comprising image and additional audio data retrieval of still image data G06F16/50; retrieval of audio data G06F16/60; retrieval of video data G06F16/70
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/433 using audio data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/487 using geographical or spatial information, e.g. location
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/60 of audio data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/65 Clustering; Classification
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/70 of video data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/93 Document management systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• 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 21/4222 Remote control device emulator integrated into a non-television apparatus, e.g. a PDA, media center or smart toy remote control device for a television receiver integrated into a mobile phone H04M1/72415
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42224 Touch pad or touch panel provided on the remote control
• 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 21/4781 Games
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4786 e-mailing message switching systems, e.g. electronic mail systems H04L51/00

Abstract

Systems and methods utilize a display to provide universal remote control functionality. A menu of options appears on a display of a display device. A user can navigate the various options to control devices that are separate from the display device. The menu may be dynamically configured according to the context in which the display device is being used. The menu may be activated using a remote control device or other device and the menu may include options for controlling one or more devices that are absent from the remote control device.

Claims

1. A remote control system, comprising:

a controller including a plurality of fixed-function buttons and permanently configured to output a plurality of command signals corresponding to the plurality of buttons; and

a hub, said hub including one or more processors; and

memory including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the remote control system to at least;

determine a menu that includes one or more options for controlling at least one consumer electronic device from a set of consumer electronic devices;

in response to receipt of an indication of user intent to view the menu, including one or more of the command signals from the controller, cause the determined menu to appear on a display of a device that is different from the consumer electronic device;

receive one or more of the command signals corresponding to user interaction with the displayed menu; and

when the user selects an option of the menu for controlling the consumer electronic device, causing a signal to be transmitted to the consumer electronic device, the signal being configured to cause the consumer electronic device to change state according to the selected option,

wherein, each of the plurality of buttons is permanently configured to activate its corresponding command signal regardless of the state of the consumer electronic device.

2. The remote control system of claim 1, wherein the device that is different from the consumer electronic device is a television.

3. The remote control system of claim 1, wherein causing the determined menu to appear on the display includes modifying the display such that the menu is overlaid atop content of the display.

4. The remote control system of claim 1, wherein the menu includes at least one selectable option for a function that is incapable of being selected using a dedicated input of the remote control device.

5. The remote control system of claim 1, wherein determining the menu is based at least in part on a current state of the consumer electronic device.

6. The remote control system of claim 1, wherein the menu further includes one or more options for controlling at least one other device.

7. The remote control system of claim 6, wherein the other device is a television.

33. The remote control system of claim 1, wherein the hub is configured to interpret at least one of the command signals as a navigation command, which causes navigation of the displayed menu, in one context, and as a received command, that instructs an operation of the at least one consumer electronic device, in another context.

8. A remote control configuration system, comprising:

a display device including;

a video display;

a processor configured to interact with a remote control;

a communication apparatus configured for communicating with at least one other device;

wherein, the processor is further configured to;

present a user interface including selectable commands on the display;

receive a set of predetermined commands from the remote control;

interpret at least one of the predetermined commands as a navigation command in one context and as a received command in another context;

communicate the received command to the at least one other device; and

modify the user interface based on the navigation command.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the user interface is determined based at least in part on the state of a set of devices that includes at least one other device different from the display device.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the display device is a TV.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured to make an inference of relevant activities for the other device based on a current mode of operation of the display device.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the selectable commands presented by the user interface depend at least on a determination of whether the other device is currently in use.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured to at least one of activate and update the user interface for the other device based on automated network communication with a remote service provider.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the user interface is configured to allow a user, while watching the display device operating in a first mode of operation, to launch an application operable in a second mode of operation.

15. The system of claim 8, wherein the user interface is configured to allow a user, while viewing content on the display device, to accept content-related commands for the other device, and to communicate the content-related commands to the other device, the content-related commands communicated to the other device including at least one data element with information based on the content.

