# US 5,900,867 A · Self identifying remote control device having a television receiver for use in a computer > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 5,900,867 A - Document ID: US5900867A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 08/503,368 - Filed: 1995-07-17 - Granted: 1999-05-04 - Earliest claimed: 1995-07-17 - Assignees: Gateway 2000, Inc. - Inventors: Jeffrey Schindler; Robert Moore; Sidney D. Autry; Rix S. Chan; Brian A. Bennett - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5900867A ## CPC - G06F 3/0219: {Special purpose keyboards} - G06F 3/0213: {Arrangements providing an integrated pointing device in a keyboard, e.g. trackball, mini-joystick (for pointing devices integrated in a laptop computer G06F1/169; joysticks G05G9/047; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033)} - G06F 3/033: Pointing devices displaced or positioned by the user {, e.g. mice, trackballs, pens or joysticks}; Accessories therefor (digitisers characterised by the transducing means G06F3/041) - G06F 3/03547: {Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface} - G06F 3/03549: {Trackballs (G06F3/03541 takes precedence)} - G08C 19/28: using pulse code - H04B 1/202: {by remote control} - H04N 5/765: Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus - H04N 21/41265: {having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device (unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204)} - H04N 21/4143: {embedded in a} Personal Computer [PC] - H04N 21/42204: {User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor (constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205)} - H04N 21/4221: {Dedicated function buttons, e.g. for the control of an EPG, subtitles, aspect ratio, picture-in-picture or teletext} - H04N 21/42212: {Specific keyboard arrangements} - H04N 21/42221: {Transmission circuitry, e.g. infrared [IR] or radio frequency [RF]} - H04N 21/42224: {Touch pad or touch panel provided on the remote control} - H04N 21/426: Internal components of the client {; Characteristics thereof} (H04N5/44 takes precedence) - H04N 21/43615: {Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals (home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805)} - H04N 21/4438: {Window management, e.g. event handling following interaction with the user interface} - H04N 21/47: End-user applications - H04N 9/641: {Multi-purpose receivers, e.g. for auxiliary information (H04N9/642 takes precedence)} - H04N 21/42222: {Additional components integrated in the remote control device, e.g. timer, speaker, sensors for detecting position, direction or movement of the remote control, microphone or battery charging device} - H04N 21/432: Content retrieval operation from a local storage medium, e.g. hard-disk {(details of retrieval of video data and associated meta data in video databases G06F16/739)} - H04N 21/4332: {by placing content in organized collections, e.g. local EPG data repository (interfaces, Database management systems or updating for information retrieval G06F16/23; details of retrieval of video data and associated meta data in video database G06F16/739)} - H04N 21/4335: Housekeeping operations, e.g. prioritizing content for deletion because of storage space restrictions {(storage management, e.g. defragmentation G06F3/0604; unloading stored programs G06F9/445; storage management in file systems G06F16/10; buffering arrangements in a network node or in an end terminal in packet networks H04L49/90)} - H04N 21/4348: {Demultiplexing of additional data and video streams} - H04N 21/4753: {for user identification, e.g. by entering a PIN or password (cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08)} - H04N 21/478: Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - G08C: TRANSMISSION SYSTEMS FOR MEASURED VALUES, CONTROL OR SIMILAR SIGNALS (fluid pressure transmitting systems F15B; mechanical means for transferring the output of a sensing member into a different variable G01D5/00; mechanical control systems G05G) - H04B: TRANSMISSION - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract An entertainment system has a personal computer as the heart of the system with a large screen VGA quality monitor as the display of choice. The system has digital satellite broadcast reception, decompression and display capability with multiple radio frequency remote control devices which transmit self identifying signals and have power adjustment capabilities. These capabilities are used to provide context sensitive groups of keys which may be defined to affect only selected applications running in a windowing environment. In addition, the remote control devices combine television and VCR controls with standard personal computer keyboard controls. A keyboard remote also integrates a touchpad which is food contamination resistant and may also be used for user verification. Included in the system is the ability to recognize verbal communications in video signals and maintain a database of such text which is searchable to help identify desired programming in real time. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A remote control device for a computer system based entertainment system comprising: a plurality of keys for selecting symbols and functions representative of computer system commands and television control commands; and electromagnetic frequency generating circuitry coupled to the plurality of keys for transmitting signals representative of the selected keys and identifying the device that transmitted the signals each time one of the plurality of keys is selected. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The remote control device of claim 1, wherein the device comprises a keyboard for a personal computer. