Convenient and easy to use button layout for a remote control

• US 8,704,643 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2008
• Issued: 04/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Logitech Europe S A (Logitech International SA)
• Original Assignee: Logitech Europe S A (Logitech International SA)
• Inventors: Bates, Mathew, Zaliauskas, Alex, Glover, Barbara
• Primary Examiner(s): BROWN, VERNAL U
• Application Number:
  US12/239,437
• Publication Number:
  US 20090224955A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,034 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.2, 340/825.69, 340/426.13, 340/12.22, 340/5.64, 341/176
• US Class Current: 340/12.22
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 19/28 using pulse code
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/21 Programming remote control devices via third means
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 23/04 using light waves, e.g. infrared

Abstract

A remote control includes a screen configured to display a plurality of soft buttons in a first order. The remote control further includes a memory configured to store use information for the plurality of soft buttons. The use information includes a number of button presses for each of the plurality of soft buttons. The remote control further includes a processor configured to determine whether one of the plurality of soft buttons is pressed a great number of times than a second of the plurality of soft buttons, and to change the display of the plurality of soft buttons to a second order where the one of the plurality of soft buttons is displayed in the second order at a higher position than in the first order.

Claims

1. A remote control comprising:

a screen configured to display a plurality of soft buttons in a first order, each soft button having a corresponding activity from a plurality of activities, at least one activity of the activities including presentation of content collectively by a plurality of consumer electronic devices and having a corresponding soft button that, when selected, causes each of the plurality of consumer electronic devices to change state; and

a memory configured to store use information for the plurality of soft buttons wherein the use information includes a number of button presses for each of the plurality of soft buttons;

a processor configured to;

determine whether one of the plurality of soft buttons is pressed a number of times that exceeds a threshold number of times and that is greater than a number of times a second of the plurality of soft buttons is pressed, and, as a result of determining that the one of the plurality of soft buttons is pressed the number of times that exceeds the threshold number of times and that is greater than the number of times the second of the plurality of the plurality of soft buttons is pressed, to change the display of the plurality of soft buttons to a second order where the one of the plurality of soft buttons is displayed in the second order at a higher position than in the first order; and

change the display of the plurality of first buttons based at least in part on use information of a second remote control.

2. The remote control of claim 1, further comprising a housing connected with the screen, the housing being configured to encourage a particular grip of the remote control by a human hand where the higher position is easier to touch than a lower position of the screen.

3. A remote control system comprising:

a first remote control having a screen configured to display a plurality of soft buttons in a first order and a second order, each of the soft buttons corresponding to a corresponding activity involving one or more consumer electronic devices controllable using the first remote control, at least one of the activities involving collective participation by a plurality of the consumer electronic devices in the activity, and wherein the first remote control is configured to collect tracking information for the soft buttons wherein the tracking information includes a number of button presses for each soft button;

a remote database configured to receive the tracking information from the first remote control, wherein the remote database is configured to determine whether one of the plurality of soft buttons is pressed a number of times that exceeds a threshold number of times and that is greater than a number of times a second of the plurality of soft buttons is pressed, and, based at least in part on the determination, send a command to the first remote control to change the display of the plurality of soft buttons from the first order to the second order where the one of the plurality of soft buttons is displayed in the second order at a higher position than in the first order; and

a second remote control configured to change a display of soft buttons based at least in part on tracking information of the first remote control.

4. The remote control system of claim 3, further comprising:

a host computer configured to couple to the remote control to receive the tracking information from the remote control; and

a network configured to receive the tracking information from the host and transfer the tracking information to the remote database.

5. The remote control system of claim 3, wherein the first remote control is configured for use by a plurality of users and displays the plurality of soft buttons on the screen in a unique configuration for each of the plurality of users based at least in part on tracking information for each of the plurality of users.

