Designer control devices

Abstract

A control device configurable to couple to one or more devices having different control functions and a method of facilitating remote control of at least one device having different control functions includes a processor that receives an instruction for at least one of the control functions and additional information from the at least one device, the processor including a plurality of processing algorithms, the additional information received from the at least one device including at least a locally transmitted data signal. The processor selectably processes the additional information using at least one of the processing algorithms and controls a touch sensitive display reconfigurable for the different control functions, such that the at least one control function and the selectably processed additional information are presented on the touch sensitive display. The processor also generates at least one control signal responsive to receiving the locally transmitted data signal. Other embodiments are disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A control device configurable to couple to one or more devices having different control functions comprising:
 a touch sensitive display reconfigurable for the different control functions of the one or more devices; and   a processor coupled to the touch sensitive display, the processor including a plurality of processing algorithms, the processor configured to receive at least one of the control functions and additional information from among the one or more devices, the processor configured to selectably process the additional information using at least one of the processing algorithms based on the respective device and to control the touch sensitive display such that the at least one control function and the selectably processed additional information peculiar to the respective device of the one or more devices are presented on the touch sensitive display,   where the processor, responsive to an indication by the touch sensitive display, generates at least one control signal, where the processor sends the at least one control signal to the corresponding device among the one or more devices being controlled and sends the selectably processed additional information to at least one of the plurality of devices, and   where the additional information received from among the one or more devices includes a signal generated from at least one of the plurality of processing algorithms including a locally transmitted data signal.   
     
     
         2 . The control device of  claim 1 , wherein the locally transmitted signal is a signal resulting from analysis by an audio forensic analysis system. 
     
     
         3 . The control device of  claim 1 , wherein the processor processes data from either a local biometric sensor or a remote biometric sensor or both. 
     
     
         4 . The control device of  claim 1 , wherein the processor processes data from a biometric sensor to detect electro-cardiac signals. 
     
     
         5 . The control device of  claim 1 , wherein the processor processes data from a biometric sensor for presentation via an auditory display. 
     
     
         6 . The control device of  claim 1 , wherein the processor processes data from a biometric sensor and sends data to a heart-rate logging system using a memory on the control device or on the one or more devices. 
     
     
         7 . The control device of  claim 1 , wherein the locally transmitted data signal is a signal from a nearby product vending machine offering a product or from a particular location or event of interest matching a user profile. 
     
     
         8 . The control device according to  claim 1 , where the control device is a piece of jewelry. 
     
     
         9 . The control device according to  claim 5 , where the at least one control function is received or sent by the processor via at least one of a wired connection or a wireless connection. 
     
     
         10 . The control device according to  claim 1  where the processor generates a plurality of control signals for the one or more devices. 
     
     
         11 . The control device according to  claim 1 , wherein the control device includes a low battery warning system that provides a remaining battery status of the control device or of the one or more devices. 
     
     
         12 . The control device of  claim 1 , wherein the processor provides for bi-directional in-situ processing of audio signals by controlling an ambient microphone coupled to the processor to record an ambient sound field. 
     
     
         13 . The control device of  claim 1 , wherein the processor dynamically modifies a user interface of the control device based on an operating mode of the control device. 
     
     
         14 . The control device of  claim 1 , wherein the locally transmitted data signal provides heart-rate information transmitted to a headset system. 
     
     
         15 . The control device of  claim 14 , wherein the heart-rate information is auralized using head-related transfer function processing. 
     
     
         16 . The control device of  claim 14 , wherein the touch sensitive display indicates an operational status of an earphone device operationally coupled to the control device. 
     
     
         17 . A method of facilitating remote control of at least one device having different control functions comprising:
 receiving, by a processor, an instruction for at least one of the control functions and additional information from the at least one device, the processor including a plurality of processing algorithms, the additional information received from the at least one device including at least a locally transmitted data signal;   causing the processor to selectably process the additional information using at least one of the processing algorithms and to control a touch sensitive display reconfigurable for the different control functions of the at least one device, such that the at least one control function and the selectably processed additional information are presented on the touch sensitive display; and   generating at least one control signal by the processor responsive to receiving the locally transmitted data signal.   
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 17 , where the at least one device includes at least one of a cell phone, a personal media player, a computer device, a biometric sensor system or a headset. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 17 , where the at least one control signal is configured to control at least one of sound reproduction, sound recording or sound exposure monitoring of the corresponding device. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein the locally transmitted data signal is a signal from a biometric sensor operatively coupled to the processor.