Control unit with variable visual indicator

A method of configuring a plurality of touchable input displays onboard a control unit having a plurality of touchable inputs used in controlling an apparatus, comprising the steps of:

• (a) visually presenting on a display screen of the apparatus, a plurality of touchable input displayable images;
• (b) visually presenting on the display screen a touchable input display image configuration comprised of a plurality of visually presented touchable input display images of the control unit;
• (c) selectively associating at least one of the plurality of visually presented touchable input display images with one of the plurality of the visually presented touchable input displays of the visually presented touchable input display image configuration;
• and
• (d) communicating the at least one touchable input display image configuration to the control unit.

A method of configuring a plurality of touchable input displays onboard a control unit having a plurality of touchable inputs each equipped with a touchable input display and the control unit linked to an apparatus, comprising the steps of:

• (a) showing on a display screen linkable to the apparatus a plurality of touchable input displayable images;
• (b) showing on the display screen a plurality of control unit touchable input display layout configurations each comprising a plurality of touchable input displays or locations thereof visually represented on the display screen;
• (c) selecting one of the plurality of the control unit touchable input display layout configurations;
• (d) selecting one of the plurality of the touchable input displayable images;
• (e) associating the selected one of the plurality of the touchable input displayable images with one of the plurality of touchable input displays or locations thereof of the selected control unit touchable input display layout configuration;
• and
• (f) providing the selected one of the plurality of the touchable input displayable images and selected control unit touchable input display layout configuration to the control unit.

A method of configuring a plurality of touchable input displays onboard a control unit having a plurality of touchable inputs each equipped with a touchable input display and the control unit linked to a computer, comprising the steps of:

• (a) showing on a display screen linked to the computer a plurality of touchable input displayable images;
• (b) showing on the display screen a control unit touchable input display layout configurations comprising a plurality of touchable input displays or locations thereof visually represented on the display screen;
• (d) selecting with a mouse linked to the computer one of the plurality of the touchable input displayable images;
• (e) dragging the selected one of the plurality of the touchable input displayable images to one of the plurality of touchable input displays or locations thereof of the control unit touchable input display layout configuration designating the selected one of the plurality of the touchable input displayable images with the one of the plurality of touchable input displays or locations thereof of the control unit touchable input display layout configuration;
• and
• (f) transmitting from the computer to the control unit data comprised of at least the selected one of the plurality of the touchable input displayable images and designation of which one of the plurality of touchable input displays or locations thereof of the control unit touchable input display layout configuration.

A method of operating a control unit used to control an apparatus comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a control unit comprised of a plurality of touchable inputs with a plurality of the plurality of touchable inputs having a touchable input display, providing an apparatus that is linked to a display screen, that is linked to the control unit, and that is connectable to the Internet;
• (b) visually showing on the display screen a plurality of images of a character or symbol;
• (c) visually showing on the display screen at least one image representative of a plurality of display equipped touchable input displays or display equipped touchable input display locations;
• (d) selecting one of the plurality of character or symbol images;
• (e) associating the selected one of the plurality of character or symbol images with one of the plurality of display equipped touchable input displays or display equipped touchable input display locations;
• (f) transmitting character or symbol image data of the selected one of the plurality of character or symbol images and configuration data associating the selected one of the plurality of display equipped touchable input displays or display equipped touchable input display locations to a database on the Internet data defining the selected one of the plurality of character or symbol images and designation of which of the plurality of touchable input displays is to display the selected one of the plurality character or symbol images;
• and
• (g) wherein the data defining the selected one of the plurality of character or symbol images and designation of which of the plurality of touchable input displays is to display the selected one of the plurality of character or symbol images is downloadable from the database on the Internet to an apparatus linked to a control unit having a plurality of touchable inputs at least a plurality of which have a touchable input display and displayable on the designated touchable input display.

A method of operating a control unit used to control a computer comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a control unit comprised of a plurality of touchable inputs with a plurality of the plurality of touchable inputs comprising a touchable input display, and a computer comprising a display screen and a manipulable input device with the computer being linkable to the control unit and connectable to a network;
• (b) displaying on the display screen a plurality of images capable of being displayed on a touchable input display;
• (c) displaying on the display screen a plurality of touchable inputs or touchable input locations;
• (d) selecting one of the plurality of images by user manipulation of the manipulable input device;
• (e) assigning the selected one of the plurality of images to one of the plurality of touchable inputs or touchable input locations by user manipulation of the manipulable input device;
• (f) transmitting data to the network comprising the selected one of the plurality of images along with designation of which one of the touchable inputs or touchable input locations is to display the selected one of the plurality of images;
• and
• (g) wherein the selected image and designation data is downloadable from the network to any computer connected to the network that transmits the selected image and designation data to a control unit linked to the computer that has a plurality of touchable inputs each comprised of a touchable input display.

A method of operating a control unit used to control a computer comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a keyboard or key pad control unit comprised of a plurality of plurality of rows of keys each having a plurality of keys with a plurality of the keys comprising display keys that are each equipped with an integral key display, and a computer comprising a display and a mouse with the computer being linkable to the control unit and connectable to a network;
• (b) displaying on the computer display a plurality of display key displayable images;
• (c) displaying on the computer display a visual representation of a plurality of display keys or display key locations;
• (d) selecting manually one of the plurality of display key displayable images using the mouse;
• (e) dragging the selected one of the plurality of display key displayable images onto one of the plurality of display keys or display key locations to designate it be displayable thereon;
• (f) transmitting the selected one of the plurality of display key displayable images and display key or display key location designation to the network;
• and
• (g) wherein the selected one of the plurality of display key displayable images and display key or display key location designation is downloadable from the network to any computer connected to the network that includes a control unit linked to the computer that has a plurality of keys with a plurality of the keys each equipped with a key display.

A method of operating a control unit used to control a computer comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a control unit comprised of a plurality of touchable inputs with each one of the plurality of touchable inputs comprising a touchable input display and a computer linkable to a display and a mouse with the computer being linkable to the control unit and connectable to a network;
• (b) displaying on the computer display a plurality of images capable of being displayed on a touchable input display;
• (c) displaying on the computer display a visual representation of a plurality of touchable input displays or touchable input display locations;
• (d) selecting manually each one of the plurality of touchable input displayable images using the mouse;
• (e) dragging each selected one of the plurality of touchable input displayable images onto one of the plurality of the visually represented touchable input displays or touchable input display locations thereby designating the selected one of the plurality of touchable input displayable images for display thereon;
• (f) transmitting the selected plurality of display key displayable images and corresponding touchable input display or touchable input display location designation therefor to the network;
• and
• (g) wherein the selected plurality of display key displayable images and corresponding display key or display key location designation therefor is downloadable from the network to any computer connected to the network that includes a control unit linked to the computer that has a plurality of touchable inputs with a plurality of the touchable inputs each comprising a touchable input display.