6. A remote control system comprising:

a first remote control having a screen configured to display a plurality of soft buttons in a first order and a second order, each of the soft buttons corresponding to a corresponding activity involving one or more consumer electronic devices controllable using the first remote control, at least one of the activities involving collective participation by a plurality of the consumer electronic devices in the activity, and wherein the first remote control is configured to collect tracking information for a subset of the plurality of soft buttons wherein the tracking information includes a number of button presses for each of the subset of the plurality of soft buttons;

a host configured to receive the tracking information from the first remote control, wherein the host is configured to determine whether one of the subset of the plurality of soft buttons is pressed a number of times that exceeds a threshold number of times and that is greater than a number of times a second of the subset of the plurality of soft buttons has been pressed, and, based at least in part on the determination, send a command to the remote control to change the display of the plurality of soft buttons from the first order to the second order where the one of the subset of the plurality of soft buttons is displayed in the second order at a higher position than in the first order; and

a second remote control configured to change a display of soft buttons based at least in part on tracking information of the first remote control.

7. The remote control system of claim 6, wherein:

the host is further configured to send the command to the second remote control; and

the second remote control is configured to change the display of soft buttons based at least in part on tracking information of the first remote control as a result of receiving the command from the host.

8. The remote control system of claim 6, wherein the first remote control comprises a housing connected with the screen, the housing being configured to encourage a particular grip of the remote control by a human hand where the higher position is easier to touch than a lower position of the screen.

9. A remote control facilitating blind navigation of a user'"'"'s home-entertainment system, the remote control comprising:

a display;

a plurality of zones placed underneath the display, each zone comprising a plurality of buttons, wherein a most frequently used one of the plurality of zones is placed in an easily accessible location on the remote control, and wherein a most frequently used of the plurality of buttons for the most frequently used one of the plurality of zones is placed in a central location within the most frequently used one of the plurality of zones; and

a processor configured to change the display of the plurality of first buttons based at least in part on use information of a second remote control.

10. The remote control of claim 9, further comprising a housing connected with the display, the housing being configured to encourage a particular grip of the remote control by a human hand where the easily accessible location is touchable by a finger of the human hand while engaged in the particular grip.

11. The remote control of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to track usage of the remote control and change the display of the plurality of buttons based at least in part on the tracked usage such that another button is placed in the central location when the other button is pressed a number of times that is greater than a threshold and becomes the most frequently used of the plurality of buttons.

12. A method for providing a user with an easily usable remote control, the method comprising:

providing a plurality of zones on a first remote control, the first remote control having a housing that is contoured to encourage a particular grip of the first remote control and each zone serving a specific purpose, each zone comprising a plurality of buttons;

placing the plurality of zones on the first remote control such that a more frequently used one of the plurality of zones is naturally touched by the user gripping the first remote control according to the encouraged particular grip;

placing the plurality of buttons within one of the plurality of zones such that the user can more easily access a more frequently used of the plurality of buttons;

formatting the plurality of buttons within the one of the plurality of zones such that the user can easily tactilely distinguish between the plurality of buttons; and

adjusting a display of soft buttons on a second remote control based at least in part on use information of the first remote control.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of formatting the plurality of buttons includes of one of shaping, sizing, and texturing the plurality of buttons.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

collecting data relating to usage patterns to determine one of the more frequently used one of the plurality of zones and the more frequently used of the plurality of buttons.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of collecting data comprising:

recording first data relating to frequency of usage of one of the plurality of zones from the remote control;

recording second data relating to frequency of usage of one of the plurality of buttons from the remote control; and

transmitting the first and second data to a database.

16. A remote control system comprising:

a plurality of elements of a user interface, each of the elements corresponding to an activity involving one or more consumer electronic devices controllable using a first remote control, at least one of the activities involving collective participation by a plurality of the consumer electronic devices in the activity;

a processor configured to manipulate the plurality of the elements of the user interface, based at least in part upon usage information for a subset of the plurality of elements of the user interface indicating that the subset has been selected a number of times that is greater than a threshold and that is greater than a number of times a second subset of the plurality of elements has been pressed; and

a communications module configured to send information to a second remote control for changing a display of a plurality of soft buttons on the second remote control based at least in part on the usage information of the first remote control.

17. The remote control system of claim 16, wherein the usage information includes a frequency of usage of each of the subset of the plurality of elements.

18. The remote control system of claim 16, further comprising a memory configured to store the usage information.

19. The remote control system of claim 16, wherein the processor is located on a remote server.

20. The remote control system of claim 16, wherein the processor is located on a local host.