US2005088333A1PendingUtilityA1

Portable internet-enabled controller and information browser for consumer devices

51
Priority: Dec 31, 1997Filed: Nov 2, 2004Published: Apr 28, 2005
Est. expiryDec 31, 2017(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:David E. Allport
H04N 7/14G11B 2220/41G06F 1/1626H04N 7/088H04N 21/47H04N 7/147H04N 21/47217H04N 21/42224G11B 27/34H04N 21/42204G08C 2201/33G11B 27/107H04N 21/43632A63F 2300/407H04N 21/482H04B 1/202A63F 2300/403G11B 2220/65G06F 1/169G06F 3/0489G11B 2220/2545H04N 21/4221H04N 21/4117G11B 2220/90H04N 21/426H04N 21/42226G08C 2201/21G11B 27/11H04N 21/42222H04N 21/42209H04N 21/8186H04N 21/4755G08C 23/04H04N 21/47214G06F 1/1671H04N 21/42221G08C 2201/92G06F 8/65G11B 27/105H04N 7/163G11B 27/002H04N 21/485
51
PatentIndex Score
0
Cited by
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References
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Claims

Abstract

A remote control uses IR (infrared) commands to control various consumer appliances made by various manufactures. The remote control is low-cost, consumer-friendly, programmable, has its own graphical display so it does not interfere with a TV or other viewing screen, and is capable of interacting with the internet or other data source to provide a rich set of functionality.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . A method of controlling a first device comprising the steps of: 
 providing a second device capable of sending commands, the second device having a memory, a screen, and a display;    accessing title-based descriptions in the memory of the second device;    arranging the title based descriptions;    displaying the title based descriptions on the display; and    identifying a command sequence to be sent to the first device from the second device to cause the first device to perform an action, said action occurring in response to an activation of an area on the screen corresponding to one of said title-based descriptions.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the title-based descriptions are loaded into the memory of the second device from a network.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the step of loading the title-based descriptions into the memory of the second device from a computing device.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the title-based descriptions comprise broadcast TV program names and one or more items of associated data.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the title-based descriptions comprise media on demand program names and one or more items of associated data.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the title-based descriptions comprise pay per view program names and one or more items of associated data.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the title-based descriptions comprise one or more items of data that are stored in a fixed or removable storage medium.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said action comprises playing a program associated with said one of said title-based descriptions.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said action comprises ordering a program associated with said one of said title-based descriptions.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said action comprises retrieving a program associated with said one of said title-based descriptions from a fixed or removable storage medium.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said first device is an output device.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein said output device is a television.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said commands are wireless commands.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein said wireless commands are sent via a wireless internet protocol.  
     
     
         15 . An apparatus, comprising: 
 a memory, a screen, a display, and an output port capable of sending commands;    title-based descriptions capable of residing in said memory, said title-based descriptions capable of being arranged and displayed on said display; and    said port adapted to send a command sequence to a device to cause said device to perform an action, said action occurring in response to an activation of an area on the screen corresponding to one of said title-based descriptions.    
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15  wherein the title-based descriptions are loaded into the memory from a network.  
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 15  further comprising a computing device capable of loading the title-based descriptions into said memory.  
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 15  wherein the title-based descriptions comprise broadcast TV program names and one or more items of associated data.  
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 15  wherein the title-based descriptions comprise media on demand program names and one or more items of associated data.  
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 15  wherein the title-based descriptions comprise pay per view program names and one or more items of associated data.  
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 15  wherein the title-based descriptions comprise one or more items of data that are stored in a fixed or removable storage medium.  
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 15  wherein said action comprises playing a program associated with said one of said title-based descriptions.  
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 15  wherein said action comprises ordering a program associated with said one of said title-based descriptions.  
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 15  wherein said action comprises retrieving a program associated with said one of said title-based descriptions from a fixed or removable storage medium.  
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of claim  51  wherein said device is an output device.  
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of  claim 25  wherein said output device is a television.  
     
     
         27 . The apparatus of  claim 15  wherein said commands are wireless commands.  
     
     
         28 . The apparatus of  claim 27  wherein said wireless commands are sent via a wireless internet protocol.  
     
     
         29 . A system for controlling a first device, comprising: 
 means for providing a second device capable of sending commands, the second device having a memory means, a screen means, and a display means;    means for accessing title-based descriptions in the memory means of the second device;    means for arranging the title based descriptions;    means for displaying the title based descriptions on the display means; and    means for identifying a command sequence to be sent to the first device from the second device to cause the first device to perform an action, said action occurring in response to an activation of an area on the screen means corresponding to one of said title-based descriptions.    
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 29  wherein the title-based descriptions are loaded into the memory means of the second device from a network.  
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 29  further comprising means for loading the title-based descriptions into the memory means of the second device from a computing device.  
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 29  wherein the title-based descriptions comprise broadcast TV program names and one or more items of associated data.  
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 29  wherein the title-based descriptions comprise media on demand program names and one or more items of associated data.  
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 29  wherein the title-based descriptions comprise pay per view program names and one or more items of associated data.  
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 29  wherein the title-based descriptions comprise one or more items of data that are stored in a fixed or removable storage medium.  
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 29  wherein said action comprises playing a program associated with said one of said title-based descriptions.  
     
     
         37 . The system of  claim 29  wherein said action comprises ordering a program associated with said one of said title-based descriptions.  
     
     
         38 . T he system of  claim 29  wherein said action comprises retrieving a program associated with said one of said title-based descriptions from a fixed or removable storage medium.  
     
     
         39 . The system of  claim 29  wherein said first device is an output device.  
     
     
         40 . The system of  claim 39  wherein said output device is a television.  
     
     
         41 . The system of  claim 29  wherein said commands are wireless commands.  
     
     
         42 . The system of  claim 29  wherein said wireless commands are sent via a wireless internet protocol.

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