System and method for multi-mode command input

Abstract

A controlling device has a moveable touch sensitive panel positioned above a plurality of switches. When the controlling device senses an activation of at least one of the plurality of switches when caused by a movement of the touch sensitive panel resulting from an input at an input location upon the touch sensitive surface, the controlling device responds by transmitting a signal to an appliance wherein the signal is reflective of the input location upon the touch sensitive surface.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A remote control system for remotely controlling one or more devices and/or a user interface, the remote control system comprising:
 a remote control comprising:   a plurality of user input buttons, at least one of the user input buttons configured to receive a user input event and comprising at least one metal dome and a printed circuit board;   a plurality of sensors being coupled to the at least one of the user input buttons of the plurality of user input buttons, the plurality of sensors configured to generate sensor data in response to a user input event being received at the at least one of the user input buttons of the plurality of user input buttons; and   user input event detection logic configured to receive the sensor data and identify whether the user input event received at the at least one of the user input buttons of the plurality of user input buttons was a click event or a touch event, wherein the user input event detection logic identifies that the user input event is the click event based on receiving sensor data indicating that the at least one metal dome is depressed such that it forms an electrical connection on the printed circuit board. shorts the pair of electrodes of the corresponding user input button; and   command selection logic configured to cause a first control command to be executed in response to determining that the user input event received at the at least one of the user input buttons of the plurality of user input buttons was the click event and to cause a second control command to be executed in response to determining that the user input event received at the at least one of the user input buttons of the plurality of user input buttons was the touch event.   
     
     
         2 . The remote control system of  claim 1 , wherein the command selection logic comprises part of the remote control. 
     
     
         3 . The remote control system of  claim 1 , further comprising device control command execution logic, wherein the first and/or second control command is a command for remotely controlling a controlled device, and wherein the device control command execution logic causes the first and/or second control command to be executed at the controlled device. 
     
     
         4 . The remote control system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one of the user input buttons of the plurality of user input buttons of the plurality of user input buttons is a click pad having a plurality of sensors coupled thereto at corresponding sensor positions of the click pad, the click pad configured to receive a user input event at each of the sensor positions. 
     
     
         5 . The remote control system of  claim 1 , wherein a different control command from a set of control commands is mapped to each of the sensor positions of the click pad for each of at least a click input event and a touch input event, wherein the set of control commands includes the first control command and the second control command. 
     
     
         6 . The remote control system of  claim 1 , further comprising remote control user customization logic, the remote control user customization logic being configured to enable the user to selectively map different control commands of a plurality of control commands to different user input events. 
     
     
         7 . The remote control system of  claim 1 , wherein control commands of the plurality of control commands are executable through interaction with a graphical user interface associated with the remote control displayed on a screen associated with a device in communication with the remote control system.