REMOTE CONTROL APPARATUS WITH INTEGRATED POSITIONAL RESPONSIVE ALPHABETIC KEYBOARD
First Claim
1. A remote control apparatus comprising:
- a first transmission means for use when the remote control apparatus is in a horizontal orientation;
a second transmission means for use when the remote control apparatus is in a vertical orientation;
a keypad having a plurality of keys that have a first set of labels for use in the horizontal orientation and a second set of labels for use in the vertical orientation; and
a means for determining whether the remote control is in the horizontal orientation or the vertical orientation, wherein at least some of the keys have a first functionality when in the horizontal orientation and a second functionality when in the vertical orientation.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In accordance with one embodiment, a remote control apparatus includes a first transmission means for use when the remote control apparatus is in a horizontal orientation and a second transmission means for use when the remote control apparatus is in a vertical orientation. The remote control apparatus further includes a keypad having a plurality of keys that have a first set of labels for use in the horizontal orientation and a second set of labels for use in the vertical orientation. In addition, a means for determining whether the remote control is in the horizontal orientation or the vertical orientation is provided as part of the remote control apparatus. At least some of the keys have a first functionality when in the horizontal orientation and a second functionality when in the vertical orientation.
29 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A remote control apparatus comprising:
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a first transmission means for use when the remote control apparatus is in a horizontal orientation; a second transmission means for use when the remote control apparatus is in a vertical orientation; a keypad having a plurality of keys that have a first set of labels for use in the horizontal orientation and a second set of labels for use in the vertical orientation; and a means for determining whether the remote control is in the horizontal orientation or the vertical orientation, wherein at least some of the keys have a first functionality when in the horizontal orientation and a second functionality when in the vertical orientation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A remote control apparatus comprising:
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a keypad having a plurality of keys that have a first set of labels for use when the remote control is in a horizontal orientation and a second set of labels for use when the remote control is in a vertical orientation; and a means for determining whether the remote control is in the horizontal orientation or the vertical orientation, wherein at least some of the keys have a dual use in that the first label of one key corresponds to a first functionality realized by actuation of the key when the remote control is operating in a horizontal orientation mode and the second label for the same key corresponds to a second functionality realized by actuation of the key when the remote control is operating in a vertical orientation mode. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method for incorporating an alphabetic keyboard into a remote control device in order to provide full alphanumeric text entry as well as remote control functionality comprising the steps of:
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assigning a first set of labels to keys that are part of a keypad of the remote control apparatus, the first set of labels for use when the remote control apparatus is in a horizontal orientation; assigning a second set of labels to the keys of the keypad, the second set of labels for use when the remote control apparatus is in a vertical orientation; determining whether the remote control apparatus is in the horizontal orientation or the vertical orientation; using a first transmitter when the remote control apparatus is in the horizontal orientation to send information to a device to be controlled by the remote control device, the information corresponding to the first labels of the keys; and using a second transmitter when the remote control apparatus is in the vertical orientation to send information to the device to be controlled that corresponds to the second labels of the keys, whereby at least some of the keys have a dual use in that the same key has one function in the horizontal orientation and another function in the vertical orientation. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25)
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Specification