Controlling device with dual-mode, touch-sensitive display

• US 7,782,309 B2
• Filed: 04/16/2008
• Issued: 08/24/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Universal Electronics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Universal Electronics, Inc.
• Inventors: Janik, Craig M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Abdulselam; Abbas I
• Application Number:
  US12/103,895
• Publication Number:
  US 20080191898A1
• Time in Patent Office: 860 Days
• Field of Search: 345/173, 345/156, 345/169, 348/14.02, 348/14.03, 348/14.05, 348/734, 340/5.61, 340/825.22, 715/700, 715/717, 178/18.01, 341/176, 386/83
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/92 Universal remote control
• 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 21/42206 characterized by hardware details
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42208 Display device provided on the remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42221 Transmission circuitry, e.g. infrared [IR] or radio frequency [RF]
• 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

Abstract

A universal controlling device having a touch-sensitive display. The display provides one or more graphical user interfaces comprised of graphical user interface icons that are selectable via the touch-sensitive display and the display accepts motions made by a stylus or finger in contact with the touch-sensitive display. The different interactions with the touch-sensitive display are used to cause the transmission of respective data to one or more appliances.

Claims

1. A method for using a universal controlling device comprised of a display having a touch-sensitive surface to transmit data to one or more appliances located remotely from the controlling device, comprising:

causing one or more graphical user interfaces comprised of graphical user interface icons to be displayed in the display of the universal controlling device;

accepting via the touch-sensitive surface of the universal controlling device a first input type indicative of a selection of a displayed graphical user interface icon;

causing the universal controlling device to transmit to the one or more appliances first data representative of the displayed graphical user interface icon selected by the first input type;

accepting via the touch-sensitive surface of the universal controlling device a second input type indicative of a motion made across the touch-sensitive surface;

causing the universal controlling device to transmit to the one or more appliances second data representative of the motion made across the touch-sensitive surface provided by the second input type; and

causing the universal controlling device to distinguish the first input type received via the touch-sensitive surface from the second input type received via the touch-sensitive surface.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the universal controlling device supports a first operational mode and a second operational mode and the universal controlling device uses the first operational mode and the second operational mode to distinguish the first input type received via the touch-sensitive surface from the second input type received via the touch-sensitive surface.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the universal controlling device automatically toggles between the first operational mode and the second operational mode.

4. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein the universal controlling device automatically toggles between the first operational mode and the second operational mode as a function of a state of the one or more appliances.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first data comprises command data for commanding one or more operational functions of the one or more appliances.

6. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein the second data comprises data for causing movement of a displayed cursor associated with the one or more appliances.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one of the first data and the second data are transmitted from the universal controlling device utilizing an IR protocol.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one of the first data and the second data are transmitted from the universal controlling utilizing an RF protocol.