MULTIMEDIA CONTROLLER TABLET

• US 20090240502A1
• Filed: 03/24/2008
• Published: 09/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: KEMPLIN, Richard
• Application Number:
  US12/053,764
• Publication Number:
  US 20090240502A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/275
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence

Abstract

A media controller tablet is disclosed comprising: an ergonomic housing including a pair of complimentary curvilinear surfaces tapering from an upper end to a lower end, and a gripping surface in contact with one of the complimentary curvilinear surfaces wherein the gripping surface and the complimentary curvilinear surfaces are adapted to engage a human hand with a palm of the human hand in contact with one of the pair of complimentary curvilinear surfaces and a plurality of fingers of the human hand wrapped around the gripping surface; a controller embedded in the ergonomic housing and adapted to receive an input and wirelessly control a media device in accordance with the input; and a display integrated with the ergonomic housing and connected with the controller for displaying information about media content available for viewing on the media device.

Claims

1. A media controller tablet, comprising:

an ergonomic housing including a pair of complimentary curvilinear surfaces tapering from an upper end to a lower end, and a gripping surface in contact with one of the complimentary curvilinear surfaces wherein the gripping surface and the complimentary curvilinear surfaces are adapted to engage a human hand with a palm of the human hand in contact with one of the pair of complimentary curvilinear surfaces and a plurality of fingers of the human hand wrapped around the gripping surface;

a controller embedded in the ergonomic housing and adapted to receive an input and wirelessly control a media device in accordance with the input; and

a display integrated with the ergonomic housing and connected with the controller for displaying information about media content available for viewing on the media device.

2. The media controller tablet of claim 1 further comprising a microphone coupled to the controller for receiving an audio input.

3. The media controller tablet of claim 2 wherein the controller is adapted to recognize a voice command received through the microphone.

4. The media controller tablet of claim 1 further comprising an audio port coupled to the controller and adapted to output an audio signal corresponding to an audio track.

5. The media controller tablet of claim 1 wherein the gripping surface of the ergonomic housing is substantially composed of an elastic material.

6. The media controller tablet of claim 1 wherein the gripping surface is adapted to engage four fingers of the human hand.

7. The media controller tablet of claim 1 further comprising a USB port connected to the controller, the USB port and the controller adapted to transfer media content between a USB device and the controller.

8. The media controller tablet of claim 1 wherein the controller is WiFi enabled and operable to receive media content from the internet.

9. The media controller tablet of claim 1 wherein the controller is Bluetooth enabled and the media device is Bluetooth enabled, and the controller is operable to receive media content from the media device through a Bluetooth link.

10. The media controller tablet of claim 1 wherein the display is a touch screen display and the touch screen display is adapted to receive the input for controlling the media device.

11. The media controller tablet of claim 1 wherein the controller is operable to display a guide on the display.

12. A handheld media device controller, comprising:

a housing adapted to be cradled in a hand;

a controller located substantially within the housing for controlling a media device; and

a display coupled to the housing for displaying content that corresponds to media content available through the media device.

13. The handheld media device controller of claim 12 wherein the housing has a plurality of curvilinear surfaces and a plurality of buttons arranged in an ergonomic configuration for actuation by the hand.

14. The handheld media device controller of claim 12 wherein the housing has a plurality of curvilinear surfaces and the display is a touch screen display.

15. The handheld media device controller of claim 12 further comprising a wireless component connected with the controller, the wireless means adapted to communicate over a network.

16. The handheld media device controller of claim 12 wherein the media device is a television.

17. The handheld media device controller of claim 12 wherein the media device is a digital video disc player.

18. The handheld media device controller of claim 12 wherein the media device is stereo system.

19. A remote control device for controlling a plurality of media devices, the remote control device having:

a housing adapted to be held in a hand;

a controller inside the housing adapted to receive content information from each of the plurality of media devices; and

a display coupled to the housing for displaying the content information from each of the plurality of media devices.

20. The remote control of claim 19 wherein the content information from each of the plurality of media devices includes a listing of available media content.