16. The system of claim 8, wherein the user interface is configured to detect a current operational state of the other device and to change the user interface for the other device based on the operational state of the other device.

17. The system of claim 8, wherein the user interface includes a user-selectable and user-definable search feature that is operable to search at least one of content stored on the other device, content available from a remote on-demand service, and a scheduled programming service.

18. A method of controlling a peripheral device via a display device comprising:

controlling the display device via a hub to present a first user interface including a plurality of selectable options;

while presenting the first user interface on the display device, receiving a control signal via the hub and interpreting the control signal as a selected option of one of the plurality of selectable options;

communicating, based at least in part on the selected option, commands from the hub to the peripheral device;

while not presenting the first user interface on the display device, receiving the control signal via the hub and interpreting the control signal as a peripheral device command; and

communicating the peripheral device command from the hub to the peripheral device.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein presenting the user interface on the display device is based at least in part on the state of a set of devices that includes the peripheral device, the peripheral device being different from the display device.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising changing the selectable options based at least in part on a current mode of operation of the display device.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein:

the display device includes selectable modes of operation including at least three of tuner, AV, HDMI, S-Video, web-streaming, and web browsing modes;

the current mode of operations is selected from the modes of operation; and

different selectable commands are displayed in the user interface based on the at least three modes of operation.

22. The method of claim 18, further comprising automatically determining whether the peripheral device is ON or OFF, and only presenting the first user interface for the peripheral device if the peripheral device is ON.

23. The method of claim 18, further comprising automatically determining whether the peripheral device is in use and making an automated inference of relevant activities for the peripheral device based on a current mode of operation of the display device.

24. The method of claim 18, wherein the selectable options presented by the first user interface depend on the determination of whether the peripheral device is currently in use.

25. The method of claim 18, further comprising at least one of activating and updating the first user interface for the peripheral device based on an automated network communication with a remote service provider.

26. The method of claim 18, further comprising allowing a user, while watching the display device operating in a first mode of operation, to launch an application operable in a second mode of operation.

27. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

receiving from a user, while the display device is displaying content, content-related commands for the peripheral device; and

communicating the content-related commands to the peripheral device, the content-related commands communicated to the peripheral device including at least one data element with information based on the content.

28. The method of claim 18, further comprising detecting a current operational state of the peripheral device and changing the first user interface for the peripheral device to a second user interface based on the operational state of the peripheral device.

29. The method of claim 18, further comprising presenting, as part of the first user interface, a user-selectable and user-definable search feature that is operable to search at least content stored on the peripheral device, content available from a remote on-demand service, and a scheduled programming service.

30. A method of controlling a set of one or more consumer electronic devices comprising:

under the control of a set of one or more controlling components of a remote control system,

determining a menu that includes one or more options for controlling at least one consumer electronic device from the set of consumer electronic devices;

causing the determined menu to appear on a display of a device that is different from the consumer electronic device;

receiving one or more signals corresponding to user interaction with the displayed menu, the signals having been generated remotely from the device having the display; and

when the user selects an option of the menu for controlling the consumer electronic device, causing a signal to be transmitted to the consumer electronic device, the signal being configured to cause the consumer electronic device to change state according to the selected option;

wherein the set of one or more controlling components include a remote control device and a bridge device, the remote control device including a plurality of fixed-function buttons and permanently configured to output a plurality of command signals corresponding to the plurality of buttons regardless of the state of the consumer electronic device;

the received one or more signals are generated by the remote control device according to user interaction with the remote control device; and

the bridge device generates and transmits the signal to the consumer electronic device.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the display displays content according to a video signal from the bridge device and wherein causing the determined menu to appear on the display includes modifying the video signal.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the bridge device includes a plurality of video inputs, wherein the video signal is based at least in part on a signal received through a particular video input of the plurality of video inputs, and wherein the bridge device is configured to select from the plurality of video inputs based at least in part on user input to the remote control device.