US 2006/0132326 A1 · Universal remote controller with voice and digital memory

Abstract

An improved universal remote control unit (URC) for controlling electronic appliance units. The URC unit has the typical remote controller module for controlling appliances such as TV, stereo, VCR or DVD. Additionally, the URC has a scratch pad memory for storing telephone numbers and web site information entered through the URC unit's alphanumeric keys. When activated, the key pad entries are stored in the memory, instead of being used to control the appliance. The URC unit further has a digital recorder module that can be implemented with a microphone, a voice recorder chip and a speaker, all integrated with the URC unit. The digital recorder module can even use the battery that is typically used by the URC unit. The URC unit further has a display screen to display the information stored in and recalled from the memory.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A universal remote control (“URC”) to control at least one electronic appliance, comprising:

a housing;
a first control circuit which, responsive to a user's command, remotely controls the operation of the at least one electronic appliance, the first control circuit being located within the housing;
a digital voice recorder, disposed within the housing, which records audio signal from both a user and the user's ambience, and plays back said audio signal, responsive to a user's command, said digital voice recorder and said first control circuit being operationally independent of each other;
a power supply located within said housing, said power supply being adapted to provide power to said first control circuit and said digital voice recorder, further comprising
a plurality of keys on the housing, representing a set of numerical keys corresponding to the numerals “0” through “9”;
a scratch pad memory which, upon activation by the user, controllably stores the numerical keys entered by the user, independent of the operation of said first control circuit so as not to interfere with the operation of said appliance;
a display on the housing to display the numerical keys entered by the user.

4 more elements

A universal remote control (“URC”) to control at least one electronic appliance, comprising:

a portable housing (40);
a plurality of keys (405) on said housing, comprising a set of numerical keys corresponding to the numerals “0” through “9”, superimposed by alphabets from letter “A” through “Z”;
a first control circuit (418) which, responsive to inputting from said keys, remotely controls the operation of the at least one electronic appliance, the first control circuit being located within the housing;
a memory (420) which controllably stores the keys entered by the user, independent of the operation of said first control circuit;
an LCD display (450) on the housing to display the keys stored in said memory;
a second control circuit (419) coupled to said scratch pad memory, said second control circuit being adapted to controllably store the numerical keys entered by the user to into said scratch pad memory, independent of the operation of said first control circuit;
a mode control circuit (430) coupled to said first and second control circuits for selecting one of said first and second control circuits to operate independent of the other.

4 more elements

An URC for remotely controlling at least one appliance, comprising:

a portable housing (40) having a form factor for palm-top handling;
a set of keys disposed on said portable housing for generating data signals representative alphanumeric signals;
a first control signal circuit (406) for controllably generating a first control signal;
an operation module (100) disposed within said portable housing for controlling said at least one appliance remotely;
a control operation circuit (418) coupled to said operation module for controllably activating said operation module based on said data signals;
a memory unit (420) disposed within said portable housing for controllably storing said control signals;
a memory operation circuit (419) coupled to said memory unit for controlling said memory unit;
a mode control circuit (430) coupled to said first control signal circuit, said control operation circuit and said memory operation circuit, for controllably activating one of said control operation circuit and said memory operation circuit based on said first control signal, said mode control circuit controllably causing said data signals to be stored in said memory without interfering with said operation module;
a LCD display (410) for displaying said data signals at least when said memory operation is selected by said mode control circuit.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Universal remote controller with voice and digital memory

Life of this patent

Universal remote controller with voice and digital memory

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims18