Controller having reduced control key set and method for operating same in a learning, macro, or cloning mode
First Claim
1. A configurable controller system, including:
- a wall-mountable subassembly having a surface, and including configurable circuitry including a first switch set in a first region of the surface, a second switch set in a second region of the surface distinct from the first region, and a third switch set in a third region of the surface distinct from each of the first region and the second region;
a first control key insert, including a first control key set and configured to be removably mounted to the subassembly with the first control key set positioned over a first switch subset of the first switch set;
a second control key insert, including a second control key set and configured to be removably mounted to the subassembly in place of the first control key insert with the second control key set positioned over a second switch subset of the first switch set;
a third control key insert, including a third control key set and configured to be removably mounted to the subassembly with the third control key set positioned over a first switch subset of the second switch set;
a fourth control key insert, including a fourth control key set and configured to be removably mounted to the subassembly in place of the third control key insert with the fourth control key set positioned over a second switch subset of the second switch set; and
a fifih control key insert, including a fifih control key set and configured to be removably mounted to the subassembly with the fifih control key set positioned over the third switch set,wherein the circuitry is configurable to perform a first set of control operations of a first type in response to actuation of switches of the first switch subset of the first switch set, a second set of control operations of the first type in response to actuation of switches of the second switch subset of the first switch set, a first set of control operations of a second type in response to actuation of switches of the first switch subset of the second switch set, a second set of control operations of the second type in response to actuation of switches of the second switch subset of the second switch set, and at least one control operation of a third type in response to actuation of each switch of the third switch set, whereby the system can be configured to emulate any of a number of different controllers that perform at least one control operation of the first type, at least one control operation of the second type, and at least one control operation of the third type, and wherein the first control key insert is configured so as not to be mountable to the subassembly with the first control key set positioned over the second switch set and so as not to be mountable to the subassembly with the first control key set positioned over the third switch set, and the second control key insert is configured so as not to be removably mounted to the subassembly with the second control key set positioned over the second switch set and so as not to be removably mounted to the subassembly with the second control key set positioned over the third switch set.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
In some embodiments, a wall-mountable, configurable controller having control keys (e.g., less than eight keys or another small number of keys), a subassembly including circuitry, and a control key insert removably mountable to the subassembly and including at least one of the control keys. The circuitry can include a limit switch that is biased in a default state but moveable into a learning state in response to user-exerted force. In some embodiments, the controller includes an IR emitter and an IR receiver and is operable to clone another device by sending configuring radiation from the emitter to the other device'"'"'s IR receiver. Preferably, the emitter and receiver are positioned so that a controller'"'"'s IR emitter aligns with the IR receiver of an identical controller when the controllers are positioned face to face. In some embodiments, the controller provides audible and visual feedback to users when operating in a learning mode.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. A configurable controller system, including:
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a wall-mountable subassembly having a surface, and including configurable circuitry including a first switch set in a first region of the surface, a second switch set in a second region of the surface distinct from the first region, and a third switch set in a third region of the surface distinct from each of the first region and the second region; a first control key insert, including a first control key set and configured to be removably mounted to the subassembly with the first control key set positioned over a first switch subset of the first switch set; a second control key insert, including a second control key set and configured to be removably mounted to the subassembly in place of the first control key insert with the second control key set positioned over a second switch subset of the first switch set; a third control key insert, including a third control key set and configured to be removably mounted to the subassembly with the third control key set positioned over a first switch subset of the second switch set; a fourth control key insert, including a fourth control key set and configured to be removably mounted to the subassembly in place of the third control key insert with the fourth control key set positioned over a second switch subset of the second switch set; and a fifih control key insert, including a fifih control key set and configured to be removably mounted to the subassembly with the fifih control key set positioned over the third switch set, wherein the circuitry is configurable to perform a first set of control operations of a first type in response to actuation of switches of the first switch subset of the first switch set, a second set of control operations of the first type in response to actuation of switches of the second switch subset of the first switch set, a first set of control operations of a second type in response to actuation of switches of the first switch subset of the second switch set, a second set of control operations of the second type in response to actuation of switches of the second switch subset of the second switch set, and at least one control operation of a third type in response to actuation of each switch of the third switch set, whereby the system can be configured to emulate any of a number of different controllers that perform at least one control operation of the first type, at least one control operation of the second type, and at least one control operation of the third type, and wherein the first control key insert is configured so as not to be mountable to the subassembly with the first control key set positioned over the second switch set and so as not to be mountable to the subassembly with the first control key set positioned over the third switch set, and the second control key insert is configured so as not to be removably mounted to the subassembly with the second control key set positioned over the second switch set and so as not to be removably mounted to the subassembly with the second control key set positioned over the third switch set. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A configurable, wall-mountable controller, for controlling a target operable to receive content from a selected one of at least one source coupled to the target, said controller having a surface, control keys, and a control output, wherein the controller can be configured to assert at the control output, in response to actuations of the control keys, target control signals for controlling the target, but wherein the controller includes no source input configured to be coupled to any said source, said controller including:
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a first subassembly including configurable circuitry; a control key insert including a first key set, wherein the control key insert is removably mounted to the first subassembly so as to position the first key set in a first region of the surface; and a second control key insert including a second key set, wherein the second control key insert is removably mounted to the first subassembly so as to position the second key set in a second region of the surface, wherein the second region is distinct from the first region, each of the first key set and the second key set includes at least one of the control keys, the circuitry includes switches including at least one switch that is responsive to actuation of at least one key of the first key set and at least one other switch that is responsive to actuation of at least one key of the second key set, the circuitry is configured to perform at least one control operation of a first type in response to actuation of each key of the first key set and to perform at least one control operation of a second type in response to actuation of each key of the second key set, the circuitry is not configured to perform a control operation of the second type in response to actuation of any key of the first key set, and the circuitry is not configured to perform a control operation of the first type in response to actuation of any key of the second key set. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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Specification