Universal Remote Control or Universal Remote Control/Telephone Combination with Touch Operaed User Interface Having Tactile Feedback

• US 20080117085A1
• Filed: 12/17/2004
• Published: 05/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Universal Electronics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Universal Electronics, Inc.
• Inventors: Black, Jeremy K., Klein, Sandro David, Garfio, Alejandro
• Granted Patent: US 7,928,961 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 341/23
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/92 Universal remote control
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/93 Remote control using other portable devices, e.g. mobile phone, PDA, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 23/04 using light waves, e.g. infrared

Abstract

A touch operated user interface having tactile feedback for use in connection with a universal remote control or universal remote control with cordless phone functionality is shown in FIG. 13. Surface features are provided as part of or as an overlay (1300) to a touchable face area of the user interface in order to assist the user in locating key positions and/or to provide positive indication of key activation. The overlay is placed over a flexible electroluminescent panel (318) that provides a lighted indication and a plurality of dome switches (310) that function as keys.

Claims

1. A remote control, comprising:

a key matrix having a plurality of switches;

a display disposed in cooperable relationship with the key matrix, the display being illuminable to provide a plurality of different images in association with corresponding ones of the plurality of switches in the key matrix whereby the remote control is provided with the ability to have a plurality of different user interfaces; and

a layer of flexible, translucent material disposed over the combination of the key matrix and the display, the flexible, translucent material having located in a position near at least one of the switches in the key matrix a surface feature that serves to assist a user in locating a position on a user interface in which the switch is activatable.

2. The remote control as recited in claim 1, wherein the surface feature is free of indicia which would otherwise obscure an image formed using the display.

3. The remote control as recited in claim 1, wherein the surface feature is adapted to be clicked and to restore.

4. The remote control as recited in claim 3, wherein the surface feature comprises an outwardly extending dome arranged to provide positive indication of activation of the switch.

5. The remote control as recited in claim 1, wherein the surface feature comprises a protuberance.

6. The remote control as recited in claim 5, wherein the protuberance is provided with a shape representative of an controllable appliance function.

7. The remote control as recited in claim 1, wherein the display comprises a plurality of selectively illuminable EL segments.

8. The remote control as recited in claim 1, wherein the layer of flexible, translucent material comprises a mylar material.

9. The remote control as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of user interfaces provides the remote control with phone functionality.

10. The remote control as recited in claim 1, wherein the surface feature is disposed directly over the switch.

11. A remote control, comprising:

a key matrix having a plurality of switches;

a flexible EL display disposed in cooperable relationship over the key matrix, the EL display comprising a plurality of individually illuminable segments wherein the segments are selectively illuminable to provide a plurality of different images in association with corresponding ones of the plurality of switches in the key matrix whereby the remote control is provided with the ability to have a plurality of different user interfaces; and

a layer of flexible, translucent material disposed over the combination of the kcy matrix and the display, the flexible, translucent material having located in a position directly above at least one of the switches in the key matrix a surface feature adapted to be clicked and to restore to provide positive indication of activation of the switch and which further serves to assist a user in locating a position on a user interface in which the switch is activatable, the surface feature being free of indicia which would otherwise obscure an image formed using the display.

12. The remote control as recited in claim 11, wherein the layer of flexible, translucent material comprises a mylar material.

13. The remote control as recited in claim 11, wherein the surface feature comprises a dome formed in the flexible, translucent material which extends outwardly away from the EL display.

14. The remote control as recited in claim 11, wherein at least one of the plurality of user interfaces provides the remote control with phone functionality.

15. A remote control and cordless phone system, comprising:

a remote control combined with a cordless phone; and

a base station adapted to facilitate an exchange of telephony signals between the cordless phone and a telephone line and further adapted to facilitate control of one or more appliances in response to communications received from the remote control.

17. The system as recited in claim 15, wherein the base station is adapted to facilitate control of the one or more appliances by transmitting signals using a wireless communication protocol.

18. The system as recited in claim 15, wherein the base station is adapted to facilitate control of the one or more appliances by transmitting signals using a wired communication protocol.

20. The system as recited in claim 15, wherein the base station comprises telephone answering machine functionality.

21. The system as recited in claim 20, wherein the remote control comprises programming for remotely controlling the telephone answering machine functionality.

22. The system as recited in claim 15, wherein the remote control comprises multiple user interfaces.

23. The system as recited in claim 22, wherein the remote control is adapted to make available one or more of the multiple user interfaces as a function of a signal received from the base station.

24. The system as recited in claim 15, wherein the base station facilitates control of the one or more appliances by causing the one or more appliances to pause and resume appliance states across multiple control environments.

25. The system as recited in claim 15, wherein the remote control comprises a key matrix having a plurality of switches and a display disposed in cooperable relationship with the key matrix, the display being illuminable to provide a plurality of different images in association with corresponding ones of the plurality of switches in the key matrix whereby the universal remote control is provided with the ability to have a plurality of different user interfaces.

26. The system as recited in claim 25, wherein the remote control comprises a layer of flexible, translucent material disposed over the combination of the key matrix and the display, the flexible, translucent material having located in a position near at least one of the switches in the key matrix a surface feature that serves to assist a user in locating a position on a user interface in which the switch is activatable.

27. The system as recited in claim 15, wherein the base station facilitates a determination of the current location of the remote control with respect to multiple control environments in which the remote control may be located.

16. (canceled)

19. (canceled)