Two-sided remote control

Abstract

A remote control is described that with at least two faces that have at least one touch-based input. The remote control also includes an orientation sensor that determines the orientation of the remote control. A processor on the remote ignores signals from inputs on certain faces of the remote based upon the orientation of the remote control.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A remote control for controlling a display device comprising:
 a) a first face being generally upwardly facing when the remote control is in a first position, the first face having a plurality of input buttons;   b) a second face located on the remote control opposite the first face, the second face being generally upwardly facing when the remote control is in a second position, the second face comprising a display screen;   c) an orientation sensor;   d) a transmitter for transmitting signals; and   e) a processor that:
 i) examines the orientation sensor to determine whether the remote control is in the first position or the second position, 
 ii) when the remote control is in the first position:
 (1) transmits signals through the transmitter based on inputs received from the plurality of input buttons, and 
 (2) powers down the display screen, and 
 
 iii) when the remote control is in the second position, powers the display screen so as to present information to a user. 
   
     
     
         2 . The remote control of  claim 1 , wherein the input buttons are physical push buttons that receive input by moving physically with respect to the first face. 
     
     
         3 . The remote control of  claim 2 , wherein the first face is rectangular, wherein the physical push buttons extend by no more than a first distance above the first face, wherein the first face further comprises four separate corner stand elements, each located proximal to a corner of the rectangular first face, the corner stand elements extending above the first face at a second distance greater than the first distance, such that, when the first face is laid down on a flat surface only the corner stand elements contact the flat surface and the physical push buttons do not contact the flat surface. 
     
     
         4 . The remote control of  claim 1 , wherein a majority of the second face is covered by the display screen and wherein the second face has no input buttons outside the display screen. 
     
     
         5 . The remote control of  claim 1 , wherein when the remote control is in the second position, the remote control ignores inputs received from the plurality of input buttons on the first face. 
     
     
         6 . The remote control of  claim 5 , wherein the display screen is a touchscreen that receives touchscreen inputs, wherein the processor ignores touchscreen inputs when the remote control is held in the first position and transmits signals through the transmitter based on the touchscreen inputs when the remote control is in the second position. 
     
     
         7 . The remote control of  claim 6 , wherein the display screen shows an electronic program guide when the remote control is in the second position. 
     
     
         8 . The remote control of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 f) a Wi-Fi interface for communicating with a data network;   wherein the remote control receives electronic program guide information over the data network, further wherein touchscreen inputs relating to electronic program guide commands are transmitted by the transmitter.   
     
     
         9 . The remote control of  claim 6 , wherein the display screen shows a keyboard comprising twenty-six letters of the English Latin alphabet. 
     
     
         10 . The remote control of  claim 6 , wherein the physical push buttons comprise a simplified interface without any advanced buttons selected from an advanced button set comprising picture-in-picture buttons and color modification buttons; and wherein the touchscreen displays advanced buttons selected from the advanced button set. 
     
     
         11 . The remote control of  claim 6 , wherein when the remote control is in the second position, the remote control ignores inputs received from the plurality of input buttons on the first face. 
     
     
         12 . The remote control of  claim 1 , further comprising a receiver for receiving a live video signal from the display device, wherein the live video signal is programming available on the display device that is not currently displayed on the display device, further wherein the programming is displayed on the display screen. 
     
     
         13 . A method for operating a remote control comprising:
 a) using an orientation sensor to detect an orientation of the remote control, the remote control having a first input found on a first side of the remote control and a display screen found on a second side of the remote control, the second side being located on the opposite side of the remote control as the first side;   b) when the orientation indicates that the first side of the remote control is generally upwardly facing, activating the first input found on the first side of the remote control and deactivating the display screen found on the second side of the remote control;   c) when the orientation indicates that the second side of the remote control is generally upwardly facing, activating the display screen found on the second side of the remote control and deactivating the first input found on the first side of the remote control; and   d) transmitting signals received from the first input only when the first input is activated.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the display screen incorporates a touch-based input interface, wherein the touch-based input interface on the display screen is activated when the display screen is activated, further comprising:
 e) transmitting signals received from the touch-based input interface when the touch-based input interface is activated.   
     
     
         15 . A television system comprising:
 a) a television having:
 i) a television display, and 
 ii) a remote receiver interface that receives control signals for the television; and 
   b) a remote control having:
 i) a first side with having a plurality of first-side buttons, 
 ii) a second side located on an opposite side of the remote control as the first side, the second side having a display screen that displays information to a user, 
 iii) an orientation sensor that determines whether the remote control is in a first position with the first side facing generally upward or a second position with the second side facing generally upward, 
 iv) a processor that activates the first-side buttons and deactivates the display screen when the remote control is in the first position, and that activates the display screen and deactivates the first side-buttons when the remote control is in the second position, and 
 v) a transmitter that transmits the control signals to the remote receiver interface based on inputs received from the first-side buttons only when the first-side buttons are activated. 
   
     
     
         16 . The television system of  claim 15 , wherein the display screen is a touchscreen that receives a touchscreen input, wherein transmitter transmits the touchscreen input only when the display screen is activated. 
     
     
         17 . The television system of  claim 16 , wherein a majority of the second side of the remote control is covered by the display screen and wherein the second side of the remote control has no input buttons outside the display screen. 
     
     
         18 . The remote control of  claim 16 , wherein the display screen shows a keyboard comprising twenty-six letters of the English Latin alphabet. 
     
     
         19 . The remote control of  claim 16 , wherein the first-side buttons comprise a simplified interface without any advanced buttons selected from an advanced button set comprising picture-in-picture buttons and color modification buttons; and wherein the display screen displays advanced buttons selected from the advanced button set. 
     
     
         20 . The remote control of  claim 15 , wherein the television further comprises a video transmitter that transmits a video feed that is not currently displayed on the television display, and wherein the remote control includes a receiver that receives the video feed, wherein the video feed is displayed on the display screen of the remote control.