SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR INTERACTING WITH A PROGRAM GUIDE DISPLAYED ON A PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE

• US 20140215528A1
• Filed: 04/03/2014
• Published: 07/31/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Universal Electronics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Universal Electronics, Inc.
• Inventors: Haughawout, Joseph Lee, Dresti, Mauro, Klein, Sandro David, Louie, Alex, Huang, Steve LanPing, Hayes, Patrick H., Wang, Weidong William, Yu, Han-Sheng
• Granted Patent: US 10,469,786 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/54
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3682 output of POI information on a road map G01C21/3614, G01C21/3685 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04806 Zoom, i.e. interaction techniques or interactors for controlling the zooming operation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/92 Universal remote control
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/102 using electrical means
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/202 by remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• 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 21/42225 characterized by types of remote control, e.g. universal remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42227 the keys being reprogrammable, e.g. soft keys
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4383 Accessing a communication channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47214 : for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4722 : for requesting additional data associated with the content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 : End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4821 : using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4823 : using a channel name
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/485 : End-user interface for client configuration

Abstract

A method for controlling the operation of a plurality of consumer electronic devices by displaying a plurality of broadcast channel identifiers each corresponding to a broadcast channel in a display of a controlling device adapted to command at least channel tuning operations of the plurality of consumer electronic devices. Input is accepted into the controlling device that functions to designate one of the plurality of broadcast channel identifiers and the controlling device uses the designation of the one of the plurality of broadcast channel identifiers to cause a transmission of a wireless signal from the controlling device to a one of the plurality of consumer electronic devices to thereby cause the one of the plurality of consumer electronic devices to tune to the broadcast channel corresponding to the designated one of the plurality of broadcast channel identifiers. A condition associated with at least one of the controlling device and the designated one of the plurality of broadcast channel identifiers functions to determine the one of the plurality of consumer electronic devices to which the wireless signal is transmitted.

Claims

1. A method for controlling the operation of a consumer electronic device, comprising:

displaying a plurality of broadcast channel identifiers each corresponding to a broadcast channel in a display of a controlling device adapted to command at least channel tuning operations of the consumer electronic device;

accepting input into the controlling device that functions to designate one of the plurality of broadcast channel identifiers; and

using the designation of the one of the plurality of broadcast channel identifiers to cause a transmission of a wireless signal from the controlling device to the consumer electronic device to thereby cause the consumer electronic device to tune to the broadcast channel corresponding to the designated one of the plurality of broadcast channel identifiers wherein a condition associated with the controlling device determines a channel tuning command sequence that is to be transmitted to the consumer electronic device to cause the consumer electronic device to tune to the broadcast channel corresponding to the designated one of the plurality of broadcast channel identifiers.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the condition associated with the controlling device is indicative of a geographical location in which the controlling device is currently being used.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, comprising downloading to the controlling device the plurality of broadcast channel identifiers.

4. The method as recited in claim 3, comprising downloading to the controlling device the channel tuning command sequence.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, comprising downloading to the controlling device the channel tuning command sequence.

6. The method as recited in claim 2, comprising downloading to the controlling device the plurality of broadcast channel identifiers.

7. The method as recited in claim 6, comprising downloading to the controlling device the channel tuning command sequence.

8. The method as recited in claim 2, comprising downloading to the controlling device the channel tuning command sequence.

9. The method as recited in claim 8, comprising providing one or more input elements to allow a user to modify the downloaded channel tuning command sequence.

10. The method as recited in claim 1, comprising using service provider information to determine the plurality of broadcast channel identifiers to display.

11. The method as recited in claim 2, comprising using service provider information to determine the plurality of broadcast channel identifiers to display.

12. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the display of the controlling device comprises a touch-sensitive display.

13. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the condition is indicative of a room in which the controlling device is currently being used.

14. A controlling device for controlling the operation of a consumer electronic device, comprising:

a touch-sensitive display;

a transmitting device;

a processing device coupled to the touch-sensitive display and the transmitting device; and

a memory storing instructions executable by the processing device, the instructions causing the processing device to;

display in the touch-sensitive display a plurality of broadcast channel identifiers each corresponding to a broadcast channel;

receive a signal from the touch-sensitive display indicative of a designation of a one of the plurality of broadcast channel identifiers; and

use the signal indicative of the designation of the one of the plurality of broadcast channel identifiers to cause the transmitting device to transmit a wireless signal to the consumer electronic device to thereby cause the consumer electronic device to tune to the broadcast channel corresponding to the designated one of the plurality of broadcast channel identifiers wherein a location condition associated with the controlling device determines a channel tuning command sequence that is to be transmitted by the transmitting device to cause the consumer electronic device to tune to the broadcast channel corresponding to the designated one of the plurality of broadcast channel identifiers.

15. The controlling device as recited in claim 14, wherein the plurality of broadcast channel identifiers is downloaded to the controlling device.

16. The controlling device as recited in claim 15, wherein the channel tuning command sequence is downloaded to the controlling device.

17. The controlling device as recited in claim 14, wherein the channel tuning command sequence is downloaded to the controlling device.

18. The controlling device as recited in claim 16, wherein the instructions use input received from one or more input elements of the controlling device to modify the downloaded channel tuning command sequence.

19. The controlling device as recited in claim 17, wherein the instructions use input received from one or more input elements of the controlling device to modify the downloaded channel tuning command sequence.

20. The controlling device as recited in claim 15, wherein service provider information determines the plurality of broadcast channel identifiers to display in the touch-sensitive display.