Television – Receiver circuitry – Remote control
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-06
2001-08-21
Grant, Chris (Department: 2711)
Television
Receiver circuitry
Remote control
C725S141000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06278499
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an interactive two-way remote control having an advertising display on a visual display of the remote control and circuitry for maintaining the advertising display on the visual display when the remote control is in a quiescent state.
2. Description of the Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR §§ 1.97-1.99
Hand held remote controls are normally battery operated devices capable of sending control commands wirelessly (using IR or RF) in one direction only, from the handset to the controlled device. Even when the handset is fitted with a display, the display typically is used only for enhancing the user interface on the remote control itself, for instance in displaying the status of the remote control or aiding in initial setup of the remote control.
Heretofore, various systems have been proposed for the remote display of information, such as the display of prices on the edge of a shelf in a supermarket or information on the screen of a television set. Also, there have been proposed remote control devices including key back-lighting, credit card and smart card readers and built in modems or adapters for communicating with a modem. Several examples of such previously proposed remote control devices and remote display systems are disclosed in the following U.S. Pat. Nos.:
U.S. Pat. No.
Patentee
4,888,709
Revesz et al.
4,959,810
Darbee
4,962,466
Revesz et al.
5,204,768
Tsakiris et al.
5,249,044
Von Kohorn
5,285,278
Holman
5,287,181
Holman
5,355,480
Smith et al.
5,396,546
Remillard
5,404,393
Remillard
5,410,326
Goldstein
5,416,535
Sato et al.
5,450,079
Dunaway
5,455,570
Cook et al.
5,461,667
Remillard
5,497,185
Dufresne et al.
5,502,504
Marshall et al.
5,504,475
Houdou et al.
5,532,689
Bueno
5,537,107
Furnado
5,537,463
Escobosa et al.
5,539,393
Barfod
5,552,837
Mankovitz
5,566,353
Cho et al.
5,568,367
Park
5,603,078
Henderson et al.
5,576,768
Gomikawa
5,604,923
Wilkus
PCT Patent Publication
Applicant
WO 93/12612
Yuen at al.
WO 93/19427
Singer st al.
WO 94/15417
Minimetrics Limited
WO 95/32583
TV Guide On Screen
WO 95/01056
Apple Computer, Inc.
WO 95/01057
Apple Computer, Inc.
WO 95/01058
Apple Computer, Inc.
WO 95/01059
Apple Computer, Inc.
Two way data coupling in a remote control is disclosed in the Darbee et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,959,810.
The Tsakiris et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,204,768 discloses a remote controlled electronic presentation system including a wireless remote control which includes an infrared receiver and an infrared transmitter for communicating with a remote transceiver coupled to a computer.
The Smith et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,355,480 discloses an interactive terminal which is coupled via two-way RF communication to a central location designated as the system manager. A key pad which may be directly coupled via an infrared remote control transmission link receiver is actuated to cause a prompting screen to be displayed on a television set.
The Remillard U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,396,546, 5,404,393 and 5,461,667 are directed to an electronic device and method for accessing remote electronic facilities and displaying information retrieved from the remote electronic facility on a conventional television set including a host computer connected to a television set and to a telephone line. An electronic device interface is coupled between the television set and the host computer and facilitates display of retrieved data on the television set under the operation of a remote key pad control having keys for initiating the sending of menu selection signals to the electronic device interface.
The Goldstein U.S. Pat. No. 5,410,326 discloses a programmable remote control device for interacting with a plurality of remotely controlled devices, including an optical input, an IR input and an audio input for transferring embedded data in a television broadcast to the remote control device. The remote control has an FM bi-directional communication link to a telephone interface which can be radio frequency coupled to a television set or to a telephone line or a power line. The remote control has a visual display and advertising can be displayed on the visual display.
The Dunaway U.S. Pat. No. 5,450,079 discloses a multimodal hand-held remote control device including a IR transmitter and an IR receiver and/or RS 232 interface for transmitting data to and receiving data from a controlled multimedia or host.
The Cook et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,455,550 discloses a method and apparatus for communication of program data via a remote control unit including a remote control having an RF receiver and an RF transmitter for communicating with a digital music tuner.
The Marshall et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,502,504 discloses a video mix program guide stored in a computer and having an infrared radio frequency receiver. A viewer sends commands to the receiver to control operation of the computer by use of an infrared or radio frequency remote control transmitter.
The Apple Computer, Inc. PCT Patent Publication Nos. WO 95/01057, WO 95/01056, WO 95/01058 and WO 95/01059 disclose an interactive audio-visual (AV) transceiver coupled to a television set and/or a telephone cable. A remote control device is provided for communication with the AV transceiver to interactively manage selection of program and service sources. The remote control device sends and receives wireless (IR) control signals to and from an IR control unit and the audio-visual transceiver.
The Minimetrics Limited PCT Patent Publication No. WO 94/15417 discloses a combined remote control and data logging unit for use as a market research tool and includes a transceiver comprising infrared input and an infrared output.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a remote control with a display which is capable of wirelessly (via IR or RF) receiving information. Receiving information for updating remote control codes is taught in the Darbee et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,959,810. The present invention receives information for the purpose of advertising on the remote control. The advantage is that, in contrast to a television, the display on the remote control can always be on, meaning that the remote control can act as a coffee-table billboard, touting pay-per-view events, products, services, coupon offers or any other advertising offers.
The advertising message on the remote control is an information payload, in the sense that an advertiser can be charged for time on the remote control's screen. It is important, therefore, that the entire display be available for the payload message as much of the time as possible. The present invention uses a timer in the remote control to display the payload message within a certain interval after the user is finished using the remote control to control equipment.
One embodiment of the invention uses a motion detector to determine if the user has picked up the remote control, at which time a popup overlay of the payload message can indicate the current status of the remote control. Such time- and space-sharing of the remote control's screen maximizes the exposure of the advertising message to the user.
When the remote control is used in conjunction with interactive applications running on a television settop box, the TV itself, or a computer, it is often important that interactive advertising offers appearing during commercial program breaks not extend into the program proper. In this case, the display of the remote control can extend the time available to the user to respond to interactive offers by “trailing” the offer to the remote control's screen after the interactive ad has disappeared from the TV (or PC) screen and regular programming has resumed.
Many systems which a remote control can control are two-way themselves, meaning that information originating from the user can be read by or delivered to a “head end.” Such systems allow transactions by the user, such as responses to advertising offers, merely by pressing a button on the remote control. In conjunction with such two-way media, the
Darbee Paul
O'Donnell Frank
Thompson Brandt
Evolve Products, Inc.
Grant Chris
Vigil Thomas R.
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