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The remote control device of claim 2 wherein the plurality of keys comprise alphanumeric symbols and cursor control functions associated with the input of text and control of personal computer applications, and further comprise additional dedicated keys for selecting television control functions which are transmitted to the entertainment system. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The remote control device of claim 3, wherein the additional dedicated keys for selecting television control functions comprise channel up and channel down keys. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The remote control device of claim 3 wherein the additional dedicated keys for selecting television control functions comprise volume up and volume down keys. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The remote control device of claim 3 wherein the additional dedicated keys for selecting television control functions comprise a mute button. ### Claim 7 (depends on 3) The remote control device of claim 3 wherein the additional dedicated keys for selecting television control functions comprise a TV key for cycling the entertainment system through multiple video display states. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The remote control device of claim 7, wherein the display states comprise: a full screen display state; a window screen display state; and a hidden display state. ### Claim 9 (depends on 3) The remote control device of claim 3 wherein the additional dedicated keys for selecting television control functions comprise an on/off key for controlling the entertainment system's use of power. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The remote control device of claim 1 wherein the signal transmitted in response to a key being pressed is representative of an eight bit remote id, a multi-bit representation of the key being pressed, error detection and correction bits, and at least one parity bit to ensure accurate reception by the entertainment system. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The remote control device of claim 1, wherein the remote control device is a hand held remote control and the plurality of keys comprise a numeric keypad, and additional dedicated keys for selecting television control functions which are transmitted to the entertainment system. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The remote control device of claim 11 wherein the additional dedicated keys for selecting television control functions comprise volume up and volume down keys. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The remote control device of claim 11 wherein the additional dedicated keys for selecting television control functions comprise a mute button. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The remote control device of claim 11 wherein the additional dedicated keys for selecting television control functions comprise a TV key for cycling the entertainment system through multiple video display states. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The remote control device of claim 14, wherein the display states comprise: a full screen display state; a window screen display state; and a hidden display state. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The remote control device of claim 11 wherein the additional dedicated keys for selecting television control functions comprise an on/off key for controlling the entertainment system's use of power. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The remote control device of claim 1 wherein the electromagnetic frequency generating circuitry generates signals to be transmitted in the radio frequency range so that the receiver does not need to be located in direct line of sight with the transmitter. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The remote control device of claim 1 wherein the electromagnetic frequency generating circuitry generates signals to be transmitted in the infrared range. ### Claim 19 A remote control device for an entertainment system comprising: a plurality of keys for selecting alphanumeric symbols and cursor control functions; a touchpad integrated into a keyboard; and electromagnetic frequency generating circuitry coupled to the plurality of keys and the touchpad for transmitting signals representative of the selected keys and touchpad each time one of the plurality of keys is selected and the touchpad is utilized. ### Claim 20 (depends on 11) The remote control device of claim 11 wherein the additional dedicated keys for selecting television control functions comprise channel up and channel down keys. ### Claim 21 A remote control device for a computer system based entertainment system having a plurality of applications simultaneously displayed on a display, the remote control device comprising: a plurality of keys for selecting symbols and functions representative of computer system commands and television control commands; and electromagnetic frequency generating circuitry coupled to the plurality of keys for transmitting signals representative of the selected keys and identifying the remote control device that transmitted the signals each time one of the plurality of keys is selected, such that the computer based entertainment system supports independent control of the plurality of applications by routing received signals identifying the remote control device to one of the plurality of applications and routes received signals identifying another remote control device to another one of the plurality of applications.