Remote control with local, screen-guided setup

• US 20050216843A1
• Filed: 04/09/2003
• Published: 09/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Universal Electronics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Universal Electronics, Inc.
• Inventors: Gates, Stephen Brian, Louie, Alex, Masters, Michael D., Tsong-Chou Knowles, Lily
• Granted Patent: US 7,013,434 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/740
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/00 Arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless electrical link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/50 Receiving or transmitting feedback, e.g. replies, status updates, acknowledgements, from the controlled devices
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/92 Universal remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/202 by remote control

Abstract

A system and method for setting up a user interface of a remote control. The remote control displays a logical group of function keys the activation of which will cause the remote control to transmit a command to a target device and a plurality of indicators representative of devices. A user input functions to select one of the plurality of indicators and the device represented by the selected indicator is assigned as the target device for the logical group of function keys.

Claims

1. A method for setting up a user interface of a remote control comprised of a plurality of function keys, comprising:

causing at least one function key from the plurality of function keys to be presented such that a first logical group of functions keys that includes the at least one function key is emphasized relative to the remaining plurality of function keys wherein function keys within the displaying on the remote control a first logical group of function keys the activation of which will are activatable to cause the remote control to transmit a command to a first target device; and

displaying on the remote control a plurality of indicators representative of devices;

accepting in the remote control an user input that functions to assign a select one of the plurality of indicators; and

assigning the device represented by the selected indicator as the first target device for the first logical group of function keys.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising causing at least one function key from the plurality of functions keys to be presented such that a second logical group of function keys that includes the at least one function key is emphasized relative to the remaining plurality of function keys wherein function keys within the displaying on the remote control a second logical group of function keys the activation of which will are activatable to cause the remote control to transmit a command to a second target device and;

displaying on the remote control the plurality of indicators representative of devices;

accepting in the remote control an user input that functions to assign a select one of the plurality of indicators; and

assigning the device represented by the selected indicator as the second target device for the second logical group of function keys.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the first and second logical group of function keys are each selected from a group consisting of channel function keys, volume function keys, and transport function keys.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein displaying the first logical group of function keys is emphasized by selectively comprises illuminating portions of segments of a display of the remote control that are associated with the at least one functions key that is included within the first logical group of function keys.

5. The method as recited in claim 4, comprising blinking the selectively further comprising causing the illuminated portions of the remote control segments to blink.

6. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein the selectively illuminated portions of the remote control comprise segments of display is an electroluminescent display.

10. The method as recited in claim 71, comprising wherein displaying the plurality of indicators representative of a device within devices comprises providing a menu which functions to list devices.

12. The method as recited in claim 281, further comprising accepting user input for indicating an area on a display of the remote control in which the at least one function key within the first logical group of function keys is to be displayed.

28. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first logical group of function keys is emphasized by selectively displaying an image of the at least one functions key that is included within the first logical group of function keys.

7. The method as recited in 1, wherein the remote control comprises a wherein displaying the plurality of indicators representative of a device devices comprises illuminating segments of a display of the remote control and wherein a selection of one of the plurality of indicators functions to assign the device as the target device for the first logical group of function keys.

29. The method as recited in claim 7, comprising selectively illuminating portions of the remote control associated with the plurality of indicators representative of a device.

8. The method as recited in claim 297, further comprising blinking causing the selectively illuminated portions of the remote control segments to blink.

9. The method as recited in claim 297, wherein the selectively illuminated portions of the remote control comprise segments of display is an electroluminescent display.

11. The method as recited in claim 71, wherein the plurality of indicators representative of a device devices is limited to devices for which the remote control has been setup to control.

13. A remote control device, comprising:

an electroluminescent display having a plurality of individually illuminateable segments, the electroluminescent display having a first area from which a user may select an intended target device for commands transmitted by the remote control and a second area from which a user may select a command to be transmitted; and

a transmission circuit linked to the electroluminescent display for use in transmitting commands to the target appliance;

wherein the illuminateable segments are selectively illuminated so as to display function keys in the second area which correspond to functions applicable to the intended target device.

14. The remote control as recited in claim 13, wherein the illuminateable segments are selectively illuminated so as to display function keys in the second area which correspond to a state of the intended target device.

15. A remote control device, comprising:

an electroluminescent display having a plurality of individually illuminateable segments, the electroluminescent display having a first area from which a user may select an intended target device for commands transmitted by the remote control and a second area from which a user may select a command to be transmitted; and

a transmission circuit linked to the electroluminescent display for use in transmitting commands to the target appliance;

wherein the illuminateable segments are selectively illuminated so as to display a logical group of functions keys in the second area and a plurality of icons representative of devices in the first area from which a user may select one of the icons to assign a device as the intended target device for commands transmittable in response to activation of the logical group of function keys.

16. A readable medium having instructions for setting up a user interface of the remote control comprised of a plurality of function keys, the instructions performing steps comprising:

causing at least one function key from the plurality of function keys to be presented such that a first logical group of functions keys that includes the at least one function key is emphasized relative to the remaining plurality of function keys wherein function keys within the displaying on the remote control a first logical group of function keys the activation of which will are activatable to cause the remote control to transmit a command to a first target device; and

displaying on the remote control a plurality of indicators representative of devices;

accepting in the remote control an user input that functions to assign a select one of the plurality of indicators; and

assigning the device represented by the selected indicator as the first target device for the first logical group of function keys.

19. The readable medium as recited in claim 16, wherein displaying the first logical group of function keys is emphasized by selectively comprises illuminating segments of a display portions of the remote control that are associated with the at least one functions key within the first logical group of function keys.

20. The readable medium as recited in claim 19, wherein the instructions further provide for blinking the selectively further comprising causing the illuminated portions of the remote control segments to blink.

21. The readable medium as recited in claim 19, wherein the selectively illuminated portions of the remote control comprise segments of display is an electroluminescent display.

25. The readable media as recited in claim 2216, wherein the instructions provide for wherein displaying the plurality of indicators representative of a device within devices comprises providing a menu which functions to list devices.

26. The readable media as recited in claim 2216, wherein the plurality of indicators representative of a device devices is limited to devices for which the remote control has been setup to control.

27. The readable media as recited in claim 3016, wherein the instructions further provide for accepting user input for indicating an area on a display of the remote control in which the at least one function key within the first logical group of function keys is to be displayed.

30. The readable media as recited in claim 16, wherein the first logical group of function keys is emphasized by selectively displaying an image of the at least one functions key that is included within the first logical group of function keys.

17. The readable medium as recited in claim 17, wherein the instructions further provide for causing at least one function key from the plurality of function keys to be presented such that a second logical group of function keys that includes the at least one function key is emphasized relative to the remaining plurality of function keys wherein function keys within the displaying on the remote control a second logical group of function keys the activation of which will are activatable to cause the remote control to transmit a command to a second target device and;

displaying on the remote control the plurality of indicators representative of devices;

accepting in the remote control an user input that functions to assign a select one of the plurality of indicators representative of a device; and

assigning the device represented by the selected indicator as the second target device for the second logical group of function keys.

18. The readable medium as recited in claim 17, wherein the first and second logical group of function keys are each selected from a group consisting of channel function keys, volume function keys, and transport function keys.

22. The readable medium as recited in 16, wherein the remote control comprises a wherein displaying the plurality of indicators representative of a device devices comprises illuminating segments of a display of the remote control and selection of one of the plurality of indicators functions to assign the device as the target device for the first logical grout of function keys.

23. The readable medium as recited in claim 3122, wherein the instructions further provide for blinking causing the selectively illuminated portions of the remote control segments to blink.

24. The readable medium as recited in claim 3122, wherein the selectively illuminated portions of the remote control comprise segments of display is an electroluminescent display.

31. The readable media as recited in claim 22, comprising selectively illuminating portions of the remote control associated with the plurality of indicators representative of a device.